Clarkesworld Magazine, Issue 32, May 2009

by Neil Clarke (Editor), Nnedi Okorafor (Contributor), Alex Dally MacFarlane (Contributor)

FICTION
"From the Lost Diary of TreeFrog7" by Nnedi Okorafor
"The Devonshire Arms" by Alex Dally MacFarlane

NON-FICTION
"What if it All Goes Wrong? A Conversation with Robert V. S. Redick" by Jeremy L. C. Jones
"Models and Clay and Plaster, Oh My! Creating the Cover Art for Tides From The New Worlds" by Brian Dow

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

47 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2009

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

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and cool diary of an explorer on an alien world.

I suppose we are meant to enjoy the fascination of being human while being surrounded with so much that is alien, but to me, I just loved the shit out of the alien. :) Cool ideas.

Biological computation rules. :)

[Auntie Terror · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was brilliant, and perfectly designed for online publication. The fact that you have little entries on species by different explorers popping up when you move the cursor above the word, gives it an additional layer of immersiveness, if that is a word. Personally, I like "found data" story presentation when it's done well. I'm very impressed but I can't think of a way to give a better description without accidentally including mild spoilers. Clarkesworld Magazine has it accessible online for free - so just read it yourself.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a review for the short story From the Lost Diary of TreeFrog7 by Nnedi Okorafor.

Two explorers, one being the titular Treefrog7, are exploring a jungle to complete a field guide. They have been out in this jungle for what we call about 2 years. However, since we cannot be sure we are on Earth, that indication of time doesn't mean too much.
Treefrog7 and her husband are following in the footsteps of another explorer to find an M-CPU plant. But will they like what they'll find?

This is a strange world full of very interesting creatures. Spiders, frogs, moths ... but all a bit different from what we're used to. And then there is the M-CPU plant and what it (possibly) means / is.

Throughout the story, whether you read the print version or listen to the logs, Treefrog7's POV ensured that you were there with her, in the trees and on the ground. This also greatly enhanced an intensely creepy feeling crawling up your back. In fact, I was reminded a bit of Jeff Vandermeer's Area X what with the strangely familiar and yet alien creatures and the reader not really knowing what to expect.

Very nice atmosphere for such a short story (so short, that the author even sped up the time it takes to deliver a baby - unless it's #15 which was quite funny). One doesn't need to like or feel for the characters in order to be constantly looking over one's shoulder and feeling the urge to runrunrun while also wanting to stay and look because the fauna and flora is so fascinating. *lol* Quite the achievement.

You can read the story for free here: http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/okora...

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

***From the Lost Diary of TreeFrog7 by Nnedi Okorafor***

Two explorers search the jungle for what they call a CPU plant. A centuries old plant that, as legend has it, connects to networks from worlds beyond and has stored an unimaginable amount of information.

As soon as they find it they want to download its hard drive, and in the meantime they compile a Jungle Field Guide. They document their search via audio files through which the reader learns about their expedition and also that they are stalked by a mysterious creature.

A very atmospheric short story.

It can be read for free using this link. And more importantly, you can also listen to it, using the same link. And that’s clearly what I recommend. The narration by Kate Baker is pretty good. And since the story is told via audio files anyway, it really adds a lot to the overall experience.

Recommended by Mir

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

"From the Lost Diary of TreeFrog7" by Nnedi Okorafor
This story can be read at Clarkesworld. It is also available there as an audio version. Generally I don't care for audiobooks but this story is actually presented as the transcript of a voice recording made by an explorer so I suspect that version will work really well. I'll go back and listen to it at another time before writing a review.

[Tamás Fábián · Rating 3 out of 5]

First story was good with data populated tress and stuff, the second...I had NO idea what's going on lol

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two short stories along with an interview with Robert V.S. Redick and a breakdown of how Brian W. Dow created the cover art for Tides From The New Worlds.

"From the Lost Diary of TreeFrog7" by Nnedi Okorafor is a story following two married post-apocalyptic explorers making their way through an alien jungle. The protagonist is pregnant and the world is full of danger. 4/5

"The Devonshire Arms" by Alex Dally MacFarlane is about a magical tavern where strange people can spend the years with each other. 3/5

[Mitticus · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the short story From the "Lost Diary of TreeFrog7" by Nnedi Okorafor. 3 stars

[Sara]

From the lost dairy of threefrog by nnide okorfore.
short cool dairy .i wonder about mine but i still in earth and i havent tow frog with me that im not one from them and they not in my plant.thee explorer and iam especialy in nndie okorfor world and words.thes sci-fic short novela has tast of nndie.ingoy it.

[Dominique · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it. wish I knew what'd happened to them ..

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every word is perfect, not one is amiss. I can't understand how it is possible to write like this.

[Kaiti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting little side piece to Zahrah the Windseeker

[Cass · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5