SFF Reviews - Science Fiction and Fantasy

Review of If We Live to Be Giants by Allison Mulder (997 words) Fireside Magazine, Issue 47, Sept 2017 : Read Online The gradual raising of stakes was beautifully showcased. The sense of relief the girls must have felt at the end was palpable, without diminishing the severity of what they went through over the course of the story. A lot packed into this flash fiction piece, not least the depth of narrative and choice of prose that elevate this story. Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks    

Review of Recipe by Tina S. Zhu (500 words) Fireside Magazine, Issue 103, Sept 2022 : Read Online A supernatural flash fiction piece, in the form of a recipe. It’s always fun to read different narrative styles, and this one’s pretty unique - with a set of instructions on how to become a reluctant vampire hunter. Easy humor and deft descriptions make this a fun read! Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks    

Review of How I Got Published (12 Tips from a Bestselling Author) by Dominica Phetteplace (731 words) Fireside Magazine, Issue 52, February 2018 : Purchase or Read Online I do enjoy a good list story! This was a fun, magical take on what it takes to get published. It definitely isn't easy, and it raises a lot of questions about how to navigate it and what are the things you are willing (or not willing) to do in pursuit of publication and success. Great prose, good style and a wonderful fantasy bent to this story. All this while still being able to provide social commentary on how difficult writers have it, and how many choices they need to make - in terms of writing, approach, how to promote themselves, and where to find the right audience who can relate. Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks    

Review of Riddle by Ogbewe Amadin (1159 words) Fireside Magazine, Issue 51, January 2018 : Purchase or Read Online A young child, Idara, thinks anything her Mama says is fact. And so if she says there's good and there's evil, and all witches are evil, then so it must be. Idara believes it because she's young and that's what she's always believed. So when she finds out her aunt actually is a witch, it makes it that much more difficult to make an informed decision on whether or not she wants to learn to be one too. Idara is naive, and it comes across. It is an interesting twist because not only does she lack awareness of gray areas, she takes a decision without fully grasping the magnitude of it. It is a story about magic and witches, but also about how a child's agency - or lack thereof - can influence their life and decisions. Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks    

Review of Of Honey and Grave Dirt by Maiga Doocy (2341 words) Fireside Magazine, Issue 96, October 2021 : Purchase or Read Online The sorcerer's apprentice has some idea of what to expect form her job...or so she thinks. She quickly gets swept up into caring for a child, created as part of the sorcerer's experiment. But then the child dies, and while the sorcerer gets back to his experimental quest, the apprentice feels the weight of emotion and pain. She carries it with her through his various experiments, her heart growing heavier and more fractured with loss. She attempts to remedy some of that pain, use some of the power she has gained and magic she has learnt - all in order to somehow turn that pain into something better, something warmer. 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