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A review by pearseanderson
Clarkesworld Magazine, Issue 126 by Neil Clarke
3.0
Two main thoughts come to me: firstly, this is the best single issue of Clarkesworld I have read, just a bit worse than issue #119 but still a fun, quick read.
Secondly: I feel really good reading single issues, because it makes me believe in myself. Sometimes schlock can get published, and if that's printable so my work can be. Now, I'm not talking about the magazine being schlock, just the latter half-ish of this issue. "At the Cross-Time Jaunter's Ball" felt like a failed short film idea from two bros who just watched the Matrix. It could've gone the route of Gaiman's The Kraken or Westworld and done this "surreal world hidden under the skin and indistinguishable from reality, while being controlled by a mysterious few as a lone man journeys through them" thing in a smarter fashion. It didn't hold me, it read like it was published in '87, and not in a good way.
"The Discovered Country" did not hold me long enough to even finish it. I got about half way before I asked myself if I cared about the characters or if any intriguing questions had developed for me to latch onto. And then I continued for a bit longer and stopped.
Further, the essay here is just a simple overview, the interview felt pretty wish-washy.
BUUUT
The rest of the stories were real stories, and they felt professional. I didn't love "Goodnight, Melancholy" or "Two Ways of Living," mostly because of plot progression, but they did have control over the language and subtleties. They were successful. Stories.
The best part of the issue was "Waiting Out the End of the World in Patty's Place Cafe" and "Real Ghosts." Both really made me feel things, and raised interesting questions, and had quality prose. These stories stand as the definition of literary science fiction, whatever that may be. They were smart and cute and I stayed up at night to finish them because, well, they worked. So overall, this issue was kind of half and half. 6/10 seems reasonable.
Secondly: I feel really good reading single issues, because it makes me believe in myself. Sometimes schlock can get published, and if that's printable so my work can be. Now, I'm not talking about the magazine being schlock, just the latter half-ish of this issue. "At the Cross-Time Jaunter's Ball" felt like a failed short film idea from two bros who just watched the Matrix. It could've gone the route of Gaiman's The Kraken or Westworld and done this "surreal world hidden under the skin and indistinguishable from reality, while being controlled by a mysterious few as a lone man journeys through them" thing in a smarter fashion. It didn't hold me, it read like it was published in '87, and not in a good way.
"The Discovered Country" did not hold me long enough to even finish it. I got about half way before I asked myself if I cared about the characters or if any intriguing questions had developed for me to latch onto. And then I continued for a bit longer and stopped.
Further, the essay here is just a simple overview, the interview felt pretty wish-washy.
BUUUT
The rest of the stories were real stories, and they felt professional. I didn't love "Goodnight, Melancholy" or "Two Ways of Living," mostly because of plot progression, but they did have control over the language and subtleties. They were successful. Stories.
The best part of the issue was "Waiting Out the End of the World in Patty's Place Cafe" and "Real Ghosts." Both really made me feel things, and raised interesting questions, and had quality prose. These stories stand as the definition of literary science fiction, whatever that may be. They were smart and cute and I stayed up at night to finish them because, well, they worked. So overall, this issue was kind of half and half. 6/10 seems reasonable.