Fish Eats Lion: New Singaporean Speculative Fiction

Like its country of origin, this collection focusing on Singapore is a m%C3%A9lange of styles and cultures. The 22 short stories by novice, emerging, and established writers range widely over genres, with uneven but intriguing results. Highlights include Ng Yi-Sheng's "Agnes Joaquim, Bioterrorist," a steampunk take on a biologist trying to change the world, and Shelly Bryant's "Rewrites," where research into synthetic biosystems takes an unexpected turn. Marc de Faoite contributes "Last Time Kopitiam," in which a young man unwittingly becomes a tool for urban renovation. Both Victor Fernando R. Ocampo's "Big Enough for the Entire Universe" and Justin Ker's "010011010100010101001101010011110101001001011001" show how bereft women deal with deep loss, but with very different outcomes. "Dewy" by Grace Chia Krakovic and "The Disappearance of Lisa Zhang" by Dave Chua are both uncomfortable takes on domestic employment's darker side. Lundberg (Embracing the Strange) combines accessibility with a uniquely Singaporean flavor in his selections. SF readers looking to expand their horizons will enjoy visiting new worlds from an unaccustomed point of view. (Nov.)