“The Officiant” is in some ways an old-fashioned “sensawunda” SF tale, though one tempered by more modern understandings about cultural identity and colonialism. The author has created a vivid and complex world with a fascinating history and mythology. The narrator, a human born to Christian missionaries on the planet Raxia, has come to the planet Tau to officiate a wedding. The narrator quickly learns that the inhabitants of Tau, an enigmatic mechanical race called the Strangers, have a different motive altogether for inviting them there. The strength of the story is the way it gradually deepens our understanding the three cultures and how they view each other and how their competing needs, and mythologies, might set them at odds. Much of how the story unfolds is revealed in interactions between the narrator and the Raxian diplomat who accompanies them to Tau, limiting the amount of tension and excitement the author can build. The plot felt a bit slighter than I hoped it would be, but I would not at all mind seeing this world expanded in a longer work.

The first science fiction tale from June’s issue of Lightspeed is a pleasantly written queer coming-of-age story. The protagonist (related in the 2nd person) goes on the titular joyride with classmate crush Eddie, unsure if he is in the friend zone or not. Just as that is about to get cleared up, they are pulled over by a cop, and some mild tension ensues. The story is written in a clear style, and the protagonist and Eddie are both likeable characters. The story is ostensibly SF (spaceships, etc.) but it doesn’t need to be. It could be a story about two kids who hotwire a car and go for a joyride on the highway and it would be the same story with different tropes. As a coming-of-age tale it is well-meaning but nothing really sets it apart.