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the skiffy and fanty show

October 2, 2023

R. B. Lemberg’s THE UNBALANCING is satisfying and soothing

Rick Klaw blog Dzherelo (The Source, Fill Your Bookshelf, r b lemberg, Rick reads some books I dunno, Subjective Chaos Kind of Awards, the four profound weaves, the magazine of fantasy & science fiction, the skiffy and fanty show, the unbalancing, trish matson

R. B. Lemberg continues to fascinate as evident by recent reviews of THE UNBALANCING by Trish Matson for The Skiffy and Fanty Show, THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES at Fill Your Bookshelf, and their poem “Dzherelo (The Source)” from The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (January/February 2023) at Rick reads some books, I dunno. And while Lemberg didn’t win the Subjective Chaos Kind of Award for Best Fantasy novel, THE UNBALANCING snagged a runner-up to winner The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez.

I found R.B. Lemberg’s THE UNBALANCING to be curiously satisfying and soothing, despite my unfamiliarity with the setting and despite the rising tensions felt by the protagonists and their people. I felt drawn to the mythology of Lemberg’s Birdverse and was intrigued by the structure of the Gelle-Geu island society, but most of all, I enjoyed the well-developed characters, their contrasts, and where their interactions led — to a relationship, to magical discoveries, and to a struggle for survival amid upheavals.
The Skiffy and Fanty Show

A pretty standard journey/quest story line made interesting by the atypical (to me) setting and characters. I loved the desert setting and nomadic cultures woven into the story.
Fill Your Bookshelf

“Dzherelo (The Source)” is a poem by R. B. Lemberg, author of THE FOUR PROFOUND WEAVES, one of my favorite books. It is fully as compelling as you would hope.
Rick reads some books, I dunno

February 19, 2015

THE VERY BEST OF KATE ELLIOTT should appeal to readers whether or not they are familiar with Elliott’s existing writing

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized collection, elizabeth story, essays, fantasy, jonah sutton-morse, julie dillon, kate elliott, review, short stories, the skiffy and fanty show, the very best of kate elliott

For The Skiffy and Fanty Show, Jonah Sutton-Morse delivers a thorough and thoughtful review of THE VERY BEST OF KATE ELLIOTT.

There’s a charge often leveled against books that feature women that they must be “political” or that centering relationships between women either attacks men or somehow interferes with the story. In the essays in this book and elsewhere, Elliott addresses the notion of stories that are more or less “political” (spoilers — “The Status Quo Does Not Need Worldbuilding“), but the stories in this collection show again and again that exploring relationships we do not often see in fantasy and science fiction enhances rather than weakens the narrative. In “The Queen’s Garden,” two sisters, their network of relatives and servants, and the men who come to their father’s court all together weave a story of heroism, treachery and love both romantic and familial — and more successfully than any smaller narrative could have. And “To Be a Man” shows a frank and charming appreciation for men among a household of women.

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The Very Best of Kate Elliott is a collection of stories and essays that should appeal to readers whether or not they are familiar with Elliott’s existing writing. The thoughtful introduction and essays provide a framework for understanding why stories about women viewed through the female gaze are so essential to broadening and reclaiming the science fiction/fantasy tradition. The twelve stories filled with diverse characters, the wisdom of age, and the exuberance of youth put that framework into practice. The gorgeous cover art by Julie Dillon is the final cherry on top.

Read the rest of Sutton-Morse’s insightful thoughts at The Skiffy and Fanty Show.

For more on THE VERY BEST OF KATE ELLIOTT, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover art by Julie Dillon.

Design by Elizabeth Story.