Firestarter by Dan Peacock – 3.5
Phano, May 2025 “Firestarter” is a poignant science fiction story about grief, guilt, and redemption set in Earth’s orbit. The narrator, Nick, works as a “firestarter”—a satellite technician whose job…
The Nine Crashes of Flight Lieutenant Hilla Quinn by Louise Hughes – 3.4
Kaleidotrope, October 2025 Flight Lieutenant Hilla Quinn was once the best pilot in her division—someone who could outrun Wasps, survive near-fatal encounters, and make it home against all odds. But…
Steel Holds the Heat’s Memory by Rick Hollon – 3.6
Kaleidotrope, Summer 2025 A nameless girl travels with her father, a stage conjurer who performs under false names while teaching her the secrets of illusion. Their journey takes a dangerous…
The Final Voyage of the Ouranos by Marie Brennan – 2.7
The Sunday Morning Transport, January 2026 “The Final Voyage of the Ouranos” is a science fiction horror story told through an innovative fragmented narrative structure that alternates between cheerful promotional…
Slake by Victor Manibo – 2.2
The Sunday Morning Transport, January 2026 “Slake” is a haunting horror story set during an unprecedented two-week rainstorm that has flooded a city to catastrophic levels. The protagonist, Calix, is…
Jennifer’s Body by Sara S. Messenger – 3.4
Nightmare Magazine, January 2026 Lane is a thirteen-year-old homeschooled girl living with her mother in rural Florida. Her mother, who was tortured to death as a teenager in a scenario…
The Spew by Jeffrey Ford – 3.7
Reactor, January 2026 Eben Cull, an unemployed warehouse worker desperate for money, responds to a mysterious “WRITER WANTED” ad and meets Arathusia, a peculiar woman with raven-black hair who possesses…
Fingerprints on Glass and Clay by Fernanda Coutinho Teixeira – 3.7
Strange Horizons, January 2026 Lúcio is a goldfish with human vocal cords, created by the Lifemaker as a simple project during a period of estrangement from his sister Olga. He…
Tinker’s Leap or The Prince Who Fell From The Sky by Krushna Dande – 3.7
Tasavvur, January 2026 This enchanting fairy tale explores the meeting of two dreamers from vastly different worlds during an unprecedented cosmic event. The story begins with the narrator explaining that…
The Tailors by Kurt Fawver – 3.4
Nightmare Magazine, January 2026 “The Tailors” is a dark horror story set in a war-torn village controlled by the warlord Jurgen Blanco. The narrative begins when Blanco’s enforcers raid the…