I’ve been reading a lot of new sci-fi and fantasy short fiction lately, delving into the many stories available in magazines and on websites that publish scifi and fantasy online.
Here are nine stories I read and enjoyed the past few of weeks:
Kaiju maximus®: “So Various, So Beautiful, So New”, by Kai Ashante Wilson in Fantasy Magazine. Another example of Kai Ashante Wilson’s mind- and genre-bending storytelling, and mesmerizing prose (also read his masterful ‘The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps’). Pair it with this interview: Author Spotlight: Kai Ashante Wilson.
Grandmother-Nai-Leylit’s Cloth of Winds, by Rose Lemberg in Beneath Ceaseless Skies. A beautiful fantasy story that actually brought me to tears. The character Kimi in this story will stay with me for a very long time. It might be set in a uniquely imagined other-world, but it cut very close to home for me, for various reasons.
The Abduction of Europa, by E. Catherine Tobler in Clarkesworld. An amazing science fiction story that made me think of Ray Bradbury’s classic ‘The One Who Waits’.
Pinono Deep, by Kate Bachus in Lightspeed. Another outstanding short story, and one that bends and blends the genres of science fiction and fantasy. Regardless of what label you want to stick on it, it is a fantastic tale.
Lotus Face And The Fox, by Nghi Vo in Uncanny Magazine. An exquisite fantasy short story with a fairy-tale-ish vibe that really hooked me.
Palingenesis, by Megan Arkenberg in Shimmer Magazine. A dark and twisted tale that digs into you a little deeper with every sentence.
Presence, by Ken Liu in Uncanny Magazine. This science fiction story broke my heart a little bit. If you live far away from your family, if you’ve left the place you grew up to live somewhere else, if you are an immigrant or expat of any kind, this one will likely cut you close to the bone.
The Lily And The Horn, by Catherynne M. Valente in Fantasy Magazine. This is a dark but luscious fantasy short story. Valente’s novel ‘Radiance’ has been on my reading list for a while, and this story reminded me that I have to get into that, soon.
Finnegan’s Field, by Angela Slatter at Tor.com. A dark fantasy tale, blending folklore, myth, and horror. This one gave me the shivers!
(Originally published at mariahaskins.com)