Wrap Around Cover by: Michaela EavesI found this cover both mysterious and inviting and it appears to illustrate, at least in part, All That Glitters, by William Mingin. The artist achieves a chiaroscuro effect that brings a lightness to the dark background colors. I also liked that the woman depicted was a bit untidy and not obviously sexualized. There is a nice sense of story to the piece so I give this a good thumbs up!!!
Bare Bones by: Patrick Swenson Swenson does a good job of personalizing his experience and how busy the last few months have been. What he didn't share included working through some bouts of crud that I'm sure didn't help with his deadlines. Re the editing of this issue, I did notice one possible typo and one actual typo (extra letter) but beyond that the tighter leading only added a bit of squash, it didn't stop me from reading the issue through.
Floaters by: jimvanpelt (James Van Pelt) I wanted to like this story more than I did. The beginning muddled a bit rather than offering a clear picture of either the protagonist or the situation. Because of this I didn't have enough of the man to invest or care about and as the story moved forward his problem never felt particularly important. I also didn't discover anything in the secondary characters to inspire my enthusiasm. I did like his use of the floaters and I think the broader concept of the story is intriguing.
Panspermia's Proof by: A.K. Sykora (Understanding that my opinion of poetry is, at best, immature.) I had some trouble attaching the first stanza to the remaining three. I did feel the last three stanzas related to each other even if what they had to say was a bit cliche.
To Be With Amy by: William F. Nolan This is a barren woman story married to hypnagogic-styled aliens. The story does tend to cling to a dated perspective on the roles of women in society and to provide a subtle commentary on the relationships women form with their children that may exclude consideration for spouses or others in their lives. This potentially becomes an alienation of affection story. Nothing of particular substance is offered beyond a sketchy profile for why the story progresses as it does. To me it felt thin and quickly considered, leaving the core of the story untouched.
Illustration by: Ben Baldwin I particularly like creepy alienesque images like the one featured here. Cudos!!!
What We Love by: Mark Rich In this cruel tale of love betrayed a man and his wife torture each other through passive aggressive machinations that are ruthlessly self centered, having minimal regard for their joint creations, enormous dragon-like creatures who swallow clouds in order to...ooops, spoiler - I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the bits with the creatures, nearly as much as I found the human story trite and forgettable.
Illustration by: Brad Foster A very cool illustration that does a good job illustrating the story by Mark Rich. I particularly loved the machine-like parts.
The Serpent Who Sleeps Beneath The Shards by: M.K Hobsonmkhobson Perhaps my favorite story of the issue, I enjoyed the polarity between the first culture and the second and that the story plays out with a real cost to the protagonist. I did have a sense that the world of this story is more fully realized than might appear in just a single short story and perhaps a larger work is in the mind of the author. I was tripped up by some of the celestial references but I was quite intrigued by the serpent parts. A thumbs up!
Illustration by: Tom Simonton I found this illustration a bit vague and impersonal considering the story it is illustrating. It wasn't my favorite.
Mythic Professions by: F.J. Bergmann A fluffy twist, this poem did make me grin and I was hoping the unicorn graphic might pierce a bit deeper.
Firelight by: Eric Del Carlo The idea behind this story was quite excellent even though I felt it never quite rose to its potential. In some ways I felt the idea topped the execution of the story. Still, it gets my thumbs up.
Illustration by: Eric M. Turnmire Although this image is well illustrated it didn't quite convey the subject of the story for me. Close, but no cigar.
The Corsair and the Lady by: Edd Vick eddvick Another excellent story that offers a glimpse behind foreign walls and into another time. I appreciated that the layers of the story are revealed bit by bit and that this progression is later revealed to be an important clue to the essential core of the story. I will look forward to reading more of this author in the future. Thumbs UP!
Illustration by: Keith Boulger A pretty face and the distant shadow of a sailboat on a nearly still ocean. There is nothing wrong with this illustration except that it doesn't have any of the magic of the story. White hair just isn't enough.
A Road Like This At Night by: Lon Prater Sometimes a story needs to be told. This is one of those stories that 'feels' like it needed to make it to the page. I'm pleased that it didn't turn in directions it could have and stayed true to its vision throughout. If I have a criticism it is to say that the story didn't end up being big enough or strong enough to really deliver at the end. It could rise higher still. Even so, I enjoyed how far it did rise and my criticism is small. Thumbs UP!!!
Illustration by: Laura Givens This drawing is on point in every detail. The man looks like what I thought he should, right down to Tweety. I particularly like that the image is taken from a downward angle and that the man is looking up. Thumbs up!
Lady Amigdalla and the Prince by: Anne Sheldon I like this poem although I don't know why. I did feel the background image was several hundred years out of date. Small thumbs up!
Persephone Eats Winter by: Julie McGalliard I wanted to like this story more than I did. It seemed to trod familiar ground and trot out well-worn characters. It never seemed to venture into the bigger questions about the gods, their realms and their relationships. In the end, why should we care? Illustration by: Dora Wayland That is the biggest fruit I've ever seen however the statue in front clung to gravestone motif making me think the fruit was going to roll down and crush the statue at any minute. Not my favorite.
Hosannas by: G.O. Clark This is probably a good poem because it zipped right past me and left a con-trail whiff of 'probably good' - so that's my position. I also liked the old-school microphone image. Cool!
A Turquoise Morning by: Rebecca Tester Sometimes I just don't get it. This is a story that centers on murder...I think...but it never had that feel of centering on death. The dramatic tension was missing in action. I also struggled with character names, a few too many mushrooms and a lack of clarity on what was happening, why and why I should care. In the end, I didn't really care.
Illustration by: Dora Wayland This didn't work well for me. I kept feeling I was underwater in the image yet the male figure is certainly more mundane. This left me confused.
Past Loves by: Jennifer Crow jennifer_crow Oh, oh, oh - I LIKED this one. Pointed and sharp it jabs oh so nicely in all the tender spots. Thumbs UP!!!
All That Glitters by: William Mingin For me a story needs to rise and take flight. This story has the necessary ingredients but just when it starts to rise it is pulled back by telling and prostheletyzing which mire it in the opinion of the protagonist and alienates the reader. I wanted to understand and feel this story more so for me it isn't quite done. Illustration by: Tom Simonton This illustration has a feeling of an LSD trip - in the 80s. It feels dated and doesn't seem to match the essence of the story.
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mallory_blog) wrote,
busy
