KZine Issue 18: Review of May 2017 Issue

One story really stands out in the May 2017 (Issue 18) issue of KZine, a science-fiction, fantasy, crime and horror magazine for the Kindle. That story is the gripping “Sewer Street” by Mark Rookyard and it is worth getting this issue just for that. But do not stop reading as there is a wide selection of interesting tales to move onto, and very different styles. Charlotte H Lee’s “Honour They Father” stands out for her delicate story telling and Fred Senese’s “The Blades” was an interesting twist on a common problem. And thank you Jessamy Dalton for leaving me with a smile on my face.

“The Whole Infernal Machine” by Joshua Chaplinsky

What should he do when the teacher asks for a report on Slaughterhouse Five, a banned book? His therapist has a copy, but it is nearly all blanked out. The new girl, the only other pupil, also has a copy, a lot less blanked out. This is a strange world, one that I first thought evolved from this world but now think is a satire on this world. Nothing is clear, which is good.

“The Path” by Lynn Rushlau

Kaya picks which world to explore in what feels like a snippet from a longer story. She arrives in semi-darkness and follows a path past a tower of skulls to where she can observe the locals. But what she sees startles her, and she runs off the path where she meets a girl. Though hard to work out totally what is going on here, the story manages to carry a delightful atmosphere of menace.

“Time to Go” by Maureen Bowden

Before Dorothy catches her plane from Liverpool back to New York, she stops for a while at a bench to talk with her sisters, her dead sisters. They chat and moan about their past lives, until someone else arrives. A sweet little tale of life after death.

“For the Family” by Aaron Perry

A good gangster story. Cedric owes money, but to the wrong family, and he hasn’t got enough, but grieving for a recently deceased sister makes him rash. The penalty for the shortfall is a dangerous betrayal. So far so good, but them Cedric went to see a modder… Read and find out!

“Sewer Street” by Mark Rookyard

Gosh, where to start? This is excellent, a story of people who live under the city, of a father trying to teach his son to be better, to read and write like the soft skins who live above and who surrendered when the invaders came. But the boy also wants to fit in, to grow up, but at what cost?

“The Blades” by Fred Senese

Wind farms are a great source of energy, but what about the people who live near them? This very short story explores that through the eyes of a teenage girl who has to deal with the unwanted presence. Gently told, but there is clearly an axe to grind.

“Honour They Father” by Charlotte H Lee

Myra and her two children have been kidnapped. But their intriguing story of betrayal and family control has its own twists and agreements. This is also a story of love, a mother’s love for her children and the lack of love from a father to his daughter. Well told, it portrays a world that I would like to know more about. A minor criticism; it would have been nice to know what the children were thinking about all of this, but appreciate the difficulty in bringing that into a short story.

“Director’s Cut” by Jessamy Dalton

When the creator of a hit TV show is found dead in his Hollywood home, the police are puzzled. He is in a room with no windows and the door locked from the inside, as usual when he is watching the takes from that day’s filming. He was also clearly murdered with an axe. The guilty party couldn’t possibly be one of the characters from his show frozen on the screen in front of his body. An amusing mystery to end the magazine.

Also in Issue 18

The issue finishes with the usual author biographies and nothing else, which is a shame. It would be nice for some extras, such as a guest editorial – which they have done before – or maybe an interview with one of the authors.

The magazine was edited by Graeme Hurry and the cover art was by Dave Windett.