“Like Thorns on Her Tongue” by R.Z. Held – 4.1
Beneath Ceaseless Skies, February 2026 “Like Thorns on Her Tongue” by R.Z. Held — Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Issue #450Trist is a blood mage traveling the settlements along the great Mother…
“A Dirge for the Mirrorbirds” by Emily C. Skaftun – 4.0
Beneath Ceaseless Skies, February 2026 The narrator is a Yem — a species unique in the universe for their ability to direct their own reincarnation using meditative tones, returning life…
“The Placemat at Baldy’s Diner” by Michael Libling – 4.2
Asimov’s Science Fiction, March/April 2026 A grief-stricken man named Shore drives aimlessly through New England, barely sleeping, living in his car, haunted by the loss of his daughter and wife.…
“The Ghosts of Goldilocks” by Kevin J. Anderson & Rick Wilber – 4.6
Asimov’s Science Fiction, March/April 2026 Forty years after the damaged generation ship Hind barely managed to land its passengers on the planet Goldilocks, humanity struggles to survive on a world…
“A Fierce Need” by James Van Pelt – 4.7
Asimov’s Science Fiction, March/April 2026 This poignant novelette follows Theo and her best friend Celeste from childhood through young adulthood, united by their fierce dream of reaching space.As ten-year-olds, the…
Crisis Actors by Maddison Stoff and Corey Jae White – 4.4
Strange Horizons, 20 January 2025 In a dystopian near-future America, the Department for a Safe America employs “Watchers” who monitor surveillance feeds across the country, flagging suspicious activity to law…
Garden of the Bloodpotter by Erin Brown – 4.1
Psychopomp Magazine, September, 2025 Issue 14 In a war-torn kingdom ruled by a relentless king, War Sorcerers known as Bloodpotters resurrect elite fighters called HighSoldiers by creating magical gardens from…
The Legend Liminal by Ren Hutchings – 4.0
Stars and Sabers Publishing Version 1.0.0 Stacey M. Kells and her two brothers, Spencer and Shelton, along with their best friend Faye, set out on a road trip west in…
Casual by Koji A. Dae – 4.7
Summary Casual is a near-future dystopian novel that follows Valya, a pregnant woman in her late twenties living in Old Sofia, as she navigates anxiety, depression, trauma, and difficult choices…
Handsomest Gentlest by M.R. Robinson – 4.6
Haven Spec Magazine, March 2025 This tender ghost story follows Jackie, an eleven-year-old boy who has recently died and finds himself alone in the woods. Frightened and grieving his own…