"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one." – George R. R. Martin
My continuation of nominees that can be read online for free.
“Joanna’s Bodies” by Eugenia Triantafyllou (2024) — 11,100 words (about 45 minutes for the average reader)
Originally published in Psychopomp magazine, 1 July 2024.
“Evan: A Remainder” by Jordan Kurella (2024) — 4,483 words (about 18 minutes for the average reader)
Originally published in Reactor magazine, 31 January 2024.
Two more nominees that can be read online for free.
“What Any Dead Thing Wants” by Aimee Ogden (2024) — 16,300words (about 66 minutes for the average reader)
Originally published in Psychopomp magazine online, February 2024.
“The Witch Trap” by Jennifer Hudak (2024) — 3,080 words (about 13 minutes for the average reader)
Originally published in Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet magazine issue #48, September 2024.
The Nebula Conference starts this week on June 5. The awards ceremony is on Saturday, June 7. The Nebula Awards® are voted on and presented by full, senior, and associate members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association. There are two short fiction categories that are less than book length. These are the awards for best novelette (at least 7,500 words but less than 17,500 words) and best short story (less than 7,500 words).
In the run up to the awards ceremony on Saturday, I will be publishing links to the six stories in each category, one story in each of these categories each day for a week! Happy reading!
“Loneliness Universe” by Eugenia Triantafyllou (2024) — 8,173 words (about 33 minutes for the average reader)
Originally published in Uncanny magazine issue #58, May/June 2024.
“Why Don’t We Just Kill the Kid in the Omelas Hole”by Isabel J. Kim (2024) — 3,190 words (about 13 minutes for the average reader)
Originally published in Clarkesworld magazine issue #209, February 2024.
What would you do to get back to your own time?
Waystation City by A.T. Greenblatt (2023) — 4,274 words (about 17 minutes for the average reader)
Originally published in Uncanny magazine issue #50, January/February 2023.
A daughter agrees to a terrible bargain to avenge her lover’s death
Saturday’s Song by Wole Talabi (2023) — 8,677 words (about 35 minutes for the average reader)
Originally published in Lightspeed magazine issue 156, May 2023.
A great story with lots of metaphor, subtle and not too in your face.
The Curing by Kristina Ten (2023) — 8,049 words (about 33 minutes for the average reader)
Originally published in Uncanny magazine issue #54, September/October 2023.
This is the first issue of this magazine that I have read since 2023. I still love the variety of stories told.
“Unfinished Architectures of the Human-Fae War” by Caroline M. Yoachim (6,748 words) — Through a series of short vignettes, it tells the story of an ongoing war between humans and fae and how it reflects the ongoing state of their shared existence. (My rating: 4/5)
“Barbershops of the Floating City” by Angela Liu (6,024 words) — A daughter who sees the memories of her customers cuts hair and struggles to help her mom. A poignant story of class struggle, abuse, and relationships. (My rating: 4/5)
“Vivisection” by Anjali Sachdeva (4,916 words) — Eleanor, fearing for her safety, hides her organs around the house to keep them safe from her abusive girlfriend Severine. This my first story by this author. A unflinching and sideways look at a relationship with an abuser from the victim’s perspective. (My rating: 5/5)
“The Breaker of Mountains and Rivers” by Aliette de Bodard (Story link live starting June 3) — An angel is tortured by demons led by the lover of the celestial being tortured. (My rating: 4/5)
“Hi! I’m Claudia” by Delilah S. Dawson (Story link live starting June 3) — A man talks with an AI about the troubles in his life. A view to our possible future? (My rating: 5/5)
“All the World is Fog” by DeVaun Sanders (Story link live starting June 3) — A father leads a krewe in a water-soaked, climate-changed dystopia. I enjoyed the world here but the plot was a bit muddled for me and left me not feeling much of anything. (My rating: 2/5)
“Pale Serpent, Green Serpent” by Ewen Ma (1,199 words) — Immortal friends play a game after getting together after a long time apart. The game is one only immortals can play. (My rating: 4/5)
Average rating for this issue: 4 out of 5.
What if you could look in on your romantic exes?
They Could Have Been Yours by Joy Baglio (2023) — 6,900 words (about 28 minutes for the average reader)
Originally published in Apex magazine issue #136, March 2023.
A wonderful allegory of those in the under classes supporting one another.
Muna in Barish by Isha Karki (2023) — 7,971 words (about 32 minutes for the average reader)
Originally published in Lightspeed magazine issue 158, July 2023.
My partner had this book on pre-order. She read it when it first came out. I only got around to reading it. It was okay.
It continues the story of the relationship between Violet and Xaden and their dragons and how they are dealing with the turmoil caused by the dark wielders as well as trying to find a cure for Xaden’s situation. There are many adventures and mild twists and turns.
This edition of the Empyrean series didn’t do much for me. It wasn’t bad. It just didn’t hold my interest like the previous books in the series. I expect that I will read the next book to find out how the story unfolds. Eventually.
My rating: 3/5