SFF Reviews - Science Fiction and Fantasy

Review of An Eventual Feast by Lindsay King-Miller (5434 words) Planet Scumm, Issue #11, Summer 2021 : Purchase A strong, emotionally charged story. I'm also glad the author was realistic about labour, "unlike the movies". It was a great setting as well, with zombies, spaceships, galactic travel and childbirth. The buildup was so strong, right from the very first sentence. I was wondering how it would play out at the end, but the ending was so much better than I expected. A fitting story to round off this fantastic issue. Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks

Review of Ma Dresden by Laura Barker (2453 words) Planet Scumm, Issue #11, Summer 2021 : Purchase Lovely prose. The author has a way of being able to describe things beautifully with just a few words. The arc was great too, as was the visit with Mama Levi. A short story, but it had a lot of depth and emotion. The ending just didn't resonate with me very much, but only because I felt like it needed more space to breathe. Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks

 Review of Real Sugar is Hard to Find by Sim Kern (5998 words) Planet Scumm, Issue #11, Summer 2021 : Purchase A story about dystopia, attempted suicide, intense pollution and untrustworthy elements sounds like it would be quite dense and heavy. However, like the title hints at, this story turns out quite sweet. People are always people, with softness and feeling. Everyone is just trying to look out for their own. And sympathies can arise from that. Retaining that faith - that some might call naiveté - is not necessarily a bad thing. A story made of dense elements, which come together to form something as sweet and delightful as a slice of cake.  Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks

 Review of The Long Sleep by Diana Fenves (5636 words) Planet Scumm, Issue #11, Summer 2021 : Purchase We meet Hugo as a sensitive, ambitious child who feels strongly about many things, including his mother and the fact that she has to leave him for a while with his father. In this dystopian setting, he retains his optimism and goal of being an astronaut. Circumstances, however, change - mostly due to financial situations. Because this dystopian city is just as selfishly capitalist as our present day one. Sympathy or empathy for a fellow human cannot be included in paperwork, and with no quantifiable benefit, it probably isn't worth considering in this dystopia. By the end, he is still sensitive, still wants to be an astronaut, but also, in his own small way, starts to help other people. At the risk of sounding cliche, I want to say goodness cannot be quashed, and hope always finds a way.     Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks   ...

  Review of The Secret of Theta Pi by Stephanie Gray (3152 words) Planet Scumm, Issue #11, Summer 2021 : Purchase   A story of sisterhood and acceptance. Acceptance even when you're dealing with things you don't even understand. Actually, it's even more important to be accepting and supportive in those situations, because it's likely that the person facing those situations might not fully understand it either. It's so so important to be in someone's corner, especially when they're dealing with things they can't control. I also appreciated the emphasis on the support system people can have, and how much of a difference it can make to their eventual happiness and freedom. You can go so much farther than you think when you have those people in your life. To summarize: sororities, sisterhood, acceptance, changes, and oh, fantastical sea creatures too.     Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks

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 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

Review of A Defiance of Violins by Ana Gardner (4728 words) Planet Scumm, Issue #11, Summer 2021 : Purchase   Beautiful! A heartwarming story of hope, quiet strength and of course, defiance. Nina is the protagonist of this story and stays strong throughout the tale. Even in dire situations, she may not be optimistic, but she's still strong. I appreciate the author's skill in accomplishing that. Plus the slow transition to cautious hope by the end is not just wonderful writing, but also a fantastic arc. There's external conflict and internal growth and I can find zero fault with this piece. The emotional aspect of her relationship with May and the memories brought on by the chips elevated this story beyond your usual Sci-fi tale. I'm now a fan of Gardner's work and can't wait to read more! This issue of Planet Scumm starts out super strong! Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks