[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 10, 2025
Reviewed by Chuck Rothman
“Heart Fallout” starts with two excellent paragraphs:
“So Dad coughed up his liver today,” my sister, Vivi, says.
“Again?” I ask.
Yes, this is a world where people cough up body parts and are none the worse for it, as they are quickly regenerated. Cherry and their sister Vivi must deal with their father as he recovers. Vivi confesses she was there when a professor of hers coughed up his heart, and she gave in to the urge to eat it. Jess Peng takes this bizarre but fascinating concept and, alas, doesn’t really do anything with it other than to show the narrator’s emotionally muted musings. It’s a shame, really, that the story doesn’t further explore the ramifications of the situation.
Chuck Rothman’s historical fantasy novel about Victorian body snatchers, The Cadaver Princess, is available from Amazing Stories Selects. He’s online at chuckrothman.com.