Clarkesworld Magazine, Issue 223, April 2025

by Neil Clarke (Editor), Samantha Murray (Contributor), Sheri Singerling (Contributor)

Clarkesworld is a Hugo and World Fantasy Award-winning science fiction and fantasy magazine. Each month we bring you a mix of fiction, articles, interviews and art. Our April 2025 issue (#223)

Fiction

"Through These Moments, Darkly" by Samantha Murray
"The Seed" by Sheryl Singerling
"Aegiopolis Testudo" by Gordon Li
"Still Water" by Zhang Ran
"Symbiotic" by Carolyn Zhao
"There Is No King in My Country" by Thomas Ha
"An Even Greater Cold to Come" by Rich Larson

Non-Fiction

"Climate Change and the Shifting Disease Landscape" by Victoria Brun
"Unreliable Characters: A Conversation with Ai Jiang" by Arley Sorg
"Unapologetically Strange: A Conversation with Natalia Theodoridou" by Arley Sorg
"Editor's Desk: Perhaps Light Gray?" by Neil Clarke

Cover Art

"Naï Naï's Arrival & Rituals" by Thomas Brissot

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fantasy

146 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2025

About the author

Neil Clarke is best known as the editor and publisher of the Hugo and World Fantasy Award-winning Clarkesworld Magazine. Launched in October 2006, the online magazine has been a finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine four times (winning three times), the World Fantasy Award four times (winning once), and the British Fantasy Award once (winning once). Neil is also a ten-time finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Editor Short Form (winning once in 2022), three-time winner of the Chesley Award for Best Art Director, and a recipient of the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award. In the fifteen years since Clarkesworld Magazine launched, numerous stories that he has published have been nominated for or won the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, Sturgeon, Locus, BSFA, Shirley Jackson, WSFA Small Press, and Stoker Awards.

Additionally, Neil edits  Forever —a digital-only, reprint science fiction magazine he launched in 2015. His anthologies include: Upgraded, Galactic Empires, Touchable Unreality, More Human than Human, The Final Frontier, Not One of Us,  The Eagle has Landed, , and the Best Science Fiction of the Year series. His next anthology, The Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume Seven will published in early 2023.

He currently lives in New Jersey with his wife and two sons.

Reviews

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Through These Moments, Darkly" by Samantha Murray -- (4*) While it does have some interesting SFnal aspects, it's primarily a short LitSF, a brief glimpse at a poetical notion wrapped in a longing. Good for what it is, but I found myself wanting a lot more.

"The Seed" by Sheryl Singerling -- (4*) Solid beginning and nicely eerie. I love stories that feel like hope but is twisted, nonetheless.

"Aegiopolis Testudo" by Gordon Li -- (5*) Beautiful story about a traveling parasite-colony of humans harvesting and tending to a leviathan alien creature, moral and sustainability questions being asked--with some interesting, measured answers. Very imaginative. So far, my favorite of the month.

"Still Water" by Zhang Ran -- (5*) A little series of vignettes that suddenly become a gorgeous little wish, and I found myself profoundly moved by it. A mother's wish for his son is a powerful thing.

"Symbiotic" by Carolyn Zhao -- (5*) This is an extremely immersive, sensational (as in senses) work. It gripped me the entire time. It isn't a commentary, but a full-on SFnal story about belonging, be it to yourself, or with another. It's very, very sharp.

"There Is No King in My Country" by Thomas Ha -- (5*) Easily one of the most clear unclear stories I've ever read. :) I love a good subtlety. I think we'll need a lot of that in the future, alas.

"An Even Greater Cold to Come" by Rich Larson -- (5*) A great little SF horror story. Satisfying little emotional romp with an even better bit of body-horror.


All told, this month's collection of stories were pretty solid. Three were wonderfully sensational and visceral: Aegiopolis Testudo, Symbiotic, and An Even Greater Cold to Come.

I also really loved the idea and execution of There Is No King in My Country, but it was easily a lot more intellectual than the rest.

Still Water was smooth and eventually quite rewarding, but it took a moment to get there.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Through These Moments, Darkly" by Samantha Murray, Australian, 3610 words ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Applying a narrative structure to the story of your life nearing the end. Horror or slapstick? Dark physics, romance and quantum portals. Nice, a little too reflective for my taste.

"The Seed" by Sheryl Singerling, 5300 words, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What an unhappy life! But there is change on the horizon and a chance of empowerment. A story with a djinn. Or maybe something else entirely?

"Aegiopolis Testudo" by Gordon Li, 750 words, 🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢
“After five months on Ymir, the pond-water musk of the leviathan turtle has become almost indistinguishable from my own.“
Ymir was a titan in Norse mythology, out of whom Odin and others fashioned the world. In this instance it is a huge turtle and our colonists (?) live in a city on the back of the turtle, slowly guiding it through the landscape. And then something unexpected happens… what a fascinating story idea.

"Still Water" by Zhang Ran, translated by Andy Dudak (according to the website) or Jay Zhang (according to the digital magazine version), 9090 words, novelette. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A mother and a son and the story of a fatal illness. Quite heart wrenching in its slow progression. I wondered about the parallel timeline and why this is part of a SF magazine. Well, there were clues, but I didn‘t get it until the end. Well done.

"Symbiotic" by Carolyn Zhao, 10010 words, novelette ⭐️⭐️
I couldn’t get into it, the beginning was too scattered and confusing and the plot never won me back. I skimmed and read some good sequences, but most of the writing was not for me.

"There Is No King in My Country" by Thomas Ha, 6220 words ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½
A son writing strange, provocative stories. A political tale. This was an odd one.

"An Even Greater Cold to Come" by Rich Larson, 3600 words ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
War, contamination, death. Gruesome, body horror. I would like to read how it continues.

I think I have read other stories by Larson, I have to look for them. He is the author of the novels Annex and Ymir (I haven’t read either).

Non-Fiction
"Climate Change and the Shifting Disease Landscape" by Victoria Brun
Scary and fascinating. Mostly scary. This is not about zombies, here is where is gets real. The mentioned forcast figures for 2030 are sobering.

The full April issue can be found here:
https://clarkesworldmagazine.com/issu...

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Through These Moments, Darkly
This is a beautifully crafted story of irrepressible love matched against a boundless thirst for knowledge. The use of allegory is impactful. The psychological experiment with the people passing a ball while a gorilla enters and exits serves as a symbol for Jiayi's voracious appetite for knowledge and research, while the narrator, deeply in love with her, goes unnoticed. Jiayi is self-described as a "dark physicist" working with dark matter that "we can feel the effects of but can’t interact with" much like the narrator's relationship with Jiayi. Perhaps in this lies another meaning of "dark" physicist. The prose is gorgeous and is a healthy reason why we all want to read. The narrator's interpretation of what poems mean is worth another read. The story is one of the rare instances that incorporates mirror life with its opposite chirality. I've always found this idea deeply intriguing and sexy. Mix this with quantum portals layered over a quiet love story, and how can you not like this piece by Samantha Murray? I think in the end, we all want to "step into spring". Through These Moments, Darkly is another strong addition to this year's offerings in Clarkesworld. It's going to be difficult to vote for finalists at the end of the year!

Rating: 5/5

An Even Greater Cold to Come
This short sci-fi horror story reveals its nature in the end. I didn't think the concept broke new ground or provoked me in any interesting way.

Rating: 1.5/5

The Seed
A story about engineered intelligence (as compared to our own incidental intelligence) that leaves the reader wondering if these entities are lying and manipulating humans or if they are guiding humans towards a healthier path. Timely topic as humans today grapple with a potential future where our own AI creations play a governance role over. The story only teases this idea and its consequences.

Rating: 3.5/5

Symbiotic
This story of a symbiosis between two beings, where they are neurally tethered, has the makings of an intriguing narrative. I expected to be fascinated, provoked, and delighted. Yet, the concept, characters, and plot never lived up to my expectations. No new ground was broken in this story for me, but perhaps others might enjoy this territory.

Rating: 2/5

In My Country
I have to admire the difficulty of tackling such a well-trodden path about authoritarianism and living under such a state. Yet, Thomas Ha's take is fresh with its use of ambiguity as the weapon of choice. Where the authoritarian government wants clarity in all words, the narrator's son's stories try to speak truth through ambiguity and its power to veil. This ambiguity can cause readers to question, grasp, connect, and empathize. Sadly, this topic is all too timely. As with many others, we now connect with stories of oppressive rule; what was once the authoritarian behaviour of governments in Russia, China, and various Central and South American countries (too many more, sadly) is now observed in the US, where it was once held sacred that any human being —citizen or not— had the ironclad right to due process if accused by authorities of illegal acts. Today, in the perverse minds of the maga elites, "J'accuse!" is all the trial and judgment that is necessary. The power of ambiguity perhaps requires a level of intelligence and thought. As such, it may well be a device, however potent it is, that is out of reach for too many. Maybe there is another manner in which one may arrive at the truth. Ages ago, truth could be spoken in the king's court; the jester wielded humour as his weapon of choice. Whatever manner it may be, the world is in desperate need of it, particularly in the US. Not even the hallowed grounds of American universities are safe for exercising free speech under maga rule. Maybe I'll find myself writing ambiguous stories someday.

Rating: 5/5

[Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published at myreadinglife.com.

Here are my super short reviews on the fiction in issue 223 of Clarkesworld Magazine Issue 223, published in April 2025.

"Through These Moments, Darkly" by Samantha Murray — You and your love contemplate the idea of a portal in a world tipped past a warming climate to a cooling one. I love the focus on individuals true to themselves but in relationship to each other. (My rating: 5/5)

"The Seed" by Sheri Singerling — A childless woman in a world without technology is enticed by a beacon from another world to become the progenitor of her people's rebirth. Felt a little heavy-handed and left me wanting a little something, I am not sure what, that was missing from the story. (My rating:4/5)

"Aegiopolis Testudo" by Gordon Li — A contracted worker living on a leviathan considers whether they should stay at the end of their contract. Feels somewhat confusing or disorienting at the start. A bit unclear. Reminds of me of The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi and Godzilla movies. (My rating: 3/5)

"Still Water" by Zhang Ran, translated from Chinese by Jay Zhang — A mother does her best to comfort and care for her teenage son with ALS. Sections alternate between 2nd and 1st person. First person is the mother narrating. The "you" in second person is her son. Deeply personal and touching. (My rating: 5/5)

"Symbiotic" by Carolyn Zhao — Two people in a technologically induced symbiotic relationship deal with how uneven it is. Very confusing story exploring a fascinating concept. (My rating: 2/5)

"In My Country" by Thomas Ha — A father in a world with no kings but lots of control has a son and a daughter he struggles to understand. A touching story of family in a political situation. Reminds me a bit of Orwell's 1984. (My rating: 4/5)

"An Even Greater Cold to Come" — A pregnant woman hides with her daughters from soldiers looking for them. This one is a bit on the horror side. It was only "meh" for me. (My rating: 3/5)

My average rating for this issue: 3.75 out of 5.

[Thomas Wüstemann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This issue has it all. Heartbreaking stories, world building and a little bit of cosmic horror.
We start out great with THROUGH THESE MOMENTS, DARKLY, a quiet, contemplating and philosophical (semi-)hard-sci-fi story, that satisfies with a very human and empathetical ending.
THE SEED ramps up the cosmic horror, and it is a good read, but falls a bit flat due to its wordiness, especially in the "ancient evil".
AEGIOPOLIS TESTUDO is just a great world building exercise, jumping right into a strange world of Kaiju-Turtles,  teasing the world but letting us complete the puzzle by ourself. The easing into the world of giant turtles, including the initial confusion, was really good here (the merging of the turtle's musk and his own right at the beginning was a great teaser). I really liked the grim, satirical vibe, especially in tandem with the interesting and serious topic (talking about environmental exploitation and guilt over the image of giant, copulating turtles is just hilarious). Sadly, the world building also distracts from the narrative. Why did we need all the orbital stuff, why did we need anything besides the turtle itself (you then come into the dilemma, that you need to explain stuff to me like why it doesn't matter that they spill the feces of a whole city into the trail of the turtle)? And the handling of the guilt-part disappoints a bit in the end. Our protagonist decides that it is ok to exploit a little bit because you need to relax once in a while (and you can always still use the umbrella)? Or because they found out, that the pain tolerance of the turtle is much higher, and therefore it's ok to continue with the current pain level? I don't know. I guess I'm just a little mad because the guilt thing really captivated me and in the end it was not explored enough.
STILL WATER, although very predictable with its parallel storylines (clever use of first- and second-person perspective here), is just a heartwarming story of love and life, which had me in tears by the end.
IN MY COUNTRY is a bit on the nose with its 1984 vibes and, sadly, is not as clever as the stories it describes within (whereas the theme of these stories is ambiguity, the same ambiguity is missing in the story itself). But it's a great premise, that still makes good points about free thought in a totalitarian society.
I did not care much for SYMBIOTIC and AN EVEN GREATER COLD TO COME, but rest was absolutely great.

[Kam Yung Soh · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting issue, with good stories by Samantha Murray, Gordon Li, Zhang Ran and Thomas Ha.

- "Through These Moments, Darkly" by Samantha Murray: the story of a man whose relationship with a woman turns dark when she vanishes. But how she vanished is a mystery; a mystery that may have to do with a dark matter universe that she, a physicist, thinks may be opening portals for animals (and people) to go through.

- "The Seed" by Sheri Singerling: on a watery world, an ancient device is discovered from the deep. Based on her grandmother's words, one woman thinks it is evil and tries to cast it back into the sea. But the device has other plans, and perhaps it can convince the woman to see the world differently.

- "Aegiopolis Testudo" by Gordon Li: on a world where country sized 'turtles' wander, one person, part of a research team on one of the turtles, wonders whether he is a 'parasite' on the turtle, using it for his and the company's business (research and tourism). Then an unexpected event makes him rethink his role on the turtle.

- "Still Water" by Zhang Ran, translated by Andy Dudak: a thoughtful story of a mother who wants to let her child live a life, after he is diagnosed with early onset ALS. Via two story threads, one on the mother, the other on the child, we see them live out their lives after he is apparently cured. But it is only at the end do the two threads merge, and we see the lives that they have both lived together.

- "Symbiotic" by Carolyn Zhao: a pair of explorers, neurally linked together, explore a sunken ship, only for one of them to encounter an underwater creature that also has a symbiotic link with another organism.

- "In My Country" by Thomas Ha: a man talks about how things are done in his country; how thoughts and words have to have clear meanings with no chance of re-interpretation. So how is he to deal with his son, whose stories invite reinterpretation and possible insinuations about the leader of his country?

- "An Even Greater Cold to Come" by Rich Larson: two young daughters hide in the woods with their mother from hunters. It is only towards the end, when the hunters close in, does the strange nature of their mother and her unborn son would have on the world is violently revealed.

[Corrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clarkesworld Magazine Issue 223 (April 2025) delivers another strong lineup of science fiction and fantasy short stories, blending intimate human moments with big speculative ideas like climate collapse, alien encounters, and shifting societies.

The seven original stories include
Samantha Murray's "Through These Moments, Darkly," a quiet, second-person tale of love and loss in a world sliding from global warming into a new ice age.

Sheri Singerling's "The Seed," about a woman drawn to an otherworldly promise in a low-tech future.

Gordon Li's "Aegiopolis Testudo," featuring a massive, ancient creature in a strange city.

Zhang Ran's "Still Water" (translated from Chinese), a moving dual-thread story of a mother, her son with a devastating illness, and an unexpected cure.

Carolyn Zhao's "Symbiotic," exploring an uneven tech-fueled connection between two people.

Thomas Ha's "There Is No King in My Country" (sometimes listed as "In My Country"), a subtle look at family and control in a surveillance-heavy nation.

And Rich Larson's "An Even Greater Cold to Come," set against encroaching frost and survival.

Overall, it's a thoughtful issue heavy on emotional depth and near-future anxieties, with several stories touching on parenthood, illness, and environmental dread. Perfect for readers who like their spec fic smart and character-driven. If I have to pick one story that stood out for me, it was Zhang Ran's “Still Water”.

I didn't read the nonfiction articles.

4 Stars

[Matthew Futter · Rating 5 out of 5]

If "The Seed" is your first Sheri Singerling read, you’ve gotten a taste of the wonders in store, and you’ve found some clues on your journey into her fascinating universe. What starts out looking like a simple story (though with a terrific hook, I admit) reveals more depth than you might expect, and both the reader and the main character learn a lot in these few thousand words. A strong story that stands on its own, this is an excellent introduction to Sheri’s engaging, thoughtful style. I loved it and am ready for more!

Thanks to Clarkesworld for publishing this, too. I'll be pleased to see more of this magazine as well. :)

[Pontus Doverstav · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a lot for me in this issue, but there were some standouts.

Still Water is a very slow burn and felt pretty boring to read at times, but it manages to evoke some strong emotions at the end, making it worth trudging through.

In My Country deals with criticism of authority through words and stories. A bit on the nose, but worth reading!

[Vincenzo Fiorentino · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Through these moments, darkly" by Samantha Murray (3.5*)

"The seed" by Sheri Singerling (3*)

"Aegiopolis Testudo" by Gordon Li (2.5*)

"Still water" by Zhang Ran (5*)

"Symbiotic" by Carolyn Zhao (2.5*)

"In my country" by Thomas Ha: (5*)

"An even greater cold to come" by Rich Larson (4.5*)

[David H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite story in this issue was Thomas Ha's "In My Country," though I also appreciated the storytelling in Zhang Ran's "Still Water" and I enjoyed the voice of Rich Larson's "An Even Greater Cold to Come."

[Greg S · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 out of 7 ain’t bad.

[WeaselPwnage]

Only read "In My Country"

[Matthew WK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall: 4.5 stars
Samantha Murray 4 stars
Sheryl Singerling 4.5 stars
Gordon Li 4 stars
Zhang Ran 5 stars
Carolyn Zhao 3 stars
Thomas Ha 4.25 stars
Rich Larson 4.25 stars