Review: Apex Magazine Issue 105, February 2018

Apex Magazine Issue 105, February 2018 by Jason Sizemore

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

FICTION
A Witch’s Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies (Alix Harrow) - The whole reason I got this issue was because of this story, which won some awards. Andrea Johnson writes, in the introduction to an interview with the author, that the story brought her to tears. I didn’t get that far, but it did indeed tug at my heartstrings. It’s not at all what I was expected, but it was still a wonderful story.

Work, and Ye Shall Eat (Walker McKnight) - How interesting to have this come out in an issue of Apex almost exactly one year before the US COVID restrictions began. Very cool read, but I didn’t fully understand the ending.

Ghost Marriage (P. Djeli Clark) - a perfect use of the short story form. The story begins quickly and fills us in as needed. The story itself was very interesting and took a few turns I didn’t expect, especially the last line.

Excerpt: Return to the Lost Level (Brian Keene) - interesting universe in this book.
NONFICTION
Interview with Alix Harrow (Andrea Johnson) - In which they speak about the short story in this issue as well as what Harrow has planned for the future.

Interview with Cover Artist Justin Adams (Russell Dickerson) - I would never have guessed that the cover was from tarot cards.

A Discussion with Tal M. Klein, Author of The Punch Escrow (Lesley Conner) - I wish we could have seen the original version of the book. Sounds like something I’d be into.
COLUMNS
Between the Lines with Laura Zats and Erik Hane - a plea to authors to continue to have subtext in their stories even as the world gets weirder.

Page Advice with Mallory O’Meara and Brea Grant - Advice on whether one should continue a book they’re not enjoying. I tend to power through since every once in a while it has paid off for me.

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