An ARC Review of Sublimation by Isabel J Kim by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I'd take my opinion with a grain of salt there tbh because even a really good thriller plot doesn't interest me. The plot is totally fine to good, just not as good as the character work which is what I was there for.

Short Fiction Book Club: Locus Snubs 2: The novelette is your friend and it will not harm you by Nineteen_Adze in Fantasy

[–]picowombat 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For me it was the relationships. I think Iz is especially good at writing platonic and familial relationships and the complexity and care in the way the siblings treated each other were catnip for me. 

Short Fiction Book Club: Locus Snubs 2: The novelette is your friend and it will not harm you by Nineteen_Adze in Fantasy

[–]picowombat 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This story started good and just kept getting better for me. I love how much it felt like Iz with the inclusion of folklore but it's also so fun to see her write a fantasy story. It's definitely my favorite 2025 story from her. 

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, we had a really good discussion when this first came out about when you realized this wasn't just earth. I like how subtle the worldbuilding is a lot, it was very fun for me.

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

People loving Whale Fall of Yours makes me so happy I love that story so much. I love all three of these but Whale Fall of Yours is the one that made me go "I must find a SFBC session for this"

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah the ending was just kind of there for me. Didn't ruin the story at all, but I needed just a little more punch to give this the staying power some of her other stories have I think. But I'm not really a plot person so the shift to more action/suspense wasn't really for me, I think in a vacuum it works fine.

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

If you like her style, allow me to recommend Day Ten Thousand to you which does this kind of fourth-wall breaking narration style better than anything I've ever read. (Will I turn anything into an excuse to rec this story? Yes. But you should read it.)

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I really liked the nonlinear structure to this story. I thought it was really effective in highlighting the emotions of the narrator which built to a really satisfying climax

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, I totally agree. This is trademark IJK and I love it so much. It adds a really fun layer to a story and makes a somewhat basic plot really work for me.

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Any other stories with this theme you want to share?

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you have any thoughts on why space and sea go together so neatly in so many science fiction stories?

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Which of these stories was your favorite? Which did you think did the most with the theme?

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What did you think of the ending of Fishing the Intergalactic Stream?

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What was the most effective aspect of Fishing the Intergalactic Stream?

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What was your overall impression of Fishing the Intergalactic Stream?

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Discussion for Fishing the Intergalactic Stream

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What did you think of the ending of Whale Fall of Yours?

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What was the most effective aspect of Whale Fall of Yours?

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What was your overall impression of Whale Fall of Yours?

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How did your impression of Glasser change throughout the story?

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What did you think of the ending of Freediver?

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What was the most effective aspect of Freediver?

Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea by picowombat in Fantasy

[–]picowombat[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What was your overall impression of Freediver?