Profiles of October 1997 Issues

Odyssey Issue 0, September/October 1997 Debut issue of a new bimonthly British magazine of fantasy and science fiction ''for the media literate generation.'' A dozen stories, mostly very short, include decent works by Brian Stableford and George Alec Effinger. Nonfiction ranges from news of the SF field (including 'media' and games), interviews with Gregory Benford and Walter Jon Williams, a David Langford column, a writing-tips column by Colin Greenland, and an explanation of the Year 2000 problem by Charles Stross. Editor: Liz Holliday. Web page. (Posted Fri 28 Nov 97)

Interzone, October 1997 A long novella by Ian Watson about jigsaw puzzles, sculpture gardens, and Nazis is accompanied by an interview with Watson, who talks about Stanley Kubrick (among other things). Nick Lowe's film column penetrates Men in Black and The Lost World, while Wendy Bradley considers TV series, one British, one American. Extensive book reviews cover new works by Simmons, Powers, Bear, Baxter, Robinson, and others, appended by David Pringle's list of "Spinoffery" -- novelizations, recursive fictions, spinoffs, sequels by other hands, etc. (21 Oct 1997)