A review by ninegladiolus
Out There: Into the Queer New Yonder by Saundra Mitchell

adventurous challenging emotional reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Anthologies are always a bit hit-or-miss for me given the nature of the beast, but I’ve had great luck with them this year. Out There: Into the Queer New Yonder has officially become one of my all-time favourite anthologies. Maybe this isn’t surprising since ‘queer in space’ is a forever favourite theme of mine, but regardless, I stand by the quality of the works in this collection. Brimming with imaginative worlds and representation, the authors featured in Out There: Into the Queer New Yonder offer a dizzying, captivating array of possibilities in the stories they offer.

I have favourites, of course:

  • Claire Kann’s The Rift, where a girl who saved the world brokers back-alley deals and collects seedy favours for a plan of her own.
  • Nita Tyndall’s Translating for the Machine, where a young person who falls outside the binary is the only one who can understand an enigmatic, ominous, city-controlling AI.
  • Adam Sass’ Reshadow, a horror-infused tale of an escape room with a perilous, heart-racing twist
  • K. Ancrum’s H O M E, a story about two teens living out their days stuck in a time loop on a space station
  • Ugochi M. Agoawike's Fractal Eyes, where a research assistant studies an entity far more complex and dangerous than anyone realizes.

Overall, highly recommended for fans of science fiction/sci-fantasy who want a selection of fantastic, diverse stories from across a galaxy of identities. I’ll definitely be seeking out the previous two entries in this anthology series as well!

Thank you to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for the advance review copy. All opinions are my own.