LIGHTSPEED is a digital science fiction and fantasy magazine. In its pages, you will find science fiction: from near-future, sociological soft SF, to far-future, star-spanning hard SF-and fantasy: from epic fantasy, sword-and-sorcery, and contemporary urban tales, to magical realism, science-fantasy, and folktales.

Welcome to issue 165 of LIGHTSPEED! Our first SF short this month is "Scarlett" by Everdeen Mason-the story of love, art, and artificial intelligence. Phoebe Barton explores the limits of duty in the face of gravity in her story "But From Thine Eyes My Knowledge I Derive." Our flash work includes Stewart C Baker's metafictional anime series analysis: "Companion Animals in Maho Shojo Kira Kira Sunlight" and Christopher Rowe's "The Pearl Captain." PH Lee writes about the study of death in their story "A Sojourn in the Fifth City." In her new story, "What Becomes of Curious Minds," Wen-yi Lee creates a new short with one foot in the magically weird world of Lewis Carroll's Wonderland and one foot in a honeyed realm that is equally as unique and dangerous. Our flash includes Mari Ness's fictional dossier "Further Examination and Capture of Candle Skulls Associated with the Baba Yaga" and KT Bryski's story "An Elegy for the Former Things." Of course, our spotlight interviewer has sat down with our writers to get more details on their work and process, and our book review team has come through with their latest book recommendations. Our ebook readers will also enjoy a book excerpt from REDSIGHT by Meredith Mooring.