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Lightspeed Magazine, Issue 179
LIGHTSPEED is a digital science fiction and fantasy magazine. In its pages, you will find science from near-future, sociological soft SF, to far-future, star-spanning hard SF-and from epic fantasy, sword-and-sorcery, and contemporary urban tales, to magical realism, science-fantasy, and folktales.
Welcome to issue 179 of LIGHTSPEED! This month we're serializing an original SF novelette by Sarah "Does Harlen Lattner Dream of Infected Sheep?" I won't give away the plot, but go in knowing that it's darkly critical of the current state of the world, a little bit heartfelt, and possibly contains a fun smidge of body horror. We think you'll love it! Our other science fictional work includes two terrific flash "Meditations from the Event Horizon" from Deborah L. Davitt and " "The Siren Song of the Otherworld Goggles" by Dominica Phetteplace. Oyedotun Damilola Muees returns with a story of magic and cruelty in his story "The Potter, His Daughter, and the Boy with Tribal Marks on his Face." Jon Lasser brings us "The Other River," a blend of relationship drama, travelogue, and dark fantasy. Our flash pieces are both heartbreaking requests for "To Navigate the Night" by Rich Larson and "The Price of Miracles" by Nigel Faustino. Of course we've got author spotlight interviews so you can learn more about our fascinating writers. We also have a round of terrific book reviews. Thanks for joining us for this great issue. It's full of thought-provoking and heart-tugging stuff-we hope you enjoy!
Welcome to issue 179 of LIGHTSPEED! This month we're serializing an original SF novelette by Sarah "Does Harlen Lattner Dream of Infected Sheep?" I won't give away the plot, but go in knowing that it's darkly critical of the current state of the world, a little bit heartfelt, and possibly contains a fun smidge of body horror. We think you'll love it! Our other science fictional work includes two terrific flash "Meditations from the Event Horizon" from Deborah L. Davitt and " "The Siren Song of the Otherworld Goggles" by Dominica Phetteplace. Oyedotun Damilola Muees returns with a story of magic and cruelty in his story "The Potter, His Daughter, and the Boy with Tribal Marks on his Face." Jon Lasser brings us "The Other River," a blend of relationship drama, travelogue, and dark fantasy. Our flash pieces are both heartbreaking requests for "To Navigate the Night" by Rich Larson and "The Price of Miracles" by Nigel Faustino. Of course we've got author spotlight interviews so you can learn more about our fascinating writers. We also have a round of terrific book reviews. Thanks for joining us for this great issue. It's full of thought-provoking and heart-tugging stuff-we hope you enjoy!
168 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 30, 2025
6 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 18, 2025
A fairly mid issue, not much that stood out in any way.
Does Harlen Lattner Dream of Infected Sheep was both the longest and strongest, but it felt pretty on the nose with it's message and I would have liked the Congo headsets and their functions to be explained a bit more. Instead the focus here was more on how Lattners life and relationships were affected, which can be fine, but not entirely for me.
Among the flash pieces I especially enjoyed To Navigate the Night and Meditations from the Event Horizon.
Does Harlen Lattner Dream of Infected Sheep was both the longest and strongest, but it felt pretty on the nose with it's message and I would have liked the Congo headsets and their functions to be explained a bit more. Instead the focus here was more on how Lattners life and relationships were affected, which can be fine, but not entirely for me.
Among the flash pieces I especially enjoyed To Navigate the Night and Meditations from the Event Horizon.
April 24, 2025
"Does Harlen Lattner Dream of Infected Sheep?" Wow.
April 25, 2025
This was, overall, a solid issue of Lightspeed though I found the two shortest short sci-fi stories didn't connect with me: they seemed more like social commentaries or meditations, rather than story-telling. The long scifi story that dominates the issue, 'Does Harlen Lattner Dream of Infected Sheep' by Sarah Langan, is a chilling look at AI although its background science is a bit sketchy.
The four fantasy stories were all really enjoyable. Especially 'To Navigate the Night' by Rich Larson, because I am a sucker for well-imagined animal companions.
The four fantasy stories were all really enjoyable. Especially 'To Navigate the Night' by Rich Larson, because I am a sucker for well-imagined animal companions.
September 27, 2025
Sarah Langan: “Does Harlen Lattner Dream of Infected Sheep?”
The usual AI & technology are telling you what to do. 3 ⭐
“Meditations from the Event Horizon” from Deborah L. Davitt
The BEST! I always like to imagine being out there in space. The weight of loneliness must've been crushing! There's no time but time. 5 ⭐
“TALK: ‘The Siren Song of the Otherworld Goggles’” by Dominica Phetteplace.
I generally avoiding the story with themes like alternate universe. 2 ⭐
Oyedotun Damilola Muees (“The Potter, His Daughter, and the Boy with Tribal Marks on his Face”)
the story has fairy tale vibe in it, and it's a mash up of Pinocchio and Rapunzel (magic hair?). enjoyable 4 ⭐
Jon Lasser (“The Other River”)
Journey through Sahara with a jeep is already bizarre but ok. 2 ⭐
(“To Navigate the Night”) from Rich Larson
I like how these two imperfect beings help each other to ....well .. navigate the night. One is blind, one has broken wings. 2 ⭐
(“The Price of Miracles”) from Nigel Faustino
what people are willing to sacrifice or lose in order to get something miraculous, which...might not be had in the end. kinda ironic but this how life is. 4 ⭐
The usual AI & technology are telling you what to do. 3 ⭐
“Meditations from the Event Horizon” from Deborah L. Davitt
The BEST! I always like to imagine being out there in space. The weight of loneliness must've been crushing! There's no time but time. 5 ⭐
“TALK: ‘The Siren Song of the Otherworld Goggles’” by Dominica Phetteplace.
I generally avoiding the story with themes like alternate universe. 2 ⭐
Oyedotun Damilola Muees (“The Potter, His Daughter, and the Boy with Tribal Marks on his Face”)
the story has fairy tale vibe in it, and it's a mash up of Pinocchio and Rapunzel (magic hair?). enjoyable 4 ⭐
Jon Lasser (“The Other River”)
Journey through Sahara with a jeep is already bizarre but ok. 2 ⭐
(“To Navigate the Night”) from Rich Larson
I like how these two imperfect beings help each other to ....well .. navigate the night. One is blind, one has broken wings. 2 ⭐
(“The Price of Miracles”) from Nigel Faustino
what people are willing to sacrifice or lose in order to get something miraculous, which...might not be had in the end. kinda ironic but this how life is. 4 ⭐
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews