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Segmentation Fault
Morgan’s life isn’t easy. Growing up weird in a dying seaside town never is. But Kayla’s got it worse, still battling the legacy of her cruel, violent father.
When a new AI-driven electromagnetic therapy promises a cure for childhood trauma, Morgan sees a chance for Kayla to escape the shackles of her past. Kayla sees a chance to finally become the girl she desperately wants to be for Morgan.
But rewriting the past means rewriting the future. And they’ve both forgotten the golden rule of chasing be careful what you wish for.
Set in a near-future Skegness plagued by rising seas and wealthy dystopia tourists, Segmentation Fault blends cyberpunk-by-the-sea with tragic teen romance. It’s an unflinching exploration of what love and identity will mean in a world where we can reshape our memories at will. Alternately tender and brutal, this is the unforgettable debut short story from a unique new voice in British science fiction.
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"It's a rare occasion when you pick up a new author and know within the first few pages that you'll want to read everything they publish. Segmentation Fault was that kind of story for me."
"I adored this story. I’m a sucker for a near-future dystopia and Segmentation Fault’s world is one for the ages — fascinating, terrifying, and all so grimly plausible."
"An intelligent, heart wrenching tale of love in the times of societal collapse, this dystopian short story casts a knowing glare at the way modern life seems to be going. It is not an easy read. Thought provoking in sentiment and written with sincere emotion, it tackles difficult subjects without getting gratuitous or shirking the hard reality of being considered wrong for being "other" in a world still dogged by intolerance."
"Thematically deep, and necessary glimpse in our possible future"
"Great little cyberpunk story that's equal parts heartwarming and tragic."
When a new AI-driven electromagnetic therapy promises a cure for childhood trauma, Morgan sees a chance for Kayla to escape the shackles of her past. Kayla sees a chance to finally become the girl she desperately wants to be for Morgan.
But rewriting the past means rewriting the future. And they’ve both forgotten the golden rule of chasing be careful what you wish for.
Set in a near-future Skegness plagued by rising seas and wealthy dystopia tourists, Segmentation Fault blends cyberpunk-by-the-sea with tragic teen romance. It’s an unflinching exploration of what love and identity will mean in a world where we can reshape our memories at will. Alternately tender and brutal, this is the unforgettable debut short story from a unique new voice in British science fiction.
_____________
"It's a rare occasion when you pick up a new author and know within the first few pages that you'll want to read everything they publish. Segmentation Fault was that kind of story for me."
"I adored this story. I’m a sucker for a near-future dystopia and Segmentation Fault’s world is one for the ages — fascinating, terrifying, and all so grimly plausible."
"An intelligent, heart wrenching tale of love in the times of societal collapse, this dystopian short story casts a knowing glare at the way modern life seems to be going. It is not an easy read. Thought provoking in sentiment and written with sincere emotion, it tackles difficult subjects without getting gratuitous or shirking the hard reality of being considered wrong for being "other" in a world still dogged by intolerance."
"Thematically deep, and necessary glimpse in our possible future"
"Great little cyberpunk story that's equal parts heartwarming and tragic."
52 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 28, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 5, 2024
It's a rare occasion when you pick up a new author and know within the first few pages that you'll want to read everything they publish. Segmentation Fault was that kind of story for me.
The core of the story is about the love between two people and what might happen if we erase memories or past trauma, unflinchingly exploring the possible consequences, ending with a crushing gut-punch. Segmentation Fault takes a hard topic and treats it with respect while not shying away from it or the consequences.
All of this is set against a tantalising cyberpunk backdrop with intriguing wordlbuilding sprinkled liberally throughout. Klements doesn't hold your hand, and doesn't feel the need to explain every detail, giving you just the right amount of information to get your bearings. This is a story that respects your intelligence.
The prose itself was another standout. It's crisp and full of style, but also a breeze to read - a pairing that's hard to find.
Can't recommend this enough. Give it a read.
The core of the story is about the love between two people and what might happen if we erase memories or past trauma, unflinchingly exploring the possible consequences, ending with a crushing gut-punch. Segmentation Fault takes a hard topic and treats it with respect while not shying away from it or the consequences.
All of this is set against a tantalising cyberpunk backdrop with intriguing wordlbuilding sprinkled liberally throughout. Klements doesn't hold your hand, and doesn't feel the need to explain every detail, giving you just the right amount of information to get your bearings. This is a story that respects your intelligence.
The prose itself was another standout. It's crisp and full of style, but also a breeze to read - a pairing that's hard to find.
Can't recommend this enough. Give it a read.
December 18, 2025
Could be a stretched five stars, if the story was given some more room to stretch, to show Kayla being processed by the "therapy". Still, there's a lot of good stuff here, the horrible future seems well thought out (if the timeline does appear a trifle compressed, but maybe that's me, the dumb optimist), the writing is more than solid, if not necessarily spectacular, but then this is not the kind of story for authorial fireworks. So, yet again, the RNG at Amazon steered me right.
June 8, 2024
An intelligent, heart wrenching tale of love in the times of societal collapse, this dystopian short story casts a knowing glare at the way modern life seems to be going. It is not an easy read. Thought provoking in sentiment and written with sincere emotion, it tackles difficult subjects without getting gratuitous or shirking the hard reality of being considered wrong for being "other" in a world still dogged by intolerance.
The LGBTQIA+, neurodivergence and mental health struggles are all given rep with genuine empathy; these characters and their identities seem so real, not just tokenizm. Between that and the world building, I would wholeheartedly recommend this author as one to watch.
The LGBTQIA+, neurodivergence and mental health struggles are all given rep with genuine empathy; these characters and their identities seem so real, not just tokenizm. Between that and the world building, I would wholeheartedly recommend this author as one to watch.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews