How Long 'til Black Future Month?: Stories

"Once upon a time, I didn't think I could write short stories." Thus begins the introduction to one of the absolute best short fiction collections that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Ranging the gamut of speculative fiction from fantasy through paranormal into science fiction and then to dystopian along with everything in between, these stories are dark and deep. Full of rich description, they sweep you away into worlds that seem impossibly well-constructed for being assembled in only a few pages. Each and every tale was a delight to read. My author-crush on Jemisin is blooming into full-fledged love. STORY BY STORY The Ones Who Stay and Fight 5 stars A powerful science fiction tale written in response to Ursula K. Le Guin's The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas that examines the truth of utopia. The City Born Great 5 stars A thrilling paranormal horror story with a Lovecraftian feel and a chase scene that left me both holding my breath and winded at the end. Red Dirt Witch 5 stars A witch faces down a fairy in a battle for her people in this historical paranormal tale. L'Alchimista 5 stars A charming tale of modern cookery and ancient witchcraft. The Effluent Engine 4 stars A woman from Haiti finds more than she is expecting in slavery-era New Orleans in this alternate history short. Cloud Dragon Skies 5 stars A vision of a far distant post-apocalyptic future revealing the relationship between those of us who fled and those who remained. The Trojan Girl 5 stars A science fiction tale focusing on the social lives and desires of A.I. born in the Internet. Valedictorian 4 stars In a dystopian post-war society, a girl flaunts social expectations in the face of dreadful consequences. The Storyteller's Replacement 4.5 stars A dark fantasy reminiscent of One Thousand and One Nights that leaves one faintly disturbed yet intrigued. The Brides of Heaven 5 stars A chilling science-fiction short where interplanetary colonists face hopeless odds including the madness of one of their own. The Evaluators 5 stars A first contact story that reveals a startling societal arrangement which could change humanity forever. Walking Awake 5 stars A dystopian short with themes of collaboration through ignorance, the self-destructive nature of humankind, and the pain of awakening. The Elevator Dancer 5 stars A dark and dystopian short about temptation, oppression, and perception of reality. Cuisine des Mémoires 4 stars A melancholy short fantasy centered around food and memories. It may leave you hungry as well as wondering about your choices in life. Stone Hunger 4.5 stars This is the story that eventually became the Broken Earth series. The story itself has a complete arc, yet it feels somehow incomplete. I suppose the author felt much the same. Perhaps it’s less that it’s incomplete and more that it leaves one eager to know more about this universe of magic, destruction, and, above all, hunger. On the Banks of the River Lex 5 stars In which the question is asked—what happens to our gods and incarcerations once humankind has finally self-destructed. The Narcomancer 4.5 stars One man struggles to find the path of righteousness when faced with a temptation that is both a sacred obligation and a violation of faith. Henosis 5 stars A dark examination of what it truly means to honor an artist. Written in an unusual sequence which may be read in two ways, which I highly recommend doing. Too Many Yesterdays, Not Enough Tomorrows 5 stars In a fragmented universe, with the survivors existing in isolated quantum islands, what makes the difference between survival and extinction? The You Train 4 stars A haunting tale of one woman’s journey of self-discovery in the subways of New York. Non-Zero Probabilities 4 stars When probability spirals out of control making both the best and worst kind of luck an everyday occurrence, a young woman finds her life entirely changed. Sinners, Saints, Dragons, and Haints, in the City Beneath the Still Waters 5 stars A man finds he has to battle more than he expected as he fights for survival after the levee breaks in New Orleans.

It's always a little concerning when an author introduces her short story collection by saying that a) she never really liked writing short stories and b) she wasn't good at them. But N.K. Jemisin confesses to both of those things in the introduction to How Long 'Til Black Future Month?, explaining that she came to writing short fiction reluctantly for a number of reasons - a preference for novels being maybe the most important of them - and that it took her a while to feel like she understood how to make use of the form. All of that, though, turns out to set expectations too low for How Long 'Til Black Future Month?, which is an amazing short story collection that demonstrates so much of what made me fall in love with Jemisin's Broken Earth series - rich and diverse characters, astonishing world-building, thoughtful social commentary, exciting plotting, and ideas to spare. What's more, it's a chance to see into Jemisin's mind as a writer, seeing her trial runs for series and books that would come later, including The Broken Earth itself. Over the course of these twenty-two stories, Jemisin takes us into alternate histories and alien worlds, into fantasy realms and modern day New York City, into a flooding New Orleans with a magical realism bent and past the end of human life on Earth. But whatever the setting, Jemisin brings it to vivid, rich life, immersing us not only in the flora and the fauna, but in the feeling of the world - the way people relate to each other, the tensions in the air, the fears and worries, and the sense of life that comes from being in a society. Unsurprising to find that in Jemisin's short fiction, just as it's unsurprising to find her characters dealing so explicitly with race, sexuality, and the biases that come along with them. Jemisin isn't shy about those issues, but they're just another tool in her toolkit, giving her stories a relevancy and impact that emphasizes and underlines the themes that she's exploring. More than that, though, they add to the complexity and richness of her characters, giving them motivations and depth beyond what the plot demands - and allowing Jemisin to play with contemporary issues and ideas in fantastical worlds. But even with all of that, what makes How Long 'Til Black Future Month? great are the stories themselves. A young homeless graffiti artist finds himself tapping into the spirit of New York City in "The City Born Great"; that same city finds a lonely woman stumbling across forgotten subway lines in "The You Train." Sentient computer programs start trying to overcome their place in the Internet in "The Trojan Girl," while "The Valedictorian" shows the consequences of their choices decades down the road. A mysterious kitchen serves up the food of memories in "Cuisine des Memories," while a flooding New Orleans becomes the hub of a conflict between good and evil in my favorite story of the collection, "Sinners, Saints, Dragons, and Haints, in the City Beneath the Still Waters." Other stories give us first drafts of The Broken Earth ("Stone Hunger") and Jemisin's Dreamblood series ("The Narcomancer"). And that doesn't even touch on so many of the stories, with a Groundhog Day-style resetting of reality, an author forced to deal with the ramifications of fame, an unexpected storyteller telling a tale no one asked for, and so much more. Are these science fiction? Fantasy? Steampunk? Alternate history? Allegory? What's great about Jemisin's writing in general - and this collection specifically - is that they can be all of those things at once and more, mixing and matching genre elements effortlessly and telling tales without regard for expectations or demands of the form? Jemisin may think that she didn't know quite how to write short stories, but maybe that's the joy of this collection - because they're written in a way that makes them feel fresh, vibrant, and utterly unpredictable, giving you life and lushness to spare and leaving you wanting more. And really, is there a better compliment for a short story than to say "I'd read a whole book of this?" Because that's true for basically every single one of these tales - and what else do you need?

An amazing collection of stories. As a fan of ‘the broken earth’ it’s no surprise I enjoyed this collection, but the overall quality and diversity of stories is remarkable and I cannot recommend this collection highly enough.

no real development of the characters or the stories, even though they are supposed to be "short tales", they look more like "short ideas". No real feeling to be reading science fiction or fantasy ..It just seems like a mix of ideas shaked and tossed at random. A waste of time.

Disclaimer: I'm one of these horrible persons who usually only write reviews to complain. But for N. K. Jemisin's short story collection, I have to make an exception. I first came across Jemisin via the Broken Earth trilogy. The Fifth Season blew me away not only by virtue of the incredible imaginative power that fuels it, but also due to its fantastic characters, social undertones, and the sheer beauty and rhythm of its language. Jemisin's writing instantly resonated with me, and left me craving for more. So here we have a collection of short stories. I was sceptical at first: Would Jemisin be able to pull off the fantastic world-building that I loved so much about the Fifth Season again and again in the very different format of short stories? Plain and simple: Yes. Here is a collection of varied stories that will take your breath away by the same means The Fifth Season did. The first story, granted, is more of an essay than anything else, but it is beautifully crafted and made me smile and even cry a little, so much was I moved by it. Magic and humanity run through all of the stories, and I can't begin to tell you how much Jemisin impressed me by managing to build whole worlds within a few pages, and tell a gripping story at the same time. If you, like me, loved The Fifth Season, you have to read these short stories. One of the very rare books I whish would never end.

Absolutely fantastic collection of short stories. Each story is highly original and compelling. They are well written and packed with LGBTQIA characters which are integral to the stories and not just a nod to diversity. I loved that the default in all the stories was POC characters, it was so refreshing. The stories were spooky, creepy, sad, thought provoking, exciting....all the great stuff. Can't wait to read more.

kw