Lightspeed Magazine, October 2011

by John Joseph Adams (Editor)

Lightspeed Magazine
October 2011

Genres: Short Stories, Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Anthologies

Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2011

About the author

John Joseph Adams is the series editor of BEST AMERICAN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY. He is also the bestselling editor of many other anthologies, such as ROBOT UPRISINGS, DEAD MAN'S HAND, BRAVE NEW WORLDS,WASTELANDS, and THE LIVING DEAD. Recent and forthcoming books include WHAT THE #@&% IS THAT?, OPERATION ARCANA, PRESS START TO PLAY, LOOSED UPON THE WORLD, and THE APOCALYPSE TRIPTYCH (consisting of THE END IS NIGH, THE END IS NOW, and THE END HAS COME). Called “the reigning king of the anthology world” by Barnes & Noble, John is a two-time winner of the Hugo Award (for which he has been nominated nine times), is a seven-time World Fantasy Award finalist, and served as a judge for the 2015 National Book Award. John is also the editor and publisher of the digital magazines LIGHTSPEED and NIGHTMARE, and is a producer for Wired's THE GEEK'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY podcast. You can find him online at www.johnjosephadams.com and on Twitter @JohnJosephAdams.

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Creepy for all sorts of reasons!

[Noam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite story by Adam-Troy Castro, but still pretty good. I think my favorite by him is "The Whole Crew Hates Me," but that's not listed on GoodReads. He seems to be a favorite at Lightspeed Magazine podcasts, often expertly read by Stephen Rudniki

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sci-fi/horror short story about a wife whose husband is returned to her as a pair of living, thinking, communicating hands. This evokes a physical reaction. Creepy to the extreme, just the way horror should be.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read specifically for "Her Husband's Hands". Sweet and scarring little story about the cost of war.

[Glen Engel-Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exceedingly strange story that on the surface is so unbelievable that it’s ludicrous. You have to get past that. This is not an SF story of a possible future, but a fantasy story that uses SFnal trappings to talk about the trauma of war and what happens when the warrior returns, figuratively, as only a part of themselves. In that way, the SF trappings actually get in the way, because what’s good and powerful in this story is the give-and-take between the two. Is it entirely effective? No. But when it works, when the emotions shine from these two wounded characters, it works wonderfully.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story takes place in the future. Rebecca has to painfully explore her relationship with her husband. Her husband has returned from a war as only a pair of futuristic enhanced hands that are still technically alive, functional and able to communicate with her.

2012 Nebula Award Finalist
2012 Stoker Award Finalist
Nebula Award Finalist
Stoker Award Finalist

[Mike Ehlers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short story, read online.

Eerie story that took the title more literally than expected. But it makes you think about the cost of war and what a life is worth.

[Micheal Shea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Creepy