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Deep Magic August 2016
DEEP MAGIC is a bi-monthly electronic magazine that publishes clean short fiction in the fantasy and science fiction genres (epic, paranormal, steampunk, etc). Our issues are also filled with author interviews, art features, book reviews and tips for writers.
This month, we feature an exclusive interview with Rysa Walker on her first graphic novel based on her bestselling series time-travel series, The Chronos Files. We also share some sage advice on worldbuilding from USA Today bestselling author Shannon Mayer. We also include short stories from fantasy legend Eldon Thompson ("Thorns"), John D Brown ("From the Clay of his Heart"), and a sci-fi story from Eleanor Wood ("Her Glimmering Facade"). We also feature stories this month by Stephen S Power ("Catskill Dragon"), Charity Tahmaseb's fairy tale twist ("Gretel and Hansel"), and Beth Powers ("Claimed By The Sea"). And along with an interview of our amazing cover artist, we'll also be publishing an extended sample of Josi Russell's excellent sci-fi novel ("Caretaker"). Once you've read it, you'll want to purchase the rest on Amazon.
If you want to read gripping stories that don’t rely on sex, swearing, and graphic violence—you’ve come to the right place!
This month, we feature an exclusive interview with Rysa Walker on her first graphic novel based on her bestselling series time-travel series, The Chronos Files. We also share some sage advice on worldbuilding from USA Today bestselling author Shannon Mayer. We also include short stories from fantasy legend Eldon Thompson ("Thorns"), John D Brown ("From the Clay of his Heart"), and a sci-fi story from Eleanor Wood ("Her Glimmering Facade"). We also feature stories this month by Stephen S Power ("Catskill Dragon"), Charity Tahmaseb's fairy tale twist ("Gretel and Hansel"), and Beth Powers ("Claimed By The Sea"). And along with an interview of our amazing cover artist, we'll also be publishing an extended sample of Josi Russell's excellent sci-fi novel ("Caretaker"). Once you've read it, you'll want to purchase the rest on Amazon.
If you want to read gripping stories that don’t rely on sex, swearing, and graphic violence—you’ve come to the right place!
214 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 16, 2016
28 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 29, 2016
One of the things I love about publishing Deep Magic is finding new authors. There is so much talent out there. We get over 200+ stories submitted each month and only pick the gems to publish. We're also able to feature more established writers that I've read before. For example, I liked John D Browns novel Servant: The Dark God (published originally by TOR) and when I reached out to John about Deep Magic, he submitted a short story he'd done that had some good romance and a Golem. I also knew Eldon Thompson from the past and liked his Roman-era fantasy story about betrayal called 'Thorns.' It had a good Virtus-plot, which appealed to me.
But it was the new authors that really pleased me. We've all heard the story of Hansel and Gretel but what if the two children had grown up a bit and their experience with the witch had continued to haunt them. I loved Charity Tahmaseb's continuation of that classic fairy tell and it gripped my heart. The fantasy story 'Claimed by the Sea' by Beth Powers was also special to me. It was full of tension and subtle backstory and the enemy of the story wasn't what I supposed and neither was the heroine. Don't you love a story that keeps you guessing? Then we also nabbed Stephen S Power on the eve before his debut fantasy novel was published and featured 'The Catskill Dragon' - an interesting tale as explained by letters between people. It was a lot of fun. And then Eleanor Wood surprised me with 'Her Glimmering Facade' - I was expecting a sort of The Matrix-like twist, but nope...she totally pulled the rug out from under me. It's a sci-fi story and very well done.
Every issue we've had to toss aside really good stories in order to pick the best of the best. Can't wait to show you what we've got coming next!
But it was the new authors that really pleased me. We've all heard the story of Hansel and Gretel but what if the two children had grown up a bit and their experience with the witch had continued to haunt them. I loved Charity Tahmaseb's continuation of that classic fairy tell and it gripped my heart. The fantasy story 'Claimed by the Sea' by Beth Powers was also special to me. It was full of tension and subtle backstory and the enemy of the story wasn't what I supposed and neither was the heroine. Don't you love a story that keeps you guessing? Then we also nabbed Stephen S Power on the eve before his debut fantasy novel was published and featured 'The Catskill Dragon' - an interesting tale as explained by letters between people. It was a lot of fun. And then Eleanor Wood surprised me with 'Her Glimmering Facade' - I was expecting a sort of The Matrix-like twist, but nope...she totally pulled the rug out from under me. It's a sci-fi story and very well done.
Every issue we've had to toss aside really good stories in order to pick the best of the best. Can't wait to show you what we've got coming next!
August 28, 2016
This edition delivers on the promise of the previous "taster" edition. In theory, there was an earlier run of this magazine, but I wasn't reading speculative short fiction at that point so missed out on it then. Thus I am taking the "reboot" editions as my guide in terms of how I enjoy this magazine.
There is a proliferation of speculative short fiction markets and as a lover of short fiction, I read as much as possible (though not necessarily consistently). Even in what is a relatively crowded space, this magazine seems to be defining its own niche and providing a new voice to the conversation that is short speculative fiction.
So far, I haven't been particularly enthralled by any of the non-fiction, though they do seem able to attract quite big names for these articles.
Short Fiction:
Perfect for me
"Her Glimmering Facade" by Eleanor R. Wood [science fiction] - The truth behind a perfect life is revealed when a beloved aunt disappears. Bittersweet tale, with an interesting philosophical angle.
Enjoyable, worked for me
"The Catskill Dragon" by Stephen S. Power [science fiction] - An epistolary tale of a legendary hunter of dragons. A pretty straight-forward tale, but there was an interesting angle in how the tale revealed the disjuncture between what starts the hunter's passion and the truth behind it. Classification as science fiction a bit dubious, unless one sees all alternate history as sci-fi.
"Claimed by the Sea" by Beth Powers [fantasy] - Longer tale about a woman washing up on the shore and the man that finds her. Engrossing story, with a sweet love story, and dragons, and merpeople.
"From the Clay of His Heart" by John D. Brown [fantasy] [reprint] - Also a longer piece. The story of a golem that can't start stealing and what happens when the powerful want to lay claim to him. Also quite a sweet tale.
"Thorns" by Eldon Thompson [fantasy] - The story of a (Greek?) slave and master and testing the bonds of loyalty. Reads a bit like a fable or teaching tale.
Fine, but didn't speak to me
"Gretel and Hansel" by Charity Tahmaseb [fantasy] [almost-flash] - A nice idea about extending the fairy tale and the implications of unfinished business. I can see where this was going, but it didn't resonate with me.
Not my cup of tea
There is a proliferation of speculative short fiction markets and as a lover of short fiction, I read as much as possible (though not necessarily consistently). Even in what is a relatively crowded space, this magazine seems to be defining its own niche and providing a new voice to the conversation that is short speculative fiction.
So far, I haven't been particularly enthralled by any of the non-fiction, though they do seem able to attract quite big names for these articles.
Short Fiction:
Perfect for me
"Her Glimmering Facade" by Eleanor R. Wood [science fiction] - The truth behind a perfect life is revealed when a beloved aunt disappears. Bittersweet tale, with an interesting philosophical angle.
Enjoyable, worked for me
"The Catskill Dragon" by Stephen S. Power [science fiction] - An epistolary tale of a legendary hunter of dragons. A pretty straight-forward tale, but there was an interesting angle in how the tale revealed the disjuncture between what starts the hunter's passion and the truth behind it. Classification as science fiction a bit dubious, unless one sees all alternate history as sci-fi.
"Claimed by the Sea" by Beth Powers [fantasy] - Longer tale about a woman washing up on the shore and the man that finds her. Engrossing story, with a sweet love story, and dragons, and merpeople.
"From the Clay of His Heart" by John D. Brown [fantasy] [reprint] - Also a longer piece. The story of a golem that can't start stealing and what happens when the powerful want to lay claim to him. Also quite a sweet tale.
"Thorns" by Eldon Thompson [fantasy] - The story of a (Greek?) slave and master and testing the bonds of loyalty. Reads a bit like a fable or teaching tale.
Fine, but didn't speak to me
"Gretel and Hansel" by Charity Tahmaseb [fantasy] [almost-flash] - A nice idea about extending the fairy tale and the implications of unfinished business. I can see where this was going, but it didn't resonate with me.
Not my cup of tea
October 17, 2016
An amazing collection of SF/F short stories! For fans of both who may not have time to always delve into a thousand plus page novel, this offers some great, one sitting tales. I'm not usually a fan of short stories since they either feel very abrupt, or the ends are depressing. Deep Magic doesn't have either problem.
It starts out with the brilliant Stephen S. Power's "The Catskill Dragon" that is part fantasy, part horror, part science fiction, and completely awesome! In an alternate America during the 1860s, dragons are real. An epistolary tale that follows the disappearance of Cassaway Kenger, a man who'd made hunting and studying dragons his life work. We soon discover the final dragon he went to hunt was not at all what he expected. I could not stop reading this one!
Another favorite, though all were great, was John D. Brown's "From the Clay of His Heart." A woman has the unlikely support and attention of a clay golem, but this brings trouble when others want the golem for their own purposes. Full of so many twists and turns, I wasn't sure what would happen in the end.
And, as a writer, the essays at the end were so helpful for tips into writing technique, but also mini pep talks that it is never too late to pursue one's dreams. Even if you aren't a writer, I recommend both the stories and the articles.
Enjoy!
It starts out with the brilliant Stephen S. Power's "The Catskill Dragon" that is part fantasy, part horror, part science fiction, and completely awesome! In an alternate America during the 1860s, dragons are real. An epistolary tale that follows the disappearance of Cassaway Kenger, a man who'd made hunting and studying dragons his life work. We soon discover the final dragon he went to hunt was not at all what he expected. I could not stop reading this one!
Another favorite, though all were great, was John D. Brown's "From the Clay of His Heart." A woman has the unlikely support and attention of a clay golem, but this brings trouble when others want the golem for their own purposes. Full of so many twists and turns, I wasn't sure what would happen in the end.
And, as a writer, the essays at the end were so helpful for tips into writing technique, but also mini pep talks that it is never too late to pursue one's dreams. Even if you aren't a writer, I recommend both the stories and the articles.
Enjoy!
December 27, 2020
Taster’s menu - quite tasty
This is my second Deep Magic review. Though I don’t even understand some of the material, it is all well written and curated by a great editorial team.
This is my second Deep Magic review. Though I don’t even understand some of the material, it is all well written and curated by a great editorial team.
August 22, 2019
I love the premise, and there's always a few gems in the stories. Some day I'll read the articles.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews