Goran Lowie

I very much enjoyed reading this short collection of non-fiction. Don't go into this expecting in-depth essays or serious literary criticism. That's not what this collection tries to be- instead, you will find people reflecting on their experience trying to break into the SFF world, trying to battle through the pandemic, and finding meaning in it.

I was expecting this to be a melancholic or bitter collection... but found most pieces to end on a hopeful note. These are reflections, yes, but I was pleased to see most authors look at the bright side of it all. Above all, I was delighted to read about some of the perspectives here. I learned.

This non-fiction book is available for free online and is a rather quick read. Highly recommended if you're interested in the perspective of Black and African writers!

Even better than the first.

This is stunning! Feels like Miyazaki telling an Earthsea story. Mythical, folkloric and straightforward, beautifully told and illustrated.

This is cozy fantasy at its coziest.

Simply fantastic.

Favorite chapters:

Reading a wave
The naked bosom
The contemplation of the stars
The giraffe race
On becoming angry with the young
Learning to be dead

Chrysalis by Marie Brennan is a wonderful anthropological tale. I quite enjoyed the mythology she came up with in this short tale of an obsidian blade. (4/5)

Three Songs to Fill up the Shadow by Spencer Ellsworth is another great mythological read, essentially three different stories shared by people who are on a ferry captained by Death. A longer one, but worth reading. (4/5)

Interesting, addictive, and imaginative.

“Lost Worlds and Mythological Kingdoms” is an anthology of exactly that- 17 all-new stories about discovering or re-discovering forgotten lands and mythological places. These stories are varied and almost all of particularly high quality, with many interesting and unique takes on the trope. Highly recommend if you're a fan of these types of stories!
The Light Long Lost at Sea (4/5)

The first story in this is already an interesting one. On first sight, it appears people have discovered a remnant of the old empire- underwater ruins in a post-magic society. But forgotten things are often infused with old magic...

The Cleft of Bones (3.5/5)

A community of slaves has to hide for a tsunami, discovering a forgotten place while doing so. A well-told story, in a developed-feeling world. Another story that doesn't entirely feel like a classic adventure story discovering lost worlds.

The Voyage of Brenya (4.5/5)

Here's the “mythological”' part! A women desperate to save her people from raiders decides to travel to the West by boat, to the land of the gods.

Comfort Lodge, Enigma Valley (3.5/5)

A very fun Calvino-esque story of some magical lodge told in the way of customer reviews.

The Expedition Stops for the Evening at the Foot of the Mountain Pass (2.5/5)

This one never felt like it went anywhere. An intermezzo, a break during an expedition, with a bit too much left unsaid for me.

Down in the Dim Kingdoms (4/5)

A conquistador discovered a city in the center of the earth. Now, decades later, he visits with his family right before the place is about to become a tourist hotspot. His legacy is explored. Succinct! Reminded me of Silverberg's Downward to the Earth.

Those Who Have Gone (4/5)

A slower story, slowly winning me over by the end. Triss and her asshole boyfriend are traveling through a national park in the United States, a place so big it might as well be a country of its own. Much of it is still unexplored– who knows, there might even be people living there? Feels like a parable.

An Account, by Dr. Ingle Kühn, of the Summer Expedition and Its Discoveries (3/5)

On a dying Earth, scientists in Antarctica discover an underground city. Another slower story, written like a diary.

Out of the Dark (4/5)

An anthropological story of two people landing on a planet where the colonists of old have reverted to a more primitive way of living (think Planet of Exile). The two scientists now face a conundrum: do they report this place as no longer having “civilized” (described as sapient in the story, but it amounts to the same thing) life, which would lead to the destruction of these people, or do they let them be?

Endosymbiosis (3/5)

More of a horror story, discovering Lovecraftian creatures.

The Orpheus Gate (2/5)

A story about ghosts and spirits. Not my cup of tea, never has been. Well-written though, and I'm sure it's a nice story if it's your type of thing.

Hotel Motel Holiday Inn (1/5)

Another disappointing story... Contemporary tale of a hotel, not much interesting happened in it.

On the Cold Hill Side (4.5)

Fantastic! According to local legend, the island of Harbor's Hope keeps disappearing and re-appearing every hundred years or so. This story explores what happens when legends become real, and islands appear out of thin air.

The Return of Grace Malfrey (3.5)

A similar story, but instead of an island it's a girl. Grave disappeared one day, from one moment to the next. Now, ten years later, she falls out of the sky on a parking lot. What happened in those ten years? Where has she been?

The Tomb Ship (4.5)

When Laym discovers an ancient spaceship of legend, she can't believe her eyes. History will have to be re-contexualised, and choices will have to be made... The only story in this that's actually set in space, and it's a great one!

Pellargonia: A Letter to the Journal of Imaginary Anthropology (4/5)

A group of friends imagine a country and it becomes real. This epistolary story explores the consequences of this event.

There, She Didn't Need Air to Fill Her Lungs (3/5)

Magic and hills! A fun story, but nothing particularly special.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

THE TELLING eluded me for years. For a long time it's been the only Hainish novel I haven't been able to get my hands on. Finally, with the Library of America collection of Hainish stories, I've been able to get a proper paper copy of it. It took some time off in the winter and me deciding to read the books I truly want to read, and now I've finally finished this book.

It's so interesting to read a Hainish story so late in Le Guin's career. It's so different from the other Hainish stories- it feels less narrative-driven and more “I've got something to say” than usual. Many of Le Guin's core themes and passions are featured here– the importance of narrative, revolution, the obliteration of one culture by another... all so quietly, gently brought. A magnificent read.

I liked the idea of this more than the actual product. It's the kind of experimental novel you've come to expect from Calvino. A short but interesting read.

NOMINATED FOR THE 2023 URSULA K. LE GUIN PRIZE FOR FICTION

DNF at 60 pages, second attempt.

I like the concept. I enjoy the writing. But something keeps me from reading it, not allowing me to give it its full attention, and I consistently fail to continue. It's a DNF for now, I'm afraid, though I do want to give it a third try at some point.

UNDER FORTUNATE STARS is a book that is at once about the past catching up to you, but also about forming your own future—figuratively and literally. It weaves many backstories together to develop excellent, rich characters with complex pasts, full of traumas, past relationships, and regrets.

In this way, it's a very personal novel. While we don't get to know all characters on this personal level, it really does work with the ones we do. It's also a very “big” book, about people literally saving human civilization. Full of doubts, human heroes, time travel, and hope.

Very well plotted (there's a lot of coincidences, but they felt logical in the context of the story... Might break the story for some other people, however) with a bit of a puzzle throughout the entire thing.

Great debut!

Disclaimer: I received an ARC for this book in exchange of an honest review.

THE BRUISING OF QILWA is a layered work, indeed. It explores the legacy of an empire—post-imperialist, post-colonialist inhabitants coming to terms with their cultural history and identity.

Specifically, in the afterword, the author asks the question “What does it mean to be oppressed when you were once an oppressor”- which feels like one of the major questions this book is asking.
But that's only one part of this intersectional work, with nuanced character motivations and some fantastic queer (non-binary and aro/ace) representation. What seemed like a simple medical fantasy at first, another “COVID novel” (I feel like I've already read too many of those, and COVID isn't even over yet...) surprised me with its complex themes and challenges.

Definitely feels like the author had more to say here. I would love to be able to explore this world further. There was so much to unpack in this novella... Most importantly, it all feels executed rather well. This is such a diverse work—prominent queer representation, multiculturalism, colonization, genocide, plague, trauma, refugees, ... a lesser writer would not have been able to do it justice in so few words.

I look forward to reading more Naseem Jamnia books in the future. A voice to look out for.
DISCLAIMER: I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Candide; Life (4/5)

Very short but accomplishes what it wants to, I'd say! Artistry and emotion capture are the main aspects of this short story.

A Thousand Tiny Gods (4/5)

A fine story about new nanotechnology being used to treat cancer. What would happen if this technology were to suddenly become a reality? The same things that happened with e.g. COVID-vaccines: some distrust, conspiracy theories, but most of the public in favor.

The Clock, Having Seen It's Face in the Mirror, Still Knows Not the Hour (4.5/5)

An old clockwork man becomes the companion of a compassionate human. He's one of the remaining robots after a robot uprising. A gentle tale.

The Serpentine Band (4/5)

Equilibrium, Yin and Yang, Plato's Cave, time and many other things play an important role in this multi-facetted story. A good read.

A Heist in Fifteen Products from the Orion Spur's Longest-Running Catalog (4/5)

A delightful heist story told via the usage of various products created by the protagonist's company. Better than I was expecting! The format is cute, but it also works as a story.

An Instance (3.5/5)

Very Murderbot-esque story from the perspective of a search engine AI. Quick, fun but wish it did more with the concept.

Resistance in a Drop of DNA (3/5)

A very short story about DNA, war and resistance. Thought it was fine.

I was about halfway through this book and loving it. It's the type of story I love– some extremely talented creative pouring all their energy and dedication in creating something truly unique. Passion, perseverance, the exhilaration of creation. I was intrigued by the kind of creative relationship the protagonist had with his partner.

But halfway through, I got hit with some kind of narrative disassociation and suddenly the whole book stopped working for me. Suddenly the characters seemed completely unbelievable. They felt like caricatures, only there to serve the plot. The relationships felt barely developed and extremely toxic. It also started to feel more and more like a “hot topic” novel throughout, when suddenly we weren't just handling non-binary videogame protagonists and (anti-Asian) racism, but suddenly also homophobia and gun issues.

Pick something and stick to it, but don't try to work every single hot social issue into your novel. And then there's the story in general- this feels like such an absurd invention of a game company's birth. Just go read MASTERS OF DOOM instead. You have actual human characters, a similar hate/love relationship between the creators which actually feels believable, and the joy of reading about truly talented people at work.

NOMINATED FOR THE 2023 URSULA K. LE GUIN PRIZE FOR FICTION

A lyrical, experimental work with stunning second person stream-of-consciousness. Endlessluy fascinating, if not always comprehensible. Reads like a poem, feels like a dream.

DE MEISJES begint met een citaatje van Catherynne M. Valente, en deze keuze is een heel toepasselijke: Annet Schaap voelt vaak aan als een Nederlandstalige Valente, of een Jane Yolen, Robin McKinley.

Net zoals die schrijvers slaagt Schaap er in om klassieke en bekende sprookjes op een vernieuwende manier voor te schotelen aan een modern publiek. Het is moeilijk om als auteur echt je eigen ding te maken van een sprookje en toch die enigszins dromerige stemming te behouden die de lezer ervaart. Maar met de meisjes is dat zeker gelukt!

Leest heel vlot.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2022 ELGIN AWARD

The cover and title were enough to entice me. This is an interesting collection of poems inspired by the Cthulhu mythos, re-contextualized, re-imagined and otherwise challenged in ways that should be of interest to any Lovecraft fan, but especially to those who like the question the racism that feels so inherent in his works. There's an interesting tonal variety here- some poems are dead serious, others feel almost whimsical. Not all poems worked for me but I quite enjoyed the concept.

Merged review:

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2022 ELGIN AWARD

The cover and title were enough to entice me. This is an interesting collection of poems inspired by the Cthulhu mythos, re-contextualized, re-imagined and otherwise challenged in ways that should be of interest to any Lovecraft fan, but especially to those who like the question the racism that feels so inherent in his works. There's an interesting tonal variety here- some poems are dead serious, others feel almost whimsical. Not all poems worked for me but I quite enjoyed the concept.

Recently translated this short story into Dutch and developed an extensive 40-page lessen package (together with the original Le Guin story) around it, along with an “audiobook” reading of it. It's certainly an interesting take on the Omelas story, although it feels just as flawed in different ways. This story is narratively a bit more complex and more typical of a SFF short story as opposed to Omelas being a straightforward parable. If you've read some Jemisin, you'll find some of her usual stuff in here distilled in a few pages. An interesting pairing with the Omelas story.

This honestly feels more like a “typical” Skyward story than Cytonic did. Definitely the best ones out of these novellas.

STATION ELEVEN was such an immense breath of fresh air that I vowed to read all future works by Mandel. Unfortunately, two books later, I've mostly been disappointed. SEA OF TRANQUILITY sounded interesting at least, but it was unable to deliver for me. I've read a few pandemic novels now, as well as a couple Cloud Atlas-esque multiple timelines books, and already they're starting to get old. At least this puts somewhat of a twist to it with the addition of time travel- but in the end, it's mostly a story I've seen and read before.

Reads like a light mystery, with some pandemic musings and very plot-driven. I found the characters to be thin, the themes to be overdone, and the ending unsatisfying.

This is the third book in Lovelace's “you are your own fairy tale” trilogy, but it can be read as a standalone (which is what I did). It's loosely inspired by a few classic fairy tales, most obviously Beauty & the beast.

It's mostly filled with affirmative poetry, the kind that is all about justifying yourself, self-care, feminism, diversity, and the value in loving a normal life. I feel like I wasn't really the audience for this—this kind of Instagram poetry—but I imagine it's perfect for teenagers who seek for meaning.

It's a bit of a frustrating collection for me, because as much as it is filled with platitudes, it sometimes teases a poem of some imagination, a neat idea, but never capitalised on it. The main thing I dislike about this kind of collections is that they are TOO positive: yes, I get it, people read this kind of stuff to feel good about themselves, but it wouldn't hurt to have a poem every so often to make people question themselves.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC for this book in exchange of an honest review.

NOW NOMINATED FOR THE 2024 URSULA K. LE GUIN PRIZE FOR FICTION

It's been about a year since I read this, the only book on the shortlist I read before the books were announced, but I remember it as a very Ender's Game-feeling tale of space opera and vengeance, with one of the best portrayals of radicalisation I've seen in SF in a long time. Very fun read.

Wonderful piece of linguistic speculative fiction essentially about a language being used as a weapon. It leans heavily on the Sapir-Whorf (which has now been thouroughly discredited) and has some very colorful writing. I was a bit let-down by the one-dimensional characters, but I can see why some aspects of this (e.g. the linguistic determination) may have seen mindblowing at the time.

BABEL is a tale of violent revolution.

It was a real page-turner, keeping me intrigued throughout. Shades of THE SECRET HISTORY kept me entertained at the start, until it turned into more of a blatant tale of revolution, sometimes going ways I couldn't really accept story-wise.

There is some good prose here (certainly far better than the POPPY WAR trilogy), and I love the things it says about language, etymology, and translation, but I thought the meat of the story was rather flat.

The actual narrative of oppression and (de-)colonization is a very one-note Twitter-esque “imperalism bad” that feels at complete odds with the actual story. It's unsubtle. It's repetitious. It doesn't feel natural. Especially near the end it started to feel like more and more moments were undeserved because of this.

In the end, it's an ambitious and certainly entertaining novel that feels a bit too self-aware and never manages to fully sell me.