skybridge

sethdmichaels.bsky.social · @sethdmichaels.bsky.social@bridge.neodb.net

Rated How Long 'til Black Future Month? 8/10

A generally quite good collection of short stories, all featuring sci-fi/fantasy/speculative elements and all hinging on questions of identity and power. In her foreword, Jemisin positions these stories as studies en route to her incredible novels (they do feel that way but are also good on their own merits) and explicitly coming from her status as a Black woman in a society and a field that has a hard time seeing the concerns of Black women. What's most impressive about these stories is how many different speeds she has - she can be bright and funny and fast-moving or lyrical and moody with equal effect, and she always writes engaging *stories* about *people* even as she clearly cares about *structures* and *ideas*.

#book

Published 2026-08-18 14:46 UTC · bridged from Atmosphere