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Interzone # 205
01/09/2006 . Source: Rod MacDonald 
bi-monthly magazine: UK publisher/editor address: Andy Cox, TTA Press, 5 Martins Lane, Witcham, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB6 2LB. Price: £ 3.50 (UK) $ 6.00(US). ISSN: 0264-3596). Buy Interzone in the USA - or Buy Interzone in the UK  check out website: www.ttapress.com
Amongst correspondence on the Internet, there seems to be a discussion on whether or not Interzone should have girls with boobs on the cover. All girls have boobs, of course, some large and some small but sometimes the Interzone breasts tend to be more uplifting than others. What's wrong with this?
'Interzone' is a commercial magazine. Surveys show that the majority of Science Fiction readers are male and the majority of them are not adverse to well presented breasts. With 'Interzone' now on sale in public outlets, the obvious marketing ploy is to shove boobs on the cover to increase sales. I know some people say that once you've seen one pair of tits you've seen them all but hey, we are not being logical here. We are driven by hormones and God knows what else. For the same reason, supermarkets like to have on-site bakeries so that the smell of freshly made bread stimulates the shoppers urge to eat and buy. It seems to be an inalienable fact that in western culture, bread and breasts are marketable.
Looking at it logically and dispassionately, an alien could see how foolish this seems. I mean, if cattle were civilised and able to read magazines, it would probably be udders with everything. Yes, it does seem to be ridiculous but if you're in it is difficult to get out of it.
There's no doubt that this is a drive for sales and it will probably work. 'Interzone' isn't a charitable concern. It's there to make money and in order to do that it has to be marketed. Some have said that reading 'Interzone' with boob covers in public is an embarrassing experience. Others would say that reading a Science Fiction magazine in public constitutes the same. Now, Science Fiction with jugs...there is a dilemma!
This particular cover is by Jim Burns who also provided the cover for Interzone 199. I'm probably going to be very unpopular by saying that I don't like his work. I know the girl is an alien but she doesn't look right. Some of his other figure sketches do not seem proportioned either. I've looked at other sketches by the same artist and they seem perfect. Unfortunately, others don't. Maybe some of the models were uncooperative.
A story called 'This Happens' by David Mace is made even more shocking upon the realisation that the events happening in it are happening right now, as I write this review, in Israel and the Lebanon. A missile lands on a house and we learn how neighbours are affected in minute detail. It's something we watch on TV. Everyday somewhere there seems to be a similar tragedy. This story makes you cry out at the injustices of the world. This author was around a few years ago and it seems he is making a comeback in the genre. Let's wish him every success.
'Blue Glass Pebbles' by Stephen Mills is a story reflecting the issues of the age. In the future, climate change has made water scarce and you know what happens when a commodity becomes hard to get. Conflict and war. Water shortages in fiction have been around for a long time, Ballard coming to mind immediately, but Mills has made a good job of his story by presenting it in a unique way. In charge of water is a woman with apparent good intentions who makes decisions that will drastically affect humanity in the future. Other leaders of our own time have taken a similar course, not necessarily for the better. This is good writing.
Justin Stanchfield gives us 'In The River', a tale of a way out alien encounter, way out in the solar system that is. I get really angry sometimes. Here we are with aliens approaching our space. It's our first encounter with anything living from beyond our planet and they have the cheek, the audacity, not even to be human-like and, believe this if you will, they don't speak English!
A human female has the job of communicating with the aliens. In order to do this she has to be immersed in the same liquid that they live in however, in doing so, she becomes like one of them. Back on the Earth, nothing much changes. Her husband is even carrying on with someone else.
This is a complex tale that can be read on several levels. Lots of questions arise about our own society and what it is to be human. I'm not sure about the aliens. How or why such beings would evolve and wish to travel in space is a bit difficult to understand but I suppose this isn't a crucial question in this story.
If alien creatures of such a nature visit my solar system I know what I would do. To use President Thomas J. Whitmore's immortal words, 'Nuke 'em. Let's nuke the bastards.' Now, would I do that? Maybe not but I know someone who would!
This is another good issue of 'Interzone'. Of the last half-dozen, I've only read one I didn't like. This magazine continues to get better and better.
Rod MacDonald
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