Rainbow Reviews

BOOK BLURB:
Visit the unexpected futures ... where queer flowers bloom on strange new worlds even when that world is our own ... Queer Dimensions presents queer futures in an exciting collection of 17 science fiction tales from both new and established authors.

BOOK REVIEW:
After the excellent Queer Wolves collection, I was really looking forward to this science fiction anthology, and Rasmussen and his authors did not disappoint!

The opening story, "The Night Hunters" by Jacques L. Condor, sets the bar high, with an endearingly concrete and real-feeling pair of grumpy old Alaskan hunters and some unwelcome visitors. The dialogue, the setting, the whole situation and conceit of the story had me hooked right from the first page, although there were a couple of slightly clunky gear changes (I believed them seeing aliens more than I did them talking about their feelings).

If I had to pick a single word to describe "The Man in the Mirror" by Lacey Louwagie, that word would be 'creepy.' Creepy, excellent, and unsettling. Digging into gender identity and the nature of love, this was really hard to read, but well worth it. Similarly, while being quite different in theme and setting, "The Sister Bush" by Joel Best is an eerie, suggestive, dystopic and disturbing tale.

As with any anthology, though, there were a few stories that didn't entirely delight me, although none that I thought were bad or didn't deserve a place here. "Eurydice" by James E.M. Rasmussen presents a rounded cast, fabulous world, and genuine conflict, but somehow, just didn't set me on fire, and "Plumbing the Depths" by A. Sparrow & N. Brooks never quite took off for me, although it's nicely plotted, and I was rooting for the relationship to flourish.

I must admit that "The Toti" by Michael Itig didn't gel for me at all, and "Off Course" by Logan Zachary struck me as pure 70s space cheese in both setting, tone, and body-types, which just isn't to my taste. The issue, though, is more one of taste than quality ~ it really is me not them! "Whatever the Risk" by Erastes is also quite a traditional sci-fi setting, but managed to hit more of my buttons, and offers a good, solid world, and a very engaging relationship.

"The Visitor" by Fiona Glass seemed to be trying to cram a lot ~ time travel, the engineering of social change, reverse-racism, all while setting up two eras of 'new earth' plus the relationship elements. The ideas were good, but the net effect was unfortunately rushed.

"Zoogarish" by John Randall Williams similarly seemed a bit cramped. Excellent idea, engaging characters (despite the 'new language' sci-fi tropes that are a little off-puttingly Trekish for me) but another one that just stopped ~ would be a great starter to a longer book, or as part of a series of pieces.

"Borrowed" by R.J. Bradshaw I thought was a good, solid, if very brief, story, and had a wonderful way of setting up a relationship!

"Here be Gardens" by David Edison is packed with beautiful language and interesting ideas, but I could not care for any of the characters, who are very distanced, and, well, they're just not that nice. Lines like, "If his heart could hold a razor she'd be smiling straight across her throat" though, kept me reading.

"The Communion Fields" by Trent Roman is built around a truly fascinating idea, delicately and deftly explored. Although both plot and style are quite different, it somehow reminded me of Scarlett Thomas's "The End of Mr. Y." The only black mark I could put against this story was that it felt more like the first chapter of an excellent novel than a fully complete short story.

"The Prettiest Girl in the Room" by Mallory Path is not immediately the kind of story that appeals to me, but the writing was flawless, and this tale of genetic mods, the sex trade, and gender identity grew on me as I read. The story's end is at once a surprise and entirely inevitable ~ beautifully done. To develop not just a pair of main characters but a whole engaging ensemble, along with a world quite different from our own, within a short story takes real craft, which Path clearly possesses in abundance.

"The Future of Dr. Lole San Paulo" by A.J. Astruc is pure brilliance and also creepy as hell ~ genetic mutation and blackmail, and not diluted at all for a happy ending romance, which just made me enjoy it more. Fabulous stuff!

No emotional punches are pulled in "Time Now" by C.S. Fuqua either, which focuses around time travel and inevitability, friendship, love and suicide, and it is uncomfortable and scratchy, exactly as a story dealing with those issues should be.

There are a lot of great stories in this anthology, but I think "Stargazing" by Inga Gorslar was my favorite. It is not only lovely in every way, it's also one of my favorite types of sci-fi, where the science shapes the society, and we see that through the eyes of 'regular guys.' The two main characters ~ ex-military Jack, with his combat mods, and android Andy ~ may not on the surface look that 'regular' but they're delightfully solid, real feeling characters, and the trials they face just trying to make their way back on boring old earth makes its point without ever feeling labored or staged. Their difference is such a beautifully drawn part of them as whole people, and the sparse, taut, language is perfect for them.

The collection as a whole ranges from the strong to the brilliant, and comes highly recommended.

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