Clarkesworld #84

In all of the post-Worldcon confusion Neil forgot to send me the files for Clarkesworld #84, and I forgot to nag him. It has taken me a while to get the issue in store, but finally it is available.

Of course this does give me an opportunity to congratulate the team once again on another (IMHO) very deserved Hugo. I understand that the full video of the ceremony is now available on UStream. I much watch that as the feed cut off in the middle of the Clarkesworld acceptance speeches.

In issue #84 there is new fiction from Greg Mellor (“Mar Pacifico”), James Patrick Kelly (“The Promise of Space”) and Mark Bourne & Elizabeth Bourne (“One Flesh”). That final story is somewhat poignant because we learn from the author bios that Mark Bourne died before the story could be published. I don’t know if Gardner did this deliberately, but in the classic fiction section we have stories by Nancy Kress (“First Principle”) and her late husband, Charles Sheffield (“Out of Copyright”).

The audio versions of “Mar Pacifico” and “The Promise of Space” are already available.

In non-fiction an old friend of the magazine, Mark Cole, talks about science fiction on American radio. Jeremy’s interview is with the brilliant Ken Liu. And there is an Another Word column from Alethea Kontis about love at first sight. I believe, Princess, I truly do.

Neil’s editorial takes a sideways look at the state of digital publishing by imaging a TV series about a group of digital kids struggling to survive in the post-apocalyptic publishing world. Given that I’m now supposed to be one of the leaders of the old-time paper fanzine crowd, I’m disappointed not to be cast in the role of the evil boss of Paper Empire.

This issue’s cover is “Silent Oracle” by British artist, Matt Dixon. I sure hope he’s going to be exhibiting at Loncon 3.