On Spec #129, Fall 2024
“Saving Week” by Julie E. Czerneda
“Giant of the Stars” by Alex Langer
“Rubberized” by Kristal Stittle
“The Butterfly Effect” by Catherine MacLeod
“Freezer Burn” by Cat Isidore
“You Ain’t Supposed to Die on a Saturday Night” by Jonathan Gensler
“The Blood Webs” by Fiona Moore
“Bargains” by Rachel Unger
“Before Her Eyes” by R. Haven
“Legio XVII Inquieta” by Marie Brennan
“Atalanta Runs” by Colleen Anderson
Reviewed by Mina
This issue is mostly a mix of fantasy, horror and mythology, with the odd lighter tale. The reviewer preferred the lighter tales but other readers may disagree.
“Saving Week” by Julie E. Czerneda is full of dry wit. The narrator is a wizard under a curse. The fun comes in how they manage to subvert the curse to their own ends and take their revenge on the wizard that cursed them.
“Giant of the Stars” by Alex Langer takes the Old Testament story of David and Goliath and turns it on its head. In it, the kings of old were no heroes; Joshua killed the giants and stole their land. The last giant’s, Goliath’s, real name is Eliat and he is kept prisoner and used as a weapon. A young David befriends Eliat , thirsty for his magical tales, and shows him real compassion. It’s a case of the reader knowing the ending but following a different path to reach it.
“Rubberized” by Kristal Stittle is set in a post-apocalyptic world. It’s a snapshot of life in such a world as a mother and son go scavenging, wearing rubber masks. A simple but touching tale.
“The Butterfly Effect” by Catherine MacLeod is a horror story and Greek tragedy all wrapped in one. It begins with a group of friends getting ready to leave their small town behind, each with a hidden talent. Then a goddess comes visiting and chrysalis takes on a whole new meaning.
In “Freezer Burn” by Cat Isidore, Andy is out walking her dog on a cold night. She meets Izzy who waxes lyrical about the cold and people getting lost in blizzards. Will she make it home alive? Parallels are also drawn to the cooling of a relationship.
“You Ain’t Supposed to Die on a Saturday Night” by Jonathan Gensler looks at the power of music. The singer of a rock band realises that singing a particular song always comes with deadly consequences. Having lost everyone he cared about, he decides to wield the song as his vengeance. Is the evil in the song or the singer?
“The Blood Webs” by Fiona Moore seems to be a horror story at the beginning. Liv’s father seems to be caught in a spider web in the attic, bleeding on the floor. The story takes on more psychological complexity as we see how a stranger’s kindness and the power of self-expression through drawing can help with letting go of painful losses. In the end, we choose whether to embrace or let go of pain.
“Bargains” by Rachel Unger is an unexpected gem. Rebecca has to keep an underfunded nursing home running during ice storms. She makes a bargain with a faery who reminds her to be specific in her requests. It’s a tale about loneliness, quiet courage, strength and pulling together; about how the residents still have something left to give. The end is the best kind—it leaves you smiling and slightly teary.
“Before Her Eyes” by R. Haven is fun. Widow has built an android body to house part of her sentient ship’s, Vai’s, consciousness. The last stage is to obtain illegal software so Vai can transfer over to the body. It’s like a well-oiled B movie, with Vai taking on the role of rescuer for its hapless human.
In “Legio XVII Inquieta” by Marie Brennan, a team of archaeologists led by Annike find an “aquila,” the eagle standard of a betrayed and lost Roman legion. Annike becomes obsessed with bringing peace to the unquiet dead. For those who’ve read and enjoyed Rosemary Sutcliffe’s Eagle of the Ninth as children.
“Atalanta Runs” by Colleen Anderson is another horror story blended with mythology. Georgia is running from the monster that held her captive, brutalised and experimented on her for seven years. To survive, the hunted must become the hunter.