This was a trip--and I mean that in the best of ways and not to imply it was frivolous, either. With a touch of Garcia Marquez-style magic realism, it occupies an interesting space that does not fully occupy sci-fi or fantasy. There is a bit of fragmentation that I found frustrating in such a short narrative, but the points are clear. I liked the clear familial connection and illumination of heritage and legacy, as well as the subtly acerbic humor. A performance artist facing off against a haute nanocouture fashion designer makes for all sorts of interesting subtexts. The next logical steps are brought into the plot, but here is where I wished it had been a novel instead of one story, because it seemed too hasty a retreat from the ramifications of it all. ( )

Another great story in this series of 6. Intriguing, thought provoking and absorbing. ( )

Nanites and Magic
Review of the Amazon Original Kindle eBook (August 2021)

Clap Back combines speculative science fiction and fantasy magic fiction in an inventive way. A trendy designer is appropriating black culture in their programmed nanite-infused clothing from which the nano-technology seeps into the body of the wearer. A performance artist appropriates that technology in such a way as to both reclaim the culture but to also make a statement. Very unique story.

Clap Back is the 5th of the 6 short stories making up the speculative / fantasy / science fiction series Black Stars, released simultaneously on August 31, 2021 as an eBook by Amazon Originals and as an audiobook by Audible Originals. ( )