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mikewhiteman's review
3.0
On The Road To The Hell Of Hungry Ghosts - Richard Parks ****
Following on from the story in Issue 226, Jing and Pan Bao are here joined by Mei Li, the snake-devil now in human form. This time, they encounter a ghost wishing to be returned to her tomb, which she has been magically barred from by her own murderer. An entertaining episode of their journey as the three main characters continue to develop.
The Fisherman And The Pig - Kameron Hurley ***
Nev, a body mercenary, gets dragged back into his life of violence when he is given a batch of poisoned fish. The take on body-hopping is done well, allowing the warriors to avoid death and continue fighting or, in Nev's case, to stay in hiding. The hunt for the source of the poison and the final confrontation are dramatic enough, but the ending fell a bit flat for me. Choosing survival over closure makes the point but left me dissatisfied.
The Fall Of The Mundaneum - Rebecca Campbell **
A strange story of the last keeper of the knowledge emporium of the title, continuing to catalogue and answer the array of queries sent to it, while the German army advances across Belgium towards them. Seems to be about the importance of holding on to everyday memories, especially those torn up by war, but it just didn't carry me with it.
Grassland - TS McAdams ***
I liked the world created here, an old west full of the gods and monsters of all the different cultures who have lived there, but with the same violence and prejudices we expect. Despite the supernatural elements, most of the drama comes from mundane conflicts, but the tension rises steadily and I enjoyed more as I read on and understood more of the world.
Following on from the story in Issue 226, Jing and Pan Bao are here joined by Mei Li, the snake-devil now in human form. This time, they encounter a ghost wishing to be returned to her tomb, which she has been magically barred from by her own murderer. An entertaining episode of their journey as the three main characters continue to develop.
The Fisherman And The Pig - Kameron Hurley ***
Nev, a body mercenary, gets dragged back into his life of violence when he is given a batch of poisoned fish. The take on body-hopping is done well, allowing the warriors to avoid death and continue fighting or, in Nev's case, to stay in hiding. The hunt for the source of the poison and the final confrontation are dramatic enough, but the ending fell a bit flat for me. Choosing survival over closure makes the point but left me dissatisfied.
The Fall Of The Mundaneum - Rebecca Campbell **
A strange story of the last keeper of the knowledge emporium of the title, continuing to catalogue and answer the array of queries sent to it, while the German army advances across Belgium towards them. Seems to be about the importance of holding on to everyday memories, especially those torn up by war, but it just didn't carry me with it.
Grassland - TS McAdams ***
I liked the world created here, an old west full of the gods and monsters of all the different cultures who have lived there, but with the same violence and prejudices we expect. Despite the supernatural elements, most of the drama comes from mundane conflicts, but the tension rises steadily and I enjoyed more as I read on and understood more of the world.
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