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ladybusiness2021-05-25 07:07 am
helloladies) wrote in ladybusiness2021-05-25 07:07 am
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Short & Sweet: Blast from the Past
The world of online SFF moves really fast! There is always so much new stuff that it feels like a struggle to keep up. This means that short SFF can feel very immediate but also that we don’t often go back for older stories, either to reread or discover for the first time. While stories are sometimes reprinted, in collections or anthologies, many of them get lost. Short fiction is part of the genre conversation of SFF, but because it gets lost so easily it can feel more like an aside.
These stories for the most part are not very old, just five years old or older. But that feels like a long time in the world of online SFF shorts. These are stories that I read, I love, and that have stuck with me.
House of Aunts by Zen Cho — Zen Cho writes delightful aunts! This is a story about a teen vampire in Malaysia and her many, many aunts. But it's also a story about many generations of women who look out for each other as best they can.
"Scattered Along the River of Heaven" by Aliette de Bodard — This was one of the stories that made me fall in love with the Xuya-verse! It’s full of rebellion, robot bugs, and poetry. There’s so much here about memory, legacy, and belonging.
"The Witches of Athens" by Lara Elena Donnelly — This story about two witches in Athens, Ohio is one of my comfort rereads. It’s story about adult women learning to appreciate each other’s strengthens. It also features a very cute queer romance and coffee!
Spring Festival: Happiness, Anger, Love, Sorrow, Joy by Xia Jia, translated by Ken Liu — This story is very much a slice of life, with various vignettes imagining how technology might change the celebration of the Spring Festival (a.k.a. Lunar New Year). I love thinking about how tech will affect people’s routines and rituals.
"Pockets" by Amal El–Mohtar — This is so much fun! Featuring women working together to solve problems and better understand the universe.
"Points of Origin" by Marissa Lingen — This small story about an older man who finds himself becoming a caretaker for children despite that not being part of his life plan is so so lovely. I love the details of daily life on Mars.
What older stories have stuck with you?
These stories for the most part are not very old, just five years old or older. But that feels like a long time in the world of online SFF shorts. These are stories that I read, I love, and that have stuck with me.
House of Aunts by Zen Cho — Zen Cho writes delightful aunts! This is a story about a teen vampire in Malaysia and her many, many aunts. But it's also a story about many generations of women who look out for each other as best they can.
"Scattered Along the River of Heaven" by Aliette de Bodard — This was one of the stories that made me fall in love with the Xuya-verse! It’s full of rebellion, robot bugs, and poetry. There’s so much here about memory, legacy, and belonging.
"The Witches of Athens" by Lara Elena Donnelly — This story about two witches in Athens, Ohio is one of my comfort rereads. It’s story about adult women learning to appreciate each other’s strengthens. It also features a very cute queer romance and coffee!
Spring Festival: Happiness, Anger, Love, Sorrow, Joy by Xia Jia, translated by Ken Liu — This story is very much a slice of life, with various vignettes imagining how technology might change the celebration of the Spring Festival (a.k.a. Lunar New Year). I love thinking about how tech will affect people’s routines and rituals.
"Pockets" by Amal El–Mohtar — This is so much fun! Featuring women working together to solve problems and better understand the universe.
"Points of Origin" by Marissa Lingen — This small story about an older man who finds himself becoming a caretaker for children despite that not being part of his life plan is so so lovely. I love the details of daily life on Mars.
What older stories have stuck with you?
★forestofglory.