Cause I want to clap the loudest
Here we go again, my darlings! Last Short Story is officially into 2009 and eeee I'm the first poster! Sadly we're in the land of the embargo, which means that most of the cool stuff I have read lately and really want to talk about - I can't! Still, I'm hoping that makes me look powerful and mysterious.
Nevertheless I have some story recs for you all from the December-January publishing period. Go forth, enjoy, try to grab them while they're still on the shelves. A big shout out for Poe: 19 New Tales Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe edited by Ellen Datlow - despite the Datlow name I thought I was going to hate this one and it would be Lovecraft pastiches all over again. I'm not a reader of early horror literature, and so not the target audience for this one. Still, there were some really good stories in the anthology, which was pretty good overall.
Without further ado: story recs!
"The Problem of Thorns," Angela Slatter, The Daily Cabal (www.dailycabal.com) - a lovely dark flash fiction with Slatter's trademark elegant fairy tale style.
"Bridesicle," Will MacIntosh, Asimov's Jan - a creepy SF story about a world where death is no obstacle... but quite frankly the alternative is pretty horrendous too. All my feminist hackles were raised by the grossness of the situation of the protagonist, though the story did redeem itself by dealing with many of the related sensitive issues. It still makes me shudder, though, especially for the fact that - while the protagonist was allowed a form of escape, so many other women were not.
"Illimitable Domain," Kim Newman, Poe - I love the way Newman brings in nostalgic pop culture references to create a sense of history in his fiction, and this one is a real love letter to 60's cinema as well as the stories of Poe himself. I liked the wry narrative voice and the cynical tone of this piece.
"The Mountain House," by Sharyn McCrumb, Poe - a quiet, compelling story of a NASCAR widow and her brush with the unknown.
"Sleeping with the Angels," by M. Rickert, Poe - a beautiful, wistful story of damaged childhood, weird and compelling.
Truth and Bone," by Pat Cadigan, Poe - a truly outstanding YA story about a girl who belongs to a family with special abilities - each of whom "come into their own" at puberty. Her story - how she came into her own, the terrible gift she has been given and how she tries to rail against it, all with the knowledge of Loomis, the cousin who had the same ability and was all but banished from the family, is compelling and clear, a solid standout of this interesting collection.
Nevertheless I have some story recs for you all from the December-January publishing period. Go forth, enjoy, try to grab them while they're still on the shelves. A big shout out for Poe: 19 New Tales Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe edited by Ellen Datlow - despite the Datlow name I thought I was going to hate this one and it would be Lovecraft pastiches all over again. I'm not a reader of early horror literature, and so not the target audience for this one. Still, there were some really good stories in the anthology, which was pretty good overall.
Without further ado: story recs!
"The Problem of Thorns," Angela Slatter, The Daily Cabal (www.dailycabal.com) - a lovely dark flash fiction with Slatter's trademark elegant fairy tale style.
"Bridesicle," Will MacIntosh, Asimov's Jan - a creepy SF story about a world where death is no obstacle... but quite frankly the alternative is pretty horrendous too. All my feminist hackles were raised by the grossness of the situation of the protagonist, though the story did redeem itself by dealing with many of the related sensitive issues. It still makes me shudder, though, especially for the fact that - while the protagonist was allowed a form of escape, so many other women were not.
"Illimitable Domain," Kim Newman, Poe - I love the way Newman brings in nostalgic pop culture references to create a sense of history in his fiction, and this one is a real love letter to 60's cinema as well as the stories of Poe himself. I liked the wry narrative voice and the cynical tone of this piece.
"The Mountain House," by Sharyn McCrumb, Poe - a quiet, compelling story of a NASCAR widow and her brush with the unknown.
"Sleeping with the Angels," by M. Rickert, Poe - a beautiful, wistful story of damaged childhood, weird and compelling.
Truth and Bone," by Pat Cadigan, Poe - a truly outstanding YA story about a girl who belongs to a family with special abilities - each of whom "come into their own" at puberty. Her story - how she came into her own, the terrible gift she has been given and how she tries to rail against it, all with the knowledge of Loomis, the cousin who had the same ability and was all but banished from the family, is compelling and clear, a solid standout of this interesting collection.