The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities edited by Ann and Jeff Vandermeer
reviewed by Nathan Brazil
Presented as a series of recollections and reports, this sumptuous collection features contributions from popular
artists and best-selling fantasy authors. It's a diverse and quirky entertainment, loosely connected by
the late Thackery T. Lambshead, whose fabled Cabinet of Curiosities purportedly held a vast collection of rare
and strange objects, around which each story is based.
Rarely will you come across a collection that rattles and rambles along in such a fantastical, often meticulous,
yet always engaging fashion.
Dead Red Heart by edited by Russell B. Farr
reviewed by Mario Guslandi
As sick as Mario is of reading fiction about vampires, he couldn't miss the opportunity to get a copy of an
Australian anthology whose contributors were (with the notable exception of Angela Slatter) completely unknown to him.
His hope was to get a refreshing view of an old and overused topic by a bunch of writers not belonging to the
circle of the usual suspects from the USA or the UK. In a way, his desire has been fulfilled.
Circle Tide by Rebecca K. Rowe
reviewed by Greg L. Johnson
This novel follows in the footsteps of her first novel, Forbidden Cargo,
moving the action from Mars to an Earth that has already been affected by the developments recounted in the first
book. That includes MAM, a technology that gives anyone endowed with its abilities access to the entire library
of human knowledge, and the spread of a mysterious fungus that is threatening the habitability of buildings
across the landscape of Los Angeles.
Enter Rika Grant, a data thief charged with investigating one of the first buildings where the fungus has taken
over.
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, July/August 2011
reviewed by Sandra Scholes
In this issue of the magazine, there is a neat mix of fantasy and science
fiction stories, plus novellas for those who like to
read something more substantial. "Books to Look For," by Charles de Lint starts off with his review of a debut
novel by Lish McBride; Hold Me Closer, Necromancer. It's a funny and endearing story that has readers
interested in the characters before the story really gets going. That is the true mark of the writer, and
it is understandable why Lish has the power to make SF readers laugh, as writing humour is one of the
hardest things to make believable.
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, May/June 2011
reviewed by Sandra Scholes
It's a mixed bag in this month's issue of Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction for May/June. From photographers
and scientists to natural disasters, there is plenty to choose from as far as unusual stories are concerned,
and in-between all that, there are the other things of interest, namely articles and book reviews.
Bull Spec: A Magazine of Speculative Fiction #6
reviewed by Sandra Scholes
This issue has all the features the reader needs to get
into during the weekend when they are ready to let their hair down. Mur Lafferty reviews "The Wolf Tree,"
by John Claude Bemis, with an interview conducted by Don Campbell with the author and, at five pages, it
is very in depth and gives enough of an idea to readers of what kind of writer he is. There are a good
number of short stories, some shorter than others, and yet have very powerful endings.
The Magazine of Speculative Poetry Volume 9.1
reviewed by Sandra Scholes
From the front cover, readers will think that the poets inside this small sized digest think outside the box,
and they would be right. These poems are all based on the imaginings of poets who have in them an interest
in science fiction whether it is about spaceships, far off galaxies or robots.
In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker
an audiobook review by Julie Moncton
It is the 24th century and technology has continued to advance by leaps and bounds. In fact, one very innovative
organization, Dr. Zeus Incorporated, also known as "The Company," has discovered the secrets to both immortality
and time travel. The mission statement of The Company is to use these inventions to improve the lot of human
kind... while making a healthy profit, of course. As always, time travel comes with restrictions.
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Dead of Veridon by Tim Akers
reviewed by Rich Horton
This novel opens with Jacob Burn taking an assignment to make a delivery to the zombie-like riverdwelling
Fehn. Things quickly -- and predictably -- go pear-shaped, as the delivery seems to precipitate a change
in the Fehn, who suddenly begin to invade Veridon in great numbers. Jacob and his "spider" friend Wilson
are on the run. The mystery involves a man named Ezekiel Crane, and the ancient people who may have built Veridon,
as well as Jacob's dying father and general uproar among the rulers of the city, include Jacob's old
enemy, the half-machine woman Angela Tomb.
Fall into Time by Douglas Lain
reviewed by Trent Walters
The first of four stories, "The Last Apollo Mission on the
Moon" is about a young writer, Paula Austin, who thought she was headed for great things, but her career never
panned out. Years after a long dry spell, Stanley Kubrick visits her in her job at a bookstore and recruits her
to write a script about the moon for him -- a script to be shot on the Twin Towers. Strangely enough, two of
Kubrick's henchmen are sent to corral Austin into delivering are Nicolas Cage and Scarlett Johansson although they never
present themselves as a true menace.
A Conversation With Douglas Lain
An interview with Trent Walters
On focus or goal of your writing:
"My goal as I set out was to be a writer and that was all. It was only through the pursuit of this practice that
any other goal formulated itself, and that goal is constantly morphing. Lately I've actually been more interested
in developing a consistent aesthetic or artistic stance beyond a vague surrealism."
Nexus Graphica
a column by Rick Klaw and Mark London Williams
It's that time of year again, folks, which is to say, the part of the year where there's little time left on the
calendar. That means -- well, it means that next time Mark London Williams and Rick Klaw do this, it'll be on cusp of all the Mayan tumult of
2012! But it also means that it's time for their annual "that was the year that was" best-of round-up.
Mark's caveat, of course, is there's no pretense that these are, somehow, the objective "best" graphic novels of
the year, to the exclusion of others. They are, simply, the things that Rick and Mark have read, and written
about here, that affected them most deeply, or stayed with them in some way.
Watching the Future
a column by Derek Johnson
A couple of years ago Derek caught the movie Taken at the discount cinema outside of Austin. He paid $1.50 to watch ex-CIA
officer Liam Neeson rescue his daughter from white slave traffickers and he can honestly say he got his money's worth,
but no more, because he never completely engaged with the material. Part of it was due to the standard movie thriller
ridiculousness but more of it had to do with its betrayal of how the best thrillers should work, a point driven home to Derek after
catching a recent performance of John Frankenheimer's classic shocker Seconds.
New Arrivals
compiled by Neil Walsh
Newest arrivals in the SF Site office include forthcoming titles from Glen Cook, Lucius Shepard, the latest from L.E. Modesitt, Jr., a new series edited by Mike Resnick with the first book featuring authors Kevin J. Anderson and Steven Savile, plus plenty more.
The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
reviewed by Katherine Petersen
Most characters that populate young adult fantasy novels are beautiful, strong, secure and/or smart. Princess
Lucero-Elisa possesses none of these traits or at least doesn't think she does. Elisa is fat,
insecure and pales in comparison to her older sister when it comes to playing political games and socializing
with strangers. So, she's terrified when she is to secretly marry Alejandro, the leader of a neighboring kingdom
in the midst of its turmoil.
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