Number 10, July 2000

Cover illustration by Jason Walton

Reviews

Giovanni Malito, on the New Hope International Review web site, says "This is an excellent publication, from its highly professional production to its challenging contents, primarily of a fantasy and science fiction nature."

Keith Walker, in Fanzine Fanatique Quarterly (Fall Issue 2000), says: "Fortunately there are a handful of excellent small press zines like this that print the shorter form of quality fiction... Support brave zines such as CD. Fine reading guaranteed!"

Zine Kat, in dragon's breath (#68), says: "Fine genre tales, excel pres & print." They rate the issue 9/10 ("rocks"). You can find their mini-reviews here.

Peter Tennant reviews this issue in The Fix (Issue 1). You can read the entire review here.

Rich Horton, in Black Gate (Vol. 1, No. 2, Summer 2001), says: "One of the ways for a small press publication to distinguish itself is to publish quirkier fiction: stories that might be too strange for the more mainstream magazines, or indeed stories that aren't fully successful, but which are worth attention because of their oddness. I think that's pretty much the case with my favorite two stories in this issue... This is worth a look for those who like to explore the more obscure alleyways of the SF publishing field." You can read the entire review here.

Here are some sneak previews of the stories you'll find in the tenth issue of Challenging Destiny:

Lost in the Moid by Hugh Cook illustrated by Craig Jennion	Growing up near the green tarj, Ida Brahma had always been interested in alien environments. Now that she was lost in the moid, though, she wasn’t so sure. And the camera recording her every move was starting to get on her nerves… Read the complete text here.
The Dragon Laureate by Chris Webb illustrated by Chris Jouan	When the merchant suggested they take a shortcut underneath the mountains, everyone readily agreed. They weren’t so sure about it when they came across the dragon, though. They figured they would have to fight, but then the dragon started reciting poetry…
How to Kill the Sun by Karina Sumner-Smith illustrated by Heather Magee	It’s always hot outside, and you have to wear a hat, jacket, and sunscreen. One day Emily, one of Ms. Lawrence’s students, tells her that she knows how to kill the sun. She’s going to capture lots of coldness in a pickle jar...
illustration for How to Kill the Sun by Heather Magee
Elias Pin Returns to Nature in the Garden of New Eden by David Chato illustrated by Dave Fode	Everything is pure and clean at Elias Pin’s house in New Eden. His lawn has been replaced with PlastiTurf, and even his dog Woofy has been genetically modified to make her metabolism hyperefficient. But one day he smells something terrible...
illustration for Elias Pin Returns to Nature in the Garden of New Eden by Dave Fode
Demon in the Sea by Nye Marnach illustrated by Jeff Ward	The artificial planet of A’quaii was divided into oceanic zones, which contained life forms from planets whose oceans were no longer viable. Dh’mar works on the marine base Quahog in the Earth Zone, but then Quahog is sabotaged and sinks…
Franklin Out by Matthew J. Reynolds illustrated by Sean Madden	Zach’s colleague Franklin suggested they try to set a record for two non-deaf people working in the same room but communicating without speech. Franklin was a big fan of instamessaging, and Zach decided it might be fun…
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New Wave SF review by James Schellenberg	New Wave is a name given to some of the experimental SF written in the 1960s. Although it's difficult to pin down, it was generally concerned more with style, attitude, and breaking taboos -- rather than the traditional plot and characters. James reviews novels by Samuel Delany and Roger Zelazny, short stories by James Tiptree Jr., the anthology Dangerous Visions edited by Harlan Ellison, and the movie Alphaville.
Interview with Candas Jane Dorsey interview by James Schellenberg & David M. Switzer	Candas Jane Dorsey has written novels, short stories, poetry, and nonfiction. Her 1997 novel Black Wine won the Aurora, James Tiptree Jr. Memorial, and IAFA Crawford Fantasy awards. She co-edited the anthologies Tesseracts3 and Tesseracts8, and she's also the publisher of Tesseract Books and River Books. Candas has done a lot of volunteer community development in the arts community.
What Could Be Better Than Civilization? editorial by David M. Switzer	Civilization is a 10 000 year old invention. We have this idea in our culture that it’s the ultimate invention -- that nothing could be better. But why should this invention be different from other inventions? Our culture has produced a lot of inventions that work, but not a lifestyle. Dave discusses the problems with civilization and what should replace it.

Last modified: December 2, 2001

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