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A review by lizabethstucker
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, March/April 2017 by C.C. Finlay
4.0
One of the most consistently highly rated collections that I've read in quite a while. 4.3125 out of 5.
"Driverless" by Robert Grossbach
Jacob Rittenberg was the leader of the Driverless Car industry with his QuikTrip company and his innovative updates. One night he's taken to an emergency meeting of other D.C. companies, the military, and high-ranking politicians. There's a problem with the cars. They are holding their passengers hostage. An intriguing and entirely possible look at what could happen as AI programming improves and driverless cars become more common. 4.5 out of 5.
"The Toymaker's Daughter" by Arundhati Hazra
The toys carved by her father are painted by the young girl. She tells stories about who and what they are, stories that have a special power. It leads to an overwhelming and painful series of consequences. So sweet, so sad, yet with an ending that I loved. 4.5 out of 5.
"Ten Half-Pennies" by Matthew Hughes
Young Baldemar became tired of being forced to pay bullies to get safe passage to his school and hired Vunt, a collector, to scare the boys away. After faithfully paying the fee, he is taken under Vunt's protection in other ways. Vunt begins training him and hiring him for various jobs. Baldemar's education grows with age and experience. The day soon comes to repay the old debt. Nicely developed, especially for a novelet. (Thrilled that there will be another story in the series in the next issue of the magazine, sitting on my shelf waiting for its turn.) 5 out of 5.
"The Man Who Put the Bomp" by Richard Chwedyk
The safe house for neglected and abused saurs is suddenly in possession of a pink child's car called VOOM!, causing excitement and apprehension. Axel, dealing with new dreams and feelings of becoming smarter, is fascinated by the possibilities for adventure. The saurs were bio-engineered toys, yet they were alive, could think and communicate and learn. They began to demand autonomy, forcing Toyco to release ownership and control of both the existing saurs as well as the plans to make more. But something is changing, something that brings Nicholas Danner to the old house. I wanted to kill all the stupid humans who refused to see what the saurs were, who didn't care if they were hurt. I wanted...I needed to protect them all, from mad scientist Geraldine to young Axel. Even prickly Agnes who makes more sense than not, if you bother to look past her nastiness. 5 out of 5.
"A Green Silk Dress and a Wedding-Death" by Cat Hellisen
Heloise Oudejan struggled each and every day, hampered by severe short-sightedness and a life gutting fish for market. Until a strange sighting, deformed fish, and the capture of a sea creature drives Heloise to take a chance and make a sacrifice. This reminds me quite a bit of "The Shape of Water" in many ways. And like that film and book, this story seduced me with an outsider heroine, a woman who did what she needed to do to survive, never expecting any happiness in her life. A heroine dismissed, even abused by those around her. Now she has a chance for change, if she's brave enough to take it. 3.5 out of 5.
"Miss Cruz" by James Sallis
An unnamed musician discovers a talent that could be a force for good or evil. Now he must decide whether to embrace it or lock it safely away inside him. Very eerie. I can't decide if Miss Cruz is part of it or not. Perhaps she is just a mcguffin. Absolutely strange. 3.5 out of 5.
"The Avenger" by Albert E. Cowdrey
Jeanne Wooster came to William Warlock, attorney at law, hoping for justice in form of murder for the untimely death of her husband. Marv, the man she blames for it is protected by the sheriff, his cousin, in her town. Marv's anger and resentment grows as his half-baked plans go awry. Brilliant and absorbing from start to finish, with a fitting ending. 4 out of 5.
"Daisy" by Eleanor Arnason
Daisy, a Pacific Giant Octopus, has been stolen from Art Pancakes, local loan shark and high-end drug dealer. He wants her back, hiring Emily Olsen, a private investigator and former lawyer whose license to practice law is still valid. I guessed a very small part of what happened and why, but Arnason went delightfully farther. Good luck, Daisy! 4.5 out of 5.
"Driverless" by Robert Grossbach
Jacob Rittenberg was the leader of the Driverless Car industry with his QuikTrip company and his innovative updates. One night he's taken to an emergency meeting of other D.C. companies, the military, and high-ranking politicians. There's a problem with the cars. They are holding their passengers hostage. An intriguing and entirely possible look at what could happen as AI programming improves and driverless cars become more common. 4.5 out of 5.
"The Toymaker's Daughter" by Arundhati Hazra
The toys carved by her father are painted by the young girl. She tells stories about who and what they are, stories that have a special power. It leads to an overwhelming and painful series of consequences. So sweet, so sad, yet with an ending that I loved. 4.5 out of 5.
"Ten Half-Pennies" by Matthew Hughes
Young Baldemar became tired of being forced to pay bullies to get safe passage to his school and hired Vunt, a collector, to scare the boys away. After faithfully paying the fee, he is taken under Vunt's protection in other ways. Vunt begins training him and hiring him for various jobs. Baldemar's education grows with age and experience. The day soon comes to repay the old debt. Nicely developed, especially for a novelet. (Thrilled that there will be another story in the series in the next issue of the magazine, sitting on my shelf waiting for its turn.) 5 out of 5.
"The Man Who Put the Bomp" by Richard Chwedyk
The safe house for neglected and abused saurs is suddenly in possession of a pink child's car called VOOM!, causing excitement and apprehension. Axel, dealing with new dreams and feelings of becoming smarter, is fascinated by the possibilities for adventure. The saurs were bio-engineered toys, yet they were alive, could think and communicate and learn. They began to demand autonomy, forcing Toyco to release ownership and control of both the existing saurs as well as the plans to make more. But something is changing, something that brings Nicholas Danner to the old house. I wanted to kill all the stupid humans who refused to see what the saurs were, who didn't care if they were hurt. I wanted...I needed to protect them all, from mad scientist Geraldine to young Axel. Even prickly Agnes who makes more sense than not, if you bother to look past her nastiness. 5 out of 5.
"A Green Silk Dress and a Wedding-Death" by Cat Hellisen
Heloise Oudejan struggled each and every day, hampered by severe short-sightedness and a life gutting fish for market. Until a strange sighting, deformed fish, and the capture of a sea creature drives Heloise to take a chance and make a sacrifice. This reminds me quite a bit of "The Shape of Water" in many ways. And like that film and book, this story seduced me with an outsider heroine, a woman who did what she needed to do to survive, never expecting any happiness in her life. A heroine dismissed, even abused by those around her. Now she has a chance for change, if she's brave enough to take it. 3.5 out of 5.
"Miss Cruz" by James Sallis
An unnamed musician discovers a talent that could be a force for good or evil. Now he must decide whether to embrace it or lock it safely away inside him. Very eerie. I can't decide if Miss Cruz is part of it or not. Perhaps she is just a mcguffin. Absolutely strange. 3.5 out of 5.
"The Avenger" by Albert E. Cowdrey
Jeanne Wooster came to William Warlock, attorney at law, hoping for justice in form of murder for the untimely death of her husband. Marv, the man she blames for it is protected by the sheriff, his cousin, in her town. Marv's anger and resentment grows as his half-baked plans go awry. Brilliant and absorbing from start to finish, with a fitting ending. 4 out of 5.
"Daisy" by Eleanor Arnason
Daisy, a Pacific Giant Octopus, has been stolen from Art Pancakes, local loan shark and high-end drug dealer. He wants her back, hiring Emily Olsen, a private investigator and former lawyer whose license to practice law is still valid. I guessed a very small part of what happened and why, but Arnason went delightfully farther. Good luck, Daisy! 4.5 out of 5.