Auction; Realms of Fantasy

[cathschaffstump]

First up today, for a good cause!

That's what Jim Hines does. He advocates, and he auctions arcs. And you know you want it.

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I had the good fortune to receive a copy of the August, 2009 Realms of Fantasy, also known as the resurrection issue. Some of you may have noted the kerfluffle in the field when Realms was canceled. Internet outcry was so loud that Warren Lapine of Tir Na Nog Press jumped in to save the day.

The August issue is solid. Inside its covers, you'll find reviews of games, movies, and books. There's an article by SatyrPhil Brucato called Folkroots, which analyzes music and rhythm in the manner of an academic. Michael Hague is featured in a gallery overview authored by Karen Huber. Some of Hague's fairy tale interpretations capture the essence of the tale while modernizing it. I find his photo of the Owl and the Pussycat one that keeps pulling me in.

A large component of Realms is devoted to fiction, and Realms continues to deliver memorable, technically brilliant stories. Tanith Lee's Our Lady of Scarlet is a lyrical story that pulls us in with rhythmic words and poetic phrases, a macabre tale of death that conjures Poe. Ian Creasey frontlines the moral dilemma in Digging for Paradise, with an obvious and charismatic Machiavellian upfront, and a less-than-certain narrator unsure of his intentions and how to deal with them. The psychology is real. Bruce Holland Rogers Well and Truly Broken paints the woods in vibrant colors.

For me, the story that stands out in the collection is Healing Benjamin by Dennis Danvers. Danvers focuses on ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. The narrator resurrects his cat Ben accidentally when he is a teenager. The story focuses on Ben's longevity, and the narrator's power in juxtaposition to his love for a woman. It is a personable story with pop culture references that flavor, but do not overwhelm, and the emotions between narrator, love interest, and cat are genuine. It was easy to fall into this story.

Overall, I would say that Realms of Fantasy has returned, and is as strong as ever. I look forward to future issues and excellent stories.

Catherine

Mirrored from Writer Tamago.