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oleksandr's review
3.0
This is the January/February 2021 issue of Asimov's Science Fiction, one of the leading SFF pro-zines. I quite enjoyed this issue, most stories are quite good, even if there are no true gems. Here follows item-by-item review of the contents:
A Magical Eire [Asimov's Editorials] essay by Sheila Williams a general talk about the fact that COVID-19 prevented usual meetings and what great meetings the author had in the past. 2*
One Hundred Years of Robots [Reflections] essay by Robert Silverberg Capek’s play RUR, which introduced the term robot was premiered in 1921 and the author follows how robots changed in SF and how they entered our lives. 3*
Mars Rover, Curiosity poem by Jane Yolen
Get It? [On the Net] essay by James Patrick Kelly an essay about problems of getting humor through in a written form, with several good humorous SF mentioned. 3*
A Rocket for Dimitrios [Sylvia Aldstatt] novella by Ray Nayler I think Nayler is one of the upcoming stars in modern SF, but quite possibly he’ll remain obscure because his stuff often lacks a social comment, so popular in modern SFF. This story is part of his retro-futuristic series, with a homage to golden ago of SF feel to them. the idea is that in 1938 the US found an alien ship and got tech often more sophisticated than even modern in the 1940s, to win the war and became a lone superpower. Now it is in the 1950s, FDR is on his 7th term. The protagonist of this story is Sylvia Aldstatt, an American woman who, out of ten people tried was the only one compatible with an alien machine that allows to read minds of recently deceased. She, with an OSS bodyguard, came to Turkey to read a mind of Dimitrios, a shady man, who served as a middleman between mafia, rebels, state, Nazi or anyone else ready to pay. He claimed that he knows where another alien ship fell and now everyone is to grab it. What follows is a story of Dimitrios as well as very high staked confrontation, including among others Elleanor Roosevelt. 4*
The Fear of Missing Out short story by Robert H. Cloake a shy introverted man uses ‘auto-personality’ to get into relations with another man, and faces a dilemma: when he is himself he quickly loses interest of his lover, while under auto-personality hew is just a voyeur of own life. 4*
In Memoriam: Mike Resnick (1942-2020) [Obituaries (Sheila Williams)] essay by Sheila Williams I haven’t read Resnick, but he seems a nice guy
No Stone Unturned novelette by Nick Wolven a woman returns to her husband and kid after being ‘beamed’ to another star and back. Her husband assumes she returned changed, seeks for a proof. A bit too long and wandering about its main point. 2*
The Three-Day Hunt short story by Robert R. Chase a veteran and his three-legged dog wander in the wild, to find a UFO (assumedly an experimental plane) and start following the pilot, who may be wounded and unhinged. A debut work, so has it weak parts in delivering motivations, but still nice. 3.5*
The Paper-Mâché Girl poem by Jane Yolen
Table Etiquette for Diplomatic Personnel, in Seventeen Scenes novelette by Suzanne Palmer a space station where envoys of different races meet. Once one of human delegation set other aliens to emit unpleasant smell to get other (uncouth) aliens to live. He was reprimanded and send away. Now, his body under an alias is found at the station and ill-mannered alien delegation is about to return. A nice an unique touch – all species try to dine together to improve relations. 3*
The Pig, Wilbur, to His Grandsons poem by Leslie J. Anderson
Hunches novelette by Kristine Kathryn Rusch some strange living meteorites hit a space ship that flew to a possible first contact. A protagonist is a sole lucky survivor on a bridge and he tries to get that strange glowing piece off the ship. 2.5*
Humans and Other People short story by Sean William Swanwick a man and a newly liberated robot work as salvagers. In a fire-burned hotel for the rich, they discover some strange robots, speaking Chinese. 2.5*
Shy Sarah and the Draft Pick Lottery novelette by Ted Kosmatka some people have power to slightly change probabilities of some events, e.g. fans by being present at the stadium may help their team to win. Rich people know that, seek for such talents and then guide them to desired result, de facto stealing people’s free will. Great concept, average execution. 3.5*
Within You and Without You poem by Robert Frazier
Mayor for Today novelette by Fran Wilde people get gig-jobs via app. A protagonist got a job to be a mayor of Chinese town for a day, but when he arrived, he finds out that there is a queue of gigsters like him, but mayor’s seat is filled (by an alien!), so no one can finish their gig to return home. 2.5*
I Didn't Buy It short story by Rahul Kanakia [as by Naomi Kanakia] a weird story about a person without a personality, almost killed at the start by some women, to whom he says he loves her… 2*
When I'm Thirty I Receive a Box Full of Your Steel Bones poem by Avra Margariti
The Realms of Water novella by Robert Reed the author notes at the start that once he wanted to write a story of Hannibal’s favorite elephant. And this story about an alien from a great past telling a story of conquest with allusion to Carthagian wars or Alexander’s conquests. 2*
Next Issue (Asimov's, January-February 2021) essay by uncredited
On Books: Out There (Asimov's, January-February 2021) [On Books] essay by Norman Spinrad
Thirty-Fifth Annual Readers' Award (Asimov's, January-February 2021) [Annual Readers' Award (Asimov's)] essay by uncredited
Index (Asimov's, Volume 44, January-February 2021) [Index (Asimov's)] essay by uncredited
SF Conventional Calendar (Asimov's, January-February 2021) essay by Erwin S. Strauss
A Magical Eire [Asimov's Editorials] essay by Sheila Williams a general talk about the fact that COVID-19 prevented usual meetings and what great meetings the author had in the past. 2*
One Hundred Years of Robots [Reflections] essay by Robert Silverberg Capek’s play RUR, which introduced the term robot was premiered in 1921 and the author follows how robots changed in SF and how they entered our lives. 3*
Mars Rover, Curiosity poem by Jane Yolen
Get It? [On the Net] essay by James Patrick Kelly an essay about problems of getting humor through in a written form, with several good humorous SF mentioned. 3*
A Rocket for Dimitrios [Sylvia Aldstatt] novella by Ray Nayler I think Nayler is one of the upcoming stars in modern SF, but quite possibly he’ll remain obscure because his stuff often lacks a social comment, so popular in modern SFF. This story is part of his retro-futuristic series, with a homage to golden ago of SF feel to them. the idea is that in 1938 the US found an alien ship and got tech often more sophisticated than even modern in the 1940s, to win the war and became a lone superpower. Now it is in the 1950s, FDR is on his 7th term. The protagonist of this story is Sylvia Aldstatt, an American woman who, out of ten people tried was the only one compatible with an alien machine that allows to read minds of recently deceased. She, with an OSS bodyguard, came to Turkey to read a mind of Dimitrios, a shady man, who served as a middleman between mafia, rebels, state, Nazi or anyone else ready to pay. He claimed that he knows where another alien ship fell and now everyone is to grab it. What follows is a story of Dimitrios as well as very high staked confrontation, including among others Elleanor Roosevelt. 4*
The Fear of Missing Out short story by Robert H. Cloake a shy introverted man uses ‘auto-personality’ to get into relations with another man, and faces a dilemma: when he is himself he quickly loses interest of his lover, while under auto-personality hew is just a voyeur of own life. 4*
In Memoriam: Mike Resnick (1942-2020) [Obituaries (Sheila Williams)] essay by Sheila Williams I haven’t read Resnick, but he seems a nice guy
No Stone Unturned novelette by Nick Wolven a woman returns to her husband and kid after being ‘beamed’ to another star and back. Her husband assumes she returned changed, seeks for a proof. A bit too long and wandering about its main point. 2*
The Three-Day Hunt short story by Robert R. Chase a veteran and his three-legged dog wander in the wild, to find a UFO (assumedly an experimental plane) and start following the pilot, who may be wounded and unhinged. A debut work, so has it weak parts in delivering motivations, but still nice. 3.5*
The Paper-Mâché Girl poem by Jane Yolen
Table Etiquette for Diplomatic Personnel, in Seventeen Scenes novelette by Suzanne Palmer a space station where envoys of different races meet. Once one of human delegation set other aliens to emit unpleasant smell to get other (uncouth) aliens to live. He was reprimanded and send away. Now, his body under an alias is found at the station and ill-mannered alien delegation is about to return. A nice an unique touch – all species try to dine together to improve relations. 3*
The Pig, Wilbur, to His Grandsons poem by Leslie J. Anderson
Hunches novelette by Kristine Kathryn Rusch some strange living meteorites hit a space ship that flew to a possible first contact. A protagonist is a sole lucky survivor on a bridge and he tries to get that strange glowing piece off the ship. 2.5*
Humans and Other People short story by Sean William Swanwick a man and a newly liberated robot work as salvagers. In a fire-burned hotel for the rich, they discover some strange robots, speaking Chinese. 2.5*
Shy Sarah and the Draft Pick Lottery novelette by Ted Kosmatka some people have power to slightly change probabilities of some events, e.g. fans by being present at the stadium may help their team to win. Rich people know that, seek for such talents and then guide them to desired result, de facto stealing people’s free will. Great concept, average execution. 3.5*
Within You and Without You poem by Robert Frazier
Mayor for Today novelette by Fran Wilde people get gig-jobs via app. A protagonist got a job to be a mayor of Chinese town for a day, but when he arrived, he finds out that there is a queue of gigsters like him, but mayor’s seat is filled (by an alien!), so no one can finish their gig to return home. 2.5*
I Didn't Buy It short story by Rahul Kanakia [as by Naomi Kanakia] a weird story about a person without a personality, almost killed at the start by some women, to whom he says he loves her… 2*
When I'm Thirty I Receive a Box Full of Your Steel Bones poem by Avra Margariti
The Realms of Water novella by Robert Reed the author notes at the start that once he wanted to write a story of Hannibal’s favorite elephant. And this story about an alien from a great past telling a story of conquest with allusion to Carthagian wars or Alexander’s conquests. 2*
Next Issue (Asimov's, January-February 2021) essay by uncredited
On Books: Out There (Asimov's, January-February 2021) [On Books] essay by Norman Spinrad
Thirty-Fifth Annual Readers' Award (Asimov's, January-February 2021) [Annual Readers' Award (Asimov's)] essay by uncredited
Index (Asimov's, Volume 44, January-February 2021) [Index (Asimov's)] essay by uncredited
SF Conventional Calendar (Asimov's, January-February 2021) essay by Erwin S. Strauss
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