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A review by oleksandr
Analog Science Fiction and Fact March/April 2020 by Trevor Quachri
3.0
This is Analog Science Fiction and Fact, the most popular of SFF paid magazines. The issue is March/April 2020 (Vol 140, Nos. 3 & 4).
The Art of Noise [Editorial (Analog)] essay by Alec Nevala-Lee Another notion that this is the 90th year of publishing and a short review of what in the issue with spoilers of the “best of” novelette.
Noise Level [Martin Nagle] this is 1952 novelette, quite interesting in both idea and execution. The story starts as the brass collects scientists and show them that some unknown guy uncovered anti-grav, but died during the demonstration. And because it is the Cold War era, all efforts are send to re-discover how anti-grav works before the USSR does it. 4 stars
Veiling the Earth [Science Fact (Analog)] essay by Gregory Benford an essay linked to the story by the author in the same issue.
The Pournelle Volume essay by Arlan Andrews, Sr. how to establish a worth of asteroid
The House of Styx (part 1 of 3) [Venus Ascendant 1] a serialized novel, set on Venus in mid-22nd century. The planet (or its atmosphere, 50 km and higher) is colonized by people from Quebec. They live in dirigibles or/and local flying plants, extracting stuff from lower atmosphere. The D’Aquillon family is in the center of the story. After they decided not to abort their son with Down Syndrome, the authorities limited their supply, so the family become a major player in the black market. A very well done hard SF, reminding me of [b:Red Mars|77507|Red Mars (Mars Trilogy, #1)|Kim Stanley Robinson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440699787l/77507._SY75_.jpg|40712], even if styles are quite different. 3.5 stars
Camphor short story by Mark W. Tiedemann a planet is rediscovered by a multi-star human government after something akin to what was predicted in x took place. The ‘ambassador’ there got a visitor from that government reporting that there is a non-native species on the planet that can potentially cause epidemics. 2.5 stars
Expecting to Fly short story by Manny Frishberg and Edd Vick another take on Mowgli, an Earth girl grown by hive aliens. 5 stars
Midstrathe Exploding short story by Andy Dudak a temporal bomb was blown a long ago and now tourist came to witness people stuck like a fly in amber. A young boy present alternative ways to tourists to watch the site. 2 stars
How to Go Twelfth poem by Mary Soon Lee a short poem
The Inconstant Hubble Constant [The Alternate View] essay by John G. Cramer two different ways give different estimates for the Hubble Constant, and if we introduce just another kind of dark matter they can be made consistent. Interesting, but I am skeptical of adding one more variable we can only theoretically justify.
Plank poem by Josh Pearce
A Stone's Throw from You short story by Jenn Reese One sister goes studying to save our oceans while another bio-mods herself to a mermaid and dies. The story is a monologue of the former during the funeral of the later. 3 stars
Dix Dayton, Jet Jockey short story by Liz A. Vogel a sneak attack on space pirates by supposedly unarmed civil ship. The idea was in Men-Kzin wars by [a:Larry Niven|12534|Larry Niven|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1596428206p2/12534.jpg] in the 70s, so a low mark. 1 star.
Cooling Chaos short story by Gregory Benford increasing Earth albedo to lower temperature in Arctic. Scientifically sound, literally weak. 2.5 stars.
In Times to Come (Analog, March-April 2020) [In Times to Come (Analog)] essay by uncredited plans for the next issue
Respite short story by Catherine Wells there is a failing far away colony to which suddenly a ship comes. Onboard in the creator of the colony, for in ‘bigger world’ people can live forever. Now he can try to save a few while the colony fails. 3.5 stars
Curious Algorithms short story by Hayden Trenholm an AI works at delivering refugees from “behind the wall”, but meets a man Joshua, who tells that her work is based on a lie. 3 stars.
War Lily short story by Beth Dawkins instead of sending back bodes of fallen solders, an artificial flower with their memories is sent back. But it has only 4 activations. As an idea quite nice, but why activations are limited makes ‘science-y’ part suspect. 3 stars.
On the Causes and Consequences of Cat Ladies short story by Richard A. Lovett a widow gets a house away from the city and starts to feed stray cats that come. An unexpected final twist, which changes the gene of the story. 3 stars
Zeroth Contact short story by Joshua Cole an astronomer following heavy metal asteroids sees a flying saucer that eats it. All attempts to contact the aliens fails. 3.5 stars.
The Halting Problem short story by Em Liu a barman in the airport, who was a programmer but now has a strange psychological issue. 4 stars.
The Smartest Damn Machine on Earth short story by Bo Balder an old former NSA computer works in carnivals and a girl finally asks it the right type of question. 3.5 stars.
Lemonade Stand short story by Brenda Kalt a young woman should decide to follow her path of collecting stuff to finally get financial independence or help a stranded man. I thought it will be another take on [b:The Cold Equations|53638991|The Cold Equations|Tom Godwin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1590797323l/53638991._SX50_.jpg|83960707], but it is not. 2 stars
Rover short story by A. T. Sayre Martian rover wanders across the red planet, cannibalizing old Earth tech to function, while Earth doesn’t send it any new instructions. 4 stars.
One Hundred short story by Sean Monaghan a 100 strong colony on Mars has to find new ways to cope after the Earth had a disaster. 2 stars
One Basket novelette by Charles Coleman Finlay [as by C. C. Finlay] a girl follows her grandma to find an old cash on the asteroid that will boost their finances. 2.5 stars.
The Reference Library (Analog, March-April 2020) [The Reference Library] essay by Don Sakers some new releases
Brass Tacks (Analog, March-April 2020) [Brass Tacks] essay by various letters and answers
Upcoming Events (Analog, March-April 2020) [Upcoming Events] essay by Anthony R. Lewis [as by Anthony Lewis]
The Art of Noise [Editorial (Analog)] essay by Alec Nevala-Lee Another notion that this is the 90th year of publishing and a short review of what in the issue with spoilers of the “best of” novelette.
Noise Level [Martin Nagle] this is 1952 novelette, quite interesting in both idea and execution. The story starts as the brass collects scientists and show them that some unknown guy uncovered anti-grav, but died during the demonstration. And because it is the Cold War era, all efforts are send to re-discover how anti-grav works before the USSR does it. 4 stars
Veiling the Earth [Science Fact (Analog)] essay by Gregory Benford an essay linked to the story by the author in the same issue.
The Pournelle Volume essay by Arlan Andrews, Sr. how to establish a worth of asteroid
The House of Styx (part 1 of 3) [Venus Ascendant 1] a serialized novel, set on Venus in mid-22nd century. The planet (or its atmosphere, 50 km and higher) is colonized by people from Quebec. They live in dirigibles or/and local flying plants, extracting stuff from lower atmosphere. The D’Aquillon family is in the center of the story. After they decided not to abort their son with Down Syndrome, the authorities limited their supply, so the family become a major player in the black market. A very well done hard SF, reminding me of [b:Red Mars|77507|Red Mars (Mars Trilogy, #1)|Kim Stanley Robinson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440699787l/77507._SY75_.jpg|40712], even if styles are quite different. 3.5 stars
Camphor short story by Mark W. Tiedemann a planet is rediscovered by a multi-star human government after something akin to what was predicted in x took place. The ‘ambassador’ there got a visitor from that government reporting that there is a non-native species on the planet that can potentially cause epidemics. 2.5 stars
Expecting to Fly short story by Manny Frishberg and Edd Vick another take on Mowgli, an Earth girl grown by hive aliens. 5 stars
Midstrathe Exploding short story by Andy Dudak a temporal bomb was blown a long ago and now tourist came to witness people stuck like a fly in amber. A young boy present alternative ways to tourists to watch the site. 2 stars
How to Go Twelfth poem by Mary Soon Lee a short poem
The Inconstant Hubble Constant [The Alternate View] essay by John G. Cramer two different ways give different estimates for the Hubble Constant, and if we introduce just another kind of dark matter they can be made consistent. Interesting, but I am skeptical of adding one more variable we can only theoretically justify.
Plank poem by Josh Pearce
A Stone's Throw from You short story by Jenn Reese One sister goes studying to save our oceans while another bio-mods herself to a mermaid and dies. The story is a monologue of the former during the funeral of the later. 3 stars
Dix Dayton, Jet Jockey short story by Liz A. Vogel a sneak attack on space pirates by supposedly unarmed civil ship. The idea was in Men-Kzin wars by [a:Larry Niven|12534|Larry Niven|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1596428206p2/12534.jpg] in the 70s, so a low mark. 1 star.
Cooling Chaos short story by Gregory Benford increasing Earth albedo to lower temperature in Arctic. Scientifically sound, literally weak. 2.5 stars.
In Times to Come (Analog, March-April 2020) [In Times to Come (Analog)] essay by uncredited plans for the next issue
Respite short story by Catherine Wells there is a failing far away colony to which suddenly a ship comes. Onboard in the creator of the colony, for in ‘bigger world’ people can live forever. Now he can try to save a few while the colony fails. 3.5 stars
Curious Algorithms short story by Hayden Trenholm an AI works at delivering refugees from “behind the wall”, but meets a man Joshua, who tells that her work is based on a lie. 3 stars.
War Lily short story by Beth Dawkins instead of sending back bodes of fallen solders, an artificial flower with their memories is sent back. But it has only 4 activations. As an idea quite nice, but why activations are limited makes ‘science-y’ part suspect. 3 stars.
On the Causes and Consequences of Cat Ladies short story by Richard A. Lovett a widow gets a house away from the city and starts to feed stray cats that come. An unexpected final twist, which changes the gene of the story. 3 stars
Zeroth Contact short story by Joshua Cole an astronomer following heavy metal asteroids sees a flying saucer that eats it. All attempts to contact the aliens fails. 3.5 stars.
The Halting Problem short story by Em Liu a barman in the airport, who was a programmer but now has a strange psychological issue. 4 stars.
The Smartest Damn Machine on Earth short story by Bo Balder an old former NSA computer works in carnivals and a girl finally asks it the right type of question. 3.5 stars.
Lemonade Stand short story by Brenda Kalt a young woman should decide to follow her path of collecting stuff to finally get financial independence or help a stranded man. I thought it will be another take on [b:The Cold Equations|53638991|The Cold Equations|Tom Godwin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1590797323l/53638991._SX50_.jpg|83960707], but it is not. 2 stars
Rover short story by A. T. Sayre Martian rover wanders across the red planet, cannibalizing old Earth tech to function, while Earth doesn’t send it any new instructions. 4 stars.
One Hundred short story by Sean Monaghan a 100 strong colony on Mars has to find new ways to cope after the Earth had a disaster. 2 stars
One Basket novelette by Charles Coleman Finlay [as by C. C. Finlay] a girl follows her grandma to find an old cash on the asteroid that will boost their finances. 2.5 stars.
The Reference Library (Analog, March-April 2020) [The Reference Library] essay by Don Sakers some new releases
Brass Tacks (Analog, March-April 2020) [Brass Tacks] essay by various letters and answers
Upcoming Events (Analog, March-April 2020) [Upcoming Events] essay by Anthony R. Lewis [as by Anthony Lewis]