'Tick Tock' by Xia Jia

Cover Art: Matt Dixon, Published by Clarkesworld Magazine

There is a wealth of science fiction writers out there who are really trying to experiment with different styles and entertain enlightening concepts. The short story ‘Tick Tock’, published in Issue #152 of Clarkesworld Magazine, first presents itself as a straight forward tale about an unnamed character who interacts and manipulates simulated ‘stories’ which he experiences through a quasi-dream state or digitized-projection of his real self. Yet the further you progress, it becomes more and more of a rabbit hole plunge that delves into the nature of virtual or ‘realised’ realities, deep-dive perceptions that  ‘incept’ from dream state to deeper conscious states, and that highest form of creativity: imagination.

Some of the best stories don’t just articulate living characters well or paint a vivid environment: they get you asking questions about the nature of our own reality and the structure of the universe. To read more about the review, head over to SFFWorld: Short Story Review 'Tick Tock.'