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Fantasy & Science Fiction Magazine
July 1997

Stories featured in this issue are:

"Universal Emulators" by Tom Cool. An interesting story based on the usual SF theme of a person surgically altered to take your part in certain roles (like in Heinlein's Double Star). What makes this story fascinating is that when you think you've figured out who is acting as a double for whom, things change. This is a good story.
"Her House in Order" by Mary Kittredge. A disturbing story about a family who move into a house whose former inhabitants where hacked to death. The mother starts to see strange visions of falling body parts. I found the ending ambiguous and unsatisfying.
"Afterimage" by Mary Rosenblum. Once again, Rosenblum shows she can write stories that pull at your emotions. This one is of an apparently dead man who, as in most stories of this type, feels he has a role to play in bringing his former friends together again. But there is another force who wants to use him for its own purpose.
"Variables" by Jack McDevitt. A 'cute' little story about a crook who finds an unusual escape route but finds out that some things may never change.
"Saints and Martyrs" by Nancy Etchemendy. A nice story about a woman to loves her cats and husband, in that order, until the day he dies. She is devastated until a replacement comes along. The ending is unusual and shows that you can't love somebody too much.
"Exodus" by Dale Bailey. Set in a world of the future where the old outnumber the young, an old lady finds out the real cost of living in luxurious retirement.
"The Funeral March of the Marionettes" by Adam-Troy Castro. A wonderful story about the alien Marionettes and what happens when a human attempts to take part in an unusual Marionette dance. The after effects are devastating. The ending is truthful, with the author not pulling out a 'deus ex-machine' to alter it. The characterisation of the Marionettes is out-worldly and fascinating.

[Home Page][Index of Reviews][June 1997][August 1997]

Fantasy & Science Fiction Magazine July 1997

Fantasy & Science Fiction Magazine
July 1997