Clarkesworld Magazine, Issue 166, July 2020

by Neil Clarke (Editor), Michael Swanwick, A.T. Greenblatt

CONTENT

FICTION
"Artificial People" by Michael Swanwick
"One Time, a Reluctant Traveler" by A. T. Greenblatt
"Three Stories Conjured from Nothing" by ShakeSpace, translated by Andy Dudak
"Power to Yield" by Bogi Takács
"Strange Comfort" by Tegan Moore
"The Oddish Gesture of Humans" by Gabriel Calácia
"The House That Leapt into Forever" by Beth Goder

NON-FICTION
"The Human Genome Disparity" by Douglas F. Dluzen
"Coffee Prince, Avatar, and Robot Rebellions: A Conversation with Madeline Ashby" by Arley Sorg
"Overthrowing the Royal We: A Conversation with Kate Elliott" by Arley Sorg

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

161 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2020

About the author

Neil Clarke is best known as the editor and publisher of the Hugo and World Fantasy Award-winning Clarkesworld Magazine. Launched in October 2006, the online magazine has been a finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine four times (winning three times), the World Fantasy Award four times (winning once), and the British Fantasy Award once (winning once). Neil is also a ten-time finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Editor Short Form (winning once in 2022), three-time winner of the Chesley Award for Best Art Director, and a recipient of the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award. In the fifteen years since Clarkesworld Magazine launched, numerous stories that he has published have been nominated for or won the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, Sturgeon, Locus, BSFA, Shirley Jackson, WSFA Small Press, and Stoker Awards.

Additionally, Neil edits  Forever —a digital-only, reprint science fiction magazine he launched in 2015. His anthologies include: Upgraded, Galactic Empires, Touchable Unreality, More Human than Human, The Final Frontier, Not One of Us,  The Eagle has Landed, , and the Best Science Fiction of the Year series. His next anthology, The Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume Seven will published in early 2023.

He currently lives in New Jersey with his wife and two sons.

Reviews

[Bogi Takács]

I have a novella titled "Power to Yield" in this issue! It's about 20k words and you can read it online right now.

* Science fantasy, the planet eats you with magic
* Two neuroatypical + aro ace main characters
* Pain exchange
* Messiness and difficulty
* Despite that, it ends on a hopeful note!

Here is a bit more about it on Twitter, with content notices, more info, etc. :)

[Jordi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A better than usual issue, with at least a couple of great stories from Michael Swanwick and Tegan Moore, and very good stuff from Bogi Takács and A.T. Greenblatt.

“Artificial people” by Swanwick is a clever robot story that sweeps over the whole existence of the robot main character, rushing from the unconditional joy of childhood, to the bittersweet strikes of love, then loss, until the robot just wants to get to the exit door of existence, quick. A small masterpiece.

“Strange Comfort” by Tegan Moore is a claustrophobic story set 10 miles under the ocean in a Jupiter moon (what’s not to like?). A survivor left alone in a small submarine mining station needs to find a way to get back to the surface when he is left behind by a company in the process of shutting down. Great SF stuff, both unsettling and fun.

“Power to Yield” by Bogi Takács is a bold SF/F novella delving into a sadomasochistic relationship, both fascinating and disturbing. I listened to this one in the podcast, and it was absorbing, even if the resolution was a bit anti-climactic.

Finally, “One Time, A Reluctant Traveller” sees A.T. Greenblatt coming back to Clarkesworld, with the story of a strange pilgrimage to deal with personal loss.

[Peter Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review & rating are (for the moment) solely for "Artificial People" by Michael Swanwick. A solid story about what it says. Well worth reading: 3.5 stars, rounded up. Story link: http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/swanw...

I see some other stories I should try sometime.... So many stories, so little time!

[Maryam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fiction

"Artificial People" by Michael Swanwick - 3,5*
Following an artificial human who tries to live a peaceful life but who always have to work for someone. An interesting take on the Frankenstein monster but it ended the moment it really became interesting.

"One Time, a Reluctant Traveler" by A. T. Greenblatt - 4*
A reluctant traveler has to brave a journey to the ocean at the top of the mountain. A sad story about grief and the power of stories. Atmospheric with fascinating glimpses into the every day life of living in a post-apocalyptic world.

"Three Stories Conjured from Nothing" by ShakeSpace, translated by Andy Dudak - 3,5*
Weird story or should I stay stories? I'm not sure I understood how the three parts where linked but I liked the first one, loved the second and was confused during the third. I don't know I stand with this one but I would like to read other works by the author.

"Power to Yield" by Bogi Takács - 4,5*
A young woman decides to do her school assignment on the man that led the planet to freedom. She slowly becomes obsessed with him and, decides to meet him to have her answers. However, he's more than he appeared on video and her obsession with him only grow, even when she realizes he's not exactly a good man. This story was extremely weird and it left me confused on what exactly the male character was trying to do (I didn't get how the System had anything to do with protecting the planet) but still, I thought it was a fascinating tales about meeting your heroes and the consequences it might have. And the ending gave me shivers.

"Strange Comfort" by Tegan Moore - DNF
The writing wasn't bad but I was a bit bored after reading half of it so I decided to skip this one.

"The Oddish Gesture of Humans" by Gabriel Calácia - 4*
Aliens trying to understand humans, a forgotten species. It was quite heartwarming and funny in places.

"The House That Leapt into Forever" by Beth Goder - 2*
It followed the odd friendship between an engineered monster and a house. It was too short for me to have any real thoughts about it.

Non-fiction

I especially enjoyed Madeline Ashby's interview!

[Jim]

Read for the excellent short story "Artificial People" by Michael Swanwick.
http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/swanw...

A look through the eyes of an artificial person that is really well done. It covers many years of 'life' & ends well. Highly recommended. Thanks to Peter for turning me on to it.

[Nadine in California · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing imagination.

[Bonnie McDaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This issue has three really good stories, and the non-fiction section offers an interesting article about the human genome.

"Artificial People," Michael Swanwick

A nice character study of an artificial person and his relationship with his creator. This unfolds over decades because at first Raphael is considered "property" and is switched off for updates or just because his creator, Dr. Leonidas Erdmann, feels like it. Raphael is given no choice in the matter. But after Dr. Erdmann dies and his freedom is granted, Raphael takes steps to live his life the way he wants.

Grade: A

"One Time, a Reluctant Traveler," A.T. Greenblatt

My favorite story in this issue. This is a post-apocalyptic tale of sorts, perhaps a post-climate-catastrophe or post-pandemic, as there seem to be few humans left and bots to take the place of species that are apparently extinct. The worldbuilding is a bit vague, and that's deliberate on the part of the author, as the theme of this is the power of stories. The stories passed down to the unnamed narrator are bleak and depressing, and the protagonist's final epiphany is the realization that they don't have to give in to that pessimism; they can choose what their story will become.

Grade: A

"Three Stories Conjured From Nothing," Shakespace, translated by Andy Dudak

This story's title is apropos, because I didn't care for it at all. The settings didn't make sense and the three stories (not really stories, just fragments) had nothing to do with one another.

Grade: D-

"Power To Yield," Bogi Takacs

This had some fairly clever worldbuilding, but I couldn't really connect with the main character, which kind of made the whole thing moot.

Grade: C

"Strange Comfort," Tegan Moore

More clever world building and a hard SF premise, with the main character working at a research lab ten miles below the surface of the ocean of Europa. This started out well but turned into a real downer, and the ending didn't help.

Grade: C-

"The Oddish Gesture of Humans," Gabriel Calacia

A cute story about aliens trying to interpret a culture gesture of humans (in this case, kissing).

Grade: B+

"The House That Leapt Into Forever," Beth Goder

This starts out a little reminiscent of Ray Bradbury's "There Will Come Soft Rains," about a sentient house carefully maintaining its rooms and its one remaining inhabitant. Except we slowly come to realize the "house" isn't a house, and the house is on this barren moon for a reason, and its remaining inhabitant, Doom-May-Come, is not as benevolent as they seem. This very short story drips with atmosphere and creates a wonderful sense of creeping dread, turning into horror, in just over three pages. Well done.

Grade: A

Honorable Mention: "The Human Genome Disparity," Douglas F. Dluzen

The author, an Assistant Professor of Biology at Baltimore's Morgan State University, tackles the problem of BIPOC underrepresentation in human genome research. This gets a little bit into the weeds, but it's quite interesting.

[Steven Gernandt · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review is for what I picked as my top three of the fictional stories in this month's issue.

Artificial People by Michael Swanwick
A tale that reminds me of a more adult Pinocchio but with the reader and character being forced to have time skip past us. Maybe the doll-like character is a project started and left forgotten for a while then comes back to again and again over the years. Each time gaining knowledge and developing it’s awareness only to see everything has changed around him each time. It was engrossing for me even if it left a bittersweet feeling by the end.

One Time, a Reluctant Traveler by A. T. Greenblatt
A somber tale about honoring the memory of loved ones, a journey up an impossible mountain, and a world seemingly near its end. The reflective tone is not the easiest for me to follow but the ability of the author to give a personality to the robotic guide and the wary narrator is clear. The vision of the world is well executed.

Power to Yield by Bogi Takács
Imagine a book report leading you to follow around a revolutionary political figure, interview him, then make a life altering choice. Now place this in a detailed future with a rich cultural history. By the end this world felt more real than some places in our world. The title hints at some of the things the main character endures after a decision she makes. I did not see it coming entirely and was struck by the level of intensity and resolve of the young woman we see this story through.

[Anthony Brigano · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed most of this issue, but “One Time, A Reluctant Traveler” by A.T. Greenblatt was by far and away my favorite story. It is beautifully woven and loaded with charm. I also enjoyed “Artificial People” very much.

This was my first issue of Clarkesworld and it made a pretty good case for subscribing.

[Cecil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating is for Bogi Takács's Power to Yield. I have not read anything else out of this issue.

Read it here: http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/takac...

[Elaysee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several of the stories in this issue are right on the edge of whether to add to my Hugo nominations potentials list. The one I added is Beth Goder's disturbing little story.

[Mark Catalfano · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked "Strange Comfort" by Tegan Moore

[Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

"One Time, a Reluctant Traveler" by A. T. Greenblatt

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good selection of stories this month. Though there wasn't much I was ecstatic over the writing is impressive as always and there's a balance of SF here. As with another genre zine this month a decent amount here includes AI of some kind, starting with the first three stories (or five, depending how you count one!)

"Artificial People" by Michael Swanwick starts the issue off with a straightforward tale of the 'life' of the titular artificial person. After its initial activation it is shut down for improvements over a period, to be reactivated much later, with cycle repeating. As time passes it never reaches full potential, yet rapidly becomes technologically obsolete. The tale works well both as one of technology and in some way regarding how people treat one another.

"One Time, a Reluctant Traveler" by A. T. Greenblatt takes place in a vaguely post-apocalyptic setting, yet has the feel of fantasy more than SF in emphasis. One survivor goes on a journey to an ocean atop a mountain to traditionally cary the ashes of his loved ones, despite the stories he has heard of the futility and dangers of this journey. On each leg of the trip the recounted story is followed by reality confirming the tale, at least on some level. I liked the back-and-forth between tales sounding very fantastical followed by his experiences, grounded more in technology, yet still feeling mystical in ways. A story to keep thinking about.

"Three Stories Conjured from Nothing" by ShakeSpace and translated by Andy Dudak may be three relatively unrelated short stories packaged as one, or they may share commonalities, I still haven't figured out which. The first is hard scifi of one component bot of a multi-whole going awry. As a biologist I enjoyed comparing it to multicellular life and cancer in terms of symbolism. The second is another example with language of fantasy, yet clearly SF, as race tries to deal with Dyson sphere tech they don't completely understand beyond a metaphoric/religious level as something is occurring to their sun. The third describes a worm universe in the multiverse. While all three are interesting, they also seem all style - expounding physics concept - with less soul. Those that really love 'hard' SF might appreciate far more.

I usually am not partial to novellas, and "Power to Yield" by Bogi Takács was consistent with that. It was far too long for me despite having a very interesting story behind it. Yet another story that is SF but with elements of fantasy in its presentation, the plot centers around two characters forging a deep and aromantic relationship on a former colonial world now independent. One is a former member of the imperial upperclass that once dominated the world and another is a young girl who becomes fascinated about his personal choices and behaviors as she researches him for a project. Meeting him, she not only begins to learn more about him, but also more about how the world works, including the pain/sacrifice that drives it. Though filled with cool ideas and unique language (to me at least) to draw the reader in, a large part is also devoted to the characters just talking among or to themselves about how to compartmentalize and classify one another in terms of their preferences and actions. Finding self-definition and ensuring clear communication of that becomes one of the dominant themes, which some may adore, but I found somewhat overpowering.

"Strange Comfort" by Tegan Moore is probably my favorite story of the bunch - not just because it talks about bacteria. A worker in a Europan deep sea mining/research center becomes effectively stranded there when an accident kills his coworker friend and the company who owns the facility - and his body - fire the Europan support personnel trying to help him. In the meantime, a bio-engineered worm harvesting material from the sea bed begins acting strangely. I liked both the biology here and the commentary on callous, impersonal corporations.

The final entries are shorter stories, and I enjoyed both. "The Oddish Gesture of Humans" by Gabriel Calácia is a pleasant one from the point of view of aliens trying to figure out why humans kiss. Beyond this humorous take, there is a nice story deeper here of these two aliens finding renewed personal connections by discussing this aspect of humanity. "The House That Leapt into Forever" by Beth Goder is written from the point of view of an AI 'home' that has cultivated relationship with a life form within it, one that has just run out of food. An entertaining tale with appropriate short length, similar to what one might see in Daily SF.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Artificial People by Michael Swanwick: 4/5 Mournful story about absent fathers and the nature of relationships, which I liked.
One Time, a Reluctant Traveler by A. T. Greenblatt: 3/5 Another mournful story, which didn't land very neatly for me. I thought it was good but not great.
Three Stories Conjured from Nothing by ShakeSpace, translated by Andy Dudak: 5/5 This is a bananas story which I very much enjoyed. I liked the three stories and the way they fit together.
Power to Yield by Bogi Takács: 4/5 I enjoyed this but I felt like it was a bit too abstract.
Strange Comfort by Tegan Moore: 5/5 THIS WAS SO GOOD. Very sad, very thought-provoking.
The Oddish Gesture of Humans by Gabriel Calácia: 4/5 This was a short vignette and I enjoyed it.
The House That Leapt into Forever by Beth Goder: 4/5 This one was a lovely abstract piece with an ending that made me smile.

[J_BlueFlower · Rating 3 out of 5]

My comments for short story:
Artificial People by Michael Swanwick read 2020

A fine story. The "artificial people" being more human than some humans.