SFF Reviews - Science Fiction and Fantasy

Review of I am Graalnak of the Vroon Empire, Destroyer of Galaxies, Supreme Overlord of the Planet Earth. Ask Me Anything.  by Laura Pearlman (966 words) Flash Fiction Online, April 2015 : Purchase or Read Online   This is a story about the Vroon alien overlords that have taken over the earth and their love of radishes. Their leader Graalnak is doing a Reddit AMA and this is the result. List stories are hard to do right, and with chat forums as a narrative choice, it becomes harder because you have limited space to create multiple characters and make them different enough from each other to be identifiable over the course of the story. One of those classic stories I want to keep recommending to people. The usernames are so well chosen, like little jokes in themselves. Super fun read. Read it for the story, re-read it for the little jokes, details and username references. Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks

Review of Echo Echo Heartbeat by Beth Goder (995 words) Flash Fiction Online, September 2021 : Purchase or Read Online A beautifully layered story with vivid descriptions and details. I read another one of her works not long ago, titled " Candide; Life- " and loved that as well. Goder has a fantastic way with words and her stories always transport you in a seemingly effortless way. Now, as someone who is trying to be a better writer, I can tell you that this type of writing is certainly not effortless. It takes a lot of practice and talent. This story in particular has a fairytale quality and packs so much into <1000 words, including latent aspirations and a quiet kind of strength that our narrator does not give themselves enough credit for.      Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks

 Review of The Days on Europa Were Long by Kyle Richardson ( 992 words) Flash Fiction Online, November 2021 : Purchase or Read Online Flash fiction never ceases to amaze me. I'm learning about prose and structure lately, and this tale is a shining example of a very well-narrated speculative fiction story. I liked how the author deftly managed to convey details and proceedings without compromising on plot or story arc. A small story big on emotion, commitment, robots with feelings, and an earth that's turning uninhabitable. Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks

Review of Our Cousins, Whom We Do Not Use As Directed by Claire Humphrey (906 words) Flash Fiction Online, February 2019 : Purchase or Read Online A "we" narrative, i.e. first person plural, which is not a common choice. The unnamed narrator is part of a close-knit group, a family. They slowly lose members of their tribe, who are turned into objects, but aren't objects. Lovely prose and vivid descriptions, but what I enjoyed most was that they come full circle, going back to their traveler roots, while still respectfully honoring their cousins. I would have liked to know more about who We are, but this is flash after all.   Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks