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Review of “Some Form of Contact” by Marie Vibbert

Plot: Jody climbs up to the apartment roof, followed by Mick, the hottest guy in the apartment complex. Instead of paying attention to her, he sits down on an air conditioner housing and pulls out his phone. “This is the perfect place to watch invasion footage uninterrupted,” he tells her. The alien ships have appearedContinue reading “Review of “Some Form of Contact” by Marie Vibbert”

Review of “The Death of Bees” by Avra Margariti

Plot: The unnamed narrator has an online girlfriend, Anastasia, who is writing an essay about the population depletion of bees. When the narrator looks out her (?) bedroom window, she sees fuzzy insects landing on the lilacs. Homeschooled, she later asks her parents why the bees on their property seem to be thriving. This questionContinue reading “Review of “The Death of Bees” by Avra Margariti”

Review of “The Unicorn Keeper” by Mary E. Lowd

There is no plot in this short work, only a portrait of a put-upon unicorn keeper. Amilioona, the unicorn, has dainty gleaming, tufted—perfect— hooves which gleam “the same sparkling shade of white as a hillside of snow in the sun.” Those dainty hooves manage to kick the slop bucket over regardless of where the keeperContinue reading “Review of “The Unicorn Keeper” by Mary E. Lowd”

Review of “Kill Switch” by A. P. Howell

This is more of an essay. There isn’t a plot as such. The reader is told that what is referred to as a “kill switch” is more complicated than a single switch. What is referred to as a gene is more complicated than a single gene. “That’s the history of genetics right there. Applying chosenContinue reading “Review of “Kill Switch” by A. P. Howell”

Review of “The Castle of Wine and Clouds” by Jenny Rae Rappaport

Plot: “It begins with the Tyrant,” the reader is told. When the war is over, and a new king is crowned, the people are secure. They overlook the gradual eroding of less consequential rights. People disappear in the night. In the country, among those who work the land, the memory that things were ever differentContinue reading “Review of “The Castle of Wine and Clouds” by Jenny Rae Rappaport”

Review of “A Matter of Fax” by Susan Rooke

Plot: The house is perfect with its acreage, gatehouse, and large conservancy. After all her years of recording and concert work, and all the travel, this is the place for her. Never mind the silly rumors about the place being haunted. Then the relatives she hadn’t seen for years descend on her. When polite hintsContinue reading “Review of “A Matter of Fax” by Susan Rooke”

Review of “Inertia” by Wendy Nikel

Plot: The unnamed narrator and her unnamed mate meet at the launch pad. “Is it love at first sight?” he asks her. “Does it matter?” she responds. They are one of a one hundred assigned couples about to be sent off to replenish the human race on a distant world. They will sleep in suspendedContinue reading “Review of “Inertia” by Wendy Nikel”

Review of “A Plague of Santas” by Emily Dorffer

This is not really a story, as there is no plot. It is a portrait, a satire of the frenzy surrounding Christmas time. And it is cute. “It starts innocently enough in November,” the reader is told. “A shortage of cookies and milk at the grocery store, a faint jingling at night, the lingering scentContinue reading “Review of “A Plague of Santas” by Emily Dorffer”

Review of “Tenure” by Andy Tubbesing

Plot: The Philosopher is out walking up the slate steps up Academy Hill, as she frequently does when puzzling out problems. The path circles the school so she can pace it for hours if need be. A call to wait up comes from the Artisan. “Well, keep up,” the Philosopher grumbles. The Philosopher despises theContinue reading “Review of “Tenure” by Andy Tubbesing”

Review of “Rainbows” by William R.D. Wood

Note: the story comes with an editorial warning from Daily Science Fiction that it is a dark, adult tale. In short, you won’t see any rainbows. Plot: Jacob holds his four-year-old daughter Becca up to the basement window so she can look out to the outside world. There, the reader is told, “[a] cloud ofContinue reading “Review of “Rainbows” by William R.D. Wood”