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Lightspeed Magazine, October 2010
The October 2010 issue of Lightspeed Magazine features all types of sf, from near-future, sociological soft sf, to far-future, star-spanning hard sf, and anything and everything in
In our lead story this month, “Hindsight,” horror author Sarah Langan tells the story of an apocalypse-in-progress, a world in which the laws of physics no longer seem to behave properly, and a mysterious cosmic anomaly called Black Betty. The last remaining survivors have one last hope, but can the technological singularity defeat the threat of a gravitational one?
In “Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man’s Back,” author Joe R. Lansdale tells the tale of a mad scientist and his family who spend twenty long, hard years Down Under waiting for the war to end. By doing so, they manage to survive the end of the world, but when they go back Topside, they find a world very different than the one they remember—a world in which even a rose is supremely dangerous...and not just because of its thorns.
Imagine you’re awakened early from cryonic stasis aboard a starship traveling to a colony world where tens of thousands of starving colonists will die if you don’t get there to help them. John R. Fultz’s chilling “The Taste of Starlight” explores whether the lives of many outweigh the lives of few, as we experience the lengths the good Doctor Pelops is willing to go to in order to ensure his mission’s success. Would you—should you—be able to do the same thing?
There are few authors in the world about whom you can honestly say “he needs no introduction.” But when you’re talking about Stephen King, that’s most certainly the truth. “Beachworld,” one of the horror master’s rare forays into straight-up science fiction, follows the plight of the two survivors of a far-future interstellar spaceflight, who crash land on a harsh and unforgiving planet.
In our lead story this month, “Hindsight,” horror author Sarah Langan tells the story of an apocalypse-in-progress, a world in which the laws of physics no longer seem to behave properly, and a mysterious cosmic anomaly called Black Betty. The last remaining survivors have one last hope, but can the technological singularity defeat the threat of a gravitational one?
In “Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man’s Back,” author Joe R. Lansdale tells the tale of a mad scientist and his family who spend twenty long, hard years Down Under waiting for the war to end. By doing so, they manage to survive the end of the world, but when they go back Topside, they find a world very different than the one they remember—a world in which even a rose is supremely dangerous...and not just because of its thorns.
Imagine you’re awakened early from cryonic stasis aboard a starship traveling to a colony world where tens of thousands of starving colonists will die if you don’t get there to help them. John R. Fultz’s chilling “The Taste of Starlight” explores whether the lives of many outweigh the lives of few, as we experience the lengths the good Doctor Pelops is willing to go to in order to ensure his mission’s success. Would you—should you—be able to do the same thing?
There are few authors in the world about whom you can honestly say “he needs no introduction.” But when you’re talking about Stephen King, that’s most certainly the truth. “Beachworld,” one of the horror master’s rare forays into straight-up science fiction, follows the plight of the two survivors of a far-future interstellar spaceflight, who crash land on a harsh and unforgiving planet.
105 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2010
1 person is currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
John Joseph Adams
370 books980 followersJohn Joseph Adams is the series editor of BEST AMERICAN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY. He is also the bestselling editor of many other anthologies, such as ROBOT UPRISINGS, DEAD MAN'S HAND, BRAVE NEW WORLDS,WASTELANDS, and THE LIVING DEAD. Recent and forthcoming books include WHAT THE #@&% IS THAT?, OPERATION ARCANA, PRESS START TO PLAY, LOOSED UPON THE WORLD, and THE APOCALYPSE TRIPTYCH (consisting of THE END IS NIGH, THE END IS NOW, and THE END HAS COME). Called “the reigning king of the anthology world” by Barnes & Noble, John is a two-time winner of the Hugo Award (for which he has been nominated nine times), is a seven-time World Fantasy Award finalist, and served as a judge for the 2015 National Book Award. John is also the editor and publisher of the digital magazines LIGHTSPEED and NIGHTMARE, and is a producer for Wired's THE GEEK'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY podcast. You can find him online at www.johnjosephadams.com and on Twitter @JohnJosephAdams.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
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July 19, 2024This SF horror themed issue didn’t really work too well for me. The stories were all well written, but none were really the kind of horror OR the kind of science fiction that I typically enjoy.
December 27, 2011
The Taste of Starlight by John R Fultz was a great horror/sci-fi story. Like the movie Ravenous in space!
December 31, 2020
A good little collection of Hallowe'en themed science fiction. Crashes on abandoned planets, or crews woken from cryosleep too early, these are quite dark in places and at least one story should be avoided while eating. Even though I'm not reading it at the right time of the year - or even the right year - it's a fun change of gear compared to more normal collections.
October 20, 2020
This issue didn't really appeal to me. The one outstanding story was by Stephen King called Beachworld.
January 10, 2016
★★★★☆ - “Hindsight” by Sarah Langan
★★★☆☆ - “The Taste of Starlight” by John R. Fultz
★★☆☆☆ - “Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man’s Back” by Joe R. Lansdale
★★☆☆☆ - “Beachworld” by Stephen King
★★★☆☆ - “The Taste of Starlight” by John R. Fultz
★★☆☆☆ - “Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man’s Back” by Joe R. Lansdale
★★☆☆☆ - “Beachworld” by Stephen King
April 9, 2012
Hindsight by Sarah Langan takes you on a ride where garbage is spinning around earth like the rings of Saturn. The cause is really the end. 5 Stars.
Pamela L. Gay explains how universes could collide.
Joe R. Lansdale the reason I bought this issue. Tight stitches in a dead mans back. A tattoo with pain that is beyond recognition.
Overall well worth to pick up. Other shorts by John Fultz, Stephen King & Genevieve Valentine.
Pamela L. Gay explains how universes could collide.
Joe R. Lansdale the reason I bought this issue. Tight stitches in a dead mans back. A tattoo with pain that is beyond recognition.
Overall well worth to pick up. Other shorts by John Fultz, Stephen King & Genevieve Valentine.
October 7, 2010
Some pretty good stories.
November 10, 2013
Some outstanding end of the world type stories including one from Stephen King himself!
May 24, 2014
Hindsight 2/5
Tight Little Stiches in a Dead Man's Back 3/5
The Taste of Starlight 2/5
Beachworld 2/5
Tight Little Stiches in a Dead Man's Back 3/5
The Taste of Starlight 2/5
Beachworld 2/5
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews