Review: Uncertain Sons by Thomas Ha
A few years ago, I came across a stunning story, “Sweetbaby, ” in Clarkesworld. It opens with a scene of shocking violence. And yet despite the violence and weirdness in this tale, there’s also a tone of quiet introspection. It’s a story about a girl struggling to unravel the truth of her circumstances, the truth about her world. And it’s about others who are doing everything they can to deny reality. It’s about parents and children; it’s a wild mashup of genres; it extends compassion even toward what seems unforgivable, and it left me with a quiet ache in my heart. I knew then that Thomas Ha was a writer to watch. And how. In the last few years, Ha has released one brilliant tale after another--weird, unsettling tales that mix horror, science fiction, and fantasy. His work has garnered major award nominations, and placed as a finalist for the Nebula, Hugo, and Shirley Jackson awards. It all culminates (for now) in this first collection of his work, Uncertain Son...