Lightspeed Magazine - Zeno Agency Ltd.

Short Fiction Watch: Aliette de Bodard

Posted on Tuesday, January 13th, 2015

In this latest edition of Short Fiction Watch, we wanted to draw your attention to two more pieces by Aliette de Bodard.

The first can be found in the January 2015 issue of Lightspeed Magazine: THE LONELY HEART and Author Spotlight

‘It was towards mid-afternoon that Chen became aware of the girl. She stood before Chen’s stall, watching the fake-jade effigies of the Buddha and the coloured incense sticks, her eyes wide in the sunlight — she was no more than thirteen or fourteen, with the gangly unease of that age. To her left, children shrieked as they passed the Bridge of Impossibility, holding each other’s hands, and went into the temple complex…’

The second is in the 100th issue of Clarkesworld: THREE CUPS OF GRIEF, BY STARLIGHT (the story is free to read online, if you follow the link)

Aliette de Bodard is the author of the Obsidian & Blood trilogy, published by Angry Robot Books. Her next novel, THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS, is due to be published by Gollancz in the UK, in August 2015 — we recently announced that acquisition in the news feed.

Short Fiction Watch: Ian MacLeod in Lightspeed

Posted on Wednesday, November 26th, 2014

In this edition of Short Fiction Watch, we wanted to draw your attention to Ian MacLeod‘s excellent new novella NEW LIGHT ON THE DRAKE EQUATION, which is exclusive to the Print and eBook edition of the November issue of Lightspeed Magazine, along with an exclusive Author Spotlight as well.

The novella is ‘inspired by a man’s journey as he searches for signs of extraterrestrial intelligence’, and can also be found in the SNODGRASS AND OTHER ILLUSIONS collection, which is published by Open Road Media.

Here’s a short selection of reviews MacLeod’s fiction has received…

‘A serious, thoughtful work of futuristic fiction, this haunting novel is a bridge between Huxley’s Brave New World and Frank Herbert’s Dune.’ — Publishers Weekly on THE GREAT WHEEL

‘MacLeod, a seasoned, gritty writer with a great depth of knowledge and understanding, who could teach us all a thing or two about writing a damn good tale… characters are well developed and interesting and, more importantly, highly believable and real. To me it was JG Ballard meets Robert Fripp. Intelligent and yet not pretentious, well written… It is a plot that is like a journey on British Rail – fraught with perils and dangers, but eventually getting you there… A monumental work of science fiction far superior to Asimov.’ — Guardian on THE HOUSE OF STORMS

‘MacLeod’s stately, magisterial grace and richly textured prose may prove too much for readers looking for a quick fix, but the patient will be rewarded.’ — Publishers Weekly on JOURNEYS

Ian MacLeod is the critically-acclaimed author of, among others, WAKE UP AND DREAM, THE LIGHT AGES, THE SUMMER ISLES and SONG OF TIME.

Short Fiction Watch: Aliette de Bodard & Matthew Hughes

Posted on Monday, September 15th, 2014

We’re delighted to report that both Aliette de Bodard and Matthew Hughes have short stories in the September 2014 issue of Lightspeed Magazine, and are also both interviewed.

Aliette’s Author Spotlight is a free preview article from the magazine, and can be read here. Her story is PRAYERS OF FORGES AND FURNACES. Here’s the synopsis…

The stranger came at dawn, walking out of the barren land like a mirage—gradually shimmering into existence beside the bronze line of the rails: a wide-brimmed hat, a long cloak, the glint that might have been a rifle or an obsidian-studded sword. Xochipil, who had been scavenging for tech at the mouth of Mictlan’s Well, caught that glint in her eyes—and stopped, watching the stranger approach, a growing hollow in her stomach.

Matthew’s story is UNDER THE SCAB…

It was too late in the day to start back to Indoberia. Kaslo tried to find ways to busy himself about the castle, but his thoughts would not leave him alone. Finally, he went up to the flat roof of one of the larger towers and leaned against the parapet as the planet’s sun sank below a horizon no longer broken by the Commune’s skyline. In the opposite direction, the stars were coming out, but Kaslo saw only a handful of the glittering orbitals that used to stretch in a sparkling, glinting arc across the night sky.

Aliette de Bodard is the author of multiple award-winning and -nominated short stories, and also the Obsidian & Blood trilogy, published by Angry Robot Books. Matthew Hughes is the author, most recently, of the To Hell & Back trilogy, published by Angry Robot Books.