Book/Magazine Review: Clarkesworld Magazine #29

Every Monday, I'll be doing spoiler-free, bite-sized book/magazine reviews.

This month's issue seems huge with four non-fiction articles but that can be deceptive as I'll discuss later in the review. I'll start the review with the cover, then progress to the fiction and finally the non-fiction.

When it comes to the Clarkesworld covers, I find it handy to click on the images for a larger picture as there are some details that I might miss out and "Signs of Life" by Geoff Trebs is no exception. What seems like an innocuous artwork is actually eerie thanks to those staring blue eyes. Other than that, it's not as striking as other Clarkesworld covers, most likely due to the neutral colors. The only bright colors seem to be blue and yellow but they're too little to make the entire image pop out. Not bad but I'm not too crazy about it. Oh, and for once, I'd like the covers to actually relate to the content of the magazine.

"The Second Gift Given" by Ken Scholes starts out slow and alien but it quickly becomes evident what this piece is about. Scholes is clearly aiming for some emotional resonance as the main conflict stems from the protagonist's dilemma of freedom and choice. It isn't particularly original but for the most part, I feel the author handles it competently although clearly you're not reading this story for the language as it tends to be functional and direct. What I particularly enjoyed about this piece is the way it parallels the Christian Adam and Eve story. I do feel Scholes earns the right for the title which becomes evident with the ending.

Mike Allen does the reading for the feature story and in line with the previous podcasts, he is quite eloquent. His persona is that of the omniscient narrator and the story comes out clear and concise. There's no room for doubt who's speaking when it comes to dialogue as Allen does distinguish between the various characters. The tone isn't exaggerated but rather controlled and carefully neutral most of the time. If the reading lacked that "personal touch", I feel it's because the story itself is too distant in terms of language and the dialogue is all too brief (which is in the service to the story's conceit).

If you're familiar with either Japanese or poetry, the ending of "The Jisei of Mark VIII" by Berrien C. Henderson should come as no surprise. As far as the technical craft is concerned, I don't really have much to criticize Henderson on. Nothing that particularly stands out but nothing to chide him either. What rubs me the wrong way however--and this is a personal preference--is the story itself. For me, this type of story is indulgent especially in the way the author's agenda is to reminisce the glories of the dead-tree medium in a futuristic society (and this isn't a case of Fahrenheit 451). This is an example of geeks writing for geeks. Of course having said that, this might be the type of story that appeals to you. Other than that complaint, the story was fairly traditional.

The part I honestly look forward to reading is the non-fiction. Neddal Ayal's "An Interview with Jeff VanderMeer" is one of the best solo interviews yet. VanderMeer knows how to elaborate and expand on his answers, making sure that each question Ayal asks is a treasure trove. For the most part, the interview focuses on VanderMeer's craft of writing, specifically his novel Shriek and later on in the feature, his upcoming book Finch. I think those who've read Shriek will get the most out of this interview, although there's an excellent section where the interview utters a word or phrase and VanderMeer informs us his thoughts on them.

"The Most Important Genre Novel You'll Never Read" by by Robert N. Lee is quite political in nature and by the end, actually draws the dilemma of encouraging you to read a book but not to support or purchase it. Lee draws a fascinating comparison between two books that aren't usually classified as genre but should: the Left Behind series and William Pierce's The Turner Diaries. The author's analysis is rich and Lee gives examples that are scary to ponder, especially if you're living in America. Definitely an eye-opener for the insular genre fan but otherwise compelling reading.

"Change the Hugos? Yes You Can!" by Cheryl Morgan is aptly labeled as an editorial as for the most part, it's propaganda (albeit a well-written one!) for you to vote at the Hugos. But aside from encouraging you to participate in such awards, Morgan does point out some fallacies regarding this particular competition. This editorial was fairly quick and easy to read and the title honestly shouldn't leave you with any surprises as to what to expect.

Speaking of expectations, "2008 Clarkesworld Reader's Poll" is just that so don't really expect content here. Post-election season, you get two entries from Clarkesworld asking you to vote!

Overall, I think this month's issue of Clarkesworld has a strong non-fiction section. Again, while it might seem that you're getting four articles, I'd probably gauge it as two and a half but honestly, anything beyond two is more than what Clarkesworld promises and so far, the magazine hasn't failed me in that sense. Scholes's story is clearly the superior of the two fiction pieces and Allen's reading was terrific but as far as personal preferences goes I'd say the fiction section this month was ho-hum.

Book/Magazine Review: Postscripts #17

Every Monday, I'll be doing spoiler-free, bite-sized book/magazine reviews.

A good chunk of the stories in this issue of Postscripts were surprisingly... light. Now I don't mean that as a euphemism for horrible reading. In fact, they were quite enjoyable and well-written. No, what I mean by light is that with each issue of Postscripts, I expect to to be skewered, disemboweled, and occasionally lobotomized. Instead, I was entertained by Jeff Vandermeer's "Why the Vulture is Bald", laughed at Rhys Hughes's "The Gala of Implausible Songs", and found Douglas Smith's "Doorways" to be predictable but fun. Now I don't know whether this is because majority of the contributors conspired to submit something that's a definite change of pace ("we don't want to give our readers a heart attack over Christmas as the doctors will be off-duty) or because this is the holiday issue but it certainly was a surprise.

That's not to say this issue was devoid of "serious" stories. Around half were going for the jugular instead of the funny bone. Having said that, I'm sure you wouldn't be surprised by my biased highlights. "The Camping Wainwrights" by Ian R. Macleod actually would have been more effective you don't read the author's pre-story notes but it's nonetheless one of the most striking pieces in the magazine. The author wins us over through the tried and tested skill of characterization and details that add verisimilitude to the story. Macleod prepares the reader for the inevitable knock-out punch at the same time throwing a jab or two when you least expect it.

"Enquete Incisive" by Tara Kolden was compelling all throughout and very much mesmerizes the reader into the mystery. We have, after all, an investigator with a distinct personality and his encounters with the various characters sound convincing and not forced. The story was easy to get into and simply put, Kolden leaves enough clues for the readers to enjoy the puzzle.

Occasionally, one picks a story because it's a guilty pleasure and "The Plot" by Justin Cartaginese is such a piece. This is comedic meta-fiction (or post-modern if you prefer) and much of it is carried through dialogue. I'll give it props for being quirky as it appeals to my writer sensibilities.

Aside from those assessments, Postscripts #17 was a respectable issue. I appreciated all the stories, not a bad one in this set, although as I mentioned before, around half the stories aren't heavy-weights but rather selections that fit the festive mood. Definitely more Santa Claus than Cthulhu.

Book/Magazine Review: Clarkesworld Magazine #28

Every Monday, I'll be doing spoiler-free, bite-sized book/magazine reviews.

Here's the first issue of Clarkesworld for 2009 yet it feels like the perfect issue for December, from the snowman cover to "Teaching Bigfoot to Read" to the simply stellar line-up for the month. Not that I'm complaining, mind you, although if you're still in the post-holiday mood, this is definitely one of the issues to check out.

First off is the cover, "Evil Snowman" by Serj Julian. Probably one of the best covers to date and follows what I call the iconic Clarkesworld aesthetic, mixing the familiar with the fantastic, or in this case, something dark and moody. The expressions of the miniature snowmen are great and you'd probably miss it if you were simply looking at the thumbnail of the cover. Again, it would have made a great cover last month but then again, it wasn't snowing yet in early December (and I'm sure there are remnants of snow these days to spook you).

The feature story is "Celadon" by Desirina Boskovich and for the most part, it's a good story. The author focuses on characterization and the strength of this piece is that how it's very personal. It's not about some ideal such as justice but simply a daughter trying to reunite with her mother and the juxtaposition between the two worlds, real or imagined, heighten this agenda. For the most part, it works, and of the two stories in this issue, this is the more ambitious one, at least judging from the language and the technique. Overall however, it lacks the impact I'm looking for but this is nonetheless a good story, one that makes the reader work for the ending.

Kate Baker reads "Celadon" and she's competent. A good bulk of the story is narration and she's up to the task as she's fluent and consistent. There's little dialogue and that's perhaps a good thing as Baker doesn't really distinguish between the various characters and I feel her voice is too even. She's expressive though when it comes to the reactions of the characters and one can sense the anxiety of the narrator or the detachment of the anthropologists.

"Teaching Bigfoot to Read" by Geoffrey W. Cole uses an interesting technique to narrate his story: emails written to Bigfoot. While that in itself is not a eureka moment, Cole backs it up with a convincing tone of voice with the hard science fiction elements lurking in the backdrop. Much like "Celadon", this story is also a character-driven piece but achieves it through an indirect method. For the most part, it is the reader filling in the gaps rather than what is explicitly mentioned that fuels the reader's imagination. While not as ambitious as Boskovich's story, this is the story that stands out more for me mainly because it succeeds in its execution, not only being easy to read but leaving some room for some ambiguity at the end. Definitely a must-read.

Jeremy L. C. Jones's "Anthologists Discuss Their Craft" is a real gem. Jones asks the same set of questions to various editors and they share with us their insights into their personal editing processes. Their answers are unique and clearly elaborated, and the anthologists definitely dominate this nonfiction article. On an unrelated note, all of the male first names start with the letter J.

"The Mauna Kea Experience" by David L. Clements is brilliant. Clements has a handle on the elements of storytelling and reading this nonfiction piece is similar to reading a short story. He doesn't simply tell us about his journey, he shares it with us and the bigger impression it leaves isn't what astronomers learned but what they put up with to acquire their findings.

Definitely a great start for Clarkesworld and features some solid writing all throughout.

Book/Magazine Review: Subterranean Fall 2008

Every Monday, I'll be doing spoiler-free, bite-sized book/magazine reviews.

When making an online magazine, there are two philosophies. One is to make it quick and not overwhelming for the reader. The other is to cram as much content as you can, especially since you're not restricted by page count. Subterranean, even back in its print days, was a meaty magazine, showcasing the lengthier fiction pieces and this seems to hold up in its online incarnation. The tag-line above mentions that my reviews are "bite-sized" yet that doesn't seem applicable when tackling this issue of Subterranean.

I'll start off with the podcast. To be honest, I'm not fond of listening to audio fiction. Alastair Reynolds's "Thousandth Night," read by Sam A. Mowry, is the featured podcast in this issue and this is the first time that I'll be judging a piece based on the aural experience alone. Before I start, I want to talk about the audio format. At the time of this writing, Subterranean broke the story into several links. Normally I want to listen to a podcast in one seamless file but considering the length of the story, it's understandable why it was broken into several parts. My next complaint was going to be how the magazine didn't originally post all the links to the podcast but it's been corrected.

As for the critique of the story itself, well, I never imagined myself listening to a fiction podcast for three hours but it ensnared me. There's a method to the breakdown of the podcast episodes and each ends on a cliffhanger that simply hooks you. Reynolds shifts between exposition and action multiple times in the piece. For the most part, I think it works but I can't help but wonder what the experience would have been like had I been reading it. Dialogue is also a strength of the author as there are several scenes which is driven by debates and conversations. My complaint is that I'm still not convinced by the climax as it feels like deus ex machina. Mowry excels in reciting his lines and he's quite fluent. My complaint is that early on, during dialogue, he doesn't really distinguish between the different voices of the characters. Not that you can't follow the dialogue but a more pronounced persona or tone would have been helpful. Later in the podcast though, because the story becomes more dramatic, the voices become more distinct. For the most part, I enjoyed "Thousandth Night," especially with its inclusion of mystery genre elements.

The essay, "Making the Cover for Muse of Fire" by John Picacio, was enjoyable enough and Picacio gives enough visual illustrations to make his point. One complaint is that the first image, when clicked, isn't large enough for some of the text to be readable. Picacio has notes on them and clearly it's part of his example and unfortunately it wasn't resized enough, although readers will understand the bigger picture. Aside from that, the discourse is easy to get into and the images are gorgeous.

For the fiction selections, I'll try to make this quick. My favorites were Mary Robinette Kowal's "Waiting for the Rain" and "Apotropaics" by Norman Patridge. With the former, the author succeeds in establishing rich characterization at the same time sprinkling the story with cultural details. In my opinion, the story could have ended a scene earlier as the preceding one already conveyed the necessary closure. With regards to the latter, it's the shortest piece in the publication but it succeeds in evoking a sense of dread and tragedy. While it could be appreciated on the literal level, for me it shines because it plays upon the reader's knowledge, making what seems like an already bleak atmosphere all the more horrific.

As for the rest, they were for the most part competent. Mike Resnick writes a really funny piece in "Spring Training: A Lucifer Jones Story" although don't expect anything beyond humor. "Tanglefoot (A Story of the Clockwork Century)" by Cherie Priest does a good job of creating setting and some interesting characters but lacks the overall impact I was looking for. "Mirror of Fiery Brightness" by Chris Roberson begins with a slow start but soon becomes a pulpish adventure romp. I appreciated "The Seed of Lost Souls: Introduction" by Poppy Z. Brite and even this novel-in-the-making already had gems in it and Brite succeeds in establishing a dark atmosphere.

"Something About Mary", an interview conducted by Alethea Kontis, was a comfortable, loose interview and one can sense the rapport between interviewer and interviewee as their humor comes to the fore (and is perhaps the highlight of the interview). While Kontis does touch upon Kowal's puppetry and writing, the interview focuses more on Kowal's personality, which is actually quite refreshing.

Cherie Priest is the reviewer for all but one book and I think she does a competent job with them. Her technique focuses more on giving brief overviews of each book and viewing it from the lens of a lay person rather than a critical analysis of each piece. The other reviewer is Brian Keene who reviews John Joseph Adams's The Living Dead. His review stands out more as he has clear opinions and his personality stands out, polarizing the reader for good or for ill which in the long run is probably a good thing.

Despite its flaws, the strengths of the editorial in Subterranean Fall 2008 stands out. The quality of the fiction maintains a certain standard and provokes a reaction from the reader. If the fiction is heavy, the nonfiction has a lighter presence and balances the other lengthy material. Definitely a magazine that's worth paying for even if they're not charging you for it.

Book/Magazine Review: Lone Star Stories #30

Every Monday, I'll be doing spoiler-free, bite-sized book/magazine reviews.

Lone Star Stories continues to be a magazine with consistent quality fiction and this issue doesn't deviate from that expectation. Unfortunately, the problem for me as a reviewer when it comes to such a magazine is that while the prose is good--certainly above mediocrity--finding the cream of the crop, the stories that eventually makes it to Best of the Year anthologies (or the reviewer own's list of striking fiction for the year), is an entirely different matter. I certainly enjoyed this month's line of stories and poetry but the quest goes on for finding a piece that burrows itself in memory. For example, I really liked the previous month's "The Toymaker's Grief" by Hal Duncan--easily one of the most remarkable stories for the year--and unfortunately that wasn't present in this issue.

Having said that, here are the highlights. "Dream Seed" by Nina Kiriki Hoffman was pleasant enough. It follows a relatively consistent form and accessible language. The strength of the piece are the wonderful imagery that the author coaxes out of the reader. The transition of the speculative element in the story is also well-seeded and it doesn't detract from the story. Overall, the piece has a young adult vibe to it, from the sibling villain to the message at the end. I think as an adult, I've read enough stories like these and again, it was enjoyable but not particularly striking.

"The Andrassil Agreement" by Stephanie Burgis is quite kinetic and dives into the action quickly. The author succeeds in juggling various characters and conflicts, keeping the reader's interest hooked. Easily the most mesmerizing story of the three but as far as emotional resonance goes, Burgis aims for a modest goal and succeeds on those terms.

"Veronica" by Josh Rountree is the meatiest of the stories in this month's issue and the one I ended up liking the most. Rountree plays with a familiar concept and succeeds in evoking the proper characterization without being heavy-handed. For example, we catch a glimpse that the protagonist is old in body but young in spirit. There's also the use of various details that while not elaborated, gives us a sense of history and a bigger, wider world. What's intriguing for me is the use of the second-person by the author and in this context, it works and challenges me as a reader to wonder who this mysterious "you" is supposed to be. This is certainly an interesting story.

When it comes to the poetry, "Speedometer" by Gemma Files is analogous to "Dream Seed": one is immediately immersed in the heart of the piece and its brevity matches the adrenaline. Probably great for the first few readings but after a while, those looking for more depth will want to check out the other poems.

"All the Daughters of This House" by Nicole Kornher-Stace ended up being my favorite poem. It's divided into three sections and Kornher-Stace uses an uncommon perspective that gives the poem leverage to work fantastical stuff. Imagery and repetition is a strength of the poem but what won me over was the progression of the narrative and the language.

"Damascus Divides the Lovers by Zero or The City Is Never Finished" by Amal El-Mohtar and Catherynne M. Valente is aptly titled and possesses a consistency that is nurtured throughout the entire poem. The form is certainly to be admired and combined with the text, highlights the central theme of the piece. Various imagery is also conjured and this is anything but a simple poem.

Overall Lone Star Stories is another good issue and as far as the poetry is concerned, they're splendid. When it comes to the fiction, editor Eric T. Marin doesn't disappoint in selecting good stories (no horrible stories!) but I'm still waiting for that piece that knocks me out and declares itself as the unanimous winner.

Book/Magazine Review: Clarkesworld Magazine #27

Every Monday, I'll be doing spoiler-free, bite-sized book/magazine reviews.

Here we are with the December issue of Clarkesworld and this was certainly a surprise. The fiction side for example has three stories and as for the nonfiction, well, we'll get to that later.

First off, the cover by Adam Gillespie is right on track as far as the Clarkesworld aesthetic sense goes. It has that right combination of the familiar and the weird in addition to modern aesthetics. The artwork is very impressive.

On the fiction side, "A Woman's Best Friend" by Robert Reed seems to be the most striking of all three. Much of the story revolves around the interaction of the two characters and what's interesting is how Reed introduces the bizarreness of the situation around midway through the story--and I think it works. I'm two opinions when it comes to this story. On one hand, it has this utopian but-not-quite-utopian atmosphere. Hard science fiction fans will probably dislike that aspect but for me, that's not really the highlight of the story. On the other hand, there should be this tension--whether dramatic, romantic, or whatever tension you'd like to invest in--between Mary and George and while it's there, I still feel it could have been amped up a bit more. The piece still has a certain restraint that hampers it from standing out as a truly remarkable story.

Mary Robinette Kowal is the voice behind the podcast of this story and I feel it comes to life in her hands. The narrator and the two characters each have distinct voices: the narrator is the default fluent Kowal voice, Mary has that right dose of nobility and condescension, and George sounds aged and baffled. My only criticism is that George tends to sound like a grumpy old woman rather than a grumpy old man but with only one person doing all the voices, I'm not expecting Kowal to channel Hank Azaria. Personally, listening to the podcast was slightly more engaging for me compared to reading the text.

"Episode 72" by Don Webb tried to strike an emotional chord but overall it didn't work for me. The strengths of Webb however is establishing the setting of the piece and giving a distinct personality to her protagonist. Where the author could improve, in my opinion, is that he could have used more moments to show the main character's passion for her supposed love interest. Having said that, I do think the final scene is good, it just lacked the support and build-up from the previous scenes.

"The Complete Rechargeable Man" by Karen Heuler is simply fun, fun, fun. It's wacky, makes use of puns and stereotypes that don't feel out of place, and the interaction between the two main characters is quite effective. One of the highlights for me was the dialogue in the first scene and it quickly establishes the rapport and relationship of the characters without necessarily being too direct. The tone also establishes what kind of story this will be, from beginning to end and while this might not be what I'd classify as one of the best stories for the year, this was certainly a light and enjoyable story that achieves what it sets out to do.

Jeremy L. C. Jones's interview with Ed Greenwood in "To Believe the Magic is Real" has a tight focus, in this case world building. Whether you're a writer planning to write second-world fiction or simply a game master preparing for their RPG campaign, Greenwood gives helpful advice and is a definite change of pace from the usual author interviews.

"Frosty has a WHAT?!!" by Neil Clarke for me is an odd piece. It's certainly not the first open-ended nonfiction in Clarkesworld but I feel it's not too substantive compared to those previous pieces (and Clarke has proven that he can write compelling and insightful nonfiction such as "Cavemen Discovered in the 21st Century" in issue 22). All I'm asking is one or two more paragraphs elaborating on the thesis. Right now, it feels more like an editor's note for the magazine and had it been labeled as such, it would have made perfect sense. Maybe it's a matter of expectations as I was hoping for the one-two combo of nonfiction from the magazine and somehow caught something else entirely in the second half. Since this is an online text that requires participation from the readers, thankfully the piece is drawing conversation in the comments section.

Overall this was a decent issue of Clarkesworld with its share of surprises, both good and bad.

Book/Magazine Review: Postscripts: The A to Z of Fantastic Fiction #16

Every Monday, I'll be doing spoiler-free, bite-sized book/magazine reviews.

The Philippines has books, books, books but when it comes to the genre magazines, it's almost like an urban legend, something you often hear about but never seem to get a hold of. Postscripts #16 is the first of its kind for me and thankfully, it lived up to the hype that my fantasies shaped it out to be.

The cover art is intriguing although not too striking. The interiors are competent although at times they seem amateurish. While not overtly cute, there's enough shades of it that can be detracting at times although Wayne Blackburst does make it work such as his illustration for William Alexander's story, "Clockwork Iris".

There are ten stories in this issue and I enjoyed most of them, with only one or two that felt mediocre. All of them contain elements of horror, ranging from the subtle to the readily apparent. There's certainly a diverse set of stories included that reading through the magazine doesn't seem repetitive.

A couple of stories caught my attention but I'll focus on my top three. Opening this issue of Postscripts is John Grant's "Will the Real Veronica LeBarr Please Stand Down?" Using his charlatan skills to perform literary legederdemain, Grant creates a compelling character-driven story with multiple twists and turns. What makes it work is that this isn't an easy story to pull off yet the author manages to convince the reader without showing us all his tricks. This is one of the better stories that play around with the narrator's memory.

T. M. Wright's "The Blue-Faced Man" features kinetic writing that hints at some larger. The language is plain and simple although Wright throws in some poetic lines here and there that works within its context. Reading an exchange of letters has never been so exciting and the author's use of subtlety is to be commended.

The third piece I want to highlight is "One of Nine" by Bruce Golden. Again, this is a difficult story to pull off, at least without seeming didactic yet one can easily discard its moralistic/political layer and still appreciate the fiction. Golden makes us sympathize with the protagonist and gives us a good overview of his sports team. There's not much direct conflict present but the tension subtly insinuates itself into the text. And as far as agenda goes, this is the right way to tell such a story, and ties back into the horror of the piece.

Overall this issue didn't disappoint and met my expectations. If you want well-written fiction with touches of the horrific, then Postscripts #16 is a good example of how to do it right. It's not "perfect" by any means but the bar is certainly high with eight out of ten being great stories.

Book/Magazine Review:Clarkesworld Magazine Issue #26 November 2008

Every Monday, I'll be doing spoiler-free, bite-sized book/magazine reviews.


This month's issue of Clarkesworld Magazine is a mixed bag. The cover art by David Renn is slightly a notch down from the other Clarkesworld covers but it's still a good piece with its nautilus-inspired mecha. My biggest complaint is probably the fiction side which leans more towards the mediocre rather than remarkable but on the other hand, I really loved the non-fiction section.

The feature piece is "Idle Roomer" by Mike Resnick and Lezli Robyn. The story started out strong with its mystery vibe and there was enough hints of something strange and otherworldly. Both authors succeed in making the protagonist sympathetic and do a competent job of fabricating the story's end. There's honestly nothing wrong with the story and it's well-written but my issue with it is that it failed to strike a chord. Resnick and Robyn do a good job of establishing build-up and our heroine does feel like a genuine character. Where it could have done better though was the ending which lacked the impact I was hoping for but otherwise a decent read.

Cat Rambo's reading of "Idle Roomer" fits the ambiance and mood of the story. She reads it at a steady pace which is appropriate for what "Idle Roomer" is trying to accomplish.

"Batch 39 and the Deadman's Switch" by Simon DeDeo was a bit confusing. I had to re-read it and do some quick research (i.e. Google) to identify all the jargon that DeDeo uses. This is mainly a story that hinges upon the punchline at the end and again, much like "Idle Roomer", the concept could have been fascinating but the execution was ho-hum. In the case of DeDeo, I feel that his attempt at trying to be too scientific hurt the story with his inclusion of a lot of nomenclature. This is clearly a concept story which explains the lack of characterization on the part of the narrator but DeDeo does manage to sneak in some good lines such as his description of the character Rachel. Other than that, a competent story but nothing remarkable.

Jason S. Ridler takes the perspectives of various authors in "Writing with One Hand Tied to the Death Star: Award-Winning Authors and Media Tie-In Fiction". Quite informative and showcases various opinions on the subject from the interviewed authors. For the most part it's an enjoyable read and everyone involved tries to remain balanced and open-minded.

What I really liked was Catherynne M. Valente's "Voodoo Economics: How to Find Serenity in an Industry that Does Not Want You" but then again, I'm the perfect target audience: an aspiring writer. Valente shares her tribulations as a writer and one reality we all have to face. Her insertion of steel as an analogy is commendable and makes the article upbeat and informal.

Overall this is an issue where the non-fiction section clearly stands out, especially Valente's piece.

Book/Magazine Review: Clarkesworld Magazine Issue #25 October 2008

Every Monday, I'll be doing spoiler-free, bite-sized book/magazine reviews.

Clarkesworld Magazine's October 2008 issue is quite solid, whether it comes to the fiction or nonfiction. The cover art by Jobert Zaide, "Alien Cityscape", has that right combination of familiarity (it has that War of the Worlds feel) and strangeness.

The feature piece is "Gift of the Kites" by Jim C. Hines. This was an endearing story with that right touch of the fantastical. Hines's characterization is impressive, whether it's the young protagonist in the story or his biological father who acts as an antagonists of sorts. Another praise-worthy quality of the story is how the action and tension is narrated, especially during the scenes where the kites battle. The author avoids the pitfall of an all-too easy ending and while I'm not completely won over by the route he takes, it's certainly commendable.

The podcast version of the same story, read by Cat Rambo, is equally impressive. Hines includes some Japanese terms and Rambo pronounces them correctly and smoothly so much so that one doesn't really realize there are actually foreign words in the story. She also adds a layer of meekness to the protagonist and a stern distinction between the various characters thanks to dialogue.

"Passwords" by John A. McDermott uses something as commonplace as passwords and uses it as an objective correlative for the frustration and problems the protagonist is facing. McDermott handles the juxtaposition between the character's personal life and corporate life adeptly, with characterization being the hallmark of this piece. Perhaps it's not as strong a story as "Gift of the Kites" but it's certainly an enjoyable read.

When it comes to the non-fiction, Gord Sellar does a competent job of drawing science fiction/fantasy comparisons with Korea in "How Candle Girl and V Took on 2 MB". It honestly reminds me of the revolutions that have taken place here in the Philippines, with technology and paranoia playing a big part in such moving events. Sellar is also comprehensive in citing sources and attributions which sheds light into the incident as well as Korean culture. Jeff Vandermeer's interview, "Margo Lanagan and Tender Morsels", delivers exactly what the title suggests as we gain an insight into the writing behind Tender Morsels.

Overall a good issue of Clarkesworld Magazine that's certainly worth the investment in time.

Book/Magazine Review: Lone Star Stories Issue #29

Every Monday, I'll be doing spoiler-free, bite-sized book/magazine reviews.

Lone Star Stories has always been a short magazine but what it lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality. Issue #29 is no different and all three short stories at the very least are competent. I'm not a trained critic and in fact fear poetry, much less speculative fiction poetry, but the ones included are accessible.

As far as the stories go, "The Toymaker's Grief" by Hal Duncan shines out the most. This deceptively simple and short narrative is emotionally wrenching and powerful, making subtle but effective use of the speculative fiction element. Duncan trades verbosity for accuracy and precision, a more than worthwhile exchange which is perhaps the hallmark of this piece. If you haven't read this story yet, go read it now.

Jaime Lee Moyer's "This is How We Remember" started out not packing enough punch as far as characterization goes but the payoff in the end justifies this lacking (and makes sense of the title). Moyer also features beautiful but not distracting prose as well as an emphasis on characterization.

"Needle and Thread" by Ann Leckie and Rachel Swirsky was an enjoyable fairy tale that successfully maintains its tone throughout the entire narrative. The pair makes good use of the tropes of the medium all the while giving it a modern layer by fleshing out the protagonist. The epiphany at the end doesn't seem forced and this could easily have been part of the collection of the Brothers Grimm.

"Seven Steeds" by Elizabeth Bear has a consistent form and structure and makes good use of metaphor. Readers who shy away from poetry might want to give Sonya Taaffe's "Logos" a look as it's the most modern and follows a familiar structure as far as storytelling/poetry is concerned. My favorite of the three however is "What the Stars Tell" by Rusty Barnes which excels in creating vivid imagery and subversion of heroic optimism.

Overall a good issue with "The Toymaker's Grief" and "What the Stars Tell" standing out as far as I'm concerned. Lone Star Stories is consistent in delivering readable stories without compromising depth or gravity.

Book/Magazine Review: Cornstalk Gypsies: The Iowa Flood Relief Anthology edited by J. K. Richard

Every Monday, I'll be doing spoiler-free, bite-sized book/magazine reviews.

Proceeds of this magazine goes to relief efforts for Iowa and that pretty much sums up the theme of this publication as several of the stories touch upon Iowa (although not necessarily the disaster). As a reader, the question I want to ask is that aside from donating to a charitable cause, are the stories featured any good?

There are eight stories all in all and I'll be frank: most of them are simply mediocre. For example, the opening story, "Crow's Changeling" by Sarah Prineas, could have dedicated more scenes in establishing the characterization of the protagonist's daughter. While it's a decent story as is, it lacks the emotional tug or believability that could have elevated it to something much, much more. Other stories, such as "Gossamer and Viridian: The Trolls at the Gate" by Dr. Catherine Schaff-Stump, isn't really faulty although it feels like the story ended prematurely.

Having said that, Cornstalk Gypsies isn't without its own gems. The most striking story is "Slightly Better than Average" by Tyson Chaney. Imagine watching a baseball game except it's all captured in prose. That's not an easy feat but Chaney manages to hook you through an entire game, sprinkling characterization and drama as needed while being adept at describing all the action. It reminds me of the best aspect of sports manga adapted for fiction.

Another noteworthy piece is "This is Baltimir" by Ann M. Nguyen although it's flash fiction and flash fiction for me is difficult to be memorable. "This is Baltimir" is an interesting concept story and quite good in execution but it's not strong enough to be one of those rare few flash stories that I'll remember by the end of the year.

Overall, as much as I want to praise Cornstalk Gypsies, I really can't. I was really impressed with Chaney's story but the rest are ho-hum. You can probably justify this purchase as a donation to a charitable cause in which you get some stories as a bonus.

Book/Magazine Review: Weird Tales July/August 2008 Issue

Every Monday, I'll be doing spoiler-free, bite-sized book/magazine reviews.


There's a lot to unpack when it comes to Weird Tales, especially considering this is the first time ever I'm actually reading a copy.

Design-wise, I like it. Nothing that particularly strikes out but it serves its purpose. The text is easy to read and there's minimal effort required on the reader. The few times it does require the reader to refer to a different page, it's usually just a spread away.

Much like the design, I find the art to be in the same boat. It's above average but nothing that jumps out right at me, save perhaps for the colored cover. I also enjoyed the faux ad of "Assorted Anatomy..." as the illustrations hide a lot of text and details that many readers would appreciate.

The nonfiction is quite interesting and caught my attention. Elizabeth Genco's interview with Mike Mignola was one of the features that I first read and it didn't disappoint. However, what really drew me in was Darrel Schweitzer's "People: It's What's for Dinner" as he talks--and debunks--the myth of Sawney Bean. As a foreigner, I'm not really aware of Sawney Bean but Scheweitzer catches me up to speed, reels me in, then dumps everything all in one go. Not bad for a three-and-a-half nonfiction piece. Another commendable piece would have to be Eric San Juan's "Whispers of the Old Hag" as he talks about a real-life condition that can be as terrifying as any horror story. The reviews and curious featured in the rest of the magazine were likewise good reads.

As for the poetry and fiction, they were all quick and easy. They were for the most part enjoyable--"fun" and "exciting" probably being the keywords here--although they're not necessarily stories that push me to the edge of "weird" yet. Still, here are my top three stories in the magazine: "All In" by Peter Atwood is simple and straight to the point but Atwood manages to turn a conventional Poker game into something uncomfortable at the end. The ending still seems a bit restrained but overall it captures that high-stakes feel. I really, really enjoyed "The Stone-Hearted Queen" by Kelly Barnhill. This is my high fantasy appreciation kicking in but Barnhill sets herself apart thanks to her characterization and her language. "The Difficulties of Evolution" by Karen Heuler is a competent attempt at internal and external horror and rises to being slightly-above mediocre. The magazine also reprints the first chapter to Stephen Hunt's novel, The Court of Air, and I think this excerpt is a perfect it for the magazine. It ends at just the right point, featuring the right elements of fantasy, weirdness, and horror.

Overall this was a fun read that piqued my interest all throughout. The level of writing is quite consistent, with no sudden spikes in the quality (either for or against it). It's certainly above average and while I thoroughly enjoyed "The Stone-Hearted Queen", I'm still waiting for the coup de grace when it comes to the fiction.

Book/Magazine Review: Black Clock Issue #9

Every Monday, I'll be doing spoiler-free, bite-sized book/magazine reviews.


Black Clock's ninth issue covers the current (or at least the then-current) political climate and features various discourses and short stories on the subject matter, most of which is pro-Democrat.

The first thing that caught my eye was the journal's design: despite being text-heavy and lacking illustrations, it manages to present itself as sleek and makes good use of space.

Much of the meat of the magazine revolves around its nonfiction, such as Rick Moody's "The Republican Diaries" or the exchange of emails between editor Steve Erickson and Michael Ventura in "The Hillary-Barack Emails". As an outsider (well, not really--the fate of the US presidency is very much a concern for us Filipinos as well), I found these pieces to be compelling despite their length and subject matter (I'm usually ignorant of politics). The authors write with much passion and make keen observations, such as Moody's diagnosis of Republicans as "sympathy deficit" or Erickson's apt description of Obama as America's willingness to roll the dice. And this was all written before Obama secured his slot as the Democrat's representative or McCain declared Palin as his VP.

All the short stories were actually impressive and most delve into speculative fiction territory in addition to some genre names like Brian Evenson and Jeff Vandermeer. Here are some highlights for me: George Melrod's "My Favorite President" paints an alternate history America where the Civil War ended differently--all the while using the elements of a history class paper. The prose is so effective, especially the ending, that I went back to the beginning and spotted that identifying the author of the said class paper adds an additional layer of depth.

Janet Sarbane's "The Adventures of the President's Daughter," on the other hand, has this deceptively simple tone yet underlies a much deeper concern. Not what I'd otherwise consider too fantastical in nature but a story that's a good contrast to the other pieces in the journal.

David L. Ulin's "One on One" uses basketball as a literal analogy for the Democratic candidacy. The premise seems ludicrous yet Ulin presents it in such a a tense and serious manner that it seems natural.

Vandermeer's "Goat Variation Redux" is the most off-the-top and gives each candidate their chance to shine in a dystopic limelight and doesn't hold back. It's quick and fun.

Overall, this issue of Black Clock was a great read and whether it's the editorial or the fiction, the writing is solid and compelling.

Magazine Review: Electric Velocipede 14

Every Monday, I'll be doing spoiler-free, bite-sized book magazine reviews.

This is my first exposure to Electric Velocipede and it seems like a decent enough publication. What's evident is that despite the presence of some poems and non-fiction, the real meat of the magazine are its short stories (thirteen in this issue). The fiction selection contains both fantasy and science fiction stories and my initial impression is that a lot of the stories are competently written but nothing too outstanding, usually featuring a clear moral or emotion at the end of each piece. They're all easy to read however and quite ideal when you need something that's not too heavy. Having said that, there will be exceptions and here are some stories that strike me: "Hermit Crabs" by Elissa Malcohn is a strong opener and still resonates with me once I was through with the magazine. It features strong characterization and has that powerful, inevitable ending. "Recipe for Survival" by Sandra McDonald is another piece that stands out. It's actually quite short but in that span of time, she provides readers with compelling characters written in a a stylish and consistent manner that builds up towards its ending. "Perfect Tense" by Lisa Mantchev is my favorite sci-fi pieces in the magazine and while the premise or resolution is nothing new, I did appreciate her execution and its foundations of good character. One story I have mixed feelings about is "#1" by Leslie What. I mean I enjoyed it and it is a powerful story but if you belong to the school of thought where a science fiction story needs to have the science fiction element integral to the narrative, that's not the case here as it could have been written in a realist mode and still be just as effective.

As for the other sections of the magazine, I'm not such a good judge when it comes to poetry but the three that were included were accessible but nothing that makes me go wow (but again, I'm not exactly a great poet critic). The two nonfiction pieces at the end has a food theme going for it and much like my poetry evaluation, it's decent but not the type that makes me want to buy the magazine solely for that reason alone. Overall it's not bad. There are a few pieces that stand out while the rest are decent and ho-hum and nothing outright horrible. I'd say Electric Velocipede 14 isn't essential reading but if you're looking for something light or different, you might want to give the magazine a look.

Rating: 3/5.

Rating System:

1 - There are better ways to spend your time.
2 - Ho hum books, usually typical of its genre. Probably only recommendable to die-hard fans.
3 - A cut above the rest, usually with one or more elements that sets it apart from the norm.
4 - Highly recommended and is easily a pioneer of the genre.
5 - A classic or it will be.

Magazine Review: Philippine Genre Stories #4

The latest issue of Philippine Genre Stories is this collection of five fantastical stories, many of which seem to be aimed at younger readers. With the exception of Tijam's story, the rest are easy to read and far from challenging.

Opening the magazine is Yvette Tan's "Chimaera" which combines Greek myth with basic sci-fi elements. It's a simple story and most of the text is spent developing the author's protagonist. The ending was a bit weak for me as there wasn't enough conflict, although Tan does give us a resolution. In the afterword, Tan describes that this is very much a high school story and that probably best describes the demographic for "Chimaera".

"Psychic Family" by Apol Lejano-Massabieau starts off with simple language and a young heroine yet this is easily one of the more sophisticated stories in this issue. Throughout the story, Lejano-Massabieau attempts to scare the reader and honestly, I didn't feel the terror but the author makes up for it in my opinion through her subtle ending.

"Blink, Wake Up" by Mia Tijam is this weird, seemingly plotless story. We catch several snippets of our protagonist's life and culminates in an ending tethering on vagueness. This is the most challenging piece of fiction in the magazine's history but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The cover story, "The Last Stand of Aurundar" by Vin Simbulan, is this unabashed high fantasy piece. Perhaps what makes it unique is its protagonist, a sentient castle, and the way Simbulan uses the second person as the viewpoint for the narrative.

"In the Dim Plane" by Dean Francis Alfar is set in the same world as Simbulan's story but executes his story quite differently. In certain ways, it combines O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi" and Greek choruses, set in a high fantasy setting. This is easily my favorite story in the magazine upon reareading it.

Overall, I think it's best to set your expectations for Philippine Genre Stories #4. If you're looking for a sophisticated and literary read, this isn't the place to find it, although there's some experimental pieces to be found here. However, if you're looking for simple and fun stories, you'll do well with this particular issue.

Rating: 3/5.

Rating System:

1 - There are better ways to spend your time.
2 - Ho hum books, usually typical of its genre. Probably only recommendable to die-hard fans.
3 - A cut above the rest, usually with one or more elements that sets it apart from the norm.
4 - Highly recommended and is easily a pioneer of the genre.
5 - A classic or it will be.

Magazine Review: Story Philippines 2008 Vol. 1

The latest issue of Story Philippines contains six stories in English--interestingly enough four of them possibly qualifying as speculative fiction--as well as an events column in the last page. Here's a short review of the stories:

"Isabel Jimeno's Price" by Jonathan Jimena Siason starts out strong and involves the story of a whore and her client. It is reminiscent of one of Neil Gaiman's short stories--"Tastings" if I'm not mistaken--at least in concept but Siason more than makes up for it with his execution and sensual narrative.

"Sonia Makes a Baby" by Rebecca Arcega employs a minimalist narrative writing style and she uses some elements of magic-realism. The characterization of her main protagonist is the focus of the story and she pulls it off well enough. The story ends at just the right moment despite the lack of closure.

"Divergence" by Rhea Politado is a well-written story but my complaint is that it was uninteresting for me. But make no mistake, Politado pays attention to detail and her writing is solid. It's just that the slow pacing and the lack of an apparent conflict (although there is a subtle one) simply isn't to my tastes.

"Princes of the Sultanate" by Dean Francis Alfar is pretty much an unconventional story, with the actual narrative taking place in the footnotes rather than the actual body of the text. In a way, the story is a mini-epic of sorts, with romance, the falling of kingdoms, and succession wars--all in the span of a few thousand words.

"Fidela" by Erin K. Entrada gives us a compelling story that happens in the span of five fictional days. The strength of Entrada are her characters she knows how to build them up, using passages from the earlier parts of the story to build up to a satisfying end. My personal opinion is that she could have done away with the last two lines of the story but that aside, this was an outstanding read.

"My Father's Store" by R. Kwan Laurel manages to capture a specific aspect of Philippine culture and shows us the perspectives of two distinct characters. Laurel's writing style is competent enough and for some people, this might be the weakest story in the magazine (but only because the rest are that good) but I found the narrative to be quite compelling and enjoyable.

Overall, the latest issue of Story Philippines is actually quite good and all of the stories have left a distinct impression. When it comes to "literariness", the magazine lives up to that particular expectation. As far as my favorites go, it's a tie between "Princes of the Sultanate" and "Fidela", the former for sheer pleasure and style while the latter won me over with technique.

Rating: 3.5/5.

Rating System:

1 - There are better ways to spend your time.
2 - Ho hum books, usually typical of its genre. Probably only recommendable to die-hard fans.
3 - A cut above the rest, usually with one or more elements that sets it apart from the norm.
4 - Highly recommended and is easily a pioneer of the genre.
5 - A classic or it will be.

Magazine Review: Subterranean #7

It's past midnight but what am I doing up so late? Well I just finished reading Subterranean Magazine Issue #7, and it's one of those must-reads that hook you 'til your done. In many ways, short story magazines are like mini-anthologies in the sense that they're driven by the sensibilities of the editor(s). In this particular issue, Ellen Datlow takes charge and the stories featured do reflect her sensibilities (it's either that or the authors themselves adapt to the editor herself but you end up with the same product anyway). Each story not only has something fantastical but it also has something dark and foreboding as well.

First up is "Old Mr. Boudreaux" by Lisa Tuttle. Seems like a conventional realist character driven story and Tuttle slowly builds up to the end, the encounter with the enigmatic Mr. Boudreaux. Characterization and style is easily Tuttle's strength in this piece but the ending is astounding as well as the reader ponders on what's implied.

"The King of the Big Night Hours" by Rick Bowes is my least favorite story but that doesn't mean that it's not a well-crafted one. In fact, the first few pages got me hooked but it's just the style and theme that let me down. Bowes gives us his unique take on the ghost story and it's anything but typical. A part of me wished it ended differently but it was a good read nonetheless.

"Under the Bottom of the Lake" by Jeffrey Ford has great pacing and build-up. As usual, Ford enamors us with his lovely prose and characterization. This isn't Ford's best piece but it's up there in the list of highly recommended reading. I mean "The Night Whiskey" is the short story that's appearing in 2007 anthologies but I prefer this one.

"City of Night" by Joel Lane and John Pelan has this interesting concept and has an air of mystery about it. The pair don't dazzle us with flowery words unlike the other authors but they make up for it in plot and delivery. Overall a mediocre story, nothing that really stands out in either direction.

"Holiday" by M. Rickert could have passed for a realist story and I don't mean that in a bad way. The Sixth Sense I think has become a part of the modern zeitgeist and one can't help but think of that movie when reading "Holiday" but Rickert manages to make this story her own and shows to us that horror isn't always something external.

"The Jeweller of Second-Hand Roe" by Anna Tambour, upon some deliberation, is my favorite story in the magazine. With some adeptness she manages to narrate a short yet compelling story that implies more than reveals. Those who have weak stomachs might shy away from this story and while it's no Palahniuk fiction, "The Jeweller of Second-Hand Roe" is quite visceral.

"Pirates of the Somali Coast" by Terry Bisson would probably be a runner-up for my favorite story in the magazine. Behind its seemingly playfulness is a very serious story. The set-up is good and the style is a stark contrast to what's actually being narrated. Also bonus points for using pirates! In modern times!

"Vacancy" by Lucius Shepard is a novella that caught me off guard. Shepard occasionally alludes to the Philippines in some of his short stories and I thought this would be the case in this story but apparently my country plays a bigger role in this piece. Set in modern times, "Vacancy" has that down-to-earth feel that's reminiscent of Shepard's other stories. In retrospect, the title is also apt as vacancy becomes a recurring theme. Overall an enjoyable read that has that crime and horror vibe all throughout.