11 fabulous fantasy & science fiction short stories

 

I’ve read a lot of great short stories this past month. Here are 11 of my favourites.

You’ll Surely Drown Here If You Stay, by Alyssa Wong in Uncanny Magazine. “But here, as the mountains cup the sky with deep brown hands, the call to bound away, howling, with the coyotes in the brush becomes almost unbearable.” (I love that line so much that I just had to quote it.) Wong’s weird western/desert story is beautifully written, haunted by undead creatures, strange beings (both human and not), and revenge. It also packs a a lot of emotional power: love and friendship and family are tightly entwined with some very trippy desert-magic. There’s an underlying sense of deep sadness and profound loss woven into the story from the very beginning, and it kept me captivated from the first sentence to the last.

A Dead Djinn in Cairo, by P. Djeli Clark at tor.com. This is the kind of story that makes me want to jump through the pages and into the world it describes. It’s a supernaturally charged steampunk-ish murder-mystery, set in an alt-history Cairo, and the characters and the world are so vividly and brilliantly captured that by the time I finished the story, I wanted a) a tailored suit (read it and you will know why), and b) more more more of this world. Awesome stuff.

A Certain Kind of Spark, by Gwendolyn Kiste in Mantid Magazine. Kiste’s story of two sisters, one blessed with “a spark” that makes the world take notice of her, and the other without, is mesmerizing. There is magic here, certainly, but the relationship between the sisters feels excruciatingly genuine and true. It’s a story that perfectly captures the often complicated and complex relationship between siblings, and it has haunted me ever since I read it.

Things With Beards, by Sam J. Miller in Clarkesworld. A horror story, a monster tale, and also a story about the scariest things of all: what human beings do to other human beings. Miller’s short story captures so many levels of horror and fear: the fear of what others can do to us, and the fear of what we ourselves are capable of doing to them. One of the best short stories I’ve read this year.

Suicide Bots, by Bentley A Reese in Shimmer. Oh, how I love this story. Robots losing their minds, a heist, fast cars, body parts flying every which way… and action-packed writing so taut and wired that I felt on edge, unsure of what crazy turn the story would take in the next paragraph (or the next sentence). An unsettling and thoroughly engrossing read.

Life in Stone, Glass, and Plastic, by José Pablo Iriarte in Strange Horizons. One day when Sergio has to clean up some graffiti, he encounters a mysterious collage/mural that draws him in to another life, another place, another time… There’s magic in this gorgeously crafted story, a magic that feels so close and real I could well imagine it occurring around the corner where I live. Weaving together the everyday with the fantastical, it’s a brilliantly told tale that really lingered in my mind after I read it. (I also LOVE the ending.)

Cuckoo Girls, by Douglas F. Warrick in Apex Magazine. Two girls, bound together by the same horrific fate: they are being chased by monsters that have killed their families, and are now seemingly hellbent on killing them. A basic horror-story premise? It could be, but Warrick cleverly plays around with a lot of horror-story and horror-movie tropes, turning the expected into something very original and unexpected. As the story goes on, we go deeper and deeper into the horror and fear that drives both the girls, and the monsters. Also: ‘Cuckoo Girls’ freaked. me. out. An excellent read.

Salto Mortal, by Nick T. Chan in Lightspeed.  Domestic abuse, aliens, drones, lucha libre… all these things play an important role in the captivating ‘Salto Mortal’, set in the near-future on the border between Mexico and the United States. It’s an eerily familiar world where there is a wall between the two countries, and where the fear of naguals, or aliens (the extra-terrestrial kind), looms large. I love how real and close this story feels: it’s the kind of science fiction that is rooted in the fear of what human beings can do to each other, rather than whatever imagined cruelty an alien species might bring down on us.

The Red Thread, by Sofia Samatar in Lightspeed.  Samatar’ story is set in a future-world that is familiar, yet strange enough to be both haunting and unsettling. Many people, including Sahra and her mother, are continuously on the move, away from the so-called isolation zones and the ever-looming threat of violence and destruction: “What’s isolation but a kind of shunning? — “That’s what we do, in the Movement. We move on, away from violence. A place ruined by violence is a prison.” It’s written as a series of letters from the young Sahra to her friend/lover Fox, and it’s a rich, complex tale of love, desire, longing and belonging, loneliness and friendship.

Ruminations, by Rena Mason in Nightmare. I love stories that jump between timelines and realities, and Mason’s story is a fantastic example of how deep and layered you can make that kind of tale. ‘Ruminations’ blends the story of the old woman Luisa, living in something like our present day, and the young woman Ottaya, who is on a mission in a conflict-ridden future-world. The two stories and worlds intersect and affect each other in strange and haunting ways, but I won’t give away too much: it’s a pleasure to just let this story take your ever further into its mind-bending rabbit-hole of strangeness. Make sure you read Sandra Odell’s author spotlight interview with Rena Mason after you’ve read the story.

Bonus classic:

Mountain Ways, by Ursula K. Le Guin in Clarkesworld. Gorgeous prose is a given in a story by Le Guin, but this tale also shows how well she can tell a tale where “nothing” happens. Well, nothing but the drama that occurs because of the ever-changing relationships between people. In ‘Mountain Ways’, she sets her tale in a society where marriage involves four people – two men and two women – all expected to behave in very particular, strictly regulated ways within that union. It’s a quiet but gripping tale of love and family, with characters who fight hard to make their own wishes and desires fit into the restraints placed on them by society.

  (Originally published at mariahaskins.com)

13 exceptional science fiction & fantasy short stories

 

It seems I had lots of time to read short fiction this past month, because my shortlist of “great speculative short fiction I read online” is even longer than usual. I’ve tried to keep each list to nine stories, but this month it was impossible, so I went with 13 instead. So many fantastic stories, so many fantastic zines, sites, and writers.

Bearskin, by Angela Slatter at The Dark. Angela Slatter is one of my favourite writers right now, and this short fantasy story is a brilliant showcase of her skills. Dark, lustrous prose, and a tale that weaves together both horror, sadness, and bits of joy. It’s beautiful stuff, and it made me cry: definitely a story that I keep turning over in my mind long after reading it.

All The Colors You Thought Were Kings, by Arkady Martine at Shimmer. This is an astonishing science fiction short story that manages to contain and evoke a vivid world, a whole civilization in just a few thousand words. You get that feel of an entire universe, glinting around the edges. The language is gorgeous, and the story moves and throbs with action and desire and tension. Totally extraordinary.

The Men From Narrow Houses, by A.C. Wise at Liminal Stories. Wise’s short story appears in Liminal Stories very first issue (it’s definitely a zine well worth checking out for fans of speculative fiction), and it is an absolute trip to read. I won’t try to describe it, except to say that it will bend your mind and twist your expectations all around. Fantastic writing, and a very original story.

17 Amazing Plot Elements… When You See #11, You’ll Be Astounded!, by James Beamon at Daily Science Fiction. Wow. That was pretty much what went through my mind when I read this story. From the “clickbait” title, to the story’s structure, to the ending that flipped the whole thing all around, this is brilliant, gutsy, and unique.

Whale-Oil, by Sylvia V. Linsteadt at Beneath Ceaseless Skies. A very strange, very beautiful, and very moving story about a boy who sees the souls of whales floating above the city of San Francisco, and sets out to do something about it. Ecology, Native American spirituality and mythology, geology… many things are twined together in this story.

The Cedar Grid, by Sara Saab at Clarkesworld. Saab’s gripping short story is set in a future-verse where humans and aliens rub up against each other on new planets far away from earth, yet Majd, the main character, lives a life haunted by earth and a way of life that is very far removed from his own existence. The world and characters in ‘The Cedar Grid’ have an astonishing depth, and there’s a vivid sense of place, whether we’re on a new planet, or running through the streets of old Earth’s Baalbek.

The Blood That Pulses in the Veins of One, by JY Yang in Uncanny Magazine. A science fiction / horror story that had me simultaneously spellbound and cringing – this is definitely scifi that stands out. Fantastic writing by Yang.

Now Watch as Belinda Unmakes the World, by Lynette Mejía at Flash Fiction Online. Mejía’s story is dark, evocative, and beautifully written to boot. It’s also fierce and relentless in the way it plays out, with a strong undertow of real-world sorrow and grief that sets it apart. A great example of gripping flash fiction.

1957, by Stephen Cox in Apex Magazine. Whoa. As soon as I finished reading this very unsettling short story, I had to read it again. It’s just that kind of story. In the beginning it appears to be one thing, but then it twists and turns and creeps up on you with a growing sense of unease and weirdness.

Cottage Country, by David K. Yeh in Apex Magazine. Yeh’s story skilfully weaves together a vividly described place and landscape, family relationships, dark fantasy, history, and folklore. Gorgeous and haunting.

Deathlight, by Mari Ness at Lightspeed. I love weird and strange science fiction, and this is definitely that. It’s the story of a very strange encounter, very far away in outer space, and also involves alien lifeforms. The two well-written main characters and the relationship between them was another reason this story hooked me. Brilliant writing, an original idea, and fantastic prose.

How High Your Gods Can Count, by Tegan Moore at Strange Horizons. This story definitely got under my skin. A temple, fickle gods, clueless tourists, guns, monkeys, and a sudden terrifying and mind-bending perspective on humanity and evolution. There’s a sense of dread and a chilling, existential horror pervading the entire story: “We did not satisfy, and the gods must be satisfied.”

To Dr. Von Lupe, Concerning the Kraken, by Alanna McFall at Mad Scientist Journal. This is a hilariously written science fiction-ish short story, involving knitting, octopuses, and scientists working for a very demanding boss. Click through for the illustration that goes with the story, if nothing else…

  (Originally published at mariahaskins.com)

9 amazing fantasy & sci-fi short stories

 

There is a wealth of amazing speculative fiction out there in the ether: so many great writers, so many great stories, so many great zines and websites. One of my quests this year, apart from “write more”, is “read intensely” – specifically to read newer science fiction and fantasy. Turns out, this is one of the most enjoyable quests I’ve ever been on, and I am reading so many awesome anthologies, novels, novellas, and short stories.

For example…

Touring With The Alien, by Carolyn Ives Gilman at Clarkesworld. Gilman’s scifi novel ‘Dark Orbit’ was one of the best books I read last year (read my review), and this short story is another example of her fantastic prose and storytelling skills. As with ‘Dark Orbit’, she takes a well-worn premise (alien invasion, in the case of this short story), and then finds a completely original (and darkly funny) take on it that makes it feel fresh and original. Strong, and somewhat odd-ball characters add to the originality and appeal of the tale. (I’m now on a quest to read everything Gilman has ever written.)

Songbird, by Shveta Thakrar at Flash Fiction Online. This is an exquisite flash fiction story that cut me to the bone: beautiful language and a sharp, piercing eye for the dark and light sides of human nature and the pressure to conform and fit in. Poetry, song, and prose, all woven together into one.

The Corn Grows Back Every Year, by Riley Vainionpaa at Luna Station Quarterly.  I was totally surprised and moved by this story. It’s about a deep friendship, summer, and what you do when something absolutely impossible happens to you. It’s a tale permeated with feelings of wonder and loss, and it mixes a sense of humour (plus a helping of the scientific method) with a wistful vibe that really got to me.

Flightcraft, by Iona Sharma at Luna Station Quarterly. The setting for this story is a time and place that seems very familiar on the surface (Britain after the second world war), yet it is also utterly strange, because this is a world where written words and symbols have real power in a way I’ve never seen explored quite this way in a story before.  I love the complete and unapologetic strangeness and originality of this story, and I also love the main characters: post-war women, haunted in different ways by the past, finding their footing in a world at peace.

Godfall, by Sandra Odell at GigaNotoSaurus. Speaking of completely original stories… wow. This one kept me hooked and guessing from start to finish. The premise: all over the world deities from different religions are falling to earth, dead. And in their wake comes…well, something else. An amazing blend of science fiction, fantasy, and a dash of horror. The finale of this story left me breathless.

The Right Sort of Monsters, By Kelly Sandoval at Strange Horizons. This dark and evocative story, about what we’re willing to pay and what we’re willing to sacrifice to get what we think we want (and what we think we need), broke my heart in many little pieces: “But it’s worth it,” I said. “To have a child. It’s worth anything.” Maybe. But it’s not until the end of the quest that you really understand the price that has to be paid.

The Teratologist’s Brother, by Brandon H. Bell at Apex Magazine. Faith, family, sibling loyalty, and a search that descends ever deeper into madness (or is it?) and horror… this story goes very deep and dark, and by the end, it had my head spinning. I love the way the prose changes and becomes ever more fluid and strange the deeper down the rabbit hole the main character goes, searching for his lost brother.

All The World When It Is Thin, by Kristi Demeester at The Dark Magazine. You can feel that there is something terribly dark and twisted at the heart of this story right from the start, and that feeling only deepens as the story goes on. Three sisters, then two sisters, a missing father (of sorts), a strange new brother, and something keeps drawing them back to the forest. A terrifically chilling fantasy-horror.

A Trade at the Fox Wedding, by Roshani Chokshi at Mythic Delirium. “I tilt my head because I think this is what one does when you want to show pity. I also do this when I am hungry.” Told in gorgeously fluid prose, this story has the feel of an old fairy-tale told anew, and seen from the other side: from the side of the beast you meet in the woods. I loved the story, but the language is what really got to me: fractured, mesmerizing writing.

Bonus round: check out the excerpt of Fran Wilde’s upcoming novella The Jewel and Her Lapidary at The Book Smugglers. A whole awesome world packed into a few pages.

 (Originally published at mariahaskins.com)