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: “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: “The Weight of Your Own Ashes” by Carlie St. George

Review of Carlie St. George, “The Weight of Your Own Ashes”, Clarkesworld Issue 212, May (2024): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

A deeply layered story of identity, and what a sense of self could mean. The protagonist is multi-bodied, with a single soul. What this effectively means in terms of perception, acceptance, and gender identity to themselves, and to other single-bodied organisms, like humans, is the journey of this story.

There are also moments of beauty, like a passage about symphonies, that also show how all those experiences shape Yonder, the protagonist. A great story with many lovely elements.

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REVIEW: “The Blinding Light of Resurrection” by Rajeev Prasad

Review of Rajeev Prasad, “The Blinding Light of Resurrection”, Clarkesworld Issue 212, May (2024): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

Kept me hooked! An emotionally resonant story where I was genuinely invested in the characters and what happened to them. When someone is driven by obsession, rationality goes out the window, and that’s always a recipe for disaster.

This novelette provides a really, really good perspective on obsession and the cost of following through on it. Deftly written in a way that you can understand the protagonist’s motivations while also understanding how they’ve gone off track.

Again, I cannot overstate the emotional resonance in this one. Lovely writing.

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REVIEW: “The Texture of Memory, of Light” by Samara Auman

Review of Samara Auman, “The Texture of Memory, of Light”, Clarkesworld Issue 212, May (2024): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

Much like the previous story in this issue, this is a poignant one that deals with memories of a late mother. There’s a great emphasis on working through conflicting feelings, while being caught up in tightly constructed and intricately layered human systems.

The protagonist has much to work through, coming out on the other side with greater understanding and healing. The character development was fantastic, and I loved seeing all the changes – and the decisions that grew from there.

Great background and secondary characters, too. I especially liked the world building and would definitely read more stories set here.

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REVIEW: “The Brotherhood of Montague St. Video” by Thomas Ha

Review of Thomas Ha, “The Brotherhood of Montague St. Video”, Clarkesworld Issue 212, May (2024): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

Set in a not too distant dystopian future, this story follows an unnamed protagonist who finds a dead book. A real one, with no pixelated layer on the pages, no swiping to increase the brightness. Just paper.

That’s rare in this world, and the book itself is so different from the kinds of books generally available. Present day books have their endings sanitized, plot lines changed, and audience acceptance maximized by following tropes and guidelines. That’s why this one stands out, attracts attention.

I always love to see stories of people finding their inner strength and purpose. Plus, the character arc and world building in this story is a treat. Definitely recommend.

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REVIEW: “In Which Caruth is Correct” by Carolyn Zhao

Review of Carolyn Zhao, “In Which Caruth is Correct”, Clarkesworld Issue 212, May (2024): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

This story brings us to a world where time loops exist, taking you back to moments of singularity. These moments are often moments of regret, the regret of making the wrong choices. Many step in and don’t return, with the strength of belief that maybe a different decision would make life better.

Our protagonist has many of these time loops show up, and works through it with the help of meds and tempo-therapy. The vivid descriptions just add to the joy of this story, which is already an enjoyable experience because of its concept and world building.

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REVIEW: “The Portmeirion Road” by Fiona Moore

Review of Fiona Moore, “The Portmeirion Road”, Clarkesworld Issue 212, May (2024): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

This shows such a great approach to a post apocalyptic society, and how people work together to rebuild society in various ways, including via information archives. The contrast is starker still with the “good old days” of healthcare and information accessibility being part of living memory.

Never thought a story would make me feel a pang of emotion for an Ikea style wood chip table, but here we are. For a happy coincidence, this one brings an adorable robot companion too, just like the first story in the issue!

I’m hoping this story is part of a larger universe, because the world building is amazing. I want to read more about their laws, Morag’s life on the farm and brewery, homesteading, the archivists, and how this society develops.

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REVIEW: “Fishy” by Alice Towey

Review of Alice Towey, “Fishy”, Clarkesworld Issue 212, May (2024): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one – what a great story to start this issue! I’ve read this author before, and I loved her work even then. The author works in water resource management, and it makes its way into her fiction beautifully. A few words and phrases are all she needs to describe situations, emotions, and feelings.

Fishy is a good friend, and one who wants you to be happy. I’ve got a weakness for adorable robot companions, and Fishy delivers! This story is layered, emotional and cute, with some a great ethical choice to round it off. Simply fantastic.

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