Anti-Capitalism vs. the Man of Flowers by Naomi Kanakia

At a convention of superheroes, a small group of them discusses what they could do if they really dedicated themselves to making the world a better place. But then they explore what that will mean for them and why they might not want to actually do it.

This story is a fitting metaphor for why we as societies and individuals don’t solve our biggest problems. The solutions are just too mundane, require drudgery, and take too long. They are no fun for the people of means. In the story, this really stirs up the reader’s emotions against the superheroes while, strangely, also making the reader sympathetic to them. Like real life problems, it turns out things are more complicated than they seem.

Length: 860 words (less than 5 minutes)

My rating: 4/5

Savannah and the Apprentice by Christopher Rowe

Savannah is an odd combination of bounty hunter and librarian. Her latest mission is to hunt down the recent killer of a master by his apprentice. She follows him up into the mountains and encounters a “diabolist” who had kidnapped the suspected killer. Things go a little sideways and things are revealed.

If you appreciate stories that are about more than they seem at first, you might appreciate this one. It ends up covering some difficult subjects like abuse. The prose is thoughtful and a bit contemplative as Savannah explores why she is doing what she is doing. Overall it provides an interesting tale told about characters that the reader comes to care for very quickly in this fairly short read.

Length: 6,536 words (25 to 30 minutes)

My rating: 4/5

Dad Went Out to Get the Milk by Osahon Ize-Iyamu

The dad in this story regularly goes out to get milk. Each time he does, he also takes on some amazing, fantastic task and comes back battered and bruised. It seems he is trying to impress his family, but they just want him to spend time with them.

I loved this story! It is such a great metaphor for the male breadwinner myth. Men go out to work each day thinking they are slaying dragons and taking blows for their families. Turns out that their families don’t care so much what happens outside the home. They seek Dad’s presence and care for them over anything that happens elsewhere. And this tale explores exquisitely the feelings on both sides of this conflict. Wonderful!

Length: 953 words (about 5 minutes)

My rating: 5/5

It Might Be He Returns by Fatima Taqvi

What if you had the ability to make everything better for all the people who suffer like you do? Would you exercise it? At what cost? Those are the questions raised in Fatima Taqvi’s story in the Lightspeed magazine. A young street urchin in Karachi, Pakistan sits outside a tailor’s shop. One day, he notices something coming out of the mirror. He goes into the store to talk the tailor and finds himself his apprentice with a very odd set of instructions.

The city itself is a pivotal character in this exploration between the haves and the have-nots. We often think we know what we would do in difficult situations, but do we really? When the street urchin is presented with such a challenge, like most of us, he is confident in saying what he will do. But the charm of this story is that plays with the struggle of what he will actually do.

My rating: 4/5

To Access Seven Obelisks, Press Enter by V.M. Ayala

This is essentially a tale of corporate espionage and love. The main character seeks to take down the seven corporations that control their world. They connect electronically to an executive within one of these corporations who seems willing to help them. But is it a trap? On top of this, they are falling in love with the executive. As the story starts, they are planning to meet for the first time in person at a corporate event.

For all the potential in this story, it didn’t quite all come off. It is an excellent story. The world building is interesting and the love story in the mix really heightens the tension. But I felt that there was still more that could have come out of this story, though I am not quite sure what that is.

My rating: 4/5

The Dream Tourists by Sarah Langan

Here we have an unusual presentation of the text. Rather than a straight story, it is presented as a transcript of a legal proceeding. Present are only the convicted defender, the defense attorney, the prosecutor, and the judge. The purpose of the secret meeting is for the defendant to tell her whole story, which she was prevented from doing in court. As the meeting evolves, the reader learns exactly why that happened and what the convicted murderer is seeking.

I appreciated that this story shows how the US court system can be abused to thwart justice for the rich and powerful. That was frustrating, as it was intended to be. It is a compelling read, one that raises a great many important questions. I highly encourage you to read it.

My rating: 5/5

Feast of Famine by Adam-Troy Castro

In a pocket dimension, a privileged galactic prince spends centuries eating his way through an infinite buffet. That about says it all. But there is also so much more to this story. The prince starts at one end of an endless table and encounters every conceivable food in the universe. He cares for nothing but eating. In this dimension, he can do so without any physical consequence. The author hits on a surprising number of topics in this unusual story.

Feast, indeed! Here we have a feast for the gustatory senses. It is in turns humorous, extreme, and disgusting. Part of its appeal is that is seems to go on and on like the buffet. And it’s absurdity makes it one of the most unique stories I have ever read.

My rating: 4/5

Five Dispatches from Conflict Zone W-924/B Regarding Post-Battle Deployment of A. Thanatensis by David Anaxagoras

In the first story of Lighstpeed magazine’s issue 183 (August 2025), the creator of a biological agent is touring a battlefield to observe the results of his invention’s use in war. It is designed to quickly hide the devastation in an effort to spare those living in the area from seeing the horrors of war. But there appear to be some unforeseen results.

This a haunting and creepy tale. The first person narration as a transcript of a recording is highly effective at putting us deeply into the story and helping us to see and feel what the narrator experiences. And it shows that sometimes when we set out to do good, things can go wrong in unexpected and horrible ways.

My rating: 5/5

Vwooom! by Uchechukwu Nwaka

I don’t really have much to say about this story. It really didn’t stand out to me in any way. It is the very brief tale of an orphan who has struggled through many things in their life and been sent on a one-way mission into a space anomaly. It is told in the second person, an awkward and difficult point of view that is hard to do well. It isn’t too bad here but didn’t really add anything to the story. And it isn’t a bad story. It’s just okay.

My rating: 3/5

A Dream of Twin Sunsets by Ryan Cole

On a planet orbiting twin suns, a civilization struggles to survive. Their greatest danger is the poison pollen storms that choke the engines of their gliders and can lead to any number of unpleasant deaths. As a consequence, their society is one of strict rules and adhering to them. Disobedience will almost certainly lead to death by nature or the government. A leader of this culture, who narrates “A Dream of Twin Sunsets“, meets a deserter on his first glider mission. He falls in love with the man in the short time they are together but cannot bring himself to stay. He goes on to marry and have a daughter. But this experience continues to haunt him until…. I’ll let you find out for yourself.

This is one of the most beautiful and poignant love stories I’ve ever read. Like most things worth having in life, love involves difficult choices. The writing evokes deep feelings that are in opposition to each other. It is easy to read and immersive. The world really comes to life as a natural background to the characters and their activities. I highly recommend this story. Please, read it!

My rating: 5/5