1gwendetenebre
"The Two Musics" by Michael Cisco
Discussion begins September 3, 2025.
First published online in the May 1, 2024 Reactor
AUTHOR BIBLIOGRAPHY
https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?6383
SELECTED PRINT VERSIONS
No print editions found to date.
ONLINE VERSIONS
https://reactormag.com/the-two-musics-michael-cisco/
ONLINE AUDIO VERSIONS
No online audio versions found to date.
MISCELLANY
https://www.michaelcisco.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Cisco
https://thelondonmagazine.org/interview-michael-cisco-on-weird-fiction-cheerful-...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kirwNFABtBI
https://tinyurl.com/wzfe6p45
Discussion begins September 3, 2025.
First published online in the May 1, 2024 Reactor
AUTHOR BIBLIOGRAPHY
https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?6383
SELECTED PRINT VERSIONS
No print editions found to date.
ONLINE VERSIONS
https://reactormag.com/the-two-musics-michael-cisco/
ONLINE AUDIO VERSIONS
No online audio versions found to date.
MISCELLANY
https://www.michaelcisco.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Cisco
https://thelondonmagazine.org/interview-michael-cisco-on-weird-fiction-cheerful-...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kirwNFABtBI
https://tinyurl.com/wzfe6p45
2RandyStafford
There is certainly an ethical question at the heart of this story, but the story, for me, wasn't very compelling and seemed just an overly long (especially depicting Laura's feelings towards Simon) variation on the idea of homocide being a memetic or magical contagion.
3SRB5729
The concept of the two musics feels forced. Not the idea itself but its implementation. I could not connect fully to the characters. Mark's situation at the end, didn't resonate. As @RandyStafford noted, the idea is of a memetic contagion. Its not strong enough in the story. I would not pass this one along as a recommendation.
