Reviews
Cabinet des Fées: A Fairy Tale Journal, #2
Cabinet des Fées is a relatively new publication from established fantasy and science fiction small press, Prime Books. The publication has an online manifestation that has run for some time, but this is only the second issue of three expected in print this year. Nonetheless, Cabinet des Fées has already established a strong reputation […]
Continue ReadingBlack Static #2, December 2007
Black Static serves up an intriguing blend of fiction and essays this month, wrapped up in a dark design whose aesthetic is caught between eras, a wobbly-legged lovechild of a ‘zine and a website. Its pages are replete with Photoshop art, rusty backgrounds, and the simulacra of whiteout, creases, underexposed patches, scratches, sharpie annotations, Polaroids, […]
Continue ReadingDiet Soap #1
Diet Soap is the brainchild of Doug Lain and M.K. Hobson, a simple looking black-and-white zine that bills itself as anarchist and has a goal of themed issues, as well as publishing genre-defying work. Issue #1 is all about surveillance. There’s more variety here than mere rehashes of invasive Big Brother and thoughtcrime, but the […]
Continue ReadingSails & Sorcery: Tales of Nautical Fantasy, edited by W.H. Horner
In his introduction to Sails & Sorcery: Tales of Nautical Fantasy, edited by W.H. Horner, Lawrence C. Connolly contends that the mystery and glory are in the quest, not the treasure. This may well be true, and there are some fine adventures to be had in this volume, but the treasures are, at times, buried […]
Continue ReadingOf Love and Other Monsters by Vandana Singh
In Vandana Singh’s novella, Of Love and Other Monsters, Arun begins life where his memory begins, after the fire his rescuer, Janani, pulled him from. Capable of indolence in his recovery, Arun discovers that he is wildly different from his peers and neighbors. His mind has a reach, a dimension, beyond itself. He […]
Continue ReadingDistillations: Alliteration
As I mentioned last month, this column will be exploring various poetry techniques each month and how they are used in current speculative poetry. This month’s featured technique is alliteration, which is defined as the repetition of initial consonants or consonant sounds. It is a simple technique which can be powerful if not overdone. It […]
Continue ReadingAstropoetica 5.1 Spring/Summer 2007
Astropoetica 5.1 (Spring/Summer 2007) is the latest issue of this poetry-only webzine. The subtitle reads “mapping the stars through poetry,” which is evidently intended to make a statement about the purpose of the magazine. If so, the statement is rather cryptic, because only about half of the poems are really about astronomy. […]
Continue ReadingThe Cusp of Something by Jai Clare
When reading a new collection of short stories, especially one so widely varied as Jai Clare’s The Cusp of Something, it is difficult to know how to describe it in terms of genre. Some of the work is truly macabre, laced with hints of horror and dark fantasy, some of it openly erotic; the author […]
Continue ReadingFrom the Podosphere: November ‘07 podcasts
Before I talk about November’s batch of stories in Escape Pod, I want to put in good word for host, editor, and publisher, Stephen Eley. Eley’s introductions, his reflections and observations, philosophical musings, and snippets about his life, make for engaging listening, and the warmth and intelligence of his intros (and outros) give Escape […]
Continue ReadingShimmer: The Pirate Issue
The much anticipated pirate issue from Shimmer is out, helmed by guest editor John Joseph Adams, assistant editor of F&SF. Adams chose an eclectic group of tales, ranging from the serious to the humorous, from modern-day to the Golden Age of Pirates. Nothing here really blew my socks off, but there are a […]
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