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catchme_ridingnerdy's review
3.0
Standouts for me:
Stories:
Onward
If the Martian’s Have Magic
Down the Aspen Hollow
The Giants of the Violet Sea (this one was very long though)
Essays:
Suddenly Sci-fi: When Real Life Tuens Unreal
Jodie Whittaker’s thirteenth doctor
Expanding Our Empathy Sphere..
Poetry:
The Captain Flies
Stories:
Onward
If the Martian’s Have Magic
Down the Aspen Hollow
The Giants of the Violet Sea (this one was very long though)
Essays:
Suddenly Sci-fi: When Real Life Tuens Unreal
Jodie Whittaker’s thirteenth doctor
Expanding Our Empathy Sphere..
Poetry:
The Captain Flies
heniaakbar's review
3.0
Down in the Aspen Hollow by Kristiana Willsey
"love is only notice, beauty is whatever draws attention." Jealous half-sister who makes the sister's boyfriend kills her. I wish there will be more justice for the wicked sister tho. 3 ⭐
Six Fictions About Unicorns by Rachael K. Jones
Who wouldn't love to have a unicorn as a pet? 3 ⭐
If the Martians Have Magic by P. Djèlí Clark
Love the title, the setting, the Martian aliens and the writing. It's rather difficult with kreole dialect but that makes it even more interesting. 5 ⭐
The Giants of the Violet Sea by Eugenia Triantafyllou
Settings are interesting with colonists kind of vibe who have to survive on a toxic planet. There are venedolphins which are actually whales. And there's murder. It should be interesting but it's not. I even can know the murderer when they were first introduced. No tension and too long it lost all the magic. 2 ⭐
"love is only notice, beauty is whatever draws attention." Jealous half-sister who makes the sister's boyfriend kills her. I wish there will be more justice for the wicked sister tho. 3 ⭐
Six Fictions About Unicorns by Rachael K. Jones
Who wouldn't love to have a unicorn as a pet? 3 ⭐
If the Martians Have Magic by P. Djèlí Clark
Love the title, the setting, the Martian aliens and the writing. It's rather difficult with kreole dialect but that makes it even more interesting. 5 ⭐
The Giants of the Violet Sea by Eugenia Triantafyllou
Settings are interesting with colonists kind of vibe who have to survive on a toxic planet. There are venedolphins which are actually whales. And there's murder. It should be interesting but it's not. I even can know the murderer when they were first introduced. No tension and too long it lost all the magic. 2 ⭐
omantienlukija's review
4.0
In short this issue had some excellent fiction, some not so exciting essays and one poem I really liked.
FICTION
Mulberry and Owl by Aliette de Bodard: Really good story telling tough I found some depictions of violence hard to read. 4/5
On a Branch Floating Down the River, a Wren Is Singing by Betsy Aoki: I really enjoyed the combination of scifi and poetry. The world was also very intriguing. 4,5/5
Onward by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam: Very fairytale like, loved the world and characters. Spoke to me a lot. 4,5/5
If the Martians Have Magic by P. Djèní Clark: Fantasy, scifi and alternative history all at once in a form of an excellent story. Can't wait to read more from Clark! 4,5/5
Down in the Aspen Hollow by Kristiana Wiley: Best part was that it was told from the POV of the trees. 3/5
Six Fictions About Unicorns by Rachael K. Jones: Incredibly cute and heartfelt. Fabulous combo of unicorns and real world. 4/5
The Giants of the Violet Sea by Eugenia Triantafyllou: Scifi and mystery, yet quite tender and touching. Liked this much more than her writing before. 4/5
ESSAYS
Not much to say about these except huge props to Shiv Ramdas for writing Humor, Genre & the One True Quest for a Missing Pilar kinda as a choose your own adventure essay. I'll have to come back to that one to absorb it all.
POETRY
I really enjoyed the reversal of POV for Peter Pan in The Captain Flies by Avi Silver.
FICTION
Mulberry and Owl by Aliette de Bodard: Really good story telling tough I found some depictions of violence hard to read. 4/5
On a Branch Floating Down the River, a Wren Is Singing by Betsy Aoki: I really enjoyed the combination of scifi and poetry. The world was also very intriguing. 4,5/5
Onward by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam: Very fairytale like, loved the world and characters. Spoke to me a lot. 4,5/5
If the Martians Have Magic by P. Djèní Clark: Fantasy, scifi and alternative history all at once in a form of an excellent story. Can't wait to read more from Clark! 4,5/5
Down in the Aspen Hollow by Kristiana Wiley: Best part was that it was told from the POV of the trees. 3/5
Six Fictions About Unicorns by Rachael K. Jones: Incredibly cute and heartfelt. Fabulous combo of unicorns and real world. 4/5
The Giants of the Violet Sea by Eugenia Triantafyllou: Scifi and mystery, yet quite tender and touching. Liked this much more than her writing before. 4/5
ESSAYS
Not much to say about these except huge props to Shiv Ramdas for writing Humor, Genre & the One True Quest for a Missing Pilar kinda as a choose your own adventure essay. I'll have to come back to that one to absorb it all.
POETRY
I really enjoyed the reversal of POV for Peter Pan in The Captain Flies by Avi Silver.
howardgo's review
4.0
My favorite stories were "On a Branch Floating Down the River, a Wren Is Singing" and "The Giants of the Violet Sea".
afreen7's review
4.0
Rating: 3.5 / 5
FICTION
Mulberry and Owl by Aliette de Bodard - 4/5
Really well written and interesting world-building.
Onward by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam - 3/5
Interesting story but I felt it was a little chaotic and the themes of the story weren't very straightforward or consistent so I had a little difficulty understanding the story. Also
On a Branch Floating Down the River, a Wren Is Singing by Betsy Aoki - 5/5
I thought this was really amazing. The war for the preservation of the sanctity of art and the evolution of AI and the value of human ingenuity and creativity as well as the value of love.
Down in the Aspen Hollow by Kristiana Willsey - 4/5
This was genuinely heartbreaking. Bittersweet and melancholic.
Six Fictions About Unicorns by Rachael K. Jones - 3.5/5
A lovely little story about growing up and accepting.
If the Martians Have Magic by P. Djèlí Clark - 4.5/5
I mean it's P. Djèlí Clark's writing. There's hardly anything that he writes that feels mediocre at least in my opinion. His rich writing and the immersive world he creates along with important political messages are a joy to read.
The Giants of the Violet Sea by Eugenia Triantafyllou - 3.5/5
I get the concepts of this story and where the writer wanted to take it but I felt like it was just a tad too long and slow-paced.
POETRY
I liked Áhàméfùla by Uche Ogbuji but besides that nothing really caught my interest
ESSAYS
Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor Is a Space Unicorn (And We’re Going to Miss Her When She’s Gone) by Tansy Rayner Roberts - 4/5
This was really well written and something that needed to be said.
"The only way a female Doctor can possibly end up representing all the things we want from the Doctor as hero is if we get another after this one, and another after that.
"...we criticize men writing female characters differently to how we criticize men writing male characters. The first time a woman steps up into a traditionally male space… well, the critique is going to go off the charts, until you can’t tell what’s legitimate and thoughtful, and what’s just there to drag her down."
Suddenly Sci-Fi: When Real Life Turns Unreal by Sarah Kuhn - 3/5
Expanding Our Empathy Sphere Using F&SF, a History by Ada Palmer - 3.5/5
I really liked reading this one but as much as I enjoyed reading all the examples of literature mentioned in this I felt like at times it was just a tad excessive.
Humour, Genre & the One True Quest for a Missing Pillar by Shiv Ramdas - 3/5
Umm, I think I got the general gist of this one. It was a bit complicated for my level of literary knowledge but interesting writing nevertheless.
FICTION
Mulberry and Owl by Aliette de Bodard - 4/5
Really well written and interesting world-building.
Onward by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam - 3/5
Interesting story but I felt it was a little chaotic and the themes of the story weren't very straightforward or consistent so I had a little difficulty understanding the story. Also
Spoiler
having an emotional connection with another person whilst in a marriage still counts as infidelity to me even if there wasn't any physical cheating and that irked me even though I understand the point the writer was trying to make with polygamy and personal choicesOn a Branch Floating Down the River, a Wren Is Singing by Betsy Aoki - 5/5
I thought this was really amazing. The war for the preservation of the sanctity of art and the evolution of AI and the value of human ingenuity and creativity as well as the value of love.
Down in the Aspen Hollow by Kristiana Willsey - 4/5
This was genuinely heartbreaking. Bittersweet and melancholic.
Six Fictions About Unicorns by Rachael K. Jones - 3.5/5
A lovely little story about growing up and accepting.
If the Martians Have Magic by P. Djèlí Clark - 4.5/5
I mean it's P. Djèlí Clark's writing. There's hardly anything that he writes that feels mediocre at least in my opinion. His rich writing and the immersive world he creates along with important political messages are a joy to read.
The Giants of the Violet Sea by Eugenia Triantafyllou - 3.5/5
I get the concepts of this story and where the writer wanted to take it but I felt like it was just a tad too long and slow-paced.
POETRY
I liked Áhàméfùla by Uche Ogbuji but besides that nothing really caught my interest
ESSAYS
Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor Is a Space Unicorn (And We’re Going to Miss Her When She’s Gone) by Tansy Rayner Roberts - 4/5
This was really well written and something that needed to be said.
"The only way a female Doctor can possibly end up representing all the things we want from the Doctor as hero is if we get another after this one, and another after that.
"...we criticize men writing female characters differently to how we criticize men writing male characters. The first time a woman steps up into a traditionally male space… well, the critique is going to go off the charts, until you can’t tell what’s legitimate and thoughtful, and what’s just there to drag her down."
Suddenly Sci-Fi: When Real Life Turns Unreal by Sarah Kuhn - 3/5
Expanding Our Empathy Sphere Using F&SF, a History by Ada Palmer - 3.5/5
I really liked reading this one but as much as I enjoyed reading all the examples of literature mentioned in this I felt like at times it was just a tad excessive.
Humour, Genre & the One True Quest for a Missing Pillar by Shiv Ramdas - 3/5
Umm, I think I got the general gist of this one. It was a bit complicated for my level of literary knowledge but interesting writing nevertheless.
8bitlapras's review
3.0
Mulberry and Owl by Aliette de Bodard: 3.5/5
On a Branch Floating Down the River, a Wren Is Singing by Betsy Aoki: 3.25/5
Onward by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam: 3/5
If the Martians Have Magic by P. Djèlí Clark: 2.75/5
Down in the Aspen Hollow by Kristiana Willsey: 4.25/5
Six Fictions About Unicorns by Rachael K. Jones: 3.25/5
The Giants of the Violet Sea by Eugenia Triantafyllou: 4/5
Suddenly Sci-Fi: When Real Life Turns Unreal by Sarah Kuhn: 2.5/5
Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor Is a Space Unicorn (And We're Going to Miss Her When She's Gone) by Tansy Rayner Roberts: 2/5
Expanding Our Empathy Sphere Using F&SF, a History by Ada Palmer: 4/5
Humour, Genre, & the One True Quest for a Missing Pillar by Shiv Ramdas: 1.5/5
Average rating: 3.1/5, rounded down to 3/5. I also found that this issue had a lot of editing problems; lots of formatting issues and spelling mistakes, when I've barely identified any in previous issues.
On a Branch Floating Down the River, a Wren Is Singing by Betsy Aoki: 3.25/5
Onward by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam: 3/5
If the Martians Have Magic by P. Djèlí Clark: 2.75/5
Down in the Aspen Hollow by Kristiana Willsey: 4.25/5
Six Fictions About Unicorns by Rachael K. Jones: 3.25/5
The Giants of the Violet Sea by Eugenia Triantafyllou: 4/5
Suddenly Sci-Fi: When Real Life Turns Unreal by Sarah Kuhn: 2.5/5
Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor Is a Space Unicorn (And We're Going to Miss Her When She's Gone) by Tansy Rayner Roberts: 2/5
Expanding Our Empathy Sphere Using F&SF, a History by Ada Palmer: 4/5
Humour, Genre, & the One True Quest for a Missing Pillar by Shiv Ramdas: 1.5/5
Average rating: 3.1/5, rounded down to 3/5. I also found that this issue had a lot of editing problems; lots of formatting issues and spelling mistakes, when I've barely identified any in previous issues.
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