A naturalist of beings real and fictional

Laura Rikono

Laura Rikono lives in Malaysian North Borneo. Once a marine scientist, she met a tribesman who wooed her with wild fishing trips in the shadow of a lilac mountain. They settled down and had children, who were far more interesting than fish. Her stories are sci fi and fantasy grounded in the natural sciences.
Secrets
1. Remote expeditions are an unexpected masterclass in human nature
2. My CV has more random plot twists than my experimental teenage fantasy novel
3. Borneo, with its biological and cultural richness, is a cheat sheet for fantastical worlds
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Laura Rikono is known inside the Colony as Aethalope

Publications

Sooth

If we know everything that has ever happened, can we also know what will happen?

A flash fiction piece published by Daily Science Fiction in January 2018.

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The Backstory

This was inspired by my experience with isolated and uncontrollable kindergartners who gradually become absorbed by the class. Written in 2017, before AI scraping vast data troves became trendy, it now seems rather prescient.

More About Laura Rikono
When You’re Not Reading Me
1. Joseph Conrad
A master of character and evocative settings
2. Mary Gentle
Arquebusses, Wild Machines, Carthage, Footnotes and Mercenary Captain Ash
3. Ted Chiang
For poignant contemplations of tech and us
What's On My Bedside Table
1. A Lokamade Notebook - Food Paradise
For jotting down 3 am ideas while drooling over Malaysian food illustrations
2. A Piece of Coral
Probably leaf plate Montipora. A fragment from fish bombing.
3. A Pelita Amoi
A vintage kerosene lamp from our off-grid days
I Love Sabah, Malaysian Borneo — Here's Why
Field Journal

Huminodun – A Borneo Legend

In the lush landscapes of Sabah, Malaysian North Borneo, dwells the Kadazandusun community, the region's largest indigenous group. Their cultural identity is deeply entwined with...
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Future Abstract: Crisp and Squish

SATIRE ALERT: This Future Abstract is entirely fictional and should not be taken as actual scientific research. No plastic was consumed in the making of...
Read More… about Future Abstract: Crisp and Squish

The Moon vs. Brian Cox

Of the many jobs I’ve juggled, my latest presents a unique challenge. Sabah, in Malaysian North Borneo, is popular with Korean tourists. Five hours south...
Read More… about The Moon vs. Brian Cox

The Unexpected Pantomime

Deep in tribal territory in Jharkhand, India, three schools — one by a road, one in a forest, and one on a hill — hosted...
Read More… about The Unexpected Pantomime

Of Straw-Stacks and Sisters

Ten minutes before I left the house, my boss called. “The science class is cancelled today. Take Jisoo and Jennie instead. They need adjective practice.”...
Read More… about Of Straw-Stacks and Sisters
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