Beneath Ceaseless Skies Secures Multiple Placements on Locus Magazine’s 2025 Recommended Reading List
By Staff Reporter
Published: February 02, 2026
The landscape of contemporary speculative fiction is often defined by its prestigious accolades, and few markers of excellence carry as much weight as the Locus Recommended Reading List. In a significant triumph for independent digital publishing, Beneath Ceaseless Skies (BCS), the premier venue for "literary adventure fantasy," has seen four of its 2025 novelettes recognized by the Locus editorial board and its team of veteran reviewers.
The announcement, released on February 2, 2026, solidifies the magazine’s standing as a powerhouse in the short fiction field. The inclusion of Marie Croke, André Geleynse, Molly Tanzer, and Chris Willrich highlights a year of editorial success for BCS, showcasing a diverse range of secondary-world settings and narrative techniques that continue to push the boundaries of the fantasy genre.
Main Facts: A Banner Year for Secondary-World Fantasy
The Locus 2025 Recommended Reading List serves as the primary precursor to the Locus Awards, often acting as a roadmap for voters in other major speculative fiction honors, including the Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards. For a single publication to secure four slots in the competitive Novelette category is a testament to the rigorous curation of Editor-in-Chief Scott H. Andrews.
The four recognized works from Beneath Ceaseless Skies are:
- "Our Echoes Drifting Through the Marsh" by Marie Croke (Issue #423, January 2025)
- "The City of Tears" by Molly Tanzer (Issue #429, April 2025)
- "Last Train from Deadwall" by André Geleynse (Issue #433, May 2025)
- "A Random Walk Through the Goblin Library" by Chris Willrich (Issue #443, October 2025)
Beyond these specific stories, the Locus list also featured numerous "BCS regulars"—authors who have frequently contributed to the magazine—for their work appearing in other high-profile venues and anthologies throughout the year. This crossover suggests that the "BCS stable" of writers remains at the forefront of the industry’s critical conversation.
Chronology: From Publication to Critical Recognition
The journey to the Locus Recommended Reading List is a year-long process involving the systematic review of thousands of stories published across hundreds of venues, including professional magazines, semi-prozines, and original anthologies.
- January 2025: The year began with Marie Croke’s "Our Echoes Drifting Through the Marsh," a story that set a high bar for atmospheric, character-driven fantasy. Its early-year publication meant it had to maintain critical momentum for over twelve months to remain in the minds of reviewers.
- Spring 2025: The release of Molly Tanzer’s "The City of Tears" in April and André Geleynse’s "Last Train from Deadwall" in May showcased the magazine’s range, moving from Tanzer’s sharp, evocative prose to Geleynse’s more experimental or "weird" fantasy elements.
- October 2025: As the reading year drew toward its close, Chris Willrich’s "A Random Walk Through the Goblin Library" provided a late-season standout, blending the whimsical with the profound in a way that resonated with the Locus short fiction team.
- January 2026: Locus reviewers—including luminaries such as Charles Payseur, Paula Guran, and Karen Burnham—finalized their tallies. These critics spend the month of January debating the merits of the year’s output to distill the "Best of the Year" into a single, comprehensive list.
- February 2, 2026: The list was officially published, sparking industry-wide discussion and setting the stage for the upcoming awards season.
Supporting Data: The Anatomy of the Recognized Works
To understand why these four stories captured the attention of the Locus critics, one must look at the specific literary contributions of each piece and the authors behind them.
Marie Croke: "Our Echoes Drifting Through the Marsh"
Croke has become a rising star in the short fiction world, known for her ability to weave intricate emotional beats into fantastical settings. "Our Echoes Drifting Through the Marsh" was praised for its lyrical prose and its exploration of memory and loss within a hauntingly realized marshland environment. In the context of BCS, this story exemplifies the "literary" half of the magazine’s mission statement.
Molly Tanzer: "The City of Tears"
A finalist for the World Fantasy and Locus Awards in previous years, Tanzer is a veteran of the genre. "The City of Tears" brought her signature style—often described as "decently indecent" or "vividly historical"—to a secondary-world setting. Reviewers noted the story’s complex social dynamics and its unflinching look at the costs of power.
André Geleynse: "Last Train from Deadwall"
Geleynse’s inclusion highlights the magazine’s commitment to "adventure fantasy" that doesn’t shy away from the strange. "Last Train from Deadwall" utilized a more gritty, perhaps industrial-tinged fantasy aesthetic that stood out for its pacing and world-building efficiency. It represents the "New Weird" influence that occasionally permeates the BCS catalog.
Chris Willrich: "A Random Walk Through the Goblin Library"
Willrich is perhaps best known for his "Gaunt and Bone" series and his work in the Pathfinder universe. His contribution to BCS in 2025, however, was noted for its intellectual playfulness. "A Random Walk Through the Goblin Library" was lauded by critics for its meta-fictional elements and its celebration of the written word within a high-fantasy framework.
The Competitive Field
The Novelette category (defined by Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association as 7,500 to 17,500 words) is often considered the most difficult to master. It requires more world-building than a short story but more narrative economy than a novella. By securing four spots in this category, BCS has demonstrated a mastery of this specific length, which Scott H. Andrews has often cited as the "sweet spot" for immersive fantasy.
Official Responses and Editorial Vision
While the authors have taken to social media to express their gratitude, the editorial team at Beneath Ceaseless Skies has framed this achievement as a victory for the genre of secondary-world fantasy as a whole.
In a brief statement following the announcement, the magazine congratulated its authors, noting that the recognition is shared by the many contributors who make the magazine possible. The editorial philosophy of BCS has always been to champion "stories set in worlds that are different from our own," focusing on the internal lives of characters rather than just the external magic systems.
Industry analysts suggest that this recognition by Locus—often called the "trade journal" of the science fiction and fantasy field—validates the magazine’s shift toward more diverse and experimental voices. As Locus remains the primary source for libraries and bookstores to determine their acquisitions and recommendations, the appearance of these four stories ensures they will have a long "shelf life" beyond their initial digital publication.
Implications: The Evolving Role of Digital Magazines
The success of Beneath Ceaseless Skies on the 2025 Locus list carries several broader implications for the speculative fiction industry.
1. The Dominance of "Pro-Rate" Digital Markets
For decades, print anthologies and "The Big Three" (Asimov’s, Analog, and F&SF) dominated the Locus lists. The continued presence of digital-first magazines like BCS, Uncanny, and Clarkesworld at the top of these lists signals a permanent shift in where the "prestige" fiction is located. These venues offer accessibility through free online reading while maintaining the high editorial standards of traditional print.
2. The Resilience of Secondary-World Fantasy
In recent years, the trend in speculative fiction has leaned heavily toward "portal fantasy" or "urban fantasy" that anchors the magical in the real world. The recognition of four BCS novelettes—all of which take place in entirely invented worlds—suggests a renewed critical appetite for pure secondary-world construction. This is a significant indicator for publishers looking to acquire new novels in 2026 and 2027.
3. Impact on the 2026 Awards Cycle
The Locus Recommended Reading List acts as the unofficial ballot for the Locus Awards. Historically, stories that appear on this list have a significantly higher probability of appearing on the final ballots for the Hugo and Nebula Awards. For Croke, Geleynse, Tanzer, and Willrich, this recognition is more than just an honor; it is a catalyst for their professional careers, likely leading to increased interest from literary agents and book publishers.
4. Sustaining the Short Fiction Ecosystem
As the cost of living and the challenges of the "attention economy" impact independent publishing, the Locus list serves as a vital marketing tool. For a magazine like Beneath Ceaseless Skies, which relies on reader donations and grants, this level of critical acclaim is essential for securing the funding necessary to continue paying professional rates to authors.
Conclusion
The inclusion of four novelettes from Beneath Ceaseless Skies on the Locus 2025 Recommended Reading List is a milestone for the publication and a celebration of the enduring power of the fantasy novelette. As the industry moves further into 2026, the stories of Marie Croke, André Geleynse, Molly Tanzer, and Chris Willrich stand as benchmarks of quality, reminding readers and writers alike that the most profound human truths are often found in worlds that never existed.
The speculative fiction community now looks toward the spring, when the voting for the Locus and Hugo Awards will begin in earnest, with these four stories firmly positioned at the center of the debate.
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