written by David Steffen
Clarkesworld has been getting bigger and better. They’re publishing more stories than ever before and they’re good as ever, publishing more episodes than any of the other podcasts I listen to. Neil Clarke continues to edit and Kate Baker continues to host and usually narrate the podcast.
The List
1. “The Clockwork Soldier” by Ken Liu
I enjoyed this story so much, moving science fiction story involving text adventures (like Zork).
2. “The Magician and LaPlace’s Demon” by Tom Crosshill
Probability magician vs near-omnipotent AI. Great stuff.
3. “Fives Stages of Grief After the Alien Invasion” by Caroline M. Yoachim
Another great one by Caroline, aliens that look like frogs but are intangible mists start making deals with Earth.
4. “The Meeker and the All-Seeing Eye” by Matthew Kressel
Omnipotent super-AI finds a drifting human eras after the rest of humanity has gone extinct.
5. “The Saint of the Sidewalks” by Kat Howard
Its the rituals that make a saint.
6. “Seeking boarder for rm w/ attached bathroom, must be willing to live with ghosts ($500 / Berkeley)” by Rahul Kanakia
Pretty much what it says on the tin.
7. “The Sledge-Maker’s Daughter” by Alastair Reynolds
Hard to describe the parts I liked about it without spoiling it…
Honorable Mentions
“A Gift in Time” by Maggie Clark
“Stone Hunger” by N.K. Jemisin
“Cameron Rhyder’s Legs” by Matthew Kressel