A.C. Wise Reviews Short Fiction: The Deadlands
The Winter 2024 issue of The Deadlands is full of lovely prose and quiet stories meditating on life and death. In the beautifully written “Threnody in Dark Wood” by Avra Margariti, a professional mourner who sings the dead through the Doorway receives a mysterious assignment to attend an empty funeral with a sealed coffin and soon realizes this is a job unlike any other. “The Glass Sarcophagus” by Tiffany Morris similarly features an unexpected turn for a woman who collects spirits in the last moments of their lives. She’s drawn to a house expecting to find a dying human, but instead finds an angry ghost who refuses to be exorcised. “Auspicium” by Diana Dima is a lovely story, full of striking imagery, set in a world where everyone has a bird inside of them that eventually flies away with them. The story traces the narrator’s journey as she learns to make peace with the sparrow inside her and accept the natural balance of life and death.
“Symphony of the World’s Roots” by Damián Neri is told from the point of view of an alien spore that falls to Earth and integrates with the fungal network it finds. Its fall is witnessed by three people – a young boy, a farmer, and an old woman – who ultimately all die as victims of violence, providing a look at the interconnectedness of existence. “Totality” by Brandi Sperry explores similar themes and nicely balances sorrow and hope. During a solar eclipse, a segment of the population falls into an unexplained coma, waking again with memories of their past lives, allowing a sister to reunite with her deceased twin brother. “Your Sword, Your Trumpet” by Anjali Patel is full of gorgeous prose as it follows two immortal beings – one representing chaos and the other order – across centuries until they realize how much they need and balance each other. The evolving relationship between the two is lovely, and has some Good Omens Crowley and Aziraphale vibes. Overall, it’s a nicely balanced issue, with several stories that feel like they’re in direct conversation with each other. As always, the cover art, which is a piece by Lucy Lissett for this issue, deserves a shout out for being eye-catching, and perfectly setting the tone for stories, poems, and essays within.
Recommended Stories:
“Totality”, Brandi Sperry (The Deadlands Winter ’24)
“Your Sword, Your Trumpet”, Anjali Patel (The Deadlands Winter ’24)
This review and more like it in the May 2024 issue of Locus.
While you are here, please take a moment to support Locus with a one-time or recurring donation. We rely on reader donations to keep the magazine and site going, and would like to keep the site paywall free, but WE NEED YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT to continue quality coverage of the science fiction and fantasy field.
©Locus Magazine. Copyrighted material may not be republished without permission of LSFF.
