lizabethstucker's review against another edition
3.0
"They Have All One Breath" by Karl Bunker
How does the world react when the AIs take over? When they destroy weapons of war, provide food and housing to the poor and the needy, police violence by stopping it with an electrical tap? How can couples wanting children deal with a reduction of births? Horrible and wonderful, impossible, yet not. Makes you think about just how bad a perfect world could be. 3.5 out of 5.
"Empty Shoes by the Lake" by Gay Partington Terry
Told in alternating points of view, Becca and Rafi share the stories of their lives, both together and apart and together again. Not so much eerie as familiar, like a story half remembered. 3.5 out of 5.
"HigherWorks" by Gregory Norman Bossert
Illegal tech drops, refusgges from an increasingly hostile United States, underground parties, governments taken over by fascists and bigots. And a mysterious watcher...or two. While the tech stuff went over my head, I still loved this. There was magic and possibilities within. Hope even. 4 out of 5.
"How the Damned Live On" by James Sallis
One of the castaways makes friends with a giant talking spider. Strange and sad. 3.5 out of 5.
"The Cold Side of the Island" by Kali Wallace
Returning tie after Jesse died, Lacie brings the horned skull she and her two friends found as kids. Because they agreed to return the bones when one of them died, Lacie and Thea venture into the woods again for the last time. No explanations, no solutions, just an old mystery and people growing older. I don't know if this truly qualifies as science fiction, even with the mysterious horned skull. There isn't much to this story, just a moment out of time. 3 out of 5.
"Where There is Nothing, There is God" by David Erik Nelson
(New Guys Time Portal) Struggling actor Paul is hired to go back in time to get silverware in exchange for the communion of meth. Jeez, I hated this one. Not for the quality of the writing, but for the subject matter. It couldn't be more depressing. 3 out of 5.
Overall rating for this issue of the magazine would be 3.4 out of 5.
How does the world react when the AIs take over? When they destroy weapons of war, provide food and housing to the poor and the needy, police violence by stopping it with an electrical tap? How can couples wanting children deal with a reduction of births? Horrible and wonderful, impossible, yet not. Makes you think about just how bad a perfect world could be. 3.5 out of 5.
"Empty Shoes by the Lake" by Gay Partington Terry
Told in alternating points of view, Becca and Rafi share the stories of their lives, both together and apart and together again. Not so much eerie as familiar, like a story half remembered. 3.5 out of 5.
"HigherWorks" by Gregory Norman Bossert
Illegal tech drops, refusgges from an increasingly hostile United States, underground parties, governments taken over by fascists and bigots. And a mysterious watcher...or two. While the tech stuff went over my head, I still loved this. There was magic and possibilities within. Hope even. 4 out of 5.
"How the Damned Live On" by James Sallis
One of the castaways makes friends with a giant talking spider. Strange and sad. 3.5 out of 5.
"The Cold Side of the Island" by Kali Wallace
Returning tie after Jesse died, Lacie brings the horned skull she and her two friends found as kids. Because they agreed to return the bones when one of them died, Lacie and Thea venture into the woods again for the last time. No explanations, no solutions, just an old mystery and people growing older. I don't know if this truly qualifies as science fiction, even with the mysterious horned skull. There isn't much to this story, just a moment out of time. 3 out of 5.
"Where There is Nothing, There is God" by David Erik Nelson
(New Guys Time Portal) Struggling actor Paul is hired to go back in time to get silverware in exchange for the communion of meth. Jeez, I hated this one. Not for the quality of the writing, but for the subject matter. It couldn't be more depressing. 3 out of 5.
Overall rating for this issue of the magazine would be 3.4 out of 5.
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