Clarkesworld Magazine, Issue 171, December 2020

by Neil Clarke (Editor), Fiona Moore, Lisa Nohealani Morton

FICTION

The Island of Misfit Toys by FIONA MOORE

Things That Happen When You Date Your Ex's Accidentally Restored Backup from Before the Divorce by LISA NOHEALANI MORTON

The Last Days of Old Night by MICHAEL SWANWICK

Conversations in the Dark by ROBERT REED

No Way Back by CHI HUI, translated by JOHN CHU

Forward Momentum and a Parallel Toss by ANAMARIA CURTIS

Songs of Activation by ANDY DUDAK

NON-FICTION

Ghosts of Christmas Past: The Victorian Christmas Ghost Story Tradition by CARRIE SESSAREGO

Hard Points of View: A Conversation with Stina Leicht by ARLEY SORG

Marvels and Horrors: A Conversation with Tim Pratt by ARLEY SORG

Editor's Desk: Don't Let Go of the Future by NEIL CLARKE

PODCASTS

The Island of Misfit Toys by FIONA MOORE, read by KATE BAKER

Things That Happen When You Date Your Ex's Accidentally Restored Backup From Before The Divorce by LISA NOHEALANI MORTON, read by KATE BAKER

The Last Days of Old Night by MICHAEL SWANWICK, read by KATE BAKER

Conversations in the Dark by ROBERT REED, read by KATE BAKER

No Way Back by CHI HUI, read by KATE BAKER

Forward Momentum and a Parallel Toss by ANAMARIA CURTIS, read by KATE BAKER

Songs of Activation by ANDY DUDAK, read by KATE BAKER

ART

I Hear Them by CLAUDIO PILIA

Genres: Short Stories, Science Fiction, Fantasy

157 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2020

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

[Gerhard · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Forward Momentum and a Parallel Toss' by ANAMARIA CURTIS *****
'Songs of Activation' by ANDY DUDAK *****

I think this is only the fifth issue of Clarkesworld I've read (I've been a longtime reader of Asimov's). Suffice it to say I am consistently impressed at the quality stories and diverse authors that editor Neil Clarke curates for each issue. This is fast becoming a must-read SF magazine for me.

[Peter Tillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review, for the moment, solely for "The Last Days of Old Night" by Michael Swanwick.
Starts out with a remarkable emulation of Lafferty, my favorite Tulsa writer. Then on to Norse mythology. But, in the end, all Swanwick! Bravo! What a fine way to end a very bad year. May 2021 be better!

7154 words, saith the magazine. With at least a novella's-worth of stuff. I loved Mischling, the mouse who was turned into a woman, then back, then forth. Dizzying! Not to be missed.
Direct link: http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/swanw...

[Mark Catalfano · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked "The Island of Misfit Toys" by Fiona Moore and "The Last Days of Old Night" by Michael Swanwick.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read "Things That Happen When You Date Your Ex’s Accidentally Restored Backup from Before the Divorce," by Lisa Nohealani Morton. Excellent.

[Jordi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clarkesworld ends the year on a high note with a handful of good stories, ranging from mythology to transhumanism. Probably the best is “The Island of Misfit Toys”, by Fiona Moore - a Christmas-ish tale of a broken Santa living on the streets, rescued by a court of damaged AIs. A small masterpiece of finding hope at the bottom of existence.

I also enjoyed specially Michael Swanwick’s “The Last Days of Old Night”, a fantastic/mythological tale going back to a primitive time of eternal night, before the Earth started dancing around the Sun.

Finally, there’s also “No Way Back” by Chin Hui, translated from Chinese, a transhumanist story playing with the trope of translating the traditional belief on the immortality of the soul to an upload of our minds into a computer network - the story explores the even more frightening possibility of some bodiless mind getting downloaded on our bodies without our consent.

[Santiago · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hay algunos cuentos excelentes y otros que no me convencieron tanto. A pesar de eso la sección de no ficción hace que tire para arriba y quedé con 4 puntos.

[Netanella · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Island of Misfit Toys"

[Riju Ganguly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a strange read. On one hand the lucid prose and rich characterisation pulled me hard into the story. On the other hand, the metaphysics and physics gave me vertigo. Eventually it was the revolutionary heart of the tale that forced me through everything, to a suitably open conclusion.
Very good story. Definitely recommended.

[Elaysee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good issue. I enjoyed most of the stories, with the Swanwick and the Morton possibly my favorites.

[Cecil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating is for Fiona Moore's The Island of Misfit Toys.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Island of Misfit Toys: Obviously reading this in May somewhat distracts from the subject matter but I still enjoyed it. 3/5
Things That Happen When You Date Your Ex’s Accidentally Restored Backup from Before the Divorce: I thought the premise was super intriguing but the ending was a bit disappointing – felt that the ball was dropped in the last couple of paragraphs. 4/5
The Last Days of Old Night: This was okay – some really intriguing bits, but I didn't feel that it added up to enough for me. 3/5
Conversations in the Dark: Not my cup of tea. 2/5
No Way Back: This one was kinda cool. 3/5
Forward Momentum and a Parallel Toss: This was so good! Worldbuilding so effortlessly entwined with plot, a strong impression of who the characters were and how they related to that world, just magnificent. Loved it. 5/5
Songs of Activation: Another amazing story, this time from Andy Dudak. I love the idea that poetry could turn into biohacking and this had Warhammer 40,000 vibes for me, almost. 5/5

[Shiva · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is for “Things That Happen When You Date Your Ex's Accidentally Restored Backup from Before the Divorce” by Lisa Nohealani Morton.

If ONLY we could have people from way back before everything goes south …

4 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Simone]

Read:

"The Island of Misfit Toys by Fiona Moore"