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Liminal Spaces
An engineer who frequently travels for her job, suddenly finds herself in airports other than the one she arrived in…At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
31 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 17, 2024
3 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Maureen F. McHugh
119 books284 followersMaureen F. McHugh (born 1959) is a science fiction and fantasy writer.
Her first published story appeared in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine in 1989. Since then, she has written four novels and over twenty short stories. Her first novel, China Mountain Zhang (1992), was nominated for both the Hugo and the Nebula Award, and won the James Tiptree, Jr. Award. In 1996 she won a Hugo Award for her short story "The Lincoln Train" (1995). McHugh's short story collection Mothers and Other Monsters was shortlisted as a finalist for the Story Prize in December, 2005.
Maureen is currently a partner at No Mimes Media, an Alternate Reality Game company which she co-founded with Steve Peters and Behnam Karbassi in March 2009. Prior to founding No Mimes, Maureen worked for 42 Entertainment, where she was a Writer and/or Managing Editor for numerous Alternate Reality Game projects, including Year Zero and I Love Bees.
Her first published story appeared in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine in 1989. Since then, she has written four novels and over twenty short stories. Her first novel, China Mountain Zhang (1992), was nominated for both the Hugo and the Nebula Award, and won the James Tiptree, Jr. Award. In 1996 she won a Hugo Award for her short story "The Lincoln Train" (1995). McHugh's short story collection Mothers and Other Monsters was shortlisted as a finalist for the Story Prize in December, 2005.
Maureen is currently a partner at No Mimes Media, an Alternate Reality Game company which she co-founded with Steve Peters and Behnam Karbassi in March 2009. Prior to founding No Mimes, Maureen worked for 42 Entertainment, where she was a Writer and/or Managing Editor for numerous Alternate Reality Game projects, including Year Zero and I Love Bees.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
October 30, 2025
3.5 stars
Free copy here: https://reactormag.com/liminal-spaces...
short review for busy readers:
All modern airports may look the same...but they have totally different vibes.
And very different access points.
A company rep has to fly a lot for business. When she discovers she can see corridors that no one else can, and which allow her to walk straight through to a totally different airport in a different American state, she thinks she might be having a mental breakdown.
This story has a LOT of potential. In fact, it's highly Twilight Zone in concept, which is always a pleasure to run across.
Unfortunately, the character(s') reaction to the freaky liminal space corridors is so realistic, so what all of us would think and fear, that the story lacks punch and ultimately, a statement. It doesn't say anything, other than "whoa, freaky...I hope it doesn't strand me in Cleveland!". And that doesn't do the fabulous concept any favours.
Shame.
Free copy here: https://reactormag.com/liminal-spaces...
short review for busy readers:
All modern airports may look the same...but they have totally different vibes.
And very different access points.
A company rep has to fly a lot for business. When she discovers she can see corridors that no one else can, and which allow her to walk straight through to a totally different airport in a different American state, she thinks she might be having a mental breakdown.
This story has a LOT of potential. In fact, it's highly Twilight Zone in concept, which is always a pleasure to run across.
Unfortunately, the character(s') reaction to the freaky liminal space corridors is so realistic, so what all of us would think and fear, that the story lacks punch and ultimately, a statement. It doesn't say anything, other than "whoa, freaky...I hope it doesn't strand me in Cleveland!". And that doesn't do the fabulous concept any favours.
Shame.
January 2, 2025
It was impossible for me to stay away from a story called 'Liminal Spaces'. I should have, though. This features the most boring straight relationship imaginable. And in general I found this story very uninspired, loaded with many engineering details, which would have been interesting if it had amounted to something. Reader, it did not. The ending left me cold.
I'd been also curious to read this because I had a loooot of issues with Maureen F. McHugh's China Mountain Zhang, but also really liked some stuff, including a glimpse at a relationship, but make it on Mars. This is a more straightforward meh.
Read it here.
I'd been also curious to read this because I had a loooot of issues with Maureen F. McHugh's China Mountain Zhang, but also really liked some stuff, including a glimpse at a relationship, but make it on Mars. This is a more straightforward meh.
Read it here.
July 1, 2025
A quick, fun read about the spaces in between our reality & how to process that. The story didn’t have a ton of meat on its bones, but enough to get the point across. I think the author did a good job of building tension in the mind of the MC and it translated well in the pages to present a pretty neat little story.
June 7, 2024
good not great
January 26, 2024
A compulsively readable short story with an intriguing premise but not much of an ending.
Read
January 19, 2024I'm going to think about it a bit. I read it because Tor's email newsletter offered it to me and I've loved two novels by the author, well enough the name rang a bell.
But this novelette, well, it's got an ending that seems like a non-ending, until I think some more and realize that the story is speculative fiction more than science fiction. That is to say, there's something not ordinary going on, but it's the actual theme & characters that are the focus (not plot, nor What If, nor Sense of Wonder).
I'm leaning towards three stars, but I feel like I'm missing something, or I read too fast... it probably deserves four.
But this novelette, well, it's got an ending that seems like a non-ending, until I think some more and realize that the story is speculative fiction more than science fiction. That is to say, there's something not ordinary going on, but it's the actual theme & characters that are the focus (not plot, nor What If, nor Sense of Wonder).
I'm leaning towards three stars, but I feel like I'm missing something, or I read too fast... it probably deserves four.
January 21, 2024
Interesting exploration on liminal spaces at airports. Realistic and not too complicated. I wish there was an interaction between other mentioned characters and their own way of analyzing liminal spaces. However left open-ended for readers to decide (just as intended). 3.5 stars
July 17, 2025
A distracted engineer turns down the wrong corridor in an airport and suddenly finds herself in another airport.
There's a throwaway gag in Charles Stross' 'The Laundry Files' series where Bob Howard reveals that all the hotel corridors in the world are actually the same corridor and this gag has stuck in my head as a great idea that could have been developed. Here, we see this idea explored more fully (and more seriously) by Maureen F. McHugh. Well written, there's an eerie and uncanny atmosphere throughout.
There's a throwaway gag in Charles Stross' 'The Laundry Files' series where Bob Howard reveals that all the hotel corridors in the world are actually the same corridor and this gag has stuck in my head as a great idea that could have been developed. Here, we see this idea explored more fully (and more seriously) by Maureen F. McHugh. Well written, there's an eerie and uncanny atmosphere throughout.
January 19, 2024
Enjoyed this short story from Tor.com (soon to be Reactor): https://www.tor.com/2024/01/17/limina...
And now I'll be on the lookout for these corridors in airports. If I can get to where I'm going without taking hours, then I'm going for a walk. (But if I end up in Cleveland, I'm hightailing it back to where I started. There's no good reason why anyone should be in Cleveland.)
And now I'll be on the lookout for these corridors in airports. If I can get to where I'm going without taking hours, then I'm going for a walk. (But if I end up in Cleveland, I'm hightailing it back to where I started. There's no good reason why anyone should be in Cleveland.)
May 7, 2024
3.5 stars. This is like the sci-fi version of magical realism-- actually, it may even be magical realism, though for some reason it feels like sci-fi, maybe because airports are inherently places of technology rather than magic. I liked the dichotomy of Amelia's boring relationship and mundane job woes contrasted with the big mystery of these portals between airports and the other people who experience them. I wouldn't have wanted to spend a whole book with Amelia but this was a fun read.
February 11, 2024
3.5 Stars.
This was pretty enjoyable. It explored an aspect of airports that I have always pondered about myself. Another interesting exploration would be about how time basically doesn't exist inside airports, either. I did find the whole "useless male" part of it to not necessarily be my thing, but it was otherwise an enjoyable read.
This was pretty enjoyable. It explored an aspect of airports that I have always pondered about myself. Another interesting exploration would be about how time basically doesn't exist inside airports, either. I did find the whole "useless male" part of it to not necessarily be my thing, but it was otherwise an enjoyable read.
January 8, 2025
I loved this doors concept. I would definitely like to read more with this mechanism, whether it's Amelia or we see other people like Lynne and Greg. (I have read The Ten Thousand Doors of January, but this is different vibes.)
I would've liked this more if not for the editing errors; they just kept taking me out of the story. A few missing words here and there and then one weird instance where she says Charleston instead of Charlotte and then back to NC in the next sentence.
I did like the Charlotte-Douglas appearance though, being from NC myself. Even that NASCAR mention for authenticity lol.
I was also kind of annoyed by the relationship issues. They're real, they're valid, but they're so tired at this point. The mental load discussion from the beginning and then the whole "secrets are toxic" thing a few times.
I loved the couple cat nods though. Of course you owe the cats attention when you're working from home! And "loafers that he may have loved more than he loved Amelia (but not more than the cat, thank God)." was just great lol.
Oh, I just noticed we went from cats to cat; there's another error.
But I did like the way it built the tension and fear of the unknown and the anxiety of getting trapped or not knowing where you are. I like that she redecorated the house because she was afraid if it looked too nondescript then people would start appearing in from other houses like she was appearing between airports.
I thought it was cool that . Very interesting.
A fun enough read, and it scratched my itch for a sci-fi thriller well enough that I can go back to my royal magic reverse-harem series without taking time for a whole book lol.
I would've liked this more if not for the editing errors; they just kept taking me out of the story. A few missing words here and there and then one weird instance where she says Charleston instead of Charlotte and then back to NC in the next sentence.
I did like the Charlotte-Douglas appearance though, being from NC myself. Even that NASCAR mention for authenticity lol.
I was also kind of annoyed by the relationship issues. They're real, they're valid, but they're so tired at this point. The mental load discussion from the beginning and then the whole "secrets are toxic" thing a few times.
I loved the couple cat nods though. Of course you owe the cats attention when you're working from home! And "loafers that he may have loved more than he loved Amelia (but not more than the cat, thank God)." was just great lol.
Oh, I just noticed we went from cats to cat; there's another error.
But I did like the way it built the tension and fear of the unknown and the anxiety of getting trapped or not knowing where you are. I like that she redecorated the house because she was afraid if it looked too nondescript then people would start appearing in from other houses like she was appearing between airports.
I thought it was cool that . Very interesting.
A fun enough read, and it scratched my itch for a sci-fi thriller well enough that I can go back to my royal magic reverse-harem series without taking time for a whole book lol.
Read
March 11, 2025Nearly 30 years ago, I was with friends in a McDonald's in Eastern Europe, and a song came on that could equally have been playing in a McDonald's back home, and we had the idea of someone who used that interchangeability to travel from one to another – maybe an assassin, except then he ducks in to make his getaway and suddenly there are local ads on the radio so it couldn't be a branch anywhere, and he has to stay alive until they're over, and also if the place gets too damaged in the meantime, would that invalidate the effect? Well, none of us ever did anything with the notion, because we didn't have any more than that, and that isn't enough to make a story.
Except wait – here comes the contemporary American short story with a steel chair!
To sit on, obviously. Nothing exciting or dangerous. This is the contemporary American short story, after all. Where you don't need more than our five minutes of idle musing, you need less. Much less. So the protagonist isn't a hitman, just a corporate type (her job is lights) vaguely dissatisfied that her husband doesn't do more around the house. She doesn't slip between burger joints, but airports – except, let's keep them all airports within the US; don't want any complications, do we? The closest it comes to jeopardy is that at one point, having gone to another city through the corridors by mistake, she has to rebook a flight and it's a bit expensive and they just bought some new furniture... I know McHugh has a solid science fiction background, but that only makes it more dispiriting that she could start with that premise and end up with this empty litfic piffle.
Except wait – here comes the contemporary American short story with a steel chair!
To sit on, obviously. Nothing exciting or dangerous. This is the contemporary American short story, after all. Where you don't need more than our five minutes of idle musing, you need less. Much less. So the protagonist isn't a hitman, just a corporate type (her job is lights) vaguely dissatisfied that her husband doesn't do more around the house. She doesn't slip between burger joints, but airports – except, let's keep them all airports within the US; don't want any complications, do we? The closest it comes to jeopardy is that at one point, having gone to another city through the corridors by mistake, she has to rebook a flight and it's a bit expensive and they just bought some new furniture... I know McHugh has a solid science fiction background, but that only makes it more dispiriting that she could start with that premise and end up with this empty litfic piffle.
March 9, 2025
This very short story explores the weird intersectionality of airport spaces and relationships... In both, you're always traveling or waiting. Amelia is ruminating on her relationship with her boyfriend Jerome as she's traveling through the Dallas-Fort Worth airport to catch her connection to Madison, Wisconsin, only to find a hallway that deposits her in the Charlotte Douglas Airport. Retracing her steps, she thinks it was a just a dream, until it happens again, and then again. She's an engineer, she wants to figure out this, how to map it, who can use it. But while her boyfriend Jerome is being supportive of her experiences, he doesn't really understand or believe her. There's a good portion of this turns into her mental arguments about if they should stay together or not.
I liked this... the Idea is very cool. The story is mostly okay, except for the end, which I really didn't like and yet the point was made.
3 stars.
I liked this... the Idea is very cool. The story is mostly okay, except for the end, which I really didn't like and yet the point was made.
3 stars.
January 20, 2024
"Liminal Spaces," a captivating short story by Maureen Mc Hugh, opens with a powerful exploration of gate tourism, immediately pulling readers into a world where the boundaries between different dimensions are porous and intriguing. The narrative unfolds with a strong and enigmatic starting point, introducing readers to the concept of liminal spaces in a way that sparks curiosity and fascination.
Mc Hugh's ability to craft a narrative that leaves readers hungry for more is a sign for her storytelling powers. "Liminal Spaces" serves as a tantalizing glimpse into a world ripe for further exploration, beckoning for a novel that unravels the mysteries and intricacies of the captivating gate tourism concept.
Mc Hugh's ability to craft a narrative that leaves readers hungry for more is a sign for her storytelling powers. "Liminal Spaces" serves as a tantalizing glimpse into a world ripe for further exploration, beckoning for a novel that unravels the mysteries and intricacies of the captivating gate tourism concept.
January 25, 2024
No video review for this book. It's 31 pages long. The review would be longer than the story ;) Anyhow, I'm giving this a 3. This is a perfectly fine story, but nothing that makes me think of a reason to recommend it. Well, you can read it for free on TOR, so there is that. The story is interesting and I feel like it could be made into something much more impactful, but it cuts off before it gets there. And I just don't find myself caring about the characters. I feel like it needs more depth. That being said, she's got two other published books and I'm leaving reviews on Goodreads so opinions may vary :)
February 25, 2024
It was disappointing. The characters weren't deep. They seemed cold and superficial. I was waiting for her mental struggles and confusion more intensely. I wasn't very convinced with the way how she handled all.
I felt like there was an engineer stereotype, specifically with excel and mechanical act. It was annoying of her to keep mentioning it.
Moving the plot from one point to another wasn't done carefully and left some blank spaces.
I felt like there was an engineer stereotype, specifically with excel and mechanical act. It was annoying of her to keep mentioning it.
Moving the plot from one point to another wasn't done carefully and left some blank spaces.
May 28, 2024
The story of a person who, while walking through an airport terminal, suddenly discovers herself wandering in another airport terminal. Her attempts to figure out how it happened becomes an obsession when it happens several more times. Finally, as she gives up on finding an explanation, it happens once again, but this time, perhaps she can just accept it as a fact without explanation.
February 5, 2025
3.5-3.75 stars
What a charming little piece of writing, with very well fleshed-out characters for its length and such a wondrous concept. The only true hiccup I can think of is that it would have worked on its favor to dig a bit further into the characterization of the places, sort of speak.
What a charming little piece of writing, with very well fleshed-out characters for its length and such a wondrous concept. The only true hiccup I can think of is that it would have worked on its favor to dig a bit further into the characterization of the places, sort of speak.
March 2, 2025
Available here https://reactormag.com/liminal-spaces...
Eligible for the 2025 Hugo award for Short Stories.
Reminiscent of Ursula Le Guin's 'Changing Planes', Mauteen MaHugh's Amelie begins to see corridors in airports that should not be there. Linking to random 'other' airports.
Oh that it were true, and one could avoid many hours in a metal tube!
Eligible for the 2025 Hugo award for Short Stories.
Reminiscent of Ursula Le Guin's 'Changing Planes', Mauteen MaHugh's Amelie begins to see corridors in airports that should not be there. Linking to random 'other' airports.
Oh that it were true, and one could avoid many hours in a metal tube!
March 3, 2024
Due to an incredibly anticlimactic ending the whole story feels a bit cheap and pointless.
3 stars is more because it actually has potential and could probably be developed. Also it was slightly refreshing that someone believed the main character even though her story sounded impossible.
3 stars is more because it actually has potential and could probably be developed. Also it was slightly refreshing that someone believed the main character even though her story sounded impossible.
March 5, 2025
Loved the idea
I wished this story was longer. The idea was fascinating and I wanted to read more. Corridors in airports that led to other cities instantly. Start in one city and wind up in another with just taking a few steps. Wow.
I wished this story was longer. The idea was fascinating and I wanted to read more. Corridors in airports that led to other cities instantly. Start in one city and wind up in another with just taking a few steps. Wow.
December 29, 2025
2.5 stars
Final short story of the year! This was okay, interesting use of the time-space continuum. Airports and relationship metaphors.
The story can be found here: https://reactormag.com/liminal-spaces...
Final short story of the year! This was okay, interesting use of the time-space continuum. Airports and relationship metaphors.
The story can be found here: https://reactormag.com/liminal-spaces...
January 18, 2024
Vaguely creepy airport powers? Airports are extremely liminal spaces though.
January 20, 2024
Interesting concept but the execution felt underwhelming.
March 22, 2024
i felt there was supposed to be more
May 22, 2024
3.5 stars!
June 24, 2024
Every step in life is scary and into something that is unknown but it is less scary if you do it together.
July 23, 2024
A short story that does what it says on the tin. The concept was interesting but the characters, plot and prose came across somewhat flat.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews