OBIR: Occasional Biased and Ignorant Reviews reflecting this reader’s opinion.
Neo-opsis Magazine – Issue #36, 2024
Published out of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Editor: Karl Johanson. Assistant Editor and Art Director: Stephanie Johanson.
Cover: Mountain Peaks – by Karl Johanson
Fiction:
Holy Water – by Karl Johanson
Premise:
Does holy water work on Vampires?
Review:
Yes, but there’s never enough of it, unless…
A very amusing story, especially as Father Andrew doesn’t recognize the serious nature of the problem. What makes it extremely interesting is a highly original interpretation of the proper consecration of holy water. Do it once and never be plagued by vampires again. I wonder if the Vatican has ever considered the possibility, perhaps as a suggestion from the Devil’s Advocate.
Definitely a concept-driven story both whimsical and delightful (despite the violence).
Scientist’s Cats – by Karl Johanson
Premise:
Who knew an art show depicting cats could be so controversial?
Review:
Another concept-driven delight.
On the one hand, you have an art show in a physics department of a university illustrating not just Schrödinger’s theory but also the theories of Newton, Curie, Van de Graaf and other scientists as determined by their application to cats. Clever and educational.
On the other hand, drama is provided by literal-minded protesters who believe the art pieces illustrate the types of physical abuse of cats routinely taking place in the physics department. This is a reflection of the self-proclaimed influencers whose ignorance and vast stupidity is currently leading the assault on education and science.
From the latter I derive the view that, worst come to worst, the entire world gets converted into an SCA event. However, I do believe the story argues that ignorance is not quite as big a threat as some Cassandra’s insist. I certainly hope that’s true.
Ransom in the Woods – by Robert Runté
Premise:
Two rogue fey live in fear of their kind.
Review:
The protagonist is a changeling living among mere humans. Though aware of his powers, he doesn’t really know much about his origins. His best buddy is a different type of fey, albeit one cursed. Both tend to keep a low profile in order to avoid trouble. Alas, fey who are the equivalent of bounty hunters come knocking on the door. This presents problems.
The story is unusually complex, and fascinating. The background of fey existence is worked out in detail, as is the ongoing interaction between feydom and humanity. Many hidden implications inherent in folklore belief are unveiled. I’d go so far as to characterise the story as both sociological and anthropological in nature. It is an essay on the relationship between the two “worlds” of sentient beings, albeit disguised in the form of dawning understanding on the part of the protagonist as his illusions and delusions are slowly stripped away by the “reality” of his brethren. Does a lot of growing up under duress, I would say. I find the whole process intriguing.
The story is also amusing. A lot of subtle humour involved. Overall, a very entertaining piece fully supported by its intricate detailing. Great good fun to read.
Choosing a game – by Karl Johanson
Premise:
The Devil is a tad jaded.
Review:
Not your typical deal with the Devil story. He is summoned, and a game is to be chosen by the mortal. If the Devil wins, he acquires the man’s soul. If the Devil loses, the mortal gains whatever wish they’ve both agreed on before the game begins.
Alas, the Devil finds the whole thing tiresome and boring, especially as he always wins, what with his infinite talent for cheating. But he is a traditionalist and allows the idiot summoner to choose the game. Fortunately, from his point of view, tradition also allows the Devil to make the first move.
What game would you choose? In this case, the one game which is truly random and allows no possibility of cheating. Can you think what it is?
5 word story – by Karl Johanson
Premise:
Cute idea for amusing story.
Review:
Plot arc difficult to describe.
The Porter – by Matthew Hughes
Premise:
It’s tough being a lowly porter in a world full of competing warlords.
Review:
In an afterward capsule description the editors state, “Matthew’s story ‘The Porter’ is written in the world of the Role Playing Game The Free City of Vadashar. The story was commissioned by the RPG content creator ZealZaddy, for Monte Cook Games’ Cypher System.”
Well, you could have fooled me. When I read the story it felt like the opening chapters of a vividly-realized action-adventure fantasy. Matthew is a master at this sort of thing. The great strength of his writing is attention to detail which renders every action and every character entirely realistic and credible.
Though dirt poor and considered scum by all, including beggars, the protagonist, name of Banda, was born without vocal cords. He cannot speak. Luckily, people assume he’s deaf as well as dumb. They pay no more attention to him when he delivers a package or clears dishes off a table than they would a piece of furniture. He’s trained himself not to react to sounds. Proof positive he can’t hear, or so many believe. As a result, he picks up on what people are plotting and planning, without them realizing it, and is astute enough to use this forbidden info to his advantage. Alas, this sometimes plunges him into the thick of things he’s better off avoiding. But as he is constantly striving to better his lot, he can’t resist attempting to manipulate the professional manipulators. He stumbles into one potential disaster after another, yet always managing to survive. One could say he’s addicted to taking risks. A form of gambling, in fact. Makes life interesting, to put it mildly.
Speaking of addiction, Matthew’s style of writing is addictive. He writes with great clarity about interesting people and events. This makes for ease of page turning. The reader can’t wait to find out what happens next. The quality and entertainment value of Matthew’s writing, no matter what the piece, is something you can always count on. He’s that good.
Nonfiction:
Assorted news and reviews concerning awards (Auroras and Hugos), fandom, movies, space exploration, books, etc. And, as usual, a fascinating article on aspects of the Periodic Table, though this time even more fascinating than usual. Somewhere Karl got a hold of a copy of the periodic table which is colour coded to reveal which elements are safe to lick. Talk about misinformation! Karl really goes to town on this.
For example, “Lithium is listed in the ‘maybe not a good idea’ category, but I would say it’s ‘definitely not a good idea’ rather than a ‘maybe not…’ Metallic Lithium will react very quickly with the water in the saliva on your tongue and it may explode and produce Hydrogen gas which can ignite. Your tongue will not like this.” Karl makes many similar observations in this article.
CONCLUSION:
This issue a delightful mix of entertaining fiction and interesting opinions on assorted aspects of the genre today. The latter is enhanced by numerous photos and illustrations. Darn good read throughout. Excellent issue of an excellent magazine.
Find it at < Neo-opsis #36 >
