SFF Reviews - Science Fiction and Fantasy

Review of Hivemind by LC von Hessen (4192 words) Planet Scumm, Issue #11, Summer 2021 : Purchase   The Hive is an experiment in architecture, an ultramodern structure in the heart of Manhattan. Many are impressed, but not Sasha. She's mostly annoyed by the tourists and confused as to why the Hive holds such attraction for so many. At one point in the story, she finds the Hive hypnotic, hinting at a possibly nefarious intelligence, but I was unprepared for this being a story that started off as fantasy (at least in my opinion) and ramped up to horror at a much later stage. The situation quickly devolves into a horrifying outcome, and the reality of the Hive comes to light. Sasha's reluctance to be impressed by modern contraptions turned out to be a lucky trait for her. Plus, the details about her personality and choices help us - as readers - eventually understand how the person she is helped her become a truly objective observer of what transpires in this story.   

Review of The Recipe Keeper by Beth Cato (973 words) Flash Fiction Online, January 2022 Issue : Purchase or Read Online Lovely story about memories and food. I've previously read and loved another story (about bread and memories) by Cato, so I was excited when I saw she had a story out in the Jan issue as well. She has a way with words and knows how to deftly set up a scene. I adore her descriptions of food (and even otherwise!) and I never find a single point of disappointment in any of her stories. Lovely character growth and high stakes make this a very well rounded piece. A clever, lovely story, skillfully executed. This is a story that remains memorable for days to come.    Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks  

Review of “A World Without” or “From a Brief History of the Sjöberg Portal” by Tomiko Breland (1000 words) Flash Fiction Online, May 2018 : Purchase or Read Online A lovely story spanning many years, with the narrator's thoughts interspersed with a book extract about the Sjöberg Portal. It is deeply touching in the first person POV about how the narrator grows over time - emotionally too. The book excerpts show a stark difference between people of the world, some of whom are enamored by the portal and some who choose to stay far, far away. Effectively, this unique format choice provides a very personal reaction to the Portal while also showing how humanity as a whole has been affected by it. A very difficult format to do well and this story is all the more elevated for it.   Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks

Review of The Hollow Stars in Heaven by Avery Kit Malone (2597 words) Planet Scumm, Issue #11, Summer 2021 : Purchase A haunting tale of gods, ghosts and stars scattered across the universe, but more than anything, this story felt like it was about finding your own space. Finding your own contentment and purpose. The prose had a strangely lyrical quality, with painstakingly chosen words. Indeed, I enjoyed this story more for the prose - it elevates the plot to another level. Beautifully written and described. It reads like a longer story than it actually is, because the language is wonderful and you'll probably spend time re-reading.     Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks