khōréō: Short Fiction Reviews by A.C. Wise

khōréō 4.3

“The Last Flesh Figure Skaters” by Claire Jia-Wen opens khōréō 4.3 on a strong note, following the rivalry between two competi­tive skaters, each using different kinds of body modifications. The rivalry between them leads to fascination, which develops into a romantic relationship. The story is beautifully written, ex­ploring parents living vicariously through their children and the pressure often put on young athletes to succeed. The story also touches on acompanies using unwitting individuals to train their technology, losing what makes various human endeavors special in the first place. “A Little Like Sap, a Bit Like a Tree” by Natalia Theodoridou is a similarly gorgeously written story that is ultimately about healing from loss and learning to let go. David left his marriage when his husband refused to accept him as a man, making a life for himself in an isolated cabin. He lost the baby he was carry­ing, but as the story opens, he offers the breast milk he’s still producing to feed the hungry birds who come to visit him. When a wounded man shows up asking for help, he recognizes a kindred spirit. A lovely relationship forms, but David always knows it’s temporary, learning to make peace with saying goodbye and leaning to make peace with himself in the process.

“In the Age of Fire” by Ana Rüsche follows Plinio, who as a young boy loses his mother as they are fleeing Brazil for America. He’s adopted by two women from San Francisco and grows up to be a firefighter. Plinio’s dreams of an extinc­tion event, a lifelong fascination with volcanoes, and one of his mothers’ insistence on him get­ting a very specific tattoo, all culminate in a strange encounter with a group of people who claim to be from the future. The story touches on anti-immigration sentiment and loss, but also captures a nice note of hope. “Cuckoo” by Esra Kahya (translated by Aysel K. Basci) is a dark story reminiscent of various fairy tales. Nuran is considered to be the village idiot, like her mother before her. She’s been forced into mar­riage and is stuck with a mother-in-law who re­sents her after her husband disappears. Caught in this horrible situation, she begins hearing a voice from the well urging her to escape before it’s too late. “The Universe & Miss Debbie” by Cindy Phan takes the idea of a nightmare client quite literally, as a group of aunties at a nail salon are forced to deal with a six-foot-tall catfish demanding a pedicure, while also deal­ ing with one of their most demanding regulars, Miss Debbie. The story tackles the type of per­son who believes they deserve to be waited to on hand and foot, while also bringing in a nice little dash of cosmic horror. “Nightskin’s Land­ing” by Chris Campbell is a story that captures the vibe of classic science fiction. A group of humans taken from Earth generations ago re­turn and prepare to settle in Wyoming. Amidst negotiations around technology exchange, the returning humans witness firsthand the hostili­ties that can often lie beneath the polite veneer of seemingly welcoming Earth-bound humans, especially politicians.

Recommended Stories
“The Last Flesh Figure Skaters”, Claire Jia-Wen (khōréō 4.3)
“A Little Like Sap, a Bit Like a Tree”, Natalia Theodoridou (khōréō 4.3)

This review and more like it in the March 2025 issue of Locus.

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