Plot: The security bot acknowledges the traveler: “Welcome, Master Xyay.” After scanning him for weapons, he asks about the traveler’s satchel. “It’s exactly what Rzay sent me out to get,” he answers. The robot offers no challenge and does not inspect the satchel. It’s obvious by his copper skin tone the traveler is a hybrid.Continue reading “Review of “The Serpents of Kthyb Seven” by Maura Yzmore”
Author Archives: 9siduri
Review of “Miss Graham’s Cold War Cookbook: A Novel” by Celia Rees
I recently joined a book club as a means of getting out of the house in the time of plague and exposing myself to books I wouldn’t ordinarily read. The one below is the first example. Plot: Following the end of WWII, Edith Graham decides to use her experience as a school teacher and becomeContinue reading “Review of “Miss Graham’s Cold War Cookbook: A Novel” by Celia Rees”
Review of “Glitch” by Wendy Nikel
Plot: The narrator’s roommate/old bandmate threatened to kick him (or her? It’s never specified) out of the flat if he didn’t start pulling his weight and become a responsible adult. He got a job at the teleporter terminal to spend his days sending “some businessperson or travel-blogger or snowbird” off in a puff of dustContinue reading “Review of “Glitch” by Wendy Nikel”
Review of “Mighty Joe Young” (1949)
Alas! The tummy has been complaining, so I had to forgo the jalapenos on the pizza for this week’s Saturday pizza and bad movie night. But there was still Svengoolie. Plot: Seven-year-old Jill Young (Lora Lee Michel), living with her widowed father in “darkest” Africa, trades her toys, some jewelry, and her daddy’s flashlight forContinue reading “Review of “Mighty Joe Young” (1949)”
Review of “Death in Vivid Blue” by Lawrence Buentello
Plot: Liam Terrell sees the beauty of the euthanasia agent when it first enters the sparse room. The agent is a robot and, though not designed to look human, displays an artistic form and grace. It walks on two legs. Its hands are crafted to handle delicate and fine manipulations. The whole body is finishedContinue reading “Review of “Death in Vivid Blue” by Lawrence Buentello”
Review of “Assisted Suicide” by Brian Wells
Plot: Keith spreads out the paint cloth across the dining room floor. His phone rings. His curiosity overcoming annoyance, he answers. Need help murdering your wife?This has to be a joke. Besides, no one could know what he was planning. “Who is this?” It’s his credit card app. It tells him it wants Keith toContinue reading “Review of “Assisted Suicide” by Brian Wells”
Review of “The Devil Doll” (1936)
Saturday pizza and bad movie night with Svengoolie. This was an old-fashioned melodrama of sorts. And pizza. Plot:Paul Lavond (Lionel Barrymore) and an elderly Marcel (Henry B. Walthall) escape Devil’s Island—no mean feat. They arrive at Marcel’s home, where his wife Malita (Rafaela Ottiano) has been carrying on his experiments in shrinking living beings, namelyContinue reading “Review of “The Devil Doll” (1936)”
Review of “Can you come out and play?” by Rick McQuiston
Plot: The narrator is mourning his wife, who died in childbirth. Two earlier pregnancies ended in stillbirths. While there was still hope, he whispered to his wife’s belly, “Can you come out and play?” Now, months later, the narrator is making himself some tea. He sees something moving in his yard but doesn’t want toContinue reading “Review of “Can you come out and play?” by Rick McQuiston”
Review of “The Beast Weeps with One Eye” by Morgan Al-Moor
Regarding PodCastle I’ve been considering adding to the media that I draw reviews from. Some time ago, I stumbled across PodCastle, which, true to its name, offers fantasy stories via podcast. They also have online text versions. They solicit paid subscriptions of various levels, but the podcast and online versions are readily available without cost.Continue reading “Review of “The Beast Weeps with One Eye” by Morgan Al-Moor”
Review of “A Kept Species” by Jamie Wahls
Plot: The story looks back at the alien invasion: The aliens [sic]ships deployed missiles the size of roses’ thorns, and sleeted down over our cities. They interfaced with the internet, uploaded themselves into our computers and phones, and seized control. When people cry out, asking what the aliens want, the only answer they receive isContinue reading “Review of “A Kept Species” by Jamie Wahls”
Reviews of Old and New Stories. Mostly Old 