Heiresses of Russ 2012: The Year%E2%80%99s Best Lesbian Speculative Fiction

Edited by Connie Wilkins and Steve Berman.. Lethe, $18 trade paper (302p) ISBN 978-1-59021-159-5

The second installment of this annual series is high on adventure and lyrical storytelling, and low on identity angst and feminist politics. A few of the stories focus on romance, like Desirina Boskovich’s gentle “Thirteen Incantations” and Amal El-Mohtar’s gorgeous fable “To Follow the Waves.” Lindy Cameron’s “Feedback” uses female attraction as a minor point in a tale of sleuthing in a dystopic virtual reality. Sunny Moraine’s “The Thick Night” is much more about the humanity of artificial life than its gender. Several of the fantasy selections use the witch as a classic symbol of female mystery and power, but the stories have a good breadth of setting, and each has a distinctive voice. Showcasing a mix of authors, from superstars like Nalo Hopkinson to promising newcomers like S.L. Knapp, this solid, well-chosen collection will be enjoyed by genre fans of all genders and orientations. (Oct.)

Reviewed on: 08/27/2012

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Hardcover - 302 pages - 978-1-59021-158-8

Ebook - 978-1-59021-426-8