This felt impenetrable and nonsensical, and after reading this interview about how Martine wrote this story, I'm no longer surprised by my feelings abThis felt impenetrable and nonsensical, and after reading this interview about how Martine wrote this story, I'm no longer surprised by my feelings about it. Not everything needs to be published just because of who the author is, let alone nominated for a Hugo award.
Yes, I know the article is about struggling with art and trying to create again etc etc, but I still have to understand the art on some level (a tiny bit is all I ask, a mere scrap of understanding) and idk, get something out of it in the end. This sucked.
Incredibly experimental and while interesting on that level, I didn't really connect with it. There is a bit of an emotional quality running through tIncredibly experimental and while interesting on that level, I didn't really connect with it. There is a bit of an emotional quality running through this in the desperation of the being trying to teach you how to read, but the nature of following along with the "instructions" while reading the story almost made it impossible to actually view this as a story or connect with it as a story. It's an experiment, and a neat one at that, but there wasn't much else there for me.
Five Views of the Planet Tartarus, 2025 Hugo nominee and 2025 Nebula nominee for Best Short Story.
A very short, quick little story with a punch. It fFive Views of the Planet Tartarus, 2025 Hugo nominee and 2025 Nebula nominee for Best Short Story.
A very short, quick little story with a punch. It feels almost too short? Like it could definitely be the beginning of something, or a short horror jaunt as a side plot in a part of something bigger.
2024 Hugo nominee for best short fiction, 2024 Nebula nominee for best short story. Read for free at Clarkesworld.
I'm glad I read the original Le Guin2024 Hugo nominee for best short fiction, 2024 Nebula nominee for best short story. Read for free at Clarkesworld.
I'm glad I read the original Le Guin before reading this, because I can see how it is in conversation with the original piece. It unfortunately doesn't seem to have even a fraction of the nuance Le Guin did.
This story very obviously lays out the theme, pokes at it with a stick, then turns to you and asks if you Get It. Half of me finds the obviousness of it charming, and the other half wishes I had five seconds to think about the story on my own merit and not have it shoved in my face while I read....more
Winner of the 2024 Hugo AND Nebula awards for Best Novelette.
Considering this is a novelette, I won't say too much beyond the basic premise: somethingWinner of the 2024 Hugo AND Nebula awards for Best Novelette.
Considering this is a novelette, I won't say too much beyond the basic premise: something happened, and the sun is blotted out by ash in the sky. A neighborhood comes together to figure out how to pool their resources, create community, and keep each other alive.
This is a lovely bit of hopepunk, and Kritzer's writing is enough to set you firmly in the midst of this community immediately. Sure, it seems a bit unbelievable that a group would come together like this without much strife, but I chose to believe in it. That's the hope part.
This novelette is free on Uncanny Magazine's website if you have a good 30-45 minutes to spare for a good story. An audio performance is included at the end of the page....more
So conflicted, because it's a decent story idea - using an alien invasion/subjugation as a metaphor for colonization - but holy shit there wasn't a shSo conflicted, because it's a decent story idea - using an alien invasion/subjugation as a metaphor for colonization - but holy shit there wasn't a shred of subtlety to be found here. ...more
this was okay, a little embarrassing in how much Roth tried to push a ~*grand theme*~ that didn't really make sense in the story she was telling.this was okay, a little embarrassing in how much Roth tried to push a ~*grand theme*~ that didn't really make sense in the story she was telling....more