High Times In the Low Parliament, by Kelly Robson

I'm more generous that some in rating this novella, though I agree with more of the negative reviews. I too found the protagonist somewhat unlikeable--making her a lesbian does not make her approach to sexual relations OK. Lana belongs in the "dudes in drag" category of LGBTQ+ fiction. There appear to be no men anywhere so it's not clear how they procreate (budding?). And the plot has holes, a rather gaping one being the motivations of the faction of parliament that wants everyone to drown.

I get the metaphor. Democracies everywhere are struggling with significant factions that don't believe in democracy and will "drown everyone" to bring the house down. So maybe it got award nominations as catharsis? There are cute parts, and places where Lana's likeability improves--she is attuned to the unloved and oppressed--but it's not enough to really make the story work.

My Goodreads Review

Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach, by Kelly Robson

Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach by Kelly Robson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I'll say this, it's really different from A Human Stain. We go from a horror story to a corporate story. Our protagonist is a survivor of the collapse of civilization under the pressures of climate change and pollution, and subsequent plagues. Humans figured out how to live underground, and are just now re-emerging, so it's in a tough but hopeful universe. But highly corporatized--the progress is funded by very familiar looking banks, mostly state owned. Our protagonist, Minh, is a plague survivor project manager. I think that what some have complained of as unfamiliar language is corporate speak--we have work breakdown plans, dashboards, reviews, health and safety analysis as a plot driver, all very familiar to this veteran desk jockey. It really read kind of like a dramatic description of an oil company prospecting trip, except it was about ecology.

I really enjoyed the characters in the story. They are quite distinct, and bring out interesting parts of this future. I'm not as enamored of the plot--it makes sense but doesn't quite hang together, and the ending is kind of abrupt--it felt like a lot got tied together in a very few pages. Overall it was a fun book, and I felt a funny sort of nostalgia for old analysis and review grind reading it. Amusing.



View all my reviews

A Human Stain, by Kelly Robson

A Human Stain by Kelly Robson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I read this because it is nominated for a Nebula. But horror is not so much my thing. It's appropriately ghastly and weird. There's a very nicely executed turning point. Ew Gross! A good one for horror.



View all my reviews

Original Source

Waters of Versailles, by Kelly Robson

Sadly I somehow neglected to write a review of Kelly Robson's fine novella, Waters of Versailles, when I first read it for the Nebula awards.  I will rectify that now for the World Fantasy Awards. 

Our protagonist is an upper-class commoner and artisan who aspires to nobility in Louis XVI's court.  He is cultivating noble women, and providing a service by taming a water sprite and convincing it to pump water through pipes of his devising, allowing modern plumbing in the palace of Versailles.   It's a fine speculative story that shows the utility of plumbing through this unusual route to get it.  The character and plot development are excellent as well.  It's just a very satisfying story to read, so go right away and read it while the link is still good.  Four stars from me!