Black Static Issue 57

Black Static

by Andy Cox (Editor), Ben Baldwin (Illustrator), Lynda E. Rucker

The March–April issue contains new, long dark fiction by Ralph Robert Moore, Simon Avery, Mike O'Driscoll, and Aliya Whiteley. The cover art is by Ben Baldwin, with interior illustrations by Ben Baldwin, Richard Wagner, and Joachim Luetke. Features: Into the Woods by Ralph Robert Moore; Notes From the Borderland by Lynda E. Rucker; Case Notes by Peter Tennant (book reviews, including an in-depth interview with Andrew Hook); Blood Spectrum by Gary Couzens (DVD/Blu-ray/Digital reviews).


Cover Art:


Lepidopterists by Ben Baldwin


Fiction:


Will You Accept These Flowers From Me? by Ralph Robert Moore
illustrated by Joachim Luetke


Sunflower Junction by Simon Avery
illustrated by Ben Baldwin


Shadows on Parade by Mike O'Driscoll
illustrated by Richard Wagner


The Chambermaid by Aliya Whiteley


Features:


Into the Woods by Ralph Robert Moore


Notes From the Borderland by Lynda E. Rucker


Reviews:


Case Notes by Peter Tennant
Reviews of twelve books plus an in-depth interview with Andrew Hook


Blood Spectrum by Gary Couzens
Reviews of over twenty of the latest and forthcoming dark/horror films to download or buy on DVD/Blu-ray

Magazine

First published March 1, 2017

Reviews

[Michael J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

An above-average issue for Black Static, and that says a lot. You can always count on quality writing, and dark literary horror. I think I've detected a pattern after reading several issues of Black Static - - in order to have your submission accepted for publication, your story must be somewhat vague, leave the ending unclear so that readers can fill in the blanks to satisfy themselves. That's not always a bad thing, although I do have a preference for clearly defined conflict and resolution.
The stories in this issue are novelettes with one exception, all were interesting and held my attention throughout. The best of the crop is Ralph Robert Moore's novelette "Will You Accept These Flowers From Me?" about an aspiring magician with a chimpanzee accomplice who buys a magic shop hat to try and break through to the big-time. It doesn't work as planned. The beauty of the story lies in the relationship between human and pet, and deals with loneliness, selfishness and betrayal. It's a powerful tale with a powerful ending. The main character in "Sunflower Junction" will have you wondering if the placebo drug she is taking is influencing her behavior or has reality shifted. "Shadows On Parade" by Mike O'Driscoll deals with the saving of photographic memories and the importance of them in having a life that seems "real". A very disturbing ending. The lone short story, "The Chambermaid" by Aliya Whiteley is a hauntingly beautiful time capsule of the relationship of a motel housekeeper who temporarily removes artifacts from the rooms in order for a resident mystic/fortune-teller to weave stories about the owners. In the book review section, there is an extensive review of the work of Andrew Hook, followed by a lengthy and enlightening interview.

[Des Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The art of self-indulgence creating the breaking patterns of existence that no artists or even musicians could have reproduced, but only possible perhaps from a writer with blind words (as all words ultimately are until magically joined together in a reader’s mind) here made darkly visionary by this writer of such words toppling upon each other, sadly but easily lugubrious, full of not so much ebbing earworms but more a seaside’s squalid pad full of heaven’s garden brought down to Earth as planted and irrigated with constructive awkwardness ….?

The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long or impractical to post here.
Above is one of its observations at the time of the review.

[Steven Dines · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal favourites: 'Sunflower Junction' by Simon Avery and 'Shadows on Parade' by Mike O'Driscoll.

[M. Leona Godin · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Sunflower Junction" is a sad and darkly surreal portrait of the inability to move on--from perfect art or love.... and "Will You Accept These Flowers From Me?" still bothers me with its inditement of men and humans--their selfish magic and abuse of women and animals--even if only by self-interestedness!...