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Beneath Ceaseless Skies Issue #300, Special Double-Issue
Issue #300 of Beneath Ceaseless Skies, a special double issue featuring stories by CC Finlay, Richard Parks, Maurice Broaddus, RB Lemberg and Aimee Ogden, and cover art by Flavio Bolla.
- GenresScience FictionFantasy
117 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 18, 2020
3 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
About the author
Scott H. Andrews
469 books24 followersScott H. Andrews is a writer of science fiction. He teaches college chemistry. He is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of the fantasy magazine Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
Andrews's short stories have appeared in Weird Tales, Space and Time, Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, On Spec, Crossed Genres, and M-Brane SF.
Andrews's short stories have appeared in Weird Tales, Space and Time, Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, On Spec, Crossed Genres, and M-Brane SF.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 4, 2020
"The Hummingbird Temple" by C.C. Finlay and "To Balance the Weight of Khalem" by R.B. Lemberg are on my list of the Best Short SFF of April 2020: https://1000yearplan.com/2020/05/01/t...
June 24, 2021
"The Hummingbird Temple" by C.C. Finlay: I enjoyed this tale of a neglected heir during a palace struggle. I enjoyed the two men who helped her, but they were mostly ciphers to me.
"Uzumaki of the Lake" by Richard Parks: This is a story that's apparently connected to Parks's Yamada Monogatari series, where Yamada is a demon hunter. Here, the story involves an investigation into what appears to be a ghost haunting a lake. Short, but enjoyable.
"Bound by Sorrow" by Maurice Broaddus: Broaddus delves into grief here with a historical SF/fantasy story of a man wanting to complete his sister's last request. The structure of this story confused me a bit (and I found the side character Gerard to be more annoying than amusing).
"To Balance the Weight of Khalem" by R.B. Lemberg: Lemberg focuses on a character who is twice an immigrant--once as a refugee seeking asylum and again as a student going to another country. There's a lot of talk about onions and homes and identity, but it's told in a dreamlike enough fashion that I didn't enjoy it as much as the earlier stories in this issue.
"Never a Butterfly, Nor a Moth with Moon-Painted Wings" by Aimee Ogden: Told in the form of a mother writing letters to her daughter (sort of), the story explores more issues of refugees and assimilation and identity.
All in all, a very interesting issue.
"Uzumaki of the Lake" by Richard Parks: This is a story that's apparently connected to Parks's Yamada Monogatari series, where Yamada is a demon hunter. Here, the story involves an investigation into what appears to be a ghost haunting a lake. Short, but enjoyable.
"Bound by Sorrow" by Maurice Broaddus: Broaddus delves into grief here with a historical SF/fantasy story of a man wanting to complete his sister's last request. The structure of this story confused me a bit (and I found the side character Gerard to be more annoying than amusing).
"To Balance the Weight of Khalem" by R.B. Lemberg: Lemberg focuses on a character who is twice an immigrant--once as a refugee seeking asylum and again as a student going to another country. There's a lot of talk about onions and homes and identity, but it's told in a dreamlike enough fashion that I didn't enjoy it as much as the earlier stories in this issue.
"Never a Butterfly, Nor a Moth with Moon-Painted Wings" by Aimee Ogden: Told in the form of a mother writing letters to her daughter (sort of), the story explores more issues of refugees and assimilation and identity.
All in all, a very interesting issue.
December 27, 2020
The Hummingbird Temple - CC Finlay ***
Lin, the ninth in line to the Dynast's throne, attempts to survive the night after her father the Dynast dies, setting off a battle of succession among her siblings. Richly drawn world and a fun adventure as she escapes assassinations and thieves along with her maid and two roguish bureaucrats.
Uzumaki Of The Lake - Richard Parks ***
Brief vignette in Parks' Japanese-styled world, as Yamada and Kenji investigate a the haunting of a lake disputed by two local lords. Light and without much tension, but a breezy read.
Bound By Sorrow - Maurice Broaddus ***
Longer piece on grief and the importance of storytelling. Dinga, accompanied by Gerard, goes searching for the Dreaming City of gods to lay his sister to rest. Felt a little disjointed with the various jumps in time as well as the framing story, but plenty of highs - great chemistry between the pair, and a deeper look at dealing with loss and regret.
To Balance The Weight Of Khalem - RB Lemberg ****
A refugee story full of food and scents, but also the deep and wise view of love that Lemberg is so good at. Belezal and Gabi both have their own traumas and desire to be seen for themselves, and they find a way to complement one another rather than clash.
Never A Butterfly, Nor A Moth With Moon-Painted Wings - Aimee Ogden ****
Another refugee story, here a mother writes to her child about how they came to Ksmala. She struggles to keep their Butterfly traditions alive as many are forced to be discarded to survive in the new land's society, but her daughter will find her own way.
Lin, the ninth in line to the Dynast's throne, attempts to survive the night after her father the Dynast dies, setting off a battle of succession among her siblings. Richly drawn world and a fun adventure as she escapes assassinations and thieves along with her maid and two roguish bureaucrats.
Uzumaki Of The Lake - Richard Parks ***
Brief vignette in Parks' Japanese-styled world, as Yamada and Kenji investigate a the haunting of a lake disputed by two local lords. Light and without much tension, but a breezy read.
Bound By Sorrow - Maurice Broaddus ***
Longer piece on grief and the importance of storytelling. Dinga, accompanied by Gerard, goes searching for the Dreaming City of gods to lay his sister to rest. Felt a little disjointed with the various jumps in time as well as the framing story, but plenty of highs - great chemistry between the pair, and a deeper look at dealing with loss and regret.
To Balance The Weight Of Khalem - RB Lemberg ****
A refugee story full of food and scents, but also the deep and wise view of love that Lemberg is so good at. Belezal and Gabi both have their own traumas and desire to be seen for themselves, and they find a way to complement one another rather than clash.
Never A Butterfly, Nor A Moth With Moon-Painted Wings - Aimee Ogden ****
Another refugee story, here a mother writes to her child about how they came to Ksmala. She struggles to keep their Butterfly traditions alive as many are forced to be discarded to survive in the new land's society, but her daughter will find her own way.
August 4, 2021
*This review is just for "To Balance the Weight of Khalem" by R.B. Lemberg*
Beautiful work. Based on what I know of the author's background, I interpreted this as pro-Palestinian alternate universe magical realism from a really thoughtful Jewish Israeli perspective. I'm pretty sure I wasn't reading too much into it.
Beautiful work. Based on what I know of the author's background, I interpreted this as pro-Palestinian alternate universe magical realism from a really thoughtful Jewish Israeli perspective. I'm pretty sure I wasn't reading too much into it.
October 28, 2020
Really loved "Never a Butterfly, Nor a Moth with Moon-Painted Wings", "Bound by Sorrow", and "To Balance the Weight of Khalem". A great issue!
March 21, 2023
To Balance the Weight of Khalem by R.B. Lemberg was the highlight for me, followed by The Hummingbird Temple by C.C. Finlay.
December 1, 2025
Reread the RB Lemberg story.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews