Quick Sips - Beneath Ceaseless Skies #313

Art by Vladimir Manyukhin

It’s anniversary time again at Beneath Ceaseless Skies, with a special extra-big issue containing three short stories and a novelette. Because of how the stories are released, it’s basically like having two different issues in one, and that plays out for me in the thematic links between the stories as well, where the first two deal with people investigating strange disturbances that turn out to be much deeper and more perilous than they thought, and the second two deal with people figuring out how much of their desires are what they think other people want for them, and how much are genuinely coming from within. The stories bounce off each other well, building in resonating ways a look into some very interesting (and often grim) fantasy worlds. But before I give too much away, let’s get to the reviews!

Quick Sips - Beneath Ceaseless Skies #287 [part 1]

Art by Ferdinand Dumago Ladera

It’s anniversary time again at Beneath Ceaseless Skies, with a special double issue, the first two stories of which I’m looking at today. The works are both novelettes, and both linked by a sort of preoccupation with the soul. They are in some ways rather philosophical pieces, examining morality and grit, will and skill and magic. They find women who have set themselves on a course that they could leave at any moment, but that they are resolved to see through to the (perhaps bitter) end. I’m eager to see how these two fit into the larger issue, too, but I’ll have to wait for next week when I’ll be finishing up my look at the issue!

Quick Sips - Beneath Ceaseless Skies #250 (part 1)

It's celebration time at Beneath Ceaseless Skies, as the publication turns 250 issues old! As such, there's a special double issue with twice the stories, twice the audio recordings, and brand new art. In honor of that, and because of some end-of-the-month timing issues, I'm going to breaking my review of the issue into two parts, because the issue is releasing part in April, part in May (at least, for free—the whole issue is available to purchase and available in its entirety to subscribers). The first two stories have a lot to do with men and women to me. With the narrative patterns that define how people interact. And how men's entitlement often ends up poisoning everything it touches. How they see themselves as victims even when they're the ones doing the most harm. How they always seem to run, to turn away from the opportunity to face their past and do better. To the reviews!

Art by Jereme Peabody

Quick Sips - Beneath Ceaseless Skies #192

The two stories that take up this issue of Beneath Ceaseless Skies are about price and cost. The cost of freedom, the cost of morality, and the cost of wealth. In both, the main characters struggle in some way with their position, with their power, with rising in wealth and privilege. And in both they are faced with a drastic change in that and how to deal with it. Where to bend and where to stand and what to sell and what to buy and through them both there is a subtle commentary on culture and on money and on power. So yeah, time to get reviewing!
 

Art by Leon Tukker