Unveiling the Sorceress
Writer: Saskia Walker
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 219

Unveiling the Sorceress has a pretty simple plot with an uncommon setting in regards to fantasy. The plot: among the gods, one has decided to directly influence the course of human events by creating unrest in the exotic lands. This leads to the possibility of war, and the peaceful and wealthy Aleem, a city coveted due to its riches and location in the trading routes, must find a way to make peace with its enemy, Karseedia. To do so, the young Empress Elishiba, decides to offer herself to Karseedia’s Emperor in marriage. While she doesn’t want to do this, she’ll do whatever it takes to defend and protect her people, and she hopes that by agreeing to such a marriage (which was her idea), she can negotiate with the Emperor and find another way to create peace between the two countries. The conflict comes in the form of the Emperor’s mother, who wants power for herself and wants Aleem squashed, and the fact that Elishiba finds herself dangerously attracted to one of Hanrah’s (the Emperor’s) advisors, Amshazar, who clearly has an agenda of his own.

The book is just a very enjoyable read. I loved the emotional depth to the characters, particularly Elishiba, who is a very solid heroine. The is pretty tight and rolls right along, and despite the book’s short length, there’s no shortage on the romance, sex, and personal sacrifice the characters have to make. There’s tragedy in this book, and that’s an impressive punch for 219 pages. The story wraps up well, though I couldn’t help but wonder if Walker might write a sequel, because the epilogue implies possible future adventures, and I’d enjoy seeing these characters again.

The full review, which does include spoilers, is at my journal, if anyone’s interested. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome.

REVIEW: Saskia Walker’s UNVEILING THE SORCERESS

Happy Reading!

Shara Saunsaucie

Unwelcome Bodies
Writer: Jennifer Pelland
Genre: Short Stories/Science Fiction/Horror
Pages: 247

When I heard Pelland was releasing a short story collection, I was very excited. Granted, I’ve only read two of her short stories, but the one really stuck with me. Pelland has a smooth, clean writing style and her story ideas can really knock a person on their ass.

Unwelcome Bodies is a collection that focuses on a variety of issues: the environment, religion, and terrorism, and the one thing that unites these stories is the character’s body image and how they fit into the world/society around them. Each of the stories are different and unique, and most all of the stories balance a wonderful blend of science fiction and horror. This collection is an easy one to recommend.

The full story-by-story review, which does include spoilers in some cases, is in my journal. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome.

REVIEW: Jennifer Pelland’s UNWELCOME BODIES

Happy Reading!

Shara Saunsaucie

Apricot Brandy
Writer: Lynn Cesar
Genre: Fantasy/Contemporary
Pages: 300

I was really looking forward to this book. Intriguing title, beautiful cover, and a lesbian protagonist, the latter of which is super-cool, since JUNO has so far published romantic fantasy, so if the protag was a lesbian, I was guaranteed something different. And speaking of different, this modern fantasy takes place in a small town somewhere in the west, using Mayan mythology to boot.

It should’ve been awesome. It wasn’t. To say I was disappointed is an understatement.

The full review where I rant and rave and spoil the heck out of the book is in my journal. As always, comments and discussion are most appreciated.

REVIEW: Lynn Cesar’s APRICOT BRANDY

Happy Reading!

Shara Saunsaucie

Interfictions: An Anthology of Interstitial Writing
Edited by: Delia Sherman and Theodora Goss
Genre: Short Stories/Fiction
Pages: 291

What is interstitial fiction? This short story anthology does its best to find out. From the intro, which defines interstitial being between borders, but something that’s not a hybrid, to each of the 19 stories crafted by some damn talented voices in fiction, I have to say, I learned a lot. Interstitial writing isn’t just about genre, or only about genre. In some stories, interstitality had to do with place, or with character, or with a particular moment in life. This book is shelved in the SF/F section of the store, and indeed, some of the stories certainly have a magical realist flair, but if I had to classify this book as anything, it’s literary fiction. It’s not an anthology that’s for everyone, but for anyone with a love of language and fine writing with an open and inquisitive imagination, I think you’ll find this anthology worth your while. I know I sure did.

The full review, which contains a story-by-story reaction (and some reactions contain spoilers, others do not), may be found in my journal. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome.

REVIEW: Interfictions: An Anthology of Interstitial Writing

Contributers:

Christopher Barzak
Leslie What
Anna Tambour
Joy Marchand
Jon Singer
K. Tempest Bradford
Csilla Kleinheincz
Michael J. DeLuca
Karen Jordan Allen
Rachel Pollack
Veronica Schanoes
Mikal Trimm
Colin Greenland
Vandana Singh
Matthew Cheney
Lea Sihol
Adrian Ferrero
Holly Phillips
Catherynne M. Valente

In the interest of getting some of the links up faster, I’m going to try to put this roundup up in two separate posts. Which stories make it into the first post and which ones make it into the second will be determined by whichever markets it occurs to me to look at first. I also hope this will make it easier for me to actually read more of the stories. So, onward!

Jasmine

Coyote Wild

• The Anadem by Sharon Mock
• Around the Bend by Maria E. Schneider
• Bad Blood by Debra Doyle and J.D. McDonald
• Killing a Goddess by Tracie McBride

Allegory Magazine

• Junk Drawer by Ami Chopine
• As Books Do by Jessica Kaiser
• Big, Brave Rita by Corie Ralston

Diet Soap (it looks like you can still get a free PDF from them)

• Diary of a Nonsworn by Holly K. Hein

Abyss & Apex

• If Tears Were Wishes by Ruth Nestvold

InterGalactic Medicine Show

• Lost Soul by Marie Brennan
• The Unrhymed Couplets of the Universe by Sharon Shinn
• After this Life by Janna Silverstein
• The Smell of the Earth by Joan L. Savage
• The Braiding by Pat Esden

Writer: Catherynne M. Valente

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 516

There’s actually not a whole lot I can say about the concluding volume of Valente’s The Orphan’s Tales. I loved it. I was satisfied. I didn’t want to put it down, and thanks to my four-day weekend, I really didn’t have to. I did find myself wishing that I’d had the chance to read this volume immediately after volume 1 because there’s a lot of subtle detail and symbols and entangled storylines that I found myself straining to remember. But the good thing is I love these two books so much I look forward to reading them again in the future, back to back, just like I wanted.

The Orphan’s Tales is the kind of story that rewards re-reading. I know that when I go back to volume I, I’ll get far more out of it now that I know how the whole thing ends. There’s a certain kind of joy in that knowledge, and I don’t say that lightly, because I don’t like re-reading stuff. But this, in its own way, it reminds me of The Lord of the Rings: something rich and developed enough to return to year after year. Granted, the two stories couldn’t be more different: Valente’s world is rich with diversity, symbolism, feminism, fairy tale, and magic. The way these stories weave themselves together is nothing short of beautiful, and I hear, again and again, that The Orphan’s Tales are structured after The Arabian Nights, which I’ve never read, so I don’t know how it really compares, only that Valente’s work is a jewel and any fantasy reader’s library is sorely lacking if these two volumes aren’t a part of it.

Shara Saunsaucie

I hope everyone who attended WFC this weekend had a blast–got you all revved up to read some great short stories, didn’t it? 

There are some names where it is very difficult to tell the gender of the author–this is probably done on purpose fairly often. I do my best to track down author pages or biographies that will clear things up, but sometimes search engines give me nothing. One of these days someone, somewhere, will get offended. They will ask why I included all the other female authors in an issue but not them. Or, even worse, I’ll get an email to the tune of “Just because my name is Lisa Marie does not mean I’m a girl!” All I can say is that I try my best. If I have any doubts, or can’t find any info on the author, the story is not going to be included. Plausible deniability, and all. Feel free to leave me a comment correcting me, and I’ll add the story. 

One of my favorite stories of October was Catherine and the Satyr by Theodora Goss. There is a lot of power in it, and it’s the kind of story that really requires more than one read.

Also I discovered a new magazine–well, new to me. I had never read Allegory Magazine before, though I believe it’s been around for a while. I can’t find any archives, so I don’t know what I may have missed this past year, but they seem to put out a lot of stories–a lot of good stories, I should say. They are definitely going to be added to my regular reading roster.

Jasmine

Strange Horizons

• Catherine and the Saytr by Theodora Goss
• Teinds by Sonya Taaffe

Helix

• Kill Me by Vylar Kaftan
• The Mechanical Mechanic, His Apprentice and The Judge by Sarah K. Castle
• The Snake’s Wife by Ann Leckie
• The Last Stand of the Elephant Man by Jennifer Pelland

Clarkesword

• A Dance Across Embers by Lisa Mantchev
• Excerpt from a Letter by a Social-realist Aswang by Kristin Mandigma

The Town Drunk

• In the Shadow of the Fryolater by Lucy A. Snyder

EscapePod

• Immortal Sin by Jennifer Pelland
• Results by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Heliotrope

• Moon at the Starry Diner by Tina Connolly

Farrago’s Wainscot

• Notes on the Necromantic Symphony by Yoon Ha Lee
• Memree by Jenn Reese

Jim Baen’s Universe

• The Rest of Your Life in a Day by Elizabeth Bear

Allegory

• Alien Oblation by Kim McDougall
• Famished by Elaine Pascale
• Monster, You’ve Been Replaced by Janelle Garcia
• The Ties That Bind by Amanda M. Hayes

Fantasy Magazine

• Soft, like a Rabbit by Andrea Kail

I cannot, for the life of me, figure out when Coyote Wild is published. I included it in my September roundup, though it may not have been published until October. Not that such distinctions matter so much. Just go read the stories.

The Amy Sisson story in Strange Horizons is, I think, one of my favorites of the year.

As always, let me know if I missed anything, and feel free to tell me what your favorites were in comments. I even gave you some bonus stories from the summer that I missed last time around.

Jasmine

Strange Horizons

• All Kinds of Reasons by Katherine Maclaine
• Minghun: Unlikely Patron Saints, No. 5 by Amy Sisson

Clarkesworld Magazine

• The Ape’s Wife by Caitlin R. Kiernan
• Lost Soul by M P Ericson

Coyote Wild

• Elephants Never Forget by Jennifer Brinn
• Mirror, Mirror by Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy
• Nightmare at the Nursing Home by Jenny Schwartz
• Sea Child by Aliette de Bodard
• Toxicity by Erica Naone
• Uluru by Jennifer Linnaea

Ideomancer

• What Happens Next by Jude-Marie Green
• Winner by Kyri Freeman

Serendipity

• In The Clouds by Aliya Whiteley

Subterreanean

• The Four Hundred Thousand by Livia Llewellyn

EscapePod

• End Game by Nancy Kress (first appeared in Asimov’s, 04/2007)

The Town Drunk - includes Summer misses

• A Bouquet at Twilight by Lisa Mantchev
• Answer Me This by Casey Fiesler
• What Does it Profit A Man by Rebecca Day
• Dinner Made Willing by Vylar Kaftan

Oops! Summer Stories I missed:

Aberrant Dreams – July 2007

• Living with a Shoulder Monster by Eugie Foster

Lone Star Stories

• The Ballad of the Sinister Mr. Mouth by Catherynne M. Valente
• Love, &c.–From 506 JB by Toiya Kristen Finley
• Under the Beansidhe’s Pillow by Sarah Monette
• Tradition by Jo Walton
• Things with the Same Name by Nina Kiriki Hoffman

We’re back! Though there has been a hiatus between posts, I’m on board now to keep you updated on short fiction online more regularly–I may even throw in a print story or two if it catches my eye. Over the summer, there were plenty of stories published by women authors–Helix even did an entire issue with an all-female roster, as did Ideomancer in their June 07 issue.

I’ve decided to include EscapePod in my roundup, though most of the stories are reprints of older stories and are thus ineligible for many awards. I wouldn’t want you to miss Nancy Kress’s “Ej-Es” just because it can’t win a Hugo this year. Have you ever listened to a podcast or a book on CD and thought about how some things to not translate well to audio? This is the opposite. I’m not sure which one gave me more chills, Kress’s words or Sheri Mann Stewarts voice as she read it.

Other favorites include Screamers by Yoon Ha Lee and 29 Union Leaders Can’t Be Wrong by Genevieve Valentine.

Forgive me if my links are sloppy. I’m trying to cram a lot of fiction onto your screen (plus I’m still getting used to the formatting here)! Feel free to let me know if I missed any and to tell me what YOUR favorites were!

Jasmine

Strange Horizons:Gift of Flight, by Nghi Vo

29 Union Leaders Can’t Be Wrong, by Genevieve Valentine

The Leaving Sweater, by Ruth Nestvold

The Captain Is the Last to Leave, by Caroline Lockwood Nelson

The Perfume Eater, by R. J. Astruc

Limits, by Donna Glee Williams

Wake-Up Call, by Leslie Brown

The Girl From Another World, by Leah Bobet

Little Ambushes, by Joanne Merriam

Clarkesworld Magazine: The Oracle Spoke by Holly Phillips

I’ll Gnaw Your Bones, the Manticore Said by Cat Rambo

The Taste of Wheat by Ekaterina Sedia

The Beacon by Darja Malcom-Clarke

Helix - entire July 2007 issue

Apex Online: Foiled by Alethea Kontis

Fifteen Minutes by Louise Bohmer 

Coyote Wild: Coyote Discovers Mars – Emily Mah

Fixer Uppers – Kaori Praschak

Remembering Sara – Mari Ness 

The Café Irreal: Dinosaur Evolution by Sharon Wahl 

Darker Matter: Peroxide Head by Sue Lange 

Ideomancer – June 2007: FYI: This issue also includes an interview with L. Timmel Duchamp.

Things with Sharp Teeth by Astrid Atkinson

Far Side of the Moon by Ruth Nestvold

Screamers by Yoon Ha Lee

Jim Baen’s Universe – June 2007: Cryptic Coloration by Elizabeth Bear

The Littlest Wyrm-Maid by Rebecca Lickiss

EscapePod:Ej-Es by Nancy Kress

Mayfly by Heather Lindsley

Cloud Dragon Skies by N.K. Jemison

Aliens Want Our Women by Ramona Louise Wheeler

Snow Woman’s Daughter by Eugie Foster