Why story structure matters but isn't everything. In this essay, I’ll be looking at story structure and how it can work for or against a given story depending on how the author uses this tool. I’ll be using the Netflix movie Love and Monster as an example. I found it a fairly entertaining movie, but … Continue reading Love and Monsters – Story Structure
Author: Tobias Backman
Story Recommendations – May 2021
Better late than never. Here are the story recommendations for May. Economic Principles of the Zombie Apocalypse by Wendy Nikel (DSF): I loved the concept of this story, where people are trying to just have a normal life and get by after the zombie apocalypse has hit. Which, of course, is exactly as difficult as … Continue reading Story Recommendations – May 2021
Story Recommendations April 2021
Most of my short story reading lately has focused on the value pack of Asimov's magazines I got for Christmas and my old favourite, Daily Science Fiction. So, not surprisingly, April's recommendations are all from those two magazines. I hope you'll enjoy the stories as much as I did. The End of the War by … Continue reading Story Recommendations April 2021
Story Recommendations – March 2021
And at the very last minute, here are my short story recommendations for March. And why not start out with one masters of speculative short fiction. Ken Liu. His second short story collection, The Hidden Girl and Other Stories, came out about a year ago, and I've been listening to the audio book edition lately. … Continue reading Story Recommendations – March 2021
2021 Nebula Award Nominees
SFWA recently announced the nominees for the 2021 Nebula Award, and the lists look very exciting. Susanna Clarke and N.K. Jemisin who've published some of the best books I've read in recent years are both nominated in the best novel category. And for once only half the nominees in the novella category were published at … Continue reading 2021 Nebula Award Nominees
Story Recommendations February 2021
I've gone back to an old favourite of mine and read a bunch of flash fiction these last couple of month. So all the recommendations for February comes from Daily Science Fiction. I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I did. Fragments of a Falling-Out by Florijs M. Kleijne (DSF): This is a story … Continue reading Story Recommendations February 2021
2020 Locus Recommended Reading List
To anyone who's interested in even more reading recommendations, including everything from short stories to novels, Locus is out with their 2020 recommended reading list, here. The list highlights some of the best fantasy, science fiction, and horror to come out during the last year. You can also vote for your favorite speculative stories for … Continue reading 2020 Locus Recommended Reading List
Story Recommendations – January 2021
Before we get to the actually fantastic stories, I just want to shamelessly plug my own barely-mediocre writing. The editors over at Daily Science Fiction took pitty on me once again and published The Monsters Which Must Be Slain To Save The Kingdom And Set Things Right earlier this month. Right. Moving on. The first … Continue reading Story Recommendations – January 2021
New Publication… Finally
After a bit of a dry spell, I finally have another publication to boast of. The Monsters Which Must Be Slain To Save The Kingdom And Set Things Right was published in one of my favourite magazines, Daily Science Fiction, 2019.01.19.
Story Recommendations – December 2020
Minority Report by Philip K. Dick (Minority Report and other stories): This is an older piece, and it does show in the writing. However, the premise and the plot was interesting enough that it was worth recommending regardless. Like all of the best Philip K. Dick stories, the premise isn't just original but also strongly … Continue reading Story Recommendations – December 2020
Toby Backman 