Realms of Fantasy, October 2008

In the October, 2008 issue of Realms of Fantasy, “The Purple Basil” by M. K. Hobson takes the traditional Judeo-Christian view of witches and adds an interesting twist. The concept of the Devil being a handsome and romantic seducer, however, certainly fits. After all, how can anyone be seduced by something that’s butt-ugly in the first place? The tale also leaves open the question of whether or not this “Devil” is truly Lucifer. He seems to act more like a more somber (but still horny) Pan than the Big Bad of all fallen angels. The key concept I enjoyed most is how the witches had a personal relationship (more or less) with their god (whoever he really was)—something many Christians lack (spiritually speaking) with God today due to all those pesky manmade traditions getting in the way. And that concept is given a good compare/contrast angle through the personal relationship of the main character and her adopted daughter. I highly recommend this story as well as reading it in a manner that goes beyond merely its surface.

“The Luckiest Street in Georgia” by Vylar Kaftan takes place in the early part of the 20th century. It’s about an old woman capable of not only seeing future events in relation to the people around her, but also capable of “fixing,” or at least changing, what will happen. It leaves her with a lonely existence, but what if she isn’t alone? Characterization is this story’s primary strength, as it delves into the heart of power. It begs the question: if you had the power to change the future for the better, even if on a small personal level, would you? And what if sometimes you made mistakes?

“Under the Skin” by Greg O. Weatherford takes the skinchanger approach to the werewolf genre. Shown through the eyes of the werewolf’s daughter in their struggle to lead a normal life while trying to keep a dark secret, there is much moral quandary presented here, and the child is left facing some very tough decisions. It takes the theme of love versus fear and twists it around into a pretzel. Well worth the read.

“The Horned Toad in the Hubcap” by Joe Murphy takes surreal fantasy to the realm of the unbelievable, and yet Murphy still manages to suspend disbelief. How does he do this? By making it a character-driven story and relying on his strength at characterization. The magical wooden girl is so three dimensional that you no longer care or even notice that she’s basically a bigger and livelier version of Pinocchio. The relationships between the characters and their families are deep and intricate. And then there’s the whole mystery of the magical hubcap and its connection with a genocide occurring against horned toads. Murphy manages to weave all these apparently disparate elements together into a cohesive story that maintains interest from start to finish.

“All Things Beautiful” by Sharon Mock returns to the darkness once found in ancient fairy tales before Disneyfication nearly ruined the ancient tradition. All the classic elements found in fairy tales are present: a magical palace, a ruling monarch (in this case a queen), and the fair princess in love. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you wish to look at it), Mock reveals the inherent self-centeredness in the “God Complex” that often plagues people with too much power. Through fiction, she reveals a truth that many today have forgotten: only a fool would ever trust those in power. And she manages to do so without having to cast one side as “good” and the other side as “evil,” for both sides involved prove to be arrogant and selfish in their own way.

“The Claw Unseen” by Euan Harvey is adventure fantasy at its finest, but one where the female—instead of the male—wins the day. Everything you could ask for in an adventure is here: heroes and villains, interesting characters, cursed magical amulets, plus action and intrigue. All compressed into a short story that you can’t stop reading. Awesome, simply awesome.

This issue of Realms of Fantasy has a good mix of stories for the fantasy genre reader, and as is often the case, rarely disappoints.