Annalemma Issue 6 is the best thing I’ve read in a long time. Hands down.

I remain an invalid today, so I suppose that’s made me more morbid than usual (though trust me, it would be hard for me to be more morbid.) But something about the sacrifice theme of Annalemma’s Issue 6 just clicked for me, clicked in a way that no themed issues have done for me in a long, long time. So many good stories; so many outstanding stories that I’m still thinking over hours or days later.

Anne Valente and Ryan Call both have stories about children in this issue that absolutely tore me up. I don’t even have children yet, but I’m already paranoid about them and for them, and both these stories touched deep nerves regarding fear and death and coming to terms with your children as separate entities. And of course, both stories are also beautifully, beautifully written. I’m still thinking about them now.

Matt Bell’s “Nessa, Neve, Nevina” is a haunting and sad twist a kind of Children of the Corn story, where grownups do the sacrificing. Excellence as usual, both from Matt and from his Cataclysm Babies series.

“How,” by Roxane Gay, is a rip-your-guts-out story about love and sacrifice and the many forms they take. I have to say, I’ve been reading Roxane for a few years now and I’m more and more pleased to see how her writing is maturing, expanding, growing, and deepening. It portends very, very good things.

“Condominium,” by Jimmy Chen, is a scathing, Kafka-esque portrayal of the anonymity, anger, and depressive nature of modern life. Its occupants possess only numbers, not names, and they only become more depersonalized as their desperation grows. It’s a horrifying, fascinating read.

Get your copy–seriously, do. Every story is terrific–these are just a few that really grabbed me, but they’re all wonderful. Chris Heavener has done an amazing job with this one.