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richardleis's review
5.0
Another fantastic issue and I highly recommend the ebook edition for an additional novella and excerpts from upcoming books, including Bannerless by Carrie Vaughn, a novel set in the same universe as a short story by her in Lightspeed Magazine Issue 1 I read, loved, and reviewed last year.
So let me jump into my other favorites (pretty much all of them):
My absolute favorite is the reprint of fantasy story "Acres of Perhaps" by Will Ludwigsen. The story explores the antagonism between two writers of a 1960's Twilight Zone-like TV show titled Acres of Perhaps. I've written elsewhere about how much I love anthology TV shows, so I absolutely fell for the behind-the-scenes antics and characters in this story. Pair this with a grumpy gay protagonist partnered with the most wonderful significant other ever, and you pretty much have the perfect story, in my opinion.
"Stitches" by A.G. Howard is also amazing, weird, and grotesque. What starts as backwoods domestic violence leads to fairy-tale-like and Tim Burton-esque happenings and images, including gingerbread people, amputations, and lots of birds.
"How to Find a Portal" by Debbie Urbanski reminds me a little of Kelly Link's short stories in Magic for Beginners, but I think it is a lot more allegorical. The images are creative and often very creepy and disturbing, including the middle-age women in dirty white vans at the beginning beckoning to little girls with candy. Ick. Why? Maybe because of portals. So weird and it just gets weirder. I love the level of craft at work in this story and how the allegory begins to emerge so powerfully and emotionally as the protagonist searches for her own portal.
"The Law of Conservation of Data" by John Grant describes a strange and very different far future where relationships are carefully contractual, frequently polyamorous, and spread across the universe by means of temporary physical bodies and mind uploading. There's one protagonist, though, and I find it really interesting how his relationship with the others transforms as they investigate a casino and its patrons trapped at the edge of a black hole.
"Marcher" by Chris Beckett is in some ways a lot like other parallel universe stories I have read, especially by the end, but it's also unique in how it gets at the ethics of dealing with people jumping in and out of universes. There are some nice parallels to the consequences of modern border control.
I struggled to make sense of "Mix Tapes From Dead Boys" by E. Catherine Tobler, but the imagery and writing is so vivid and evocative. The story reads a lot like reading a poem, and I love that experience.
"The Last Flight of Doctor Ain" by James Tiptree, Jr. also covers familiar territory, in my opinion, but it is really well-written and captivating.
I also really enjoyed the novella "From Whence You Came" by Laura Anne Gilman a lot. Starts out at a nice pace to begin building the world and then speeds up as the protagonist is taken away from his comfortable home to a setting that normally isn't one of my favorites (ships at seas), but works well here.
Lots of fantastic interviews with several of the authors and the excerpts I mentioned before round out another wonderful issue. I've now read issues 1, 2, and 86. I plan to keep up with the current issues every month and slowly make my way through all the back issues I now own. This is one of my favorite subscriptions.
So let me jump into my other favorites (pretty much all of them):
My absolute favorite is the reprint of fantasy story "Acres of Perhaps" by Will Ludwigsen. The story explores the antagonism between two writers of a 1960's Twilight Zone-like TV show titled Acres of Perhaps. I've written elsewhere about how much I love anthology TV shows, so I absolutely fell for the behind-the-scenes antics and characters in this story. Pair this with a grumpy gay protagonist partnered with the most wonderful significant other ever, and you pretty much have the perfect story, in my opinion.
"Stitches" by A.G. Howard is also amazing, weird, and grotesque. What starts as backwoods domestic violence leads to fairy-tale-like and Tim Burton-esque happenings and images, including gingerbread people, amputations, and lots of birds.
"How to Find a Portal" by Debbie Urbanski reminds me a little of Kelly Link's short stories in Magic for Beginners, but I think it is a lot more allegorical. The images are creative and often very creepy and disturbing, including the middle-age women in dirty white vans at the beginning beckoning to little girls with candy. Ick. Why? Maybe because of portals. So weird and it just gets weirder. I love the level of craft at work in this story and how the allegory begins to emerge so powerfully and emotionally as the protagonist searches for her own portal.
"The Law of Conservation of Data" by John Grant describes a strange and very different far future where relationships are carefully contractual, frequently polyamorous, and spread across the universe by means of temporary physical bodies and mind uploading. There's one protagonist, though, and I find it really interesting how his relationship with the others transforms as they investigate a casino and its patrons trapped at the edge of a black hole.
"Marcher" by Chris Beckett is in some ways a lot like other parallel universe stories I have read, especially by the end, but it's also unique in how it gets at the ethics of dealing with people jumping in and out of universes. There are some nice parallels to the consequences of modern border control.
I struggled to make sense of "Mix Tapes From Dead Boys" by E. Catherine Tobler, but the imagery and writing is so vivid and evocative. The story reads a lot like reading a poem, and I love that experience.
"The Last Flight of Doctor Ain" by James Tiptree, Jr. also covers familiar territory, in my opinion, but it is really well-written and captivating.
I also really enjoyed the novella "From Whence You Came" by Laura Anne Gilman a lot. Starts out at a nice pace to begin building the world and then speeds up as the protagonist is taken away from his comfortable home to a setting that normally isn't one of my favorites (ships at seas), but works well here.
Lots of fantastic interviews with several of the authors and the excerpts I mentioned before round out another wonderful issue. I've now read issues 1, 2, and 86. I plan to keep up with the current issues every month and slowly make my way through all the back issues I now own. This is one of my favorite subscriptions.
mikewhiteman's review
3.0
The Law Of Conservation Of Data - John Grant **
Most of this didn't work for me. The gradual breakup of the pentagon relationship didn't feel important - where it could have shown the determination and resolve of the protagonist to go a step further than the other members, those decisions felt almost arbitrary. The second person narration was inconsistent and awkward. Some good ideas but not presented well.
Marcher - Chris Beckett ***
Fairly standard parallel universes story, but with a nice touch with the immigration officer and how people could use shifting to escape situations or avoid punishments and how to deal with them crossing the borders. The idea of people committing "suicide" but just starting over in a new world (with no documentation and therefore highly at risk) was the most interesting part.
Mix Tapes From Dead Boys - E Catherine Tobler ***
A difficult one to rate. I liked the hallucinatory feeling and the mixtape structure is neat. I would have liked the songs/titles of each section to connect with the events within them more, though. I was caught between wanting a bit more conventional plot and simultaneously wanting it to go full waking dream. It didn't commit either way, but there are some fantastic images.
The Last Flight Of Doctor Ain - James Tiptree, Jr ***
Suffers a bit due to age and the ensuing familiarity of its theme but still a great story. The titular doctor takes a flight round the world, stopping off to feed the birds regularly, as a highly contagious plague begins wiping out humanity. The after-the-fact report style suits it, almost an oral history that could become myth. Always enjoy reading Tiptree.
Stitches - AG Howard ****
Starts with a girl sawing her father's foot off and weaves a dark Frankenstein story with gingerbread people, lots of amateur surgery and attempts to deal with the grief for a lost parent. Really liked this but the ending was just a bit over worked.
A Touch Of Heart - Alvaro Zinos-Amaro & Adam-Troy Castro **
A simple morality tale with an envious farmer enlisting an assassin to kill his more successful neighbour. Lessons are learned.
Acres Of Perhaps - Will Ludwigsen ***
The writers of a Twilight Zone-style anthology show come into conflict after the secret history of one of them is revealed. Illustrates different takes on the perceived value of different creative processes: the tortured genius and his muse versus the worker churning out stories for regular pay. Mostly mundane but some nice interaction between the two archetypes and generally positive.
How To Find A Portal - Debbie Urbanski ***
A young girl desperately wants to be taken through a portal but never gets chosen. As she grows up, her need to find one affects her romantic and family relationships. Particularly liked the relationship with her mother and the mother's attitude to portals. An interesting look at escapism versus changing/accepting the real world as it is.
From Whence You Came - Laura Anne Gilman ***
Novella that feels part of a history or prequel of a larger story or world, but carries its own adventure. The wine-magic and its effects on the world are interesting. Well crafted and has a depth to it but left me more excited about something more in the same world than this story
Most of this didn't work for me. The gradual breakup of the pentagon relationship didn't feel important - where it could have shown the determination and resolve of the protagonist to go a step further than the other members, those decisions felt almost arbitrary. The second person narration was inconsistent and awkward. Some good ideas but not presented well.
Marcher - Chris Beckett ***
Fairly standard parallel universes story, but with a nice touch with the immigration officer and how people could use shifting to escape situations or avoid punishments and how to deal with them crossing the borders. The idea of people committing "suicide" but just starting over in a new world (with no documentation and therefore highly at risk) was the most interesting part.
Mix Tapes From Dead Boys - E Catherine Tobler ***
A difficult one to rate. I liked the hallucinatory feeling and the mixtape structure is neat. I would have liked the songs/titles of each section to connect with the events within them more, though. I was caught between wanting a bit more conventional plot and simultaneously wanting it to go full waking dream. It didn't commit either way, but there are some fantastic images.
The Last Flight Of Doctor Ain - James Tiptree, Jr ***
Suffers a bit due to age and the ensuing familiarity of its theme but still a great story. The titular doctor takes a flight round the world, stopping off to feed the birds regularly, as a highly contagious plague begins wiping out humanity. The after-the-fact report style suits it, almost an oral history that could become myth. Always enjoy reading Tiptree.
Stitches - AG Howard ****
Starts with a girl sawing her father's foot off and weaves a dark Frankenstein story with gingerbread people, lots of amateur surgery and attempts to deal with the grief for a lost parent. Really liked this but the ending was just a bit over worked.
A Touch Of Heart - Alvaro Zinos-Amaro & Adam-Troy Castro **
A simple morality tale with an envious farmer enlisting an assassin to kill his more successful neighbour. Lessons are learned.
Acres Of Perhaps - Will Ludwigsen ***
The writers of a Twilight Zone-style anthology show come into conflict after the secret history of one of them is revealed. Illustrates different takes on the perceived value of different creative processes: the tortured genius and his muse versus the worker churning out stories for regular pay. Mostly mundane but some nice interaction between the two archetypes and generally positive.
How To Find A Portal - Debbie Urbanski ***
A young girl desperately wants to be taken through a portal but never gets chosen. As she grows up, her need to find one affects her romantic and family relationships. Particularly liked the relationship with her mother and the mother's attitude to portals. An interesting look at escapism versus changing/accepting the real world as it is.
From Whence You Came - Laura Anne Gilman ***
Novella that feels part of a history or prequel of a larger story or world, but carries its own adventure. The wine-magic and its effects on the world are interesting. Well crafted and has a depth to it but left me more excited about something more in the same world than this story
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