Short Stories I Read In August

It’s the twenty-ninth of September. So it’s time to write about the short stories, miscellaneous posts, and podcast episodes I read or listened to in August.

The Magazine of Horror by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki [Apex Magazine; August 15, 2023]

The Magazine of Horror is an unusual little story, but it’s one of the best that I read in August. A series of correspondences—structured as emails—revealed the interaction between editors of a magazine and a writer submitting a story (who also shared a name with Ekpeki). But there were some unusual terms revealed about the way the magazine operated, which culminated in some creative speculative aspects. All-in-all, I liked this one.

The Discarded Ones by Linda Niehoff (Apex Magazine; August 8, 2023)

The Discarded Ones is a ghost story to put on your October reading list. It’s not a scary one, but was instead thoughtful and thought-provoking. There was a well-meaning and lonely narrator who believed the rosy-hued account sold by a commercial. And there were ghosts that couldn’t move on, in a situation that read like a pet adoption from a local shelter. It was an interesting idea and a little eerie, but it was also the kind of story that was very melancholic but ended on a more hopeful note. Overall, The Discarded Ones was very good.

**Starting this month, I’m including stories I’ve read from an anthology called The Book of Witches edited by Jonathan Strahan. I’m reading the book in no particular order. And for context and as a disclaimer: I won a hardcover copy from Harper Voyager; thank you!**

What I Remember of Oresha Moon Dragon Devshrata by P. Djèlí Clark (The Book of Witches edited by Jonathan Strahan and illustrated by Alyssa Winans)

Clark is an author who is familiar to me, since I read and loved The Haunting of Tram Car 015. So, when I saw What I Remember of Oresha Moon Dragon Devshrata, it was one of the first stories in The Book of Witches that I wanted to read. I enjoyed this story so much! Set in Mara’s Bay, the coastal town receives a victor who offers a cryptic warning and a solution, for a price. The rest of it unfolds from there, following a trajectory toward broken promises and near tragedy. And, in a way, it can feel very familiar. That’s especially the case when it comes to fiction stories about witches: how determination and welcome, turns to doubts and rumors, and that inevitably is a pot waiting to boil over into violence. What I Remember of Oresha Moon Dragon Devshrata is another good story by P. Djèlí Clark.

From around the web…

• Monarchy, Power, and the Stories We Tell [Nghi Vo; Tor.com; August 16, 2023]
• The Matter of King Arthur on the Screen [Natania Barron; Uncanny Magazine; Issue Fifty-Three]
• Print Run Podcast Episode 164: Level Drain
• The Last Voyage of the Demeter Tackles the Deeper Themes of Stoker’s Dracula [Tyler Dean; Tor.com; August 23, 2023]
• Walking, Reading, and the Rhythms of the Mind [Molly Templeton; Tor.com; August 24, 2023]

Shot Stories I Read In May

It’s the twenty-ninth of June, so it’s time to talk about the short stories, miscellaneous posts, and podcast episodes I read or listened to in May.

Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory by Martha Wells (Tor.com, April 19, 2021)

Toward the end of April, there were two short stories I wanted to read but never got around to. The first of them was a story by Martha Wells set in the Murderbot Diaries universe—and taking place just after the fourth novella—called Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory. The perspective of the story is from Dr. Mensah’s POV, and it was great to get into the mind of a different character from this series—especially one who is one of my favorites. This story primarily dealt with the emotional toll on Mensah from the events of the story, as well as questions surrounding SecUnit’s continued presence on Preservation Aux. This story is just excellent. And given that this takes place well into the series, there are spoilers for the first four novellas.

The Angel of Khan el-Khalili by P. Djèlí Clark (Tor.com, April 28, 2021)

The second short story I mentioned above dropped right at the end of April, on the twenty-eighth. P. Djèlí Clark’s, The Angel of Kahn el-Khalili, is set in the same world as the Master of Djinn, and wow this was a fantastic story. There were descriptors that hearken back to the author’s previous works in this world such as The Haunting of Tram Car 015—one of my favorite reads from last year. In the Angel of Khan el-Khalili, there are two sisters, one is going to ask for a favor—a miracle instead of a wish—and the other who we’re told is dying isn’t actually seen except for in exposition. Stories that deal with wishes (or feats that are kind of like them) can go either way, good or bad, and the price for it can be anything. I liked Clark’s interpretation of this. From the first sentence to the last, P. Djèlí Clark created an engrossing story that was steeped in magic and history against the backdrop of a richly detailed and steampunk-esque setting.

From around the web…

• So Much Story, So Little Page Count: Andre Norton’s Dare to Go A-Hunting (Judith Tarr; Tor.com, May 10, 2021)
• Fangirl Happy House Episode #134—The Eternal Discourse
• How to Pay Attention: Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi (Leah Schnelbach; Tor.com, May 12, 2021)
• A Love Letter to Libraries (E. Lily Yu; Uncanny Magazine)
• Understanding Horses: Living in the World (Judith Tarr; Tor.com, May 17, 2021)

The Friday 56 (190) & Book Beginnings: The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djèlí Clark

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

The Haunting of Tram Car 015 returns to the alternate Cairo of Clark's short fiction, where humans live and work alongside otherworldly beings; the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities handles the issues that can arise between the magical and the mundane. Senior Agent Hamed al-Nasr shows his new partner Agent Onsi the ropes of investigation when they are called to subdue a dangerous, possessed tram car. What starts off as a simple matter of exorcism, however, becomes more complicated as the origins of the demon inside are revealed.

Beginning: "The office of Superintendent of Tram Safety & Maintenance at Ramses Station had all the décor befitting someone who had been elevated--or likely pushed along the lines of patronage--into such a vaulted position." 

56: "Madaam Mariam remained quiet for a while. She turned to stare at a painting above her work desk, one of the few spaces not taken up by dolls."

Comments: I finally read The Haunting of Tram Car 015, and I really enjoyed this story. What are you reading this week?