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A review by melaninny
Lightspeed Magazine, June 2016: People of Colo(u)r Destroy Science Fiction! Special Issue by Nalo Hopkinson, Kristine Ong Muslim
5.0
I really loved this anthology. I tend to have trouble with groups of short stories--there will always be something that leaves a bad taste, or just isn't very good. Not so with People of Colo(u)r Destroy Science Fiction. Though I definitely had preferences among the stories, there were no duds, here. I often have trouble with Science Fiction because it's so bleak, as if needing to paint a dire portrait of humanity. In this compilation, there's a lot of hope.
I did live ratings as I read the stories, so I'll include that below to consolidate it. (Just a note, I rate by my own personal preferences and biases, and also compare them to each other. There are really no stinkers in this book, so if it seems lower than the others, I just didn't like it as much as some of the other stories.) I didn't rate the essays or personal essays, but they were all wonderful short pieces. Congrats to the editors of this volume.
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Short Stories
A Good Home by Karen Lowachee -- **** -- A bit predictable but with a lot of heart, about a war-trodden veteran who takes in a war-trodden veteran android. It follows their relationship as it progresses and was just a refreshingly consistent story without too much doom and gloom.
Depot 256 by Lisa Allen-Agostini -- *** -- Created a unique and charactered glimpse into the world. The story itself was very open-ended, which is often not my favorite, but the voice was very well done.
Salto Moral by Nick T. Chan -- ***** -- Intensely suspenseful and satisfying the whole way through. I loved this story and cared quite a bit about the two characters. Want to look for more by this author.
Digital Medicine by Brian K Hudson -- **** -- Very sweet, interesting story with great characters. Was only barely science fiction, but it was a satisfyingly emotional story.
The Red Thread by Sofia Samatar -- **** -- A satisfying glimpse into an interesting world, unique and written as one-sided messages. Unique, quirky, subtle.
Wilson's Singularity by Terence Taylor -- *** -- A well-told but not super unique story about an AI that goes to far to keep humans safe. Interesting characters that drive the plot forward.
Fifty Shades of Grays by Steven Barnes -- **` -- A kinda funny, kinda predictable story about aliens who are sex tourists but who end up taking over the world. Decently told.
Omoshango by Dayo Nywari -- ***` -- An interesting, thought-provoking story that tackles the issue of race head-on. It was the first story that made me feel uncomfortable as a white person reading it, but I think stories that force a person out of their comfort zone like that are inherently valuable and I appreciate the lesson.
Firebird by Isha Karki -- ***** -- I loved this story, left me wanting even more.
As Long as It Takes to Make the World by Gabriela Santiago -- ***** -- Easily the most beautifully written story so far, practically a written painting.
On to Flash Fiction!
An Offertory to Our Drowned Gods by Teresa Naval -- **** -- A beautifully brief glimpse.
Other Metamorphoses by Fabio Fernandes -- *** -- Somehow wanting.
Breathe Deep, Breathe Free by Jennifer Marie Brissett -- ***** -- Love, want more.
Morning Cravings by Nin Harris -- *** -- A little too much fancy terminology to adjust to with flash fiction, but sweet and well told.
The Peacemaker by T. S. Bazelli -- **** -- Interesting and sympathetic.
Binaries by S. B. Divya -- **** -- Unique concept (takes place over exponential years), good execution.
Chocolate Milkshake Number 314 by Caroline M. Yoachim -- ****` -- A sweet and sad story that felt complete.
Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Jy Yang -- **** -- Ambiguous and haunting.
A Handful of Dahl by Naru Dames Sundar -- *** -- Refreshing in concept, excerpts from a family recipe book. Sweet and simple.
Hiranyagarbha by Kevin Jared Hosein -- **` -- Okay but not my favorite of the flash fiction by a long shot.
This wraps up the Flash Fiction section, which was overall very decent, with hints of frustration.
Reprint Fiction
The Evening and the Morning and the Night by Octavia E. Butler -- **** -- A strange story with a chilling and ambiguous message. Definitely gave me a desire to look up more from this author.
Double Time by John Chu -- ****` -- I wish more Science Fiction were like this, with the SF element being a driving element but not the point of the story. I loved it.
Delhi by Vandana Singh -- *** -- Beautiful writing, but confusing and hard to follow, somehow.
1965 by Edmée Pardo -- *** -- Short but intriguing family anecdote. Enjoyed it despite a dry style.
Empire Star by Samuel R. Delaney -- **` -- There is probably a jewel (haha) of a great story in here, but I couldn't get through it. I gave it about 10 pages, sometimes skimming, and had to give up. It's interesting, but I couldn't get past the dialectical writing and countless unknown nouns. No tea no shade, just not for me. May try to revisit another time.
---
Again, thank you to Lightspeed and the editors for creating such a beautiful collection. Keep doing good work.
I did live ratings as I read the stories, so I'll include that below to consolidate it. (Just a note, I rate by my own personal preferences and biases, and also compare them to each other. There are really no stinkers in this book, so if it seems lower than the others, I just didn't like it as much as some of the other stories.) I didn't rate the essays or personal essays, but they were all wonderful short pieces. Congrats to the editors of this volume.
---
Short Stories
A Good Home by Karen Lowachee -- **** -- A bit predictable but with a lot of heart, about a war-trodden veteran who takes in a war-trodden veteran android. It follows their relationship as it progresses and was just a refreshingly consistent story without too much doom and gloom.
Depot 256 by Lisa Allen-Agostini -- *** -- Created a unique and charactered glimpse into the world. The story itself was very open-ended, which is often not my favorite, but the voice was very well done.
Salto Moral by Nick T. Chan -- ***** -- Intensely suspenseful and satisfying the whole way through. I loved this story and cared quite a bit about the two characters. Want to look for more by this author.
Digital Medicine by Brian K Hudson -- **** -- Very sweet, interesting story with great characters. Was only barely science fiction, but it was a satisfyingly emotional story.
The Red Thread by Sofia Samatar -- **** -- A satisfying glimpse into an interesting world, unique and written as one-sided messages. Unique, quirky, subtle.
Wilson's Singularity by Terence Taylor -- *** -- A well-told but not super unique story about an AI that goes to far to keep humans safe. Interesting characters that drive the plot forward.
Fifty Shades of Grays by Steven Barnes -- **` -- A kinda funny, kinda predictable story about aliens who are sex tourists but who end up taking over the world. Decently told.
Omoshango by Dayo Nywari -- ***` -- An interesting, thought-provoking story that tackles the issue of race head-on. It was the first story that made me feel uncomfortable as a white person reading it, but I think stories that force a person out of their comfort zone like that are inherently valuable and I appreciate the lesson.
Firebird by Isha Karki -- ***** -- I loved this story, left me wanting even more.
As Long as It Takes to Make the World by Gabriela Santiago -- ***** -- Easily the most beautifully written story so far, practically a written painting.
On to Flash Fiction!
An Offertory to Our Drowned Gods by Teresa Naval -- **** -- A beautifully brief glimpse.
Other Metamorphoses by Fabio Fernandes -- *** -- Somehow wanting.
Breathe Deep, Breathe Free by Jennifer Marie Brissett -- ***** -- Love, want more.
Morning Cravings by Nin Harris -- *** -- A little too much fancy terminology to adjust to with flash fiction, but sweet and well told.
The Peacemaker by T. S. Bazelli -- **** -- Interesting and sympathetic.
Binaries by S. B. Divya -- **** -- Unique concept (takes place over exponential years), good execution.
Chocolate Milkshake Number 314 by Caroline M. Yoachim -- ****` -- A sweet and sad story that felt complete.
Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Jy Yang -- **** -- Ambiguous and haunting.
A Handful of Dahl by Naru Dames Sundar -- *** -- Refreshing in concept, excerpts from a family recipe book. Sweet and simple.
Hiranyagarbha by Kevin Jared Hosein -- **` -- Okay but not my favorite of the flash fiction by a long shot.
This wraps up the Flash Fiction section, which was overall very decent, with hints of frustration.
Reprint Fiction
The Evening and the Morning and the Night by Octavia E. Butler -- **** -- A strange story with a chilling and ambiguous message. Definitely gave me a desire to look up more from this author.
Double Time by John Chu -- ****` -- I wish more Science Fiction were like this, with the SF element being a driving element but not the point of the story. I loved it.
Delhi by Vandana Singh -- *** -- Beautiful writing, but confusing and hard to follow, somehow.
1965 by Edmée Pardo -- *** -- Short but intriguing family anecdote. Enjoyed it despite a dry style.
Empire Star by Samuel R. Delaney -- **` -- There is probably a jewel (haha) of a great story in here, but I couldn't get through it. I gave it about 10 pages, sometimes skimming, and had to give up. It's interesting, but I couldn't get past the dialectical writing and countless unknown nouns. No tea no shade, just not for me. May try to revisit another time.
---
Again, thank you to Lightspeed and the editors for creating such a beautiful collection. Keep doing good work.