Ray Gun Revival magazine Issue 20, April 15, 2007
Pg.
I
have to start o this issue with a moment of sorrowful silence in memory of the author KurtVonnegut. His passing has ripped a hole in the fabricof the SF space-me connuum, and in my heart. Hegreatly impacted me as a reader and writer. Good-byeKilgore Trout. Good-bye Blue Monday.So it goes.Issue 20 of Ray Gun Revival gives us a wide varietyof stories. We begin with a wonderful throw-back tothe old black-and-white lms of the ‘50s with “FinalExam” by Edward McKeown.
New Mexico desert, 1950s: boy meets monster in a
bale to save earth.
“Hotkas,” I called.He came up to the force curtain.“It’s not an accurate test,” I said.“Tell me why,” Hotkas said, in his oddly paent‘teacher’ manner.“An animal in the jungle knows his predators.Would it be a fair test to you if an invisible monsterdropped from overhead and ripped your throat out?You took us unaware. You won’t be able to do so inthe future.”Hotkas looked up at the ceiling, then back at me.“Sound logic, John,” he said. “What do you propose?”I almost froze then. I was talking with the saurianas if we were pals. As if I hadn’t watched him tear ahuman being into bite-size pieces only minutes ago.
Jasper Squad
by Paul Chrisan Glenn connueswith episode six: “Choices.” The crew of the Jasperare on the run from their own government, but theydon’t know why. Can these people all really trust eachother with their lives?
The crew of the Jasper are on the run from their own government, and they don’t know why. But canthese people really trust each other with their lives?
“Is that it, then?” Spill asked. “You don’t trustme anymore, so you’re going to sell out the squad?Throw your career—hell, your life—away? Just likethat?”To his relief, she stopped. She stood moonless,silhoueed at the fore of the alleyway. Spill sensedthat this was his moment, and he took a step towardher. “Don’t do it, Janet,” he said soly. “We can beatthis, I know it.”He waited for a long moment unl she nallyturned to face him.“I want to know if you’re hiding something,” shesaid.Spill felt a ghtness in his chest, and his faceburned with shame, but he stood his ground.Suddenly, the words he had spoken in his mind athousand mes were coming out of his mouth, andit felt like a ton of concrete was liing from hisshoulders.“I’m dirty,” he said quietly. “I’ve been double-dealing with shay, lile shock ouits for… god…twenty years and more.”Johne Cook’s
the Adventures of the Sky Pirate
,
connues with “Clianger.” And, hm, how doI describe this? Starts and ends by a cli, hasespionage, counter-espionage, a love triangle, honor,betrayal, and the birth of an enrely new scienc
Overlord’s Lair