[Home Page][Index of Reviews][August 1998][February 2002]

Fantasy & Science Fiction Magazine
January 2002

Gordon Van Gelder writes an editorial on the events of September 11, 2001. He wonders why, in the face of what happened, should he continue to produce a magazine. He answer: to provide entertainment, and possibly understanding, for science fiction and fantasy writers strive to put themselves into the hearts and minds of what they write and this may help us to try to understand other people and help to build bridges and foster cultural understanding.

Stories featured in this issue are:

"Never Send to Know for Whom the Lettuce Wilts" by Harlan Ellison. This is a usual Ellison story which means a lot about it is unusual. A man gets an unusual fortune cookie and, driven by insatiable curiosity, goes to find out who makes it and why. The answer is unusual and hits of future terrible time for humans...or is it a future good time? It depends on your opinion on this particular world conqueror.
"The Waif" by Gene Wolfe. This story concerns a young boy who appears to have picked up a mysterious friend. Set in a future where civilization has collapsed but its revival has been interrupted by the arrival of 'Flying People', it looks at the relationship between the boy, his friend, his mother and the society they are in which is hostile to the Flying People and punish people who are believe to interact with them.
"The Star Watch" by James Stoddard. This is an unusual and fascinating story about a boy who yearns to be an Astronomer. But in this story, Astronomers can physically control the stars through knobs and switches. The boy is apprenticed with the son of the Chief Astronomer who secretly has another dream. Things reach a climax when the boy, who is intelligent but lacks wisdom, trys something that will affect their lives.
"Tachycardia" by Paul Park. This story appears to start off with the 'look at life after death' senario involving an old man but rapidly wanders into unusual territory. While suffering from a tachycardia, his heart stops and he wakes up in a countryside that appears familiar but with odd changes. But the biggest change would involve him and his dead son and wife and how he gets to reconcile them all together.
"Great Heart Rising" by Lawrence C. Connolly. An unusual and fascinating tale that starts off reading like a usual hostage situation: the hostage-taker demands a certain person to be present. But when that person turns up, things take an unexpected turn when the reason he was chosen may have to do with his parentage (half Native American) and with his dead grandfather whom he meets in 'spirit dreams'. The end result may well be a change in the surrounding environment.
"The Coming of Cyborgs" by Gregory Benford and Elisabeth Malartre looks at cyborgs, robots and various other mechanical aids or replacements that have arrived and speculates on those to come. They believe that while there may be initial resistance, they will become accepted. They also look at the rate of possible improvements and the technological hurdles to be overcome on the way to combining organic and electronic parts.
"Death in Love" by R. Garcia y Robertson. This is a fun story probably set in an alternative Earth in the past. An island is besiged by pirates but the among the inhabitants of the island are Lady Death and Eros (God of Love) which, in this world, are normal mortals but with implements like hypodermic needles, modern knowledge of medicine and healing. Lady Death learns from the pirates that they are fleeing an even bigger threat that may engulf them all. The resolution of this bigger threat would require courage, intelligent and falling in love with Death (so to speak).

[Home Page][Index of Reviews][August 1998][February 2002]

Fantasy & Science Fiction Magazine January 2002

Fantasy & Science Fiction Magazine
January 2002