Life & death struggles; self-worth & flights of fancy; Möbius loop realities & alternate universes; and Greek tragedies made flesh, are just some of the delights on offer in. . .
Hi there, I hope the super-hot summer has been kind to you? We’ve been sweltering, here in the Greek Islands, so needless to say we’re looking forward to the winter months more than ever.
Regardless, summer isn’t over until you’ve had your speculative fix, and this summer issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction has a total of 3 novelettes, 12 short stories, and 4 poems.
Together with an awesome cover from Monolithic Studios that pays tribute to the good old-fashioned days of the sci-fi blockbuster, I’m sure this edition will ease you toward the autumn in just the right way.
So, without further ado, let’s begin with our poetry submissions.
I’m sure we’ve all of us wondered about death, at one time or another. Well, In Her Footsteps, our opening poem by Suzanne J. Willis, we consider that very subject from the perspective of Death herself. An entity who is as timeless as eternity; someone who can’t be brought or bargained with; someone who balances the scales perfectly and without judgment.
It’s often said that life isn’t fair, and this poem highlights that in a hauntingly evocative way that I’m sure will leave you in a reflective mood.
I, Magician, by Julie Eliopoulos, reminds us of the creator in us all, and of the power that lies within reach in just about everything around us.
But do we have the ears to hear and eyes to see?
Journey back, then, to your childhood. Doing so will help you grasp the intuitive, almost natural flair that youngsters have in recognizing the mystical about us, and how to use it.
City as Fairy Tale, by Richard Leis, details the natural, inherited wisdom of creatures of the wild as they contemplate the legacy that nonexistent humans have left behind. Yes, for all their power and influence, mankind is no more. Their self-destructive path has reaped a rich reward, and the earth is claiming everything back that humans once ravaged.
Regardless, nature is shrewd and enduring. Her denizens wise. They won’t rush. For though Man is gone, His passing still stains the earth with corruption. So, nature will be patient in ensuring humanity’s poison never spreads again.
As you read this poem, see if you conjure up the trailer scene of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, as I did. (The one with the eagle flying through the ruins of a city, now overgrown by vegetation). In my humble opinion, that scene sums up this poem perfectly.
In our final poetic offering, In a castle far from every prince, by Marisca Pichette, we get a jaunty tip of the hat to all those favorite fairytales that – for the heroine of this tale at least – didn’t quite make the mark. I loved it. And I’m sure you’ll smile too, as you see how the protagonist’s ‘I’ve tried this; done that; thought about that as well . . . and still didn’t like it’ attitude really adds flavor to the poem.
An infectious and most enjoyable blend.
And now for the stories:
What It Means to Drift, by Rajeev Prasad is a powerful story about duty and obligation.
Imagine a world where cities are run by huge cyborg titans. Inhuman entities, linked, in some arcane fashion, to a select few volunteers, who help them better comprehend the lives in their care. However, translating all those computations and equations into actual feeling can take its toll, and not just on the humans who are required to feel and experience them, over and over again.
Yes, what might happen to the titan itself over time as it grapples to comprehend the reality of human emotions from a cyber-perspective? And what price might that exact on human and titan alike?
A thought-provoking tale, reminiscent in some respects of Philip K. Dick’s: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. And one that is as compelling as it is intriguing.
I really enjoyed, On My Way to Heaven, by Alberto Chimal, our first Novelette in this summer edition, and I know fans of the X Files will as well. Especially as it deals with the subject of alien abduction.
Were they/weren’t they? Did they/didn’t they? A mystery that was never quite answered in the TV series, and a conundrum that plays out nicely in this story.
As with the X Files, all the evidence about what happened to Uncle Pablo is laid out for your scrutiny, and in the end, you have to make up your own mind.
But never forget: The truth is out there . . . if we’d only pay attention to the details.
I’m sure most of us have enjoyed stories similar to The Butterfly Effect, where we delve into the paradoxical dangers of messing with time? But, have you ever wondered if we might encounter similar dangers by tampering with overlapping dimensions?
Well, that particular enigma is tackled, head-on, in Mister Yellow, by Christina Bauer. A brief, but highly immersive tale highlighting the moral – and physical – hazards that might be encountered if we’re not very, very careful. (Oh, and enjoy the twist at the end) . . .
And speaking of hazards. . .
It’s widely accepted that life began in the oceans. But have you ever imagined what may happen if the ocean decided to take it back? If so, then Water Baby, by Tonya R. Moore will resonate with you in an atmospherically, provocative way.
Think climate change meets evolution, all neatly wrapped in folklore and tradition, and you’ll love this thoroughly immersive tale that will leave you feeling strangely satisfied by its ending.
The role of a mother as life giver and protector is often downplayed in today’s modern world. And Nina Kiriki Hoffman takes this misguided viewpoint to new heights in: Metis in the Belly of the God. How so?
Well, it’s believed in many circles that the goddess Athena sprang – fully armored and carrying weapons – from her father’s (Zeus’) head following a spate of blinding headaches.
However, digging into mythology a little deeper reveals how far Athena’s mother – Metis – went to protect her child from harm while languishing in the belly of Zeus. (Zeus having swallowed Metis, to prevent the fulfillment of a prophecy that stated one of her offspring would overthrow him).
Unbeknown to him, however, Metis was already pregnant when he swallowed his wife, and her odyssey is described in stunning detail in this spectacularly vivid adventure. Detail that fully portrays the lengths a mother will go to, to protect her child.
She’s a Rescue, by Marie Vibbert, showcases a wonderful play on words.
You’ll see what I mean when you start reading, as the title continues to resonate throughout the story.
Better still, I really enjoyed the Firefly – That’s 70’s show – almost – Married with Children vibe that runs through this epic little yarn, set aboard a decrepit piece of space junk, as a father and daughter – and dog – try to eke out a living against all the odds . . . those odds being spiced up by a vindictive ex-wife’s efforts to leave them floundering.
It’s all great fun, as you’ll see.
If you enjoy the wonder of tales like The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, then Snowdrop by Raul Caner Cruz, is the one for you.
In fact, this story reminded me very much of the Slavic folktale: The Snow Child, in which an elderly couple – longing for a child of their own – build one out of snow to keep them company. Miraculously, she comes to life, and brings immense joy to them until springtime, when the warmer weather takes her from their home, leaving them with nothing but bittersweet memories.
However, what would happen if that child was a gift from the old gods? Able to outlast the spring and summer, so that she might never be taken from her adoptive parents sides?
Ah, then we come to the heart of the matter, for life is seldom fair, and death is but a final heartbeat away.
A moving story, (worthy of the more established fables), and one that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.
Dog People, by Esther Friesner, is a clever expose on where true power and influence lies.
Because it’s not in having a positive attitude or a bank full of cash; nor is it dependent upon your position and the amount of people under you; and unbelievably, it’s not even in the might you can wield as a god. For even the gods featured in this story are unable to resist the overwhelming wave of undead denizens who have taken to sauntering along 5th Avenue without a care in the world.
So, I’ll give you a clue. What creature couldn’t give a fig for protocol or etiquette? For right and wrong? And which creature has an uncanny knack for doing what they want, when they want, wherever they want, irrespective of the fall-out they may cause?
Ah, if you can answer that, then you’ll be a step closer to solving the mystery woven into this very enjoyable romp, and acknowledge the truth that Esther Friesner so cleverly reveals.
We all carry our own scars, don’t we, in one way or another. Some visible. Others nothing but a hollow ache inside that we contemplate in private . . . all of them evoking memories that have left their mark. What You Leave Behind, by Ken Altabef, considers this topic in a deeply personal way, and in doing so, highlights that, perhaps, after the mourning is over, it might be better to simply let such reminders go, so that they no longer weigh us down and keep us from living life as it should be lived.
Remember: the past is past and cannot be changed. The future is yet to come. Live for the now, and make the best of the possibilities that yet might be . . . as Ken Altabef highlights.
Another Such Victory, by Albert Chu, is a rather excellent war-torn novelette about duty and honor, interwoven with the age old moral dilemma between right and wrong. (Think Pacific Rim-sized robots, with a dash of Xiran Jay Zhao’s Iron Widow), set in a ravaged, disparate world, and you’ll be on the right track.
Superbly paced and wholly immersive, follow along as battle-weary Pilot Nusrat Choudhury faces huge choices and weighty consequences . . . and learns the price of a good night’s sleep.
Our final novelette, Growth Rings of the Earth, by Xinwei Kong is heavily inspired by the ideology of Austrian philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and the works of Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges, and you can see their influence sprinkled throughout the narrative as the last man on earth contemplates how to end his days, and indeed, how to complete the only novel he has ever written.
Just one page remains. But how to bring it – and his life – to a fitting conclusion?
Find out, in a story that is as profound as it is compulsive.
You know those places that give you the creeps? And you don’t know why they do – but you do really – because you don’t want to admit just why you know, as it just might prevent you from ever being lured back there? If so, then, Jacob Street, by L. Marie Wood, will be – pun intended – right up your street.
I can’t say too much, as doing so might lessen the impact of the ending. But if you like tales in the vein of From, then you’ll find Jacob Street an enthralling way to spend 5 minutes. (Or more, if you read it several times, as I did). Great fun!
Red Ochre, Ivory Bone, by Deborah L. Davitt, delivers a potent parable about how, despite all the hurdles and obstacles that might divide us, the strangest things can cut through the all the dross to remind us of the more important issues in life.
Imagine the setting: A far future space station housing 6 different races, all of whom have come together to try and hammer out their differences in open forum, rather than slug it out on the battlefield. (A tip of the hat to Babylon 5 perhaps)?
Anyway – it’s just another day – and our intergalactic council is arguing, maneuvering and politicking, when the strangest of things happens. . .
The nearby Waygate opens and spits out a small, crystalline object that seems to be on a collision course with the station.
Now, to discover what that object is, how it might have arrived at such an isolated place, and what the inhabitants of the station do to protect themselves, you’ll soon find out by reading the story. In doing so, you’ll not only travel across the span of the universe, but time itself, where you’ll also be helped to better comprehend the most personal, intimate mystery that unites us all. For no matter who we are or where we might be from, and indeed, how advanced our society might become, there’s one issue that continues to intrigue every living being beyond measure.
Find out what that is in Red Ochre, Ivory Bone . . . and Kudos to Deborah L. Davitt for coming up with such an entertaining story.
The Glass Apple by Ivy Grimes, is a delightful, if eerily compelling tale, reminiscent of Snow White and Cinderella, with a hint of the Sorcerer’s Apprentice thrown in, that conveys the pitfalls of allowing your secret desires to take root where they shouldn’t.
For everyone harbors the seeds of ruin inside of them. But how many of us have the strength to ensure they remain dormant, especially in an environment where the slightest catalyst might allow them to germinate into something that could all too easily run away with us.
Take a bite from a truly entertaining and magical tale that will definitely get you thinking.
I rather enjoyed our final story, Slickerthin by Phoenix Alexander, as it details the exploits of Anaximander, a 16-year old boy from the island of Miletus as he comes of age at a time of testing.
The trouble is Anaximander isn’t like other boys. He’s shorter in stature; clumsy; he’s frail; unsure of himself and his own self-worth. And to top it all off, whenever he tries to do a good deed, fate always seems to intervene and mess it up.
Like the day the harpy came into his life, and just wouldn’t let go. . .
Follow along then, as Anaximander contends with his own shortcomings – and his ever-present shadow – and is forced into a position where transition is inevitable.
Transition? You’ll see, in a skillfully woven story that reminded me – in some respects – of the change people underwent in the 2005 sci-fi tv series: Invasion.
A great story, and just the thing to round off this edition off with a bang.
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So until the next time, why not see the summer out in style, with a gin and tonic and this marvelous smorgasbord of speculative fiction. You know it makes sense.
Andy W.
Hope you enjoy the review, everyone.
A great issue.
Andy W