Grimdark Magazine Issue #34

Grimdark Magazine continues to be an excellent source of short format fiction at the grittier end of the speculative fiction scale! This issue focuses on Sci-Fi grimdark fiction and offers an intriguing mix of stories. As always I will review each of the short stories individually

The Royal Game - Christopher Ruocchio

I am a big fan of the Sun Eater series and it was fun to see a new short story from it. This definitely is a mid series story though, so it does contain some spoilers for those who have not read the larger series. Otherwise it does work pretty well as a standalone short story though - focusing on the side of the main timeline, yet still featuring Adrian Harlowe. Sun Eater definitely has grimdark vibes - the whole alien civilization/existential threat, the petty politicking and all the characters definitely are on the grey spectrum from a moral perspective. This story definitely showcases that aspect, with politicking and Adrian Harlowe using intimidation to get his way. A fun little side trip from the main story line.

4.5/5

The Night Sung Out My Name - Ken Scholes

An interesting take on AI overriding your agency. Definitely dark in feel with an intriguing glimpse at an alien world, but the overarching theme appears to be on dependency on AI despite its inherent danger. With the rise of AI in the public discourse at the moment it feels timely!

4/5

The Cure - Guy Haley

The least Sci-Fi of the stories here, this one was more in the Fantasy realm, tracking a group of mercenaries hired to escort a pair of priests across some decidedly hostile terrain. The recurring refrain of ‘more pay for the living' each time a member of the party dies is wonderfully mercenary in its echoes. This also pokes some fun at religion as well, but is ultimately a morbid tale of effectively a suicidal mission. I enjoyed this!

4.5/5

Electric Sonalika - Samit Basu

Another take on AI, but this one plays more on the boundaries of what is the meaning of humanity. Our main character, Sonalika is mostly maching, but human enough to pass as human, in a society where AI has risen up once and been defeated. Sonalika is a tragic figure, not able to fit into either world. Kind of a cinderella story, but with some dark twists and turns. I'm not overly prudish but some of the machine sex stuff seemed a bit unnecessary other than to play on potential incest themes (it did nothing for the plot) but otherwise an enjoyable enough tale. Was interesting to have something with some Indian cultural sensitivities referenced here too

3.5/5

Dead Reckoning - Miles Cameron

Again, I am already a fan of Arcana Imperii, the series that this story links in with. This operates a vignette into the larger story arc, with a different ship and crew to that featured so far in the only novel in the series (Artifact Space) but linked into the wider universe (and story). There is some fantastic foreshadowing going on here with hints of threats to come. This series has to be the sci-fi series I am most anticipating as the first book was so brilliant. Probably the least grimdark of the short stories in this issue, it kept my appetite thoroughly wetted for the series though...

4.5/5