Lightspeed issue 168 (May 2024)

Lightspeed Magazine, ed. John Joseph Adams & Wendy N. Wagner. Issue 168 (May 2024). Online at lightspeedmagazine.com.

Reviewed by Storm Blakley

Lightspeed June 2024 has both sci-fi and fantasy, short stories and flash. Both sci-fi short stories offered commentary on war, while the fantasy short stories each focused on belief, and gods. The sci-fi flash stories focused on relationships, while the fantasy flash stories speak from the perspective of creatures far older and wiser than humanity.

In “Udo Gehler and the Virgin Bitch of the Resistance,” Andrea Kriz paints a brutal and bleak future in which child soldiers pilot mechs in battles between competing Academies, which in turn are simply proxies for the war between the Republic and their enemies, the Free States. It’s an insightful, compelling commentary on war and indoctrination; the dehumanization of those humans deemed necessary for the war effort, whether they be their own people, captured soldiers, or even refugees; and the rollback of human rights common as empires descend into fascism. Some of the rhetoric spoken by those in this story is uncomfortably close to populist rhetoric we hear today, and that’s no accident.

Next in sci-fi, we have “Warning Notes from an Annihilator Machine” by Oyedotun Damilola Muees. Written as a series of messages sent from a soldier in a mechanical society to a gifted and intelligent young human it has been watching since before he was born, this is a curious tale of treason and hope, as this Annihilator Machine seeks to save at least a fraction of humanity from its own people. Interesting, and leaving the reader with many questions; is it real or a prank by one of the boy’s friends? There are discrepancies and changes in language that raise questions, but can the boy afford to take that risk, if it turns out the warnings are real?

This issue features two sci-fi flash fiction, and both reflect upon relationships. “The Waking Sleep of a Seething Wound” by dave ring tells us a tale of sub-atomic assassinations and messy relationships, how we still care even long after those relationships have ended and grown distant. It was nice to see ace representation, and I appreciated the honest depiction of the struggle many non-binary folks have with being relegated to “woman” even if we feel little to no connection to it.

Dominica Phetteplace’s “The Help Hotline” also reflected upon relationships; how they can end suddenly, without our consent, and how much that hurts. That kind of hurt can make someone desperate, and drive them to seeking drastic solutions to stop the pain. I enjoyed the concepts behind this story, with tech companies “dabbl[ing] in defence contracting”, and how horrifying that is.

The fantasy selection in this issue was wonderful. Varsha Dinesh’s “Sparrow and the Parasol” hit like a heavyweight, and pulled no punches. From the opening sentence, we’re plunged into a world of magic and biomechanical, of blood and beauty, of desperate deals and darker desires. In a world where worship is currency, in a city of gods, Dinesh shows us the costs of climbing that ladder, and the cost of being at the top. This story was grim and starkly beautiful, and worth rereading.

“In the Hands of the Mountain God” by Deborah L. Davitt was quieter in tone, but no less beautiful, with a rich, lived-in world. This tale of gods and belief explored grief and loss, and the deeply lonely struggle of being a last survivor, now a refugee in a foreign land. It’s a tale of eschewing the well-trodden path before us and forging our own, even if it’s more difficult, because our beliefs can shape our reality. Healing is not an easy journey, and nor is coming to terms with the cold answers a god might offer our questions about the world we inhabit.

The two fantasy flash fictions in this issue feature otherworldly beings, and the secrets they know. From the opening sentences, Megan Chee’s “An Otherwordly Cat Tells You the Secrets of the Universe” perfectly characterizes cats; how they view the world, how they view us humans, and more importantly, how they view themselves. There’s deep and genuine affection, the grandiose arrogance that comes with being the center of the universe, and the pity they hold for all the rest of creation, who lack their understanding of the universe.

Lastly, “The Weight of Salt” by Shanna Germain. The sea has long been the home to creatures far older than humanity, and has long been a place those who are suffering seek solace. They have always been there to help in that time of need, and while they weren’t needed for a stretch of time, recent changes in the world have brought people back to them, desperate and hurt. This was a beautiful story, full of heartbreak and hope.

Through wars and worship, from distant planets to cities of gods, this issue of Lightspeed touches on many topical issues we struggle with today, and that’s as it should be; good fiction holds up a mirror, shows us what is and can be, and the stories in this issue do that beautifully.