Reviews

Havok – May 21, 2020

Her Calm Voice” by Krysta Tawlks (985 words)

A young man goes into a café expecting to commit a shooting, only to be talked out of it by a cashier who sees his mental health crisis and talks him out of the crime. I loved the ending line showing that sometimes, being compassionate and stepping up can be the most terrifying thing we ever do. At the same time, I’m not particularly impressed by the premise of the story, particularly after we find out that the narrator wants to commit the shooting because of a breakup. The piece may work for some people, but I just don’t gravitate to fiction that maintains the status quo.

Author

  • S. Qiouyi Lu writes, translates, and edits between two coasts of the Pacific. Ær debut biocyberpunk novella In the Watchful City is out now from Tordotcom Publishing, and ær other work has appeared in several award-winning venues. You can find out more about S. at ær website s.qiouyi.lu or on Twitter @sqiouyilu.

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S. Qiouyi Lu

S. Qiouyi Lu writes, translates, and edits between two coasts of the Pacific. Ær debut biocyberpunk novella In the Watchful City is out now from Tordotcom Publishing, and ær other work has appeared in several award-winning venues. You can find out more about S. at ær website s.qiouyi.lu or on Twitter @sqiouyilu.