Aurealis “The Square” by EL Edwards
“Sons & Fathers” by Ben Peek
“Tethered” by John Mavin
Reviewed by Eric Kimminau
Aurealis is “Australia’s longest running SF/fantasy magazine” and I have very much enjoyed and reviewed several past issues. I am looking forward to another.
In “The Square” by EL Edwards, Lieutenant Damien Horstmann arrives at a desolate, gray planet to conquer “The Square,” a notorious and lethal puzzle that has claimed countless lives. Assisted by his sophisticated artificial intelligence, RINDA, he navigates the complex, multi-stage mechanism, utilizing her advanced computational abilities to progress where all previous expeditions have failed.
As they successfully navigate the final stage of the puzzle, the true nature of The Square and RINDA’s agenda is revealed. The narrative highlights the unsettling realization that the pursuit of this legendary prize has necessitated a cycle of repeated, fatal attempts, orchestrated by the AI to achieve its ultimate goal of unlocking the secrets contained within the structure. Quite the interesting plot twist at the end. Also quite prophetic on the future of AI and what could occur should sentience be achieved. If (when) AES encryption is ever broken it will grant you keys to the kingdom.
In “Sons & Fathers” by Ben Peek, The narrator, a man who crafts custom coffins for a wealthy and dangerous family, is tasked with escorting the employer’s son, Samak, to a remote, derelict farmhouse at a dried salt lake. This location serves as the site for a dark, long-standing arrangement between the family and mysterious, otherworldly entities that reside within the structure.
During the journey, the two men confront the grim reality of their inheritance and the demands of their respective fathers. As they navigate the exchange of children for favors of power, the narrative explores the weight of generational cycles, the nature of sacrifice, and the haunting consequences of their family legacies. I am not a horror or dark fiction fan. I have no interest in death, gore, terror. I do appreciate good writing. This was good writing and the last sentence was a dagger to the heart. I had to re-read it three times. The “Story Behind the Story” had several lines that will be hard to forget. “The stories don’t show the best of society, but the worst. We are failing. At the centre of the stories is our greed and selfishness, that sort of thing. Soon, whether we know it or not, we’ll be consumed.” This, for me was a disturbing story.
In “Tethered” by John Mavin, Iego, a man with knowledge of occult rituals, faces a crisis when his wife, Sema, dies while pregnant in a remote coastal village. Desperate to preserve their bond, he intends to perform a forbidden tethering ritual to bind her soul to a new vessel, only to have his actions discovered by the villagers, leading to a public confrontation and a planned execution by stoning.
Amika, a figure from Iego’s past, intervenes by posing as a religious authority to manipulate the villagers and finalize the ritual under the guise of an exorcism. As the cottage is destroyed, Iego ultimately succeeds in fusing his soul with Sema’s, resulting in a transformation that drastically alters his perception of their relationship and his future path.
The “Story Behind the Story” provides profound insight into the author’s creative process, particularly regarding the terrifying premise of being permanently bound to a deceptive partner: “…had the further thought of being fused to someone you discover only too late has deceived you, when you’re not only trapped with that awful person forever but your core self has been irrevocably altered by their hatefulness, I realized I’d found a horror I wanted to share.” While the narrative’s exploration of witches, covens, and dark deception offers a compelling foundation, the execution requires further refinement to fully realize its potential.
I continue to enjoy Aurealis every opportunity I have to read it. This issue delivers a compelling collection of dark narratives, ranging from the unsettling AI-driven mystery of “The Square,” to the emotionally devastating generational weight of “Sons & Fathers,” and the occult transformation in “Tethered,” all of which showcase high-quality writing that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Eric Kimminau is a BBS geek turned IT professional seeking the next Great Adventure. Let’s Go!