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A review by oleksandr
Analog Science Fiction and Fact, March/April 2021 by Trevor Quachri
3.0
This is the March/April 2021 issue of Analog Science Fiction and Fact, the SF magazine, which is now 91 years in publication. As usual, the content is hard SF, several essays and stuff. Overall the stories aren’t very memorable, but several held nice ideas.
The contents:
Better than Being Fossilized [Editorial (Analog)] essay by Ian Watson a review of pills as a food source in SF, starting from 1894 essay for the world fair, via ideas of abolishing kitchen slavery to astronauts’ food bars. 4*
Flash Mob novelette by Meg Pontecorvo near future, global warmings leads to squid migrations, a researcher with her young son tries to understand them better 3.5*
Mostly Hydrogen poem by Jack Martin (I) on ocean like space. 3*
From Atmospheric Rivers to Super Typhoons: The Future Looks Bright for Weather Disaster Fans [Science Fact (Analog)] essay by Christina De La Rocha what global warming may bring (no one is sure). The idea of atmospheric rivers, how typhoons form, etc. 3.5*
The Trashpusher of Planet 4 short story by Brenda Kalt alien ship comes to a planet and starts to terraform it. The protagonist is low in that caste society, but is quite bright and AI uses him to do stuff. 2*
It's Cold on Europa short story by Filip Wiltgren two guys cut ice on Jupiter moon. To give them company, their constructs (androids) have uploaded personalities of their wives. The protagonist’s construct start acting strange, co-worker suggest to “look inside” but that violates privacy of personality upload, so our guy disagrees. 3*
Tail Call Optimization novelette by Tony Ballantyne a nice start: “There are three of me in the assembly station”… a xeno species with multiple copies of mind upload scavenges an asteroid that was a space port for a vanished civilization. The protagonist has a virus in his software which slows his thinking. He finds a human upload, who are also scavenging. 3.5*
The Acheulean Gift short story by Matthew Claxton kids in some kind of camp make stone tools. They are offspring of parents, who listened to frauds that called for gene hacks for kids that will ‘like in good old days’ make them want to be part of a family/tribe. Now older kids are taken away from such selfish parents. 3*
If a Tree Doesn't Fall short story by Jerry Oltion a tree grew thru alien antigrav belt, and a guy finds that tree in the forest, tries to get the tech. 2.5*
Rejuvenation and the DNA Methylation Clock [The Alternate View] essay by John G. Cramer what causes aging? Is it genetically determined? What if tweaking enzymes we can reverse old age – a lot of data about research on the topic. 4*
Thh*sh*thhh short story by Aimee Ogden an old woman is asked to take part in the first ceremony of funeral of extremely long living aliens, kind a pun story, but doesn’t work for me. 1*
John Henry Was a Steel Driving Man short story by Shane Halbach remake of a classic country song, but in space, where John drives bolts on an orbital station, saves the station. 3*
Damocles novelette by Sean McMullen The most interesting story bin this issue. WW2 and British bomber pilot ordered to get info from his auntie, whose father in WW1 developed a kind of deathray, but afraid of its use, hid all research and died on front. 5*
Recollection short story by Elise Stephens post-apoc reconstruction, a government agent visits settlements, shows them old 3D videos and decides whether to support them or relocate to larger cities. 2.5*
The Burning Lands short story by Tom Jolly there are forest fires and an investigation finds out that they are caused by 3.5*
Hillman, Charles Dallas, Age: 35, No Partner, Parents: Deceased short story by Ron Collins a finance guy finds how to get some funds from transactions he works on, FDI on his tail, he got to an experimental lab to hide, where 3*
I Have Loved the Stars too Fondly short story by James Van Pelt all homeless are collected to be sent to the moon, some afraid it is a hoax to kill them all. 2.5*
The Pond Who Sang short story by Charles Hand a biome with neural network machine learning falls to a pool by accident and starts to investigate the surroundings, controlling local life, a music critic from nearby hears strange harmony in frogs’ songs. 4*
Planet of Not? [The Alternate View] essay by John Vester [as by John J. Vester] what are definitions of a planet by astronomers and planetologists, what is Pluto? 4*
First Scientist (?-?) poem by Jessy Randall 4*
Second Hand Destinies short story by Marie Vibbert a girl Tatiana lives with her baba and brother in an abandoned spaceship, but she is something else… weird but not very coherent. 2*
The Shadow of His Wings short story by Ray Nayler a boy and his older brother help Arab sheikhs, who hunt is karakum desert. The boy has a teaching oculus to learn English and it suddenly turns on and tells boy to run away, while sheikhs are kidnapped for ransom. A bleak future where hi-tech co-exists with poverty. 3.5*
Problem Landing novelette by Sean Monaghan there are 6 persons on Mars mission, another 32 are to land, among them the protagonist’s sister. The ship lands badly and stops responding, the group tries to rescue. 2.5*
Invasive Species novella by Catherine Wells a human mining colony on an alien world. Locals are chameleons, try to look like dominant species, in this case humans. The protagonist’s wife is missing and he goes with a Native guy to find her. 3*
The Reference Library (Analog, March-April 2021) [The Reference Library] essay by Don Sakers some interesting books, e.g. [b:Domesticating Dragons|55522904|Domesticating Dragons|Dan Koboldt|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1603034521l/55522904._SY75_.jpg|86579896]
Brass Tacks (Analog, March-April 2021) [Brass Tacks] essay by various readers rage-quit about editorial that said that Tramp is not what the USA needs
The contents:
Better than Being Fossilized [Editorial (Analog)] essay by Ian Watson a review of pills as a food source in SF, starting from 1894 essay for the world fair, via ideas of abolishing kitchen slavery to astronauts’ food bars. 4*
Flash Mob novelette by Meg Pontecorvo near future, global warmings leads to squid migrations, a researcher with her young son tries to understand them better
Spoiler
they flash in response to kid’s safe-jacket LEDs and this flashing gives them something like a hive mindMostly Hydrogen poem by Jack Martin (I) on ocean like space. 3*
From Atmospheric Rivers to Super Typhoons: The Future Looks Bright for Weather Disaster Fans [Science Fact (Analog)] essay by Christina De La Rocha what global warming may bring (no one is sure). The idea of atmospheric rivers, how typhoons form, etc. 3.5*
The Trashpusher of Planet 4 short story by Brenda Kalt alien ship comes to a planet and starts to terraform it. The protagonist is low in that caste society, but is quite bright and AI uses him to do stuff. 2*
It's Cold on Europa short story by Filip Wiltgren two guys cut ice on Jupiter moon. To give them company, their constructs (androids) have uploaded personalities of their wives. The protagonist’s construct start acting strange, co-worker suggest to “look inside” but that violates privacy of personality upload, so our guy disagrees. 3*
Tail Call Optimization novelette by Tony Ballantyne a nice start: “There are three of me in the assembly station”… a xeno species with multiple copies of mind upload scavenges an asteroid that was a space port for a vanished civilization. The protagonist has a virus in his software which slows his thinking. He finds a human upload, who are also scavenging. 3.5*
The Acheulean Gift short story by Matthew Claxton kids in some kind of camp make stone tools. They are offspring of parents, who listened to frauds that called for gene hacks for kids that will ‘like in good old days’ make them want to be part of a family/tribe. Now older kids are taken away from such selfish parents. 3*
If a Tree Doesn't Fall short story by Jerry Oltion a tree grew thru alien antigrav belt, and a guy finds that tree in the forest, tries to get the tech. 2.5*
Rejuvenation and the DNA Methylation Clock [The Alternate View] essay by John G. Cramer what causes aging? Is it genetically determined? What if tweaking enzymes we can reverse old age – a lot of data about research on the topic. 4*
Thh*sh*thhh short story by Aimee Ogden an old woman is asked to take part in the first ceremony of funeral of extremely long living aliens, kind a pun story, but doesn’t work for me. 1*
John Henry Was a Steel Driving Man short story by Shane Halbach remake of a classic country song, but in space, where John drives bolts on an orbital station, saves the station. 3*
Damocles novelette by Sean McMullen The most interesting story bin this issue. WW2 and British bomber pilot ordered to get info from his auntie, whose father in WW1 developed a kind of deathray, but afraid of its use, hid all research and died on front. 5*
Recollection short story by Elise Stephens post-apoc reconstruction, a government agent visits settlements, shows them old 3D videos and decides whether to support them or relocate to larger cities. 2.5*
The Burning Lands short story by Tom Jolly there are forest fires and an investigation finds out that they are caused by
Spoiler
methane producing gene-mutated bugs based on bombardier bugs, created to collect gas but the firm went under and bugs got awayHillman, Charles Dallas, Age: 35, No Partner, Parents: Deceased short story by Ron Collins a finance guy finds how to get some funds from transactions he works on, FDI on his tail, he got to an experimental lab to hide, where
Spoiler
they inadvertently uploaded his conscioius, which starts to change the world, while is is brain damaged, arrested, spends time in jail to get out to a better world.I Have Loved the Stars too Fondly short story by James Van Pelt all homeless are collected to be sent to the moon, some afraid it is a hoax to kill them all. 2.5*
The Pond Who Sang short story by Charles Hand a biome with neural network machine learning falls to a pool by accident and starts to investigate the surroundings, controlling local life, a music critic from nearby hears strange harmony in frogs’ songs. 4*
Planet of Not? [The Alternate View] essay by John Vester [as by John J. Vester] what are definitions of a planet by astronomers and planetologists, what is Pluto? 4*
First Scientist (?-?) poem by Jessy Randall 4*
Second Hand Destinies short story by Marie Vibbert a girl Tatiana lives with her baba and brother in an abandoned spaceship, but she is something else… weird but not very coherent. 2*
The Shadow of His Wings short story by Ray Nayler a boy and his older brother help Arab sheikhs, who hunt is karakum desert. The boy has a teaching oculus to learn English and it suddenly turns on and tells boy to run away, while sheikhs are kidnapped for ransom. A bleak future where hi-tech co-exists with poverty. 3.5*
Problem Landing novelette by Sean Monaghan there are 6 persons on Mars mission, another 32 are to land, among them the protagonist’s sister. The ship lands badly and stops responding, the group tries to rescue. 2.5*
Invasive Species novella by Catherine Wells a human mining colony on an alien world. Locals are chameleons, try to look like dominant species, in this case humans. The protagonist’s wife is missing and he goes with a Native guy to find her. 3*
The Reference Library (Analog, March-April 2021) [The Reference Library] essay by Don Sakers some interesting books, e.g. [b:Domesticating Dragons|55522904|Domesticating Dragons|Dan Koboldt|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1603034521l/55522904._SY75_.jpg|86579896]
Brass Tacks (Analog, March-April 2021) [Brass Tacks] essay by various readers rage-quit about editorial that said that Tramp is not what the USA needs