It’s hard to find reading time during the holidays.

This was the theme-free, free-style length 2015 issue of SSBB. and unlike last year, there didn’t seem to be any secret hidden accidental theme. A lot of the stories had fantastical elements, and many of them had…stress in them, but neither of those things really counts as a theme, you know?

Anyway, here are some reviews, since that’s what we’re all here for:

Gardelunes, by Matsu Kasumi: This one I believe is the translation of the French story from the Como se dise…? issue. It’s about A Swiss guard who accidentally gets a line in on a Plot.

The Very Gay Football Affair, by Renaissance Makoto J.: In Three parts. This one is about a secretive spy group and their attempt to save the world from a very specifically shaped weapon, and also from bad editing. It was wonderful and absurd and absurdly wonderful.

Binselong, by Wasureta Yume: A tattoo artist in a sci-fi setting gets a very unusual customer with an intriguing request. It has a very bittersweet element to it, but is well worth reading, and since both characters are aliens, the sex is…rather, the genitals are…

Heart of Ice, by Yin Twig: A young prince is cursed/blessed by his mother to remain unmarried until he finds true love, which is unfortunately much harder than you’d expect. He does find it eventually, but not from a place that he expected.

Pull Against the Tide, by staringatsuns: Three parts. A merman on a mission changes his means and goals for a while, and then meets an old frienemy, and then changes his goals a bit more, until everything is different, and there’s a happy ending for everyone we care about.

Figs from Thistles, by Dr. Noh: A short about a young man reuniting with his childhood bully. Not exactly typical, but not entirely atypicial, either.

A Holiday Affair, by Riba: Just a man having an affair with the object of his affection. Yup. Totally normal and nothing unexpected here. Nothing at all. No weird twists. Nope. …nope.

Hymns of Orogenesis, by Iron Eater: Five parts! Another story about the orcs of Naar Rhoan! This time they are trying to make some new allies, while everything else is going wrong. This world is so wonderfully detailed, and it’s such an unusual fantasy set to delve into (usually everyone writes about elves or other pretty fantasy races), and all the characters are so fleshed out, and the…I love it.

Coming Home, by kiyala: A man’s lover returns after a long trip away. It’s pretty simple, although the returnee is a werewolf, so there’s some oddity to the sex.

Six warm nights at the end of October, by Hyakunichisou 13: In this one we re-visit Duncan the ghost hunter and his friend Peter, and they take on a sex-ghost (or something like that). It’s clever and interesting and it’s own brand of paranormal.