Nonlocal Science Fiction, Issue #1

by Valery Amborski, Robert Paul Blumenstein, Dan Colton

Take a journey into the unknown. Better yet, take ten. In the first issue of Nonlocal Science Fiction, you'll find ten stories from ten different authors spread across the globe. Each will stimulate a different portion of your imagination. Each will have you contemplating the mysteries of the universe for days and weeks to come. The newest entry to the galaxy of science fiction awaits. An engaging, vibrant read for genre diehards and casual fans alike.

Inside, you'll find:

Us and Everybody Else by Valery Amborski

In the future, we’ll be able to escape, very literally, into our memories. But is it a good idea to live for the past?

Delivery to Venus by Robert Paul Blumenstein

The Earth has become a ball of ice as the sun slowly burns out. A team of scientists must face the ultimate questions of existence while they sow seeds on Venus.

A Thin Atmosphere, Chapter 1 by Dan Colton

Mars City comes under attack by tunnel-dwelling Rebels in the first chapter of this old-school space adventure.

Mazep-fal by Daniel J. Dombrowski

A man who is both the youngest and oldest member of his tribe makes a terrible discovery on a pilgrimage to meet his gods.

Marigold’s Memory by Reva Russell English

In a future where human memory is stored on microchip implants and bad memories can be erased, a young woman faces a terrible fate.

Catalyst by Aaron Hamilton

A daring escape in a stolen spacecraft and a mysterious and alluring rescuer leave a smuggler wondering what will happen next.

Deal Gone Bad, Chapter 1 by Thad Kanupp

Jack survives in a post-apocalyptic wasteland by scavenging guns and ammunition to trade for food. His life gets a lot more interesting when he meets a young boy.

Shoot the Devil by Nicholas Rossis

What would you do if you could travel back in time? If you had the devil in your sites, would you pull the trigger?

The Assistant Assistant Port Keeper by Jim Rudnick

Life as an Assistant Assistant Port Keeper in a space port on the Rim has its highs and its lows. A visit from a particularly difficult species of traders presents an opportunity for both.

In The Days Of Still Pictures by H.C. Turk

In an alternate wild west where cowboys ride zebras and elephants pull wagons, a pair of traveling salesmen appear and stir up trouble with their magical wares.

88 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 13, 2015

Reviews

[Kindle Ninja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewing a collection of short stories is always tricky; more so if they are written by different authors. The chance of liking all the stories is slim, though not impossible. There’s probably 2 to 3 remarkable stories and a few mediocre ones, and the rest, forgettable.

I believe this one was done right.

Nonlocal Science Fiction Magazine Issue #1 is a 10-story strong collection that’s perhaps the closest you’ll get to having that “dream” sci-fi short story anthology. It’s evident that it had gone through a stringent selection process. The stories are a wonderful mix of hardcore sci-fi, old-school, offbeat, edgy, and weirdly good speculative fiction.

Though my personal favorite is Shoot The Devil by Nicholas Rossis, I enjoyed reading the other stories. It’s one of those collections where the good stories outnumber the not-so-good ones. It’s a fantastic start with a lot of sci-fi promise.

[Aaron Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure, my story "Catalyst" appears in this issue.

That said, there are many outstanding stories in this magazine. I felt lucky to have mine included among them. There's a bit of everything for a scifi fan to like, from hair-raising adventures to old-school atmospheric pieces of harder scifi.

[Chris The Story Reading Ape · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always good when looking for new authors to read.

Eight short stories, plus the first chapter of two stories to be continued in the next issue. All give a good indication of the writing skills of their authors.

See my review also at:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice start for publication

Nice collection of short stories. A number are serials with well placed stop so leaves you interested but not annoyed that need next issue

[Nicholas Rossis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: one of the stories that appear in this issue is by yours truly. I only wish I could say it's the best one in the magazine.

Sadly, the competition was fierce, with another nine excellent stories to pick from. I particularly enjoyed The Assistant Assistant Port Keeper, with its atmospheric depiction of the everyday travails of a hapless bureaucrat, and Mazep-fal, with its excellent writing and perfect twist in the end, that reminded me of the old masters. Indeed, I bet that Philip K. Dick, a personal favorite, would have been happy to have penned it himself.

There's also two serials, that leave you aching for more. Both are expertly written and have engaging characters and rich storylines that suck readers right into their worlds.

A very impressive first issue and a treat for science fiction lovers! I only hope Issue #2 is released shortly, as both serials leave us at a cliffhanger...