Lightspeed Magazine, Issue 144, May 2022

by John Joseph Adams (Editor), Grace Chan, Tobias S. Buckell

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Issue 144, May 2022

FROM THE EDITOR
– “Editorial: May 2022” by John Joseph Adams

SCIENCE FICTION
– "Nobody Ever Goes Home to Zhenzhu" by Grace Chan
– “The Plastic People" by Tobias S. Buckell
– “It Came Gently” by Aigner Loren Wilson
– “Test 4 Echo" by Peter Watts

FANTASY
– “The Hammer of God” by Jonathan Maberry
– “Magical Girl Burnout Bingo” by Lauren Ring
– “If We Do Not Fly at Sunset” by Andi C. Buchanan
– “The Cheesemaker and the Undying King” by Lina Rather

EXCERPTS
– “Nettle & Bone” by T. Kingfisher

NONFICTION
– “Book Review: The Ballad of Perilous Graves, by Alex Jennings” by Aigner Loren Wilson
– “Book Review: Disruption, edited by Zadok, Szczurek, Snyman” by Arley Sorg
– “Book Review: Tear Down the Throne, by Jennifer Estep” by Chris Kluwe

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHTS
– “Author Spotlight: Grace Chan” by Laurel Amberdine
– “Author Spotlight: Tobias S. Buckell" by Laurel Amberdine
– “Author Spotlight: Andi C. Buchanan” by Laurel Amberdine
– “Author Spotlight: Lina Rather” by Laurel Amberdine

MISCELLANY
– “Coming Attractions” by The Editors
– “Stay Connected” by The Editors
– “Subscriptions and Ebooks” by The Editors
– “Support Us on Patreon, or How to Become a Dragonrider or Space Wizard” by The Editors
– “About the Lightspeed Team” by The Editors
– “Also Edited by John Joseph Adams” by The Editors

© 2022 Lightspeed Magazine

Genres: Fantasy, Short Stories, Science Fiction, LGBT

150 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2022

About the author

John Joseph Adams is the series editor of BEST AMERICAN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY. He is also the bestselling editor of many other anthologies, such as ROBOT UPRISINGS, DEAD MAN'S HAND, BRAVE NEW WORLDS,WASTELANDS, and THE LIVING DEAD. Recent and forthcoming books include WHAT THE #@&% IS THAT?, OPERATION ARCANA, PRESS START TO PLAY, LOOSED UPON THE WORLD, and THE APOCALYPSE TRIPTYCH (consisting of THE END IS NIGH, THE END IS NOW, and THE END HAS COME). Called “the reigning king of the anthology world” by Barnes & Noble, John is a two-time winner of the Hugo Award (for which he has been nominated nine times), is a seven-time World Fantasy Award finalist, and served as a judge for the 2015 National Book Award. John is also the editor and publisher of the digital magazines LIGHTSPEED and NIGHTMARE, and is a producer for Wired's THE GEEK'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY podcast. You can find him online at www.johnjosephadams.com and on Twitter @JohnJosephAdams.

Reviews

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only read “Test 4 Echo" by Peter Watts

It has a strong Rifters vibe, only it's set on Enceladus. With an AI gone rogue, anything is possible.

I read it first in Made to Order: Robots and Revolution, but only now I wonder if it's a tribute to Rush or Neil Pearl .

It can be read here: https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fi...

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Cheesemaker and the Undying King” by Lina Rather:

Cheese as a lethal weapon? Yes, please!



Well not quite like that but almost. Kind of.

➽ This story is short. This story is free. Read it and stuff.

[Jassmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cheesemaker and the Undying King
I loved this story. No, I mean I LOVED this story.

Tana was in a humid cave checking the rind on a round of Tomme when the messenger arrived to tell her that the war was lost and her wife was to be hanged.

This is how the story starts... I am such a masochist, but I enjoyed the heartbreak right in the beginning. I think it's hard to make the reader care about character you just met - or actually, before you met them. But I cared, I loved Tana and Renae and Ranae dies right in the beginning so it's saying something. This is a sad story, but it's also a story about fighting with what we get, with what we do best, even if it's just cheese-making. Now that I'm writing it out, I realised that it kind of reminds me of A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking in that aspect, though I liked this short-story better.

Tana’s family had been cheesemakers for as long as anyone knew, but none of them ever had a royal commission. She was summoned to the palace with a basket of her best and it was there that she’d met the queen’s swordmistress, a hawkish-faced woman with brown eyes that Tana fell right into.
Don’t be nervous, Renae had said. She’s only your divine and supreme ruler, after all. Then she’d plucked a slice of a cave-aged two-year gouda off Tana’s carefully-arranged tray, winked, and disappeared into the dining room where the queen was waiting.

Just read it, it's quite short, free and very well written. I rest my case.
https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fi...

[Alia · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Cheesemaker and the Undying King” by Lina Rather

[Kerry McManus · Rating 3 out of 5]

as with any writing collection some of the short stories just really didn't butter my bread, but my god was lina rather's piece fucking incredible

[Michael Whiteman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nobody Ever Goes Home To Zhenzhu - Grace Chan ***

The Plastic People - Tobias S Buckell ***

It Came Gently - Aigner Loren Wilson **

Test 4 Echo - Peter Watts ****

The Hammer Of God - Jonathan Maberry ***

Magical Girl Burnout Bingo - Lauren Ring **

If We Do Not Fly At Sunset - Andi C Buchanan **

The Cheesemaker And The Undying King - Lina Rather ****

[R · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Rating for “Nobody Ever Goes Home to Zhenzhu”)

[Beige · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Cheesemaker and the Undying King” by Lina Rather

While I wasn't a huge fan of Rather's Sisters of the Vast Black, I am most certainly a fan of this vivid and original little fantasy short story. Thanks to Alia and Jassmine for the recommendation

Read it for free @Lightspeed Magazine :
https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fi...

[Thia Reads A Lot]

Lightspeed Magazine Issue 144 (May 2022) - Edited by John Joseph Adams
One story (The Cheesemaker and the Undying King) got 5.0* so I'm glad I picked this issue instead of another.

Reading Journal Index: 2022-149

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to it on Lightspeed podcast. Great story, the idea of a future where, well a lot like know the rich and powerful rewrite the stoies and memories of their crimes. Well done.

[Ariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so wish this was longer. The world building and story telling was phenomenal. To show the future in such a brutal present time, to show that hope is there still… this was amazing

[Jennavier · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were a lot of intriguing concepts built in to this story, but the plot felt extremely bland.