SFF Reviews - Science Fiction and Fantasy

Review of A Guide for Working Breeds by Vina Jie-Min Prasad The Year's Best Science Fiction, Volume 2, Edited by Jonathan Strahan, Purchase Anthology A tough guy character plus a sweet and kind rambler equal a fantastic pair, and here they're AI! Might be one of my favorite character combination styles (tropes?) in fiction. What a great start to this collection! A lovely, layered story, plus epistolary narratives are one of my absolute favorites. It really does put you right in the moment, with these characters you quickly become fond of. Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks

Review of The State Street Robot Factory by Claire Humphrey (4891 words) Apex Magazine, Issue 136 : Purchase or Read Online   In a seemingly not too distant future, Darius is trying to make some money from his business, for his goal of getting himself prosthetic legs. He sells handmade robots, with detailed artistic flourishes. Everything revolves around fending for himself in a variety of ways, and it’s unfortunately accurate in its representation of daily reality for many. The portrayal of struggling to survive is heartbreaking, yet I especially appreciate that it ends the way it did, because it would have been easy to go in another direction - one which would not be as satisfying. Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks      

Review of External Processors by Sherry Yuan (6117 words) Luna Station Quarterly, Issue 051 : Purchase or Read Online Set in a future that is utopian for some, but eerily close to dystopia for others, this story hits all the right notes. People use ExP, or External Processor, stickers to improve their cognitive abilities, but where do those enhanced abilities come from? This story shows two sides of the story, two very different lives of people on both sides of the sticker, so to speak. Very well executed world and plot, and I liked the narrative style and prose too. Spoiler : I was very surprised by one of the character’s decision at the end. Going off their past experiences, it was unexpected. On giving it some thought, it was probably because they knew what it was like and knew the importance of having that to get ahead. The decision was a nice juxtaposition compared to someone else in the story who made a very different switch.     Support us on Ko-fi -...

Review of Kali_Na by Indrapramit Das (7558 words) The Year's Best Science Fiction, Volume 1, Edited by Jonathan Strahan, Purchase Anthology A cyberpunk style story set in India, Kali_Na focuses on our protagonist, a lower caste girl named Durga, and an AI Goddess simply named Devi. Devi is the Hindi word for Goddess - she is simply that. Not one of the many Goddesses from Hindu culture with a rich and varied life and stories, and this is an important distinction. No, she is just generic Goddess 2.0, to whom devotees may ascribe any quality they choose, one who will bless everyone with their own particular type of request, instead of having to ask specific Goddesses for specific things. A product of capitalism, she was supposed to be every Goddess in one. But maybe they forgot to code out the qualities of Kali Maa. And then we see a shift. The sheer power and scale of this story was reminiscent of the scale and scope of Hindu sagas and tales. A truly fantastic story and ...

Review of Object! by Matt Goldberg (991 words) SmokeLong Quarterly, Issue 77, September 2022 : Donate or Read Online In this world, there is a game-show where people can be turned into objects! The protagonist is spiraling in life, and he thinks he doesn't have anything left to live for. Turns out, though, that he does. And much like life, sometimes you don't know what you're capable of till you're pushed into a corner. And from there, good things may begin. But you don't know that, because sometimes you need to challenge to understand yourself. Also, pretty fun wordplay here! Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks  

Review of Redbean by Dixon March (4530 words) Luna Station Quarterly, Issue 051 : Purchase or Read Online Set in an unhappy world with an unhappy protagonist named Larron, it starts off with her looking for food to nourish her during her pregnancy. She picks up a box of beans, and I think it is clear pretty quick that it is the speculative element of the story. While I was anticipating something perhaps happier than her current existence, this story did not immediately go in that direction! It got even darker, but the prose and descriptions were vivid throughout. Even though it got harsher and more grim than the story was at the beginning, I could see her Larron finding pockets of joy and being able to nourish herself and her little one. Which is different from when the story started, so I suppose it was sort of happy after all, just not in any way I would have assumed. As much as I like standard SFF tropes, I do enjoy stories that turn those tropes upside down. Again, thi...

Review of Five Tips for Sealing Away an Ancient Evil by Ann LeBlanc (936 words) If There's Anyone Left, Issue 1, November 2020 : Purchase or Read Online A fun, fantasy laden read about the important of sticking to your contracts and having SOME ethics. Plus anyone who has ever worked as a freelancer or in a client-facing role will definitely relate to most of this - but hopefully not the part about dragons and powerful ancient amulets! A quick, fun read. Send it to your friends if they have clients they don't like! Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks    

Review of The Best Latkes on the Moon by Lauren Ring (996 words) If There's Anyone Left, Issue 1, November 2020 : Purchase or Read Online Second person narratives are difficult to pull off, but it was done so beautifully here. It was a new (or at least new-to-me) concept of personal growth happening simultaneously with growth in cooking a recipe. Sounds so simple now, but it is one of those things that's hard to do well. Even apart from that, it's a lovely combination of ideas that seems to go together so well, and I love the quiet strength and perseverance throughout the story. Our protagonist grows with the recipe, and it helps her become more of herself. All while cooking latkes on the moon. Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks    

Review of Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience™ by Rebecca Roanhorse (5800 words) Apex Magazine, Issue 99 : Purchase or Read Online This story won a Hugo and a Nebula! It's an extremely interesting story with a second person narrative. As the story continues, the second person narrative choice starts to make it even more engaging and immersive. Jesse Turnblatt (but Trueblood at work because "authentic") is You, and you work at a VR company that Tourists visit for an "authentic Indian" experience. Jesse is indigenous, but the experiences they create for visitors is anything but. Based on Hollywood movies and a convenient version of Indian life, it's simply a place he works a job for money - no other deeper connection to his actual heritage, because the Experiences aren't based on reality to begin with. A white man comes for an Experience, and says he needs a friend. Jesse does too. So he gives him the benefit of doubt. All he wants is ...

Review of It Is a Beautiful Day on the Internet, and You Are a Horrible Bot by Aimee Ogden (975 words) If There's Anyone Left, Issue 1, November 2020 : Purchase or Read Online A bot gone wild, and it has a sense of humor. And hot dogs are funny. So is deleting and/or releasing confidential information. But the bot isn't malicious, it just knows (from extensive research) that these things are funny! It's a pretty smart bot, and havoc is especially fun! I loved this story so much. I'm also writing a lot of exclamations - but don't blame me, I was just influenced by the #BotDog! Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks    

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 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

Review of Breathe by Adam Fout (950 words) Flash Fiction Online, Jul 2021 : Purchase or Read Online Touching story about how courage can show up in the unlikeliest moments. A nuanced take on addiction, and a reminder that we shouldn't forget the humanity of people, even when they're going through rough times. Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks  

Review of Thin Crust by Erin MacNair (2825 words) Luna Station Quarterly, Issue 049 : Purchase or Read Online It started off with a 2012 (the movie) vibe, which is not at all a bad thing. But then it proceeded to get better from there. This is the kind of evocatively descriptive story that could be made into a short film. The plot is strong and very well constructed. The prose makes it even better. Each sentence, each adjective even - so carefully chosen. Who knew an apocalyptic event could be narrated in such a soothing manner? With hints of humor scattered throughout. Truly a joy to read. 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 Fried Rice by Shih-Li Kow (996 words) Flash Fiction Online, February 2022 : Purchase or Read Online A beautiful concept, beautifully executed. I love how the dad's frustration was portrayed. The narrator, Marta, was equally in grief, but wanted dad to take the first step towards moving on. Cook's personality was also very well developed and I loved the conversation between Marta and Cook. The ending was poignant and touching. Lovely story. One of my favorites this year so far.   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