This issue presents a diverse collection of science fiction stories exploring themes of longing, survival, and transformation, from machine intelligences grappling with motherhood and identity to survivors navigating post-apocalyptic libraries and mysterious alien messages decoded through knitting. Standout tales include a journey into the unknown depths of a stratified world, the emotional awakening of an ancient sculpture, and the search for life and meaning among automated space probes.

Reader Review Summary

Clarkesworld Magazine, Issue 224, May 2025 is a science fiction and fantasy magazine featuring a mix of fiction, non-fiction, interviews, and art. The May 2025 issue includes seven original stories such as "Brainstem Disco, 2191" by Angela Liu, which explores music and emotion in a futuristic setting, and "The Library of the Apocalypse" by Rati Mehrotra, which follows survivors in a post-war city interacting with a mysterious library. Other stories include "We, the Fleet" by Alex T. Singer, about a machine intelligence mother and an organic being, "Descent" by Wole Talabi, set in a world of mountain dwellers seeking the unknown below, "Oh Time Thy Pyramids" by Ann LeBlanc, which follows a sculpture's journey through time and space, "Proxima One" by Caryanna Reuven (translated by Sue Burke), focusing on automated space probes, and "Yarn Theory" by Marie Vibbert, where a mathematician knits an alien message. The issue also contains non-fiction articles, interviews, and cover art titled "Jungleman II" by Arthur Haas.

Readers highlighted several stories as particularly engaging, such as "We, the Fleet" by Alex T. Singer, which was noted for its emotional impact and exploration of machine intelligence and motherhood. "Oh Time Thy Pyramids" by Ann LeBlanc was described as striking and evocative, while "Descent" by Wole Talabi was praised for its adventurous and morally complex narrative. "Proxima One" was appreciated for its theme of longing and depiction of silicon life, and "Yarn Theory" was enjoyed for its extraterrestrial puzzle and lighthearted tone. The issue was generally seen as a solid collection, with some stories resonating strongly with readers.

Some readers expressed less enthusiasm for certain stories, such as "The Library of the Apocalypse," which was described as leaving one reader cold due to its direction and tone of despair. "Brainstem Disco, 2191" was noted as evocative but simple and primarily emotional, which may not have appealed to all readers. While the collection was considered good overall, there was a sense that nothing in the issue was extremely outstanding, and some stories did not fully connect with every reader.

The magazine received an average reader rating of 4.0 out of 5 from five ratings and three full reviews. In addition to fiction, the issue includes non-fiction articles such as "Symbiosis and Holobionts, or Life Is a Manifold" by Gunnar De Winter, interviews with Jane Espenson and David Barr Kirtley, and an editor's note by Neil Clarke. The cover art for the issue is "Jungleman II" by Arthur Haas. The magazine is published by Neil Clarke and features contributions from a range of authors, with the publication date listed as April 30, 2025.