Lightspeed December 2012

I did find this edition disappointing as there were quite a few pieces I disliked. However, I have generally warmed to this magazine, so long as I don't read all the author-blurbs. I did note that the subscription price has gone up, though the editor explained that this was imposed by Amazon, rather than being a decision by the magazine.

Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang (Novella - Ebook exclusive)
When aliens arrive, a translator gets roped into learning the alien's language without revealing too much about human beings. As it happens, the translator not only learns their languages - there are two - but also gains insight into an utterly 'alien' outlook on life.

I found this novella satisfying on all levels. It had a great plot, consisting of two interlinking strands. It had a clever construction that mirrored the themes of the story and it had some very interesting ideas on the relationship between free will and predestination. Absolute perfection!

Cold Days by Jim Butcher (Novel Excerpt - Ebook Exclusive)
An interesting peek into a series I'm constantly seeing about. However, the excerpt confirmed my suspicion that I would not enjoy the books.

Short Stories: Science Fiction

The Perfect Match by Ken Liu
Sai lives in a world where all the algorithms to find your "favourite" have extended into every niche of your life. This story reflects on many of the themes of our modern world - what is the value of privacy? what is the difference between a government and a corporation knowing all about you? what happens if all our preferences are catered to, and we can all concentrate in our sub-niches without ever having to encounter anything disruptive?

This story once again confirms by high opinion of Ken Liu. He extends the questions of the current world into the future and then puts people into the resulting world. Every one of his stories slightly alters the way I see our world afterwards and lingers in my memory for long after.

Swanwatch by Yoon Ha Lee
In this space opera world, upsetting the wrong powerful individual will see you exiled to the end of the world to create art significant enough to justify your release. As Dragon explains to Swan, the artists exiled to the end of the universe are not sent because of their genius, but because their release seems so unlikely. Still, Swan perseveres with her musical composition. I liked reading this. I didn't love it.

Dreams in Dust by D. Thomas Minton
Keraf is running out of water when he encounters a family that he desperately tries to recruit to his cause so they will save his life. The story is short and I didn't get its point.

Lazaro y Antonio by Marta Randall
Lazaro is not that smart and he's struggling in the Curve, the seedy part of a space port. He's trying to get by. Fortunately, whenever things seem to get really bad, this guy Antonio turns up and helps out. Why?

I adored this story. It starts in this stop-start, confusing way which makes so much sense once you're able to peer through Lazaro's befuddlement to what he's lost. It is a beautiful, gratifying story that is well worth reading.

Short Stories: Fantasy

An Accounting by Brian Evenson
A man's testimony about how he ended up as a 'Midwestern Jesus' in a dystopian United States. I liked the unreliable narrator and the story works. I didn't find it great, and I don't see why it is Fantasy, rather than Science Fiction.

Family Teeth (Part 5): American Jackal by JT Petty
Family Teeth (Part 6): St. Polycarp's Home for Happy Wanderers by Sarah Langan
A pair of stories by a husband and a wife about a pack of werecoyotes. Seeing that Lightspeed has a dark fantasy / horror sister magazine, I do not see why these appeared here. They're good, but much too dark and gory for me.

Catskin by Kelly Link
I read this before and hated it. I saw no need to wade through it again.