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Uncanny Magazine #53
Uncanny Magazine, Issue 53, July/August 2023
The July/August 2023 issue of Hugo Award-winning Uncanny Magazine.
Featuring new fiction by Daniel H. Wilson, R.S.A. Garcia, Steph Kwiatkowski, Lee Mandelo, Natalia Theodoridou, Lavie Tidhar, and Vajra Chandrasekera. Reprint fiction by C.L. Polk. Essays by Del Sandeen, Lizbeth Myles, Suzanne Walker, and Natania Barron, poetry by Beth Cato, Emily Jiang, Sodïq Oyèkànmí, and Valerie Valdes, interviews with R.S.A. Garcia and Lee Mandel by Caroline M. Yoachim, a cover by Elaine Ho, and an editorial by Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas.
About Uncanny Magazine
Uncanny Magazine is a bimonthly science fiction and fantasy magazine first published in November 2014. Edited by 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, & 2022 Hugo award winners for best semiprozine, and 2018 Hugo award winners for Best Editor, Short Form, Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas, and Monte Lin, each issue of Uncanny includes new stories, poetry, articles, and interviews.
Featuring new fiction by Daniel H. Wilson, R.S.A. Garcia, Steph Kwiatkowski, Lee Mandelo, Natalia Theodoridou, Lavie Tidhar, and Vajra Chandrasekera. Reprint fiction by C.L. Polk. Essays by Del Sandeen, Lizbeth Myles, Suzanne Walker, and Natania Barron, poetry by Beth Cato, Emily Jiang, Sodïq Oyèkànmí, and Valerie Valdes, interviews with R.S.A. Garcia and Lee Mandel by Caroline M. Yoachim, a cover by Elaine Ho, and an editorial by Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas.
About Uncanny Magazine
Uncanny Magazine is a bimonthly science fiction and fantasy magazine first published in November 2014. Edited by 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, & 2022 Hugo award winners for best semiprozine, and 2018 Hugo award winners for Best Editor, Short Form, Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas, and Monte Lin, each issue of Uncanny includes new stories, poetry, articles, and interviews.
243 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 4, 2023
6 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Lynne M. Thomas
105 books223 followersIn my day job, I am the Head of the Rare Book & Manuscript Library and Juanita J. and Robert E. Simpson Rare Book and Manuscript Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, one of the largest public university rare book collections in the country. I used to manage pop culture special collections that include the papers of over 70 SF/F authors at Northern Illinois University. I also teach a Special Collections course as an adjunct in the iSchool at Illinois, and used to do so at SJSU.
I'm an eleven-time Hugo Award winner, the Co-Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Uncanny Magazine with my husband Michael Damian Thomas. The former Editor-in-Chief of Apex Magazine (2011-2013), I co-edited the Hugo Award-winning Chicks Dig Time Lords, Whedonistas, and Chicks Dig Comics. I moderated the Hugo-Award winning SF Squeecast and contribute to the Verity! Podcast. You can learn more about my shenanigans at lynnemthomas.com.
I'm an eleven-time Hugo Award winner, the Co-Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Uncanny Magazine with my husband Michael Damian Thomas. The former Editor-in-Chief of Apex Magazine (2011-2013), I co-edited the Hugo Award-winning Chicks Dig Time Lords, Whedonistas, and Chicks Dig Comics. I moderated the Hugo-Award winning SF Squeecast and contribute to the Verity! Podcast. You can learn more about my shenanigans at lynnemthomas.com.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 10, 2023
“It lives in the closet,” the little girl said again. Her eyes were startlingly blue, Mara thought.
“Mrs. Karlsson told us about you,” the father said. He seemed uncomfortable. His wife hovered nearby, silent. “She said you helped her little girl.”
“I do what I can,” Mara said.
“What…What exactly is it that you do?” the mother said. It was the first she spoke.
Mara shrugged.
“You know,” she said.
Which wasn’t an answer, but then the parents didn’t really want answers. They were just desperate for anything at all to stop the screams.
Review is for The Ghasts, by Lavie Tidhar. Loved this - it's a great idea, and just as well executed as I've come to expect from this author.
Find it online here: https://www.uncannymagazine.com/artic...
“Mrs. Karlsson told us about you,” the father said. He seemed uncomfortable. His wife hovered nearby, silent. “She said you helped her little girl.”
“I do what I can,” Mara said.
“What…What exactly is it that you do?” the mother said. It was the first she spoke.
Mara shrugged.
“You know,” she said.
Which wasn’t an answer, but then the parents didn’t really want answers. They were just desperate for anything at all to stop the screams.
Review is for The Ghasts, by Lavie Tidhar. Loved this - it's a great idea, and just as well executed as I've come to expect from this author.
Find it online here: https://www.uncannymagazine.com/artic...
May 20, 2025
What an awesome issue full of amazing content! I have to say it has been a while since I read a magazine issue / anthology that would be this full of great content. Mini-review for each piece!
The best of the best: Anything with a Void at the Center by Lee Mandelo & The Music of the Siphorophenes by C.L. Polk But there are several more amazing stories so don't let them slip by you!
SuperMax by Daniel H. Wilson ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Story about AI, grief and restorative prison system. I did like the story itself (although more on the "this is completely fine" level) but together with the discussions it was trying to have and with the interview, this was just great food for thought. Would recommend if you are interested in a story that portrays optimistic but realistic view of AI and prison systems.
CW for
Love at the Event Horizon by Natalia Theodoridou ⭐⭐⭐⭐,5
This story was quite interesting, because at it's core, I think this is a love story. But it's also story that deeply incorporates film-making into itself and it's also a sci-fi with haunted generation ship. It is a whole vibe. This was beautiful, would recommend.
The story also has one moment that really stayed with me and that I liked A LOT
Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200 by R.S.A. Garcia ⭐⭐⭐⭐,5
This is a story about kindness starting a revolution basically. It took me a little bit to get into it (there is a little bit of dialect, but compared to some of my other dialect experiences this one was pretty easy to get into) and although this story is very cozy there were some elements that stressed me out just a little bit. The ending of this one was just great, I think the ending bumped up a whole new star in the rating for me. Was lovely would recommend.
The Big Heavy by Steph Kwiatkowski ⭐⭐⭐
This one is probably my least favourite story in the issue. Mostly because I don't even remember it very well? I have a pretty good recollection of the first half but almost none of the second. This is a story about generational (?) ship searching for a habitable planet. They have some sort of technology that allows them to jump pretty straight from one planet to the next, but all of them are lacking something substantial even if some of them are almost... almost suitable but not quite. The whole story is kind of bleak. Didn't really spoke to me even though I liked certain elements of it.
Anything with a Void at the Center by Lee Mandelo ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lee Mandelo is rapidly becoming one of my favourite authors. The way he writes characters and their inner lives is just so special and I love it.
This story (as most of Mandelo's work) won't be for everybody, the SFF elements are very minimal and this could definitely pass for general fiction if it wanted . Same as Feed Them Silence, this story is very much turned inwards toward the inner experiences of the characters and it was just so good. (I keep wanting to use capital letters, but I am holding myself. One gold star for me!) Anyway, this is a story about haunted porn theatre, but even more it is a story about habits and found family and a reluctance to change your routine once it works. (Very relatable.) It also ponders the question of what it even means being in a relationship and it has just one of the sweetest love stories. And it is also story about trauma, sexuality and mental health.
I really want people to read this one so we can share the love!
The Ghasts by Lavie Tidhar ⭐⭐⭐,5
This is my second date with Lavie Tidhar, I previously read The Portal Keeper by him, a couple years back and I quite liked it.
This is a story about an adult fighting monsters under children's beds. I enjoyed it. Wasn't sure about the direction it was taking at one moment. Liked the ending again, but I felt like there were some gaps that I felt should get some attention for the story to be fully coherent. Still really liked it.
Theses on the Scientific Management of Goetic Labour by Vajra Chandrasekera ⭐⭐⭐,5
I have a book by Chandrasekera on my tbr (The Saint of Bright Doors) so I have been really glad to sample his writing here! And I quite liked this one as well. It's really short and I was wondering where it was going and then the ending comes and HOLY SHIT. So should have seen that one coming, but didn't...
Again, there were couple gaps that I was like... what am I supposed to think about that? Like But the story is really short and focuses on something else and prolonging it doesn't seem like a good idea. The length does work for it, so... Yeah, again, a little bit unsatisfaction, but I really liked this!
The Music of the Siphorophenes by C.L. Polk ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A couple years back I BRed the whole Native Tongue trilogy and in the second book I believe there are some plot points regarding whales. And at that BR I was whining how I wanted more focus on the whales, whales in space please!
Well, I got it here! To be fair, there are no actual whales more like but the vibe is right. This was BEAUTIFUL, sad and hopeful, with some neopronouns thrown in. I really really recommend this one. It's very different from anything I read by C.L Polk so far, but equally beautiful. It's also sci-fi, which I didn't knew they wrote sci-fi as well. I'm babbling, just read this, it's really good!
With that, I finished the fiction, so on to the non-fiction!
Book Bans Won’t Take Away Our Voices by Del Sandeen
Essey on Book Bans, especially on Florida book bans. It is a bit outdated at this point with how things are escalating, but I thought it was pretty good. Nothing new, but some arguments were well formed.
House of the Dragon and the Empress Who Tried to Rule England by Lizbeth Myles
I really need to watch House of Dragons already! This essay was way more interesting to me. It focuses on historical inspirations behind The House of Dragons, especially Empress Matilda. Would recommend to your attention if you are fans of the show. It was very short but quite interesting.
Weirdos by Suzanne Walker, the co-author of Mooncakes.
I sadly took no notes from this essay, but if I remember it correctly this was quite personal and interesting take on why we love the fiction we love as teens, as weirdos. I did want to come back to Suzanne Walker for some time, so this was very welcome addition for me!
The Matter of King Arthur on the Screen by Natania Barron
This was an essay on different adaptations of King Arthur mythos and since I'm severely lacking in the knowledge in this department it was - again - quite welcomed addition. I did highlight a couple of adaptations to check out in this one, because... yeah, I am interested in this stuff. Just not enough to ever actually read something, I guess.
And the poems!
I quite loved As Does the Crow by Beth Cato, don't have much strong opinions on the others actually.
First Eclipse: Chang-O and the Jade Hare by Emily Jiang is a visual poem and it was too tiny for me to appreciate. Clearly, I don't have enough patience for this.
You can read all of that here: https://www.uncannymagazine.com/issue...
The best of the best: Anything with a Void at the Center by Lee Mandelo & The Music of the Siphorophenes by C.L. Polk But there are several more amazing stories so don't let them slip by you!
SuperMax by Daniel H. Wilson ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Story about AI, grief and restorative prison system. I did like the story itself (although more on the "this is completely fine" level) but together with the discussions it was trying to have and with the interview, this was just great food for thought. Would recommend if you are interested in a story that portrays optimistic but realistic view of AI and prison systems.
CW for
Love at the Event Horizon by Natalia Theodoridou ⭐⭐⭐⭐,5
This story was quite interesting, because at it's core, I think this is a love story. But it's also story that deeply incorporates film-making into itself and it's also a sci-fi with haunted generation ship. It is a whole vibe. This was beautiful, would recommend.
The story also has one moment that really stayed with me and that I liked A LOT
Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200 by R.S.A. Garcia ⭐⭐⭐⭐,5
This is a story about kindness starting a revolution basically. It took me a little bit to get into it (there is a little bit of dialect, but compared to some of my other dialect experiences this one was pretty easy to get into) and although this story is very cozy there were some elements that stressed me out just a little bit. The ending of this one was just great, I think the ending bumped up a whole new star in the rating for me. Was lovely would recommend.
The Big Heavy by Steph Kwiatkowski ⭐⭐⭐
This one is probably my least favourite story in the issue. Mostly because I don't even remember it very well? I have a pretty good recollection of the first half but almost none of the second. This is a story about generational (?) ship searching for a habitable planet. They have some sort of technology that allows them to jump pretty straight from one planet to the next, but all of them are lacking something substantial even if some of them are almost... almost suitable but not quite. The whole story is kind of bleak. Didn't really spoke to me even though I liked certain elements of it.
Anything with a Void at the Center by Lee Mandelo ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lee Mandelo is rapidly becoming one of my favourite authors. The way he writes characters and their inner lives is just so special and I love it.
This story (as most of Mandelo's work) won't be for everybody, the SFF elements are very minimal and this could definitely pass for general fiction if it wanted . Same as Feed Them Silence, this story is very much turned inwards toward the inner experiences of the characters and it was just so good. (I keep wanting to use capital letters, but I am holding myself. One gold star for me!) Anyway, this is a story about haunted porn theatre, but even more it is a story about habits and found family and a reluctance to change your routine once it works. (Very relatable.) It also ponders the question of what it even means being in a relationship and it has just one of the sweetest love stories. And it is also story about trauma, sexuality and mental health.
I really want people to read this one so we can share the love!
The Ghasts by Lavie Tidhar ⭐⭐⭐,5
This is my second date with Lavie Tidhar, I previously read The Portal Keeper by him, a couple years back and I quite liked it.
This is a story about an adult fighting monsters under children's beds. I enjoyed it. Wasn't sure about the direction it was taking at one moment. Liked the ending again, but I felt like there were some gaps that I felt should get some attention for the story to be fully coherent. Still really liked it.
Theses on the Scientific Management of Goetic Labour by Vajra Chandrasekera ⭐⭐⭐,5
I have a book by Chandrasekera on my tbr (The Saint of Bright Doors) so I have been really glad to sample his writing here! And I quite liked this one as well. It's really short and I was wondering where it was going and then the ending comes and HOLY SHIT. So should have seen that one coming, but didn't...
Again, there were couple gaps that I was like... what am I supposed to think about that? Like But the story is really short and focuses on something else and prolonging it doesn't seem like a good idea. The length does work for it, so... Yeah, again, a little bit unsatisfaction, but I really liked this!
The Music of the Siphorophenes by C.L. Polk ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A couple years back I BRed the whole Native Tongue trilogy and in the second book I believe there are some plot points regarding whales. And at that BR I was whining how I wanted more focus on the whales, whales in space please!
Well, I got it here! To be fair, there are no actual whales more like but the vibe is right. This was BEAUTIFUL, sad and hopeful, with some neopronouns thrown in. I really really recommend this one. It's very different from anything I read by C.L Polk so far, but equally beautiful. It's also sci-fi, which I didn't knew they wrote sci-fi as well. I'm babbling, just read this, it's really good!
With that, I finished the fiction, so on to the non-fiction!
Book Bans Won’t Take Away Our Voices by Del Sandeen
Essey on Book Bans, especially on Florida book bans. It is a bit outdated at this point with how things are escalating, but I thought it was pretty good. Nothing new, but some arguments were well formed.
House of the Dragon and the Empress Who Tried to Rule England by Lizbeth Myles
I really need to watch House of Dragons already! This essay was way more interesting to me. It focuses on historical inspirations behind The House of Dragons, especially Empress Matilda. Would recommend to your attention if you are fans of the show. It was very short but quite interesting.
Weirdos by Suzanne Walker, the co-author of Mooncakes.
I sadly took no notes from this essay, but if I remember it correctly this was quite personal and interesting take on why we love the fiction we love as teens, as weirdos. I did want to come back to Suzanne Walker for some time, so this was very welcome addition for me!
The Matter of King Arthur on the Screen by Natania Barron
This was an essay on different adaptations of King Arthur mythos and since I'm severely lacking in the knowledge in this department it was - again - quite welcomed addition. I did highlight a couple of adaptations to check out in this one, because... yeah, I am interested in this stuff. Just not enough to ever actually read something, I guess.
And the poems!
I quite loved As Does the Crow by Beth Cato, don't have much strong opinions on the others actually.
First Eclipse: Chang-O and the Jade Hare by Emily Jiang is a visual poem and it was too tiny for me to appreciate. Clearly, I don't have enough patience for this.
You can read all of that here: https://www.uncannymagazine.com/issue...
August 3, 2023
Great selection of tales to enjoy
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Read
January 15, 2024Uncanny Magazine, Issue 53, July/August 2023 - Edited by Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas
I loved Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200, the rest of the short stories/novellettes was fine.
I DNFed Anything with a Void at the Center, it hits all the wrong buttons for me.
The 4 essays were good, especially Weirdos.
"As Does the Crow" is one poem I actually like
Reading Journal Index: 2023-174
I loved Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200, the rest of the short stories/novellettes was fine.
I DNFed Anything with a Void at the Center, it hits all the wrong buttons for me.
The 4 essays were good, especially Weirdos.
"As Does the Crow" is one poem I actually like
Reading Journal Index: 2023-174
September 12, 2024
Fiction
Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200 by R.S.A. Garcia
Por esta historia voy a leer todo lo que pueda de la revista ya que no tenía una entrada individual en goodreads a pesar de ganar el nebula award a mejor shortstory, una agradable historia de la relacion de el hombre y la maquina en un futuro donde a pesar de los desastres al parecer aun hay buenas cosas.
7.7
SuperMAX by Daniel H. Wilson
"Did you know there really are no first steps? There are no first words. There are no firsts. Only a succession of slightly more, until something happens that breaks through the human perception of what it means to do a thing.
It’s a funny fact to know. Kind of ruins it."
un drama con IA sobre la culpa, la familia y la redencion.
7.0
Theses on the Scientific Management of Goetic Labour by Vajra Chandrasekera
un cuentito entretenido sobre colonialismo academia e invocar demonios
6.3
The Big Heavy by Steph Kwiatkowski
"Here are your fingers, here are your toes. Here is the sound of a dream dying, of steel pulled from its seams. Hear that sound, that groaning, behemoth wail? Your tiny synapses were born in the desert to fear starless night, but look, here I have them for you: all of the stars. Watch their light as the ground shudders beneath you. Hope is a lie, and I only want you to feel truth. When your skin starts to evaporate, there is no pain. You are whole. Tainted with gravity, strained to bursting with everything that ever registered as carbon. You are sinking, you are buried, you are deep down farther in the earth than anyone has ever been"
Lindo y depresivo cuento sobre innevitabilidad y el vacio de las estrellas, la soledad de la especie y el espacio.
6.7
Love at the Event Horizon by Natalia Theodoridou
Gran titulo, space ghosts, mencion de Solaris, amor dejar ir y aprovechar el presente
6.6
The Music of the Siphorophenes by C. L. Polk
Space pirates and space sirenas and space cantos
7.1
The Ghasts by Lavie Tidhar
Terror desde debajo de la cama, no entendi el final o la intencion de la historia ¿dejar la fantasia? aceptarla? responsabilidades?
6.1
Anything with a Void at the Center by Lee Mandelo
Gay love story, superacion de traumas, no se que hace este relato en esta revista, no es malo pero tampoco tiene nada interesante.
5.0
Poetry
First Eclipse: Chang-O and the Jade Hare by Emily Jiang
tiene unas rimas muy buenas y me gusta su formato
6.1
As Does the Crow by Beth Cato
6.1
an alternate universe in which Yemọja is my mother by Sodïq Oyèkànmí
6.0 didnt get it
Eroticide by Valerie Valdes
6.2
Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200 by R.S.A. Garcia
Por esta historia voy a leer todo lo que pueda de la revista ya que no tenía una entrada individual en goodreads a pesar de ganar el nebula award a mejor shortstory, una agradable historia de la relacion de el hombre y la maquina en un futuro donde a pesar de los desastres al parecer aun hay buenas cosas.
7.7
SuperMAX by Daniel H. Wilson
"Did you know there really are no first steps? There are no first words. There are no firsts. Only a succession of slightly more, until something happens that breaks through the human perception of what it means to do a thing.
It’s a funny fact to know. Kind of ruins it."
un drama con IA sobre la culpa, la familia y la redencion.
7.0
Theses on the Scientific Management of Goetic Labour by Vajra Chandrasekera
un cuentito entretenido sobre colonialismo academia e invocar demonios
6.3
The Big Heavy by Steph Kwiatkowski
"Here are your fingers, here are your toes. Here is the sound of a dream dying, of steel pulled from its seams. Hear that sound, that groaning, behemoth wail? Your tiny synapses were born in the desert to fear starless night, but look, here I have them for you: all of the stars. Watch their light as the ground shudders beneath you. Hope is a lie, and I only want you to feel truth. When your skin starts to evaporate, there is no pain. You are whole. Tainted with gravity, strained to bursting with everything that ever registered as carbon. You are sinking, you are buried, you are deep down farther in the earth than anyone has ever been"
Lindo y depresivo cuento sobre innevitabilidad y el vacio de las estrellas, la soledad de la especie y el espacio.
6.7
Love at the Event Horizon by Natalia Theodoridou
Gran titulo, space ghosts, mencion de Solaris, amor dejar ir y aprovechar el presente
6.6
The Music of the Siphorophenes by C. L. Polk
Space pirates and space sirenas and space cantos
7.1
The Ghasts by Lavie Tidhar
Terror desde debajo de la cama, no entendi el final o la intencion de la historia ¿dejar la fantasia? aceptarla? responsabilidades?
6.1
Anything with a Void at the Center by Lee Mandelo
Gay love story, superacion de traumas, no se que hace este relato en esta revista, no es malo pero tampoco tiene nada interesante.
5.0
Poetry
First Eclipse: Chang-O and the Jade Hare by Emily Jiang
tiene unas rimas muy buenas y me gusta su formato
6.1
As Does the Crow by Beth Cato
6.1
an alternate universe in which Yemọja is my mother by Sodïq Oyèkànmí
6.0 didnt get it
Eroticide by Valerie Valdes
6.2
September 1, 2023
3.5 ⭐
MORE FICTION 53
SuperMAX by Daniel H. Wilson
Forgiveness. Always beautiful in every form. 4 ⭐
Theses on the Scientific Management of Goetic Labour by Vajra Chandrasekera
I don't understand the motivation to kill the giant. Is the MC just envious or does MC want to help? 2 ⭐
The Ghasts by Lavie Tidhar
Love the idea that childhood nightmares and adult nightmares are different. I think I'll prefer monster under my bed than adult responsibility. 5 ⭐
- The Big Heavy by Steph Kwiatkowski
- Love at the Event Horizon by Natalia Theodoridou
- The Music of the Siphorophenes by C. L. Polk
- Anything with a Void at the Center by Lee Mandelo
- Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200 by R.S.A. Garcia
MORE FICTION 53
SuperMAX by Daniel H. Wilson
Forgiveness. Always beautiful in every form. 4 ⭐
Theses on the Scientific Management of Goetic Labour by Vajra Chandrasekera
I don't understand the motivation to kill the giant. Is the MC just envious or does MC want to help? 2 ⭐
The Ghasts by Lavie Tidhar
Love the idea that childhood nightmares and adult nightmares are different. I think I'll prefer monster under my bed than adult responsibility. 5 ⭐
- The Big Heavy by Steph Kwiatkowski
- Love at the Event Horizon by Natalia Theodoridou
- The Music of the Siphorophenes by C. L. Polk
- Anything with a Void at the Center by Lee Mandelo
- Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200 by R.S.A. Garcia
October 2, 2023
By far the best story of this collection is "Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200". The use of character dialect/accent in the writing is perhaps a bit thick, to the degree of being a bit annoying, but the story is still a fun one. I'm not entirely sure why "Anything with a Void at the Center" is in here, since it's supposed to be scifi and fantasy stories. A ghost that haunts the main character's workplace is mentioned, but that's basically it. I thought maybe it was going to build to something, but it didn't. The rest of the stories were okay - readable, but nothing all that special.
April 10, 2024
I loved the R.S.A. Garcia story, Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200
Also I really liked:
SuperMAX by Daniel H. Wilson
Love at the Event Horizon by Natalia Theodoridou (fast becoming one of my favorite short fiction writers)
The Music of the Siphorophenes by C.L. Polk
The Ghasts by Lavie Tidhar - I usually bounce off Tidhar's science fiction stories pretty hard but this more dark fantasy/horror story worked for me.
Anything with a Void at the Center by Lee Mandelo
One of the best Uncanny issues I've ever read.
Also I really liked:
SuperMAX by Daniel H. Wilson
Love at the Event Horizon by Natalia Theodoridou (fast becoming one of my favorite short fiction writers)
The Music of the Siphorophenes by C.L. Polk
The Ghasts by Lavie Tidhar - I usually bounce off Tidhar's science fiction stories pretty hard but this more dark fantasy/horror story worked for me.
Anything with a Void at the Center by Lee Mandelo
One of the best Uncanny issues I've ever read.
September 23, 2024
I'm using this space for "Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200" by R.S.A Garcia. When I saw that it won the Nebula Best Short Story I looked into it and decided to put it on my list for my short stories reading for the year. I'm so glad that I did. I loved this story. Tantie Merle is a delight. And so are Lincoln and Ignatius. But really it all works best with the interactions between these characters. I imagined something akin to a Pixar short. There is also a wonderful change up at the end that rounds out the whole thing. Great stuff.
January 5, 2025
This review is for The Music of the Siphorophenes by C. L. Polk. I had previously read and deeply loved Even Though I Knew the End, and I was looking forward reading more by this author. I was not disappointed. This is the story of a space tour guide, with a hunch to find Siphorophenes, magical looking creatures floating in space on the pirate infested edges of the solar system. One day a famous pop singer try to convince them to risk it to meet these incredible sentient species... and get more than she bargained for.
August 10, 2023
This was a good issue overall. Favorite stories are:
"Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200" by R.S.A. Garcia - I *loved* this story so much
"Love at the Event Horizon" by Natalia Theodoridou
"The Music of the Siphorophenes" by C. L. Polk
"The Ghasts" by Lavie Tidhar
"Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200" by R.S.A. Garcia - I *loved* this story so much
"Love at the Event Horizon" by Natalia Theodoridou
"The Music of the Siphorophenes" by C. L. Polk
"The Ghasts" by Lavie Tidhar
November 10, 2023
My fave speculative magazine.
November 23, 2025
Read Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200, by R.S.A. Garcia. Loved it!
Want to read
August 11, 2024Nebula 2024 winner for best short story!
“Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200”, R.S.A Garcia (liked!)
“Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200”, R.S.A Garcia (liked!)
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews