You Must Remember This, by Jay O'Connell

[Analog]

★★★☆☆ Honorable Mention

(SF Drama; Zeitgeist) In 2055, Maura is resurrected after 13 years and has to figure out how to fit in, but she’s obsessed with finding out who brought her back and why. (19,895 words; Time: 1h:06m)

Not Only Who You Know, by Jay O'Connell

[Asimov's]

★★☆☆☆ Not Recommended

(SF Thriller) Rosalind thinks her former boss (and former boyfriend) cheated her, but now that she’s got his head in a jar, she’s determined to make him give her what she wants. (7,327 words; Time: 24m)

The Gorgon, by Jay O'Connell

[Asimov's]

★★☆☆☆ Not Recommended

(SF Thriller) A powerful HR director is willing to do anything to keep a critical software architect from quitting. (5,018 words; Time: 16m)

Weaponized, by Jay O'Connell

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(Near-Future SF) Everything is so perfect—except this this weird game on her phone she always runs before they make love. And which she’s very secretive about. (2,237 words; Time: 07m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

The Best Man, by Jay O'Connell

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(Near-Future SF) Brendan needs to be in Italy in a few days to be best man at his brother’s wedding. He needs to do something to keep his face from being green though. (7,007 words; Time: 23m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

Grandmaster, by Jay O'Connell

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(Time Travel) October 18, 1945. A time-traveler visits a woman who co-authors SFF with her husband under a pseudonym. (1,985 words; Time: 06m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

What We Hold Onto, by Jay O'Connell

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(SF) In 2066 a woman struggles over continuing life-support for her comatose mother and over what to do with the things she's leaving behind. (22,282 words; Time: 1h:14m)

Rating: ★★★★★ Award-Worthy

Recommended By: SFRevu:4 GDozois:4 Readers

Candy From Strangers, by Jay O'Connell

Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, January 2015; ~5,000 words
Rating: 3, Good, ordinary, story

In a near-future Boston, Morgan looks for people about to commit suicide and makes them his "clients." His help is free, but is it worth what it costs?

Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)

Pro: The basic arc is that Morgan helps Ariel find a purpose in life, while Ariel gives Mogan what he never knew he was missing. It's a complete story, with no problems in narration or dialogue.

Con: Morgan is rather hard to believe. A failed suicide turned into super hacker? He's also rather hard to sympathize with, as is Ariel. 

Things Worth Knowing, by Jay O'Connell

Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, March/April 2015; 4,517 words
Rating: 3, Good, ordinary, story

In the near future, Stanley supervises school kids grades 1-12 while they use an automated system to learn, but one boy seems to be learning abnormally quickly.

Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)

Pro: The over-the-top scenes with the different corporations shooting at each other and trying to bully Joel into signing a lifetime contract were pretty amusing. Stanley's determination to sacrifice his student is admirable.

Con: The political message grates. The ending is a bit deus ex machina.

Willing Flesh, by Jay O'Connell

Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, April/May 2015; ~6,800 words
Rating: 3, Good, ordinary, story

In the near future, a morbidly obese young man is attracted by an ad that offers to help you lose weight by taking control of your body during those boring exercises.

Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)

Pro: Very nice work foreshadowing problems with the system, but the actual problems were interesting as well. The resolution was satisfying.

Con: The actual ending is awkward. It preaches things we already understand. It's not clear what the cat is doing either.