The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Jul/Aug 2023, Volume 145 #768 (magazine review).
There was a time when it was common to note the number of recurring authors that appeared in magazines. Admittedly, there were fewer people submitting worthwhile work. Now, as can be seen from this issue of MF&SF, there are many who are making a first appearance in the magazine, though there may have been some in other publications. It means that the MF&SF reader is introduced to new talent.
At the same time, there is still room for members of the old guard. Peter S. Beagle may be in his 80s, but he continues to produce excellent stories. ‘The Very Nasty Aquarium’ is an example of storytelling at its best. Mrs. Lopsided is an old lady whose nephew gave her an aquarium as a birthday present. She is very happy with it until she makes the mistake of buying a pirate to go in it. Unlike the rest of the furniture in the aquarium, it is not plastic but made from the wood of a tree in which a duppy, an evil spirit, has taken up residence. It creates havoc.
The order in which stories are presented in a volume can enhance enjoyment. In this issue, Dan Peacock’s deliberately trope laden ‘What To Do When A Protagonist Visits Your Generic Village’ comes immediately before Mary Soon Lee’s poem ‘How To Pack For a Quest’. Taken together, they are a very satisfying pairing.
Following the humorous vein, ‘Pedestals, Proclivities And Perpetuities’ by Celeste Rita Baker takes a tongue–in-cheek look at the dangers of idolising someone who has basic human failings. When Charlie throws his wife Ann onto the roof of their house, she refuses to come down and wants everything else thrown up to her, such as a bath. It is a ridiculous story but highlights the problems of elevating the ordinary.
Also pointing up the ridiculousness of some people is ‘Approved Methods Of Love Divination In The First-Rate City Of Dushagorod’ by Kristina Ten. This is a darkly comic story. Sofia’s parents are determined to help her find her soulmate. The forms of divination are supposed to find the initial letter of the name of her potential partner. The cheapest form of divination, surrounded by ritual, essentially detaching a ring pull from a can of pop. Unfortunately, this and the other’s methods do not provide a positive result.
A Half-Remembered World’ by Aimee Ogden is a far future fantasy. People live on the backs of giant crabs which slowly traverse the oceans. Sometimes the crabs meet and mate. Some food is grown on the back of the crab but much comes from the ocean, barnacles scraped off the crabs legs. Melu lives on Drahim, who is reaching the end of his long life. The people who live on and under it are suffering from famine and there is a growing sense of unrest. The situation comes to a head as Drahim heads towards the land for a final beaching. This is an excellent novella and has the space to develop characters and background amid imaginative storytelling.
Also to be found in this issue are a fable, a creation myth, subtle horror and flash fiction. On the whole, a well-balanced issue.
Pauline Morgan
October 2023
(pub: Spilogale Inc. 260 page A5 magazine. Price: $ 9.99 (US), $10.99 (CAN). ISSN: 1095-8258)
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