Recent Short Fiction: “Skinhorse Goes to Mars” by Jay Lake

The fifteenth issue of Postscripts magazine, published this past September, is a special science fiction issue that features the works of many well-known writers, including “Skinhorse Goes to Mars” by Jay Lake.

While we have not had an opportunity to read Lake’s story, here’s a synopsis taken from a short review by Aliette de Bodard at The Fix: Short Fiction Review:

“The human race, having polluted Earth beyond recall, has moved to other planets -- except, of course, that they have made as much of a mess there as they did back on Earth. Venus has become a huge ball of cancer, invaded by a genetic modifier, and Mars is riddled with self-replicating murderous soldiers.”

In a longer review at the Internet Review of Science Fiction, Lois Tilton concludes: “This is a story strongly driven by its prose, by its energetic and evocative language. The pace moves so rapidly that ... the reader is just supposed to hang on for the ride with eyes closed and not ask questions. Lose the momentum, like a bicyclist, and it all falls down.”

Jay Lake maintains his own website at www.jlake.com.