YEAR OF GARAK, part 3: A Stitch in Time by Andrew J. Robinson

The Year of Garak just keeps on rolling along! It's month three and there's still SO MUCH GARAK to discuss. Seriously, people. So much. For the next stop, though, we're looking at another novel, by Garak himself, actor (and author) Andrew J. Robinson.

The novel covers the entirety of Garak's life up to the direct aftermath of the Dominion War. His childhood, some of his time in the Obsidian Order, some of his time on DS9, and some time back on Cardassia following the Dominion withdrawal. It's a fascinating read that's a bit hard to track down in physical form (I was watching amazon & ebay for about a year and still paid over $10 for it), though it is available in ebook, too. Anyway, this is more a discussion than a normal review, and I'm joined again by writer and all around awesome person Nicasio Andres Reed!

Oh, and in case you don't remember from last time...

Nicasio Andres Reed is a Filipino-American writer and poet whose work has appeared in Queers Destroy Science Fiction, Uncanny Magazine, Strange Horizons, Shimmer, Liminality, Inkscrawl, and Beyond: The Queer Sci-Fi and Fantasy Comics Anthology. Nico currently lives in Madison, WI. Find him on Twitter @NicasioSilang.

And now, to the discussion!

Quick Sips - Strange Horizons 03/20/2017 & 03/27/2017

Strange Horizons has a treat to close out March. That's right, Samovar has officially arrived, and with it a pair of translated stories and a translated poem. Plus, you know, the other outstanding work from the regular issue (which also includes a translated story). Sadly, for time reasons, I am skipping the reprint, but I do encourage everyone to go and check that out. What's here is gorgeous, though, at times bleak but with an unrelenting current of hope and empathy and reaching out. These are pieces that ask us not only to survive but to stand up. To preach. To inspire. And what results are some amazing pieces of SFF. So yeah, without further ado, the reviews!

Art by Sishir Bommakanti

Quick Sips - Glittership March 2017

I'm looking at two stories from this month's Glittership. There were three originally on the schedule (I think), but the third story (which doesn't seem out yet) they're running is a reprint of a story that I've already reviewed, R.B. Lemberg's "How to Remember to Forget to Remember the Old War." It is still amazing. If you want to check out my original review, it can be found here. That still leaves an original story and a different reprint to tackle, though, and they are delightful, filled with monsters and villains and humanity, food and taste and hunger. These are stories that offer nicely complex flavors that deepen the more you peel away their layers. They're fun and it's powerful and I should just review them already!

Quick Sips - Orthogonal #3: Criminal Variations

There’s a new issue of Orthogonal out and this time the theme is crime. The way that the stories take on the theme are varied and, largely, very strange. There’s corrupt and abusive pastors, a number of conversations concealing pain and death and damage, and a number of people seemingly broken by their experiences and lives. The stories are not the happiest of pieces, either, which might be because of how they look at crime and criminals. The perversion of law and justice. These stories are bleak and they are uncomfortable, featuring characters making difficult decisions or trying to avoid making difficult decisions. So, before I ramble on any more, to the reviews!

Quick Sips - Apex #94

It’s March and the new Apex Magazine has arrived with one short story and one novelette. I have to say—I miss the poetry. But what fiction is here is definitely in keeping with the feel of the publication. These stories are certainly dark. And they look at loyalty in an interesting way, showing how people make connections. How people are willing to do nearly anything for those that they care about, those that they have claimed as their own. These stories explore how people care for each other, even when they suspect that it might make them into monsters, even when the entire rest of the world seems to agree. These are tales of plans and danger and hope, that develop slowly to reveal characters driven by their hungers, for security or justice or blood. So yeah, to the reviews!

[On a quick note, the Apex subscription drive just happens to be starting TODAY. I'm probably going to be renewing my subscription, and you should definitely consider supporting this wonderful publication.]

Art by Caroline Jamhour

Quick Sips - Beneath Ceaseless Skies #221

The two pieces from this issue of Beneath Ceaseless Skies explore the boundaries of childhood and adolescence. They introduce us to young characters just coming into themselves and their bodies and their desires. Who are learning how to act with one another and how to move through their worlds. And yet the worlds that they move through are filled with dangers, holes that they might tumble down if they’re not careful. And the stories take very different approaches to these holes, showing in turns the tragedy that can come from childhood folly and the power that can be pulled from being free of the ingrained practices and beliefs of adults. These are stories that deal with darkness and with death, decay and destiny. And before I give any more away, to the reviews!

Art by Ward Lindhout

Quick Sips - Uncanny #15 [March stuff]

March seems to be particularly concerned this year with two things. Horror and resistance. Probably not surprising, given everything. But these are certainly themes that run strong through Uncanny’s March offerings. With three stories, two poems, and two nonfiction pieces, many of the works linger on darkness and fighting back against adversity. Against oppression. Against wrongs both personal and societal. These are works that are very aware of our current moment but also reach beyond it, also capture something to bring forward, something hopeful and resilient and defiant. There’s something beautiful about the way the works all push us toward confronting loss and building communities. It’s a wonderful issue and it’s time to review it!

Art by Julie Dillon