So, if you've been hanging around for a bit, you might have
noticed the odd review float by, and you might have noticed that I settled on a
format: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Highly original? Of course not, but it
works.
Then what's this? Well, it's a review of a book that really
doesn't work with that… in point of fact, it's not even a review of a whole
book. It's about half a book, since there's a fairly clear delineation between
the two halves. This is a review of The Long List Volume 2. Or the short stories
therein, at least.
What is The Long List? Well, to know that you have to know
The Hugo Awards. They're fan-voted awards in the SF/F community, and one of the
categories is for best short fiction of the year. There's only 1 winner and 5
semi-finalists, for lack of a better term, but there are a lot of other stories that get mentioned almost enough to make that "short list." That's The Long
List, and it's been compiled into an anthology by the wonderful David Steffen
over at Diabolical Plots, and made available for everyone's compact, easy
reading pleasure.
So why am I only doing half? Well, there are a lot of
shorts, but for stretch goals for the crowdfunding to make the book happen,
novellas were included. I'll be doing those as a separate post. Or possibly
more than one, depending how in-depth I go with each one. But that's enough of
this pointless chattering explanation: onto the fiction!
(Note: there are two non-fiction pieces in here as well. If
I cover them, they'll be on their own as well.)
Damage by David D.
Levine: This was a well-written piece, but not particularly mind-blowing. It's
a solid story with good writing, and it was an enjoyable read, but I do feel
like I've seen all the elements before, just not in precisely that
configuration.
Pockets Amal El-Mothar:
If you enjoy magical realism, this will be a real standout for you. I was
thrilled to see representation for a genre that seems to be largely pushed
aside. That said, the plot is the weak point. This story is all about concept
and execution, and in those places it succeeds.
Today I am Paul by
Martin L. Shoemaker: Holy shit, guys. This one. I had specific complaints
about the first two. They were good, but flawed. This story is… perfect. If
nothing else, try this one out of the anthology. And keep the tissues ready.
Tuesdays with Molakesh
the Destroyer by Megan Grey: Not only well written, but placed very well
after Today I am Paul to lighten
things up. It's got brash humor and adult language and it works beautifully:
what else would you expect from a rebellious teenager and a retired demon?
Wooden Feathers by
Ursula Vernon: Both beautiful and bittersweet, this story all by itself
convinced me to take a harder look at Ursula Vernon. Gorgeous imagery, surprising
plot twists, and subtle writing make this both brilliant fiction and a
wonderful statement about art and artists.
Three Cups of Grief,
by Starlight by Aliette de Bodard: This one is unique, and it revels in
that. With a distinctly non-Western vibe permeating everything, it's
intriguing, but perhaps not for everyone. Don’t look for a tight, gripping
plot. Don't look for a plot at all. At most, you'll find a shadow. But these
three short vignettes create something magical and haunting that's well worth
the read.
Madeleine by Amal
El-Mothar: This, for me, is one of the two weakest stories in the
collection. It's still very strongly written, has emotional impact, is
compelling enough to carry you through the story… but we really have seen this
exact thing quite a lot. Don't go into this one expecting really anything
original at all.
Pocosin by Ursula
Vernon: This is really, truly an atmospheric piece. A good high-middle
quality piece for this collection. It's all about the setting and the main character.
Nothing else really matters, and that's okay. That's exactly the way this story
should be. It's perfectly quirky and odd in all the right places.
Hungry Daughters of
Starving Mothers by Alyssa Wong: Wow. This one doesn't seem like much of
anything at first, and it unfolds a million delicate, beautiful petals. It's
very rich and sensory. If you like strong descriptions, you'll love this one,
no doubt.
So Much Cooking by
Naomi Kritzer: All right then. If I were to include an "Ugly"
section in this review, it would be occupied by this story. Yes, the writing is
cogent. I understand it. I obviously don't have a problem with epistolary
storytelling. I have four books that do it. But this… it was dull. It felt
dated by the threat of Bird Flu, as though this was written when that was a
headline, but then kept in a trunk for whatever reason. And possibly the thing
that hit it the hardest: it didn't feel like an SF/F story. The one speculative
element—a much stronger Bird Flu epidemic—felt unimportant. It could have been
any threat at all. But it also felt… mundane. It just missed all the marks for
me, unfortunately.
The Deepwater Bride by
Tamsyn Muir: All right, this one sort of straddles the line between short
story and novelette, so I'm tucking it in here. This one is delightful. I love
the eldritch horror/lovecraft thing, I love psychics, and I love the general
vibe this story provided. More than worth the read.
And there's that. I don't know when we'll finish off this
review, since I'm plugging away at my work, but here's hoping it won't be too long.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go shovel myself a walking path.
Voss
