Tor.com, September 2022

“Victory Citrus Is Sweet” by Thoraiya Dyer

“Choke” by Suyi Davies Okungbowa

“Quandary Aminu vs The Butterfly Man” by Rich Larson

Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf

A trio of original stories appear in this month’s issue, offering space adventure, modern horror, and crime fiction of the future.

The protagonist of “Victory Citrus Is Sweet” by Thoraiya Dyer journeys to Mercury in order to find out what went wrong with automated machinery transporting ore to Mars. An extraordinary discovery follows, leading to a struggle for survival for more than just the narrator.

The text is written in short, sharp sentences that carry the story along quickly. Without giving too much away, the plot requires the reader to accept a remarkable premise. By itself, this would be perfectly acceptable. However, the resolution also strains credibility in the way the protagonist saves the day.

In “Choke” by Suyi Davies Okungbowa, the main character (addressed as “you” in the currently popular second person narrative style) is a Nigerian college student in the United States. With other international students, you attend a free dinner hosted by a seemingly benign family, although you hear ancestral voices warning you away. The family members turn out to be religious missionaries, and then something much more sinister.

The author creates an ever-increasing sense of unease, beginning with a realistic description of a typical group of college students and slowly adding mystery to the ill-fated dinner party. I have to admit that, by the end, I did not really understand what was going on. The plot might be taken as an allegory for lack of cultural sensitivity and the zeal of religious proselytizers, but the story’s vagueness makes this unclear.

“Quandary Aminu vs The Butterfly Man” by Rich Larson takes place in a dark future of rampant crime and advanced biotechnology. The protagonist is pursued by an artificially created assassin, much more relentless and dangerous than an ordinary human being, despite its very limited lifetime. Nonstop scenes of pursuit and battle follow, with loyalties shifting in unexpected ways.

This is an extremely violent story that moves at lightning pace. The reader is left breathless by its frenzied action. At times, the behavior of the main character seems nearly suicidal, as she makes choices that put her at extreme risk, when simpler, more direction action would eliminate the hazard.

Victoria Silverwolf visited a cidery recently.