★★★☆☆ Honorable Mention
(Multiverse Apocalypse) In various dying worlds, she finds the path across the water, between the stones, and up the mountain, but must it always be too late? (6,115 words; Time: 20m)
"Stones in the Water, Cottage on the Mountain," by Suzanne Palmer [bio] (edited by Sheila Williams), appeared in Asimov's Science Fiction issue 07-08|18, published on June 15, 2018 by Penny Publications.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Pro: The little stories are rich in variant details: What’s killing the world? What happened with Samuel? With college? What is the condition of the path, the bridge, and the cottage? Or the boots she’s wearing? Or her own health? What happens with the dog? Different as the stories are, they’re all built from similar pieces—even the one where it’s Sam and not her who returns.
In the one where she survives, we never learn anything about the state of the rest of the world, but somehow the origami creations from the other realities seem to accumulate here.
Con: It’s a cute read, but the stories don’t seem to amount to anything.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 07-08|18)
Suzanne Palmer Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
In the one where she survives, we never learn anything about the state of the rest of the world, but somehow the origami creations from the other realities seem to accumulate here.
Con: It’s a cute read, but the stories don’t seem to amount to anything.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 07-08|18)
Suzanne Palmer Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
Christ, this was depressing.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's bad when the whole multiverse is going to Hell in a handbasket!
Delete