Review of Ali Miller, “The Trimming of the Branches,” Luna Station Quarterly 52 (2022): Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
This story was deftly written in order to allow two readings, one where it’s a straight-up dryadic sort of fantasy, and the other (which is how I preferred to take it) as a metaphor of the love between men and women and the land, a love that crosses and shifts and mutates over generations. It was a really lovely read.
Review of Sarah McPherson, “Shadow and Ash,” Luna Station Quarterly 52 (2022): Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
This story combined two narrative techniques that I generally dislike — 2nd person POV with a vagueness of setting and characterisation — with the result that I never really found anything to sink my teeth into. This one just wasn’t for me.
Review of Wang Yuan, “Other Stories”, Clarkesworld Issue 183, December (2021): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.
A fascinating novelette about fiction and time travel and how it comes together in lovely, strange ways. This is a story I read twice, simply because it had so much depth that I had to go back. After the first read, things are revealed, and I immediately started it again, knowing the plot and hence being able to connect the dots better, seeing phrases in a new light.
You can tell that this was quite intricately written, and it’s one of those stories you can keep revisiting. Highly recommend.
Review of Elana Gomel, “The Mother Tree,” Luna Station Quarterly 52 (2022): Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
Content note: Non-consensual sex, non-consensual pregnancy.
This was definitely not the sort of story I was expecting, veering off from fantasy to flirt with horror — the horror of pregnancy as your child takes over your body and then your life; the horror of losing a mother; the horror of being trapped in one place, unable to speak, unable to escape.
I loved it.
Review of Keira Reynolds, “The Wee Folks,” Luna Station Quarterly 52 (2022): Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
This was a proper fairy tale, where the wee folk are armed and dangerous and ready to laugh at human suffering, with a good dose of folk knowledge in the background.
Review of Maria Paige Brekke, “Beech, Please,” Luna Station Quarterly 52 (2022): Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
After a decade of running a body-carving shop for dryads (basically the tree equivalent of tattoos), Rhiannon comes to realise that she’s become…normal. ordinary. part of the establishment. the “safe” option. Better that than burning childish designs into their bark like her competitor Eric, or so she tells herself. Anything is better than leaving her customers to Eric’s services. So of course, we the readers are not surprised at all when Rhiannon and Eric get thrown into a fix that they can only solve together.
This story wins the “best title” award for this (tree-themed) issue of LSQ, so of course I had to start with it. I’m delighted to say the story itself lived up to the promise of its title — snappy, full of humor, putting a smile on my face in every paragraph.
Review of Megan W. Shaw, “A Song Before I Say Goodbye,” Cossmass Infinities 8 (2022): 96-98 — Purchase online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
This was an unusually short story for Cossmass Infinities, but I’m so glad the editors took a punt on it. It’s a beautiful little epilogue to a great issue. (Warning! May cause tears.)
Review of Aimee Ogden, “Still No God of Mine,” Cossmass Infinities 8 (2022): 76-84 — Purchase online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
Set in a richly varied and detailed world, this story mixed humor and pathos in equal measures. It is, at heart, a story of being an immigrant, of always being an outsider, and as an immigrant myself, I found it resonated a lot.
Review of Somto Ihezue, “Whole,” Cossmass Infinities 8 (2022): 48-55 — Purchase online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
This was an expertly crafted story, written with a strong, distinctive voice and in a lyrical, vivid style, and designed to draw shivers out of you. One of the gold star stories of this issue.
Review of Rich Larson, “You Are Born Exploding”, Clarkesworld Issue 183, December (2021): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.
Set in an indeterminate time in the future, this story focuses on the dichotomy of the life of the narrator versus the general public. She is rich and can afford security and expensive inoculations. Much of the general population cannot, and some become Shamblers.
She is intrigued by them, especially the ones who voluntarily become Shamblers, and leave the land to dive into the sea. Nobody knows where they go, but she is disillusioned with her existing life and doesn’t seem to mind the unknown. Especially since her life on land isn’t shaping up to be too great.
I loved the beautiful prose, and the pacing. It is a novelette, so a bit longer than your usual short story, but it never drags and is absolutely worth the read. The world-building and hints of how the world functions has so much depth that I’m sure the author has even more detail in his notes than we see in the story. The character development is strong, and the emotional resonance is powerful and heartbreaking. One of my favorite stories of the year!
SFF Reviews