iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 9h

Best nonfiction: Editor’s Desk: In Our Twenties by Neil Clarke. Well-deserved pat on the back from the editor for outstanding job. All the best for the next 20

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 9h

7) The Mari Lwyd by Fiona Moore: Morag takes on local pirates and tames a rogue and traumatized bot by letting it express itself. Uneventful

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 9h

6) A Vintage Kind of Death by Alex T. Singer: sentient machines incarnate in highly realistic human body and have fun dating each other. A little flat

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 9h

5) Roams the Planet of Our Grief by Natalia Theodoridou: Johny, with the gift of divining the fate of and communicating with dead people by scanning a heavenly body, informs next of kin of their loved one’s fate. Tough job. Good premise, raw pain well captured as secrets come out.

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 9h

4) Five Bottles in Memory of the Winemaker Petronius Finch by Louis Inglis Hall: Finch adds sugar to bodies in sealed caskets and makes fine wines drunk in memory of the deceased. Son is bitter about it all and avenges himself by publicly smashing father's wine bottle. Good passages

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 9h

3) The Rice Paper Bleed by Tia Tashiro: Chiyo in retirement home sees the surroundings in her retirement home shift slightly from day to day and uncovers the truth. Esoteric; has some charms

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 9h

2) How Does One Person Kill a Mountain? By Shi Heiyao trans Andy Dudak:mountain-sized extraterrestrial in Malawi devours junk&produces treasure. Industrialists love it but it goes out of control. Local worker Bakili tries to kill it but learns lesson in complexity of society. Great depth and nuance

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 9h

1) The Job by Elizabeth Bear: Bethony is transformed by mining exploration into whale to explore with her sonar depths of ocean on distant planet. Makes first contact with intelligent life. Fantastic

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Clarkesworld 241. Ranking of stories follows

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Best poem: The Salmon Carry Constellations by Kath Healing: “The salmon carry constellations in their scales. Each silver arc, a map of floods. ” Great imagery

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

5) Morning Glories at Dusk by Em X Liu: grim reaper deputy visits potential future candidates and exercises a degree of power. Didn’t get it

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

4) Mosh by Maggie D. Waldron: trip to concert opens up senses. Passionate

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

3) To Carry the Future by Aishatu Ado: Bots acting as surrogate mothers develop feelings toward their children that cannot be wiped away despite repeated reprogramming attempts. Powerful

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

2) A Thing of Fearsome Beauty by @everettalistair.bsky.social : Gabe addresses gender dysphoria with magic self-scalpel. Transformed body parts run and fly. Tragic. Hilarious. Unique.

010

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

1) Horse Trailer, Ash, Pumpjack by EC Dorgan: In an Alberta devastated by wildfires and smoke, horse lovers are forced to vivify mechanical contraptions coming from pump jacks since the land cannot support life anymore. Eerie, wild. Well done

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Augur 9.1 ranking of stories follows

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Best nonfiction: Astounding and von Braun by Edward M. Wysocki Jr.: debunking of the claim that von Braun was receiving copies of Astounding Science-Fiction during WW2 via various back channels. Thorough and satisfying

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Best poem: The Hubble Constant by Ashleigh Gill:”We still live in the age of stars, when looking up we think companion.” So close still

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

20)Upcoast by Joanna Rifkin: ancient crab along seashore battles on against old age and refuses to get married ie settle down with mate and die. Goes up the coast with young ‘un on journey of exploration. Valid philosophical insights

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

19) Beggars Mounted by Eric Del Carlo: wrangler helping young nobleman capture sentient wild spaceship betrays kid to benefit a rebel group, then is forced to fend for himself after plan goes awry. Feel good story but a little empty

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

18) Will Everyone Please Rise by Adam-Troy Castro: humanity argues over an anthem to represent humanity until one recommends playing the genome. Short and sweet

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

17)Relative Error by Jay Werkheiser: gifted physicist asked to liaise with aliens who are visiting Earth to discover the secret behind their FTL technology. It’s quite complicated but he works hard and pays heavy price to learn. straightforward

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

16)Bright Points on the Quiet Sun by Jody Rich:scientist working on particle accelerator acquires through some quirk ability to foresee time &circumstances surrounding other people’s demise just by looking at them.Wonders if he can block the apparent inevitable.Great start&middle; end a little off.

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

15) Bella’s Heart by AT Sayre: Bella flees oppressive husband by crashing her ship onto Vespa. Impact crater by its shape becomes tourist attraction. Good take on irony.

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

14) Career Considerations for Starship Burglars burglars by Hans Ege Wenger: sentient war bot decommissioned after war is forced into burglarizing after failing to find a job. Pretty easy but gets boring. Goes back to warring. Gentleman bot behaviour a nice touch.

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

13) Wee Man by David McGillveray: orphan kid grows in misery up but still a small runt. Manipulated by shady characters to run a stolen ship on stolen mine he gets his revenge. Good underdog tale

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

12) The Supplyside Ouroboros by Noah Lemelson: ideal dystopian world described in which bots run everything and the only people left are undesirable vagrants with negligible economic value. Hard hitting

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

11) The Daughter by Stephen Case: scientist brought to planet being devastated by rogue industrial scale miners sees devastation first-hand. Fight for freedom begins. Believable, tough

010

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

10)Socrates by Geoffrey Hart:human explorers looking for colonization candidates arrive on distant planet&discover Gaia-esque ecosystem with wise sloths as apex predator who quickly understand possible nefarious human intent.Good take on first contact both animal and associated computational support

010

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

9)The User Manual by Tony Ballantyne: crew implementing a weapons-for-prisoner deal are betrayed. Inventive use of alternative science based on balance and conservation of various exotic parameters

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

8)A Dark or Red Forest by Jakub Tomczyk: in alternate future, Soviet deep space pilot awakens from stasis to realize alien fungal entity has taken over crew and ship and could be coming with them back home to colonize Earth. He makes grand sacrifice. Confusing but imaginative and bold

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

7) Roots’ Remembrance by Jennifer S. Jane: man in distant planet consistently hallucinates after eating local plants. Turns out they’re talking to him and help him settle a murder. Innovative, clever

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

6) Meeting a Mom at the Edge of Space by Xu Mason. Galt, machine operator on distant planet, gets to meet her mom for first time as adult. Touching tale of dealing with tenuous family links in brutally efficient and cold society

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

5) Neomergence by Paul E. Franz: Earth colonizers flee planet after failed democracy building mission, similar to recent real chaotic flights. Harsh

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

4) Preggo Bomb by Jay Strandjord:minds of pilots of mechanized war machines on destructive rampage are infiltrated by noble defenders who convince evil bot masters to stand down. Powerful

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

3) Robo Bashers by Harri Ellington Lewis: young men rendered unemployed and morose by androids roam the streets of London looking for trouble and bash androids engaged in tasks like taking out the trash. They of course get in bigger trouble than bargained for. Gritty, believable

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

2) Septo’s Taj by Timothy M Brown: deep space pilot discovers small Taj Mahal-like asteroid from extinct alien civilization, and out of deep respect decides to leave it be rather than cash in on the find. Well balanced, great takes on the passage of time.

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

1) The Light of Darian by Sean McMullen: veteran cop and scientist team up to investigate mysterious death in London house and uncover plot by emulators of exoplanet atmospheres to perform deadly trials on victims. Slick. Flows well

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Analog Science Fiction and Fact September/October 2026. Ranking of Stories follows

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

6)Olden by Nisi Shawl: tale of olden people who lived lives we believe are dirty but in fact managed to thrive. Didn’t get it.

001

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

5) Terminal Day by Lavie Tidhar: eternal life entity, who occasionally, took on a human form and acted on Mars movies, reincarnates as a previous character and visits the studio sets of some of its greatest hits. Strange but reminiscence touching

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

4) A House Eater Roaming the Divine Garden by Ai Jiang: houses made up of delicious food seem to be gnawed and nibbled at despite security measures designed to prevent precisely that. Investigator called in. Turns out investigators are the culprit. Cute.

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

3) Lemuria is for Lovers by Cody Goodfellow: curmudgeon living at dead end of country road forced to deal with neighbours a little too new age for him and gets too close. Reads well.

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

2) When You Sit By a Window, Look Out by Nick Mamatas: the last three faithful of a deity gather to kill said deity upon deity’s command. Risky and bewildering yet plot holds and message of fight for liberation cuts through

011

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

1) Lady Night’s Menagerie by @rachaelkjones.bsky.social : Anka steals Lady Night’s prize flying steed &flees to the Beyond.Caught by local baron who steals the steed,she is forced into a deal with Lady Night. Tragedy strikes but revenge offer a small measure of bitter sweetness. Terrific story.

131

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Three-Lobed Burning Eye, Issue 48, July 2026. Ranking of stories follows:

042

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Best nonfiction: Talking to Whales (and Other Cetaceans) by Priya Sridhar: good look (and listen) at the field

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

7) Country Music by Madeleine Vigneron: urban woman flees town and ends up in rural Saskatchewan where she hears mysterious future messages from asylum ships fleeing Earth. Good capturing of time and space limits and lack thereof, but unbounded ending unclear.

000

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

6) Skin and Glass by @radhapyari.bsky.social : future disease causes people to lose life years if they make eye contact so nobody does. Life sucks. Love the attitude and fighting spirit

011

GCL Boisset @gcl-boisset.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

5) And So I Open My Fists by Rachel Sobel:all babies born boys, then some trans to womanhood after bearing children still as boys.Old timers try to maintain customs, ensure blood line purity, &steer kids into proper m-f relationships.Confusing at first but self-consistent, level headed &not preachy

000