The November edition of Apex Magazine (again, which is a completely free webzine) starts with William T. Vandemark’s “A Splash of Color”. A teched out tribute to art it speaks of both the potential and the danger when every bit of us can become artistic medium. Stories of body parts and fluids used in paintings are easy to find in the horror genre, but none are like this one and can barely dream of ever being so.
In “The New Breed” Michael A. Burstein tackles reproductive rights in a world where our planet has been conquered and is run by aliens. While more could have been done with the climax and end, matching it to the layered depths set up at the opening of the story, Burstein expertly captures the difficulty of decision making when none of the options are good.
“Take Your Daughters to Work” by Livia Llewellyn brings a sinister Elder Gods feel to a world that’s part science fiction and part throwback to an era of steam and industry. Sadie approaches the tradition of going to work with her father with pride and bit of worry. He’s the boss after all, and she needs to be worthy of him. Llewellyn pushes the twisted feel readers get while Sadie observes the city and her father’s work all the way to the end without relenting or depending on a twist ending.
“Behold: Skowt!” by Jason Heller is a crude and beautiful tale of the streets in the future world where the have-nots are as proportionately worse off as the haves are better, compared to our world. Skowt is the hard as stone alter ego of a boy living on the streets who aspires to only one thing, one glorious act which will make the world finally notice him. It’s raw, in an intense, effective way reminiscent of S.P. Somtow’s harsh urban fiction.
“The Moribund Room” by Carol Lanham first appeared in History is Dead, a wonderful anthology of historical zombie tales. The dark love story, heavy on the morbid, holds up to multiple readings and the prose still holds magic after all is illuminated.
It should also be pointed out that Apex Magazine is more than just fiction. Each issue also features columns, interviews and essays both genre-clectic and general literacy-based.
Oh, I think you liked all five! Thx for the review.
Thanks for the kind words about “Behold: Skowt!”
You’re welcome Jason H. and Jason S., yes, I particularly enjoyed Apex this month.
Yup, me & Cthulhu: forever doomed to be listed as “Other.”
Lovely review, Miss Lee.
Who would dare try to classify you?
And thank you.
Thanks for reading The Moribund Room. I’m grateful to be mentioned in such good company!
As always, thank you very much for the review!