The Mystical Art of Codeswitching

by Sydnee Thompson

Fiction, Short Story

In honor of Black Speculative Fiction Month, eight SFF authors share stories that honor forebearers and memories of the past, fight the legacies that underpin the brutalities of the present, and demand a future that’s freer than today.

The stories publish on Tor.com all throughout the morning of October 19.

Genres: Speculative Fiction, Short Stories, Science Fiction

6 pages, ebook

First published October 19, 2020

About the author

Sydnee Thompson is a metro Detroit-based editor and author whose specialities are sizzling chemistry, near-future dystopias, and lots of explosions. While she continues to work on finishing her romantic suspense novel, she also has contributed shorts to markets like Fireside and FIYAH Lit magazines, with many more to come. ...As long as she doesn't fall down a Wikipedia rabbit hole on the way.

Reviews

[chvang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something happens that affects social media worldwide, where, if you're black, you can freely communicate--because to white people, it's scrambled, it looks like wingdings. And without the pretence and self-censorship, they start planning the revolution.

If you liked The Mystical Art of Codeswitching by Sydnee Thompson, you might also like Sleeper by Jo Walton.

[Bookfairy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting speculative fiction, I like the idea. It seemed a little too short even for a short story--I would have liked to see it a little more fleshed-out.
I'm curious what her longer-fiction is like though, so I'll have to keep an eye out.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was not meant for me, but I appreciate it and hope you read reviews from someone else.

[Tori]

god what a CONCEPT

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cool play on words and a great set up - wish it took the premise further.