For today’s Track of Words guest post, please welcome author Lora Gray who’s here to look back at some of the best novels, short fiction and poetry they’ve read in 2021, all of which was published this year. Lora may be familiar to Track of Words readers from my reviews of their Warhammer Horror short stories – including He Feasts Forever, which is still one of my absolute favourites – but if you haven’t checked out any of their work I would strongly recommend it! If you’re on the lookout for some great speculative fiction recommendations as well though, you’ve come to the right place with this article! I know I can’t wait to make a start on some of these.
Without further ado though, here’s Lora to talk about their recommendations – for each one you can follow the link to either buy or read it.
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As challenging as 2021 has been for so many of us, it’s also been a fantastic year for speculative fiction and poetry. Here, in no particular order, are a few of my personal favorites. This list is by no means exhaustive, (with so many amazing things being published, I wish I could have read more!), but I highly recommend each and every one of them.
No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull (novel)
Blackstone Publishing
Turnbull breathes new life into the trope of literal monsters living among us, weaving together a complicated narrative that explores the nature of oppression, the consequences of police brutality and the importance of family. It’s the first book in a planned trilogy and I can’t wait for the next installment.
Let All the Children Boogie by Sam J. Miller (short story)
Tor.com
If you love rock music and have a soft spot for 1990’s nostalgia, this queer coming of age story is definitely worth cozying up with. It’s charming, genuinely moving and laced with time travel, hope and longing (and, of course, David Bowie references).
Radioactivity by Octavia Cade (poem)
Uncanny Magazine
A delicately heartbreaking poem about Marie Curie and radiation poisoning. Cade’s use of language is always a treat and Radioactivity is packed with nuanced imagery that stuck with me long after reading it.
A Serpent for Each Year by Tamara Jeree (short story)
Strange Horizons
A Serpent for Each Year feels both deeply personal and broadly allegorical. A stunning piece of flash fiction about supernatural snakes and the lasting impact of parental choices on children that absolutely haunted me.
We, the Girls Who Did Not Make It by E.A. Petricone (novelette)
Nightmare Magazine
A harrowing story about the female victims of serial killers. It’s an honest, appropriately grisly look at the ramifications of misogyny. The satisfying conclusion makes this story well worth the read.
This is the Moment, Or One of Them by Mari Ness (short story)
Apex Magazine
An intimate examination of relationships and loss, This is the Moment, Or One of Them dips into the idea of using technology to reconstruct painful memories. Beautifully and sensitively told.
On Fragile Waves by E. Lily Yu (novel)
Erewhon Books
One of the most stunning debut novels I’ve read in a long time. It’s at once a ghost story, a collection of folk tales and an unflinching look at the struggles of refugees. It’s stylistically ambitious, emotionally devastating and absolutely unforgettable.
It Begins to Snow by Adam R. Shannon (short story)
Lightspeed
This poetic, post-apocalyptic story about a never ending snow storm feels almost unbearably heavy in the best possible way. The frigid, claustrophobic atmosphere had me rereading this immediately.
All the Army Ghost Stories I Have Heard by Natalie Wang (poem)
Strange Horizons
A visceral, gritty poem that punches so hard into its last line, I was a little breathless the first time I read it. It’s evocative, chilling and a real standout in Strange Horizons’ strong Southeast Asian issue.
How to Find Yourself in a Fairy Tale by A.C. Wise (short story)
Daily Science Fiction
A gorgeously written, poignant deconstruction of fairy tales and their often problematic takes on motherhood. If you’re in the mood for a captivating piece of dark fantasy flash fiction, this is a great one.
That Story Isn’t the Story by John Wiswell (novelette)
Uncanny Magazine
A modern spin on vampires and their familiars that focuses on escaping domestic abuse, healing and breaking cycles of violence. That Story Isn’t the Story is one of the most unique and powerful pieces of fiction I’ve had the pleasure of reading this year.
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Lora Gray is a non-binary speculative fiction writer and poet from Northeast Ohio. They have been published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Uncanny, Flash Fiction Online and Asimov’s among other places. Lora is also a graduate of Clarion West and a recipient of the Ohio Arts Council’s Individual Excellence Award in Fiction Writing. Their poetry has been nominated for the Rhysling Award.
You can connect with Lora on Twitter and support them on Patreon.
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I hope you’ll join me in saying a huge thanks to Lora for taking the time to write this article and talk so engagingly about these novels, stories and poems, which all sound fantastic! I know I said it earlier, but I’m really looking forward to reading some of these (even if the Nightmare Magazine cover freaks me out a bit) – in particular I think On Fragile Waves sounds amazing.
Check out all my reviews of Lora Gray’s fiction on Track of Words.
If you enjoyed this article, please consider supporting Lora over on their Patreon page.
