cover image Speculative Horizons

Speculative Horizons

Edited by Patrick St-Denis, Subterranean (www.subterraneanpress.com), $20 (128p) ISBN 978-1-59606-336-5

This impressive anthology proves that good things come in small packages. St-Denis—best known for his blog, Pat's Fantasy Hotlist—has found five tales that pack a wallop. C.S. Friedman's "Soul Mate" examines identity from several directions. Tobias S. Buckell ponders what might happen if the use of magic had the propensity to kill its user in "The Eve of the Fall of Habesh." L.E. Modesitt Jr.'s western-themed "The Stranger" links to his popular Recluse series. Brian Ruckley adroitly melds prehistoric shamanism with magic in the poignant, humorous "Flint." In Hal Duncan's "The Death of a Love," love made manifest can be abused and murdered. The thoughts provoked by these stories will linger long after the reading is over, as will the book's real-world effects: a portion of the profits will be donated to fund research into a cure for breast cancer. (Dec.)