Reactor, May 2026

“This Fleshy Side of the Bone” by John Langan

“This Is Not My Timeline” by J. R. Dawson

“The Perpetual Post” by Isabel J Kim

Reviewed by Rick Cartwright

The May original pieces for Reactor start with a piece of dark fantasy that looks a lot like a horror story. It’s followed by what is labeled “apocalyptic” but is really nothing of the sort. However, the last story is a gem and well worth your time.

John Langan’s “This Fleshy Side of the Bone” is a good short story overdressed as a novelette. While the premise of a doggy wake as a vehicle to tell what is in essence a scary story is interesting, there’s way too much exposition and background of the roommates, the guests, the parents of the dog’s human companion that just about drowns the true hero of the story, the faithful canine companion, Piper. You can probably start halfway through the tale and have a satisfactory experience.

“This Is Not My Timeline” by J. R. Dawson is not about time travel but a couple shopping for a new home in the multiverse. The story attempts to tackle the challenges of moving to avoid perceived persecution. It fails because the narrator is completely unsympathetic, because she is an annoying whiner that her partner must truly love to put up with her.

The story has a strong, hopeful ending, but had I not been tasked to review the story, I would never have gotten there. I am probably not the only one.

“The Perpetual Post” by Isabel J Kim is a story about a delivery person and her AI manager. Both of whom are far more than they seem. The opening blurb lists this as a time travel story, so I am not giving anything away by stating that it’s one of the best time travel short stories I have read in a while. The author builds to the climax with no wasted words and ends at a satisfying place. Hands down, the best story of the issue. Highly recommended.

Richard learned the fine art of storytelling sitting around kitchen tables, campfires and courtrooms over the years but came to writing later in life after getting out of the legal profession while he could still get his soul back. When he’s not doing reviews for Tangent Online, he writes SF, alternate history, fantasy, and has been  accused of creating a PTSD romance.