We're Here: The Best Queer Speculative Fiction 2021

by L.D. Lewis (Editor), Charles Payseur (Editor)

This second volume in Neon Hemlock's yearly series celebrating the wonder and breadth of queer speculative fiction contains stories of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and many spaces in between. Edited by LD Lewis and series editor Charles Payseur.

Enjoy stories from C.L. Clark, H. Pueyo, Aliette de Bodard, Watson Neith, Sam J. Miller, Laurel Beckley, Alexandra Seidel, LA Knight, Bogi Takács, Fargo Tbakhi, Ann LeBlanc, Cheri Kamei, Sharang Biswas, Jen Brown & Shingai Njeri Kagunda.

Praise for the previous volume, We're Here 2020: "This promising start to a new anthology series will appeal to any reader of contemporary short SFF, queer or otherwise, and reinforces Neon Hemlock's spot at the apex of queer speculative fiction publishing." ―Publishers Weekly

Genres: Fantasy, Queer, LGBT, Short Stories, Anthologies, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction

264 pages, Unknown Binding

First published September 27, 2022

About the author

L. D. Lewis (she/her) is an editor, publisher, and Shirley Jackson award-nominated writer of speculative fiction. She serves as a founding creator and Project Manager for the World Fantasy and Hugo Award-winning FIYAH Literary Magazine. She also serves as the founding Director of (Hugo-nominated) FIYAHCON, Researcher for the (also award-winning) LeVar Burton Reads podcast, and pays the bills as the Director of Programs and Operations for Lambda Literary. She once chaired a Nebula Conference and Tech Directed a Nebula Award Ceremony (but hasn’t quite won a Nebula), and she runs the Ignyte Awards alongside Suzan Palumbo. She is the author of A Ruin of Shadows (Dancing Star Press, 2018) and her published short fiction and poetry includes numerous appearances in online publications, as well as Scholastic and Neon Hemlock anthologies, and Jordan Peele’s Out There Screaming. She lives in Georgia on perpetual deadline, with her partner, two cats, a coffee habit, and an impressive LEGO build collection. Visit ldlewiswrites.com to learn more.

Reviews

[Julie Bozza · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories I enjoyed most were "Let all the Children Boogie" by Sam J Miller (you had me at the title) and "Twenty Thousand Last Meals on an Exploding Space Station" by Ann LeBlanc.

[Dante Luiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and cohesive anthology that showcases well the current scenario of queer speculative fiction. At times, I felt like the placement of some stories were a bit off, with some clusters of stories with themes and concepts that were too close to each other, which sometimes felt a bit repetitive, but never to the point of dragging the book (which is rare in anthologies).

I also really liked the visuals: the cover is fun and even more beautiful in print, and the interior design is pleasant and good to read.

Some standouts: “A Study in Ugliness”, “The Art and Mystery of Thea Wells” , “A Technical Term, Like Privilege”, “Root Rot” and "To Exhale Sky”.

[Jenny Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story collection has a few gems, while others didn’t do a whole lot for me. There’s some nice world-building in stories like Aliette de Bodard’s “Mulberry and Owl”. There are some sweet love stories, in a variety of unusual settings.

My favorite story was “To Rest and to Create” by L. A. Knight, with a protagonist who is labelled problematic because of her sensitivity to her environment, and who finds an amazing vocation in a future world. The writing in this story is particularly lovely. I also enjoyed “Sutekh: A Breath of Spring”, by Sharang Biswas, which tells its story from inside the consciousness of a video game character.

[Brian Hutzell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short story compilations seldom please every reader with every selection. Some of these stories left me unsatisfied or simply scratching my head. Others made me feel the sense of wonder that first drew me to science fiction way back when I was in junior high. Standouts include contributions by Sam J. Miller, Ann LeBlac, and Sharang Biswas. Kudos also to Paul Kellam for the delightful cover illustration–at once both contemporary and retro. I enjoyed this collection enough to now want to seek out and read the other volumes in the series (2020, 2022, and 2023, with 2024 available for pre-order as I write this, and 2025 a work in progress).

[Geoff Lehr · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with any anthology, some stories are more to taste than others. While the writing is generally solid, in general I was looking for more, well, Queer stories. Really radical examinations of who we are and can be. Still, there are several enjoyable stories anyway, Bogi Takács delivers with "A Technical Term" as usual and I enjoyed Ann Leblanc's "twenty thousand last meals in an exploding station" as well.

[Cardyn Brooks]

A variety that will tempt readers to binge it.

http://blerdybingereader.blogspot.com...

[Krystle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Average combined rating is 3.5 stars.

Feelings on the short stories can be found in my updates. A lovely collection. Recommended.