Three great short stories
Dec. 27th, 2023 11:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
asakiyumeI bought issue 296 of Interzone magazine because I wanted to read "999 Swords" by Marie Brennan, a Yoshitsune-and-Benkei story, and wow, wow, wow, it completely rewarded all my hopes and expectations. Benkei's narration of his childhood is very funny:
Super job. And then, having bought the anthology-sized zine, I tried another story whose title intrigued me, "Our Lady of the Void," by Hesper Leveret, the story of an ethnologist who's off on her first-ever trip off Earth--and into deep space!--to research the flowering, among the crews of interstellar freighters, of a new folk faith in the titular Our Lady of the Void. Delightfully, little black cats (void cats, of course) are associated with her, although if the wrong person sees a ship's void cat at the wrong time, it's bad luck. The details of a folk religion are wonderfully brought to life, and the details of the story weave together most cunningly. I especially like the blessing: "May Our Lady see you in the void."
The other truly great short story I read, which ought to be of interest to most of my friends here, is Iona Datt Sharma's Penhallow Amid Passing Things, a tale of the coast of Cornwall involving a smuggler, a revenue agent, the ebb of magic from Britain's shores, and a dangerous magical bundle. Oh, and a budding Sapphic romance between the smuggler and the agent, both of whom prompted "Do I want to be her or be with her" feelings. ... Laurels go to the revenue agent, though. My heart. The writing is gorgeous--evocative, sharp, and funny:
And if you want to know about that romance....
Apparently the story was included in the anthology of underwater ballroom stories that I remember coming out some years ago. I remember that anthology had a stellar list of contributors, and if the other stories are even within shooting range of the caliber of this one, that must have been one hell of an anthology! Now, though, the story is available as a stand-alone.
Beautiful covers on both Interzone Issue 296 and Penhallow Amid Passing Things:
Other reading:
I'm also reading Betsy-Tacy, which is as charming and appealing asosprey_archer's review made it sound, and I continue with Samantha Nock's poetry collection, A Family of Dreamers, with each poem offering gifts.
“I explained to [the monk] that I needed charity, since not only had my parents abandoned me but so had the monks of Hieizan. Therefore, he ought to give me his robes. To my great astonishment, he refused! I ask you – what kind of Buddhist doesn’t simply hand over his clothing to the first stranger who wants it? I reminded him about the story of Satta Ōji, who virtuously sacrificed himself to feed a hungry tiger, and of Shibi Daiō, who gave up some of his own flesh to keep a dove from being eaten by a hawk. He had the cheek to ask me if I thought I was a tiger or a hawk!
“At that, I knew there was only one thing for me to do. As I was now a newly minted monk, I ought to teach Shunkai to be a better and more generous Buddhist. It wasn’t hard, since I was a lot bigger than he was. I had sworn not to steal, though, so after I took his robes, I gave him my own in return. They didn’t fit him very well, and it was a little silly to see an old man like him dressed as an acolyte, but I figured that would just teach him humility.”
Super job. And then, having bought the anthology-sized zine, I tried another story whose title intrigued me, "Our Lady of the Void," by Hesper Leveret, the story of an ethnologist who's off on her first-ever trip off Earth--and into deep space!--to research the flowering, among the crews of interstellar freighters, of a new folk faith in the titular Our Lady of the Void. Delightfully, little black cats (void cats, of course) are associated with her, although if the wrong person sees a ship's void cat at the wrong time, it's bad luck. The details of a folk religion are wonderfully brought to life, and the details of the story weave together most cunningly. I especially like the blessing: "May Our Lady see you in the void."
The other truly great short story I read, which ought to be of interest to most of my friends here, is Iona Datt Sharma's Penhallow Amid Passing Things, a tale of the coast of Cornwall involving a smuggler, a revenue agent, the ebb of magic from Britain's shores, and a dangerous magical bundle. Oh, and a budding Sapphic romance between the smuggler and the agent, both of whom prompted "Do I want to be her or be with her" feelings. ... Laurels go to the revenue agent, though. My heart. The writing is gorgeous--evocative, sharp, and funny:
Smuggling in these parts is a hanging offence, but it’s taking a while for the gravity of Jackie’s situation to descend upon him. His affable face strains from the effort of exerting his intelligence ....
“There are naval men of many years’ service,” Trevelyan remarks, without greeting, “who might expound to you all day long of the great accuracy of their timepieces, and never think to change from London time.”
And if you want to know about that romance....
Without realising it until now, she’s been staring all this time at Trevelyan’s delicate, lovely hands, cupped around roses of flame.
Apparently the story was included in the anthology of underwater ballroom stories that I remember coming out some years ago. I remember that anthology had a stellar list of contributors, and if the other stories are even within shooting range of the caliber of this one, that must have been one hell of an anthology! Now, though, the story is available as a stand-alone.
Beautiful covers on both Interzone Issue 296 and Penhallow Amid Passing Things:
Other reading:
I'm also reading Betsy-Tacy, which is as charming and appealing as
osprey_archer's review made it sound, and I continue with Samantha Nock's poetry collection, A Family of Dreamers, with each poem offering gifts.
