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The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Vol. 145, Nos. 1 & 2, July/August 2023
- GenresFantasy
258 pages, Paperback
Published July 1, 2023
1 person is currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
Sheree Renée Thomas
80 books240 followersSheree Thomas — also credited as Sheree R. Thomas and Sheree Renée Thomas — is an American writer, book editor and publisher.
Thomas is the editor of the Dark Matter anthology (2000), in which are collected works by some of the best African-American writers in the genres of science fiction, horror and fantasy. Among the many notable authors included are Samuel R. Delany, Octavia E. Butler, Charles R. Saunders, Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due, Jewelle Gomez, Ishmael Reed, Kalamu ya Salaam, Robert Fleming, Nalo Hopkinson, George S. Schuyler and W. E. B. Du Bois. Dark Matter was honored with the 2005 and the 2001 World Fantasy Award and named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year.
Thomas is the publisher of Wanganegresse Press, and has contributed to national publications including the Washington Post "Book World", Black Issues Book Review, QBR, and Hip Mama. Her fiction and poetry have appeared in Ishmael Reed's Konch, Drumvoices Revue, Obsidian III, African Voices, storySouth, and other literary journals, and has received Honorable Mention in the Year's Best Fantasy and Horror, 16th and 17th annual collections. A native of Memphis, she lives in New York City.
Thomas is the editor of the Dark Matter anthology (2000), in which are collected works by some of the best African-American writers in the genres of science fiction, horror and fantasy. Among the many notable authors included are Samuel R. Delany, Octavia E. Butler, Charles R. Saunders, Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due, Jewelle Gomez, Ishmael Reed, Kalamu ya Salaam, Robert Fleming, Nalo Hopkinson, George S. Schuyler and W. E. B. Du Bois. Dark Matter was honored with the 2005 and the 2001 World Fantasy Award and named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year.
Thomas is the publisher of Wanganegresse Press, and has contributed to national publications including the Washington Post "Book World", Black Issues Book Review, QBR, and Hip Mama. Her fiction and poetry have appeared in Ishmael Reed's Konch, Drumvoices Revue, Obsidian III, African Voices, storySouth, and other literary journals, and has received Honorable Mention in the Year's Best Fantasy and Horror, 16th and 17th annual collections. A native of Memphis, she lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 7, 2023
I really enjoyed A Half-Remembered World by Aimee Odgen.
A Half-Remembered World by Aimee Odgen (novella) -
A highly enjoyable novella about a woman named Melu. Melu works and lives on the top of a giant crab which they believe is a god. She had to give up her child to another giant crab because her own god had too large of a population. Her crab god, Drahim, is about to die and the population is controlled by Deacons, spiritual leaders who are concerned about the future of the people living on the crab. There is also a group of people who live connected to the bottom of Drahim, but they are at odds with those on the top. When Melu falls to her supposed death, no thanks to her work partner Gith, she comes to a better understanding of what is actually going on. I really liked this novella, the parts of it I enjoyed the most were the imagination of Ogden to create these giant god creatures that people live on, Melu's relationship with Empre, and the scope of the story.
The Very Nasty Aquarium by Peter S. Beagle -
A novelette about an elderly woman who buys a cursed wooden pirate trinket for her aquarium. The pirate's malevolence impacts the diver, the mermaid, and the underwater castle in the aquarium. The woman gets help from her elderly friend to stop the pirate. A fun story with two elderly women. I need more SFF stories with older adults please because this was fun.
Approved Methods of Love Divination in the First-Rate City of Dushagorod by Kristina Ten
In a post-apocalyptic world, where the population has decreased, and people stopped having children, they brought back children's games as a form of divination to learn about their future mates. This divination practice revitalized society's interest in relationships and having children. A weird section about dead people though.
Vanishing Point by RJ Taylor
Explorers must get a sample from a giant alien but the alien keeps getting further away the closer they get to it. This story plays with perspective in an interesting way.
The Pet of Olodumare by Joshua Uchenna Omenga and Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki
A creation story about a pet who gives deities the ability to create the world. A fun story that I enjoyed.
Serenity Prayer by Faith Merino
A woman is being hunted in the forest by men who were brought up to believe it is normal. This story made me think about the things men believe to be "just boys things," or "boys being boys," but are detrimental to women and society.
We Go On Faith Alone by K.S. Walker
Birds are being attracted to home and dying, but when people are later attracted, it makes the reader think about the compulsions that drive society.
Little Bird by Jill McMillan
Linnet is a recluse who is trying to be more involved with her church potluck. An interesting story about solitude, trauma, and connection.
Gather Me a Treasure by Jordan Chase-Young
Bringing back the departed has a lot more ramifications than people think.
NPC (or Eight Haxploits to Maximize Your Endgame Farming: A Player's Guide DaVaun Sanders
Gene takes over the character of his deceased friend to find a video game that bridges virtual and actual reality.
A Meal for Fredrick by Nick Thomas
A crafted dragon is believed to help a family through difficult times by feeding it paper meals. The story inspects the idea of hope.
The Day of the Sea by Jennifer Hudak
The sea comes to a village as an old woman. The water changes life for the villagers and they adapt, but what happens when she leaves? A look at resiliency.
What to Do When a Protagonist Visits Your Generic Village by Dan Peacock
Fun story about how the protagonist of a story changes a village and the people living there.
Pedestals, Proclivities, and Perpetuities by Celeste Rita Baker
A funny story about a woman who wants her freedom and space from her significant other on top of a roof.
A Time to Sing by Eddie D Moore
Flash fiction about dwarves and a giant. Meh
The Giant's Dream by Beth Goder
Someone lives on a giant and they are creating art? Confusing.
A Half-Remembered World by Aimee Odgen (novella) -
A highly enjoyable novella about a woman named Melu. Melu works and lives on the top of a giant crab which they believe is a god. She had to give up her child to another giant crab because her own god had too large of a population. Her crab god, Drahim, is about to die and the population is controlled by Deacons, spiritual leaders who are concerned about the future of the people living on the crab. There is also a group of people who live connected to the bottom of Drahim, but they are at odds with those on the top. When Melu falls to her supposed death, no thanks to her work partner Gith, she comes to a better understanding of what is actually going on. I really liked this novella, the parts of it I enjoyed the most were the imagination of Ogden to create these giant god creatures that people live on, Melu's relationship with Empre, and the scope of the story.
The Very Nasty Aquarium by Peter S. Beagle -
A novelette about an elderly woman who buys a cursed wooden pirate trinket for her aquarium. The pirate's malevolence impacts the diver, the mermaid, and the underwater castle in the aquarium. The woman gets help from her elderly friend to stop the pirate. A fun story with two elderly women. I need more SFF stories with older adults please because this was fun.
Approved Methods of Love Divination in the First-Rate City of Dushagorod by Kristina Ten
In a post-apocalyptic world, where the population has decreased, and people stopped having children, they brought back children's games as a form of divination to learn about their future mates. This divination practice revitalized society's interest in relationships and having children. A weird section about dead people though.
Vanishing Point by RJ Taylor
Explorers must get a sample from a giant alien but the alien keeps getting further away the closer they get to it. This story plays with perspective in an interesting way.
The Pet of Olodumare by Joshua Uchenna Omenga and Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki
A creation story about a pet who gives deities the ability to create the world. A fun story that I enjoyed.
Serenity Prayer by Faith Merino
A woman is being hunted in the forest by men who were brought up to believe it is normal. This story made me think about the things men believe to be "just boys things," or "boys being boys," but are detrimental to women and society.
We Go On Faith Alone by K.S. Walker
Birds are being attracted to home and dying, but when people are later attracted, it makes the reader think about the compulsions that drive society.
Little Bird by Jill McMillan
Linnet is a recluse who is trying to be more involved with her church potluck. An interesting story about solitude, trauma, and connection.
Gather Me a Treasure by Jordan Chase-Young
Bringing back the departed has a lot more ramifications than people think.
NPC (or Eight Haxploits to Maximize Your Endgame Farming: A Player's Guide DaVaun Sanders
Gene takes over the character of his deceased friend to find a video game that bridges virtual and actual reality.
A Meal for Fredrick by Nick Thomas
A crafted dragon is believed to help a family through difficult times by feeding it paper meals. The story inspects the idea of hope.
The Day of the Sea by Jennifer Hudak
The sea comes to a village as an old woman. The water changes life for the villagers and they adapt, but what happens when she leaves? A look at resiliency.
What to Do When a Protagonist Visits Your Generic Village by Dan Peacock
Fun story about how the protagonist of a story changes a village and the people living there.
Pedestals, Proclivities, and Perpetuities by Celeste Rita Baker
A funny story about a woman who wants her freedom and space from her significant other on top of a roof.
A Time to Sing by Eddie D Moore
Flash fiction about dwarves and a giant. Meh
The Giant's Dream by Beth Goder
Someone lives on a giant and they are creating art? Confusing.
September 12, 2023
6 • Approved Methods of Love Divination in the First-Rate City of Dushagorod • 20 pages by Kristina Ten
Fair/Poor. A gag that went on and on--using techniques to determine the first letter of your future mate’s name. Sofia never got a straight answer. The most interesting bit was probably describing the paper crocus which I remember from my childhood as a cootie catcher.
26 • Vanishing Point • 14 pages by RJ Taylor
Fair. At their second choice a survey ship finds a colossal lifeform that will satisfy their mission. The narrator and Jesus are sent planetside to get a sample, but never get any closer.
40 • The Very Nasty Aquarium • 22 pages by Peter S. Beagle
Good. Mrs. Lopsided gets an aquarium. She really enjoys it until she adds a pirate figure. When a darkness appears and she is unable to remove the pirate, she asks her friend for help. Somehow her friend knows about cursed or possessed objects.
62 • The Pet of Olodumare • 13 pages by Joshua Uchenna Omenga, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki
Good. Olodumare assigns a project to Obatala and loans him a basket containing his pet to act as a muse. When the project is done and he gets the basket back, his pet is missing.
75 • Serenity Player • 3 pages by Faith Merino
Fair. A community uses a ritual that picks one girl for certain death.
78 • We Go on Faith Alone • 5 pages by K. S. Walker
Fair-. Birds keep flying into the narrator’s window and dying, while Imani is off working long hours. The blurb mentions the author likes horror, which may account for the seeming pointlessness.
83 • Little Bird • 15 pages by Jill McMillan
Good/OK. Now that her father died Linnit lives alone, and likes the solitude. Some people won’t leave her alone. The ending wasn’t clear to me.
98 • Gather Me a Treasure • 3 pages by Jordan Chase-Young
OK. Hest brings treasures to an alien that can retrieve a soul that has died. There’s just one more thing needed.
128 • NPC (Or Eight Haxploits To Maximize Your Endgame...) • 18 pages by DaVaun Sanders
OK. Gene makes friends with Cooper who gets him interested in a video game, which starts offering prizes. I didn’t quite follow the story, at first it looked like Gene was interested in posting viral videos. There were the haxploits listed making me wonder if Gene was a player or was he part of the game. It lost me.
146 • A Half-Remembered World • 57 pages by Aimee Ogden
OK+. Melu is kind of an outcast for having a child during a time of famine. She and her husband were sent to justice, and she survived. It being God’s will they grudgingly took her back. Seventeen years later Drahmin, their habitat, may be dying and they are once again barely feeding themselves. Drama revolving around Melu and the world building which didn’t feel hopeful.
203 • A Meal for Fredrick • 6 pages by Nick Thomas
Good/OK. The narrator and his family create a craft dragon that remains an ornament in their kitchen. The narrator attributes some good luck with feeding, e.g. drawing a picture of food on a napkin and placing it down the throat, the dragon.
209 • The Day of the Sea • 10 pages by Jennifer Hudak
OK+. The Sea doesn’t bring bounty to the village and pretty much just looks unpleasant. Margit’s grandmother invites her in and is the only one to listen to her. It’s only with this knowledge that the village recovers and even thrives. Still it’s only Margit and her grandmother that listen.
219 • What to Do When a Protagonist Visits Your Generic Village • 4 pages by Dan Peacock
OK. Description of a plot formula using generic characters from a generic village.
227 • Pedestals, Proclivities, and Perpetutities • 7 pages by Celeste Rita Baker
OK/Fair. Mister Charlie throws Miss Ann onto the roof and she decides to live there. There may be a lot written between the lines. Maybe Charlie is having affairs. May also be humor that I’m missing, e.g. brand naming things.
253 • A Time to Sing • 1 pages by Eddie D. Moore
OK. Giants are easily destroying dwarves in a battle.
254 • The Giant's Dream • 4 pages by Beth Goder
Fair. Kalar and others are living inside a giant. Kalar notices something amiss.
Fair/Poor. A gag that went on and on--using techniques to determine the first letter of your future mate’s name. Sofia never got a straight answer. The most interesting bit was probably describing the paper crocus which I remember from my childhood as a cootie catcher.
26 • Vanishing Point • 14 pages by RJ Taylor
Fair. At their second choice a survey ship finds a colossal lifeform that will satisfy their mission. The narrator and Jesus are sent planetside to get a sample, but never get any closer.
40 • The Very Nasty Aquarium • 22 pages by Peter S. Beagle
Good. Mrs. Lopsided gets an aquarium. She really enjoys it until she adds a pirate figure. When a darkness appears and she is unable to remove the pirate, she asks her friend for help. Somehow her friend knows about cursed or possessed objects.
62 • The Pet of Olodumare • 13 pages by Joshua Uchenna Omenga, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki
Good. Olodumare assigns a project to Obatala and loans him a basket containing his pet to act as a muse. When the project is done and he gets the basket back, his pet is missing.
75 • Serenity Player • 3 pages by Faith Merino
Fair. A community uses a ritual that picks one girl for certain death.
78 • We Go on Faith Alone • 5 pages by K. S. Walker
Fair-. Birds keep flying into the narrator’s window and dying, while Imani is off working long hours. The blurb mentions the author likes horror, which may account for the seeming pointlessness.
83 • Little Bird • 15 pages by Jill McMillan
Good/OK. Now that her father died Linnit lives alone, and likes the solitude. Some people won’t leave her alone. The ending wasn’t clear to me.
98 • Gather Me a Treasure • 3 pages by Jordan Chase-Young
OK. Hest brings treasures to an alien that can retrieve a soul that has died. There’s just one more thing needed.
128 • NPC (Or Eight Haxploits To Maximize Your Endgame...) • 18 pages by DaVaun Sanders
OK. Gene makes friends with Cooper who gets him interested in a video game, which starts offering prizes. I didn’t quite follow the story, at first it looked like Gene was interested in posting viral videos. There were the haxploits listed making me wonder if Gene was a player or was he part of the game. It lost me.
146 • A Half-Remembered World • 57 pages by Aimee Ogden
OK+. Melu is kind of an outcast for having a child during a time of famine. She and her husband were sent to justice, and she survived. It being God’s will they grudgingly took her back. Seventeen years later Drahmin, their habitat, may be dying and they are once again barely feeding themselves. Drama revolving around Melu and the world building which didn’t feel hopeful.
203 • A Meal for Fredrick • 6 pages by Nick Thomas
Good/OK. The narrator and his family create a craft dragon that remains an ornament in their kitchen. The narrator attributes some good luck with feeding, e.g. drawing a picture of food on a napkin and placing it down the throat, the dragon.
209 • The Day of the Sea • 10 pages by Jennifer Hudak
OK+. The Sea doesn’t bring bounty to the village and pretty much just looks unpleasant. Margit’s grandmother invites her in and is the only one to listen to her. It’s only with this knowledge that the village recovers and even thrives. Still it’s only Margit and her grandmother that listen.
219 • What to Do When a Protagonist Visits Your Generic Village • 4 pages by Dan Peacock
OK. Description of a plot formula using generic characters from a generic village.
227 • Pedestals, Proclivities, and Perpetutities • 7 pages by Celeste Rita Baker
OK/Fair. Mister Charlie throws Miss Ann onto the roof and she decides to live there. There may be a lot written between the lines. Maybe Charlie is having affairs. May also be humor that I’m missing, e.g. brand naming things.
253 • A Time to Sing • 1 pages by Eddie D. Moore
OK. Giants are easily destroying dwarves in a battle.
254 • The Giant's Dream • 4 pages by Beth Goder
Fair. Kalar and others are living inside a giant. Kalar notices something amiss.
September 22, 2023
I had trouble connecting with this issue. I loved two stories. More details later
September 15, 2023
A better than average issue, with interesting stories by Kristina Ten, DaVaun Sanders, Nick Thomas, Jennifer Hudak, and two standout stories by Peter S. Beagle and Aimee Ogden.
- “Approved Methods of Love Divination in the First-Rate City of Dushagorod” by Kristina Ten: an amusing but chilling tale of a country where the family of a girl resorts to ‘approved’ divination methods to find a partner for their eldest daughter. But repeated divination failures force the daughter to use an unapproved method, which may provide an unlikely end to her quest.
- “Vanishing Point” by RJ Taylor: two explorers on a surface of a planet encounter difficulties approaching what appears to be a gigantic alien. It never appears to get any closer despite their journey towards it. Then, one of the explorers sees a change in perspective that changes everything.
- “The Very Nasty Aquarium” by Peter S. Beagle: an old lady is gifted an aquarium which she then proceeds to decorate with a castle, a mermaid and a diver, along with some fish. But then she makes the unwise decision to add a pirate to it, which sets off a chain of events that may lead to her possession by a very nasty pirate.
- “The Pet of Olodumare” by Joshua Uchenna Omenga and Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki: a possibly African version of a creation myth of the universe involving a lonely supreme being who creates a loving pet, lesser beings and then humans. The humans and lesser beings would mess up, and end up creating the world we know.
- “Serenity Prayer” by Faith Merino: a short, mildly horror tale of boys preparing for a hunt.
“We Go on Faith Alone” by K. S. Walker: a house strangely attracts bird collisions, which may be related to the work a person is doing on green energy that may well cause other kinds of attractions.
- “Little Bird” by Jill McMillan: the story of a girl who used to live alone with her father, and the unsettling outcome of a church gathering that may reveal a secret about what happened to the father.
- “Gather Me a Treasure” by Jordan Chase-Young: a person gathers gifts for an offer to bring back a loved one. But the end result may well be a cycle of gift giving.
- “NPC (or Eight Haxploits to Maximize Your Endgame Farming: A Player’s Guide)” by DaVaun Sanders: people are getting hooked on playing a computer game and doing tasks set by the game in the real world to get more rewards. But it would take one big gathering of material to show who gets the final reward.
- “A Half-Remembered World” by Aimee Ogden: a fantastic story of a city on the back of a giant crab wandering the oceans of the world. But the crab appears to be dying, and so might the city. We learn the lives of the people living on the crab through the eyes of a woman who has already lost much (her child and her companion) but in the end may gain much as the reality of the situation becomes serious.
- “A Meal for Fredrick” by Nick Thomas: a family puts together a paper dragon for fun, but it becomes a permanent fixture in their house. Things take a turn for the fantastic when the father begins ‘feeding’ the dragon to ward off illness in the family. But it would take one serious illness to break the fantasy of the situation: or does it begin a more fantastic one?
- “The Day of the Sea” by Jennifer Hudak: the Sea, in the form of an old woman, approaches a village and is invited in by one family. Others are not so happy to see the Sea, for in her wake, the seawater steadily encroaches on to their village. But the Sea has lessons on how to survive on the ocean that the villagers eventually accept. The question is whether they learned the right lessons from the sea.
- “What to Do When a Protagonist Visits Your Generic Village” by Dan Peacock: a story of the various possible actions a generic villager can do when a warrior protagonist comes for a visit.
- “Pedestals, Proclivities, and Perpetuities” by Celeste Rita Baker: a lady get tossed on to the roof of a house. Turns out, she enjoys it up there and refuses to come down, eventually setting up a business from up there.
- “A Time to Sing” by Eddie D. Moore: dwarfs warriors face off against giants. The winners will sing of the victory.
- “The Giant’s Dream” by Beth Goder: an artist living inside the body of a giant senses changes and starts to talk to the giant in her dreams; or perhaps she is now appearing in the giant’s dreams.
- “Approved Methods of Love Divination in the First-Rate City of Dushagorod” by Kristina Ten: an amusing but chilling tale of a country where the family of a girl resorts to ‘approved’ divination methods to find a partner for their eldest daughter. But repeated divination failures force the daughter to use an unapproved method, which may provide an unlikely end to her quest.
- “Vanishing Point” by RJ Taylor: two explorers on a surface of a planet encounter difficulties approaching what appears to be a gigantic alien. It never appears to get any closer despite their journey towards it. Then, one of the explorers sees a change in perspective that changes everything.
- “The Very Nasty Aquarium” by Peter S. Beagle: an old lady is gifted an aquarium which she then proceeds to decorate with a castle, a mermaid and a diver, along with some fish. But then she makes the unwise decision to add a pirate to it, which sets off a chain of events that may lead to her possession by a very nasty pirate.
- “The Pet of Olodumare” by Joshua Uchenna Omenga and Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki: a possibly African version of a creation myth of the universe involving a lonely supreme being who creates a loving pet, lesser beings and then humans. The humans and lesser beings would mess up, and end up creating the world we know.
- “Serenity Prayer” by Faith Merino: a short, mildly horror tale of boys preparing for a hunt.
“We Go on Faith Alone” by K. S. Walker: a house strangely attracts bird collisions, which may be related to the work a person is doing on green energy that may well cause other kinds of attractions.
- “Little Bird” by Jill McMillan: the story of a girl who used to live alone with her father, and the unsettling outcome of a church gathering that may reveal a secret about what happened to the father.
- “Gather Me a Treasure” by Jordan Chase-Young: a person gathers gifts for an offer to bring back a loved one. But the end result may well be a cycle of gift giving.
- “NPC (or Eight Haxploits to Maximize Your Endgame Farming: A Player’s Guide)” by DaVaun Sanders: people are getting hooked on playing a computer game and doing tasks set by the game in the real world to get more rewards. But it would take one big gathering of material to show who gets the final reward.
- “A Half-Remembered World” by Aimee Ogden: a fantastic story of a city on the back of a giant crab wandering the oceans of the world. But the crab appears to be dying, and so might the city. We learn the lives of the people living on the crab through the eyes of a woman who has already lost much (her child and her companion) but in the end may gain much as the reality of the situation becomes serious.
- “A Meal for Fredrick” by Nick Thomas: a family puts together a paper dragon for fun, but it becomes a permanent fixture in their house. Things take a turn for the fantastic when the father begins ‘feeding’ the dragon to ward off illness in the family. But it would take one serious illness to break the fantasy of the situation: or does it begin a more fantastic one?
- “The Day of the Sea” by Jennifer Hudak: the Sea, in the form of an old woman, approaches a village and is invited in by one family. Others are not so happy to see the Sea, for in her wake, the seawater steadily encroaches on to their village. But the Sea has lessons on how to survive on the ocean that the villagers eventually accept. The question is whether they learned the right lessons from the sea.
- “What to Do When a Protagonist Visits Your Generic Village” by Dan Peacock: a story of the various possible actions a generic villager can do when a warrior protagonist comes for a visit.
- “Pedestals, Proclivities, and Perpetuities” by Celeste Rita Baker: a lady get tossed on to the roof of a house. Turns out, she enjoys it up there and refuses to come down, eventually setting up a business from up there.
- “A Time to Sing” by Eddie D. Moore: dwarfs warriors face off against giants. The winners will sing of the victory.
- “The Giant’s Dream” by Beth Goder: an artist living inside the body of a giant senses changes and starts to talk to the giant in her dreams; or perhaps she is now appearing in the giant’s dreams.
September 15, 2023
I liked everything in this issue. Editor Sheree Renée Thomas said that there is a theme to her selection of stories and poems. Can you find it?
- A Half-Remembered World by Aimee Ogden
Everyone wants something a little better for them and their kids, even those living on the back of their God--a giant sea-going crab. It's a hard scrabble existent, but in God’s wanderings you get an occasional glimpse of a different--and perhaps better-- place.
- The Very Nasty Aquarium by Peter S. Beagle
Guppies and duppies—this was no garden variety fin rot. “She had taught junior high school English and feared nothing.”
- Approved Methods of Love Divination in the First-Rate City Of Dushagorod by Kristina Ten
Gotta get the woman folk to pop out those babies to re-pop the country after a brutal war! Be sure to use an approved method of divination to match up with one of our exquisite man folk. Sucks to be you if none of the methods work due to your unique personage. A dark and funny look at the commodification of women trying to feel in control during chaotic and opaque times.
- Vanishing Point by RJ Taylor
For two exobiology surveyors things are not always what they seem and a proper perspective on things doesn’t always help.
- The Pet of Olodumare by Joshua Uchenna Omenga and Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki
The Godhead’s pet is lost/borrowed/stolen and ends up serving as the catalyst for the sculpting of humans and their eventual realm. A wonderful Afropantheology creation story.
- Serenity Prayer by Faith Merino
The cycle of abuse: “My daddy learnt it from his daddy, and his daddy afore him. If it was good enough for them, by God, it is good enough for me! Just shut your pie hole and accept it.”
- We Go On Faith Alone K. S. Walker
Just a thin pane of often unseeable glass—metaphorical or real—separates us from our long journey and final destination.
- Little Bird by Jill McMillan
Her whole life centered around taking care of her stern humorless daddy. You can’t blame a woman for wanting to fly and sing a little. An escape from quiet desperation on the Great Northern Plains…but at what cost?
- Gather Me a Treasure by Jordan Chase-Young
Eternal devotion and sacrifice, but never a moment together; a tragic love story.
- NPC (or Eight Haxploits to Maximize Your Endgame Farming: A Player’s Guide) by DaVaun Sanders
Blurring the line between a world with confrontation, manipulation, violence and an on-line computer game. While grinding and farming be sure to remember than NPCs are people too.
- A Meal for Frederick by Nick Thomas
Compulsively feeding your obsessions seems to be working out just fine. The dragon doesn’t seem to be getting fat and it has to eat, doesn’t it?
- The Day of the Sea by Jennifer Hudak
The slow, relentless rise of The Sea; some will fight her and others will embrace her. Whatever the plan, she will change your world.
- What to Do When a Protagonist Visits Your Generic Village by Dan Peacock
A guide for the NPC aspiring to become a protagonist. Will the circle be unbroken?
- Pedestals, Proclivities, and Perpetuities by Celeste Rita Baker
Rooftops are better than pedestals because they are bigger on the topside. “Send up my Be Relax™ masseur, Dolby Digital™ sound system and Food Ninja™. You can stay down there Charlie.”
- A Time to Sing by Eddie D. Moore
It ain’t over until the fat dwarf…
- The Giant’s Dream by Beth Goder
A Giant as a canvas and art considered as an autoimmune disease; should the artist find a new media?
- Plumage From Pegasus; I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Litterateurs by Paul Di Filippo
Title says it all.
Poetry:
- How To Pack For a Quest by Mary Soon Lee
How big is your bag? Some surprising but smart choices.
- Lost Lines From Ariel’s Song by Gretchen Tessmer
Revenge is a dish best served with…playbills?
- A Half-Remembered World by Aimee Ogden
Everyone wants something a little better for them and their kids, even those living on the back of their God--a giant sea-going crab. It's a hard scrabble existent, but in God’s wanderings you get an occasional glimpse of a different--and perhaps better-- place.
- The Very Nasty Aquarium by Peter S. Beagle
Guppies and duppies—this was no garden variety fin rot. “She had taught junior high school English and feared nothing.”
- Approved Methods of Love Divination in the First-Rate City Of Dushagorod by Kristina Ten
Gotta get the woman folk to pop out those babies to re-pop the country after a brutal war! Be sure to use an approved method of divination to match up with one of our exquisite man folk. Sucks to be you if none of the methods work due to your unique personage. A dark and funny look at the commodification of women trying to feel in control during chaotic and opaque times.
- Vanishing Point by RJ Taylor
For two exobiology surveyors things are not always what they seem and a proper perspective on things doesn’t always help.
- The Pet of Olodumare by Joshua Uchenna Omenga and Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki
The Godhead’s pet is lost/borrowed/stolen and ends up serving as the catalyst for the sculpting of humans and their eventual realm. A wonderful Afropantheology creation story.
- Serenity Prayer by Faith Merino
The cycle of abuse: “My daddy learnt it from his daddy, and his daddy afore him. If it was good enough for them, by God, it is good enough for me! Just shut your pie hole and accept it.”
- We Go On Faith Alone K. S. Walker
Just a thin pane of often unseeable glass—metaphorical or real—separates us from our long journey and final destination.
- Little Bird by Jill McMillan
Her whole life centered around taking care of her stern humorless daddy. You can’t blame a woman for wanting to fly and sing a little. An escape from quiet desperation on the Great Northern Plains…but at what cost?
- Gather Me a Treasure by Jordan Chase-Young
Eternal devotion and sacrifice, but never a moment together; a tragic love story.
- NPC (or Eight Haxploits to Maximize Your Endgame Farming: A Player’s Guide) by DaVaun Sanders
Blurring the line between a world with confrontation, manipulation, violence and an on-line computer game. While grinding and farming be sure to remember than NPCs are people too.
- A Meal for Frederick by Nick Thomas
Compulsively feeding your obsessions seems to be working out just fine. The dragon doesn’t seem to be getting fat and it has to eat, doesn’t it?
- The Day of the Sea by Jennifer Hudak
The slow, relentless rise of The Sea; some will fight her and others will embrace her. Whatever the plan, she will change your world.
- What to Do When a Protagonist Visits Your Generic Village by Dan Peacock
A guide for the NPC aspiring to become a protagonist. Will the circle be unbroken?
- Pedestals, Proclivities, and Perpetuities by Celeste Rita Baker
Rooftops are better than pedestals because they are bigger on the topside. “Send up my Be Relax™ masseur, Dolby Digital™ sound system and Food Ninja™. You can stay down there Charlie.”
- A Time to Sing by Eddie D. Moore
It ain’t over until the fat dwarf…
- The Giant’s Dream by Beth Goder
A Giant as a canvas and art considered as an autoimmune disease; should the artist find a new media?
- Plumage From Pegasus; I, For One, Welcome Our New Insect Litterateurs by Paul Di Filippo
Title says it all.
Poetry:
- How To Pack For a Quest by Mary Soon Lee
How big is your bag? Some surprising but smart choices.
- Lost Lines From Ariel’s Song by Gretchen Tessmer
Revenge is a dish best served with…playbills?
May 7, 2026
This was my first time reading an issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. Unfortunately, most of the stories didn’t really resonate with me. Vanishing Point by R. J. Taylor was probably my favorite, and the cover art is nice as well. Overall though, this issue didn’t convince me to seek out more editions of the magazine.
September 14, 2023
Good edition. Enjoyed the novella ("A Half-Remembered World") and The Day of the Sea. Lots of tongue-in-cheek satire as well, which I don't mind.
I will say that I'm finally caught up on F&SF, but, well... guess what came in today?
I will say that I'm finally caught up on F&SF, but, well... guess what came in today?
September 19, 2025
This issue is heavy on fantasy. My favorite was the novella by Peter S. Beagle.
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