SFF Reviews - Science Fiction and Fantasy

Review of Candyland by Maggie Slater (2665 words) Apex Magazine, Issue 125 : Purchase or Read Online What happens when you take a facade too far, even if not intentionally? This story combines the effects of body image and social media displays of life events. However, it does this with an absolutely unintended twist. A story about sweet things, but not really a sweet story. For a piece that's easy to read, it has a lot of depth too. Limited settings and characters, yet vivid, detailed descriptions. It was an interesting style and I'd love to read more by this author! Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks    

Review of Mystic Mama by Megha Nayar (2550 words) Luna Station Quarterly, Issue 051 : Purchase or Read Online A series of vignettes that formed a sort of enjoyable story. I liked the fairy-tale like quality of the story, as well as the magic concoctions. The mystic mama was truly the main character of the story! It seemed to have hints of an Indian background (and the author's name speaks to Indian origin), but the story itself did not have much to do with Indian magic or mysticism. It was, rather, a story about magic with an Indian backdrop, but it could have been any backdrop and the story would have been the same. What I'm muddling through saying is that - as an Indian - I would have liked to see more "Indian"-ness in the magic of it too. Nevertheless, still a very engaging story with great prose. Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks    

Review of Congratulations, Clockholder! by R.L. Thull (945 words) Fireside Magazine, Issue 96, October 2021 : Purchase or Read Online You're eligible for a line of credit, but the collateral is years of your life! And some people, like our protagonist, seem to give in to the temptation and sign away decades. Hell has optimized capitalism, and you can also redeem some time for an all-expenses-paid trip to visit your uncle in Hell! A few weeks or months of opulence, and then what? Find out with this sharp bite of a conclusion. A thoughtful yet thoroughly entertaining read. Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks    

Review of Not Quite What We're Looking for Right Now by Jana Bianchi (312 words) Fireside Magazine, Issue 96, October 2021 : Purchase or Read Online An all too familiar story about receiving a rejection letter, but taken to a different plane. A fun mix of fantasy that swerves into horror, I'm amazed at the level of detail the author managed in 312 words. Parts of the story literally tried to harm the slush readers and editors! Very imaginative and tight. Power of words, quite literally! Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks