The Best of Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine, July-August 2003

By: Paul Di Filippo, Al Michaud, Benjamin Rosenbaum, Carol Emshwiller, Harvey Jacobs, Pat Murphy, Adam-Troy Castro

Narrated by: Arte Johnson, Stefan Rudnicki, Jason Cole, Harlan Ellison

Take Audible's July/August Fantasy & Science Fiction collection with you to the beach. It's got rich humor galore, as well as a couple of particularly evocative futures which offer new perspective on these troubled times.

We begin with the latest installment of Paul Di Filippo's Plumage from Pegasus column, "Write What You Sell," providing a new twist on literature and publishing.

Then, Al Michaud takes us Down East for the annual clambake in "Clem Crowder's Catch," a Maine horror story that will elicit both shivers and laughs.

Benjamin Rosenbaum's surreal "Red Leather Tassels" introduces us to the sex life of a very special woodpecker.

"Repository" by Carol Emshwiller is an edgy and powerful glimpse into the mind of "the universal soldier."

Harlan Ellison reads Harvey Jacobs' existential fish story, "Spawning," with comic restraint.

From the pen of the wonderful Pat Murphy comes "Dragon's Gate," a tale about a prince, a minstrel and, of course, a dragon, that sets the entire tradition of such stories on its ear.

And finally, Adam-Troy Castro's stunning novella "The Tangled Strings of the Marionettes," explores the nature and purposes of art, humanity, and perhaps life itself.

©2003 Spilogale, Inc.

A few high points

As with all of the periodicals turned into audiobooks, hit or miss. A few of these stories were good (Dragon Gate, Repository) and a few were surreal (Clem Crowder's Catch, and Spawning). Overall pretty decent for an audio anthology.