Reactor, October 2024
“Parthenogenesis” by Stephen Graham Jones
“Everybody Is in the Place” by Emma J. Gibbon
“Bright Hearts” by Kaaron Warren
“Halcyon Afternoon” by Michael Swanwick
“Dragons of Paris” by Michael Swanwick
“The V*mpire” by P H Lee
Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf
Appropriate to the season, this issue is dominated by horror fiction, with a pair of linked tales of historical fantasy to cleanse the palate.
In “Parthenogenesis” by Stephen Graham Jones, a pair of friends, killing time while waiting for their rented moving van to be repaired, playfully make up a story about a strange wooden statue outside a motel. When the van breaks down again, weird things happen.
Although I have tried to be vague about the way the story develops, it’s easy to predict that the improvised tale the pair creates is going to have an effect on reality. The likable characters are more enjoyable than the predictable plot.
“Everybody Is in the Place” by Emma J. Gibbon takes place at a carnival. The main characters, stoned on LSD, enter a labyrinth full of mirrors, leading to a gruesome climax.
This overly simplified synopsis fails to capture the author’s intense, vivid style. The fact that the viewpoint character not only uses hallucinogenic drugs, but also has other unreal visions, makes it impossible to determine what is really happening and what is illusory.
The text frequently describes visions of a map of a lower-class neighborhood as a maze. This is apparently meant as an analogy with the labyrinth, but the allegory is unclear. Readers familiar with a certain ancient myth may be able to predict part of what happens.
The narrator of “Bright Hearts” by Kaaron Warren works at a flower store. She purchases unusual blossoms from an elderly woman, selling them from the store at a profit for herself instead of her employer. She discovers the disturbing source of the strange flowers, but continues to make use of them for her own gain.
As can be seen, the narrator is an unsympathetic character, even though she has suffered a miscarriage and her lover is in a coma. She cheats her employer and later does something truly evil. Perhaps the intent is to suggest the corrupting power of the flowers, given their horrific origin. If so, this is not entirely clear, and the reader is likely to simply dismiss her as an unpleasant person.
“Halcyon Afternoon” and “Dragons of Paris” by Michael Swanwick are two stories, both featuring the same main character, set in a fantasy version of Europe in the early twentieth century. There have been several other tales in the series prior to these, so readers new to them may need to make an extra effort to understand the background. From context, one can tell that a major war, somewhat similar to the First World War, is raging between European allies and the supernatural forces of a figure known as the Mongolian Wizard.
“Halcyon Afternoon” is a respite from battle. The protagonist is drawn into various dream worlds by a succubus. Her intent seems to be to seduce him into revealing vital secrets, but the truth is somewhat different. This is little more than a bagatelle, a light appetizer before the main course.
“Dragons of Paris” takes the reader to the battlefield. The protagonist and a man who can foresee the future, although he is rarely believed, witness what appears to be a crushing defeat for the allies. An extraordinary turn of events changes the situation drastically. The description of warfare between supernatural creatures and technology is vivid, but the story’s major plot twist comes as a deus ex machina, even if there are slight hints of it early in the text.
“The V*mpire” by P H Lee takes place in 2012. A teenage boy who uses a female identity on social media is accused of being prejudiced against vampires if he/she does not invite one into his/her home. The bloodsucker takes advantage of the situation.
The main narrative alternates with brief sections of text that resemble dark fairy tales. These seem intended to cast light upon the themes of the story, but they remain obscure.
The danger of predators making use of social media to abuse their victims is clear, and is made even more explicit by the author’s introductory note. On the other hand, I’m not sure what the story is saying about gender identity. Readers more familiar with social media in 2012 than I am will be better able to understand why this story could not take place nowadays. As far as I know, abuse of social media still exists.
Victoria Silverwolf knows very little about social media.