/lit/ - Literature

>>18252397
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, May-June 2021 (F&SF, #755)

NOVELLAS
Refugees - Robert Grossbach
Literal illegal aliens, miniscule in size, seek asylum in Long Island from their government. A lengthy court case ensues.
Ok

NOVELETS
The World, A Carcass - Rich Larson
Her royal parents have died. She's fourteen. Now she must live with her uncle who wants to marry her off, which is where she meets a man called Nothing. A gothic fantasy story.
Ok

Babylon System - Maurice Broaddus
A story about for-profit prisons and their relation to slavery in the Albion colony of America. It's very much about religion and oppression. This was written to provide more information about a character, a Rastafari, from one of the author's steampunk novels.
Ok

SHORT STORIES
A Father's Hand - Stephanie Kraner
A nice little post-apocalyptic story of a boy and his adopted father, a robot. Explores what it means to sentient in different ways and how to determine when it's time to let go.
Ok

Dontay's Bones - Danian Darrell Jerry
Afro-Futurism Hood Life filled with stereotypes, but it's okay because the author is Black. Maybe it's intended to be a depiction of lived experiences. It wasn't something I was able to enjoy.
Blah

Goodwill Objects - Nina Kiriki Hoffman
First word is "CDY", which later is Cody. I don't know if it's particular to the digital edition, but I've been noticing considerably more obvious errors like this in recent issues. It's distracting.
A weird story about a strange relationship. This could be probably be easily repurposed as a creepypasta. A guy gets a package that has a plastic baby that talks to him.
Meh

Severed Fruit - Pan Morigan
A story about dying and being unhappy with the life that comes after death. Disillusionment for all follows. Somewhat reminiscent of a A Christmas Carol, though of a tyrant rather than a miser. I appreciate the expressed sentiments. Unfortunately this is a only a fragment concerned with making a statement.
Meh

Molly Whuppy - Corey Flintoff
A take on a Scottish fairy tale that I hadn't heard of before.
Blah

Drunkard's Walk - Jason Enge
Apparently one of several stories about a drunkard wizard not doing well in life. Seems to be a mythology inspired sword and sorcery tale.
Meh

The Plus One - Marie Vibbert
A Mars habitat is a harsh place to live. I assume it's about the homelessness crisis in the US and the unwillingness of employers to not fully exploit their employees. It's certainly about devaluation and dehumanization, especially of those with mental health concerns. Also, it's a mystery about why someone died which leads to the practical concerns of speaking truth to power.
Enjoyable

When the Water Stops - Eugen Bacon
Several connected flash fiction polemics about a world where climate change has wrecked everything. I'm sympathetic to everything stated within, but I'd rather not read absurd caricatures and pure emotional appeal.
Blah