REVIEW: “The Children of Flame” by Fiona Moore

Review of Fiona Moore, “The Children of Flame”, Clarkesworld Issue 217, October (2024): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

Set in a post apocalyptic society where modern infrastructure has mostly collapsed, including the concept of billionaires. People are cooperative and have started rebuilding some parts of society, one of them being Morag, our main protagonist. People are part of different groups with different lifestyles, but most are in agreement about being strongly against capitalism.

A lot of elements in this story illustrate so many things that are wrong with the world today – and how much resilience humans have, and always will have. A lovely look at what may happen if capitalism does continue unbridled to the point of implosion.

It’s a great story on its own merit, and works well as a standalone. Happily, it is part of a larger universe, which I hoped it would be when I read the previous story set there. You can read them (four so far) in any order, they’re all at Clarkesworld!

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REVIEW: “To Curse with Needle and Thread” by Vijayalaxmi Samal

Review of Vijayalaxmi Samal, “To Curse With Needle and Thread,” Flash Fiction Online 134 (November 2024): 8-10 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

The stories in this issue of FFO are all bundled together under the header of “rural fantasy”, but don’t be deceived: These are not quiet pastoral stories. Samal’s story opens the issue, and in the very first lines it is visceral, it is angry, it is full of power. It is sharp and blunt when it comes to criticizing colonialism, and the forced conversion that comes with it. A strong and powerful opener!

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REVIEW: “To Serve the Emperor” by Damián Neri

Review of Damián Neri, “To Serve the Emperor,” Flash Fiction Online 133 (October 2024): 31-34 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

Content note: Child harm, flesh eating.

Neri’s story is the sort that rests on the border of gross horror and psychological horror which sits very uncomfortably with me — I like the latter but not so much the former, but here it is the former that makes it the latter. It was entirely compelling and even if I wasn’t entirely happy reading it, I couldn’t look away.

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REVIEW: “A Space O/pera” by Abby Nicole Yee

Review of Abby Nicole Yee, “A Space O/pera”, Clarkesworld Issue 217, October (2024): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

This one starts off strong, with an open letter to a young heiress on her lavish wedding, set in the near future amidst severe climate change. There’s a lot packed into this short story, and the stakes are raised pretty quick too. It’s also quite thoughtfully laid out, with the epistolary type blog posts providing a different perspective and broader context to this space tale. Packed with futuristic tech and sci-fi action, there’s not a single dull moment!

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REVIEW: “Vinegar-Gurgle” by Andrew K Hoe

Review of Andrew K Hoe, “Vinegar-Gurgle,” Flash Fiction Online 133 (October 2024): 23-26 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

Content note: Torture, racism.

Now this was horror: A gruesome glimpse into depravity. I struggled to find anything in any of the characters to approve of or sympathize with. The author’s note at the end of story was therefore quite important for me, to understand its purpose and inclusion in the issue: “The story
‘Vinegar-Gurgle’ was written as a way of dealing with two real-life Asian hate incidents.”

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REVIEW: “The Trade” by Erin MacNair

Review of Erin MacNair, “The Trade,” Flash Fiction Online 133 (October 2024): 19-22 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

Content note: Death of pets, references to infertility, natural disaster.

I found this story more sad than horrific; but there was an eerie quality threading through it that meant I was never quite sure what was going on, just enough for the story to warrant its speculative label.

(First printed in Orca, Winter 2022.)

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REVIEW: “Dissection of a Mermaid” by Wailana Kalama

Review of Wailana Kalama, “Dissection of a Mermaid,” Flash Fiction Online 133 (October 2024): 16-18 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

Content note: Assault.

This is a step by step how-to guide for what it says in the title. The steps begin detailed and complicated and full of tips and tricks. In the end, the short, sharp staccato sentences are sparse and bare, their structure like a knife driving into your flesh.

It is very, very dark.

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