Review - Realms of Fantasy (Aug issue)

Today, I review the first issue of Realms of Fantasy to follow that magazine's miraculous resurrection. RoF has been a big name in the field for over a decade, but it had been some years since I last read an issue, so I perused this one with some curiosity. One-sentence conclusion: it's a good genre magazine with some solid fiction and more of a media focus than most. Read on for more detail.
First and foremost, the fiction. Somewhat to my surprise, the issue contains only four stories, albeit delightful ones:

"Healing Benjamin" by Dennis Danvers is the definite highlight of the issue. A story of a man and his cat, it's a delightful, juicy tale of a lifetime-encompassing scope few authors dare to attempt in so few words. All about relationship and trust, and love, this one, and also about the responsibilities of power. The climax of this story is one of those outrageous scenes that work because of -- not in spite of -- how over-the-top they are. A choice quote:

I soon discovered that if you have enough money, you can take your cat anywhere, especially when you get older. People put up with things from old people, probably figuring they haven't got too long. An old man denied his desires by some heartless gatekeeper may have missed his last chance. What sort of old age might such a heartless individual expect when it comes his time to travel about pathetically with some old cat in a carrier, when the sign clearly says NO ANIMALS ALLOWED? What? An empty building? Do you think homo sapiens aren't animals? What then are they, I'd like to know! Oh yes, by the time I'm 84, I can take my cat anywhere.

Very memorable.

"Our Lady of Scarlet" by Tanith Lee is a solid, well-crafted fantasy tale set in plague times. It narrates an escalating conflict between one Adelm, a student of life, science and the mystic arts, and the eponymous lady, a powerful creature summoned by the fearful citizenry in hopes of defense against the plague. The setting is wonderfully realized, as is the rising tension of the main conflict. I didn't quite connect with this tale on an emotional level, however, and the ending left me feeling strangely flat. In fact, the resolution smacked more than a bit of Deus Ex Machina. Perhaps I missed the point?

"Digging for Paradise" by Ian Creasey is inventive above all else. A tale of time-travel, powerful magic and moral decisions, it has a good crop of wonders (which I won't spoil here). Well worth reading for the world created here, and also for the moral questions asked. Although I must say in retrospect that the answers given to those questions didn't truly satisfy me - that is, the character motivation that led to the story's resolution didn't ring true to me. But, as is often the case, it's probably more important to ask than it is to answer.

"Well and Truly Broken" by Bruce Holland Rogers. First of all, I love Rogers's work. I think his story Dinosaur should be required reading for anyone trying to write flash fiction, for instance. This story, however, I didn't understand. The events that happen -- involving three little girls' fae encounter in the woods -- seem straightforward enough, but I didn't understand the logic of the piece - not the character arc, nor even the plot arc for that matter. I could see plain as day that an arc was _meant_ to be there, but I simply didn't understand the significance of the resolution and how it fit together with the rest of the story to form that arc. I have theories, but I've little confidence in them. If you read this story and "got it", please post an explanation in the comments - but make sure to include a SPOILER alert. [EDIT: Ah, so apparently I had to know a certain cultural reference, to the ballet Giselle. To be honest, I'm annoyed. Not a big fan of stories that aren't self-contained.]

So, to recap, an entertaining selection of fiction that includes some truly memorable writing. Also, every story comes with a beautiful illustration (some of which are originals and some not). The illustration for "Healing Benjamin", like the story it goes with, definitely steals the show.

But that's only part of the magazine. The August issue also includes:

Video game reviews by Matt Staggs (Dungeons & Dragons and The Chronicles of Riddick) - well-written, although it's been years since I looked at print for any info about games. In a genre magazine, I think it might make more sense to focus on lesser-known games and bring out some gems that the reader might not otherwise learn about. (One idea: a piece on the old Quest for Glory series - the absolute best fantasy-themed games that I've ever played. And I've played a few).

A piece on the new Harry Potter film by Resa Nelson. This isn't a review, but an article that discusses various aspects of the production. Interesting if you care about the franchise and/or fantasy filmmaking.

An article on "mystic rhythms" by SatyrPhil Brucato. Alas, I couldn't get through this. A quote early on set off my NAEDA*: "The harmonies, vibrations, beats and intervals of music guide the waves of creation itself". I don't know what this piece is about; read it for yourself to find out.

(* New Age Early Detection Alarm)

A piece on the artist Michael Hague by Karen Haber. Talks about his approach to work, his favorite subjects, and other topics. Nothing very surprising here, but I enjoyed this one, not least because the article features plenty of gorgeous illustrations.

Book reviews by Paul Witcover and Matt Staggs.

As you can see from the above, RoF covers quite a lot of ground. It really is a genre magazine, not narrowly a fiction magazine. While I'd prefer more fiction per issue myself, including media reviews and other material may actually be a good approach for introducing the genre to a wider readership, so no real complaints there. It's a satisfying reading experience.

If I had to nitpick, the only complaints that I do have is that 1) the magazine came with a sticky ad packet in the middle, ripping out which tore two pages of the magazine 2) a few of the in-page book ads seem to cater to a different kind of "fantasy" (titles include 'Sexual Deceptions', 'Succubus on Top' and 'Insufficient Mating Material' - which is a really funny title though I doubt it was intended to be). I don't suppose the magazine is really aimed at kids, and I know advertising dollars are hard to come by these days, but still. . . Sexual Deceptions?

Overall, though, a good, entertaining read. Pick it up!

--

(As a side note: Yes, I know about the RoF cover brouhaha. No, I won't get into it).