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The Long List Anthology Volume 2: More Stories From the Hugo Award Nomination List by David Steffen
instahgrump's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
sofipitch's review against another edition
4.0
5 star picks:
I picked up this anthology because I wanted to read The Deepwater Bride by Tamsyn Muir. It was the last thing on my list before becoming a Muir completist and boy did it not disappoint. It was easily one of my favorite stories. One thing Muir loves and I really enjoy is where her stories reveal something at the end that recontextualizes the whole thing. But it's done in such a way that you never feel like you had to play detective the whole time to appreciate it. Part eldritch horror part rom com with two teen girls. I adored it.
The other shining star was "The Hungry Daughters of Starving Daughters" by Alyssa Wong. I had actually read it before in "Queers Destroy Horror" and thought it was great, but a lot of the stories in that collection were okay at best, so I reread it to see if it was good or just good in comparison and it was genuinely good. It toys with the concept of energy vampires without calling it that and in a new and different way.
"The Pauper Prince and the Eucalyptus Jinn" by Usman T. Malik is the last of my 5 star picks. This one was well written and weird.
None of the other stories in the anthology were bad, there were a few others I liked. The otherd I just felt failed to be anything particularly interesting. In a few cases I felt like the story was depending on interest in sci fi elements to capture my attention as opposed to good writing or plot etc.
I would be remiss to not mention "So Much Food" by Naomi Kritzer which stands out to me in 2023 because it is about a recipe blogger quarantining during a pandemic. Kritzer accurately predicted so many details of the Covid 19 pandemic it wasn't just eerie it made my stomach turn, because it was written in 2015. It was good on it's own but I don't know if it would have stood out if not for the growing dread of familiarity it created.
I picked up this anthology because I wanted to read The Deepwater Bride by Tamsyn Muir. It was the last thing on my list before becoming a Muir completist and boy did it not disappoint. It was easily one of my favorite stories. One thing Muir loves and I really enjoy is where her stories reveal something at the end that recontextualizes the whole thing. But it's done in such a way that you never feel like you had to play detective the whole time to appreciate it. Part eldritch horror part rom com with two teen girls. I adored it.
The other shining star was "The Hungry Daughters of Starving Daughters" by Alyssa Wong. I had actually read it before in "Queers Destroy Horror" and thought it was great, but a lot of the stories in that collection were okay at best, so I reread it to see if it was good or just good in comparison and it was genuinely good. It toys with the concept of energy vampires without calling it that and in a new and different way.
"The Pauper Prince and the Eucalyptus Jinn" by Usman T. Malik is the last of my 5 star picks. This one was well written and weird.
None of the other stories in the anthology were bad, there were a few others I liked. The otherd I just felt failed to be anything particularly interesting. In a few cases I felt like the story was depending on interest in sci fi elements to capture my attention as opposed to good writing or plot etc.
I would be remiss to not mention "So Much Food" by Naomi Kritzer which stands out to me in 2023 because it is about a recipe blogger quarantining during a pandemic. Kritzer accurately predicted so many details of the Covid 19 pandemic it wasn't just eerie it made my stomach turn, because it was written in 2015. It was good on it's own but I don't know if it would have stood out if not for the growing dread of familiarity it created.
saguaros's review against another edition
3.0
favourite stories:
Tuesdays with Molakesh the Destroyer, Megan Grey
Madeleine, Amal El-Mohtar
Pocosin, Ursula Vernon
So Much Cooking, Naomi Kritzer
The Deepwater Bride, Tamsyn Muir (<3333)
Our Lady of the Open Road, Sarah Pinsker
I didn't read the last one in the book--practically a (short) novel. Keeping it for another time as its own thing. I wasn't fond of the way the stories were placed in order of length for some reason, short stories, then novellettes, then novellas, then the novel.
Tuesdays with Molakesh the Destroyer, Megan Grey
Madeleine, Amal El-Mohtar
Pocosin, Ursula Vernon
So Much Cooking, Naomi Kritzer
The Deepwater Bride, Tamsyn Muir (<3333)
Our Lady of the Open Road, Sarah Pinsker
I didn't read the last one in the book--practically a (short) novel. Keeping it for another time as its own thing. I wasn't fond of the way the stories were placed in order of length for some reason, short stories, then novellettes, then novellas, then the novel.
milointhewoods's review against another edition
4.0
- damage (david d. levine) 3 stars, review on authors listing
- pockets (amal el-mohtar) 4 stars, review on authors listing
- today i am paul (martin l. shoemaker) 4 stars, review on authors listing
- the women you didn’t see (nicola griffith) 5 stars
- tuesdays with molakesh the destroyer (megan grey) 4 stars, review on authors listing
- wooden feathers (ursula vernon) 5 stars
- three cups of grief, by starlight (aliette de bodard) 4 stars, review on authors listing
- madeleine (amal el-mohtar) 3 stars, review on authors listing
- neat things (seanan mcguire) too personal to review or rate, touching
- pocosin (ursula vernon) 5 stars
- hungry daughters of starving mothers (alyssa wong) 5 stars, review on authors listing
- so much cooking (naomi kritzer) 4 stars, review on authors listing
- the deepwater bride (tamsyn muir) 5 stars
- the heart’s filthy lesson (elizabeth bear) 5 stars, review on authors listing
- grandmother-nai-leylit’s cloth of winds (r. b. lemberg) 5 stars, review on authors listing
- another word for world (ann leckie) 4 stars
- the long goodnight of violet wild (catherynne m. valente) 2 stars
- our lady of the open road (sarah pinsker) 3 stars
- the pauper prince and the eucalyptus jinn (usman t. malik) 3 stars, review on authors listing
- the sorcerer of the wildeeps (kai ashante wilson) 3 stars, review on authors listing
the standout stories of this hugo collection for me were, without a doubt, hungry daughters of starving mothers by alyssa wong, the deepwater bride by tamsyn muir and grandmother-nai-leylit’s cloth of winds by r. b. lemberg. i will pick up absolutely anything these authors publish and will be doing my absolute best to get a hold of the rest of the birdverse. i really liked this collection, and it’s sprawl of genres, there was only one story that i actively disliked here and i count that as a major success!
this has introduced me to some super authors that i hadn’t heard of, and some short stories by authors that i already loved. i have been a few chapters into ancillary justice for two or three months now but with reading another word for world, i’ll continue asap.
- pockets (amal el-mohtar) 4 stars, review on authors listing
- today i am paul (martin l. shoemaker) 4 stars, review on authors listing
- the women you didn’t see (nicola griffith) 5 stars
- tuesdays with molakesh the destroyer (megan grey) 4 stars, review on authors listing
- wooden feathers (ursula vernon) 5 stars
- three cups of grief, by starlight (aliette de bodard) 4 stars, review on authors listing
- madeleine (amal el-mohtar) 3 stars, review on authors listing
- neat things (seanan mcguire) too personal to review or rate, touching
- pocosin (ursula vernon) 5 stars
- hungry daughters of starving mothers (alyssa wong) 5 stars, review on authors listing
- so much cooking (naomi kritzer) 4 stars, review on authors listing
- the deepwater bride (tamsyn muir) 5 stars
- the heart’s filthy lesson (elizabeth bear) 5 stars, review on authors listing
- grandmother-nai-leylit’s cloth of winds (r. b. lemberg) 5 stars, review on authors listing
- another word for world (ann leckie) 4 stars
- the long goodnight of violet wild (catherynne m. valente) 2 stars
- our lady of the open road (sarah pinsker) 3 stars
- the pauper prince and the eucalyptus jinn (usman t. malik) 3 stars, review on authors listing
- the sorcerer of the wildeeps (kai ashante wilson) 3 stars, review on authors listing
the standout stories of this hugo collection for me were, without a doubt, hungry daughters of starving mothers by alyssa wong, the deepwater bride by tamsyn muir and grandmother-nai-leylit’s cloth of winds by r. b. lemberg. i will pick up absolutely anything these authors publish and will be doing my absolute best to get a hold of the rest of the birdverse. i really liked this collection, and it’s sprawl of genres, there was only one story that i actively disliked here and i count that as a major success!
this has introduced me to some super authors that i hadn’t heard of, and some short stories by authors that i already loved. i have been a few chapters into ancillary justice for two or three months now but with reading another word for world, i’ll continue asap.
kieralesley's review against another edition
4.0
Another great long list anthology! I really enjoyed volume 1 and I'm glad volume 2 has kept that going as well as adding in a few new things like the Tiptree essays. Collections are always hit-and-miss according to tastes and I think that's why these long list ones are so valuable - you can read a bunch of stories other people have considered excellent and see what works for you. My favourites, by far, were "Pocosin" and "The Deepwater Bride", with an honourable mention to "Our Lady of the Open Road".
My only criticism is that the final, longer stories didn't really grab me so I stalled for days not finishing this before I realised the problem. That's a matter of taste more than any criticism on the ordering of the collection or the pieces themselves, though.
Well worth acquiring and definitely worth keeping your eye out for the Kickstarters behind these volumes. Here's hoping for a Volume 3!
My only criticism is that the final, longer stories didn't really grab me so I stalled for days not finishing this before I realised the problem. That's a matter of taste more than any criticism on the ordering of the collection or the pieces themselves, though.
Well worth acquiring and definitely worth keeping your eye out for the Kickstarters behind these volumes. Here's hoping for a Volume 3!
mirrormir's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
raccoonsinatrenchcoat's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
kimtrucks's review against another edition
4.0
Damage: a great story about an AI with an ethical quandary.
Pockets: a sweet lil' tale about accepting life as it comes.
Today I am Paul: a medical care robot, who impersonates (with their permission) family members, cares for an ailing woman. Very good.
The women you didn't see: A non-fiction letter to Tiptree Jr./Alice Sheldon. Crushing.
Tuesdays with Molakesh the Desroyer: an ailing demon is sent to die in a small town. Did not care for this one.
Wooden Feathers: about carving something perfect. OK.
Three Cups of Grief, By Starlight: dealing with the loss of a loved one (repeatedly). Excellent.
Madeleine: About a woman having vivid 'flashbacks'. It's fine.
Neat Things: the second letter to Tiptree/Sheldon.
Pocosin: a great lil' story about a witch in a marsh, and a dying possum-god.
Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers: A sin-eater feasts. not my favourite, but still wonderful.
So Much Cooking: Loved this! A pandemic as told through a food blog.
Deepwater Bride: Cthulhu Mythos in which a watching-type witch tries to discover the fell lord's bride.
Heart's Filthy Lesson: A Venusian trek. Did not care for it.
Grandmother-nay-Leylit's Cloth of Winds: about change of every sort. Found it touching.
Another word for world: About the perils of improper translation. Good enough.
Long Goodnight of Violet Wild: I bailed.
Our Lady of the Open Road: a bunch of travelling punks, post-pandemic. Not for me.
The P{auper Prince and the Eucalyptus Jinn: A grandson investigates his grandfather's stories of the "Mughal princess" who sold tea. I am biased against the kinds of third acts we see here, but it was lovely up until then.
The Sorceror of the Wildeeps: An African diaspora tale, in a world where the diaspora didn't happen, set in a fictional world that honestly reminded me vaguely of The Book of the New Sun. Mostly works well, although sometimes the prose seems to miss its mark.
Pockets: a sweet lil' tale about accepting life as it comes.
Today I am Paul: a medical care robot, who impersonates (with their permission) family members, cares for an ailing woman. Very good.
The women you didn't see: A non-fiction letter to Tiptree Jr./Alice Sheldon. Crushing.
Tuesdays with Molakesh the Desroyer: an ailing demon is sent to die in a small town. Did not care for this one.
Wooden Feathers: about carving something perfect. OK.
Three Cups of Grief, By Starlight: dealing with the loss of a loved one (repeatedly). Excellent.
Madeleine: About a woman having vivid 'flashbacks'. It's fine.
Neat Things: the second letter to Tiptree/Sheldon.
Pocosin: a great lil' story about a witch in a marsh, and a dying possum-god.
Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers: A sin-eater feasts. not my favourite, but still wonderful.
So Much Cooking: Loved this! A pandemic as told through a food blog.
Deepwater Bride: Cthulhu Mythos in which a watching-type witch tries to discover the fell lord's bride.
Heart's Filthy Lesson: A Venusian trek. Did not care for it.
Grandmother-nay-Leylit's Cloth of Winds: about change of every sort. Found it touching.
Another word for world: About the perils of improper translation. Good enough.
Long Goodnight of Violet Wild: I bailed.
Our Lady of the Open Road: a bunch of travelling punks, post-pandemic. Not for me.
The P{auper Prince and the Eucalyptus Jinn: A grandson investigates his grandfather's stories of the "Mughal princess" who sold tea. I am biased against the kinds of third acts we see here, but it was lovely up until then.
The Sorceror of the Wildeeps: An African diaspora tale, in a world where the diaspora didn't happen, set in a fictional world that honestly reminded me vaguely of The Book of the New Sun. Mostly works well, although sometimes the prose seems to miss its mark.
bailym's review against another edition
Placeholder for "Our Lady of the Open Road," by Sarah Pinsker. 5 stars.