Heavenmakers

‘The Thinking Man’s Crumpet’ is edited by Coral King. It was originally, set up as a small press magazine for emerging female talent but it seems that a similar metamorphosis has occurred that sociologists witness in school playgrounds. The boys fill up the available space while the girls sit in the corner.

Fortunately, Anna Stephens has not hid in the cloakroom. The issue begins with her hardcore SF short Interrogation. It is hardcore, it is short and it is squeamishly horrible but all in a good cause. Q is back and he’s nastier than ever. The protagonist is a HILDA which used to be a Hazardous Lifeforms Disposal Expert but for some obscure reason has now become a Hostile Indigenous Life Disposal Agent. Maybe like, the bewildering software on my computer, I have got too old to keep up with new technology and this is a new model. It is a story that gravitates around torture and  reads like it might be written by a man until you get to the testicles.  Enjoyable but scary.

Till When? is a long clever poem by David Thorpe.

Inner Demons is a visceral medical tale which starts with a sore abdomen and ends up up somewhere near Hell. It’s a very good story with perhaps too ambitious  a finishing line for such a short but ’sweet’ tale. Enjoyed it though

The End of a Strange Tale by Peter Tennant edges out strong contestants as the prizewinner for me. it’s a tale of two unlikely lovers and like Shakespeare’s best it has a very bloody ending.

Finally we have Hot Gates by Reg Jones, a long story that some will enjoy but I can’t review it. It’s a mix of Greek quasi history and vampires, well researched with a twist in the tale. Unfortunately I regard Thermopylae  with an almost religious fervcur and Leonidas as an untouchable icon so my peculiarities forbid comment.

Artwork by Alex Poole and Roger Pile and a neat wee drawing by Rachel in the rear of the mag round off a very good issue that would benefit I think, from more artwork. Rog Pile’s illustration for Hot Gates is absolutely spot on.

The Thinking Man’s Crumpet is available ridiculously cheaply at http://www.freewebs.com/thettmcmagazine/

I’m grateful to David A.  Riley for pointing out that the fourth and fifth Black Books of Horror (editor Charles Black) had many honourable mentions in Ellen Datlow’s best horror of the year. Here are the authors mentioned:

Herbertson, Craig “Leibniz’s Last Puzzle,” The Fifth Black Book of Horror.
McGachey, Daniel M.“’And Still Those Screams Resound…’”The Fourth Black Book Horror
McMahon, Gary “Love is in the Air,” The Fourth Black Book of Horror.
Oliver, Reggie “The Head,” Madder Mysteries/ The Fourth Black Book of Horror.
Probert, John Llewellyn “De Vermis Infestis,” The Fifth Black Book of Horror.
Riley, David A. “Their Own Mad Demons,” The Fifth Black Book of Horror.
Strachen, Ian C. “Starlight Casts No Shadow,” The Fifth Black Book of Horror.
Sutton, David “Dead Water,” The Fourth Black Book of Horror.

This for me is a particularly pleasing review because it’s by a favourite author, Rog Pile.

“…a grotesque and beautifully written book, which shows the working of a fine mind, and really you owe it to yourself to collect a copy for your bookcase.”
Rog Pile

Full review is here: Filthy Creations

Immanion Press have also released the deathless classic on Smashwords, an online site where for a Mere $5 it’s yours:

Smashwords

At the age of ten my teacher told me to pick a book from the basket. Perhaps it was this new vista of choice that started it all off. It was a green book with little snow capped mountains, recommended by a friend.

At the age of sixteen another friend recommend I read ‘The Hobbit’ and because I was the luckiest boy in the world I had the joy of rediscovering Tolkein’s classic.

Lord of the Rings followed. I am eternally grateful to Providence for this but even more grateful to Mr Whittaker who on hearing me rave about Tolkein’s saga, gave me The Worm Ouroborous.

Ouroborous and the other three connected works have lit the darkness with few rivals since that first late night love affair.

I read Peake’s ‘Gormenghast ‘and still remember the delicious excitement of waiting with Steerpike in the little cell buried in the Castle, just before his great voyage to the roof tops. Nevertheless that wondrous work of fantasy will always be eclipsed by Eddison.

Vance, brilliant, Peake beautiful, Lewis, fun to read, Burroughs exciting, Le Guin quite wonderful but the only one to rock the fantastical house into the neighbour’s garden apart from Eddison, is David Lindsay. And then only ‘A Voyage to Arcturus’

That leaves me with five fantasy books to fill the grave of eternity. Still I want no more.