Quick Sips - Uncanny #13 (November Stuff)

The November content from Uncanny Magazine does a lovely job of showing the power of stories. Of narratives. Of how the ownership of those stories is importance and empowering. How, when the narrative begins to slip away, it can be used to isolate people. To exploit people. To erase people. And only when people can control their own stories, can have their own agency, can there be justice. Can there be hope. Can there be the recognition that people are all people and that the roles they think are absolute might only be a narrowing of their perspective, and when the blinders are pulled away their world suddenly becomes larger, richer, and more rewarding. These are not all easy works of fiction or poetry or nonfiction, but they are all powerful in their own ways, and I'm going to get to reviewing them. 

Art by Julie Dillon

Quick Sips - Uncanny #6 (September Stuff)

So I might have nearly bitten off more than I could chew when I made the decision to review the latest from Uncanny for my second review of the month. There's a lot here! Two stories (both novelettes), two poems, and some nonfiction to chew and no joke this is a packed month of the issue. Almost like they're running a Kickstarter (nudge nudge, maybe go check that out!). It also is a very powerful month, featuring a pair of stories that show just how varied SFF can be. Dark historical fantasy and middle grade science fiction meet but don't clash here, and the issue as a whole does a nice job of showing just what Uncanny is good at: bringing together voices from all over the genres dedicated to telling good stories. Here's to another year! Oh, and I guess some reviews...

Art by Matthew Dow Smith