SFF Hot from Printers: New Releases discussion

This folder is for discussing recently (within a year) published works, esp. ones that may end up nominated for major awards, such as Hugo, Nebula or Locus

One of the main sources for fresh SFF shorter works is http://www.rocketstackrank.com/search...

As of Jan 2020 the free online short stories published in 2019 with the highest score are:

A Bird, a Song, a Revolution by Brooke Bolander http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fic...
Gundark Island, or, Tars Tarkas Needs Your Help by Matthew Corradi http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fic...
The Beast Weeps with One Eye by Morgan Al‑Moor1 http://www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.co...
Unpublished Gay Cancer Survivor Memoir by Caspian Gray http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fic...
Your Face by Rachel Swirsky http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/swirs...

Oh man, not another Bolander story! Lets not read that in a rush, please? I know, it'll totally make it to the shortlist, but still.

I'm up for reading any or all of the others, though.

Antti wrote: "I'm up for reading any or all of the others, though."

The shortest one is the last one - nothing spectacular but an unusual approach to uploaded consciousnesses. You may start with it

Yeah, that was short.

It reminded me a bit of Greg Egan's Zendegi (view spoiler)[which explored the issue of imperfect digital copies very deeply. Your Face, however, was pretty crude. If the uploads were THAT bad, why would anyone bother going to the scans? Or pay to visit them? (hide spoiler)]

Here is another story from the list discuss here if interested https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I've read another short highly rated by the abovementioned site,

Curse Like a Savior
by Russell Nichols
https://www.apex-magazine.com/curse-l...

which is more of a horror-type story. It has an interesting premise but I disliked the resolution, so as a whole quite weak

I've read another short story.

“The Painter of Trees” by Suzanne Palmer in Clarkesworld
http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/palme...

It was recommended by Locus stuff.

A so-so (3*) story about humans as cogs of evil terraforming machine that destroys last intelligent natives. Heavily reminded me of a story in The Martian Chronicles thus not very original

I've read two more short stories recommended by Locus stuff.


“Boiled Bones and Black Eggs” by Nghi Vo in Beneath Ceaseless Skies. http://www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.co...

3* Chinese fantasy. A dead general comes to a bar... ok, not a bar but an inn and this is the place where dead often go. But he doesn't want to leave.
---------------

“Malinche” by Gabriela Santiago in Clarkesworld; http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/santi...

Cortes' conquest of fantasy America as told by Indian slave girl. The world with clay golems working on electricity
2*

So I see you did not like either of these two stories very much.
Do you recommend them for nomination?

Kateblue wrote: "So I see you did not like either of these two stories very much.
Do you recommend them for nomination?"

Of these two most likely not, unless there will be free slots

I'm listening through the Lightspeed Magazine podcasts from last year (for me the best way to keep up with short stories while doing stuff that needs to be done).

So far "The Death of Fire Station 10" by Ray Naylor stood out for me, since it made me feel a shiver.

http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fic...

Gabi wrote: "I'm listening through the Lightspeed Magazine podcasts from last year (for me the best way to keep up with short stories while doing stuff that needs to be done)."

Thanks for the link, I'll check it up

To everyone: if you found a nice story worthy of discussion, post a new thread in this folder, like I did with Gundark

Tor.com posted a list of all short fiction (short stories and novelettes) they put out in 2019. Don't think I've read a single one yet but it may be a place to pull from.

https://www.tor.com/2020/01/06/all-of...

Kalin wrote: "Tor.com posted a list of all short fiction (short stories and novelettes) they put out in 2019. "

Last year Tor occupied best novella (5 of 6 nominees), but in shorts there were none. In 2018 - only one of six stories

I read "A Bird, a Song, a Revolution" by Brooke Bolinger.

I liked it a lot. Gave it 4*. It was beautifully written and very gentle and poetic. Reminded me very much of something that Ursula Le Guin has written in relation to the Hainish books.

Cordelia wrote: "I read "A Bird, a Song, a Revolution" by Brooke Bolinger."

I've finished it recently. It is definitely poetic but for my taste it lacked in idea department, except for joining beginning and end of time. There were quite a few stories, incl. SF about pre-historic times, starting as early as J.H. Rosny Aîné. One of my favs from the 1970 was 'The Final Battle' (it took me half an hour to find, for in translation it was 'the Ultimate Weapon') by Harry Harrison, which is both shorter (albeit less poetic) but I think a more interesting take on the same basic idea.

For m it was 3 stars

Gabi wrote: "So far "The Death of Fire Station 10" by Ray Naylor stood out for me, since it made me feel a shiver."

I liked it too and added a separate thread here https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

A general note to all members: if you see an award worthy story, feel free to setup a separate thread for it.

Editor Neil Clarke has announced the finalists for the 2019 Clarkesworld Magazine Reader’s Poll for best story and cover art.

http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/clark...

let's read them and maybe vote

Guess I have to eye-read them. I tried to listen (which I prefer), but something in the voice of the narrator puts me to sleep ^^'.

Uncanny published their top-5 shorter works https://uncannymagazine.com/uncanny-m...

I finished all ten finalists for the 2019 Clarkesworld Magazine Reader’s Poll for best story. The general feeling is a disappointment, stories are too gloomy. Two of them ending with genocides...

The winner for me is “Dave’s Head” by Suzanne Palmer (September) and I decided to recommend it, so here is a separate thread here https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I finished 4 of 5 Uncanny top-5 of 2019. My personal favorite is “How the Trick Is Done” by A.C. Wise https://uncannymagazine.com/article/h...

Their winner, the novelette “Away With the Wolves” by Sarah Gailey is ok, but not that great, but worth reading
https://uncannymagazine.com/article/a...

Both works available as podcasts

I'm slowly but consistently read thru the Analog Analytical Laboratory finalists. I'm surprised, for the stories are quite unlike what got nominations for H/N the last few years and similar to older stuff I grew up with, meaning more ideas and less social commentary. I just finished Sojourner by Craig DeLancey (November/December 2019) and it is quite strong by its ambiguity. Here is the link https://www.analogsf.com/assets/6/6/S...

My alternate history story about The Beatles, "It's Real Life," was made into a radio play. It won The Mary Shelley Award for Outstanding Fiction, 2023, and is currently a finalist for the Sidewise Award for Alternate History. You can read the story here for free https://vocal.media/fiction/it-s-real... and listen to the radio here for free https://www.killerwatt.co/2023/03/bob...

Paul wrote: "My alternate history story about The Beatles, "It's Real Life," was made into a radio play. "

It sounds interesting, I've read the beginning already and wonder why the Beatles 1974 was titled that way (I know whose it was irl)

Oleksandr wrote: "Paul wrote: "My alternate history story about The Beatles, "It's Real Life," was made into a radio play. "

It sounds interesting, I've read the beginning already and wonder why the Beatles 1974 wa..."

Enjoy!

Paul wrote: "Enjoy!"

I've enjoyed it and the interview after on the audio version. I had some nitpicks, like why in a close enough universe not to spot it instantly some dollar bills changed so drastically, but overall - great!

Glad you enjoyed! The answer to your dollar bill question is that there's no reason everything must change in an alternate universe. Another example is Pete knew three out of five of the Traveling Wilburys in our reality. But, if your question is why didn't Pete notice sooner that even a single bill had changed, that's because he took his wallet out for the first time in the new reality when he discovered the different face on the money.