SFF Reviews - Science Fiction and Fantasy

Review of The Mirror by Eva Eliav (2369 words) Luna Station Quarterly, Issue 006: Purchase or Read Online     A coming of age tale, where the princess changes quite literally. I like that there was an acknowledgement of nature and behavior being separate, often with independent and mutually exclusive characteristics. An engaging read reminiscent of fable type storytelling, which I realized is something I haven't come across much in my SFF reading journey. However, I did enjoy this a lot and I will try to seek out more of these. And when, like this one, they come unexpectedly, I do adore them so.    Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks

  Review of My Lakeside Graveyard by Peter S. Drang (1000 words) Flash Fiction Online, May 2021 : Purchase or Read Online Stories about death and graves are not my bag, but I'm trying to push out of my reading comfort zone. And taking it slow via the medium of short stories seemed like a good idea. I'm glad this story was short. Visceral horror and detail gave me chills on a sunny day. Though our unnamed narrator was following unethical practices, these were family practices. They were simply following instructions from forebears. Does that absolve them? Who knows. I certainly did not imagine having to face an ethical conundrum in a short, scary story.  As the story progressed, I realized that choices are what make us, and the narrator's choice defined how the story shaped up. Because sometimes when you have nobody to speak up for you, you have to speak up for yourself. And maybe help will arrive from unexpected quarters. But you needn't count on it.  Supp

  Review of The Ecology of the Engineered Oyster by Andrew Kozma (984 words) Flash Fiction Online, May 2021 : Purchase or Read Online This story had a very otherworldly charm, something that seems to crop up quite frequently whenever the deep blue sea is a setting for a story. There is always an ethereal yet terrifying quality to the depths of the sea. Maybe that's why it made for such a fantastic backdrop for this tale. It just naturally lends itself to science fiction. And here in particular, it added to the tension wonderfully. After all, there is much we don't know about the oceans. Our human arrogance must also concede this point. And that is exactly how I felt about this story - humanity is not as infallible as it may want to be or pretend to be. Take it a step further; make people face the repercussions of their actions. Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks