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richardleis's review
4.0
Oh, my, but didn't the second part of "A Portrait of the Desert in Personages of Power" by Rose Lemberg get quite steamy! All while retaining very complex interpersonal relationships and revelations in a very strange world indeed. The story is incredibly vivid and many of the scenes played out in my imagination in gorgeous cinematic detail while I was reading with escalating urgency. I love Lemberg's beautiful prose.
Charles Payseur is one of my recent favorite writers, so I was really excited to read "Rivers Run Free", his story about, well, rivers running free, or so they hope, as they, embodied in human-like form, are chased by the humans who exploited them and brought about ecological collapse. The story is much shorter than I've read in BCS before (though I haven't read that many issues yet), but packed full of vivid detail, drama, river sex, and punches to the gut, leading to an ending full of uncertainty and hope.
Charles Payseur is one of my recent favorite writers, so I was really excited to read "Rivers Run Free", his story about, well, rivers running free, or so they hope, as they, embodied in human-like form, are chased by the humans who exploited them and brought about ecological collapse. The story is much shorter than I've read in BCS before (though I haven't read that many issues yet), but packed full of vivid detail, drama, river sex, and punches to the gut, leading to an ending full of uncertainty and hope.
scrow1022's review
5.0
I've started reading "Beneath Ceaseless Skies" because of Rose Lemberg, but as a result have found other marvelous authors.
I hope that someday Rose's stories will be collected in print form - every one I've read so far has moved me so deeply I want to be able to hold them in my hands and breath them in.
And the Charles Payseur story was the first of his I've read but won't be the last. Beautiful and terrifying and yet somehow hopeful.
I hope that someday Rose's stories will be collected in print form - every one I've read so far has moved me so deeply I want to be able to hold them in my hands and breath them in.
And the Charles Payseur story was the first of his I've read but won't be the last. Beautiful and terrifying and yet somehow hopeful.
mikewhiteman's review
5.0
A Portrait Of The Desert In Personages Of Power, Pt II - Rose Lemberg *****
Doesn't quite have the emotional impact of the first part but still an excellent piece and a fitting conclusion to the story of the Old Royal and the Raker. The relationship between two incredibly powerful people exploring each other's power and desires, including the power of their consent and rejection, remains fascinating and thoroughly detailed. Lovely writing, some great character moments and the world created is wonderful.
Rivers Run Free - Charles Payseur ****
A group of embodied rivers flee to the sea across a post-apocalyptic world where humans have enslaved them to provide power. Short and sweet, but the creation of the rivers as characters is excellent and the story races to a touching and hopeful conclusion.
Doesn't quite have the emotional impact of the first part but still an excellent piece and a fitting conclusion to the story of the Old Royal and the Raker. The relationship between two incredibly powerful people exploring each other's power and desires, including the power of their consent and rejection, remains fascinating and thoroughly detailed. Lovely writing, some great character moments and the world created is wonderful.
Rivers Run Free - Charles Payseur ****
A group of embodied rivers flee to the sea across a post-apocalyptic world where humans have enslaved them to provide power. Short and sweet, but the creation of the rivers as characters is excellent and the story races to a touching and hopeful conclusion.
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