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paragraphsandpages's review
5.0
I haven't read a lot of short story collections like this beyond just anthologies, and even those I hadn't read a lot of. I've definitely read very few sci-fi short stories, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect going into this. I was drawn in by the gender diversity this issue focused on (only stories written by women, non-binary, and trans authors!), and was so happy that it fully delivered on this front as well.
The biggest stand out aspect of this collection has to be the diversity. The stories are rich with many levels of diversity, and I especially enjoyed seeing so many gender queer characters. Sci-fi, and fantasy, are genres that have long been dominated by cis white men, and while we see more and more books in both genres written by marginalized authors, it never quite seems to be enough. This collection was a breath of fresh air in that regard, and I definitely want to try more issues of Planet Scumm to see if they're just as diverse as this issue was.
I also thought the individual stories were extremely impressive as well. I sometimes struggle with short stories, often feeling like it's just quite enough space to fully develop an interesting world, but I didn't have that issue here at all. Every story felt like a small piece of a larger world, while still giving enough of a picture of that world as to not leave readers lost and confused. They all drew me in quickly and left me wanting more, in a good way this time!
Overall, I highly recommend Snake Eyes, and can't wait to read more issues!
The biggest stand out aspect of this collection has to be the diversity. The stories are rich with many levels of diversity, and I especially enjoyed seeing so many gender queer characters. Sci-fi, and fantasy, are genres that have long been dominated by cis white men, and while we see more and more books in both genres written by marginalized authors, it never quite seems to be enough. This collection was a breath of fresh air in that regard, and I definitely want to try more issues of Planet Scumm to see if they're just as diverse as this issue was.
I also thought the individual stories were extremely impressive as well. I sometimes struggle with short stories, often feeling like it's just quite enough space to fully develop an interesting world, but I didn't have that issue here at all. Every story felt like a small piece of a larger world, while still giving enough of a picture of that world as to not leave readers lost and confused. They all drew me in quickly and left me wanting more, in a good way this time!
Overall, I highly recommend Snake Eyes, and can't wait to read more issues!
cyireadbooks's review
1.0
Uh, nope. Sci-fi that is too way out there for me. Give me anything else but this. Maybe sci-fi isn't one of the genres that fits into my reading likes -- though I did like Colony and Poison in the Pills, along with The Next Step.
kaylacreviews's review
5.0
I can't recommend "Snake Eyes" enough. I haven't read the previous Planet Scumm issues, but I'm definitely interested in checking them out. I loved how many additional elements these sci-fi stories incorporated, from dystopia to cosmic horror. Furthermore, readers who are looking for LGBTQ+ representation will find it here. Then there were the wonderful illustrations by Maura McGonagle. Maura expertly captured the themes and added to the mysterious, creepy aura of the stories. Since multiple authors contributed to this issue, I'll give a brief review for each story. I honestly can't think of anything I didn't like in this magazine. If you're looking for an emotionally evocative, stimulating, creative speculative fiction magazine, you should check out Planet Scumm #11, "Snake Eyes."
"A Defiance of Violins" by Ana Gardner: Wow. That about sums up how I felt about this story, which turned out to be my favorite one of them all. Like other stories in the magazine, this one was expertly structured and the plot was intriguing. However, the clever main character and the powerful conclusion especially rang with me.
"The Hollow Stars in Heaven" by Avery Kit Malone: Unique and thought-provoking, this story came with an incredible, shocking twist that made me cheer. Loved it.
"Hivemind" by LC von Hessen: Nightmarishly surreal at times, "Hivemind" was a bit hard to follow but was engaging overall. I enjoyed this story's cynical tone and the dry wit of the main character.
"The Secret of Theta Pi" by Stephanie Gray: This is my second favorite because I loved the powerful relationship between the characters. Hauntingly sorrowful yet ultimately bittersweet, this tale of friendship stole my heart, and the touch of cosmic horror was well done.
"The Long Sleep" by Diana Fenves: Unsettling. That's the word I'd use to describe this one. I liked the twist at the end, and for such a short work, the main character was impressively easy to grow attached to. "The Long Sleep" was hard to stop reading.
"Real Sugar Is Hard to Find" by Sim Kern: With an endearing plot, this one really tugged at the heartstrings. Sim Kern's delivery was excellent. The contrast between the hopeful moments and the depressing dystopian themes made for a poignant read.
"Ma Dresden" by Laura Barker: What I loved most about "Ma Dresden" was the conversational narrative that was interspersed with dark humor. The hair-raising conclusion was the cherry on top of this entertaining story.
"An Eventual Feast" by Lindsay King-Miller: I’m not usually big on zombies, but this delivered a chilling new twist to the trope that amazed me. Lindsay built up the suspense expertly, keeping my heart pounding throughout the story. As thought-provoking as it was unnerving, "An Eventual Feast" was a perfect closing story to this masterpiece of a magazine.
(Disclaimer: I received a free digital review copy of this magazine. All opinions in this review are my own and are honest and unbiased.)
Trigger Warning: The works within this magazine contain some mature subject matter, including violence.
"A Defiance of Violins" by Ana Gardner: Wow. That about sums up how I felt about this story, which turned out to be my favorite one of them all. Like other stories in the magazine, this one was expertly structured and the plot was intriguing. However, the clever main character and the powerful conclusion especially rang with me.
"The Hollow Stars in Heaven" by Avery Kit Malone: Unique and thought-provoking, this story came with an incredible, shocking twist that made me cheer. Loved it.
"Hivemind" by LC von Hessen: Nightmarishly surreal at times, "Hivemind" was a bit hard to follow but was engaging overall. I enjoyed this story's cynical tone and the dry wit of the main character.
"The Secret of Theta Pi" by Stephanie Gray: This is my second favorite because I loved the powerful relationship between the characters. Hauntingly sorrowful yet ultimately bittersweet, this tale of friendship stole my heart, and the touch of cosmic horror was well done.
"The Long Sleep" by Diana Fenves: Unsettling. That's the word I'd use to describe this one. I liked the twist at the end, and for such a short work, the main character was impressively easy to grow attached to. "The Long Sleep" was hard to stop reading.
"Real Sugar Is Hard to Find" by Sim Kern: With an endearing plot, this one really tugged at the heartstrings. Sim Kern's delivery was excellent. The contrast between the hopeful moments and the depressing dystopian themes made for a poignant read.
"Ma Dresden" by Laura Barker: What I loved most about "Ma Dresden" was the conversational narrative that was interspersed with dark humor. The hair-raising conclusion was the cherry on top of this entertaining story.
"An Eventual Feast" by Lindsay King-Miller: I’m not usually big on zombies, but this delivered a chilling new twist to the trope that amazed me. Lindsay built up the suspense expertly, keeping my heart pounding throughout the story. As thought-provoking as it was unnerving, "An Eventual Feast" was a perfect closing story to this masterpiece of a magazine.
(Disclaimer: I received a free digital review copy of this magazine. All opinions in this review are my own and are honest and unbiased.)
Trigger Warning: The works within this magazine contain some mature subject matter, including violence.
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