Just read 304, Adolf Hitler Strasse by Lavie Tidhar. Tina mentioned it, saying that I'd like it because it involved all sorts of points of interest, like "sex and Nazi alternate history."

And, of course, I did like it. It was certainly one of the more interesting things I've seen done with that particular trope.

Very screwed-up little story, but then again that's the point. Does exactly what speculative fiction should do, which is to take elements of real life and make you think about them differently by rearranging them into imaginary contexts.

Also, this is the first story to be published in the "open slot" in Clarkesworld, which makes it doubly interesting. (I haven't tried submitting anything there yet, since I really don't have anything under 4,000 words, but I know several people who have.) Whatever else, this establishes that Clarkesworld not only pays better but also publishes stuff that considerations of good taste, marketting and publishers' reaction might give an editor in one of the big paper digests second thoughts about publishing.

Which is good.

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Also just finished "Fledgling" by Octavia Butler.

I realize I'm late to the party, so I'll just say that it was really good. Also, for people with tastes/background at all like mine, a good entry-point into Butler's work.

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Oh, and the other day I read Barth Anderson's compost-magic story, Into Something Rich and Strange, which I'd noticed a while ago browsing around the Strange Horizons archives.

Anderson was the pro assigned to the writers workshop I did at WisCon back in May, and he seemd very cool then, but I hadn't actually read any of his stuff. (I must admit that "Patron Saint of Plagues" is still untouched on my bookshelf.) But "Into Something Rich and Strange" was great. Really reminded me of reading Elizabeth Hand for the first time and various other formative contemporary fantasy experiences.

Also, without saying anything bad about Strange Horizons--I submit there regularly, I read at least some of it every week with enjoyment, I've read stories I loved very much there--I'll say that I liked the fact that there was a lot more....what's that word....four letters, starts with p....stuff happening in it....than some stories I read there.

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Speaking of plots and what not, I enjoyed reading this in Asimov's back in August. Not saying that I'm entirely in agreement, mind you, there are lots of places where I'd quibble, but she does say a lot of interesting things that its fairly uncommon to hear in places like Asimov's:

"Is current SF writing influenced by Star Wars? No, not nearly enough. We need more grand adventure, more heroes on journeys....Yes, we can keep the good sentence-by-sentence writing, the good characters, and the lovely descriptions the New Wave steered us to."