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mikewhiteman's review
3.0
In A Wide Sky, Hidden - William Ledbetter ***
The brother of a planetary-scale artist hunts for her across habitable planets after she announces her masterpiece and disappears. Their relationship is fleshed out through flashback sections, establishing her inspiration for him to follow his dreams of exploring the galaxy. Ends bittersweetly, both bleak and uplifting,
The Masochist's Assistant - Auston Habershaw ***
Comedy of manners where a young man cannot face the loss of status from working for an unconventional mage who stands outside the world's formal, aristocratic society. A nice take on finding your own place in the world, within or without the system, and the mage's amusing attempts to prevent his death lightened the rigidity of the story's world.
The Bride In Sea-Green Velvet - Robin Furth ****
A creepy Frankenstein-by-the-sea story, as a Lord has skeletons exhumed and brought back to life to marry. The crumbling seashore setting and Sir Henry's obsession with beauty below the skin create an eerie atmosphere and the concluding resurrection and sacrifice is a satisfying set piece to end on.
There Was A Crooked Man, He Flipped A Crooked House - David Erik Nelson **
A promising idea - the trap house where each door and window takes you to another part of it instead of outside and otherworldly beings hunt those trapped - let down by clumsy and inconsistent writing. The narrator is black, so says "gal" and "mos def" (and bafflingly, "skool") once each before dropping back into, presumably, the author's voice. An Icelandic character starts off all "Oh yes, I love America, ja?" then waxes poetic in fluent English about being under a supernatural compulsion. None of them feel like real people, the narration itself was awkward and it was impossible to engage.
A Dog's Story - Gardner Dozois *
It's hard to do a "from the animal's point of view" story and make it interesting rather than just giving things "dog" names and talking about their Humans. This doesn't manage it.
I Am Not I - GV Anderson ****
In a society dominated by genetically modified Varians who have given themselves extra limbs, eyes, wings etc, baseline humans, or Saps, are hunted and preserved for display. The Varians are suitably gothic and the honey man is a creation I loved. This is a story about the lengths people will go to to fit into "respectable" society, even against those like them, and the idea is realised smartly.
Afiya's Song - Justin C Key ****
Creating a story around slavery that does justice to the historical facts while still introducing something fresh seems difficult but this one gets there. The healing of the titular song is integrated smoothly into an otherwise realistic world. Afiya is well-drawn, her faith and love tempered by a guarded weariness. Doesn't shy away from the realities of slavery despite its fantasy elements, ultimately a story of perseverance and hope.
An Obstruction To Delivery - Sean Adams ***
Quirky story, structured in bite-size sections - almost report-like but with a knowing, irreverent tone. As fun as a story about postal workers forced to deliver via underground tunnels being gradually picked off by an enigmatic creature can be.
An Unearned Death - Marissa Lingen ***
Osrith is a messenger, travelling around and using her cloak to tell people which god's afterlife they will go to (those unclaimed by any god slowly rot away in the boneyards). A bit talky, but the attempts at persuading the recalcitrant grandma to find joy in something a god would adopt her for were well observed and Osrith's character and sense of justice shone through.
The brother of a planetary-scale artist hunts for her across habitable planets after she announces her masterpiece and disappears. Their relationship is fleshed out through flashback sections, establishing her inspiration for him to follow his dreams of exploring the galaxy. Ends bittersweetly, both bleak and uplifting,
The Masochist's Assistant - Auston Habershaw ***
Comedy of manners where a young man cannot face the loss of status from working for an unconventional mage who stands outside the world's formal, aristocratic society. A nice take on finding your own place in the world, within or without the system, and the mage's amusing attempts to prevent his death lightened the rigidity of the story's world.
The Bride In Sea-Green Velvet - Robin Furth ****
A creepy Frankenstein-by-the-sea story, as a Lord has skeletons exhumed and brought back to life to marry. The crumbling seashore setting and Sir Henry's obsession with beauty below the skin create an eerie atmosphere and the concluding resurrection and sacrifice is a satisfying set piece to end on.
There Was A Crooked Man, He Flipped A Crooked House - David Erik Nelson **
A promising idea - the trap house where each door and window takes you to another part of it instead of outside and otherworldly beings hunt those trapped - let down by clumsy and inconsistent writing. The narrator is black, so says "gal" and "mos def" (and bafflingly, "skool") once each before dropping back into, presumably, the author's voice. An Icelandic character starts off all "Oh yes, I love America, ja?" then waxes poetic in fluent English about being under a supernatural compulsion. None of them feel like real people, the narration itself was awkward and it was impossible to engage.
A Dog's Story - Gardner Dozois *
It's hard to do a "from the animal's point of view" story and make it interesting rather than just giving things "dog" names and talking about their Humans. This doesn't manage it.
I Am Not I - GV Anderson ****
In a society dominated by genetically modified Varians who have given themselves extra limbs, eyes, wings etc, baseline humans, or Saps, are hunted and preserved for display. The Varians are suitably gothic and the honey man is a creation I loved. This is a story about the lengths people will go to to fit into "respectable" society, even against those like them, and the idea is realised smartly.
Afiya's Song - Justin C Key ****
Creating a story around slavery that does justice to the historical facts while still introducing something fresh seems difficult but this one gets there. The healing of the titular song is integrated smoothly into an otherwise realistic world. Afiya is well-drawn, her faith and love tempered by a guarded weariness. Doesn't shy away from the realities of slavery despite its fantasy elements, ultimately a story of perseverance and hope.
An Obstruction To Delivery - Sean Adams ***
Quirky story, structured in bite-size sections - almost report-like but with a knowing, irreverent tone. As fun as a story about postal workers forced to deliver via underground tunnels being gradually picked off by an enigmatic creature can be.
An Unearned Death - Marissa Lingen ***
Osrith is a messenger, travelling around and using her cloak to tell people which god's afterlife they will go to (those unclaimed by any god slowly rot away in the boneyards). A bit talky, but the attempts at persuading the recalcitrant grandma to find joy in something a god would adopt her for were well observed and Osrith's character and sense of justice shone through.
gracecrandall's review
4.0
(This is a review for The Masochist's Assistant only; I listened to it on PodCastle and fell too far in love not to leave a review)
I really loved this!!! It's so rare to find character-driven, fun short stories with happy endings. There was a complex world in this story that came across seamlessly, and I loved both main characters equally. The ending was satisfying while still leaving a great deal open to the imagination. So well written!
I really loved this!!! It's so rare to find character-driven, fun short stories with happy endings. There was a complex world in this story that came across seamlessly, and I loved both main characters equally. The ending was satisfying while still leaving a great deal open to the imagination. So well written!
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