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Trans-Galactic Bike Ride: Feminist Bicycle Science Fiction Stories of Transgender and Nonbinary Adventurers
What would the future look like if we weren't so hung up on putting people into boxes and instead empowered each other to reach for the stars? Take a ride with us as we explore a future where trans and nonbinary people are the heroes.
In worlds where bicycle rides bring luck, a minotaur needs a bicycle, and werewolves stalk the post-apocalyptic landscape, nobody has time to question gender. Whatever your identity you'll enjoy these stories that are both thought-provoking and fun adventures.
Featuring brand-new stories from Hugo, Nebula, and Lambda Literary Award-winning author Charlie Jane Anders, Ava Kelly, Juliet Kemp, Rafi Kleiman, Tucker Lieberman, Nathan Alling Long, Ether Nepenthes, and Nebula-nominated M. Darusha Wehm. Also featuring debut stories from Diana Lane and Marcus Woodman.
In worlds where bicycle rides bring luck, a minotaur needs a bicycle, and werewolves stalk the post-apocalyptic landscape, nobody has time to question gender. Whatever your identity you'll enjoy these stories that are both thought-provoking and fun adventures.
Featuring brand-new stories from Hugo, Nebula, and Lambda Literary Award-winning author Charlie Jane Anders, Ava Kelly, Juliet Kemp, Rafi Kleiman, Tucker Lieberman, Nathan Alling Long, Ether Nepenthes, and Nebula-nominated M. Darusha Wehm. Also featuring debut stories from Diana Lane and Marcus Woodman.
142 pages, ebook
First published December 8, 2020
14 people are currently reading
845 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
January 23, 2021
I mean, I'm biased because I've got a story in here, but really I am entertained, encouraged, and inspired by the thoroughgoing genderqueerness of all the bicyclists. I am distributing 10 copies around Bogotá, Colombia. Please let us make this international as well as trans-galactic. If you'd like to share the goods on Twitter: my Twitter thread
March 27, 2023
This is a truly excellent queer collection of short stories, some of them of flash fiction format. The mood is positive and pretty anarchic, which I enjoy a lot. I'm definitely going to search for more work of the authors involved!
Before discovering this collection I didn't even know bicycle sci fi was a thing, but it's pretty much the perfect genre for the city I'm living in, the bike capital of Germany.
Before discovering this collection I didn't even know bicycle sci fi was a thing, but it's pretty much the perfect genre for the city I'm living in, the bike capital of Germany.
January 25, 2023
4.5*
This is a great collection of short science fiction stories with trans and non-binary characters. Even though the stories all have the same prompt at their core, they are different enough in atmosphere that reading this anthology continues to be interesting and engaging throughout. I enjoyed all of the stories enough to give them 4 to 5 stars separately, and they reflect the diversity within the gender spectrum well.
This is a great collection of short science fiction stories with trans and non-binary characters. Even though the stories all have the same prompt at their core, they are different enough in atmosphere that reading this anthology continues to be interesting and engaging throughout. I enjoyed all of the stories enough to give them 4 to 5 stars separately, and they reflect the diversity within the gender spectrum well.
November 1, 2023
Feel good trans/non-binary bike sci fi. Yes.
July 11, 2021
This book is utterly delightful. The stories were all fun, but my favorite parts were the introduction and the author bios. Why? Because they sum up exactly why anthologies like these are so vitally important. There is such a huge diversity of authors here, both in identity and writing background. I'm finding it difficult not to quote Lydia Rogue's entire introduction, but I'll settle for these lines: "I pushed that this book was going to be by us, about us, and *for* us. The book should provide proof that there is a future beyond the now for us and that it will be beautiful." This is by no means the first anthology to do this, nor will it be the last, but the fact that it exists at all is a source of validation. It imagines queerness, specifically transness, as a simple, undisputed state of being. Sometimes characters find joy in it, sometimes they face external roadblocks to transition, but there is no transphobia, no self-loathing, no pain so often associated with trans identity. It's not even a celebration as much as just a way of existing, a way of seeing yourself in stories without your Gender Journey being the center focus. That kind of representation is so rare, and so desperately needed.
I don't have a ton to add about each individual story, but I don't want to forget them later so:
1. Per Rotas ad Astra by Ether Nepenthes - This story is only a few pages long, but it sets the tone right away with fun bike-based space travel and the love and concern between a nonbinary couple.
2.Riding for Luck by Juliet Kemp - The idea of biking specific routes bringing the rider luck powers, typically used for transition-based needs, is so much fun. On top of that, the characters are delightful and work well together.
3. The Edge of the Abyss by M. Darusha Wehm - One of the longer stories in the anthology. It's got major Star Wars/space opera vibes, with grand, sweeping space politics and dubiously employed main characters. It was a little distracting that the MC's name was April May, which is the same name as the protagonist of Hank Green's Carls series, but other than that, I liked it just fine.
4. Unexpectedly Trans-Parent by Lydia Rogue - This story is so damn sweet. Trans parents adopt an abandoned trans child through some complicated circumstances. Familial happiness in trans centered stories is something I'll never get enough of.
5. Rovers by Marcus Woodman - Trans mlm werewolves. Werewolf transition as a means for masc gender transition in a post-apocalyptic world. It simply does not get better than this.
6. The Visitmothers by Charlie Jane Anders - I've said it in almost every one of these anthology reviews, but CJA is a national treasure and I love her work so much. In this one, a trans woman wishes to be validated and not so alone. So her childhood bicycle gains sentience and becomes her platonic companion. The scenery feels so real and alive, and I just want to crawl into this world and comfort the MC.
7. A Sudden Displacement of Matter by Ava Kelly - Another one of the long stories. The idea of interplanetary support sometimes being appropriative is fascinating, and I absolutely loved the idea of a separatist colony for nonbinary people.
8. Briar Patch by Lane Fox - Godddd this story is so sweet!!!! The fall atmosphere practically drips off the page. The character has a traumatic history, but that makes their present joy all the more beautiful. The backstory of them and their partner is adorable, and there's casual background poly rep too. I love the depiction of trans parenthood. I love the descriptions of fresh farmers' market food. I love everything about this.
9. Clashing/Complementary by Rafi Kleiman - Street art is so rarely shown in a positive light, so this was a welcome change. Also flying bikes are just objectively cool.
10. Lucy Doesn't Get Angry by Tucker Lieberman - I'm always, ALWAYS here for a queer retelling of the minotaur myth. Especially when its a transmasc self-discovery retelling.
11. Beyond by Nathan Alling Long - What a way to end the anthology. Its just a few pages long, but this story basically sums up everything I love about trans specfic as a genre.
I don't have a ton to add about each individual story, but I don't want to forget them later so:
1. Per Rotas ad Astra by Ether Nepenthes - This story is only a few pages long, but it sets the tone right away with fun bike-based space travel and the love and concern between a nonbinary couple.
2.Riding for Luck by Juliet Kemp - The idea of biking specific routes bringing the rider luck powers, typically used for transition-based needs, is so much fun. On top of that, the characters are delightful and work well together.
3. The Edge of the Abyss by M. Darusha Wehm - One of the longer stories in the anthology. It's got major Star Wars/space opera vibes, with grand, sweeping space politics and dubiously employed main characters. It was a little distracting that the MC's name was April May, which is the same name as the protagonist of Hank Green's Carls series, but other than that, I liked it just fine.
4. Unexpectedly Trans-Parent by Lydia Rogue - This story is so damn sweet. Trans parents adopt an abandoned trans child through some complicated circumstances. Familial happiness in trans centered stories is something I'll never get enough of.
5. Rovers by Marcus Woodman - Trans mlm werewolves. Werewolf transition as a means for masc gender transition in a post-apocalyptic world. It simply does not get better than this.
6. The Visitmothers by Charlie Jane Anders - I've said it in almost every one of these anthology reviews, but CJA is a national treasure and I love her work so much. In this one, a trans woman wishes to be validated and not so alone. So her childhood bicycle gains sentience and becomes her platonic companion. The scenery feels so real and alive, and I just want to crawl into this world and comfort the MC.
7. A Sudden Displacement of Matter by Ava Kelly - Another one of the long stories. The idea of interplanetary support sometimes being appropriative is fascinating, and I absolutely loved the idea of a separatist colony for nonbinary people.
8. Briar Patch by Lane Fox - Godddd this story is so sweet!!!! The fall atmosphere practically drips off the page. The character has a traumatic history, but that makes their present joy all the more beautiful. The backstory of them and their partner is adorable, and there's casual background poly rep too. I love the depiction of trans parenthood. I love the descriptions of fresh farmers' market food. I love everything about this.
9. Clashing/Complementary by Rafi Kleiman - Street art is so rarely shown in a positive light, so this was a welcome change. Also flying bikes are just objectively cool.
10. Lucy Doesn't Get Angry by Tucker Lieberman - I'm always, ALWAYS here for a queer retelling of the minotaur myth. Especially when its a transmasc self-discovery retelling.
11. Beyond by Nathan Alling Long - What a way to end the anthology. Its just a few pages long, but this story basically sums up everything I love about trans specfic as a genre.
November 11, 2021
The premise and the stories are delightful. The tone is generally light and fun. From the title, I thought it would be all science fiction in space, but some stories are fantasy and some take place solely on Earth. Which is all fine. Some of the stories are amateurish in the world-building and how-things-might-work areas, but the enthusiasm of the writers makes up for it. And it's great to see so many trans writers and characters!
February 23, 2022
I've been growing to like short story collections, and this one was fun too. A couple stories pop more than others but I'm still glad to have read them.
January 11, 2025
I might lower this to 3.5 stars because although I thought a lot of the stories were written well, quite a few of them became forgettable by the end. With a specific theme such as bicycling sci-fi, you’d think this collection would get repetitive, but every author managed to be creative and bizarre in some way. Sometimes I vibed with it, sometimes I didn’t, because although so many of these worlds were unique, the shortness of this anthology meant the depth they could’ve presented was compromised.
My personal favorites were “Clashing/Complementa” (that one was very cute but also action-packed!), and “Beyond” (I felt it was a strong end to the collection, and the mix of optimism and melancholy reflected the overarching theme of change. I also thought that of all the exposition-heavy stories, the worldbuilding was the most creative here).
My personal favorites were “Clashing/Complementa” (that one was very cute but also action-packed!), and “Beyond” (I felt it was a strong end to the collection, and the mix of optimism and melancholy reflected the overarching theme of change. I also thought that of all the exposition-heavy stories, the worldbuilding was the most creative here).
December 8, 2021
Short stories were too short, I wanted more! I couldn’t get invested into some of them before it was over! That’s probably just me not liking short stories that much. That being said, It was great to read trans, queer, and non binary stories though! We need more of that, and I hope I can read more stories like these in 2022. If anyone has any recommendations, let me know!
June 26, 2021
What a romp! So much fun seeing what each author did with this niche and specific prompt!
June 8, 2022
3 star, a neat little collection of fun stories
November 24, 2024
just some good ol' queer science fiction. absolutely loved all these takes on the future of science and gender.
May 5, 2021
I don’t generally like short stories, but apparently rly I just needed to be reading short stories about spake bikes with trans narratives. The authors were each so creative, and I am now absolutely in love with the idea of biking across space!
November 14, 2025
Very enjoyable. I thought the commonality of trans & nonbinary characters and of course the bicycles was unique, thoughtful and very well-done. I finished this anthology with a sense of hope and a smile. All of the stories were fun & fantastical. One of the my favorites of the year!
(From the book blurb): “What would the future look like if we weren't so hung up on putting people into boxes and instead empowered each other to reach for the stars? Take a ride with us as we explore a future where trans and nonbinary people are the heroes.
In worlds where bicycle rides bring luck, a minotaur needs a bicycle, and werewolves stalk the post-apocalyptic landscape, nobody has time to question gender. Whatever your identity you'll enjoy these stories that are both thought-provoking and fun adventures.”
(From the book blurb): “What would the future look like if we weren't so hung up on putting people into boxes and instead empowered each other to reach for the stars? Take a ride with us as we explore a future where trans and nonbinary people are the heroes.
In worlds where bicycle rides bring luck, a minotaur needs a bicycle, and werewolves stalk the post-apocalyptic landscape, nobody has time to question gender. Whatever your identity you'll enjoy these stories that are both thought-provoking and fun adventures.”
October 24, 2024
I was curious when I saw this at the library. A few of the stories intrigued me, but the overall cycling theme simply didn't do anything for me, and I slowly lost interest after a while. The story involving the breakout of a war could and should make for a novel on its own...I definitely wanted to know more than I read...
June 27, 2021
Delightful! A lot of fun and thought-provoking short stories. I wish I had access to this kind of representation as a teen. I'm already looking up a few of the authors to see what else they have done.
November 8, 2021
Does what it says on the tin!
February 15, 2023
I really loved this collection of short stories. They were quite diverse in the storylines themselves, but they always contained a bicycle and some form of transgender or nonbinary main character. The stories were all a great length, and never seemed slow. Definitely would recommend.
July 17, 2023
Short and sweet.
September 29, 2021
What a delightfully weird, thought provoking collection. I loved the diversity of these stories - in theme, characters, identities, and world building. A great read.
July 15, 2023
Bikes...in...spaaaaaaaaaaace.
January 20, 2021
This book was everything I hoped it would be! Short stories gender, bicycles, belonging, and freedom.
September 26, 2023
I really feel bad not loving this because the authors seem fun and kind 😭
I was expecting a fun, queer read. I think this anthology does indeed, attempt to be a fun, queer read. However, for me, this anthology is colored by the politics of the publisher that I found incoherent.
I’m actually going to quote verbatim their description from the book:
“Microcosm Publishing is Portland's most diversified publishing house and distributor with a focus on the colorful, authentic, and empowering. Our books and zines have put your power in your hands since 1996, equipping readers to make positive changes in their lives and in the world around them. Microcosm emphasizes skill-building, showing hidden histories, and fostering creativity through challenging conventional publishing wisdom with books and bookettes about DIY skills, food, bicycling, gender, self-care, and social justice.” From this description, I thought of Microcosm being a publisher either emerging from zine-culture and emphasis on skill shares and DIY culture—values strong in anarchist leaning-circles, or leftist circles, at the very least.
The final sentence of Microcosm’s self-description is:
We are a politically moderate, centrist publisher in a world that has inched to the right for the past 80 years.
In this collection, the publisher’s dedication to centrism is most apparent in the story “The Edge of the Abyss” where a galactic society is comprised of two opposing faction: The Alliance, meant to be the conservatives, and the Progressives, meant to be the liberals. (This might be a minor spoiler LOL I don’t really think so though) The protagonist has a friend on the other side, and the resolve of the story basically is the protagonist proclaiming that the political conflict is needless, declaring “What’s the point of letting a bunch of politicos turn us against each other?” and takes the moral high-ground of …. Centrism. I find this corny at best, politically incoherent at worst.
The most interesting aspect of the better stories was the exploration of futuristic, fantastical, expansive gender transitions—“Rovers”, my favorite story of the collection, is an example of this. Overall, however, the stories in this collection fell flat for me. Most were too short for me to connect with them. Although it was most in front of our faces in “The Edge of the Abyss”, I felt that this short story collection was undergirded by this centrist politic that to me, feels incongruent with queer[ness]. And this is where I begin to wonder if I’m in the wrong—if I’m projecting my own biases and as a reader self-taught in a black feminist tradition. I’m also not much of a sci-fi reader, and because of my leanings, my exposure to the genre has largely been Octavia Butler. So again, I wonder if I am wrong and myopic to think of questions about imperialism and colonialism integral to stories that deal with the creation and existence of galactic societies. How can one write about queer people living in planets with politics so lacking in nuance and lacking a handling of imperialism or colonial? Thus, many of the stories felt like they were lacking.
I wonder if I ask for too much, but invoking queerness and “queer”—a celebration of transgression rooted in radical politics, demands a lot for me as I reader, I’ve discovered. Microcosm Publishing tells “first pride was a riot” stickers as well as “not gay as in happy, queer as in fuck you” but to me, Trans-Galatic Bike Ride read as “queer as in centrist” and I’m puzzled.
I was expecting a fun, queer read. I think this anthology does indeed, attempt to be a fun, queer read. However, for me, this anthology is colored by the politics of the publisher that I found incoherent.
I’m actually going to quote verbatim their description from the book:
“Microcosm Publishing is Portland's most diversified publishing house and distributor with a focus on the colorful, authentic, and empowering. Our books and zines have put your power in your hands since 1996, equipping readers to make positive changes in their lives and in the world around them. Microcosm emphasizes skill-building, showing hidden histories, and fostering creativity through challenging conventional publishing wisdom with books and bookettes about DIY skills, food, bicycling, gender, self-care, and social justice.” From this description, I thought of Microcosm being a publisher either emerging from zine-culture and emphasis on skill shares and DIY culture—values strong in anarchist leaning-circles, or leftist circles, at the very least.
The final sentence of Microcosm’s self-description is:
We are a politically moderate, centrist publisher in a world that has inched to the right for the past 80 years.
In this collection, the publisher’s dedication to centrism is most apparent in the story “The Edge of the Abyss” where a galactic society is comprised of two opposing faction: The Alliance, meant to be the conservatives, and the Progressives, meant to be the liberals. (This might be a minor spoiler LOL I don’t really think so though) The protagonist has a friend on the other side, and the resolve of the story basically is the protagonist proclaiming that the political conflict is needless, declaring “What’s the point of letting a bunch of politicos turn us against each other?” and takes the moral high-ground of …. Centrism. I find this corny at best, politically incoherent at worst.
The most interesting aspect of the better stories was the exploration of futuristic, fantastical, expansive gender transitions—“Rovers”, my favorite story of the collection, is an example of this. Overall, however, the stories in this collection fell flat for me. Most were too short for me to connect with them. Although it was most in front of our faces in “The Edge of the Abyss”, I felt that this short story collection was undergirded by this centrist politic that to me, feels incongruent with queer[ness]. And this is where I begin to wonder if I’m in the wrong—if I’m projecting my own biases and as a reader self-taught in a black feminist tradition. I’m also not much of a sci-fi reader, and because of my leanings, my exposure to the genre has largely been Octavia Butler. So again, I wonder if I am wrong and myopic to think of questions about imperialism and colonialism integral to stories that deal with the creation and existence of galactic societies. How can one write about queer people living in planets with politics so lacking in nuance and lacking a handling of imperialism or colonial? Thus, many of the stories felt like they were lacking.
I wonder if I ask for too much, but invoking queerness and “queer”—a celebration of transgression rooted in radical politics, demands a lot for me as I reader, I’ve discovered. Microcosm Publishing tells “first pride was a riot” stickers as well as “not gay as in happy, queer as in fuck you” but to me, Trans-Galatic Bike Ride read as “queer as in centrist” and I’m puzzled.
December 28, 2020
I had wondered how diverse a set of short stories about bicycles and transness could be. And then I got through these short stories, each vastly different than the last, and was reminder that both narrative and gender are fluid and infinite.
June 19, 2024
As a feminist gender queer cyclist (competitive as well as means-of-transportation), I thoroughly appreciate the existence of this anthology.
I’ve never read bicycle science fiction before so I quietly enjoyed how bikes of the future are imagined in these stories.
Many of the stories made me feel seen as the characters experience and navigate experiences quite similar to my own, both as fellow gender queers as well as as fellow cyclists.
Some of the stories felt a bit thin though and could have benefitted from some more development of the characters, the story line etc. A bit more editing by the editor, I suppose. For me, overall, this was mostly offset by my excitement of simply having an anthology of feminist bicycle science fiction stories with trans and enby characters,
I’ve never read bicycle science fiction before so I quietly enjoyed how bikes of the future are imagined in these stories.
Many of the stories made me feel seen as the characters experience and navigate experiences quite similar to my own, both as fellow gender queers as well as as fellow cyclists.
Some of the stories felt a bit thin though and could have benefitted from some more development of the characters, the story line etc. A bit more editing by the editor, I suppose. For me, overall, this was mostly offset by my excitement of simply having an anthology of feminist bicycle science fiction stories with trans and enby characters,
June 18, 2022
An interesting collection with a fun, super-niche theme. It's cool to see where different authors have taken this idea, and its great to read work from voices in different demographics and/or marginalised communities. That said, a lot of these short stories are not really that innovative or interesting. Mini-reviews of each short story are below.
Per Rotas Ad Astra by Ether Nepenthes
2/5
Really only does what is says on the tin- there are trans people, there is space travel, and there are bicycles. Nothing interesting to write home about.
Riding for Luck by Juliet Kemp
4/5
Really cool- captures that vibe of something slightly numinous; tapping in to powers greater than yourself and more unknowable. Manages to also give a great community feel without being overly saccharine- showing that safe spaces sometimes have to be carved out of harder worlds and that this can be a painful process, but that they are ultimately worth fighting for. Cool urban fantasy vibe.
The Edge of the Abyss by M. Darusha Wehm
3/5
A fine little short story. Highlights how easy it is to blinker ourselves ideologically; shutting ourselves off from other points of view, even ones which differ only slightly from our own, and even when on the face of it we’re open and welcoming. Even when we know people on the other sides of these arbitrary divides. In such a short space, I think it maybe shoots itself in the foot by having the protagonist also be so blinkered and closed-minded; this idea can absolutely work but I think it would need a little more space to do so well.
Unexpectedly Trans-Parent by Lydia Rogue
2/5
Another story that doesn’t do much beyond the title. Once again we have a bicycle, we have interplanetary travel, and we have trans people. In this one, a child is found and subsequently adopted. I got absolutely no sense of character or worldbuilding. Did Kai (the protagonist) want to be a parent? How did they feel about children? We don’t get access to any of this that might make the story interesting or give it an arc.
Rovers by Marcus Woodman
3/5
Not bad- the metaphor of werewolves might be a little on the nose but sure, it’s fun to see. I think the same idea could have been tackled with a lot more nuance though. This one at least gives us a bit of worldbuilding; not masses but enough to be interesting. Nicely developed themes of defining your own place in the world.
The Visitmothers by Charlie Jane Anders
3/5
A pretty classic “be careful what you wish for” type cautionary tale. The idea of being able to wish away your problems is obviously tempting, but possibly also demeans the struggles that people go through to overcome their problems- which is why the ending was good to see. A different solution that doesn’t solve the original problem but provides an option that wasn’t obvious or even considered by the protagonist. That said, taking the ending of the story literally is a little weird and unsatisfying (and borderline horrific); taking it metaphorically leaves it a little saccharine. Fine story.
A Sudden Displacement of Matter by Ava Kelly
3/5
Robin Hood-type story set in an interesting future society. This feels like a lived-in world, where equality and rights have been fought for hard, and those who live there are not complacent about this fact. The plot and individual character work could use some improvement, but I enjoyed the setting of this one a lot more.
Briar Patch by Lane Fox
4/5
Really like this one. Sweet and lovingly written, with somewhat more accomplished prose than others in the collection. Interesting hints of a wider world, but defining the community that actually affects the characters clearly and allows for the short and pleasant tale to be told. Good short story.
Clashing/Complementary by Rafi Kleiman
3/5
Not bad, a fun little light urban fantasy with magic graffiti and magic-inscribed flying bicycles. Some nice little commentary on the nature and purpose of art. Nothing special characterwise.
Lucy Doesn’t Get Angry by Tucker Lieberman
2/5
A little confused, but it feels like the heart is in the right place. A different twist on the Minotaur myth where the real minotaur was inside us all along. Ends with a nice little message about righteous anger, but ultimately is too disjointed and full of somewhat twisted metaphors to really connect.
Beyond by Nathan Alling Long
2/5
Too whimsical for my tastes. Repeat after me: correlation does not imply causation. Correlation does not imply causation. I can tell that it’s trying to have fun by presenting some very speculative and very silly ideas as fact, but this rubs me the wrong way entirely.
Per Rotas Ad Astra by Ether Nepenthes
2/5
Really only does what is says on the tin- there are trans people, there is space travel, and there are bicycles. Nothing interesting to write home about.
Riding for Luck by Juliet Kemp
4/5
Really cool- captures that vibe of something slightly numinous; tapping in to powers greater than yourself and more unknowable. Manages to also give a great community feel without being overly saccharine- showing that safe spaces sometimes have to be carved out of harder worlds and that this can be a painful process, but that they are ultimately worth fighting for. Cool urban fantasy vibe.
The Edge of the Abyss by M. Darusha Wehm
3/5
A fine little short story. Highlights how easy it is to blinker ourselves ideologically; shutting ourselves off from other points of view, even ones which differ only slightly from our own, and even when on the face of it we’re open and welcoming. Even when we know people on the other sides of these arbitrary divides. In such a short space, I think it maybe shoots itself in the foot by having the protagonist also be so blinkered and closed-minded; this idea can absolutely work but I think it would need a little more space to do so well.
Unexpectedly Trans-Parent by Lydia Rogue
2/5
Another story that doesn’t do much beyond the title. Once again we have a bicycle, we have interplanetary travel, and we have trans people. In this one, a child is found and subsequently adopted. I got absolutely no sense of character or worldbuilding. Did Kai (the protagonist) want to be a parent? How did they feel about children? We don’t get access to any of this that might make the story interesting or give it an arc.
Rovers by Marcus Woodman
3/5
Not bad- the metaphor of werewolves might be a little on the nose but sure, it’s fun to see. I think the same idea could have been tackled with a lot more nuance though. This one at least gives us a bit of worldbuilding; not masses but enough to be interesting. Nicely developed themes of defining your own place in the world.
The Visitmothers by Charlie Jane Anders
3/5
A pretty classic “be careful what you wish for” type cautionary tale. The idea of being able to wish away your problems is obviously tempting, but possibly also demeans the struggles that people go through to overcome their problems- which is why the ending was good to see. A different solution that doesn’t solve the original problem but provides an option that wasn’t obvious or even considered by the protagonist. That said, taking the ending of the story literally is a little weird and unsatisfying (and borderline horrific); taking it metaphorically leaves it a little saccharine. Fine story.
A Sudden Displacement of Matter by Ava Kelly
3/5
Robin Hood-type story set in an interesting future society. This feels like a lived-in world, where equality and rights have been fought for hard, and those who live there are not complacent about this fact. The plot and individual character work could use some improvement, but I enjoyed the setting of this one a lot more.
Briar Patch by Lane Fox
4/5
Really like this one. Sweet and lovingly written, with somewhat more accomplished prose than others in the collection. Interesting hints of a wider world, but defining the community that actually affects the characters clearly and allows for the short and pleasant tale to be told. Good short story.
Clashing/Complementary by Rafi Kleiman
3/5
Not bad, a fun little light urban fantasy with magic graffiti and magic-inscribed flying bicycles. Some nice little commentary on the nature and purpose of art. Nothing special characterwise.
Lucy Doesn’t Get Angry by Tucker Lieberman
2/5
A little confused, but it feels like the heart is in the right place. A different twist on the Minotaur myth where the real minotaur was inside us all along. Ends with a nice little message about righteous anger, but ultimately is too disjointed and full of somewhat twisted metaphors to really connect.
Beyond by Nathan Alling Long
2/5
Too whimsical for my tastes. Repeat after me: correlation does not imply causation. Correlation does not imply causation. I can tell that it’s trying to have fun by presenting some very speculative and very silly ideas as fact, but this rubs me the wrong way entirely.
May 23, 2022
I give this book four stars with a bit of hesitation.
It was wonderful to see queer and trans lives shared from the inside—that is, without the omnipresent cishet gaze that is in most other depictions of queer and trans folks. In the introduction of this book, Lydia Rogue addresses exactly this (and does so perfectly), when they say: “Do I talk to the reader this book is meant for—a small fraction of a percentage of humanity that is often overlooked or outright ignored—or do I talk to the reader who is more likely to be picking up this book—the privileged part of humanity that has been the focus of the speculative fiction genre for years?”
The reason I’m giving four stars hesitantly is for two main reasons…(1) the quality of some of the stories on an individual basis and (2) small grammatical errors.
(1) regarding world-building and story quality in general: being an anthology, it is near impossible to not compare the strengths and weaknesses of each story compared to the others in the collection. There were some stories that were quite gripping and felt urgent, and yet others felt like they were still in the early stages of figuring themselves out, like maybe they were still in the stage of being rough drafts. The latter category caused me to lose the ability to suspend my belief in the world the author had created because it either seemed like too much of a stretch or I didn’t feel as though I, as a reader, earned all the secrets the story seemed so quick to share.
(2) there were maybe two handfuls(or so?) of errors in this book. I was able to look past them, but it did take me out of the moment of the story I feel like this could’ve been easily and quickly remedied in the editing process, prior to the anthology going to print.
I’ll say that sci-fi, as a genre, is far from my comfort zone when it comes to reading. Often, I am wary of—and therefore less likely to—buy into plots that aren’t grounded in realism. In some ways, though, I think that provided a sort of litmus test because it shows that the stories which I did believe and feel invested in did that much more to earn my belief and respect as a reader.
It was wonderful to see queer and trans lives shared from the inside—that is, without the omnipresent cishet gaze that is in most other depictions of queer and trans folks. In the introduction of this book, Lydia Rogue addresses exactly this (and does so perfectly), when they say: “Do I talk to the reader this book is meant for—a small fraction of a percentage of humanity that is often overlooked or outright ignored—or do I talk to the reader who is more likely to be picking up this book—the privileged part of humanity that has been the focus of the speculative fiction genre for years?”
The reason I’m giving four stars hesitantly is for two main reasons…(1) the quality of some of the stories on an individual basis and (2) small grammatical errors.
(1) regarding world-building and story quality in general: being an anthology, it is near impossible to not compare the strengths and weaknesses of each story compared to the others in the collection. There were some stories that were quite gripping and felt urgent, and yet others felt like they were still in the early stages of figuring themselves out, like maybe they were still in the stage of being rough drafts. The latter category caused me to lose the ability to suspend my belief in the world the author had created because it either seemed like too much of a stretch or I didn’t feel as though I, as a reader, earned all the secrets the story seemed so quick to share.
(2) there were maybe two handfuls(or so?) of errors in this book. I was able to look past them, but it did take me out of the moment of the story I feel like this could’ve been easily and quickly remedied in the editing process, prior to the anthology going to print.
I’ll say that sci-fi, as a genre, is far from my comfort zone when it comes to reading. Often, I am wary of—and therefore less likely to—buy into plots that aren’t grounded in realism. In some ways, though, I think that provided a sort of litmus test because it shows that the stories which I did believe and feel invested in did that much more to earn my belief and respect as a reader.
June 19, 2025
3.5 stars
This small anthology of bicycle-oriented, trans and non-binary centered, fiction short stories was a completely random find at my public library, and a bit of a hidden gem. Not every story in the collection hit it out of the park, but I did have a couple favorites I want to share here.
First, I found myself drawn to the more magic-centered story in "Clashing/ Complementary" by Rafi Kleinman (as opposed to the other, more sci-fi heavy tales in this collection). The story gave readers a glimpse of meet-cute between two (graffiti) taggers, and then have them saved from peril by a flying bicycle. It was adorable and charming.
The second great story was "From an Interview with the Famed Roller Sara Zephyr Cain", the final story in the anthology. It was set in a post-apocalyptic world that had left survivors with bicycles for transportation, and as a result cultivated a culture of bicycling risk takers, or "rollers". The character interviewed in this story identified as one of these rollers, and talks a little bit about the crazy daredevil acts she's done herself. But importantly, Sara Zephyr dives into how she embraced her both her trans woman identity AND her feminism in this post-apocalyptic world, one that agressively emphasized the advantage of strength and might (and men) over much else. It was very well-formed writing, even though it had a grammatical error or two.
This small anthology of bicycle-oriented, trans and non-binary centered, fiction short stories was a completely random find at my public library, and a bit of a hidden gem. Not every story in the collection hit it out of the park, but I did have a couple favorites I want to share here.
First, I found myself drawn to the more magic-centered story in "Clashing/ Complementary" by Rafi Kleinman (as opposed to the other, more sci-fi heavy tales in this collection). The story gave readers a glimpse of meet-cute between two (graffiti) taggers, and then have them saved from peril by a flying bicycle. It was adorable and charming.
The second great story was "From an Interview with the Famed Roller Sara Zephyr Cain", the final story in the anthology. It was set in a post-apocalyptic world that had left survivors with bicycles for transportation, and as a result cultivated a culture of bicycling risk takers, or "rollers". The character interviewed in this story identified as one of these rollers, and talks a little bit about the crazy daredevil acts she's done herself. But importantly, Sara Zephyr dives into how she embraced her both her trans woman identity AND her feminism in this post-apocalyptic world, one that agressively emphasized the advantage of strength and might (and men) over much else. It was very well-formed writing, even though it had a grammatical error or two.
November 9, 2025
As a trans guy, I really like supporting trans and non-binary authors and it is cool that this comes from authors around the world (although I do wish there were more stories from POC and I think afrofuturism is really cool). There were some stories that I really enjoyed reading, like "Clashing/Complementary" from Rafi Kleiman and "A Sudden Displacement of Matter" by Ava Kelly.
Overall, I didn't really enjoy reading most of the stories. I feel like any lengthy discussion of being trans in scifi often comes across as preachy, as a message to today's readers of "being trans is cool and people in the future won't be so weird about it", but that the author doesn't trust the reader to pick up on subtle clues so the messaging is heavy handed. There also was at least one story in the book that felt like the author's personal political feelings explored on the page.
A lot of the short stories felt like the bicycle theme was just crammed in, like the author just put a bicycle in there to fit the plot. Several of the stories were very similar, with the plot just being "what if I could ride my bike in space" or "post apocalyptic scavenger".
Overall, I didn't really enjoy reading most of the stories. I feel like any lengthy discussion of being trans in scifi often comes across as preachy, as a message to today's readers of "being trans is cool and people in the future won't be so weird about it", but that the author doesn't trust the reader to pick up on subtle clues so the messaging is heavy handed. There also was at least one story in the book that felt like the author's personal political feelings explored on the page.
A lot of the short stories felt like the bicycle theme was just crammed in, like the author just put a bicycle in there to fit the plot. Several of the stories were very similar, with the plot just being "what if I could ride my bike in space" or "post apocalyptic scavenger".
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