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Absolutely loved this occult murder mystery novella!

It's so much fun! It's fast-paced, has tonnes of likeable characters, some f/f smoochieness, magic, demons, and vampires. And while it's the start of a series, it has a complete story of its own - ensuring you get a nice neat-ish ending at the same time as teasing more adventures to come.

Will definitely read this series!

A wonderful collection of speculative fiction from around the world. Ranging from Asia to Africa, Europe to the Americas, you will find much to like in many of the stories featured. My favourites include those by Vina Jie-Min Prasad, T.L. Huchu, Taiyo Fujii, Vandana Singh, Bo-young Kim, Chi Hui, Karla Schmidt and Giovanni De Feo.

The beauty of the prose is only matched by the imagination behind the world-building. This novella, while short, breaks my heart, reforms it, and breaks it once more.

While the writing itself might not be to everyone's tastes, you cannot deny its beauty. Each sentence is carved and crafted, each paragraph moulded into art.

Reading Kai Ashante Wilson's work is an experience not to be missed.

An interesting issue with good stories by Cécile Cristofari, Alexandra Munck, Chi Hui and E.N. Auslender.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/Clarkesworld/20240106-Clarkesworld208.html ].

The Yamada Monogatari series, by Richard Parks, is a rich, detailed insight into both the Japanese period I enjoy so much and the mythology of ghosts, demons and spirits that filled the storytelling and superstition of the time.

A thrilling read in the style of Raymond Chandler's Sam Spade stories.

An interesting story of discovery and survival set in a system where two small worlds circle each other and they orbit a sun together. The worlds are cold and covered by ice but the tidal forces between the worlds ensure their interiors are heated and some heat breaks through the ice in the form of geysers, bringing with it life giving chemicals and material.

I was expecting to be impressed. But instead I was STUNNED!

FIYAH Literary Magazine is an essential work. While the included stories can all be considered speculative fiction, the breadth of ideas is astounding.

It's all finished off with a nice sample of a self-published work. A great idea.

If the subsequent issues are half as good as this first one, you should definitely subscribe.

This isn't your propaganda-and-trope filled flag-waver. B-Mecha is fully aware of its place in Mech vs. Kaiju lore, and up-ends it in glorious West Yorkshire fashion.

We're given a concise yet comprehensive view of the lay-of-the-land, and the personal toll when Michael receives very little thanks for the dangerous work he does.

Love it!

Amazingly-written, weird, claustrophobic, space, alternate Earth, horror story from a brilliant author who consistently nails it!

A tale of the Outside, what's beyond and, ultimately, fear of what may or may not be there. If there is something, stay hidden! If there isn't anything but a vast void, then stay home, be nice, don't explore, we're alone...

A story about our culture.

An average issue, with interesting stories by Ben Berman Ghan, S.L. Huang, Lu Ban and Vandana Singh.

Full review at [ https://sohkamyung.github.io/reviews/magazines/Clarkesworld/20221211-Clarkesworld195.html ]

An average issue that starts with an unusual tour through a library by David Gerrold with other interesting tales by Marc Laidlaw and Angie Peng, a fun piece by Brian Trent featuring some Greek Gods and a dog and a long fairy-tale like story by Leah Cypess that shows that fairies may not have the best interests of the people at heart when they give blessings.

This book pulls you into a richly detailed 12th Century world of politicking lords, dangerous Welsh border raids and a likeable protagonist in the form of Guy of Maebury. A careful, steady feed of recognisable, but not yet legendary, characters tops it all off.

The slow build-up is worth it and does contribute to a much livelier, fuller world and more meaningful character motivations.