Seasons Between Us: Tales of Identities and Memories

This uplifting fourth installment to the Laksa Anthology series (after Shades Within Us) brings together 23 authors of science fiction, fantasy, and horror, with stories and poems ranging from mildly speculative to full-blown secondary-world fantasy. Each piece explores the concept of the seasons of a life as characters grapple with coming of age, growing old, generational trauma, and healing. Highlights include “A Grave Between Them” by Karina Sumner-Smith, in which a teenage protagonist is forced at gunpoint to bring someone back from the dead; “Messages Left in Transit, Devices Out of Sync” by S.B. Divya, in which an engineer gives birth while her astronaut husband is away on the moon; and “Summer of Our Discontent,” by Tyler Keevil, in which a father struggles to protect his family from an insidious technological menace. Featuring a diverse range of protagonists and a wide variety of genre and voice, this anthology nevertheless forms a cohesive whole, united by deep thought, emotional truth, and a hopeful tone. Speculative fiction fans will find it well worth searching out. (Aug.)