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reading (Asimov's Oct/Nov)
Sep. 18th, 2011 12:58 pmI finished the most recent Asimov's a couple of weeks ago, but it got lost on my desk and I haven't had a chance to review it.
I enjoyed Kij Johnson's "The Man Who Bridged the Mist", but I must admit it might be because I'm a softhearted steampunk fan. The main crushacter (like that new word?) is as perfect as a Heinlein female, but watching her biceps while she works is still pleasant to think about.
Kristine Kathryn Rusch's "Stealth" gives headline to one of the characters who played a secondary part in one of the earlier Asimov's stories. Once again, Rusch sets the stage so that emotionally awkward is appropriate. The first scene of this story is a traditional rocking hard science space saga that sweeps the reader along. Later scenes introduce the overall plot and the pace slows to a sedated crawl. It feels stilted and rough compared to the fast smooth lines of the beginning.
The two novelettes this month both deal with different modes of story telling. Kit Reed's "The Outside Event" did such a good job of imitating the medium it was portraying I could barely stand to read it. It was painful, but then again, it should be. I like the selection of short stories this month. Elaeanor Arnason's "My Husband Steinn" plays with a much older genre of story.
The short stories this month were varied with an emphasis on psychological fiction. Generally I enjoyed them. Derek Kunsken's "To Live and Die in Gibbontown" is a wonderfully light hearted, dark humored, dystopia. "Free Dog" by Jack Skillingstead is sweet and with enough twisted to keep it from begin sacharine.
35. Asimov's October/November 2011
I enjoyed Kij Johnson's "The Man Who Bridged the Mist", but I must admit it might be because I'm a softhearted steampunk fan. The main crushacter (like that new word?) is as perfect as a Heinlein female, but watching her biceps while she works is still pleasant to think about.
Kristine Kathryn Rusch's "Stealth" gives headline to one of the characters who played a secondary part in one of the earlier Asimov's stories. Once again, Rusch sets the stage so that emotionally awkward is appropriate. The first scene of this story is a traditional rocking hard science space saga that sweeps the reader along. Later scenes introduce the overall plot and the pace slows to a sedated crawl. It feels stilted and rough compared to the fast smooth lines of the beginning.
The two novelettes this month both deal with different modes of story telling. Kit Reed's "The Outside Event" did such a good job of imitating the medium it was portraying I could barely stand to read it. It was painful, but then again, it should be. I like the selection of short stories this month. Elaeanor Arnason's "My Husband Steinn" plays with a much older genre of story.
The short stories this month were varied with an emphasis on psychological fiction. Generally I enjoyed them. Derek Kunsken's "To Live and Die in Gibbontown" is a wonderfully light hearted, dark humored, dystopia. "Free Dog" by Jack Skillingstead is sweet and with enough twisted to keep it from begin sacharine.
35. Asimov's October/November 2011
