Aurealis “The Last Day” by Rodney Smith
“Tipping Points” by Kai Holmwood
“Dreams in Ink” by Erin L Swann
Reviewed by Mike Bickerdike
“The Last Day” by Rodney Smith presents a rather obscure picture, in which the nature of the world in which the story is set remains unclear throughout. The people of the story exist in some form of construction, winding gears to provide the ‘word’ for the ‘angels’ who are their masters. Whether this is dystopian SF or fantasy isn’t entirely clear, and whether the angels are aliens, robots or a fantasy concept is not readily apparent. Moreover, we don’t know what the people actually achieve with their work, or why, whether they are happy with it, how they got there, or who to root for. One individual leaves their post and ultimately climbs the apparatus, or tower, to escape. Some of the imagery could have been quite engaging, but with so much being unclear the tale fails to deliver a very satisfying reading experience.
“Tipping Points” by Kai Holmwood depicts a future that has followed a serious climate crisis, wherein humankind has now reached a new understanding of sustainability. The author takes the opportunity to suggest that, while past generations are often vilified as being culpable for climate change, these past generations perhaps did the best they could with the limited information they had. The idea is quite forgiving and generous but seems overly simplistic. Moreover, the story in which this idea is set is rather hard to credit. Two girls playing an online game unwittingly cause a global climate warning system to act in error. The error seems highly improbable and doesn’t really provide for a strong short story.
“Dreams in Ink” by Erin L Swann is the most successful short story in this issue of the magazine. A modern-day witch exerts magic through her painting, using important materials from her clients. She is approached by a man who had his terminal cancer removed by a less careful witch, as he needs the adverse effects of the previous spell removed to make him whole. The fantasy idea is conveyed well and there is some depth to the motivations and outcomes described. The author seems to question where the responsibility lies when those in need seek help.
More of Mike Bickerdike’s reviews and thoughts on science-fiction can be found at https://starfarersf.nicepage.io/