Lightspeed“Crystalline” by Daniel H. Wilson
“Every Little Change” by Aimee Ogden
“One Pinch, Two Pinch” by Beth Goder
“The Chosen Six” by Oyedotun Damilola Muees
“Contracting Iris” by Peter Watts
“Our Exquisite Delights” by Megan Chee
“Four Years Minus Twelve Days” by Samantha Murray
“The Ministry of Saturn” by Benjamin Peek
Reviewed by Kevin P Hallett
There are eight newly published stories in Lightspeed’s 154th issue, including one novelette and two flash stories. Overall this was an entertaining collection of tales.
“Crystalline” by Daniel H. Wilson
Wilson’s short horror story takes place in the pacific northwest. Daddy takes his wife and daughter camping when a cave opens overnight beside their tent. Inside the cave, they find a strange crystal that transcends many worlds. But when Daddy gazes into it, he invokes a monster that takes his wife.
Now he encourages his nine-year-old daughter, Anya, to go to the crystal to pull her Mama back from whatever dimension trapped her. But when Anya returns from her mission with her Mama, the two women aren’t alone.
This quick story held the reader’s attention until the end.
“Every Little Change” by Aimee Ogden
This flash fantasy story relays Francesca’s life as Quantum’s girlfriend. Quantum blips in and out of her life as he saves the world or whatever else he does. But her life meanders on, never knowing if anything is better or worse for his presence. But, as he likes to say, every little change has a big impact. Still, Francesca searches for the man she loved before he became a superhero.
This was a curious snippet about life in the background of a superhero.
“One Pinch, Two Pinch” by Beth Goder
Time has little meaning for the Countess in this SF short story. She and her Count don’t want to fall into the black hole, though they already have. It distorts time, so she can’t tell if she’s already fallen, or is about to. So she tries to pinch space-time to change the past and hence the future, but she can’t tell if it’s working.
Barely longer than flash fiction, this story created a Vonnegutesque conundrum.
“The Chosen Six” by Oyedotun Damilola Muees
Six people are chosen from six African tribes in this short SF set in a future ravaged by climate disaster. Each of the six villages specializes in a different form of conservation, so the representatives are asked to save what will be a haven one day.
Tolu comes from a village that can commune with the trees and plants to help them grow strong. She brings special soil to help, but the trees seem well past her help. Despite her despondency, Tolu continues to persevere. Then, after a caustic rain, she finds a way to help a dandelion. It is a start. And maybe a new hope for the world will come out of Africa.
The author created an engaging story that mixed many conservation concepts into one story setting.
“Contracting Iris” by Peter Watts
Iris is scared in this SF novelette because she’s been diagnosed with MS and knows it will be a slow death sentence. Of course, she doesn’t tell her friends, not wanting their sympathy. As the symptoms progress, she is caught in rainfall from a weirdly colored sky. It blinds her.
Over the next several weeks, her MS symptoms digress from the norm, though the experts say she can expect differences. But she feels as though something is taking over her body. Her friend is full of theories but ultimately isn’t much help.
As these new symptoms become commonplace in others, her traditional MS symptoms disappear. She embraces the changes when she realizes she can do things faster than before. She is no longer scared of what she is becoming.
This intriguing story’s opening mysteries challenged the reader to determine what was happening. By the story’s midpoint, the reader’s work paid off with an engrossing second half.
“Our Exquisite Delights” by Megan Chee
People can visit another dimension filled with exquisite delights in this short fantasy. They can stay as long as they want, sampling the pleasures of food, world-building, or life reliving. No payment is expected, and nothing is taken that isn’t willingly given.
The author’s snippet reads like a travel brochure describing the various sites at an exotic destination.
“Four Years Minus Twelve Days” by Samantha Murray
She has married Vo in this flash SF story, hoping it will be different at the end. But Vo is a Svarr, and they regenerate every four years minus twelve days. When that happens, Vo won’t know or care about her. Still, she rationalizes that love will always find a way, won’t it?
This charming flash story kept the reader hooked.
“The Ministry of Saturn” by Benjamin Peek
Dr. Munn creates James, a homunculus, in this short fantasy set between worlds. Dr. Munn sends James through a blue door to this place between worlds. He searches for Layne, a great magician, because the Ministry of Saturn wants to exploit this place between worlds.
But Layne refuses to come out to meet Dr. Munn, instead telling James he will meet him here, saying this is a meeting place for all the worlds. On hearing Layne’s request, Dr. Munn follows James back into the inter-dimensional place. He is confident his magic is strong enough. After all, didn’t he create James?
This intriguing story moved at a good pace with an open ending. The author left the reader to ponder Dr. Munn’s fate.
You can follow Kevin P Hallett’s writing on www.kevinphallett.com. There are links there to join his mailing list for a weekly newsletter on the recent release of his third novel, Journeyman Wizard.