Meeting Infinity. (ed Jonathan Strahan, Solaris Books 2015)
A handsome Big volume, the fourth in the series. Big Name Authors. Big font. Reviews to follow.
Gregor Hartmann. Into the Fiery Planet. (Fantasy and Science Fiction, July/August 2015)
The issue closes with a light touch, as Hartmann provides an old-school tone for a gently humorous tale of life on an exoplanet, and political machinations needed to ensure the planet remains in the embrace of the powers that be.
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, July/August 2015
Muir, Van Aaron Hughes, and Chwedyk the pick of the ish for me.
Asimovs September 2015
Stories from Brenda Cooper, Sean Monaghan, Jim Grimsley, Jason Sanford, Sam J. Miller, Vylar Kaftan, Peter Wood, with Miller and Sanford the pick of the issue for me.
Betsy James. Paradise and Trout. (Fantasy and Science Fiction, July/August 2015)
Short fantasy in which a young boy, recently dead, has to heed his father’s advice in walking to where his forebears live.
Sean Monaghan. The Molenstraat Music Festival. (Asimovs September 2015)
The issue closes with a story that is has lot of sfnal background to it, but the crux of the story is minimally sfnal.
Van Aaron Hughes. The Body Pirate. (Fantasy and Science Fiction, July/August 2015)
Because of the good mix of story, idea and innovative narrative approach, I’m popping this story onto the shortlist for the Best SF Short Story Award 2015.
Rich Larson. Ice. (Clarkesworld #109, October 2015)
On an icy planet, a nocturnal adventure becomes a game played for high stakes…
Rachel Pollack. Johnny Rev. (Fantasy and Science Fiction July/August 2015)
Johnny Rev, aka Jack Shade, is a traveller, in a modern urban setting in which magic lives and there is a border, unseen by all but those who have magic, beyond which lies an altogether darker place, and an alter ego who must be kept in his place.
Peter Wood. Searching for Commander Parsec. (Asimovs, September 2015)
Commander Parsec – cheesy Golden Age of radio drama serial hero. Or…
Vylar Kaftan. Last Hunt. (Asimovs September 2015)
When a star descends from the night sky, it brings someone/thing, and Little Grandfather must make a decision.
Ubermensch.
I’ve just come across the short film ‘Ubermensch’ directed by Simon Temple, winner of 2010 Best Film, Irish National Sci Fi Awards, and true to the story by Kim Newman, on which it’s based.
Rahul Kanakia. Here is My Thinking on a Situation That Affects Us All. (Lightspeed Magazine #66, November 2015)
An alien spaceship broadcasts a message to humanity…
Rich Larson. Edited. (Interzone #259, July/August 2015)
A bit of neural tweaking can iron out those awkward behavioural issues in children, just like braces straighten their teeth.
Sam J. Miller. Calved. (Asimovs September 2015)
The fourth really strong story from Miller I’ve read in the last 12 months or so.
A.C. Wise. And If The Body Were Not The Soul. (Clarkesworld #109, October 2015)
A strange, symbiotic interchange of emotion, experience and sense of self between an alien and human.
James Patrick Kelly. Oneness : a triptych. (Fantasy and Science Fiction, July-August 2015)
After a gentle story in the issue about love (and loss) taken forward by dialogue, Kelly provides three short vignettes on lust and sex.
Richard Chwedyk. Dixon’s Road. (Fantasy and Science Fiction, July/August 2015)
A dialogue-driven love (and loss) story that Chwedyk handles admirably
Tamsyn Muir. The Deepwater Bride. (Fantasy and Science Ficition, July/August 2015)
Eldritch portents-aplenty, which suggest to a young teen seer that a dark lord is a-coming for a bride.