It’s been a bit since my last updated. How absolutely terrible of me.
I have a number of draft blogs I’m working on — but for now, here’s some of my favorite short stories I’ve read since my last update:
- Pack Dynamics, by Stephanie Burgis, published by (the brand new!) Persistent Visions. This is a werewolf story unlike any I’ve read before — completely subverting the traditional tropes of the genre, and tying it into real world family dynamics that I think a number of people could identify with. Really loved this one.
- Between Dragons and Their Wrath, by An Owomoyela and Rachel Swirsky, published in Clarkesworld, Issue 113. This was a stunningly beautiful story. The prose is gorgeous and perfect, a simple, elegant and poetic style. It’s very much the story about refugees, surviving a war-torn land, but the WMDs were dragons. I’m not sure I’ve ever read a story where the aftereffects felt so real, even if it was a fantasy setting. This is some of the best speculative fiction fantasy that I’ve read.
- Memory and Iron, by Kelly Sandoval, published by Fantastic Stories of the Imagination. This was a beautiful, bittersweet modern faerie story. I’m not going to describe it much because it’s short, but it’s wonderful.
- Sisters, by Bonnie-Joe Stufflebeam, reprint published by Grendelsong, originally published by SCHEHEREZADE’S BEQUEST. I’ve read a few of Stufflebeam’s stories now and each one has really left an impression on me. She writes incredibly lyrical, deep stuff. This one’s a retelling/re-imagining of The Little Mermaid, exploring love and sacrifice through wishes.
Bon appetit!
ryan p adams 