Talk:Samantha Henderson

Reviews of her works
Noting a bunch of reviews of her works:   The review notes: "A few other stories, such as Samantha Henderson's fusing the Fae with Native American creation myth in "Wild Copper" would also seem to be tangentially steampunk for purists who insist on Victorian costumes and tin shears. However, no need to blow your bowler as most of the content adheres to formula, without being formulaic."  The review notes: "Samantha Henderson’s ‘‘My Generations Shall Praise’’ is a strong dark SF story. It posits a new twist on the death penalty: the condemned can agree to serve as a host body for a transplanted personality. They – their core – die, but there’s a lot of money involved for their heirs. It’s told from the point of view of the criminal, a woman who has lived a tough life and killed enough people to be deserving – but she has a child who has a chance for a better life. Anyway, Helena MacGraw, the very rich woman who wants a new body thinks the offer of money for the daughter will sway the narrator. Helena doesn’t under­stand, perhaps, that not everyone has the same motivational triggers. There’s a very nasty, and logical, twist to the scheme that sells the story, and makes it scary."  The review notes: "“Everything You Were Looking For” by Samantha Henderson: Seven years ago, Paul’s pregnant wife was lost in a cave-in during an earthquake in the south of France. Before she disappeared, she claimed there were cave paintings on the walls. "They’re black and a sort of deep red. Orange. There’s hundreds of them. All sorts of animals. More than I can see. They’re beautiful. Like they’re in motion." Every summer since, he’s returned to search for her. Now, at last, he’s discovered the cave that swallowed her. But Paul hasn’t come to find her bones, because the last thing she told him was, “I’ll wait.” A story of powerful love and very old magic. The author creates a convincing narrative."  The review notes: "“Escaping Salvation” by Josh Rountree and Samantha Henderson Post apocalypse. Lizzie and her partner Roe are out in the desert, outside the fortified towns, hunting dirt angels, when they run out of gas just as a sandstorm approaches. It seems like a piece of luck when they spot the tent town, just before it hits. ... [quote from the short story] ... But Lizzie quickly learns that the people of Salvation are crazy; they believe in stuff like electricity generated by windmills, in water angels. This dark fantasy has some good images. I liked it better before we got to the explanation of how the sad state of affairs came to pass."  The review notes: "“Escaping Salvation” by Josh Rountree and Samantha Henderson Post apocalypse. Lizzie and her partner Roe are out in the desert, outside the fortified towns, hunting dirt angels, when they run out of gas just as a sandstorm approaches. It seems like a piece of luck when they spot the tent town, just before it hits. ... [quote from the short story] ... But Lizzie quickly learns that the people of Salvation are crazy; they believe in stuff like electricity generated by windmills, in water angels. This dark fantasy has some good images. I liked it better before we got to the explanation of how the sad state of affairs came to pass."  The review notes: "“Beside Calais” by Samantha Henderson Organic flying machines graze and soar on the cliffs of Calais, where the École Aéronautique languishes, mostly empty. But war is coming. The herds of feral flying beasts will be culled to make room for new, more powerful and tractable breeds, and something wild and wonderful will be lost forever. Ian is expected to put sentiment aside for the sake of the war effort. WWI epitomized the obscenity of war, and this one evokes the eve of those events, when innocence and beauty were slated for sacrifice. The French names of the flying beasts – éole, blériot, avion— recall the romantic facade of the Lafayette Escadrille. ... [quote from the short story] ... Uniquely memorable."  The review notes: "Strange Horizons: With a new editorial staff, this long-lived weekly ezine seems to be offering a fresher selection of fiction, with more SF. ... Other good ones: · Samantha Henderson, “Beside Calais”"  The review notes: "“The Red Bride” by Samantha Henderson: Humans have conquered the world of the Var and enslaved its people, but the revolution is now at hand. We discover this in the story that the narrator is telling to a young human, which seems at first to be a fairy tale in translation from the Var." [quote from the short story] The metafictional aspects of this tale, the issues of translation, raise it above the usual versions. I often wonder about the dissemination of story ideas, when suddenly a number of authors seem to be working with the same ideas. Another story of a slave language and slave revolution appeared only a month ago in another zine; I greatly prefer this one."</li> <li> The review notes: "“Your Fairy Is Serenity Elfsong” by Samantha Henderson Not quite what you had in mind. [quote from the short story] The narrator could always see the fairies, but once she was out on the streets, they were occasionally helpful. So it’s not really quite clear why she hates them so very much. It’s not like they owe her anything, not like she ever did anything to them. So good for the narrator for dragging herself up mostly by herself and turning them down, whatever they want from her. But it doesn’t seem like they put her on the streets to begin with, and I think it’s not really the fairies she wants to hit."</li> <li> The review notes: "Distinguishing this anthology are many stories that first appeared in small press venues, including Samantha Henderson's "Five Ways Jane Austen Never Died" ..."</li> <li> The review notes: "Stephen Graham Jones (“Captain's Lament”) and Samantha Henderson (“Curse”) skillfully reimagine well-known folklore and urban legends ..."</li> <li> The review notes: "“The Red Bride” by Samantha Henderson – July 5, 2010: Samantha Henderson weaves a fairy tale of otherworldly fascination in “The Red Bride.” The Var, one of the seeded races, are enslaved by humans. Twigling is the human son of an ambassador and his wife who own and misuse many slaves. ... Rebellion and regeneration are the themes that highlight this alarming insight into the darkness of human nature. However, the infusion of so many characters, races, and locations in such a short piece gave “The Red Bride” a disjointed feel. I was so busy trying to remember who was doing what and where that it distracted from my enjoyment of contemplating the why—the deeper meaning and symbolism—of this tale."</li> <li> The review notes: ""Cinderella Suicide" by Samantha Henderson is the story of a triune of ex-convicts—Cinderella Suicide, Cinderella Superstar, and Cinderella Tintype—who have become mercenaries after serving their sentence in New South Wales. ... I’ll admit up front that "Cinderella Suicide" is not the type of fiction I usually prefer to read. However, I was bowled over by its sheer elegance. It is more than a science fiction story of body-modded mercenaries. Henderson has woven in elements of a mythic quest as well as a poignant and somewhat horrific resolution. Excellent story."</li> <li> The review notes: "In “The Black Hole in Auntie Sutra’s Handbag” by Samantha Henderson, Auntie Sutra is the matriarch of a family endowed with magic powers. ... “The Black Hole in Auntie Sutra’s Handbag” is a fantasy story that has the added charm of not taking itself too seriously. The atmosphere is vivid and the characterization colorful. Touches of humor lighten but don’t undermine the plot, which runs smoothly and with a good pace. Many of Henderson’s inventions are quite lovely, although sometimes one has the sense that she lacks a good cause for her wonderful effects. The story hints to a much larger whole that is only sketched, and the cause or significance of certain events remains unexplained."</li> <li> The review notes: "My favorite story in the issue. “Escaping Salvation” by Josh Rountree and Samantha Henderson, achieving a stylistic consistency and narrative unity despite co-authorship, veers into the familiar, dusty landscapes of post-apocalyptic America, replete with nomadic tribal survivors and scarcity of resources (in this case, water being the most vital). ... Still, the story entertains well enough with its brisk pacing and action, and delivers some evocative ideas and imagery, such as the harvesting of angel body parts, and the manifestation of the angels themselves. The note the conclusion strikes also resonated well."</li> <li> The review notes: ""Scales," Samantha Henderson‘s simple fable of a girl whose sister is stolen by one of the Snake-folk is beautifully evocative with a delightful ending. Read it."</li> <li> The review notes: "In “Honey Mouth” by Samantha Henderson, an anonymous narrator moves to a house in a little town and discovers that the house is haunted. ... While not much new is introduced, Henderson recreates very well that feeling of subtle eeriness that is the appeal of horror stories for many readers. The fleeting presence of the ghost, never too evident, and the pastoral but haunting atmosphere of the town, create a suspense which Henderson is able to sustain almost throughout the story. The end, although narrated less skillfully, doesn’t spoil an otherwise well-crafted story."</li> <li> The review notes: ""Pretty Mary" by Samantha Henderson is a short piece based on a traditional ballad, as the epigraph indicates. ... Although very short (flash length), this piece is nevertheless powerful and very effective. Strictly speaking, nothing much happens during the narrative, but it manages in its short span of time to capture perfectly well the indomitable spirit of Pretty Mary, and to reflect upon the fate of those forgotten by stories and ballads."</li> <li> The review notes: ""Manuscript Found Written in the Paw Prints of a Stoat" boasts both the longest title and the greatest word count in this issue of Lone Star Stories. ... Samantha Henderson sends Smallest Daughter on a quest through a strange, magical kingdom before delivering her to modern-day New York. ... Nonetheless, the story is always quirky and creative. Only at the end does it really lose its way, and the ending does not really satisfy nor tie up the disparate elements. Henderson creates a wonderful texture with words and names, and "Manuscript…" is a sensory treat. As a complete story, however, it lacks the tightness that would elevate it beyond that."</li> <li> The review notes: "“Girl with the Lute” by Samantha Henderson is by far my favorite story of this issue. ... “Girl with the Lute” is a compelling story, as characters with obsessions often make for compelling characters. To what lengths will they go to obtain the object of their obsession? That question is, of course, key, and the answer is what makes this story worth reading."</li> <li> The review notes: ""Such a Lovely Shade of Green" by Samantha Henderson is a tale of domestic violence and insects. ... Henderson’s prose is well executed, making each scene come alive, but I was turned off by the story’s treatment. Domestic violence is a serious issue, but the author copped out and turned this into a tale of modern morbidity."</li> <li> The review notes: "“Shallot” by Samantha Henderson offers a unique recasting of the tale of the Lady of Shalott, as explained by Henderson in the short author detail before the story: ... Though the core idea is science fiction, the story feels like a fantasy—in part, no doubt, because to everyone except the Lady, it is a fantastical series of events and not something they can connect with the skies above. Henderson shows successfully that the two genres need not exist on either side of a wall. She writes beautifully and with perfect pacing, quickly painting a striking cast of characters: a very strong story."</li> <li> The review notes: "“Five Ways Jane Austen Never Died” by Samantha Henderson. This is simply delightful and brilliant. The title alone deserves an award of some sort, and indeed, sums up the story. The reader is given five quirky vignettes, each resulting in the death of one Jane Austen. Time travelers, child-birth, a statuette straight from a Lovecraft tale, it’s all here. Easily the best story in this issue."</li> <li> The review notes: "“Wild Copper” by Samantha Henderson. An unexpected treasure. Set in the displaced faerie court of Oberon and Tatiana, we follow a human girl as she attempts to barter her freedom, and then learns the awful truth about time in the realms of the fae."</li> <li> The review notes: "In “Histories” by Samantha Henderson, Ally plays a lot of string instruments, her band has success, and she even has a wonderful girlfriend, Mandy. ... "Histories" certainly belongs to the gothic subgenre, but it also couples it with a blues atmosphere that’s well conveyed. The rainy city, sketched vividly in quick and effective passages, plays an important role. The shady characters of Ally, her girlfriend, and the mysterious strangers enhance the allure of the original plot and of the enticing atmosphere."</li> <li> The review notes: "“Route Nine” by Samantha Henderson is one of those spooky truck-stop stories. Lock the doors before you read it. Close the curtains and turn up the lights, and don’t even think about going out for apricot pie."</li> <li> The review notes: "A fairy tale of a distinctly different kind features in Samantha Henderson‘s "The Tailor and the Fairy." The story operates on two levels. ... This is a nice play on the eighteenth-century literary fairy tale device in which the tales are written as though told by the governess. But they certainly never had a governess quite like this. This brings humor and a sharp edge to the story. Henderson handles both aspects of the finely told tale with equal skill in an assured performance."</li> <li> The review notes: "“Starry Night” by Samantha Henderson is the shortest story in this issue and the most traditional in structure. The tone is soft and poetic, the pace leisurely, and the descriptions rich and evocative. The twist is the dark fantasy that unfolds. ... “Starry Night” is simple story with a contemporary theme told so eloquently that it left me with both a sense of satisfaction and a tremor of unease."</li> <li> The review notes: "“My Generations Shall Praise” by Samantha Henderson. This was a thought provoking tale that had a good pull. The author developed the character as a believable murderer, a hard case that had few redeeming qualities. And yet by the end you found some empathy for her plight. It was a nice story to read."</li> </ol>