Review: AntipodeanSF Issue 124

Firstly, the results from issue 123 of AntipodeanSF:

1. "The Luckpot" by Shaun A. Saunders
2. "Saving Time in the Sunshine State" by Glenn Davies
3. "KSDH 12" by Steve Duffy
4. "Oracle" by Daniel S S Santos
5. "Now You See Me" by Brent Lillie
6. "Fahrenheit 41" by Simon Petrie
7. "Waste Disposal" by Trost
8. "The Empty Swing" by Richard
9. "The Mage and I: You Bore Me" by Wes Parish
10. "The Reaction" by David Schembri

My vote for last month came in 5th, but what do I know? I'm only a reviewer.

For this issue we have:

50 worders

Future Tense by Ashley Hibbert

An interesting autobiographical take on being an author.

The Holiday by Melanie Rees

A funny scene with a couple (not necessarily human) trying to decide on where to go for their holidays.

Moving onto the bigger fictional offerings...

Follower of the Prophet by Sharif Oerton

A whimsical wish of all those who despise Microsoft, the beginning of the end of the conglomerate that has become the norm for so many.

A living Room by Richard Ridyard

If one ignores the typos, this is a cute little piece about misconception. Everything is revealed in the end and tended to make me smile rather than punctuate any sense of foreboding.

Home for Christmas by Gwyn Gordon (first fiction pub)

Poignant and beautifully written with a theme of be careful what you wish for. This is my vote for this months edition. I look forward to reading more of Gwyn's fiction in the future.

The Day the Sky Fell by Stuart Wilson

Worlds within worlds. A nicely told tale of apocalyptic change on a world contained inside another. We’re not told the whys and wherefores but there is a sense of place and of character that comes across in this short piece. Well done.

Make Mine a ‘327 by Shaun A Saunders

Shaun once again comes through with a nice short sci-fi, set in the past about the future. Don’t understand what I mean? Go have a read J

Stumblebum Productions by Wes Parish (another regular)

Teens in space. Amusing but a bit of a let down in the end.

The Bride by Camile Picott

I could be biased but this is gruesomely wonderful with a nice little twist on the end. Must be something about PARSEC writing contest winners.

Genesis by David Kernot (another regular)

A different way of looking at the current practices of “file sharing”

Booze by David McVeigh

Societal values—in reverse. Funny and sobering at the same time.

Fingertip by Chris Kakris

Another along the lines of be careful what you wish for although this was one line too many for my liking. Well told, fast, punchy.

In "Going Critical", Jan Napier gives a very positive review of Joe Hill’s anthology “20th Century Ghosts”, so positive in fact, I may have to venture out and give this one a once over myself.

Vide

Nuke reviews Firstborn by Arthur C Clarke and Stephen Baxter. The words “If you like hard, solid, SF…” puts me off moving forward with investigating this one. I’m much more of a soft SF fan than anything too hard and in need of engineering degree.

Ionospherics

Nuke gives us the three laws of Arthur C Clarke and an invitation to use them for inspiration for future submissions. Just for completeness the three laws are:

Clarke's first law: When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is almost certainly wrong.

Clarke's second law: The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.

Clarke's third law: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Review: AntipodeanSF Issue 123

I've posted a review of AntipodeanSF Issue 123 on HorrorScope. Enjoy.

Review: AntipodeanSF Issue 122

AntipodeanSF Issue 122 is now available online with an interesting array of short stories for your enjoyment. Among them you will find offerings from a wide range of authors, some first timers stepping into the light of publication, some who have been penning tales for some time and many in between. Sci-Fi and dark fiction are catered for and some truly original ideas from writers who think outside the box. Strangely enough, there are also offerings in here from a few friends and associates which has caused me to hold back from offering a suggested winner to the voting. Congratulations David, Mark & Felicity.

Enjoy.

Off the bat you'll find cute and fun limericks about vampires by Jan Napier under the story index. She also reviews Dancing with Werewolves by Carole Nelson Douglas in the "Going Critical" column.

Then we move into the stories.

Firstly 50 worders from Mark McAuliffe & David Kernot. Both very amusing snippet's.

Continuing past the brief interlude of the 50 worders, we find a vast array of flash offerings. Don't forget to vote for your favorite. (I haven't linked to each story as you're better off starting at the story index and working your way through them using the handy "next story" link at the bottom of the page.)

Batting An Eye by Lucy Cohen Schmeidler

An interesting tale of a group of researchers who have gotten their hands on Alan. Alan dreams of transforming into a bat. The dream sequence is very nicely done with plenty of descriptive visuals.

I’m Too Loud by Laura Goodin

Fancy having a partner who is an alien and can hear your thoughts? Not sure I’d be as calm about it as Laura is.

The Long Green Goodbye by David Such

If you’re a private eye hired to investigate a cheating multi-sexual alien partner, be very careful of alluring blonds who may have other agendas. A strangely amusing tale.

Distant Fields by Stephen L. Thompson

A cute little tale of a kid enjoying himself with “online” VR games as his family zoom through the universe. I guess it doesn’t matter when the time is or where the place, a kid must have play-mates to help fill in the time before they go stir crazy.

The Ultimate Weapon by Shaun A. Saunders

What happens when the authorities, the governing bodies, have choked the life out of the population; has turned them into the submissive unthinking drones they originally wanted? Result = panic.

Why do drones require people above them to tell them what to do and what to think; when they don’t think, and they will do what they’ve always been told to do? They don’t. Result = more panic.

Peer Pressure by Mark Smith-Briggs

A vignette of dark proportions. A wonderful exposé on how peers can be a destructive influence on each other.

Windows To The Soul by Felicity Dowker

An enjoyable teasing out of a known phenomenon to become an all encompassing religious ideal that strikes terror into the hearts of those unfortunate enough to be targeted. With everyone at risk, it’s a scary thought that even the hunter could be next.

The Genocidal Villain of Mars by Shaune Lafferty Webb

The wrongly accused killer of the last native species on Mars tells his side of the story. Conglomerate cover-ups, bribes, and intrigue. Seems nothing changes in the future.

I Know by Emma Goninon

Ever wondered what it was like from the werewolf’s point of view. According to Emma, it’s very confusing but easily fixed.

Fate of Rulers by Nicole R. Murphy

Anyone or anything can rule the world, it all depends on your point of view. Of course if you only have a limited understanding of your surroundings and a very small stature then that point of view is likely to be challenged as soon as someone or something bigger than you comes along, as is very aptly pointed out in Nicole’s little tale.

Dinner Party Conversation by S.A. Harris

An interesting take on what the creator thinks of the diversification of humankind and the beliefs they hold. If nothing else, the dinner party depicted would be an interesting one to attend, at least until the big guy showed up and wrecked everyone’s evening. I’m guessing they shouldn’t have eaten the fish.

To finish off: Nuke has posted a note to request authors no longer send multiple submissions into AntipodeanSF. He's managed to fill the publishing schedule for the remainder of this year due to the amount of brilliant efforts he's receiving and so has implemented a fairness policy in an effort to have a wider range of authors represented in the future. Please respect this new rule. One submission at a time. Nuke has also posted a review of "The Red Wolf Conspiracy" by Robert V.S. Redick in the feature section.

Another great issue of the culturally significant publication.