JANUARY

“Beyond Everything” by Wang Yanzhong, translated from the Chinese by Stella Jiayue Zhu (Clarkesworld)

An explorer is sent through dimensional portals that have been scattered around the Earth to other worlds (composed of earth, air, fire, and water) to learn about the beings that live there and report back to his superiors. What he learns just might help stop the wars raging across Earth itself.

“A Small Extinction, Parts 1 & 2” by Bora Chung, translated from the Korean by Anton Hur (Words Without Borders)

Sang tries to convince her sister not to become a transhuman machine, but her sister claims that it’s the only way to thrive in the world. Alien entities then take over the neural network that connects all transhumans on Earth and inform the rest of humanity that it must also transition eventually. Sang, though, refuses to give in, especially because now she must raise her sister’s baby.

FEBRUARY

“Hotel California” by Hsin-Hui Lin, translated from the Chinese (Taiwan) by Ye Odelia Lu (Samovar)

A young man finds himself dropped off by a self-driving car at a place called the Hotel California where…that’s right…he can never leave. Eventually he starts to wonder if he himself is an artificial being, since he can’t remember anything about his past.

“Flying in the Dark Night” by Mayumi Inaba, translated from the Japanese by Yui Kajita (Samovar)

A story about a woman drawn to the darkness outside, who then transforms into a giant black bird and flies around, only to return to her human form and her family for another day.

“The Hanging Tower of Babel” by Wang Zhenzhen, translated from the Chinese by Carmen Yiling Yan (Clarkesworld)

A young man confronts the dismantling of a space elevator that his father was instrumental in building and maintaining, even as his father succumbs to Alzheimer’s, likely brought on by continuous exposure to cosmic radiation.

“Bodyhoppers” by Rocío Vega, translated from the Spanish (Spain) by Sue Burke (Clarkesworld)

MARCH

“Pollen” by Anna Burdenko, translated from the Russian by Alex Shvartsman (Clarkesworld)

“The Sound of the Star” by Ren Zeyu, translated from the Chinese by Jay Zhang (Clarkesworld)

“Musical Brushstrokes” by César Aira, translated from the Spanish (Argentina) by Chris Andrews (Amulet)

APRIL

“Still Water” by Zhang Ran, translated from the Chinese by Andy Dudak (Clarkesworld)

“Melonpan” by Sachiko Kishimoto, translated from the Japanese by Yui Kajita (Asymptote)

“Zephyr” by Sofia Rhei, translated from the Spanish (Spain) by Marian Womack (Samovar)

MAY

“Proxima One” by Carryanna Reuven, translated from the Spanish (Spain) by Sue Burke (Clarkesworld)