SFF Reviews - Science Fiction and Fantasy

 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 Appliance Crisis by Beth Goder (998 words) Flash Fiction Online, February 2022 : Purchase or Read Online Man, I love Beth Goder. She's done it again . Created magic with her words. This is a light, happy story, but full of rich details and vivid descriptions. Showing different types of feelings in just a few words seems to be what Goder excels at, and I am super appreciative of her talent and the fact that she shares it with her readers. A magical happy ending story.     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 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 The Lighthouse Keeper’s Guide to Pulau Belakang Mati by Wen-yi Lee (993 words) Flash Fiction Online, January 2022 : Purchase or Read Online Oh my. A very unique conceptual piece. Not just because list stories are hard to get right, but also because it's as much a work of fiction as it is an ode to other SFF stories. A story with a lot of heart and messy reality. Like life, but made better by dint of being fiction. 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 Recipe Keeper by Beth Cato (973 words) Flash Fiction Online, January 2022 Issue : Purchase or Read Online Lovely story about memories and food. I've previously read and loved another story (about bread and memories) by Cato, so I was excited when I saw she had a story out in the Jan issue as well. She has a way with words and knows how to deftly set up a scene. I adore her descriptions of food (and even otherwise!) and I never find a single point of disappointment in any of her stories. Lovely character growth and high stakes make this a very well rounded piece. A clever, lovely story, skillfully executed. This is a story that remains memorable for days to come.    Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks