Alias Space and Other Stories by Kelly Robson
Publisher – Subterranean Press
Published – Out Now
Price – £29.50 hardcover(NB this is a limited-edition press)
Alias Space and Other Stories is the first fiction collection from Nebula Award-winning writer Kelly Robson, who vaulted onto the Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror stage in 2015, earning spots in multiple Years Best anthologies. This volume collects Robsons best stories to date, along with exciting new work, and notes to accompany each piece.Robsons stories are noted for their compassion, humanity, humor, rigor, and joy. This volume includes the chilling gothic horror A Human Stain, winner of the 2018 Nebula Award; the madcap historical fantasy Waters of Versailles, which was a finalist for both the Nebula and World Fantasy Awards; and science fiction stories such as the touching Intervention, chilling The Three Resurrections of Jessica Churchill, obscene What Gentle Women Dare, heartbreaking Two-Year Man, and many others.These fourteen stories showcase Robsons whip-smart richness of invention, brilliant storytelling, deep worldbuilding, and devilish sense of humor.
I really enjoy short story collections when they’re anthologies it’s great to find new authors and explore variations but with a book focused on one author it is looking for that interesting mix of variety, innovation and looking for that distinct voice. This was a volume I picked up after an interview with the author were the stories sounded so damn tempting, I couldn’t resist, and I’m pleased to say that the last book I picked up in 2021 turned out to be an utter delight of intelligent and unique storytelling as we see a range of stories from Robson from the last five years.
In this collection of many interesting stories, I particularly enjoyed were
Two Year Man – This opening tale sets up one of several themes in the tales in this case parenting. On an unknown world a rigid societal structure exists and Mikkel as a two-year man is fairly low down the pecking order. He cleans labs. He knows their secrets and one day he brings one home with him to meet Anna, his wife. As several of these stories do there is some fascinating subtle worldbuilding so we sense the type of world Luna is its cruelty and attitude to children but also there is a moral question about can one part of a couple ignore the wishes of another. It is the type of tale you read and try to consider did anyone do the right thing. Absolutely fascinating.
A Study in Oils – Zhang Lei has fled Luna for Earth and is both terrified his secret will be revealed and also in love that he can finally practise more easily his favourite thing – making art. Here we get a mystery as to Zhang lei’s crime; an absolutely chilling future type of punishment and a look at the power of art and being an artist. Treading a fine line between science fiction and fantasy Robson creates a fascinating location in a Chinese village where an older way of life is practised and gives everyone something to consider. Again, Robson’s worldbuilding is done skilfully and this was a firm favourite in the collection.
Intervention – this was another favourite and touches something SF rarely gets into – rearing children. We follow the career of Jules who leaves the cruel Luna colonies for a off-system habitat where raising children is a vocation. I was initially like really a story about being a parent? But this story highlighted the prejudices that SF gets about how unimportant such skills are. Instead spending the tale watching what Jules does and how she teaches others the importance of the role actually underlined how vital raising a child well is. The idea of in the future parenting being effectively given to those who want to give it their vocation raises fascinating questions pulling at our ideas on family and yet also why it could also be something in the future people could explore. One of those tales that stays in your head long after reading - the best kind as it changed my mind about how I see this subject.
La Vitesse – moving into fantasy we get a tale of a school bus being chased by a dragon in 1983 Canada. What initially sounds a cute tale though becomes a Speed-like chase through the Rockies as the driver Bea alongside her 15-year-old goth daughter Rosie have to try and find a way through it alongside saving all the children on the bus. I love the narrative swaps between the chase, the way Bea became aware the Rockies may now have dragons and most importantly the relationship between mother and daughter. This tale touches on the parental fear of failing to raise your child right and I really enjoyed the end result. Some delicious storytelling to enjoy.
Two Watersheds – this tale looks in a really interesting way at climate change and environmental action. Kayla is doing alive social media presentation about an important piece of work on river systems. Talking to the public will be critical for her project’s success but she is also balancing one of her personally most notable events in her lives. Again, Robson merges three narratives in a complex helix of story – geo-science, a love story of a lesbian couple and most importantly the need for hope in the future. How these elements align is done pitch perfect and while the stake are not necessarily the end of the world the reader is made to understand how this and many more such initiatives actually are the key to saving everything and ourselves.
Waters of Versailles – we go to the time of Louis XV’s court and the focus on Sylvain an ambitious man looking to boost forever his standing for more respect and influence. His current role is working as he brings the concept of running water to Versailles. We get to feel the intrigue, decadence, and splendour of Versailles court life and into this Robson brings a magical creature responsible for Sylvain’s fame. But the tale explores who is being used by whom – sometimes no one will ever get the respect they crave. A fascinating novella like tale that kept me guessing throughout where it was headed and still surprised me by the end.
A Human Stain – wrapping the collection up is this move into horror with a young woman brought to a strange fortress in the alps to look after a bereaved child. This moves into gothic territory and as Helen explores the House you can almost feel a giant ticking clock of doom getting louder and louder. Eerie, weird, and nasty it sticks in your head and if you are worried by teeth horror look away fast. I loved it.
This cements Robson as a really fascinating short fiction writer and demonstrates bother their versatility, imagination, and storytelling. Each tale has an anecdote on the story’s creation and also inside expect tales of burlesque, aliens and possibly even the devil. A great read worth hunting down!
