Reviews

Uncanny Magazine Issue 45: March/April 2022 by Chimedum Ohaegbu, Meg Elison, Michael Damian Thomas, Lynne M. Thomas

afreen7's review

4.0

FICTION

Boundless by Miyuki Jane Pinckard - 3/5
Maybe its the cynic in me but this story didnt appeal to me

The Goldfish Man by Maureen McHugh - 3.5/5

Under Green by Richard Butner - 3.5/5 (nice story but I feel like there could've been better pacing)

The Kaleidoscopic Visitor by Shaoni C. White - 4/5

Flowerkicker by Stephen Graham Jones - 3.5/5 (I could kinda tell where the story was heading but gave me the chills anyway)

I Will Have This Diamond for a Heart by Carlos Hernandez - 5/5 (aww this story was like a warm hug on a bad day from a stranger thats still familiar)

Requiem for a Dollface by Margaret Dunlap - 5/5 (liked this one, well written)
Love wasn’t an easy thing to learn.

The Path of Water by Emma Törzs - 5/5 (ooh very interesting take on rapunzel)

POETRY

Omonhinmin by Praise Osawaru was really beautifully written

Jingwei Tries to Fill Up the Sea by Mary Soon Lee and A Wreckful Planting of Small Pockets of Thirst by Nnadi Samuel were amazing too

EDITORIALS

The Yearning Body Problem by Meg Elison - 4/5

ESSAYS

Acknowledging Taiwanese-American Vampire Foodies by Jo Wu - 4/5
The choice to bring in vampires when highlighting sinophobia and the general phobia towards asian culture and cuisine seemed weird at first but it kinda worked? I think it couldve been written a bit better and id be sold on this essay. (although pig and blood are not for me for religious and personal purposes)

Ask a Unicorn by The Uncanny Unicorn - 5/5
Aww loved this

Resisting the Monolith: Collecting As Counter Narrative by Rebecca Romney - 5/5
Man, i just love the idea of collecting books, the art of it beyond just a hobby and the financial restrictions. There's so much to it even in this day and age.

An Invitation to the Weary by Sarah Gailey - 4/5
Ita both melancholic and heavy yet hopeful and serene. this essay is just about life

Wax Sealed With a Kiss by Elsa Sjunneson - 3.5/5

mimicry's review

adventurous emotional fast-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

mayakittenreads's review against another edition

medium-paced

3.5

mey's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

3.5

Excellent essays. Rather lukewarm regarding the short stories. I find the stories from Uncanny Magazine tend to be either all about the vibes or too on the nose. 

umarrce's review

i'm a so much better writer than these mfs sorry

verumsolum's review against another edition

5.0

This was my first time reading an issue of <i>Uncanny Magazine</i>, after seeing it listed as the publisher of many Hugo nominees in the short fiction categories, and I will definitely be returning to this well!

howardgo's review

adventurous informative mysterious tense medium-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

3.75

Originally published at myreadinglife.com.

I am a huge fan of science fiction. I read many sci fi novels in high school, and recently subscribed to the semi-pro Uncanny Magazine. It publishes every other month and includes short stories, novellas, poetry, and essays on the topics of science fiction and fantasy. The latest issue is number 45, March/April 2022.

In this issue I dogeared five different pieces – two short stories and three essays. Flowerkicker by Stephen Graham Jones (available online April 5) is the story of a couple on a hike up a mountain. She is stopping to view every flower. He wants to get to the top and back before sunset. And they come across something out of the ordinary along the path.

In Requiem for a Dollface by Margaret Dunlap (also available online April 5) a teddy bear seeks the "murderer" of a child's favorite doll. Upon discovering the perpetrator, he must make a very difficult ethical decision.

The essay Acknowledging Taiwanese-American Vampire Foodies by Jo Wu discusses explores cultural prejudice in the foods we eat and how they affect our attitudes toward those who eat differently. I thought the title absurd, not expecting much from the piece. Instead I found it poignant and insightful.

Resisting the Monolith: Collecting As Counter Narrative by Rebecca Romney is an essay by a collector of feminist science fiction. She traces the history back before Margaret Atwood to the nineteenth century. I added at least two titles to my "to read" pile after reading it.

Wax Sealed With a Kiss by Elsa Sjunneson (available online April 5) discusses the role of letters in general and love letters in particular throughout history and their use in fiction such as The Screwtape Letters and This is How You Lose the Time War. She even explores how her own letter writing helped her get perspective on her divorce.

I encourage anyone with an interest in contemporary science fiction and fantasy to read and subscribe to this excellent magazine.

8bitlapras's review against another edition

hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.25

The Goldfish Man by Maureen McHugh: 3.25/5
 Boundless by Miyuki Jane Pinckard: 3/5
 The Kaleidoscopic Visitor by Shaoni C. White: 3/5
 I Will Have This Diamond for a Heart by Carlos Hernandez: 3.75/5
 The Path of Water by Emma Törzs: 2.25/5
 Flowerkicker by Stephen Graham Jones: 3.5/5
 Requiem for a Dollface by Margaret Dunlap: 4/5
 Under Green by Richard Butner: 5/5