Quakers... in... SPACE... (and time, and alternate realities)

November 2, 2021 11:10 AM

The November issue of the American Quaker magazine Friends Journal is dedicated to speculative fiction and sci-fi. If you're a fan of The Dazzle of Day, read on!

Here's the introductory essay by Quaker SFF writers Annalee Flower Horne and Hilary B. Bisenieks, who guest-edited the issue: When you are a nerd about speculative fiction and about Quakerism, as we are, it seems natural to use one to examine the other: if we are in this world but not of this world, then who are we when we are not in this world but a world that has been reimagined in some way? What remains true no matter what shifts around us?

Here's the list of stories:

• "The Silent Confirmation of a Notable Thing" by Eileen Gunnell Lee: The starling was a ball of broken feathers rolled into an overflowing gutter.
• "Pistachios and Cats" by Lynn Gazis: Shoes line the walls of the Grand Bazaar. Yellow shoes. Blue shoes. Black shoes. Red shoes.
• "Transience Mode" by Lincoln Alpern: The ship was the Benjamin Lay, a Takahata-class bulk cargo transport hailing from the human world of Jajavrin.
• "What A Minute Could Do" by Rhiannon Grant: The first minute to take effect was minute 2023.12.1b of the Lower Sittingbourne Local Meeting Hospitality Committee: Arrangements for social lunch.
• "Honey and Time" by Joseph Engelhardt: The Spirit hadn't moved in Amy Hudson for over 200 years.
• "Peculiar People" by Inez Schaechterle: The last two men leaving the theater after a midnight showing of Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter zipped jackets against the cold and crossed the street.
• "In Silence Doorways Open" by Michelle Goddard: We sat in silence while the stars shone around us.
• "There Is No 'I' in Heavenly Host" by Dawn Vogel: "What in the name of God is this?"
• "Something Odd about the Dyers" by Mel Stephen Sharpe: Mr. Erick Dyer, a Quaker man from an old Quaker family, found the pod in his farm's back forest on Saturday, July the fifth.
• "The Conscientious Objector" by Robert Dawson: It was a Friday afternoon demo outside Neotec Labs.
• "That of Dog" by Jacqueline Houtman: Mia sat cross-legged on the floor in front of her laptop. She inhaled and opened her eyes.
• "The Last Friend On Earth" by Joy Weimer: There must be other people still alive somewhere. I don’t know where. I don’t know how to find them even if I wanted to.
• "Future Visions" by Trace Yulie: Javier settled into silence, hoping that on this First Day, he would not become unmoored in time and space.

posted by Cash4Lead (13 comments total)

Quakerism is such an interesting lens for sci-fi, and I'm excited to read these but I cannot stop myself from asking... where is the story titled "Are Friends Electric?"

(I'll see myself out.)
posted by BlueBlueElectricBlue at 11:23 AM on November 2, 2021 [4 favorites]

"That of Dog" may appeal to people who enjoyed "St. Ailbe's Hall" by Naomi Kritzer. Yes, it has dogs!
posted by brainwane at 12:07 PM on November 2, 2021

"The Silent Confirmation of a Notable Thing" is super vivid, and "Honey and Time" is evocative and tiny.
posted by brainwane at 12:28 PM on November 2, 2021

I'm now kicking myself for letting my subscription to Friends Journal lapse. Thanks for the linkage!
posted by Quasirandom at 12:34 PM on November 2, 2021

"What A Minute Could Do" is interesting as a kind of parallel to the process of science.
posted by joeyh at 1:42 PM on November 2, 2021

In space no one can hear your ministry
posted by scruss at 2:12 PM on November 2, 2021 [2 favorites]

Ahem. In space, no one can hear thee scream
posted by Cash4Lead at 2:29 PM on November 2, 2021 [2 favorites]

A Voice From Space:

"Lo! I am that I am"
(a pause)

The Gods:

"We cannot understand thee, yet we bow
And, without knowledge, own Thee : are we Thine, Or shall we cease when men no more believe ?"

A Voice From Space:

"Mine are ye : also Mans"

Bayard Taylor. The Masque of the Gods, 1872
posted by clavdivs at 3:20 PM on November 2, 2021

In space, no one can hear thou screamst, surely?
posted by Quasirandom at 3:28 PM on November 2, 2021

In space everyone experiences communal silence.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 4:09 PM on November 2, 2021 [5 favorites]

In the evolution of Quaker plain speech (now extinct), thee came to be used like modern English you; i.e., without declension for subject and object. So, no one can hear thee scream.
posted by Cash4Lead at 4:11 PM on November 2, 2021 [2 favorites]

This is super cool to see as an FPP, because my husband works for them as the social media manger. Thanks for posting!
posted by holborne at 7:46 PM on November 2, 2021 [3 favorites]

Absolutely the last thing I expected upon clicking was a reference to Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter.

That is all.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 7:56 PM on November 3, 2021