KZine Issue 17: Review of January 2017 Issue

The January 2017 (Issue 17) issue of KZine, a science-fiction, fantasy, crime and horror magazine for the Kindle, seems to lean a little towards the horror side of its brief. From Scottish myths to supernatural sex, from human greed to human desire, this is one of the magazine’s best collections, and it really does save the very best till last with Kristin Janz’s horrific story.

“Beyond Baltic” by Brian M Milton

Twelve-year-old Brian was still the new boy in the small Scottish town, a town that contained the Dagon Stone, not much to look at but what did that matter? Then one cold, bitter day, Brian met Jack, who tried to tempt him into the stone. A quirky tale that has the feel of British folklore. A little bit scary, as it should be.

“Elizabeth Loved the Rain” by Jackie Neel

Elizabeth has sex with a supernatural being that appears during heavy rain. Her daughter is worried about Elizabeth’s mood swings. The two are, of course, related. Elizabeth has never seen her mysterious lover; she has to wear a blindfold. But one day he takes it off. A horror tale with an extra ending just when you thought it was all over.

“Flesh” by Gary J Hurtubise

Robert is waiting to die, along with the others in the waiting room, the waiting room on a space station where they must all choose a new body. Not unexpectedly, not everything is as it seems and Robert soon becomes suspicious. This is a good mix of SF and mystery, with some corporate politics thrown in.

“The Rainbow” by Kenneth O’Brien

Jean is plotting to rob an old lady, the last resident in a block of flats scheduled for demolition. But could she really go through with it? The decision will change her life. A sweet fantasy of love and conscience.

“The Winning Team” by Craig McEwan

So many twists in such a short tail. Torture, sexual games, occupation, resistance, betrayal, multiple betrayal. And yet beautifully straightforward. This was his first published work; hopefully there will be more.

“Disaster Adjuster” by Peter DiChellis

Insurance man Jonathan heads to a Florida town that has been wrecked by a fierce storm. His job is to make payouts as small as possible. Then he finds the drugs and the crooked cop finds him. Two people, neither very nice, each with their own motivation, and thus their story is more than a bit dark.

“The Price of Healing” by Kristin Janz

Meka leads a small expedition to the city to negotiate the return of a girl kidnapped from her village. She hopes that as her brother is one of the senior magicians she will get a fair hearing. But this was not the brother she once knew; he looked the same but his behaviour, his craft, was something horrific. A delicious tale of nastiness to end the collection, and one that has me curious about the dynamics of this world.

Also in Issue 17

The issue ends with the usual author biographies. The magazine was edited by Graeme Hurry and the striking cover art was by Dave Windett.