[On May 10, 2021 Strange Horizons officially expressed its political support for Palestinian solidarity. The views of Tangent Online reviewers are not necessarily those of Strange Horizons. Fiction critiqued at Tangent Online is, as much as is humanly possible, without prejudice and based solely on artistic merit.]

Strange Horizons, November 8, 2021

“Campfire Stories” by Rachael Cupp

Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf

In “Campfire Stories” by Rachael Cupp, three cowgirls meet in the desert in what seems to be a post-apocalyptic future. They may have strange powers, such as telepathy. The cowgirls each offer a tale. One takes place during the apocalypse, one takes place during the early days of the European colonization of the New World, and one speculates about what the far future will think about the world of the cowgirls.

If this synopsis seems vague, that reflects the nature of the story itself. Each of the three tales is unresolved. The author writes very well, and the narrative evokes the desert landscape effectively, but readers are likely to be frustrated by the questions that are left unanswered.

Victoria Silverwolf has to do a lot of continuing education at work tonight.