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Interzone #271
The July–August issue of Britain's longest running science fiction and fantasy magazine contains new stories by Julie C. Day, Tim Casson, Michael Reid, Eliot Fintushel, Chris Barnham, and Andy Dudak. The cover artist for 2017 is Dave Senecal, and interior colour illustrations are by Jim Burns, Richard Wagner, and Martin Hanford. Features: Ansible Link by David Langford (news and obits); Mutant Popcorn by Nick Lowe (film reviews); Book Zone (book reviews, including an interviews with Nina Allan conducted by Maureen Kincaid Speller, and Emily B. Cataneo conducted by Peter Tennant); Jonathan McCalmont's Future Interrupted (comment); Nina Allan's Time Pieces (comment).
Cover Art: 417h3r105 v4 by 2017 cover artist Dave Senecal
Fiction:
The Rocket Farmer by Julie C. Day
illustrated by Richard Wagner
Gods in the Blood (of those who rise) by Tim Casson
illustrated by Martin Hanford
If Your Powers Fail You in a City Under Tin by Michael Reid
illustrated by Jim Burns
Chubba Luna by Eliot Fintushel
When I Close My Eyes by Chris Barnham
illustrated by Richard Wagner
Cryptic Female Choice by Andy Dudak
illustrated by Richard Wagner
Interface:
Future Interrupted: From Beneath You, It Transforms - Jonathan McCalmont
Time Pieces: Broken River: The Conversation and The Discourse - Nina Allan
Ansible Link - David Langford
Editorial - Roy Gray
Reviews:
Book Zone
Books reviewed include THE RIFT by Nina Allan (plus author interview conducted by Maureen Kincaid Speller), THE STARGAZER’S EMBASSY by Eleanor Lerman, THE SWITCH by Justina Robson, EX LIBRIS edited by Paula Guran, THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS by Aliette de Bodard, ORBITAL CLOUD by Taiyo Fujii, SPEAKING TO SKULL KINGS AND OTHER STORIES by Emily B. Cataneo (plus author interview conducted by Peter Tennant)
Mutant Popcorn - Nick Lowe
Films reviewed include WONDER WOMAN, TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT, KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD, THE MUMMY, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: SALAZAR’S REVENGE, ALIEN: COVENANT, A DOG’S PURPOSE, THE RED TURTLE, OKJA, COLOSSAL, MARJORIE PRIME
Cover Art: 417h3r105 v4 by 2017 cover artist Dave Senecal
Fiction:
The Rocket Farmer by Julie C. Day
illustrated by Richard Wagner
Gods in the Blood (of those who rise) by Tim Casson
illustrated by Martin Hanford
If Your Powers Fail You in a City Under Tin by Michael Reid
illustrated by Jim Burns
Chubba Luna by Eliot Fintushel
When I Close My Eyes by Chris Barnham
illustrated by Richard Wagner
Cryptic Female Choice by Andy Dudak
illustrated by Richard Wagner
Interface:
Future Interrupted: From Beneath You, It Transforms - Jonathan McCalmont
Time Pieces: Broken River: The Conversation and The Discourse - Nina Allan
Ansible Link - David Langford
Editorial - Roy Gray
Reviews:
Book Zone
Books reviewed include THE RIFT by Nina Allan (plus author interview conducted by Maureen Kincaid Speller), THE STARGAZER’S EMBASSY by Eleanor Lerman, THE SWITCH by Justina Robson, EX LIBRIS edited by Paula Guran, THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS by Aliette de Bodard, ORBITAL CLOUD by Taiyo Fujii, SPEAKING TO SKULL KINGS AND OTHER STORIES by Emily B. Cataneo (plus author interview conducted by Peter Tennant)
Mutant Popcorn - Nick Lowe
Films reviewed include WONDER WOMAN, TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT, KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD, THE MUMMY, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: SALAZAR’S REVENGE, ALIEN: COVENANT, A DOG’S PURPOSE, THE RED TURTLE, OKJA, COLOSSAL, MARJORIE PRIME
- GenresScience Fiction
ebook
Published July 22, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 27, 2017
https://osrascunhos.com/2017/08/27/in...
Este deve ter sido dos primeiros números da Interzone que tive a oportunidade de ler. Com uma boa secção de ficção, não dispensa o espaço para as críticas, seja a livros, seja a filmes. Ainda que tenha bons contos e seja um número bastante aconselhável, continuo a achar que a Lightspeed Magazine tem maior capacidade de me entreter.
No primeiro conto, The rocket farmer de Julie C. Day, conhecemos uma família fascinada com foguetões ao longo de várias gerações. Não é, assim, de estranhar, que a adolescente se sinta também tentada a construir estas máquinas, ainda que não sinta apoio por parte dos pais.
Segue-se Gods in the blood (of those who rise) de Tim Casson, um dos meus contos preferidos do conjunto, acompanhamos um professor de necessidades especiais que se começa a aperceber que alguns dos seus alunos são bastante mais inteligentes do que poderia pensar. E todos possuem características físicas que os distinguem. De final arrepiante, é uma boa história que cruza o passado e o futuro da espécie.
Em If your powers fail you in a city under tin de Michael Reid um rapaz vê-se assombrado pela forma como os seus poderes se comportaram no passado, e Chubba Luna de Eliot Fintushel é um conto pouco palpável e futurista que cruza vários elementos tecnológicos sem que a história chegue propriamente a algum lado.
Por sua vez, When I close my eyes de Chris Barnham centra-se numa expedição terrestre em que um homem vê, a par com o fantasma da mulher, os elementos de uma raça alienígena e em Cryptic Female Choice de Andy Dudak as mulheres possuem capacidade de engravidar apenas se assim o pretenderem, e de escolherem os genes de cada homem que pretendem cruzar com os seus, originando crianças com características de diversas pessoas. Claro que esta capacidade dá origem a revolta por parte de alguns conservadores, que utilizam até o homicídio para forçarem o seu ponto de vista.
Aqui chegamos à parte da crítica a vários livros e filmes, sendo que me ficaram na memória Orbital Cloud de Taiyo Fuji, ficção científica japonesa, e Ex Libris, Stories of Librarians, Libraries & Lore que me parece ser mesmo o meu género (histórias sobre bibliotecas e livros).
Este deve ter sido dos primeiros números da Interzone que tive a oportunidade de ler. Com uma boa secção de ficção, não dispensa o espaço para as críticas, seja a livros, seja a filmes. Ainda que tenha bons contos e seja um número bastante aconselhável, continuo a achar que a Lightspeed Magazine tem maior capacidade de me entreter.
No primeiro conto, The rocket farmer de Julie C. Day, conhecemos uma família fascinada com foguetões ao longo de várias gerações. Não é, assim, de estranhar, que a adolescente se sinta também tentada a construir estas máquinas, ainda que não sinta apoio por parte dos pais.
Segue-se Gods in the blood (of those who rise) de Tim Casson, um dos meus contos preferidos do conjunto, acompanhamos um professor de necessidades especiais que se começa a aperceber que alguns dos seus alunos são bastante mais inteligentes do que poderia pensar. E todos possuem características físicas que os distinguem. De final arrepiante, é uma boa história que cruza o passado e o futuro da espécie.
Em If your powers fail you in a city under tin de Michael Reid um rapaz vê-se assombrado pela forma como os seus poderes se comportaram no passado, e Chubba Luna de Eliot Fintushel é um conto pouco palpável e futurista que cruza vários elementos tecnológicos sem que a história chegue propriamente a algum lado.
Por sua vez, When I close my eyes de Chris Barnham centra-se numa expedição terrestre em que um homem vê, a par com o fantasma da mulher, os elementos de uma raça alienígena e em Cryptic Female Choice de Andy Dudak as mulheres possuem capacidade de engravidar apenas se assim o pretenderem, e de escolherem os genes de cada homem que pretendem cruzar com os seus, originando crianças com características de diversas pessoas. Claro que esta capacidade dá origem a revolta por parte de alguns conservadores, que utilizam até o homicídio para forçarem o seu ponto de vista.
Aqui chegamos à parte da crítica a vários livros e filmes, sendo que me ficaram na memória Orbital Cloud de Taiyo Fuji, ficção científica japonesa, e Ex Libris, Stories of Librarians, Libraries & Lore que me parece ser mesmo o meu género (histórias sobre bibliotecas e livros).
August 10, 2017
This issue of Interzone, the science fiction and fantasy fiction magazine, contains new stories by six authors I've not heard of before getting this magazine. They are Julie C. Day, Eliot Fintushel, Andy Dudak, Chris Barnham, Tim Casson and Michael Reid. The stories vary in quality from poor to excellent.
The weakest being Gods in the Blood (Of those who rise) by Tim Casson, which tries to subvert eugenics theories by hiding the children of gods among the working class. To me it just replaces one bad theory of elites with another one.
By far the best short story in the magazine is Cryptic Female Choice by Andy Dudak. A story about a woman selecting the DNA that will go into the sperm to fertilise her eggs from the accumulated sperm of her previous lovers. All set to the backdrop of an anti science conflict that is engulfing the world. It packs a lot of ideas into one short story.
The magazine also reviews a number of new books by various authors including Nina Allen, Eleanor Lerman, Justina Robson, Aliette de Bodard, Taiyo Fujii, and Emily B. Cataneo. Again I am unfamiliar with any of these authors. The most intriguing one to me after reading the reviews was Speaking to the Skull Kings and Others Stories, a collection of 12 short stories by Emily B. Cataneo.
My one quibble with the magazine is the extended review of films it contains, this would have been better suited to a more specialised film magazine. A shorter film review section could make room in the magazine for another short story or more new book reviews, this is primarily a fiction magazine after all.
Overall I'd say that the magazine is a good read and well worth investing in.
The weakest being Gods in the Blood (Of those who rise) by Tim Casson, which tries to subvert eugenics theories by hiding the children of gods among the working class. To me it just replaces one bad theory of elites with another one.
By far the best short story in the magazine is Cryptic Female Choice by Andy Dudak. A story about a woman selecting the DNA that will go into the sperm to fertilise her eggs from the accumulated sperm of her previous lovers. All set to the backdrop of an anti science conflict that is engulfing the world. It packs a lot of ideas into one short story.
The magazine also reviews a number of new books by various authors including Nina Allen, Eleanor Lerman, Justina Robson, Aliette de Bodard, Taiyo Fujii, and Emily B. Cataneo. Again I am unfamiliar with any of these authors. The most intriguing one to me after reading the reviews was Speaking to the Skull Kings and Others Stories, a collection of 12 short stories by Emily B. Cataneo.
My one quibble with the magazine is the extended review of films it contains, this would have been better suited to a more specialised film magazine. A shorter film review section could make room in the magazine for another short story or more new book reviews, this is primarily a fiction magazine after all.
Overall I'd say that the magazine is a good read and well worth investing in.
August 28, 2017
An interesting set of stories featured in this issue. The 'superhero' story by Michael Reid, a dramatic survival story on Titan by Chris Barnham and a fascinating, biological change to women that terrifies societies by Andy Dudak are the stand-outs in this issue.
- "The Rocket Farmer" by Julie C. Day: an story about an unusual family with an unusual occupation. Through an unknown process, the family can 'grow' rockets. But most of the rockets don't grow properly and fail, expect for one who appears to be waiting for a particular passenger.
- "Gods in the Blood (of those who rise)" by Tim Casson: a story about a teacher in a special school that may be hiding children that are different from others: smarter and stronger. Referencing an ancient tale about fitting it, the teacher discovers he may have inadvertently exposed them, leading him into real danger.
- "If Your Powers Fail You in a City Under Tin" by Michael Reid: a fascinating story about a time when a rift has let in a tentacled monster but has also gifted individuals with magical powers. The story starts with a teenager with such powers missing his partner who is on a UN mission. As the days pass without news, he grows anxious and finally decides that he has no choice but to use his power to find him. But this is not without risks for he has little control over it and the last time he used it, it caused his mother to vanish.
- "Chubba Luna" by Eliot Fintushel: a standard story about couples meant for each other; except when they aren't in a future setting with music by 'Chubba Luna' as a background theme.
- "When I Close My Eyes" by Chris Barnham: a rock fall on Saturn's moon Titan nearly kills as astronaut exploring a cave system. As he struggles to get back out, he is haunted by visions of his dead wife who was killed in an accident. But the visions may help to save his as his discovers that rock fall is no ordinary one but caused by an external agent; if he can only get the news out about the discovery.
- "Cryptic Female Choice" by Andy Dudak: a fascinating exploration of a future where choice has been given to women. Not the usual choice of having a baby or not, but the ability to choose which genetic features from the sperm will be inherited by the child. In a chilling series of flashes, the women goes through the males she had mated with, deciding what to give to her child while reflecting on the violent changes society has gone through due to the ability.
- "The Rocket Farmer" by Julie C. Day: an story about an unusual family with an unusual occupation. Through an unknown process, the family can 'grow' rockets. But most of the rockets don't grow properly and fail, expect for one who appears to be waiting for a particular passenger.
- "Gods in the Blood (of those who rise)" by Tim Casson: a story about a teacher in a special school that may be hiding children that are different from others: smarter and stronger. Referencing an ancient tale about fitting it, the teacher discovers he may have inadvertently exposed them, leading him into real danger.
- "If Your Powers Fail You in a City Under Tin" by Michael Reid: a fascinating story about a time when a rift has let in a tentacled monster but has also gifted individuals with magical powers. The story starts with a teenager with such powers missing his partner who is on a UN mission. As the days pass without news, he grows anxious and finally decides that he has no choice but to use his power to find him. But this is not without risks for he has little control over it and the last time he used it, it caused his mother to vanish.
- "Chubba Luna" by Eliot Fintushel: a standard story about couples meant for each other; except when they aren't in a future setting with music by 'Chubba Luna' as a background theme.
- "When I Close My Eyes" by Chris Barnham: a rock fall on Saturn's moon Titan nearly kills as astronaut exploring a cave system. As he struggles to get back out, he is haunted by visions of his dead wife who was killed in an accident. But the visions may help to save his as his discovers that rock fall is no ordinary one but caused by an external agent; if he can only get the news out about the discovery.
- "Cryptic Female Choice" by Andy Dudak: a fascinating exploration of a future where choice has been given to women. Not the usual choice of having a baby or not, but the ability to choose which genetic features from the sperm will be inherited by the child. In a chilling series of flashes, the women goes through the males she had mated with, deciding what to give to her child while reflecting on the violent changes society has gone through due to the ability.
January 26, 2021
Vanessa Bell, mentioned in this story, was the sister of Virginia Woolf, and it is Woolf’s THE WAVES that I am already re-reading after some decades and real-time reviewing alongside this review! Seems significant.
The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long or impractical to post here.
Above is one of my observations at the time of the review.
The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long or impractical to post here.
Above is one of my observations at the time of the review.
January 1, 2018
Whoever selected the photos on pages 90 and 91 has a witty sense of humour
November 12, 2017
Roy Gray takes the Editorial and describes a visit to the summer’s Barbican exhibition, Into the Unknown: A Journey Through Science Fiction. Jonathan McCalmont discusses China Miéville’s history of the Russian Revolution October, describing it as the book Miéville was born to write. Nina Allan again reflects on SF’s distinction or otherwise as a genre and the necessity to question and reinvent its tropes. Book Zone has appreciative reviews of Nina Allan’s The Rift and Emily B Cattaneo’s collection Speaking to Skull Kings and Other Stories plus author interviews with the pair and also considers novels from Eleanor Lerman, Aliette de Bodard and Taiyo Fuji along with Ex Libris, an anthology of stories set in libraries, not to mention my review of Justina Robson’s The Switch.
In the fiction:-
Julie C Day’s The Rocket Farmer has three narrative viewpoints in its 10 pages: the descendant of a long line of Mongolian rocket farmers, her daughter, and one of the rockets. It is the daughter who is the first to truly understand the rockets.
Gods in the Blood (of those who rise) by Tim Casson is narrated by a science teacher (who has rather unprofessional biological deterministic views about his charges I must say. But these turn out to be plot related.) The nearby Genomic Innovation Facility is manipulating human epigenetics. All this is tied in with a legend from a Sumerian manuscript.
In If Your Powers Fail You in a City Under Tin by Michael Reid a tentacled creature called the God Beast has settled in the sky over the city now called Duolunduo. Some people have developed superpowers as a result.
The titular Chubba Luna in Eliot Fintushel’s story is an interplanetary music star in a future where people’s life partners are allotted to them in accord with their biochemistry. This doesn’t turn out any better than choosing them for yourselves.
Chris Barnham’s When I Close My Eyes is a mix of SF and ghost story. It is the tale of the first potholer on Titan, a man who hallucinates his dead wife while encountering extraterrestrial life after being trapped by an ice-fall.
The McGuffin of Cryptic Female Choice by Andy Dudak is a spermathecal, a mechanism introduced to the womb by virus which allows women to store various men’s sperm and edit their content to produce a desired genome. The societal backlash is portrayed.
In the fiction:-
Julie C Day’s The Rocket Farmer has three narrative viewpoints in its 10 pages: the descendant of a long line of Mongolian rocket farmers, her daughter, and one of the rockets. It is the daughter who is the first to truly understand the rockets.
Gods in the Blood (of those who rise) by Tim Casson is narrated by a science teacher (who has rather unprofessional biological deterministic views about his charges I must say. But these turn out to be plot related.) The nearby Genomic Innovation Facility is manipulating human epigenetics. All this is tied in with a legend from a Sumerian manuscript.
In If Your Powers Fail You in a City Under Tin by Michael Reid a tentacled creature called the God Beast has settled in the sky over the city now called Duolunduo. Some people have developed superpowers as a result.
The titular Chubba Luna in Eliot Fintushel’s story is an interplanetary music star in a future where people’s life partners are allotted to them in accord with their biochemistry. This doesn’t turn out any better than choosing them for yourselves.
Chris Barnham’s When I Close My Eyes is a mix of SF and ghost story. It is the tale of the first potholer on Titan, a man who hallucinates his dead wife while encountering extraterrestrial life after being trapped by an ice-fall.
The McGuffin of Cryptic Female Choice by Andy Dudak is a spermathecal, a mechanism introduced to the womb by virus which allows women to store various men’s sperm and edit their content to produce a desired genome. The societal backlash is portrayed.
Read
February 19, 2018Listened to "The Rocket Farmer" by Julie C. Day; read by Lisa Hicks via PodCastle Episode 507
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews