Prince Joffrey’s witchy step-mother has officially given her last fuck. It was hard to read, even briefly, about this waste-of-space prince, but it made watching his bones crawl all the more satisfying.
This is the best mythos story I have ever read. Ms. Emrys, you have made me a believer! I must now read everything the gods have bid you write.
Bardugo has given the evil stepmother fairytale a brutal twist! Nadya is forced from her home by her father’s new wife, Karina. Nadya finds refuge with an witch in the woods. After a long winter of peace, and good food, she is healthy enough to return to her village and see her old life with new eyes.
A tale of brutal conquerors remade into beneficent leaders through the power of forgetting. It’s a skill they forcefully share to remake a better world, but humans find memories, especially painful memories, hard to let go. All in all, it was an excellent episode of The Outer Limits.
All the stars and pass the Kleenex: this was beautiful.
Deftly cobbling bits of Star Wars and The Expanse, Levine takes the glory out of war. A remarkable story.
Death by chocolate! A despotic treasonous king rules the land, but one brave baker and his wife will take their chance for a better world.
Almost amazing: I loved this little pet demon! But the story lacked a vengeful ending and some wanton violence. Ix’thor would be ashamed of his minion.
Part horror, part comedy, this Heaven-Is-A-Call-Center story could have been a five star gem. Next time, add a punchy ending!
Another beautiful, painful, story by Rachel Swirsky. She gives you a slice of life, of understanding, it’s thought provoking without having a moral. My favorite of her stories was Grand Jeté (The Great Leap).
A Kiss With Teeth by Max Gladstone ★★★★☆
Happy reread! Well that was fun. Dracula has been trying to live the suburban life but is feeling the ol’seven year itch. How long can you pretend to be something you’re not?
Happy reread! Well that was fun. Dracula has been trying to live the suburban life but is feeling the ol’seven year itch. How long can you pretend to be something you’re not?
The Language of Knives by Haralambi Markov ★★★★☆
While I loved the strange pagan death cake ceremony, this story was more about a father and daughter grieving their loss together.
While I loved the strange pagan death cake ceremony, this story was more about a father and daughter grieving their loss together.
Rebellion brews in the colonies of a despotic empire. But even rebels face betrayal. The world-building was well done, if gruesome.
High fashion gives us these strange, beautiful, unforgettable moments. But the costs can be brutally high.
The Cage by A.M. Dellamonica ★★★½☆
In the fight against violence and misogyny, lesbians take a stand to protect a baby werewolf.
In the fight against violence and misogyny, lesbians take a stand to protect a baby werewolf.
In a bleak, medieval and magical world a bodythief, and his apprentice, take on a cult. I nearly wept with Nev over the elephant, but they seemed the vengeful type and, happily, I was right.
The Best We Can by Carrie Vaughn ★★★☆☆
"The greatest discovery in all of human history and funding held it hostage.”
Proof of extraterrestrial life has been found in an artificially created object orbiting Saturn! Yes, finally, proof. And what do we do about it? We argue - because that's pretty much all we can do because Saturn is incredibly far away. We've barely made it Mars!
The years of back and forth could drive you crazy. But worse is the reality that, even though something huge has changed, you still have to go to work the next day.
This little story had its moments but it felt like the depressing interlude in a long science fiction novel before something does happen.
Still, it's likely accurate.
The final days of the Odyssey as told through Penelope’s perspective. Nothing that changes the story.
Mrs. Sorensen and the Sasquatch by Kelly Barnhill ★★★☆☆
A widow with an affinity for animals falls back in love with a Sasquatch. Yes, you read that right, and the community mostly accepts this because they like her and she is one of their own. But this story was too long for one without a twist.
About Faries by Pat Murphy ★★★☆☆
“Cats have theories. Every cat owner knows that.”
A painful slice of life where work, fantasy, and personal tragedy blend into one story.
The Water That Falls on You from Nowhere by John Chu ★★★☆☆
A coming out story in a world where no one can lie.
This felt something like a Japanese version of Mrs. Caliban. Short and tame but interesting.
Please Undo This Hurt by Seth Dickson ★★★☆☆
That was hard dull pain stretched to into a story. Basically, two people contemplating suicide.
The Shape of My Name by Nino Cipri ★★★☆☆
An angry-at-my-mom trans time travel story.
A Fist of Permutations in Lightning and Wildflowers by Alyssa Wong ★★★☆☆
A sad story of sisters who cannot escape a violent fate no matter how often they go back and try.
The Tallest Doll in New York City by Maria Dahvana Headley ★★★☆☆
A whimsical story of buildings in New York coming life on Valentines Day. It read like an old timey light hearted cartoon.
Terminal by Lavie Tidhar ★★★☆☆
A cheap, lonely, sad trek through space to Mars.
A Vector Alphabet of Interstellar Travel by Yoon Ha Lee ★★½☆☆
Story notes from the mind of Yoon Ha Lee, inventor of calendrical heresy.
Last Son of Tomorrow by Greg Van Eekhout ★★½☆☆
That was a boring little retelling of Superman.
Six Months, Three Days by Charlie Jane Anders ★★☆☆☆
“They are both going to say some vicious things to each other in the next hour or so. They’ve already heard it all, in their heads.”
Man who sees a single possible future hooks up with a woman who sees many possible futures. Because couples need new things to fight about.
This was long, frustrating, and sad.
The City, Born Great by N. K. Jemisin ★★☆☆☆
80% agenda
10% plight of the possibly underage gay hooker
10% Lovecraft
All sown together with artistic vagueness that was readable if not enjoyable.
Among the Thorns by Veronica Schanoes DNF
Jew torture I did not want to read - pass.
The Hanging Game by Helen Marshall DNF
That’s in the nope pile.
Peonies by Kij Johnson DNF
Another for the nope pile.
The End of Everything by Dale Bailey DNF
Skipping the suicide party story.
Breaking Water by Indrapramit Das DNF
Highly unpleasant story of misogyny, murder, and zombies. I quit very early on.
In the Sight of Akresa by Ray Wood DNF
Skip. This sounds depressing AF.
The World is Full of Monsters by Jeff Vandermeer DNF
I never know what to make of Jeff Vandermeer. It’s like modern poetry stretched into a story, which sounds lovely, but if the poem didn’t make sense what hope is there for the story?
I never know what to make of Jeff Vandermeer. It’s like modern poetry stretched into a story, which sounds lovely, but if the poem didn’t make sense what hope is there for the story?
The Devil in America by Kai Ashante Wilson DNF
I struggle through some of this in the spirit of BLM but then it just got weird and even more boring.
A Short History of the Twentieth Century, or, When You Wish Upon a Star by Kathleen Ann Goonan DNF
Nazis, Sexism and the Space Program. Would it kill you to include some happy stories? Seriously, WTF?
5 five star stories and 9 DNF’s - this anthology was whiplash! The highest highs, the lowest lows. I’m not doing the math, just giving it three stars.
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