Some reviews & reviewers of 2018's SF/F short fiction so far
July 7, 2018 6:21 PM   Subscribe

Samantha Mills's short story "Strange Waters" (Strange Horizons, 2 April 2018) received a glowing review from Danielle Maurer at SFFReviews: "Every now and then, you find a story that resonates with you on a deep level. 'Strange Waters' is that story for me." SFFReviews launched last summer in part thanks to this Twitter thread encouraging people to review SF/F short fiction because so much is available--the site has achieved fairly wide coverage but aims for more. Setting aside stories posted previously, a selection of recommendations from other sources offers additional perspective on six months of SF/F short fiction.

At Fantasy Literature, Tadiana Jones on "What is Eve?" by Will McIntosh (Lightspeed, April 2018): "[4.5 Stars] ... an engaging tale with a fascinating and original premise" (full review).

Vanessa Fogg on "A Priest of Vast and Distant Places" by Cassandra Khaw (Apex, 13 March 2018): "The narrator of this story (told in the second-person) is a priest of airplanes ... A lovely, affecting piece" (full review).

forestofglory on "The War of Light and Shadow, in Five Dishes" by Siobhan Carroll (Beneath Ceaseless Skies, 15 March 2018): "I loved all the food details and the way they are used to tell a story" (full review).

Maria Haskins on "Garda" by Kameron Hurley (B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog, 28 March 2018): "This is a hard-hitting, grimy-noir scifi / murder mystery taking place in a future where some people are most definitely more equal than others" (full review).

At Lady Business, bookgazing on "A Very Large Number of Moons" by Kai Stewart (Strange Horizons, 12 March 2018): "a really thoughtful, emotional piece. So, come for the interesting bits of imagination about what makes moons different, and the odd, misty aspect of this story. Stay for the pathos of a sad story, lit by moonlight" (full review).

At Locus, Gardner Dozois (RIP May 27) on "The Starship and the Temple Cat" by Yoon Ha Lee (Beneath Ceaseless Skies, 1 February 2018): "a perfect example of a science-fantasy story, and also the best story in the February 1st issue" (full review).

At Locus, Paula Guran on "The Hydraulic Emperor" by Arkady Martine (Uncanny, January/February 2018): "a captivating tale of passionate collecting and the agony of sacrificing the object of one's desire" (full review).

At Locus, Rich Horton on "Breakwater" by Simon Bestwick (Tor.com, 28 February 2018): "the aftermath of discovering intelligent ocean dwelling creatures ... Exciting stuff with a nice twist" (full review).

Jason McGregor on "The Substance of My Lives, the Accidents of Our Births" by José Pablo Iriarte (Lightspeed, January 2018): "along with the general soundness of concept, plot, and character, much of the excellence derives from subtle nuances from thought to thought and expression to expression" (full review).

Charles Payseur (see also) on "Silence in Blue Glass" by Margaret Ronald (Beneath Ceaseless Skies, 26 April 2018): "I do hope this is the start of a series of stories, because I love me some fantasy mysteries ... The piece as a whole just checks a lot of the right boxes for things I like, and makes for a very good read" (full review).

At RocketStackRank, Greg Hullender on "Meat and Salt and Sparks" by Rich Larson (Tor.com, 6 June 2018): "[5 stars] Great Characters in a Great Setting" (full review).

A. Merc Rustad on "Wasps Make Honey" by Penelope Evans (Escape Pod, 4 January 2018): "Do you like robots? Do you like robot love stories? ... This ... will leave you with a wide, happy grin and a full heart by the end" (full review).

Gary Tognetti on "The Wait is Longer Than You Think" by Adrian Simmons (Giganotosaurus, 1 May 2018): "[Must Read] John the Human and Colophinanoc the Kinri are marooned on a distant planet ... funny, lyrical, heartfelt (and heartbreaking) ... Far from cynical or pessimistic, though, it evinces a healthy stoicism" (full review).

A.C. Wise on "What the Skeleton Detective Tells You (while you picnic)" by Katherine Kendig (Shimmer, May 2018): "Ultimately, it’s a fascinating slice-of-life story that just happens to involve a talking skeleton" (full review).
posted by Wobbuffet (6 comments total) 65 users marked this as a favorite
 
You're killing me with these posts - my reading list is growing beyond even any pretense that I'll ever be able to get through it. (Thanks!)
posted by RedOrGreen at 7:37 PM on July 7, 2018 [1 favorite]


Wobbuffet, your fiction FPP streak has been the most wonderful gift. Thanks so much.
posted by Iris Gambol at 8:09 PM on July 7, 2018 [1 favorite]


Thirded!
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 8:27 PM on July 7, 2018


Really enjoyed Strange Waters! Now I have to check all the other stuff too. Great post!
posted by A Bad Catholic at 12:32 AM on July 8, 2018


I came here to say exactly what A Bad Catholic just said. Thank you.
posted by Meatbomb at 11:00 AM on July 8, 2018


Just to keep y'all updated, "What Is Eve?" is pretty good too. Batting 100 so far!
posted by Meatbomb at 11:36 AM on July 8, 2018 [1 favorite]


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