michaeldrakich's review
3.0
This is the second of these magazines that I have read and found the collection in this one much better than the previous one, #727.
As I noted when rating the #727, rather than review the individual stories as is my wont when going through a collection, I intend to rate it as a whole.
Inside, I found several enjoyable short stories, many I would rate at 4 stars or better. So why the 3 star review?
Because the people who put these magazines together have a different opinion than I do as to what constitutes fantasy and science fiction.
The centerpiece of this collection is a novella called Homecoming. In truth, it was quite good, very compelling, and it also was without a doubt 100% a supernatural tale. No science fiction. No fantasy. At least, not in my mind.
I do not consider supernatural stories as either fantasy or science fiction. They fall into the horror, ghost story genre, plain and simple. If I want to read a ghost story, I'll buy a magazine that features ghost stories.
So if this magazine was not limited to fantasy and science fiction (as in the title) then, by all means, 4 stars, maybe 4.5 as a rating. But for a hard-core lover of the two genres espoused on the cover, I do not want to be waylaid by tales outside of my chosen favorites.
As I noted when rating the #727, rather than review the individual stories as is my wont when going through a collection, I intend to rate it as a whole.
Inside, I found several enjoyable short stories, many I would rate at 4 stars or better. So why the 3 star review?
Because the people who put these magazines together have a different opinion than I do as to what constitutes fantasy and science fiction.
The centerpiece of this collection is a novella called Homecoming. In truth, it was quite good, very compelling, and it also was without a doubt 100% a supernatural tale. No science fiction. No fantasy. At least, not in my mind.
I do not consider supernatural stories as either fantasy or science fiction. They fall into the horror, ghost story genre, plain and simple. If I want to read a ghost story, I'll buy a magazine that features ghost stories.
So if this magazine was not limited to fantasy and science fiction (as in the title) then, by all means, 4 stars, maybe 4.5 as a rating. But for a hard-core lover of the two genres espoused on the cover, I do not want to be waylaid by tales outside of my chosen favorites.
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