The Inaccessibility of Heaven, by Aliette de Bodard

[Uncanny]

★★★★☆ Recommended

(Fantasy Horror) Samantha searches Paris to try to find what’s killing fallen angels. (16,638 words; Time: 55m)

This is set in an alternate version of the world in her Dominion of the Fallen series. Those stories are also set in an alternate Paris with fallen angels, but in this world, there has been no destructive war; this city functions normally, with things like working taxis and cell phones. There’s no need to read those stories to read this one, and this one won’t spoil the series either.

Rescue Party, by Aliette De Bodard

[Anthology]

★★★☆☆ Honorable Mention

(Space Opera; Xuya) On Asphodel, people who no longer contribute to society get “preserved” in the Repository for the sake of their memories. When Giao finds herself there, she decides to mount an appeal. Somehow. (9,489 words; Time: 31m)

Although this is set in the author’s sprawling Xuya Universe, there’s no need to read any of the other stories to appreciate this one.

Court of Birth, Court of Strength, by Aliette de Bodard

[BCS]

★★★★☆ Clever, Exciting, Moving

(Alternate History Fantasy; Dominion of the Fallen) In an alternate post-war France, Samariel, a junior fallen angel, appeals to much more powerful one for help recovering a mortal child whom he doted on but who seems to have been kidnapped. (10,641 words; Time: 35m)

There’s no need to read the rest of the Dominion of the Fallen stories in order to enjoy this one; it stands alone quite well. I liked this one well enough that I went and read the rest of the series (which is quite good), so I can attest that it's fine to start with this one.

A Game of Three Generals, by Aliette de Bodard

[Anthology]

★★★☆☆ Average

(Space Opera; Xuya) In the penal colony on a hot planet of a red dwarf star, every day is like the one before. Song Ha is trying to remember what happened before and why she’s the only inmate left. (3,092 words; Time: 10m)

If you’re not already familiar with the Universe of Xuya, this is not the place to start. Although this was originally published in the UK in 2017, the first US Publication was in March 2018, so it should be eligible for the 2019 Hugo Awards at the 2019 WorldCon, to be held in Dublin.

The Tea Master and the Detective, by Aliette de Bodard

[Single]

★★★☆☆ Honorable Mention

(Space Opera Mystery; Xuya) A mindship with PTSD afraid to enter deep space anymore meets a “consulting detective” with no past who’s looking for help finding dead bodies out there. (20,011 words; Time: 1h:06m)

In Everlasting Wisdom, by Aliette de Bodard

[Anthology]

★★★☆☆ Average

(Military SF) Ai Thi serves the Everlasting Emperor by using the appeaser within her to calm people around her telepathically. Wartime shortages are making her job harder and harder. (5,768 words; Time: 19m)

Recommended By: 📙NClarke+2 👍JMcGregor+1 (Q&A)

Children of Thorns, Children of Water, by Aliette de Bodard

Read this issue

(Alternate History Fantasy; Dominion of the Fallen) Two people from a secret, underwater House try to infiltrate a troublesome surface House that rules much of a Paris still recovering from long-ago magical wars. (11,966 words; Time: 39m)

Rating: ★★★★★ Great Characters, World, and Plot

Although this story is set in the world of the author's Dominion of the Fallen stories, it is an excellent standalone read.

The Dragon that Flew Out of the Sun, by Aliette De Bodard

Find this book

(Space Opera) As a child, Lan learned her family lost their world when a dragon came out of the sun, but now she wants to know the real truth. (3,806 words; Time: 12m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

First Presentation, by Aliette De Bodard

Find this book

(SF; Xuya) Thanh attends her ex’s “First Presentation,” where her child will be connected to their society’s network. (5,507 words; Time: 18m)

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ Not Recommended

Crossing the Midday Gate, by Aliette de Bodard

Find this book

(Space Opera; Xuya) Dan Linh returns from twenty-years exile to head up her old lab again. She’s a scientist, not a politician; can she really make it work? (7,411 words; Time: 24m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

Recommended By: GDozois:4

Pearl, by Aliette de Bodard

Find this book

(Space Opera; Xuya) Da Trang earned favor with the Empress because his remora, Pearl, feed him information. He has lost Pearl, but cannot stop searching for it. (8,244 words; Time: 27m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

Recommended By: NClarke

This story is set in the author’s Dai-Viet universe, but it does not depend on readers having any familiarity with it.

A Hundred and Seventy Storms, by Aliette de Bodard

Read this issue

(Space Opera; Xuya) The mindship Snow Like a Dancer and her cousin Lua struggle to survive an enormous perihelion storm on their backwater planet. (4,803 words; Time: 16m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

Lullaby for a Lost World, by Aliette de Bodard

Read this story

(Horror) Charlotte's sacrifice kept the forces of chaos at bay, but only for a while, and in her grave, she grows resentful. (2,639 words; Time: 08m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

A Salvaging of Ghosts, by Aliette de Bodard

Read this issue

(Space Opera; Xuya) Thuy seeks her daughter's remains in the twisted parts of unreal space where salvagers pick over the remains of wrecked starships. (4,292 words; Time: 14m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

Recommended By: GDozois:5 JStrahan

In Blue Lily's Wake, by Aliette De Bodard

Find this book

(SF; Xuya) Eleven years ago, the Blue-Lily plague devastated the Empire. Now Yen Oanh attends to unfinished business with a dead mind-ship and a living survivor.  (7,200 words; Time: 24m)

Rating: ★★★★★ Award-Worthy

Recommended By: NClarke

Three Cups of Grief, by Starlight, by Aliette de Bodard

Read this issue

A key scientist in the Dai Viet interstellar empire has died, and three people who were close to her mourn her passing in different ways. (6,934 words; Time: 23m)

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ Not Recommended

Recommended By: SFRevu:4 GDozois:5

The Citadel of Weeping Pearls, by Aliette de Bodard

Find this issue

The Empress of the Dai Viet Interstellar Empire assigned a team to track down her rebellious daughter, who disappeared thirty years ago. Now the scientist leading the investigation as also disappeared. (32,443 words; Time: 1h:48m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

Recommended By: SFRevu:4 GDozois:5 SFEP