SFF Reviews - Science Fiction and Fantasy

Review of Galactic Tourist Industrial Complex by Tobias S. Buckell New Suns: Original Speculative Fiction by People of Color, Purchase Anthology First of all, "Tourist Industrial Complex" is pretty genius, so I've already got my expectations raised. This was exceedingly well-written, and I don't mean plot or prose or arc or any of those things specifically - I mean it was all tied together in this fantastic piece that will keep you on the edge of your seat till the very end. Earth has become a tourist destination, a delightfully "primitive" one at that, and it has affected all of humanity in varying ways - but mostly bad. This story isn't just surface level science fiction, it is also about how excessive tourism can hamper the local economy and the people. There's also shades of colonialism, in that the outsiders just do not care about the people whose land they've stolen. As someone originally from a country that was previously col...

Review of The Bookstore at the End of America by Charlie Jane Anders (7380 words) Tor.com, Oct 2021, Read Online or Purchase Anthology Exceedingly well written and suffused with emotion and hope, I kept intentionally slowing down while reading this. The plot was so interesting and tight that I wanted to know what happened next, but at the same time, the prose was so lovely that I wanted to slow down and enjoy it. A great problem for a reader to have! The pacing and build up was fantastic too. At this point I must say that the story was set in a dystopian future where America has been split in two halves, and both pretty much hate each other. In a funny quirk, dual citizenship is still an option! Nevertheless, while being a dystopian tale, it still has a spark of hope and friendship - after all, it's set in a bookstore! Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks

Review of Double Promotion by Sudha Balagopal (991 words) Flash Fiction Online, March 2022 : Purchase or Read Online How quickly some need to grow up. Our narrator experiences this first hand, something she wasn't prepared for. One may believe that it is people who are sheltered that feel so, but people can be sheltered in different ways - some leading to paths with very little joy. Nostalgia for lost innocence is something many experience, and our narrator is faced with it earlier than many. I got goosebumps reading this one.   Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks

Review of Osteomancy by Jenna Grieve (4871 words) Luna Station Quarterly, Issue 050 : Purchase or Read Online An exquisite tale! So beautifully written and described. The prose shined throughout. The story may have been about unhappy people and their unhappy experiences, yet suffused with moments of hope throughout. Even then, the story makes you wonder. Were they really unhappy? It was a last resort - but of hope, or giving up? Just lovely. Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks    

Review of The Perfect Brick of Feta by Sam Weiss (981 words) Flash Fiction Online, Jan 2022 : Purchase or Read Online What a beautiful story. These are the kind of stories you can't really look for, but when you come across them by a stroke of luck, you just give in and enjoy the pleasure that washes over you. Much like our protagonist eventually learns to, in his own way. This story stayed with me for a good while, and kept running through my head. I'm inspired to try and incorporate some of this in my own life. I absolutely love this story so much - it's one of those stories everyone should read.   Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks