This started off a bit slowly for me, so I think I detached from some essential details at the beginning, as well as other less essential details (I didn't realize Msizi was he/him until three quarters of the way through). That said, it picked up speed and I very much enjoyed the plot twist, which opens the door for much deeper questions than could be contained in a short story. It is an interesting blend of disaster/stranded scenario, with an expansive look at technological evolution and mythologies that have deep connections to African spiritualities. I enjoyed it, but felt the flow was a bit uneven at the beginning--although I respect very much Rwizi's focus on character development through limited narration. Indya Moore's performance is solid, particularly in giving voice to Msizi's anguish, when it is finally fully revealed. As with other works in the Black Stars series, galactic Africa is a close reality, using themes of love, loss, and homeland, not to suspend our disbelief, but to speak truths if we choose to listen. ( )

This has an amazing amount of depth for the length. A brilliant little sci-fi tale that connects with the emotions as well as being entertaining. ( )

Into the Wormhole
Review of the Amazon Original Kindle eBook (August 2021)

These Alien Skies was especially excellent in the extent of its world building in the space of such as relatively short story (25 pages in its Kindle edition). It involves two interplanetary travellers who journey via a human generated wormhole to a "goldilocks" planet (i.e. just right for human habitation) but encounter something totally unexpected. Too much information would be a spoiler but there are twists upon twists and it was all very well done. This was the standout story of the Black Stars series so far (I have 2 more to go).

These Alien Skies is the 4th 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. ( )