Read FreeApex Magazine breaks out the big guns of SF in this issue, beginning with Theodora Goss‘ “The Puma”. “The Puma” is a continuation of The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells, in which Catherine, the puma-woman, tracks down Edward Prendick with a request. One might even say a demand. Goss’ prose is seamless, capturing a deeper meaning of the original story that hints at our own future.
“The Mind of a Pig” by Ekaterina Sedia also questions where the line is between human and animal. At the beginning of the story the main character, Joel, looks into a mirror for the first time and discovers he’s a pig. Why a pig is a point of view character proves to be a far sadder and far less of a fantasy than other animals-as-narrators tales. Sedia has spun a very fine tale twined with a touch of science fiction and a touch of Charlotte’s Web.
Last is “Head Music” by Lon Prater, a fully sensory tale of a beach, a strange creature trapped on it, and the person called to witness the strangeness the ocean still hides. A fine monster tale to round out an issue with a theme of creatures, “Head Music” helps make this issue one of the very best, and one that really shouldn’t be missed by science fiction fans.
Also Featuring:
Beast Men and the Human Animal by Sara Brandel, an essay on the first two stories in this issue and where the line between human and not lies.
The Bibliographer’s Apprentice by Lavie Tidhar, another installment of Tidhar’s strange story about his own relationship with books.
An Interview with Sara M. Harvey, author of upcoming Apex release The Convent of the Pure.
