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In This Issue Cover banner collagraph of theCascadia subduction zone byMarilyn Liden Bode Electronic singleissue:$3 $10 peryear Electronic Subscription(PDF format): Print singleissue:$5 Print subscription:$16/yr; www.thecsz.com Subscriptions andsingleissuesonlineat: Where Dragons Come From Racketing Spirits Ariadne inQueens Ariadne Reborn inBlood Down Girl: Logic of Misogyny The by Kate Manne “The Shobies’“The Story” by Ursula Guin Le K. The Breath ofThe Sun the Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse reviewed by Nancy Moore Jane V reviewed by Kathleen Alcala reviewed by Karen Burnham

Returning, by Susana Vallejo reviewed by Roberts Erin ol Heroine’s Journey by Sarah Kuhn reviewed by Arley Sorg by Deborah Davitt L. . 8N The Hearth Spaceship inthe The by Lesley Wheeler

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million…. She moved her hand and the the and hand her moved She million…. ready known and accepted it when she she when it accepted and known ready

- ver ruby, glimmers, reddish threw they - al had She travel. space of part was that

and Stacy and all her friends. Because Because friends. her all and Stacy and the particles faced either of the two stars stars two the of either faced particles the

ready be dead. And Sara and her mother mother her and Sara And dead. be ready The dust floated around and when when and around floated dust The

- al would Toni and return would She She suddenly stopped and turned back. turned and stopped suddenly She

if they’d been swallowed by a new road. new a by swallowed been they’d if flecting the reddish light of the two suns. two the of light reddish the flecting

stream and the elms were still there, or or there, still were elms the and stream - re her, behind meters of hundreds for

out knowing whether in her village the the village her in whether knowing out dusty sea, and a curtain of fine sand rose rose sand fine of curtain a and sea, dusty

- With ship. same that on Earth green to The wheels left a track on the dry, dry, the on track a left wheels The

by the explosion. And she would return return would she And explosion. the by a last pass through. pass last a

a new module to repair the one destroyed destroyed one the repair to module new a of it and then got into the vehicle to take take to vehicle the into got then and it of

new equipment, provisions, maybe even even maybe provisions, equipment, new planet. She put on her spacesuit on top top on spacesuit her on put She planet.

Her replacement would bring with them them with bring would replacement Her had become the only green thing on this this on thing green only the become had

world. Just as she had been years before. before. years been had she as Just world. minded her of the green of her field and and field her of green the of her minded

planet, to investigate, to devour a new new a devour to investigate, to planet,

- re it but tight, too was it Now nights.

women, eager to learn, to explore the the explore to learn, to eager women,

The one that warmed her on cold, lonely lonely cold, on her warmed that one The

the ship: a handful of young men or or men young of handful a ship: the

green one she had brought from earth. earth. from brought had she one green

And her replacement would arrive with with arrive would replacement her And

underwear and the old knit sweater, the the sweater, knit old the and underwear

still had room to store something more. more. something store to room had still

millionth time. She put on her worn worn her on put She time. millionth

metallic box would return, the case that that case the return, would box metallic

washed with water being reused for the the for reused being water with washed

worth moving them. Only she and that that and she Only them. moving worth

smelled of anything. She undressed and and undressed She anything. of smelled

They weighed too much, and it wasn’t wasn’t it and much, too weighed They

thousands of times. Air that no longer longer no that Air times. of thousands

The computers would remain behind. behind. remain would computers The

ful of rancid air that had been recycled recycled been had that air rancid of ful

memory stored within the package itself. itself. package the within stored memory

- mouth a in breathed and sighed She

formation about each was found in the the in found was each about formation 1

minerals and samples. samples. and minerals

- in The chip. own their with box little

i waiting for them. Alone. Gathering her her Gathering Alone. them. for waiting

of them perfectly labeled in their own own their in labeled perfectly them of

communicate to tell them she was still still was she them tell to communicate

She finished packing the samples. All All samples. the packing finished She

the explosion. And she’d managed to to managed she’d And explosion. the

it made her tremble. her made it

how one counted. Only she had survived survived had she Only counted. one how

ing the green. God, just thinking about about thinking just God, green. the ing

one hundred thirty four, depending on on depending four, thirty hundred one

- cross movement, in water Crystalline

her turn. They’d retire her at fifty two–or two–or fifty at her retire They’d turn. her

stream. Water. stream.

and his one-track discourses. Now it was was it Now discourses. one-track his and

and, beyond them, right there, was the the was there, right them, beyond and,

for fuel. The young cadets laughed at him him at laughed cadets young The fuel. for window one could see a string of elms elms of string a see could one window

the times when vehicles used petroleum petroleum used vehicles when times the the village still exist? From the kitchen kitchen the From exist? still village the

battles, of talking about his planet and of of and planet his about talking of battles, hundreds of greens. Would the house in in house the Would greens. of hundreds

ture man who never stopped recounting recounting stopped never who man ture the house in the village surrounded by by surrounded village the in house the

with O’Brian. She remembered that ma that remembered She O’Brian. with - green. Green fields and green hills. In In hills. green and fields Green green.

they’d retire her. Just like they’d done done they’d like Just her. retire they’d She would return to live within the the within live to return would She

main on the Base for a while and then then and while a for Base the on main strawberry, or a muffin. a or strawberry,

She would return to Earth and re and Earth to return would She - a roast chicken, of smoked salmon, of a a of salmon, smoked of chicken, roast a

of humanity? of of the brain. Hidden beside the smell of of smell the beside Hidden brain. the of

better to contribute to the development development the to contribute to better remained, hidden in some dark corner corner dark some in hidden remained,

than science and research? Something Something research? and science than Scents were forgotten. Or rather, they they rather, Or forgotten. were Scents

xenominerals. Was there anything better better anything there Was xenominerals. like? She could no longer remember. remember. longer no could She like?

What the hell did rotting algae smell smell algae rotting did hell the What contribute to progress with her studies of of studies her with progress to contribute

eucalyptus, of the sea, of rotting algae.… algae.… rotting of sea, the of eucalyptus, technologies, discoveries… And she’d she’d And discoveries… technologies,

Earth; breathe air that smelled of pine, of of pine, of smelled that air breathe Earth; in exchange she’d greet the future: new new future: the greet she’d exchange in

After so long, she could return to to return could she long, so After et. She already knew what she’d lose, but but lose, she’d what knew already She et.

y Susana Vallejo (translated by Lawrence Schimel) Lawrence by (translated Vallejo Susana y b

Returning y Returning She leaped down from the vehicle. It smelled dry, of pyrite and graphite (cont. from p. 1) When she touched the ground, new and needles. Of flan and sugar. Of sand- clouds of dust joined the dance and paper and sawdust. Of red iron. shone in yellowish and golden tones. The air caressed her skin with the She looked toward the gentle hills same gentleness as a lover, that gentle- of the horizon and examined the rocks ness she’d almost forgotten. It was warm sculpted by the wind over millennia into and heavy. It was pinkish and metallic. whimsical shapes. She knew each and It caressed her and penetrated through every one of them and had given them each of her pores. Slowly. Hot. Dry. names. Their twin shadows danced on She breathed deeply. Dust, golden the dusty ground beside her own. and red. That was her favorite place. The land- The air burned and it tasted of blood. scape for 360 degrees showed nothing She began to cry and didn’t know if human. Just the dry sea, the gentle hills, this were because her body was trying and the whimsical rock formations. The to defend itself or from the pain of the glimmers, the infinite reds and yellows loss. And she thought of the green fields and oranges. With the first sunset, the and the hills. And of the elms and the sky would begin to burn and would trans- creek and the flowing water, in move- form into a palate of purples and violets. ment, like her thoughts, which whirled What would the air of her planet outside of her grasp. There was a gap still smell like? How would that breeze feel in the suitcase, and she hadn’t packed her on her skin? green sweater. Green like her red Earth. She pressed the decompression button Always green. on her suit. And she removed her helmet. She breathed deep of the gilded air. H 2 Susana Vallejo is an award-winning Spanish author of science fiction and young adult stories. Her novels include El Espíritu Del Último Verano, Switch in the Red, and the Porta Coeli series. Among her numerous accolades, she's Lawrence Schimel is a bilingual won the Edebé prize and the Ictineu (Spanish/English) author and (multiple times), and has been a finalist literary translator based in Madrid. for the Premio Minotauro and the His translations of previous stories Premio Jaén de Alfaguara. Born in by Susana Vallejo have appeared in Madrid, she lives in Barcelona. Strange Horizons and Persistent Visions. Recent genre book translations include Monteverde: Memoirs of an Interstellar Linguist by Spanish writer Lola Robles, Memory by Argentine writer Teresa P.

Mira de Echeverría, and The Wild Book

by Mexican writer Juan Villoro. n

n

Cont. on p. 4 p. on Cont.

under the jungle’s boughs before, must serve. must before, boughs jungle’s the under

passed lives whose those like we, now And life.

human sup who predators, perfect

they’re deer, We’re sacrifices. further

servants, or perhaps or servants,

drives them. They will find us, make us make us, find will They them. drives

Blood-scent wilds. urban stalking jaguars

are they for fruitless, and vain Effort

Flee the gods’ hunger? gods’ the Flee

names. their exalting earth, black in Blood hiding her secrets. her hiding

sleep. long their from woke we gods the please to define her yet again yet her define to —

to strange, and new incense cordite, of Smell others defying

litter the ground here. ground the litter pierces the abyss, the pierces

shells brass it, from wake we when And blood. gaze her ice, and salt of

old like up, us fills Madness peoples. eyes blind shining With

ancient of wisdom the us, for Not

she still rules them all. them rules still she 3

that cannot be borne. be cannot that family, fragmented their of

i

truths speaks she as heard be scarce can voice part no stranger, A

broken her and eyes, her cloud Secrets

dance around their queen. their around dance

ears? her in whispered gods old have What

asteroids plane, ecliptic’s

reborn and renewed. and reborn the around Girdled

she’s aid, our for out crying Gasping,

Ceres realm. spirit the to gateway well, obsidian

surface, mirror-like breach hands Copper

world, though the pain wracks. pain the though world,

unquietly. busy this into again born be and must,

another one haunting she vast, silence and stillness into Passing

ghosts, their are we cannot? others what perceive she can Dying,

their relics, their burial grounds; burial their relics, their

But can she hear them? hear she can But battles, lost their are We

fitting sacrifice, but now shattered, torn, rent. torn, shattered, now but sacrifice, fitting

of ancestors ten thousand years gone. years thousand ten ancestors of

breaks the surface, body so clean and perfect, and clean so body surface, the breaks

remains mortal the

Down into the depths like a star she falls now, falls she star a like depths the into Down

contains us of Each

rattling. hear can’t we that

gods, and thus heed them. heed thus and gods,

chains ephemeral

touch we them, through and darkness, in dream Waters

our ancestors our —

patiently to be fed with flesh and soul’s breath. soul’s and flesh with fed be to patiently

to us connecting lines

waits and ready, open, gapes that maw Earthen

circles drawn into spirals by time; by spirals into drawn circles

(Sapphic verse) (Sapphic Phantom helixes dance, helixes Phantom

Reborn in Blood in Reborn Haunted

Davitt L. Deborah by Poems y Poems by Deborah L, Davitt Contemplation (cont. from p. 3) This convent once was a pressure cooker — The Barn-Raising repressed passion, denial, faith; where girls went when unwanted — Directing robotic graders to dig when they felt out of place through the crust to sink the foundation; in a world of marriage — red fines rise milky-pink on faint wind, where widows went, like tinted talcum powder. when they could face no more. Raising walls, printed from green plastic, And somewhere lead sandwiched inside against radiation. between pain and faith, Heavy machines leave tracks like sorrow and surcease, angry caterpillars around the nascent building. desire and denial, It still takes human hands to hang the doors, some found a balance seal them hermetically against with which they could live, the thin and frozen atmosphere; contentment in their vows, human hands to lay the floorboards, poverty, plain living, set the wallboard. contemplation of their god — sometimes finding him in their Outside a borer digs deep into sisters, or in the joy regolith, striking an unexpected aquifer, of giving to others. sending water up in a white geyser against the red sky — Others never found that balance, half to freeze, half to sublime away. found what was denied more savory for the denying, At length, a trailer backs up H found in themselves to the airlock, and suited figures deliquescent delight, 4 smooth seals into place, distilling dew from fervor — as three frightened cows found a god in each other, and two young calves, whom they contemplated in enter their new home, complex configurations straw, grown in greenhouses, and rituals in the dark. scattered on the floor to disguise strange smells. But the convent’s been closed — years ago, the nuns were all turned out, Gloved hands clasp, then clap shoulders — young and old, faithful or not. voices on the radio exchange offers of beer. And now this middle-aged woman And around the side of the building, lives in an invalid’s house, a figure stops with a can of white paint, only wearing her habit when she to trace out the twelve-pointed compass rose drives the old woman’s car of a hex-sign familiar to her ancestors. to fetch her groceries. She’s bought herself a big-screen TV, which takes up half the wall Deborah L. Davitt was raised in Reno, Nevada, but received her MA in English of her comfortable room — from Penn State. She currently lives in reassures herself that even Houston, Texas with her husband and the poorest families have one; son. Her poetry has received Rhysling and she’s still living in poverty Pushcart nominations and appeared in chastity, and service, after all, over twenty journals; her short fiction has as she turns the channel appeared in InterGalactic Medicine Show, to Cinemax, so that she can Compelling Science Fiction, Grievous Angel, contemplate her new god

and The Fantasist. For more about her in banal bliss. work, please see www.edda-earth.com.

n

n

head tied up in red, to stop the future burning through. burning future the stop to red, in up tied head Cont. on p. 6 p. on Cont.

been, she’d child the haunt to Returned them. acquired she

say Some books. in engraved name your get not may they

though better, powers, other are There revolt. in

hurtle and heat and rise to stones the persuade

itself, land with negotiate could who Maria, Like her. mislaid

chronicles and down, pranced steps, velvet red those

Unfolded neighbors. by envied carriage fancy the of out

young married who anyhow, Ellen, than longer lasted She

Girl with a scar on her head, and what a mouth. a what and head, her on scar a with Girl

died. and way the on fell she say Some Alabama. to

sale the conjured, they spell Clever electricity. her

short to supposed Mississippi, the of green muddy The

sea. the Not water. across Maria sent they peace, For

and guilty medicines. In the closet, a skeleton. Whose? skeleton. a closet, the In medicines. guilty and

books of rows his room, upstairs fireless his to retreated

doctor The ankles. bite to hearth the from jumped Embers

the field hands’ tools. Bottles of madeira danced. danced. madeira of Bottles tools. hands’ field the

or missing, going from food stopped Nobody

Nothing worked. Her hands as soft as pudding. as soft as hands Her worked. Nothing

work. didn’t It presence. unholy an off beat to

Miz Steele clutched her in whispering skirts and flailed flailed and skirts whispering in her clutched Steele Miz

hands, invisible by slapped pins, with pricked being of

howled Maria When persistence. dumb her in dear Almost

kept visiting even when rock cut her scalp to the bone. the to scalp her cut rock when even visiting kept

5

Steele, Miz sister, His him. pummeled earth-clods

i

door, the out peered McChesney Dr. If ventriloquy.

likes Mischief gossiped. county whole the Now

from nowhere. Mr. Steele commanded her back home. back her commanded Steele Mr. nowhere. from

stones by smashed glass cupboard parlor, the in

sudden, a of sticks, like up piled furnishings showed

peek A house. their in clatter a toward stared they as

her, to backs their lawn, the starring stirred, already

Steeles the found She witchery. of wailing charged, and

twitched Then rise. final the till trees, Judas the to come

bloom see almost could she slow so miles the strolled She

the McChesneys sent Maria to nearby cousins. nearby to Maria sent McChesneys the

Bewildered, family. the cowed grass, blackened

as fists, scorching hot. They volleyed against the roof, roof, the against volleyed They hot. scorching fists, as

sharp fall, to began rocks charred later, weeks few A

Nobody’s here, she thought, and soon you’ll know it. know you’ll soon and thought, she here, Nobody’s

from the fragrance bread makes when you break it. break you when makes bread fragrance the from

away stepped her, on eye chilly a cast Maria Free.

biscuit. a as freckled but old years eight Also Mean.

table. the under Maria pinched and giggled Ellen

daughter His ham. of slash glistening a to himself

helping chided, McChesney Dr. Maria, you, chasing

Nobody’s . up tied head her with woman old the of

crying yard, frosted the in quick feet brown bare

She careened from kitchen house to dining room, dining to house kitchen from careened She

Wheeler Lesley

Brownsburg, Virginia, 1825 Virginia, Brownsburg,

by Poems y

Spirits Racketing Poems by Lesley Wheeler (cont. from p. 5) Hairy On the Inside At four in the morning he speaks in his sleep, two words creaking with dream and wind: knock, knock. I hold my breath and do not reply. Who knows what walks into us when the doors swing open? Every muscle stops clenching against the weather, minds stop rehearsing their dreary scripts, and some breeze is free to worry the knob, ease it slowly round, and whirl through throat’s corridor. Is it playing? Does it want something? Best to pretend, I decide in the dark, I’m dead to the world, or not so much the world as what haunts the apparently unconscious scenery. I pluck at the single hair that keeps bristling from my chin. Is it wolf or hurricane? Is my house H straw, or twig, or brick? 6 Bad Dragon

To have or be a hinge is arduous. You wash your hair in the river & some stranger offers to hold the baby, but no one wants to hold the baby for as long as the baby wants to be held. Bad baby keeps getting heavier, yet if the stranger drops that aching weight & tries to hop it, you bite off his head. / Meanwhile, at the seam, scales chafe the skin of your human neck because it’s not all party, party, being a chimera, being caught in the middle of change. Fire surges up your throat at inconvenient hours & smoking makes you jangly. / The hero stalks up in a nervous handsome sweat & you say, oh god just kill me now, this lava tube cave stinks of money & rage. He is disarmed, almost charmed, & you bite off his head. / Maybe there’s a way to come back from this. Shed serpent skin, that crinkly shadow, ghost of mother-worry. Outgrow a drive to light up the sky. / The reptile in you wants to want to doze golden-lidded over a hoard of want,

to stretch her claws & unscroll wings through which

blood writes one arterial phrase. / It is arduous. n

n

University in Virginia. in University

org and teaches at Washington and Lee Lee and Washington at teaches and org

She blogs about poetry at lesleywheeler. at poetry about blogs She

, and other journals. journals. other and , Poetry Wristlet, Rosebud

Churchill’s Lady Review, Orchard Crab in

. Her poems and essays appear appear essays and poems Her . Propagation

well as the speculative poetry chapbook chapbook poetry speculative the as well

, as as , Tales Other and Receptionist The and

Radiolandand including collections, poetry

Lesley Wheeler is the author of four four of author the is Wheeler Lesley

12. I Wonder If You Can Hear It Too Too It Hear Can You If Wonder I 12.

Sound Humming a of Kind Makes It 11.

Abyss 10.

Peepers Spring With Knows, Who Sex, Rabbit or Cry, Death Rabbit’s 9.

Constitution the Masticating President 8.

Foundation Reality’s at Gnawing Termites 7.

Wolves Repressing Forest 6.

House Gingerbread Around Carelessly Laughing People Young 5.

7 Robes Own Over Tripping Reaper Grim 4.

It Swallow Just to Night All Trying Toilet 3. i

Vomiting Dog Black 2.

Deflating Confidence 1.

White Noise Machine Now With Twelve Settings! Settings! Twelve With Now Machine Noise White

never exhaust its fuel. In her mouth swell eggs of fire. of eggs swell mouth her In fuel. its exhaust never

underway. In her gut, gouts of foul smoke swirl from a secret blaze that will will that blaze secret a from swirl smoke foul of gouts gut, her In underway.

She returns to fur slippers and her tapestried chamber, but a red change is is change red a but chamber, tapestried her and slippers fur to returns She

As she works out what’s wrong with that story, her hair grows long again. again. long grows hair her story, that with wrong what’s out works she As

all the power in this world. this in power the all

do? Stepmothers have have Stepmothers do? they can what shrug, they all, after but mead, of flagons

her heart in a box. She asks her friends for succor and they commiserate over over commiserate they and succor for friends her asks She box. a in heart her

never noticed her kidnapping by a witch, her drudgery among the cinders, cinders, the among drudgery her witch, a by kidnapping her noticed never

an orphan. Her father sputters that he adored her, but somehow he he somehow but her, adored he that sputters father Her orphan. an really was

into the faintest scribble of scars, she realizes she is pissed off. It’s not like she she like not It’s off. pissed is she realizes she scars, of scribble faintest the into

Long after her confinement in the tower, when the briar scratches have healed healed have scratches briar the when tower, the in confinement her after Long Where Dragons Come From Come Dragons Where y The Hearth in the Spaceship “The Shobies’ Story” by Ursula K. Le Guin is available in The Real and the Unreal: The Selected Short Stories of Ursula K. Le Guin, Saga Press, 2017, 752 pp., $19.99 (reprinted from its original appearance in A Fisherman of the Inland Sea). reviewed by Julie Phillips

This summer I went to a gathering of Hainishwoman in her late fifties named …as I think about Ursula Le Guin’s wonderful extended Sweet Today, has a role that “might be ­Ursula’s life, and about family to ask them about Ursula — and called supervising or overseeing if that how to write it, and how also about themselves, because they are didn’t suggest a hierarchic function. In- to look for the truth of a family very conscious of their shared terseeing, maybe, or subvising.” it, I keep coming back to her novelette “The history and traditions. One of the ques- Lidi is the gruff, 72-year-old Terran Shobies’ Story.” tions they had for me, as her biographer, navigator. The “affective focus of the was: How do you know, when you’re in- crew, the ‘hearth’ of it” is formed by four terviewing people, if a story they tell you Gethenians, Karth and Oreth and their is true? children Asten and Rig, who are six and I answered with a long, technical dis- four. (This gave Le Guin a chance to do cussion of consulting written documents what she had not done in The Left Hand and comparing with other people’s ver- of Darkness, imagine a home life for the sions. But truth, as Ursula once wrote, genderless Gethenians, a few years before is also “a matter of the imagination,” a she wrote “Coming of Age in Karhide.”) question not just of what is said but of Three more Terrans, Shan, Tai, and Tai’s how you tell the story. And as I think 11-year-old son Betton, complete their about Ursula’s life, and about how to number along with a young Anarresti H write it, and how to look for the truth of physicist, Gveter. it, I keep coming back to her novelette It falls to Gveter to explain the prin- 8 “The Shobies’ Story.” ciples of the technology they have come It was published in 1990, when Ursula together to test: instantaneous travel was just starting to come back to science from one place to another, transilience, fiction. She had stopped writing sf for a or in Anarresti terms, churtening. It is while, partly to go in other directions, not an easy concept for the crew to grasp, partly because she felt she “couldn’t con- and they discuss it at length. tinue my hero-tale until I had, as wom- Don’t call it the churten “drive,” it an and artist, wrestled with the angels of isn’t a drive, don’t call it the chur- the feminist consciousness.” “Shobies” is ten “effect,” it isn’t an effect. What a hero-tale in a way, an account of an is it, then? A long lecture ensued, adventurous space voyage, but from beginning with the rebirth of Ce- the start it isn’t quite what you might tian physics since the revision of expect. For one thing, the spaceship is Shevekian temporalism by the not called Enterprise, or Endurance, or Intervalists, and ending with the Endeavour, but simply Shoby, crewed by general conceptual framework of ten humans who call themselves by its the churten. Everyone listened unassuming name. very carefully, and finally Sweet For another, the crew have no uniforms, Today spoke, carefully. “So the ship no captain, no rank. They are drawn from will be moved,” she said, “by ideas?” several of Le Guin’s worlds — Terra, An- arres, Gethen, and Hain — and include “No, no, no, no,” said Gveter. […] two families with small children. At His accent did not make his ex- the start of the book the Shobies come planations any clearer. He went Grandmother Magma together on Hain to build the consen- on about coherence and meta-

sus they will need to operate the ship. intervals, and at last demanded,

The most tactful of them, an imposing, with gestures of despair, “Khow n

n

ity that the first cultural object was used used was object cultural first the that ity proper characters in a science fiction fiction science a in characters proper

Cont. on p. 10 p. on Cont.

- possibil the evolution, of theory hunter” ented. At first they try to behave like like behave to try they first At ented.

that suggested, instead of the “man the the “man the of instead suggested, that - disori become crew The working. stop

fiction story. fiction

It included a book by Elizabeth Fisher Fisher Elizabeth by book a included It

strikes. The navigational instruments instruments navigational The strikes. you expect from a science science a from expect you

pology and other scientific disciplines. disciplines. scientific other and pology planet called M-60-340-nolo, disaster disaster M-60-340-nolo, called planet the banister. It’s not what what not It’s banister. the

- anthro included reading feminist Her nation, a brown lump of an uninhabited uninhabited an of lump brown a nation, while their kids slide down down slide kids their while

Shobies’ Story.” Shobies’ workings make no sense sense no make workings - churtens to its desti its to churtens Shoby when But

crew testing a drive whose whose drive a testing crew life, was published the same year as “The “The as year same the published was life, into a cloying emotional closeness. closeness. emotional cloying a into

randomly assorted space space assorted randomly

of view of a woman formed by her family family her by formed woman a of view of on a family visit with your parents, forced forced parents, your with visit family a on

a mess. Here we have a a have we Here mess. a

fantasy world of Earthsea from the point point the from Earthsea of world fantasy

make you feel like you’re a teenager stuck stuck teenager a you’re like feel you make

first glance, the result is is result the glance, first

which looked at the the at looked which Tehanu, novel Her embarrassing. Reading the first half can can half first the Reading embarrassing.

spaceship will hold. At At hold. will spaceship

was by bringing families into her fiction. fiction. her into families bringing by was there are too many feelings involved; it’s it’s involved; feelings many too are there

this carrier bag of a a of bag carrier this

to write from a feminist consciousness consciousness feminist a from write to

tion story. There is too much compromise, compromise, much too is There story. tion in how much real life life real much how in

nephews. One way in which she sought sought she which in way One nephews. - fic science a from expect you what not It’s partly an experiment experiment an partly

was aunt to a close-knit clan of nieces and and nieces of clan close-knit a to aunt was while their kids slide down the banister. banister. the down slide kids their while “The Shobies’ Story” is is Story” Shobies’ “The

she had grown up in a close family and and family close a in up grown had she a drive whose workings make no sense sense no make workings whose drive a

husband, she had raised three children, children, three raised had she husband, a randomly assorted space crew testing testing crew space assorted randomly a

of a family: she shared a house with her her with house a shared she family: a of glance, the result is a mess. Here we have have we Here mess. a is result the glance,

isolated, solitary. And yet she lived as part part as lived she yet And solitary. isolated, rier bag of a spaceship will hold. At first first At hold. will spaceship a of bag rier

Her main characters had often been male, male, been often had characters main Her - car this life real much how in periment

to change the kinds of stories she wrote. wrote. she stories of kinds the change to - ex an partly is Story” Shobies’ “The

regender her protagonists; she wanted wanted she protagonists; her regender strange reality.” strange

tive, Le Guin didn’t feel she could just just could she feel didn’t Guin Le tive, “It is a strange realism, but it is a a is it but realism, strange a is “It

- perspec feminist a from sf writing In alistic one. alistic

not a gatherer? a not

Theory of Literature.” of Theory

- re a than genre mythological a less fact a novelist be a hunter and and hunter a be novelist a

just before this story: “The Carrier Bag Bag Carrier “The story: this before just 9 Promethean or apocalyptic at all, and in in and all, at apocalyptic or Promethean dealing arrow? Why should should Why arrow? dealing

helps to look at an essay she published published she essay an at look to helps

less rigid, narrow field, not necessarily necessarily not field, narrow rigid, less on the flight of a death- a of flight the on

i

derstand where Le Guin is taking us, it it us, taking is Guin Le where derstand “narrative arc” be based based be arc” “narrative “that science fiction can be seen as a far far a as seen be can fiction science “that

So why should the the should why So - un To story. a voyage their family, a One side effect, she thought, would be be would thought, she effect, side One

The ship is a house, the crew crew the house, a is ship The bedtime. bag rather than weapon of domination”? domination”? of weapon than rather bag

night in Ve Port, sit telling stories before before stories telling sit Port, Ve in night ogy, too, “as primarily cultural carrier carrier cultural primarily “as too, ogy,

in front of which the crew, on their last last their on crew, the which of front in - technol redefine you if what And

the library.” In the library is a fireplace, fireplace, a is library the In library.” the novel was easy?” easy?” was novel

ter, leading from the reception hall up to to up hall reception the from leading ter, she wrote, but “Who ever said writing a a writing said ever “Who but wrote, she

- banis curving a with staircase “stately of collecting seeds? It might be hard, hard, be might It seeds? collecting of

shabby living rooms and bedrooms,” a a bedrooms,” and rooms living shabby us.” Can you make an exciting tale out out tale exciting an make you Can us.”

high-ceilinged, well-furnished, slightly slightly well-furnished, high-ceilinged, ful relationship to one another and to to and another one to relationship ful

comfortable house.” It has “spacious, “spacious, has It house.” comfortable - power particular, a in things holding

and furnished it like a very large, very very large, very a like it furnished and meanings. A novel is a medicine bundle, bundle, medicine a is novel A meanings.

in rather than endured, had arranged arranged had endured, than rather in words. Words hold things. They bear bear They things. hold Words words.

“feeling that it might as well be lived lived be well as might it that “feeling be that of a sack, a bag. A book holds holds book A bag. a sack, a of that be

crews, crews, previous ’s Shoby the that plains proper, fitting shape of the novel might might novel the of shape fitting proper,

- ex She ship. the of design the with fun would go so far as to say that the natural, natural, the that say to as far so go would

he has even more more even has he S switch.” on-off an of and not a gatherer? Le Guin wrote, “I “I wrote, Guin Le gatherer? a not and

controls of which consisted essentially essentially consisted which of controls row? Why should a novelist be a hunter hunter a be novelist a should Why row?

with the churten equipment itself, “the “the itself, equipment churten the with based on the flight of a death-dealing ar death-dealing a of flight the on based -

ing up fake physics, as she does later later does she as physics, fake up ing stories she wrote. wrote. she stories So why should the “narrative arc” be be arc” “narrative the should why So

to change the kinds of of kinds the change to Le Guin is having a good time mak time good a having is Guin Le - a box a container. A holder, a recipient.” recipient.” a holder, A container. a box a

protagonists; she wanted wanted she protagonists;

a net a bag a sling a sack a bottle a pot pot a bottle a sack a sling a bag a net a

khole point!” khole

could just regender her her regender just could

Le Guin’s words, “a leaf a gourd a shell shell a gourd a leaf “a words, Guin’s Le must discard entirely, this is the the is this entirely, discard must

Le Guin didn’t feel she she feel didn’t Guin Le

point, but something less permanent: in in permanent: less something but point, these are the categories our minds minds our categories the are these

feminist perspective, perspective, feminist

- spear a or ax, an arrowhead, a not was

not physical, it is not not physical, physical, not not is it physical, not In writing sf from a a from sf writing In

not to kill food but to carry it. Maybe it it Maybe it. carry to but food kill to not can I say it in Khainish? No! It is is It No! Khainish? in it say I can The Hearth in the story, sending down the lander, taking agree on where you’re going, you’re in Spaceship samples. But before long they can’t get trouble: you’re lost if you can’t get your (cont. from p. 9) their stories straight. They can’t agree stories straight. on whether there is a planet. They’re not The hearth has a special meaning in sure there’s a ship, either, to keep out the Ursula’s thinking about narrative. She dark between the suns. grew up at a house in the Napa Valley I think “The Shobies’ Gveter […] found a word then, with a firepit. Summer nights are chilly Story” is about writing in California. Together her family sat and the risks of it, the wrong word. “Lost,” he said, around the fire with their backs to the how you lose your way and speaking perceived how the sometimes and don’t ship’s lights dimmed slowly into a cold while her father told ghost stories know how to go forward. brownish murk, faded, darkened, and her Aunt Betsy told pioneer tales. I think it is also a story were gone, while all the soft hum Stories keep the cold night out. Stories about coming back from and busyness of the ship’s systems are a gift that the teller gives to others. depression, grief, and died away into the real silence The teller’s story helps listeners see each trauma, and how it has to that was always there. But there other and themselves. do with telling your own was nothing there. Nothing had Around the fire in the ship’s library story, and being heard. happened. We are at Ve Port! he the Shobies begin to speak: tried with all his will to say; but Tai gestured at the cave of fire- there was no saying. light around them and the dark beyond it. “Where are we? Are we The suns burn through my flesh, here? Where is here? What’s the Lidi said. story?” I am the suns, said Sweet Today. Not I, all is. “We have to tell it,” Sweet Today said. “Recount it. Relate it. […] Don’t breathe! cried Oreth. Asten, how does a story begin?” H It is death, Shan said. What I feared, is: nothing. “A thousand winters ago, a thou- sand miles away,” the child said; 10 Nothing, they said. and Shan murmured, “Once upon Then a voice in the nothingness says, a time…” “Listen!” Another voice says, “We’re One by one they tell what happened, here, at the hearth.” Oreth lays a fire. As their hopes, their desires, how they jour- Karth lights it they say together, softly, neyed, hazarding all, “because nothing in Karhidish, “Praise also the light, and works except what we give our souls to, creation unfinished.” nothing’s safe except what we put at risk.” They were nowhere, but they were And gradually as they speak the ship nowhere together; the ship was comes to life around them, until at last dead, but they were in the ship. A one of the Shobies completes the story: dead ship cools off fairly quickly, “They got lost. But they found the way.” but not immediately. Close the So what is it? What’s the story? One doors, come in by the fire; keep thing Le Guin said about “The Shobies’ the cold night out, before we go Story” is that it’s about writing work- to bed. shops, in which a group comes together “The Shobies’ Story” is a metafiction, to make writing a collective project. I a story about storytelling, and about sci- think “The Shobies’ Story” is about writ- “The Shobies’ Story” is a ence fiction. How do you travel across ing and the risks of it, how you lose your metafiction, a story about way sometimes and don’t know how to storytelling, and about light years in no time? By reading a science fiction. book. If you write a book you can bring go forward. I think it is also a story about more readers with you. If more people coming back from depression, grief, and write about those distances you have a trauma, and how it has to do with telling genre, a set of tools for telling stories: your own story, and being heard.

you have a ship, a crew, an association of I think about the family, and what

worlds to get you there. But if you can’t they told me, that their shared memo- n

n

LanSandstonedbridge

B. Sheldon. B.

Jr.: The Double Life of Alice Alice of Life Double The Jr.:

James Tiptree, Tiptree, James of author

and is the the is and 4Columns for

and mothering. She writes writes She mothering. and 11

on a book about writing writing about book a on

i

Le Guin and is working working is and Guin Le

the biography of Ursula K. K. Ursula of biography the correspondents, collaborators, parents, parents, collaborators, correspondents,

Julie Phillips is researching researching is Phillips Julie of that person’s friends, enemies, lovers, lovers, enemies, friends, person’s that of

and sets that story among all the stories stories the all among story that sets and happened: “Well, it’s quite a story….” a quite it’s “Well, happened:

people together to tell one person’s story, story, person’s one tell to together people back to Ve Port and try to explain what what explain to try and Port Ve to back

biography is full of voices. It brings many many brings It voices. of full is biography As the Shobies say, after they churten churten they after say, Shobies the As

What makes it easier is the way that a a that way the is easier it makes What real and “a matter of the imagination.” imagination.” the of matter “a and real

more than one version of the story. story. the of version one than more tributes to a collective truth that is both both is that truth collective a to tributes

has to be a net large enough to admit admit to enough large net a be to has - con story person’s each which in telling,

Shoby a ship, a great writers especially, and the narrative narrative the and especially, writers great ­ story of act collective a ,

Together.” Biographical truth is a sack, sack, a is truth Biographical Together.” cause people are full of contradictions, contradictions, of full are people cause

we remember Ursula Kroeber Le Guin? Guin? Le Kroeber Ursula remember we truth of biography is often plural, be plural, often is biography of truth -

and tributes for Ursula, “How should should “How Ursula, for tributes and many, often contradictory selves. The The selves. contradictory often many,

this year, among all the remembrances remembrances the all among year, this that has to contain a lot of tangents and and tangents of lot a contain to has that

the story. story. the

in memory. As Nisi Shawl wrote earlier earlier wrote Shawl Nisi As memory. in in time but doubles back on itself, and and itself, on back doubles but time in

more than one version of of version one than more

into a carrier bag, to carry her back to us us to back her carry to bag, carrier a into shapeless narrative that moves forward forward moves that narrative shapeless

large enough to admit admit to enough large

but of gathering all the different stories stories different the all gathering of but definitely a carrier bag. It has a baggy, baggy, a has It bag. carrier a definitely narrative has to be a net net a be to has narrative

matter of cross-checking the records, records, the cross-checking of matter given to do. As genres go, biography is is biography go, genres As do. to given writers especially, and the the and especially, writers

The truth about Ursula is not just a a just not is Ursula about truth The And I think about the work I’ve been been I’ve work the about think I And contradictions, great great contradictions,

a child feel heard. feel child a a shared future. shared a people are full of of full are people

is often plural, because because plural, often is son with a gift for listening and making making and listening for gift a with son brary that brings a family forward into into forward family a brings that —

The truth of biography biography of truth The Ursula not only as a storyteller but a per a but storyteller a as only not Ursula - a spaceship with a staircase and a li a and staircase a with spaceship a -

can be woven into a carrier bag carrier a into woven be can ing. Her family remember Great-Aunt Great-Aunt remember family Her ing. or into into or —

inclusive in her thinking and in her writ her in and thinking her in inclusive histories, ancient the and in-jokes the -

other people, partly because she was so so was she because partly people, other knows, everyone stories The family. a as

Guin’s story is linked with that of a lot of of lot a of that with linked is story Guin’s together them kept what were up, kept

children, grand-nephews. Ursula Le Le Ursula grand-nephews. children, and honored they traditions the and ries, y Dust Lanes by Karen Burnham “Three Meetings of the Pregnant Man Support Group,” by James Beamon, Apex Magazine, June 2018, edited by Jason Sizemore. “The Athuran Interpreter’s Flight,” by Eleanna Castroianni, Strange Horizons, July 3, 2018, edited by Jane Crowley and Kate Dollarhyde. “The Steam-Powered Princess,” by Aimee Ogden, Augur (1.2), 2018, edited by Kerrie Seljak-Byrne.

Speculative fiction allows us to explore barnacle. Nick has his sister for support, Across the history of the hybrid beings in depth, be they human/ but his alien lover Seqanen is leaving to genre, hybrids have often alien, human/machine, human/animal, make a nest back on nir planet (Nick been played for horror…. animal/machine…any combination we will miss “the extra-tingly, mind-blow- However, hybrid beings can imagine. The question is, when writ- ing interspecies sex”). It becomes clear can also be the heroes, ing about these beings, how are they the ones who bridge gaps that the child growing within Nick can received and how do we receive them? no others can — and also respond through him to external stimuli suffer and reveal systems Across the history of the genre, hybrids and is already somewhat intelligent, so of abuse and oppression have often been played for horror (as in he sometimes feels like the other men in like no others. H. G. Wells’ Island of Dr. Moreau, 1896). his group, and his lover, are talking to the However, hybrid beings can also be the fetus inside him, not to him — and some- heroes, the ones who bridge gaps no times it’s the fetus responding back. others can — and also suffer and reveal Officially the men all “agreed” to this systems of abuse and oppression like condition when their alien partners no others. Who creates them, and why? “dreamcalled” to them, but in no sense Who helps them, and why? Summer of was that informed consent about what 2018 brought a selection of stories fea- H the process actually involved — this be- turing hybridity in various ways, and I’d comes especially apparent when Aaron’s 12 like to look at how it functions in each fetus makes him drink out of the toilet and where the authors direct our atten- and the other men sit with their uncom- tion and sympathy. Let me start with a story of discom- fortable memories. This control extends forting alien/human hybridity, “Three to making Nick say “No” even though Meetings of the Pregnant Man Support he wants to say “Yes” when his sister dis- Group” by James Beamon in June’s Apex. cusses a potential abortion. In this story, a support group meets Another story where hybridity plays weekly for men who are impregnated a critical role is “The Athuran Inter- by an alien species that has much more preter’s Flight” by Eleanna Castroianni advanced tech than humans have. The in Strange Horizons. Sam-Sa-Ee is a hu- men sit in public school seats designed man/alien/machine hybrid, the body of a for left-handers, since their pregnancy small “Earthian” girl with the brain of an distends their right sides. The gestation adult Athuran. With a computer/neu- lasts longer than human pregnancy: 15 rological interface, the idea is that she months total. We get a cross section translates anything she hears faithfully of experience: Aaron is just learning without retaining anything in her mem- the ropes at four months, the narrator ory. She serves her owner, the Envoy, an Nick is ten months in, Jamal is in his Earthian businessman who refers to her fourteenth month, and there are two as a doll — she can’t move on her own postpartum men. They discuss family and never grows. The potential for abuse alienation and job discrimination. The is rife, and her owner uses her for pur- aliens, the Sko’ickari, have been choos- poses other than just translation (there

Dust Lanes ing human males for mates; the process are over a dozen categories of content/

is compared to the parasitic relationship trigger warnings on this story, and let me

of the green shore crab and the Sacculina say here how much I appreciate venues n

n

to learn how to be at peace.” This older older This peace.” at be to how learn to nology feel free to treat their “inferiors” “inferiors” their treat to free feel nology

Cont. on p. 14 p. on Cont.

To the next knight she says: “I would like like would “I says: she knight next the To - tech superior the with Those volunteers.

happy so as not to hurt anyone’s feelings. feelings. anyone’s hurt to not as so happy interspecies educational efforts to recruit recruit to efforts educational interspecies

for her, and now she has to pretend to be be to pretend to has she now and her, for and certainly there is little in the way of of way the in little is there certainly and

apple from the Tree of Joy. It does little little does It Joy. of Tree the from apple treat Nick more like a pet than a person, person, a than pet a like more Nick treat

knight ventures off and brings her an an her brings and off ventures knight non-sapient beasts. Seqanen seems to to seems Seqanen beasts. non-sapient

“I would like to be happy.” A young young A happy.” be to like would “I the childbirth system has evolved using using evolved has system childbirth the

knights for quests. The first one she tells: tells: she one first The quests. for knights a thing. On the Sko’ickari home planet, planet, home Sko’ickari the On thing. a

her privilege as a princess, she summons summons she princess, a as privilege her into a person, one which treats them as as them treats which one person, a into

tion of marriage. Exercising some of of some Exercising marriage. of tion exist in opposition to a system distilled distilled system a to opposition in exist

- ques the to comes it when mean will In each story here, the POV characters characters POV the here, story each In

although she’s not quite sure what that that what sure quite not she’s although nonhuman construct). construct). nonhuman

a thing. thing. a

as the ones she reads about in books, books, in about reads she ones the as humane ways (despite being officially a officially being (despite ways humane

one which treats them as as them treats which one

very much to be a good princess, such such princess, good a be to much very for herself, power she uses in much more more much in uses she power herself, for

distilled into a person, person, a into distilled

touch without thick gloves. She wishes wishes She gloves. thick without touch throws her tormentor and takes power power takes and tormentor her throws

opposition to a system system a to opposition

a steam-powered one that no one can can one no that one steam-powered a - over survivor a where narrative ering

POV characters exist in in exist characters POV

Anathenia grows up a princess, although although princess, a up grows Anathenia

- empow an also but parents, her from In each story here, the the here, story each In

technomancer to create a baby for them. them. for baby a create to technomancer story where the child separates herself herself separates child the where story

infertile king and queen ask their court court their ask queen and king infertile this tale you can see the coming of age age of coming the see can you tale this

ular character in a fairytale setting. An An setting. fairytale a in character ular various points in their own journeys. In In journeys. own their in points various

- tit the on centers and issue numbered and helping others who come to her at at her to come who others helping and

second second Augur’s in features Princess” makes a life for herself, planting a garden garden a planting herself, for life a makes

. “The Steam-Powered Steam-Powered “The . Augur magazine self and her companion creations. She She creations. companion her and self

in the new Canadian speculative fiction fiction speculative Canadian new the in - her fixes she Slowly stories.” and songs

empowering came from Aimee Ogden Ogden Aimee from came empowering kind of bravery, and one little praised in in praised little one and bravery, of kind

Finally, another story I found quite quite found I story another Finally, to feel things, especially ugly things, is a a is things, ugly especially things, feel to

13

person inside her. her. inside person seized them. Allowing oneself the chance chance the oneself Allowing them. seized

i what she is and recognize the Athuran Athuran the recognize and is she what held her companions when terror or rage rage or terror when companions her held

local community. They have a word for for word a have They community. local she screamed and wept; sometimes she she sometimes wept; and screamed she

to begin healing with the the with healing begin to — is left behind left is and bravery for its own sake. Sometimes Sometimes sake. own its for bravery and

Envoy loses everything and Sam-Sa-Ee Sam-Sa-Ee and everything loses Envoy false happiness and false contentment contentment false and happiness false

Henon back out of the deal entirely. The The entirely. deal the of out back Henon the denouement “Anathenia cast aside aside cast “Anathenia denouement the

the Athurans in a way that makes the the makes that way a in Athurans the the other creations help her survive. In In survive. her help creations other the

small negation, the Envoy plays up to to up plays Envoy the negation, small While this might have been suicidal, suicidal, been have might this While

formation to her Envoy. Because of her her of Because Envoy. her to formation opportunity and kills the false knight. knight. false the kills and opportunity

- in certain reveal to not choose to able is Eventually she sees and seizes an an seizes and sees she Eventually

the Henon, and the Envoy, Sam-Sa-Ee Sam-Sa-Ee Envoy, the and Henon, the learned without any knights’ questing. questing. knights’ any without learned

ations between the Athuran community, community, Athuran the between ations songs of hope and patience, things she she things patience, and hope of songs

and stories.” and and she starts to dream. In direct negoti direct In dream. to starts she and - false knight. Anathenia sings (quiet) (quiet) sings Anathenia knight. false

one little praised in songs songs in praised little one

ber events from moment to moment, moment, to moment from events ber develop a language to plot around the the around plot to language a develop

is a kind of bravery, and and bravery, of kind a is

situation. Sam-Sa-Ee starts to remem to starts Sam-Sa-Ee situation. - she and the other half-created creatures creatures half-created other the and she

especially ugly things, things, ugly especially

ders the Henon into an uncomfortable uncomfortable an into Henon the ders other creatures he tries to create. Slowly Slowly create. to tries he creatures other

chance to feel things, things, feel to chance

relations disaster on his watch and or and watch his on disaster relations - her disassembled in his workshop with with workshop his in disassembled her

“Allowing oneself the the oneself “Allowing

The Envoy does not want a legal/public legal/public a want not does Envoy The determine her inner workings, keeping keeping workings, inner her determine

dealing with the matriarchal Athurans. Athurans. matriarchal the with dealing ducts her. He essentially dissects her to to her dissects essentially He her. ducts

bigotry, they have immense problems problems immense have they bigotry, as they’re outside the castle walls he ab he walls castle the outside they’re as -

officials, but, due to their own taboos/ own their to due but, officials, and she jumps at the chance, but as soon soon as but chance, the at jumps she and

tense. The Henon have bribed the local local the bribed have Henon The tense. offers her an opportunity for adventure, adventure, for opportunity an her offers

over a mining project, things become in become things project, mining a over - The grey-bearded knight who arrives arrives who knight grey-bearded The

business partners) and the local Athurans Athurans local the and partners) business would like to know how to be brave.” brave.” be to how know to like would

a dispute between the Henon (his alien alien (his Henon the between dispute a no impact. For her last quest she says “I “I says she quest last her For impact. no

When the Envoy gets embroiled in in embroiled gets Envoy the When the princess drinks it, but again it has has it again but it, drinks princess the

provide such warnings). warnings). such provide secret, guarded pool. After thanking her, her, thanking After pool. guarded secret,

and and Horizons Strange like that that Fireside knight brings her a vial of water from a a from water of vial a her brings knight Dust Lanes (in this case, human men) in abusive definition of who exactly qualifies as an (cont. from p. 13) ways. Flipping this around, Sam-Sa- underdog has been a significant battle Ee is a human/alien/machine slave in ground for the last decade or more, the the hands of the human male Envoy. characters in these three stories offer us While the Athuran brain was donated perspectives on our own humanity: the by an older female looking to provide choices we make, the situations we never her family with a better life, there’s no would have chosen, and potential paths mention that the body donor was medi- forward. I’m very happy to see paths of cally brain-dead or anything possibly healing making it onto the agenda along ethical. Instead, the Envoy mentions with the horror, rebellion, and revenge. that they’re melding Athuran brains with “what we’ve thrown away,” and he’s especially pleased to have his porcelain- skinned doll standing out “among the dark, boring bodies of other translating babies.” (Would the story work as well with one of those bodies as host? I hope so.) Obviously the Envoy regards her as Karen Burnham is vocationally his property to do with, in all senses, as an electromagnetics engineer he wishes. Anathenia’s situation is a little and avocationally a book different, since her parents very much reviewer and critic. She writes desired a daughter and want to treat her for Locus Magazine online and as one. However, the mere fact of being other venues. Her single author steam-powered, too hot to touch and study Greg Egan is available Science fiction has always emitting offensive vapors, causes them from University of Illinois Press. had a tendency to root to hold her, emotionally and literally, at She works in the automotive H for the underdog,….the arm’s length. From this situation (not industry in Michigan, where she characters in these three too different from other fairytale hero- lives with her family. 14 stories offer us perspectives ines with distant fathers and unsympa- on our own humanity: thetic stepmothers), she seeks to escape. the choices we make, the It is the false knight who treats her as a situations we never would thing and seeks only to investigate her have chosen, and potential technology for his own enrichment. paths forward. Sam-Sa-Ee and Anathenia are able to exact revenge against the embodiments of their oppressive systems and pursue paths of healing. Sam-Sa-Ee is even able to take down an exploitive colonial proj- ect at the same time. Nick is not offered that path — his lover returns to nir planet to prepare a nest for the coming child, and even the prospect of life after giving birth holds little hope: one man in the group committed suicide a few months after delivery, and another describes his postpartum life as simply “Empty.” Still, in each of these cases the sympathy (and empathy) of the reader is clearly directed toward the hybrid being, the one with very little “choice” in their situation (al- though that word comes in for serious interrogation in Beamon’s story). Sci-

ence fiction has always had a tendency

to root for the underdog, and while the n

n

. Horizons Strange for editor poetry

. She is currently a senior senior a currently is She . Signs

Ghost Ghost is collection poetry 2015

and her her and Shores Sleepless the Forget

recent short story collection is is collection story short recent

appeared in multiple venues. Her Her venues. multiple in appeared

and award-winning poetry has has poetry award-winning and

Sonya Taaffe’s short fiction fiction short Taaffe’s Sonya

over a silly lovers’ wall. lovers’ silly a over

moon the like rounding off, strides and

says she go, to desire not did He

waist. her girdling

arms wild-grape husband’s her shrugs, she and

from heart the win to

the satyr play. satyr the briar and brake through ran she boy the after Ask

even Euripides knew it knew Euripides even tragedy, after —— floor. mosaic the on bracken of bed a heaps he

theater, the from cue a Take Orient, the as gold

regrets. no and changeling, his her calls He

throat your in gasp Dionysos’ thieves. of god the of name the by wife his calling

time, no in shoulder, his over oar an like

15

hair your in back vine-leaves the put can I

cowslip a twirling

i

all. it seen have Park Astoria of nymphs the and foxes of smell the and leaves hawthorn of husband a

tsipouro better a and skordalia mean a does hand the by leading home came she

Ditmars on taverna a know I but before said father her

Peiraieus, with burned gets, she what deserves

in drank I wine-shop best The love of woods the in tent her pitches who girl A

side. Menelaos’ magnanimous at

weaving her up taking slowly Helen A Vixen When She Went to School to Went She When Vixen A

battleground, Troy’s of ash the eating

happier looked Andromache Lady,

wildwood. asphalt this in

air night the take and

ass horse’s this over trousers some hitch and

ears sharp these over back hat a knock I sometimes only

in the days of the Delian League, Delian the of days the in

Hermonax of workshop the from bright-eyed

lekythos red-figured a

The Met knows my credentials my knows Met The ——

satyr? a have could you when

place hard a and hero a between

heart your break to want you why me tell and

fog, the from unmantle lights, the cut

Step down from their soundstage, lady, soundstage, their from down Step

Ariadne in Queens in Ariadne

Taaffe Sonya by Poems y y To Climb and Break and Know the Pieces The Breath of the Sun by Rachel Fellman, Aqueduct Press, August 2018, 256 pp., $19. reviewed by Arley Sorg

in. Because the characters in this novel are fascinating and unique, and their re- lationships are complex and engaging. …the characters in this Lamat is part of a cultural minority, novel are fascinating the remnants of which live in relative iso- and unique, and their lation. Married off at a young age, when relationships are complex we meet her she’s a middle-aged woman and engaging. running her ex-husband’s bar in the vil- lage, “eight thousand feet up the moun- tain, just over the knob of its toe.” She has survived a number of unfortunate in- cidents, including a climbing expedition that left her friends dead. As the story begins she is fairly scarred physically and emotionally, and something of an out- cast among her own people. Disaine is from a religious sect whose focus is scientific experimentation. If the At the outset this novel is set up with journey here is exploration and adven- the “enigmatic figure leads protagonist ture, real adventure is found in Lamat H into adventure” trope. Lamat Paed is getting to know Disaine. Often blunt a mountain climber and a guide who and usually manipulative, Disaine is full 16 mainly works as a bar owner for locals of surprises. She is also scarred, but more and tourists. One evening, garbed in severely than Lamat. In contrast to La- the robes of a holy order, the mysterious mat’s grounded life of routines and re- Mother Disaine enters her bar. Disaine gret, Disaine is a wanderer, a determined wants to hire Lamat to help achieve chaser of dreams, and a tinkerer. something no ordinary person has ever Keep in mind, this is still an adventure done: summit the Sublime Mountain. novel. The Breath of the Sun’s plot beats Here, readers familiar with tropes will are not a handful of loosely connected chime in: “and adventure ensues!” escapes from danger, but climbing the But the comparison is purely super- Mountain is a life-threatening prospect. ficial. Those adventure stories tend to Visceral story-telling makes sure readers focus on the adventure itself, especially feel the threat and the desperation of the plot events and the fun ideas sprinkled undertaking. Even getting to the climb throughout: traps, monsters, gadgets, requires that the two women overcome and so on. They are generally less inter- gut-punching obstacles. Plot events are ested in character, except in a very stock given depth as important moments draw sort of way. out aspects of character, develop conflict, The Breath of the Sun uses the adven- and further complicate circumstances ture trope to get things going, but the and relationships. journey is the vehicle through which the Narrative devices are utilized with story delves very deeply into characters unusual expertise throughout this work. and their relationships. Readers who The story is framed as a book Lamat is enjoy shallow adventure stories should writing for her lover, Otile, whose occa-

Reviews stay far away. But readers who love nar- sional footnotes cleverly layer the story.

ratives about interesting people and the What could have been a heavy handed,

messed up things they do, please come obvious tactic is instead a gorgeous em- n

n

launch more. launch

stories into orbit, and hopes to to hopes and orbit, into stories

a novel, has thrown a few short short few a thrown has novel, a

. He’s soldering together together soldering He’s . Magazine

Lightspeed Lightspeed for jobs odd does and

Magazine Locus at editor associate

Workshop graduate, he’s an an he’s graduate, Workshop

CA. A 2014 Odyssey Writing Writing Odyssey 2014 A CA.

Arley Sorg lives in Oakland, Oakland, in lives Sorg Arley

assumption.

and especially the (outsider’s) habit of of habit (outsider’s) the especially and : you should read it. read should you : Sun the

against certain types of anthropology, anthropology, of types certain against The Breath of of Breath The about say can I thing tant

perspective, arguably stand as a polemic polemic a as stand arguably perspective, - impor most the Ultimately, jealousy. or

story, especially seen through Lamat’s Lamat’s through seen especially story, experience symptoms such as admiration admiration as such symptoms experience

tures. On the other hand, aspects of the the of aspects hand, other the On tures. hopefully feel. If you’re a writer, you may may you writer, a you’re If feel. hopefully

- cul those outside someone by written novel will make you reflect, think, and and think, reflect, you make will novel

brutal realism of the climb itself. This This itself. climb the of realism brutal to voodoo stereotypes, especially when when especially stereotypes, voodoo to

truths, or loneliness, or even the stark, stark, the even or loneliness, or truths, a magician carries a striking similarity similarity striking a carries magician a

of womanhood, or reality and self and and self and reality or womanhood, of resemblance to Bedouins, or a tale where where tale a or Bedouins, to resemblance

the stuff about the various explorations explorations various the about stuff the a fantasy with desert warriors who bear bear who warriors desert with fantasy a

beautiful book. I haven’t even covered covered even haven’t I book. beautiful the same potential questions on reading reading on questions potential same the

and hesitating questions, this is a truly truly a is this questions, hesitating and culture in the world. But I would have have would I But world. the in culture

admiration or jealousy. jealousy. or admiration

Despite my very minor criticism criticism minor very my Despite

and Sherpas are not the only mountain mountain only the not are Sherpas and

symptoms such as as such symptoms

once or twice. or once

liefs to the Holoh’s. I don’t have answers, answers, have don’t I Holoh’s. the to liefs

17

writer, you may experience experience may you writer,

ing) style. Regardless, it broke the magic magic the broke it Regardless, style. ing)

- be and events historic similar some with

hopefully feel. If you’re a a you’re If feel. hopefully i

- journal to opposed (as book” a writing

to mind many times, an ethnic minority minority ethnic an times, many mind to

you reflect, think, and and think, reflect, you

written for Otile, but in a thorough, “I’m “I’m thorough, a in but Otile, for written

tion. In reading this book, Sherpas came came Sherpas book, this reading In tion.

This novel will make make will novel This

for Otile; or, perhaps, as the work being being work the as perhaps, or, Otile; for

- appropria cultural of notions around

processing her experiences for herself as as herself for experiences her processing

A conversation might be warranted warranted be might conversation A

entire work being as much about Lamat Lamat about much as being work entire

flict and character exploration. character and flict

ence. This is explained in the sense of the the of sense the in explained is This ence.

- con exquisite provides world the within

- audi general a for more seem narrative

nating, and the use of different cultures cultures different of use the and nating,

is recounted in a way which makes the the makes which way a in recounted is

- fasci is building world the thoughtful,

formation obviously known to Otile Otile to known obviously formation

presentation of cultures and beliefs is is beliefs and cultures of presentation

- in Sometimes might. epistolary true

of the world. Rather, the concepts and and concepts the Rather, world. the of

there are moments that don’t read as a a as read don’t that moments are there

passages expounding on the vast reaches reaches vast the on expounding passages

My one criticism might be that that be might criticism one My

rative never falls into the trap of lengthy lengthy of trap the into falls never rative of careful reading. careful of

different rules and world views. The nar The views. world and rules different - markable. It’s visual, visceral, and worthy worthy and visceral, visual, It’s markable.

in vastly different ways, accompanied by by accompanied ways, different vastly in Scenes are vibrant, interactions are re are interactions vibrant, are Scenes -

Different cultures express similar ideas ideas similar express cultures Different on words and language fill these pages. pages. these fill language and words on

to ever summit the Sublime Mountain. Mountain. Sublime the summit ever to terizations, and occasional meditations meditations occasional and terizations,

and that Asam is the only individual individual only the is Asam that and - charac captivating pairings, word derful

to Twitter…. to Holoh, believe the Mountain is God, God, is Mountain the believe Holoh, - won descriptions, beautiful often Great,

you want to repost them them repost to want you secondary world. Lamat’s people, the the people, Lamat’s world. secondary treat you like you have nothing to add.” add.” to nothing have you like you treat

kinds of lines that make make that lines of kinds

really is taken from you if enough people people enough if you from taken is really is set in a a in set is Sun the of Breath The fantasy.

thoughtful prose, with the the with prose, thoughtful

that kind of power anymore, because it it because anymore, power of kind that

erary, but this is still a proud work of of work proud a still is this but erary,

is written in beautiful, beautiful, in written is

girl once, and I know that I don’t have have don’t I that know I and once, girl It’s easy to describe this book as lit as book this describe to easy It’s -

The Breath of the Sun Sun the of Breath The

post them to Twitter: “I was a brilliant brilliant a was “I Twitter: to them post ing story arcs. story ing

kinds of lines that make you want to re to want you make that lines of kinds - Even flashbacks are woven into captivat into woven are flashbacks Even -

beautiful, thoughtful prose, with the the with prose, thoughtful beautiful, into the intricacies of human nature. nature. human of intricacies the into

The Breath of the Sun the of Breath The is written in in written is bellishment, taking the reader deeper deeper reader the taking bellishment, y The Fierce Fun of a Heroine’s Journey Heroine’s Journey, by Sarah Kuhn, DAW Books, July 2018, 384 pp., $15. reviewed by Erin Roberts

While it may be true that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, Sarah Kuhn’s novel goes the extra mile to wear its heart on its sleeve — the cover features a giant unicorn head, a small but fierce-looking dog, and three Asian American women As is to be expected with who appear to be as powerful as they are the third book in a novel determined. This is a cover that promises series, Heroine’s Journey action, fun, and dynamic female charac- starts in the middle of a ters, and, for the most part, it delivers. well-established universe While the book starts slowly, and main with familiar characters. Luckily, main character character Bea Tanaka is at times equally and narrator Bea is quick compelling and frustrating, it’s a fun to explain where we are read that picks up as it goes and packs and who everyone is…. a surprising amount of character depth between wild action scenes, steamy ro- mance, and snarky humor. As is to be expected with the third impulsive, and often short-sighted, but book in a novel series, Heroine’s Journey Bea’s self-centeredness and blindness to starts in the middle of a well-established her own shortcomings can be wearying, universe with familiar characters. Luck- H especially early on. To Kuhn’s credit, Bea ily, main character and narrator Bea is has more depth than she initially ap- 18 quick to explain where we are and who pears to, and seeing her try to cope with everyone is (in a demon-plagued San the emotional echoes of unresolved past Francisco guarded by superheroines Evie trauma softened my view of her over Tanaka, Aveda Jupiter, and their team of time. Kuhn takes great care with all the supporters), along with what happened characters and relationships in this book, to them in previous series installments. In fact, early on it seems as if author and I found the depth in those areas to Sarah Kuhn is overly conscious of want- be the true heart of the novel. Still, Bea ing the reader to be completely caught often made what seemed like obvious up on the action, which makes the open- misjudgments without learning much Kuhn takes great care with ing chapters feel slower and more reflec- from her previous mistakes, and while all the characters and tive than I would have liked; each tidbit these missteps drove the plot forward, relationships in this book, about a character’s previous exploits or they also sometimes made me want to and I found the depth in romantic entanglements was more likely take a break from the book and shake those areas to be the true some sense into its heroine. heart of the novel. to make me want to pick up the earlier books in the series than read on to find Fortunately, once the book really hit out if Bea would become the heroine she its stride, I was having too much fun to desperately wanted to be. care about how I felt about Bea; the nov- In many ways, this makes perfect sense; el zipped back and forth between action Bea herself is a character that I under- scenes that included living carnival rides, stood better as the book went on, but porcelain unicorns, weaponized stone never fully warmed to. Kuhn does a mas- sculptures, more than one mind palace terful job of creating a compelling main battle, and a few steamier-than-antic- character who is simultaneously snarky, ipated sex scenes. And while occasion-

passionate about following in her older ally this fast pace became dizzying, with

sister’s superheroine footsteps, extremely the climax feeling a bit rushed in terms n

n

Landbridge

19

i

writingwonder.com.

Find her online at @nirele and and @nirele at online her Find

a major driver of the plot in this book. book. this in plot the of driver major a

. . Tor.com and Fantasy, Destroy

see the world, even though they aren’t aren’t they though even world, the see

The Dark, People of Colo(u)r Colo(u)r of People Dark, The

tities affect who they are and how they they how and are they who affect tities

Asimov’s, Clarkesworld, Clarkesworld, Asimov’s, in

- iden Their depth. and nuance of amount

nonfiction have appeared appeared have nonfiction

tween them, which it does with a good good a with does it which them, tween

for-hire. Her fiction and and fiction Her for-hire.

- be relationships the explores it when writer and communicator- and writer

characters and is often at its strongest strongest its at often is and characters Erin Roberts is a DC-based DC-based a is Roberts Erin

orientations. This novel cares about its its about cares novel This orientations.

that umbrella, and have a range of sexual sexual of range a have and umbrella, that

come from varying backgrounds within within backgrounds varying from come

to read. to

mostly women, are Asian American, American, Asian are women, mostly

fect, but it’s got heart, and it’s a lot of fun fun of lot a it’s and heart, got it’s but fect,

genre fiction. The main characters are are characters main The fiction. genre

each other. Their story may not be per be not may story Their other. each -

backgrounds that we don’t often see in in see often don’t we that backgrounds

of nuance and depth. and nuance of figuring out how to be better to and with with and to better be to how out figuring

was that its characters represent represent characters its that was Journey

does with a good amount amount good a with does mostly kicking butt, taking names, and and names, taking butt, kicking mostly

I appreciated a great deal about about deal great a appreciated I Heroine’s Heroine’s

between them, which it it which them, between

, they’re they’re , Journey Heroine’s In backgrounds.

One final note: One of the things that that things the of One note: final One

explores the relationships relationships the explores

about characters from non-genre-typical non-genre-typical from characters about

way) than the destination. destination. the than way)

at its strongest when it it when strongest its at

that it allows for a wider range of fiction fiction of range wider a for allows it that

journey (and the friends met along the the along met friends the (and journey

characters and is often often is and characters

is published, and who is written about is is about written is who and published, is

that I ultimately cared more about the the about more cared ultimately I that

This novel cares about its its about cares novel This

the diversity of who is publishing, who who publishing, is who of diversity the

played out was fresh and unique enough enough unique and fresh was out played

that I personally believe in increasing increasing in believe personally I that

emotionally, the way that each scene scene each that way the emotionally,

That’s important. One of the reasons reasons the of One important. That’s of explanation, even as it was inevitable inevitable was it as even explanation, of y Taking Up Male-Dominated Space Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny, by Kate Manne, Oxford University Press, November 2017, 338 pp., $27.95. reviewed by Nancy Jane Moore

The title says it all: the purpose of mi- sogyny is to keep women down, to put them in their place. Women are put in their place to provide love, or at least sex, and support to men, not to seek those things for themselves; they are not, as Kate Manne says in describing her own experience with abusive attacks, supposed …sexism proclaims women to take up “male-dominated space with- incapable of doing an “X” coded as male. When out pandering to patriarchal interests women succeed at doing and vanities.” As with the other creature X, misogyny abuses and who comes to mind when someone says built on culturally defined patriarchal as- shames them in an effort “down girl,” women are here to be man’s sumptions about what women and men to keep them from doing it. best friend. In this powerful and useful should do and is often expressed as an book, Manne, a philosophy professor at emotional reaction. It is difficult to argue Cornell University, says that misogyny with emotional reactions — especially isn’t based on the idea that women aren’t ones of shame and disgust — and they are human, but rather on the concept that effective policing mechanisms among a they have a specific human role and they social species. H are supposed to remain in that limited In Down Girl, Manne provides the position regardless of their humanity. reader with a sophisticated look at mi- 20 Misogyny is “an inherently political phe- sogyny, drawing on both philosophical nomenon,” based on ­patriarchal norms; analysis of the concept and examples it’s not an individual quirk, she argues. from our current lives, including the In looking at misogyny from the per- 2016 United States presidential elec- spective of moral philosophy as well as tion, the legal and societal response to from how it plays out in modern life, several high profile rapes, and the killing Manne distinguishes it from sexism. spree of a young man angry because the Sexism “has the overall function of ra- women he desired didn’t notice him. By tionalizing and justifying patriarchal showing how misogyny underlies these social relations,” while misogyny exists …Manne gives us a deep events — and also by examining the ways understanding of how for “policing and enforcing its governing people downplayed the misogynistic as- entrenched the concepts norms and expectations.” That is, sexism pects of them — Manne gives us a deep of misogyny are in our proclaims women incapable of doing an understanding of how entrenched the present culture and how “X” coded as male. When women suc- concepts of misogyny are in our present women as well as men ceed at doing X, misogyny abuses and culture and how women as well as men accept and apply them. shames them in an effort to keep them accept and apply them. from doing it. One example she uses is the debate I find this is a valuable distinction. over women’s access to contraception, Sexism, because it is often based on in- specifically Rush Limbaugh’s abuse of accurate ideas about what women and Sandra Fluke, the law student who ar- men are capable of or “naturally” good gued before Congress that women at at, is something that can be defeated by universities with religious affiliations arguments based on good science and by should still be able to get birth control the kind of legal changes that have been covered under their health plan. Manne

made in many countries over the past points out that such feminist arguments

hundred years. Misogyny, however, is for contraception and abortion rights n

n

beloved bedtime stories,” something that that something stories,” bedtime beloved

means of popular children’s poems and and poems children’s popular of means

), that misogyny is “disseminated by by “disseminated is misogyny that ), Tree

on gender. gender. on The Giving Giving The notably (most Silverstein Shel

herself reading a lot of books books of lot a reading herself She also points out, using the work of of work the using out, points also She

with women, she finds finds she women, with to get them to take misogyny seriously.” seriously.” misogyny take to them get to

roles traditionally associated associated traditionally roles

pessimistic about reasoning with people people with reasoning about pessimistic

never fit comfortably into into comfortably fit never

consistency) that this has made me pretty pretty me made has this that consistency)

stories. As someone who who someone As stories.

cal concept but the point here is one of of one is here point the but concept cal

novellas, and numerous short short numerous and novellas,

- philosophi tricky (a responsibility sonal

, several several , Weave The novel

- per namely crucial, think to purport and

author of the science fiction fiction science the of author

so lacking in that thing that many tout tout many that thing that in lacking so Nancy Jane Moore is the the is Moore Jane Nancy

engage in post hoc rationalization, and and rationalization, hoc post in engage

makes people so irrational, so inclined to to inclined so irrational, so people makes

writes: “All of this is to say that misogyny misogyny that say to is this of “All writes:

Manne’s conclusion is pessimistic. She She pessimistic. is conclusion Manne’s our lives. our

present moment. moment. present out all the places where misogyny affects affects misogyny where places the all out

tors shows that it continues up to the the to up continues it that shows tors in feeling sufficiently liberated to point point to liberated sufficiently feeling in

- sena women several of Senate U.S. the Reading this book will let us join her her join us let will book this Reading

career as illustration, but criticism within within criticism but illustration, as career men’s superiority.” men’s

examples from Hillary Clinton’s political political Clinton’s Hillary from examples have a vested interest in maintaining maintaining in interest vested a have

their support to her.” Manne provides provides Manne her.” to support their good portion of the dominant social class class social dominant the of portion good

follow her lead, or even to publicly lend lend publicly to even or lead, her follow feel liberated to point out the obvious: a a obvious: the out point to liberated feel

may serve as a warning to others not to to not others to warning a as serve may radical default assertions: “I have come to to come have “I assertions: default radical

directed toward one woman in public life life public in woman one toward directed tion to her pessimism is to jump to more more to jump to is pessimism her to tion

cial approval will be brutal. “[M]isogyny “[M]isogyny brutal. be will approval cial - solu own Manne’s it. over power us gives

21

- so of withdrawal the men, for only be to

recognizing misogyny and calling it out out it calling and misogyny recognizing

i

those specific things, which are supposed supposed are which things, specific those some analytical tools that will help will that tools analytical some but but —

love, and the rest, but also dare to ask for for ask to dare also but rest, the and love, around you around though Manne provides provides Manne though —

if women not only refuse to give respect, respect, give to refuse only not women if able to use them to argue with misogynists misogynists with argue to them use to able

the withdrawal of social approval. And And approval. social of withdrawal the read books like this one. You may not be be not may You one. this like books read

that kind of giving, they are met with with met are they giving, of kind that simism. But that’s why it’s important to to important it’s why that’s But simism.

to such gifts. When women refuse to do do to refuse women When gifts. such to - pes this in Manne join to easy is It

it mean men are automatically entitled entitled automatically are men mean it ness” trains girls in the “rules.” the in girls trains —

nor does does nor — make it women’s job to do it do to job women’s it make - “male mystical of kind some or ology

that needs doing, though that does not not does that though doing, needs that story” and other commentary other and story” - bi not —

safety, security, and safe haven.” It’s work work It’s haven.” safe and security, safety, into children with the “beloved bedtime bedtime “beloved the with children into

“respect, love, acceptance, nurturing, nurturing, acceptance, love, “respect, be able to do. Misogynistic culture drilled drilled culture Misogynistic do. to able be trains girls in the “rules.” the in girls trains

of mystical “maleness” mystical of — human life; it includes such “gifts” as as “gifts” such includes it life; human cues that tell us what girls are supposed to to supposed are girls what us tell that cues

not biology or some kind kind some or biology not is that such giving is a valuable part of of part valuable a is giving such that is year-old girls have already picked up the the up picked already have girls year-old

— and other commentary other and should repay or give anything to men men to anything give or repay should ing properly. Young points out that four- that out points Young properly. ing

“beloved bedtime story” story” bedtime “beloved

the persistence of the idea that women women that idea the of persistence the boys their age, are incapable of throw of incapable are age, their boys -

into children with the the with children into

Manne points out that one reason for for reason one that out points Manne

physiology is much the same as that of of that as same the much is physiology

Misogynistic culture drilled drilled culture Misogynistic

sonal attention.” sonal culine that even very young girls, whose whose girls, young very even that culine

out repaying them in the coin of per of coin the in them repaying out - conclusion that throwing a ball is so mas so is ball a throwing that conclusion -

“expected something from [men] with [men] from something “expected - sis that underlies a supposedly scientific scientific supposedly a underlies that sis

abuse as based on the idea that women women that idea the on based as abuse - analy misogynistic the apart takes Girl”

province.” She characterizes Limbaugh’s Limbaugh’s characterizes She province.” incomparable essay “Throwing Like a a Like “Throwing essay incomparable

toward financial success, that is, his his is, that success, financial toward gender differences. Iris Marion Young’s Young’s Marion Iris differences. gender

deployed in self-development or geared geared or self-development in deployed start noticing (and all too often enforcing) enforcing) often too all (and noticing start

highlights her human capacities being being capacities human her highlights beginning in toddlerhood, when children children when toddlerhood, in beginning

and in a way that often often that way a in and — human giving human which gender rules are encoded for us us for encoded are rules gender which

wants “to be be “to wants to to antidote an with provided have noticed the many different ways in in ways different many the noticed have

mean that the prototypical woman woman prototypical the that mean makes her even more pessimistic. I, too, too, I, pessimistic. more even her makes y Girl Who Comes Out Fighting Trail of Lightning, by Rebecca Roanhorse, Saga Press, June 2018, 304 pp., $27.99. reviewed by Kathleen Alcalá

that swamps a third of the United States and much of the world when the cu- mulative effects of global warming take hold. The Navajo Nation, or Dinétah, has erected — through magic and engi- neering — a wall of shell in the east, tur- A compelling protagonist, quoise in the south, abalone to the west, we root for Hoskie even as and black jet to the north that protects we cannot help but dislike its huge territory from the worst of these her. And we dislike her effects. Although it is possible to cross because we can identify this barrier, news from outside is scarce. with her. She embodies One of its bearers is an impossibly our darker instincts for handsome young man named Kai Arviso. survival and our thirst for A native of The Burque, formerly Albu- the blood of our enemies. querque, he finds himself on a permanent vacation from his party life in the city after offending one of the water barons, known in New Mexico during our time Magdalena Hoskie is a sweet, petite as acequieros. With the coming of the Big girl who leaves roses and daisies in her Water, fresh water is now at a premium, H footsteps. She is cheerful and obliging, and Water Kings have assumed the role and knows how to bake a cake. Not. of the drug lords of previous times. Hav- 22 Magdalena Hoskie is morose, stand- ing bedded a water princess against the offish, and usually covered in blood. quaintly archaic expectations of her fa- She is a monster-killer, a particular oc- ther, Arviso reluctantly joins his Grandpa cupation in the near-future dystopia of Tah in Dinétah. This grandfather is the Rebecca Roanhorse’s new novel Trail closest thing Hoskie has to family, and of Lightning, set in the Navajo Nation. the initial meeting of Arviso and Hoskie The first sequence in this book allows is as awkward as one might expect. Roanhorse to show her considerable The old man, of course, knows things chops as a writer of action scenes. It they don’t. Both young people have mod- Roanhorse does a great job ends with a surprise reversal that makes est superpowers that give them an edge of familiarizing the reader us take a long look at a character who over mere mortals. Yet neither of them is with the Navajo universe, would choose to make her way in the immortal. That status is reserved for the using language to carry world hunting monsters. We are intro- beings of Navajo mythology who now the weight of kinship and duced to a broken-hearted Hoskie as walk the earth, imparting both wisdom religious patterns without someone who knows she will never have and mischief. Roanhorse does a great job taking too much time on backstory. family again, never be able to get close of familiarizing the reader with the Na- to people, or trust anyone. A compelling vajo universe, using language to carry the protagonist, we root for Hoskie even as weight of kinship and religious patterns we cannot help but dislike her. And we without taking too much time on back- dislike her because we can identify with story. After the death of Hoskie’s fam- her. She embodies our darker instincts ily, she is taken in by one of these beings, for survival and our thirst for the blood Naayéé’ Neizghání, child of Changing of our enemies. And she’s one of the Woman and the Sun. From him she learns good guys! her merciless fighting skills. “He calls me

All of this takes place after the arrival ‘Chinibaá,’ a traditional Diné name that

of the Big Water, the sudden inundation means ‘girl who comes out fighting.’” n

n

lowed by the mandatory cage fight. cage mandatory the by lowed www.kathleenalcala.com

- fol is scene This there. someone meet to at More Northwest.

writing, and lives in the the in lives and writing, down, depending on your point of view) view) of point your on depending down,

writes, teaches creative creative teaches writes, rious, uptight Hoskie must dress up (or (or up dress must Hoskie uptight rious,

author if six books. She She books. six if author - se deadly because part in amusing It’s

Kathleen Alcalá is the the is Alcalá Kathleen immortals alike, let their freak flags fly. fly. flags freak their let alike, immortals

sequence where everyone, mortals and and mortals everyone, where sequence

the process. There is the mandatory bar bar mandatory the is There process. the

making a couple of passes at Arviso in in Arviso at passes of couple a making

Hoskie and Arviso for his own purposes, purposes, own his for Arviso and Hoskie and fantasy. and

pish gentleman, who tries to manipulate manipulate to tries who gentleman, pish an add-on to traditional science fiction fiction science traditional to add-on an

- fop a of guise the in Coyote Ma’ii, with people of color, rather than leaving us as as us leaving than rather color, of people

There are a couple of great scenes scenes great of couple a are There along in a future that of course includes includes course of that future a in along

stoic Hoskie. stoic carries us us carries Lightning of Trail movement,

strive for less. less. for strive and engage in gentle banter with the the with banter gentle in engage and in the flow of the Indigenous Futurism Futurism Indigenous the of flow the in

descriptions of books that that books of descriptions violence generated by a world in chaos chaos in world a by generated violence for her evocative short fiction. Squarely Squarely fiction. short evocative her for

resisting the flat flat the resisting

vance allows him to deflect much of the the of much deflect to him allows vance recognized with a Nebula and a Hugo Hugo a and Nebula a with recognized

are morally ambiguous, ambiguous, morally are

- ad would others when yield to ability

hobbyists. Roanhorse has already been been already has Roanhorse hobbyists.

one or two of them. All All them. of two or one

to Hoskie and her killer instincts. His His instincts. killer her and Hoskie to ship, from indigenous teens to German German to teens indigenous from ship,

including the survival of of survival the including

self and others, Arviso is the perfect foil foil perfect the is Arviso others, and self - reader wide a predict I novel. first the of

about these characters, characters, these about

- him both heal to ability innate an with at the end end the at Locusts, of Storm book, second

Much is left unexplored unexplored left is Much

and Arviso. Handsome, charming, and and charming, Handsome, Arviso. and and there’s a teaser for the the for teaser a there’s and Lightning, of

Roanhorse introduces between Hoskie Hoskie between introduces Roanhorse Trail Trail for planned are Sequels rescued. be

One thing I love is the role reversal reversal role the is love I thing One or that things or people held dear will will dear held people or things that or

come meaningless. meaningless. come granted that an ally will remain an ally, ally, an remain will ally an that granted

- be deaths their that so again, and again the reader on her toes, never taking it for for it taking never toes, her on reader the

23

graphic novels show people being killed killed being people show novels graphic

of books that strive for less. This keeps keeps This less. for strive that books of

i

the plot, much the way videogames and and videogames way the much plot, the biguous, resisting the flat descriptions descriptions flat the resisting biguous,

to distance me from the characters and and characters the from me distance to - am morally are All them. of two or

After a certain point, the violence tends tends violence the point, certain a After characters, including the survival of one one of survival the including characters,

reluctant to invite her into their homes. homes. their into her invite to reluctant Much is left unexplored about these these about unexplored left is Much

The reader can see why people would be be would people why see can reader The quality this book is so close to achieving. to close so is book this quality

streak that breaks loose now and then. then. and now loose breaks that streak time, rather than allowing the timeless timeless the allowing than rather time,

out. Hoskie definitely has a psychotic psychotic a has definitely Hoskie out. by the editors. They nail the story to our our to story the nail They editors. the by

vive things that would wipe most of us us of most wipe would that things vive could have been caught and eliminated eliminated and caught been have could

- sur might who protagonists, the of ers let it go. A few clichéd phrases, however, however, phrases, clichéd few A go. it let become meaningless. meaningless. become

- pow supernatural the by aggravated me, but this is Indian Country, so I can can I so Country, Indian is this but me, again, so that their deaths deaths their that so again,

violence in some of the scenes. This is is This scenes. the of some in violence being killed again and and again killed being a couple of times anomalies that threw threw that anomalies times of couple a

graphic novels show people people show novels graphic be a function of my age, is the graphic graphic the is age, my of function a be what elusive and ill-defined. There are are There ill-defined. and elusive what

way videogames and and videogames way One thing I don’t like, and this might might this and like, don’t I thing One the humans in this book remains some remains book this in humans the -

and the plot, much the the much plot, the and

about this first novel. novel. first this about The relationship of the immortals to to immortals the of relationship The

me from the characters characters the from me

There are things I like and dislike dislike and like I things are There one named Begay for cultural correctness. correctness. cultural for Begay named one

violence tends to distance distance to tends violence

chip away at Hoskie’s emotional armor. armor. emotional Hoskie’s at away chip bloods, and was careful to consult some consult to careful was and bloods, -

After a certain point, the the point, certain a After

Tah and Arviso, Roanhorse proceeds to to proceeds Roanhorse Arviso, and Tah of African American and indigenous indigenous and American African of

With the introduction of Grandpa Grandpa of introduction the With Roanhorse is not Navajo, but a mix mix a but Navajo, not is Roanhorse

accompanying magic. accompanying explore what it means to be human. human. be to means it what explore

sters unleashed by the Big Water and its its and Water Big the by unleashed sters quirements. Both, in very different ways, ways, different very in Both, quirements.

- mon the kill and track to ability the set: - re its to humans of adaptability the and

she is alive and has one important skill skill important one has and alive is she authors posit a drastically altered Earth Earth altered drastically a posit authors

for having been left alone again. And yet, yet, And again. alone left been having for and and Girl Windup Both Both Waterknife. The

taunted by others in a clan-based culture culture clan-based a in others by taunted of Paolo Bacigalupi’s novels such as as such novels Bacigalupi’s Paolo of The

even more hurt and confused than before, before, than confused and hurt more even the near future environmental dystopia dystopia environmental future near the

Neizghání abandons her, leaving the teen teen the leaving her, abandons Neizghání horse’s universe is that it fits nicely with with nicely fits it that is universe horse’s

After a few months of fostering Hoskie, Hoskie, fostering of months few a After Another thing I like about Roan about like I thing Another - Process Landscapes — Heather Tatarek

and dimensionality on such a small scale that you can hold something in your hands that was created like a landslide, with small grits of pigment tumbling down into puddles of water, or a river bed receded on a hot day after a flood. Although I enjoy planetary and moon landscapes very much, all of which have their own history of natural occurrences from methane lakes to meteor strikes, I am beginning to make the shift back to Earth. I am focusing more on how natu- ral forces interact and change our known Planet X landscapes. Climate change has been a profound influence on my work, because Landscape, as seen from a distance. it has a huge influence on me and on the My interest in landscape stems from a entire world. Since the issues wrought fascination with the natural world and by climate change are so prevalent, I am how various landscapes are formed. focusing on depicting the changes and While working, I commonly think back deploying my materials and techniques to grade school science classes when we to mimic the same devastating forces learned about how silt forms at river H of nature that now regularly bombard mouths, what causes landslides, the way our home planet. My art is in this way 24 pressure forces volcanoes, and so much based within science and based on actual more. I remember creating these min- natural and man-made forces, but my de- iature landscapes out of whatever ma- pictions often arise out of my own imagi- terials would render similar results to nation, whether they are Earthly or other. the natural ones. I loved creating these Sometimes my landscapes emerge massive events in such ways that I could while I am making them, but often times carry them in my hands. My artwork they are based on places I’ve been, places today employs a variety of techniques I’ve imagined while reading books, lis- to evoke feelings reminiscent of those tening to music, or dreams I’ve had. natural events. Sometimes the influence is there, but is Working on Yupo, a slick, synthetic so obscure and minimal that at the end of substrate, allows me to create landscapes the day it just becomes like background similar to those Mother Nature creates, music that plays while I’m working. albeit on a significantly smaller scale. Using heat and cold, air pressure, wind and air shifts, changes in pigment-to- Please check out my website water ratios, dropping, spilling, layer- www.heatheratatarek.weebly.com ing, dragging, scraping, scratching, and for more information and more of my art. I love answering questions about my brushing, I build up landscapes similar techniques and Yupo. to those shaped by natural processes. These images are fairly flat, but because of the accreted layers, all entwined in several different ways, they have a feel-

Featured Artist ing of three-dimensionality that is not

purely a trick of light and dark, cool and

warm paints. They do have visible layers n

n

Ethereal

Red Planet Red

Mars

Meteor Shower Meteor

25

i

Study in Violet in Study Titan After Tide

Callisto

$5.00 The Cascadia Subduction Zone PO Box 95787 Seattle, WA 98145-2787