Short Stories I Read In September

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

Simmered in Their Wealth Like the Richest of Sauces by Jo Miles (Lightspeed Magazine; September 2023; Issue 160)

Simmered in Their Wealth Like the Richest of Sauces by Jo Miles is the kind of fantasy story with a somewhat nested narrative that was also heavy with social commentary. Told from the perspective of a dragon, the subject was capitalism with a focus on the greed of the rich. It was essentially epitomized by the character named Dennis Knight, who had seemingly done everything—from game hunting, to deep sea diving, and even space flight. But this was a story about greed, he wanted more and more and more, and you can pretty much guess what kind of consequences are going to happen. But, generally, this was a good story and one I enjoyed. The choice of narrator was excellent, especially with the dragon’s analogies about Dennis Knight and how greed is greed no matter if it’s the medieval age or the present.

The Tale of Clancy the Scrivener by Ramsey Shehadeh (Tor.com; September 20, 2023)

The next one I checked out was The Tale of Clancy the Scrivener by Ramsey Shehadeh, a short story set in a post-apocalyptic society with a touch of horror via a plague with strange (almost fantasy-esque) effects. It’s been a while since I’ve read anything from this particular genre, but I enjoyed so much about it. The narrator was the titular Clancy. I liked his perspective for his frequent moments of reminiscing—about a world lost to the apocalypse—as well as his job at the scriptorium and his interactions with Pricilla, an orphan. The society he lived in was a strict and relatively dangerous one—i.e. the harsh punishment for infractions and what was expected to be recorded by the scribes and what was to be excluded—which is fairly typical for dystopian/post-apocalyptic stories. However, I liked the author’s approach to it. And what was a highlight was how much of the story was permeated by this a strange and horrifying atmosphere, between moments that felt very day-to-day with pop culture references.

**From time to time, I’m going to include what I’ve read from The Book of Witches edited by Jonathan Strahan and illustrated by Alyssa Winans. As a disclaimer: I won a hardcover of the book from the publisher, but this in no way affects my views about the stories.**

Met Swallow by Cassandra Khaw (The Book of Witches edited by Jonathan Strahan and illustrated by Alyssa Winans)

I’ve seen Cassandra Khaw’s writings around for some years now, but I never got to those stories. So when I saw Met Swallow in the table of contents, I was very excited to see what it would be like. Met Swallow is a horror-tinged short story about a fox inhabiting the skin (and the life) of a deceased witch named Amaranth. This was quite an intense little tale with a number of smart reveals and details about the life the fox had stepped into. From the beginning to the very last word, there was an underlying horror to the whole thing. All-in-all, it was a very good story.

The Nine Jars of Nukulu by Tobi Ogundiran (The Book of Witches edited by Jonathan Strahan and illustrated by Alyssa Winans )

I liked The Nine Jars of Nukulu just as much as Met Swallow. This one also had some horror imagery. At its core, though, it was a about a father and daughter as well as about the lengths someone would go to obtain power regardless of who was betrayed or hurt in the process. Sura’s perspective was full of moments of unease, and the ending brought a satisfying conclusion to the various aspects of The Nine Jars of Nukulu.

From around the web…

• Why Fanzines Now? [Christopher J Garcia; Uncanny Magazine Issue Fifty-Four]
• Interview with Author Lyndsie Manusos [Marissa van Uden; Apex Magazine; September 7, 2023]
• Experiences: On Not Being Creative Enough to Be Creative [Dana Cameron; Apex Magazine; September 14, 2023]
• Finding Magic in the Unexpected: The Fictional Worlds of Emma Bull [Jonathan Thornton; Tor.com; September 27, 2023]

Short Stories I Read in September-October

It’s November 29th. So it’s time to talk about the short stories, miscellaneous posts, and podcast episodes I read or listened to in September and October.

Judge Dee and the Poisoner of Montmartre by Lavie Tidhar (Tor.com; September 15, 2021)

I did not get to the latest Judge Dee story in time for Halloween. However, I was more than excited to finally get to it in October. As always, the vampire elements were done very well. This time, the story takes Judge Dee and Jonathan to Paris for their latest case. It was a slight shift in tone, since there were brief indulgences in plays and other parts of night life—which sometimes involved other vampire characters. The setting was also far less remote than some of the other locations in the previous two stories, and I enjoyed all the descriptions of the city. I was thoroughly engaged in the mystery. It was kind of chaotic, but it had a satisfying resolution.

Thread Count by Cynthia Gómez (Strange Horizons; Issue: Fund Drive 2021)

The second short story I read in October was Thread Count by Cynthia Gómez. I like this one a whole lot. It was a mystery with circumstances that leaned toward the possibility of something speculative (fantastical) in nature. At its core though was a timely topic. It was also well-written, and I liked the way the author approached the story. I will definitely keep an eye out for future work by Cynthia Gómez.

Bespoke Nightmares by Carolina Valentine (Strange Horizons; Issue: 18 October 2021)

Some of my favorite types of stories are ones that involve dreams or nightmares in some capacity. Carolina Valentine’s Bespoke Nightmares fit that bill perfectly with a shop that literally makes and sells nightmares. And rarely ever does its keeper make dreams. That wasn’t without reason or consequences, with dreams being difficult to make. The line—be careful what you wish for—duly applies here. All-in-all, Bespoke Nightmares was a great story.

From around the web…

• Our Opinions Are Correct episode #91: Three Simple Tests That Reveal A.I. Consciousness
• Understanding Horses: Getting to Know You (Judith Tarr; Tor.com, September 20, 2021)
• I Write Fantasy Because of Patricia McKillip’s The Riddlemaster of Hed (Julie E. Czerneda; Tor.com, September 24, 2021)

Short Stories I Read in September

 

It’s the 29th of October, so it’s time to talk about the short stories, miscellaneous posts, and podcast episodes I read or listened to in September.

Metal Like Blood In the Dark by T. Kingfisher (Uncanny Magazine; Issue Thirty-Six, September/October)

The only short story I read last month was Metal Like Blood In The Dark. This was a lovely and engrossing story about a man who built enormous machines, who he named Brother and Sister and programmed to be intelligent. From the very first line of this story, I was intrigued and invested in the characters. I have to commend the author there, because the machines were such vivid characters, full of personality and a bit of naivety. One thing that stood out about them was their needs—for metal as nourishment, for company, and their care for the person who created them—and that aspect of the story was developed quite well. At times a harrowing journey across the vast reaches of space and part coming-of-age tale as told by sentient machines, Metal Like Blood In The Dark was a fantastic story.

From Around The Web…

• Print Run Podcast episode # 135
• Our Opinions Are Correct episode # 65
• Sleeps With Monsters: Into the Wood With Emily Tesh and Carrie Vaughn (Liz Bourke; Tor.com, August 25, 2020)
• Print Run Podcast episode # 136