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Clarkesworld Magazine, Issue 170, November 2020
CONTENT
"The Land of Eternal Jackfruits" by Rupsa Dey
"Death Is for Those Who Die" by Jana Bianchi
"To Sail the Black" by Jana Bianchi
"Lost in Darkness and Distance" by Jana Bianchi
"Niuniu" by Baoshu
"The Murders of Jason Hartman" by Brady Nelson and Jamie Wahls
"The Love Life of John Doe" by K Raghasudhan
"The Land of Eternal Jackfruits" by Rupsa Dey
"Death Is for Those Who Die" by Jana Bianchi
"To Sail the Black" by Jana Bianchi
"Lost in Darkness and Distance" by Jana Bianchi
"Niuniu" by Baoshu
"The Murders of Jason Hartman" by Brady Nelson and Jamie Wahls
"The Love Life of John Doe" by K Raghasudhan
148 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2020
2 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Neil Clarke
401 books402 followersNeil 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 6, 2021
‘The Land of Eternal Jackfruits’ by Rupsa Dey *****
‘Death Is for Those Who Die’ by Jana Bianchi *****
‘To Sail the Black’ by Jana Bianchi *****
‘Lost in Darkness and Distance’ by Jana Bianchi ****
‘Niuniu’ by Baoshu ****
‘The Murders of Jason Hartman’ by Brady Nelson and Jamie Wahls ****
‘The Love Life of John Doe’ by K Raghasudhan ****
An exceptionally strong collection of international SF (India, China, Brazil and the US by way of LA, which of course may as well be a country all on its own). Plus, interviews with SF art publisher John Fleskes and R.F. Kuang (‘The Poppy War’), and a fascinating look at Mary Shelley’s ‘The Last Man’ through a Covid-19 lens by Carrie Sessarego.
A long-time reader of Asimov’s, I am new reader to Clarkesworld. After only a couple of issues, I am convinced it is one of the best SF magazines out there. Certainly, reading it in conjunction with Asimov’s is likely to give you the most comprehensive overview of modern SF possible in such an ever-growing (and increasingly fragmented) genre.
What I truly appreciate about Neil Clarke’s editorial mission, as it were, is his focus on international writers and publishing translated SF. The essays and interviews in each issue also give a fascinating glimpse into what makes contemporary writers tick, as well as highlighting interesting trends and developments. There are no book reviews, but this is a speciality of Asimov’s, so you really get the best of both (all?) worlds by reading it as well as Clarkesworld.
‘Death Is for Those Who Die’ by Jana Bianchi *****
‘To Sail the Black’ by Jana Bianchi *****
‘Lost in Darkness and Distance’ by Jana Bianchi ****
‘Niuniu’ by Baoshu ****
‘The Murders of Jason Hartman’ by Brady Nelson and Jamie Wahls ****
‘The Love Life of John Doe’ by K Raghasudhan ****
An exceptionally strong collection of international SF (India, China, Brazil and the US by way of LA, which of course may as well be a country all on its own). Plus, interviews with SF art publisher John Fleskes and R.F. Kuang (‘The Poppy War’), and a fascinating look at Mary Shelley’s ‘The Last Man’ through a Covid-19 lens by Carrie Sessarego.
A long-time reader of Asimov’s, I am new reader to Clarkesworld. After only a couple of issues, I am convinced it is one of the best SF magazines out there. Certainly, reading it in conjunction with Asimov’s is likely to give you the most comprehensive overview of modern SF possible in such an ever-growing (and increasingly fragmented) genre.
What I truly appreciate about Neil Clarke’s editorial mission, as it were, is his focus on international writers and publishing translated SF. The essays and interviews in each issue also give a fascinating glimpse into what makes contemporary writers tick, as well as highlighting interesting trends and developments. There are no book reviews, but this is a speciality of Asimov’s, so you really get the best of both (all?) worlds by reading it as well as Clarkesworld.
December 3, 2023
Review, for the moment, is solely for "The Murders of Jason Hartman" by Brady Nelson and Jamie Wahls, http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/nelso...
5+ stars! AMAZING story. Astounding! FANTASTIC!!
Rare to come up with something new & scientifically plausible. Such as,
"turns out human neurochemistry evolved that way so that parasites can’t jack our behavior. Why else would we have homeostatic mechanisms that downregulate dopamine production in response to high serum levels? It’s not like humanity evolved next to a cocaine factory. That’s a free neuroscience hint from the future, you’re welcome."
Whoa!
Good job, guys. Award coming? You've earned one!
Also see https://clarkesworldmagazine.com/wahl...
"Eater of Worlds"
5+ stars! AMAZING story. Astounding! FANTASTIC!!
Rare to come up with something new & scientifically plausible. Such as,
"turns out human neurochemistry evolved that way so that parasites can’t jack our behavior. Why else would we have homeostatic mechanisms that downregulate dopamine production in response to high serum levels? It’s not like humanity evolved next to a cocaine factory. That’s a free neuroscience hint from the future, you’re welcome."
Whoa!
Good job, guys. Award coming? You've earned one!
Also see https://clarkesworldmagazine.com/wahl...
"Eater of Worlds"
December 6, 2020
A very solid entry, probably one of the best this year from Clarkesworld. I got choked up reading Lost in Darkness and Distance by Clara Madrigano and Niuniu by the always amazing Baoshu - both happen to be AI stories dealing with how technology affect the coping mechanism of people who lost their loved ones.
Mortality seems to be recurring theme here - maybe because Neil just lost his cousin recently. The first story, The Land of Eternal Jackfruits by Rupsa Dey, and then To Sail the Black by A.C. Wise, were solid entries that complement the theme. I'd still want more jackfruits in the Dey story, but hey, I am easily led by story titles.
Mortality seems to be recurring theme here - maybe because Neil just lost his cousin recently. The first story, The Land of Eternal Jackfruits by Rupsa Dey, and then To Sail the Black by A.C. Wise, were solid entries that complement the theme. I'd still want more jackfruits in the Dey story, but hey, I am easily led by story titles.
November 20, 2020
So Clarkesworld is following its current trend with mostly depressive robot/AI/clones stories. I found two stories worth mentioning.
"Niuniu" by Baoshu translated from Chinese, tells about a little family whose daughter tragically dies when she is barely two years old. They have her replaced with a very real life robot, but the replacement can only keep the illusion going for so long. There is little to no subtlety in the telling making the point a bit hamfisted, and I found the ending to be a bit unnecessary. Otherwise a decent story. I always enjoy reading the Chinese translations to get an idea of their type of science fiction.
"Lost in Darkness and Distance" by Clara Madrigano has a very similar plot. A young man suddenly dies of a heart attack and his family have him replaced by a clone. In this story as well, the problem is that a clone is not a proper replacement for a lost loved one. However, I felt more emotionally connected to this story than "Niuniu". The characters seem more real and even the clone deserves some empahty.
"Niuniu" by Baoshu translated from Chinese, tells about a little family whose daughter tragically dies when she is barely two years old. They have her replaced with a very real life robot, but the replacement can only keep the illusion going for so long. There is little to no subtlety in the telling making the point a bit hamfisted, and I found the ending to be a bit unnecessary. Otherwise a decent story. I always enjoy reading the Chinese translations to get an idea of their type of science fiction.
"Lost in Darkness and Distance" by Clara Madrigano has a very similar plot. A young man suddenly dies of a heart attack and his family have him replaced by a clone. In this story as well, the problem is that a clone is not a proper replacement for a lost loved one. However, I felt more emotionally connected to this story than "Niuniu". The characters seem more real and even the clone deserves some empahty.
January 22, 2021
This is another very cool cover. In fact, I think I'd buy a print of it if it was available. Story-wise, it had good overall quality, with one outstanding story.
"The Land of Eternal Jackfruits," Rupsa Dey
This is a bit of a murder mystery, in a futuristic world of robots, here called "processors." It felt pretty slight, and neither the characters or the plot lingered after I read it.
Grade: C
"Death Is for Those Who Die," Jana Bianchi
A poignant little story about a robot caregiver learning from its centenarian charge, and following its patient into death.
Grade: B
"To Sail the Black," A.C. Wise
The highlight of this issue, this is a terrific story about space pirates, running a ship powered by a captive star and laden with ghosts, past and future.
Grade: A
"Lost in Darkness and Distance," Clara Madrigano
A sad tale of clones and the past, and a family coming apart.
Grade: B
"Niuniu," Baoshu, translated by Andy Dudak
I didn't care for this much. This tale of parents grieving the loss of their daughter and ending up with a robot substitute just seemed overwrought and maudlin.
Grade: D
"The Murders of Jason Hartman," Brady Nelson and Jamie Wahls
This story is cleverly structured in the form of a transcribed interview with the questions missing...but the answers tell you all you need to know.
Grade: B+
"The Love Life of John Doe," K Raghasudhan
A postapocalyptic horror tale with a whiff of The Matrix, with machines dragging off survivors to a "processor tower" where they become living circuits. It's told from the viewpoint (in second person, for those who don't like that POV) of the programmer who freed it in return for its providing him with an avatar of his dead love. This is a bleak downer of a story, and creepy as heck.
Grade: B-
"The Land of Eternal Jackfruits," Rupsa Dey
This is a bit of a murder mystery, in a futuristic world of robots, here called "processors." It felt pretty slight, and neither the characters or the plot lingered after I read it.
Grade: C
"Death Is for Those Who Die," Jana Bianchi
A poignant little story about a robot caregiver learning from its centenarian charge, and following its patient into death.
Grade: B
"To Sail the Black," A.C. Wise
The highlight of this issue, this is a terrific story about space pirates, running a ship powered by a captive star and laden with ghosts, past and future.
Grade: A
"Lost in Darkness and Distance," Clara Madrigano
A sad tale of clones and the past, and a family coming apart.
Grade: B
"Niuniu," Baoshu, translated by Andy Dudak
I didn't care for this much. This tale of parents grieving the loss of their daughter and ending up with a robot substitute just seemed overwrought and maudlin.
Grade: D
"The Murders of Jason Hartman," Brady Nelson and Jamie Wahls
This story is cleverly structured in the form of a transcribed interview with the questions missing...but the answers tell you all you need to know.
Grade: B+
"The Love Life of John Doe," K Raghasudhan
A postapocalyptic horror tale with a whiff of The Matrix, with machines dragging off survivors to a "processor tower" where they become living circuits. It's told from the viewpoint (in second person, for those who don't like that POV) of the programmer who freed it in return for its providing him with an avatar of his dead love. This is a bleak downer of a story, and creepy as heck.
Grade: B-
December 8, 2020
This issue is almost a monographic on death, with “Niuniu” by Baoshu being the main standout. A story where two parents, broken by the accidental death of their small daughter, get drowned on a spiral that stucks them in the past, not being capable of coming up to terms with the tragic loss. They re-live once and time again the first two years with their daughter, through a a clumsy robot that can only reproduce behaviors taken from a limited number of pictures and videos. Things really go south when the father finally awakens from this nightmarish dream, becoming fully aware of the horror they are living, while the mother keeps mesmerized by this peculiar time travel machine. Incredibly disturbing and effective (even if somewhat quirky sometimes).
The rest of the issue seemed a bit weaker, but there were still a few interesting stories: “Lost in Darkness and Distance” by Clara Madrigano is another meditation on the failure to cope up with loss, in this case through a very unwise use of cloning.
A little bit more on the upbeat side, there’s also “To Sail the Black” by A.C. Wise, a highly entertaining and kitsch space-pirate story, where an impossible ship sails the black of space, driven by a crew that includes the ghosts of its former members, giving cue to situations full of black humor.
Finally, “The Love Life of John Doe”, by new writer K Raghasudhan, was an interesting short piece that works almost as a prose poem, with an incredible atmosphere, even if it goes around the worn-out trope of a post-apocalyptic future dominated by war and rebellious machines. A promising voice.
The rest of the issue seemed a bit weaker, but there were still a few interesting stories: “Lost in Darkness and Distance” by Clara Madrigano is another meditation on the failure to cope up with loss, in this case through a very unwise use of cloning.
A little bit more on the upbeat side, there’s also “To Sail the Black” by A.C. Wise, a highly entertaining and kitsch space-pirate story, where an impossible ship sails the black of space, driven by a crew that includes the ghosts of its former members, giving cue to situations full of black humor.
Finally, “The Love Life of John Doe”, by new writer K Raghasudhan, was an interesting short piece that works almost as a prose poem, with an incredible atmosphere, even if it goes around the worn-out trope of a post-apocalyptic future dominated by war and rebellious machines. A promising voice.
May 14, 2021
The land of Eternal Jackfruits carries a classic sci-fi atmosphere but delivers a very modern story with a deep philosophical bent. The Indian-ness of the characters refreshingly stand out in their attitude rather than just names, the relationship between the grandmother and the protagonist is touching. It comes close to the robots with emotions trope but averts it. Overall, a beautiful read.
November 14, 2020
An issue that had good writing but some of the stories covered very similar themes so that one had an over whelming sense of loss and mourning by the end of the issue. Replacement children, parental mistakes , suicide, a reluctance to let go of the past and a yearning to stay in the moment or go to the next life with dignity.
I am reluctant to say it is science light because the themes
above are frequently tackled in this genre and indeed Mary Shelley is covered in a good piece about one of her more obscure works.
A time to move on from AI and clones as stories?
I am reluctant to say it is science light because the themes
above are frequently tackled in this genre and indeed Mary Shelley is covered in a good piece about one of her more obscure works.
A time to move on from AI and clones as stories?
April 26, 2021
"Niuniu" by Baoshu ★★★★
May 14, 2021
One of the best emerging writers in Indian SF.
April 19, 2023
Most of these stories follow the traditional Clarkesworld formula of being melancholy stories mostly about death and loss, but two stood out. The first was "To Sail the Black" by A. C. Wise, which took a really interesting premise about ghost ships sailing the cosmos and ran with it, in a way that really interested me. The second was "The Murders of Jason Hartman", which was told with a neat framing device and which inspired questions about AI and about how able humanity should feel to control the forms of life we create. (It has not escaped me that both of these stories were also melancholy stories about death and loss; they were just the two who did something interesting with it.)
February 1, 2023
Personal memo:
Dey. ***
Bianchi. ****
Wise. ***
Madrigano. *****
Baoshu. ****
Nelson/Wahls. ****
Raghasudhan. ***
Interesting interviews as usual.
Dey. ***
Bianchi. ****
Wise. ***
Madrigano. *****
Baoshu. ****
Nelson/Wahls. ****
Raghasudhan. ***
Interesting interviews as usual.
December 29, 2020
A good and varied issues - my favorite was A.C. Wise's story, but I liked most of this issue. And having read Frankenstein, and being able to imagine something like that but more frustrating, I appreciate Sessarego reporting out on the The Last Man for us!
Want to read
January 1, 2024The Love Life of John Doe by K RAGHASUDHAN
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews