Scott – What a terrible, chilling tale that is as surely brilliant as it is disturbing. We are led to believe that a man and woman had survived a shipwreck, husband and wife, and learn as the story progresses how terrible the disaster was, and that all other hands were lost, yet we never think about the coincidence that of an entire crew died, yet husband and wife survived. The protagonist even tells us that she is what is keeping him sane, but it is only when we reach the end that we come to realise his mind is as wrecked as the ship, turning the story around, casting it in a different light and making us feel the chill touch us, as surely as the winds did him.
Victoria – This is one of those stories that I enjoyed immensely, but I’m not sure whether my interpretation might meet that of the writer. One of the things I particularly appreciated though was the different use of the image. Here not a physical thing, but part of an imaginary sequence that is being used to help Carla get through the pain of the night. The rest of the story sees a woman being treated for a disease, being given hope of a longer life. Like so many things it is not an easy cure, but it is a cure. But she seems not so interested in the benefits but in the pain, giving her a connection with someone who died before, and perhaps did not have the luxury of a modern ‘miracle.’
Lenny – How terrible is the soul of a tormented artist? Well probably a lot worse when that artist is unappreciated too. There is a feeling that the first success might almost have been a mistake, as though it was something that was done but not really expecting it to be a success, but cleverly there is just the hint that there might be more to the sudden success. The sequel as it were is equally clever, you can see the artist trying to cash in on his sudden success and misunderstanding what the original achieved and why it did it, and then the third the masterpiece, taking to story into the realm of pure fantasy. And the payoff... it does not matter how great the achievement, a faustian deal will always come home in the end.
DEO – Talk about a story that can be seen on many different levels! This seemed to have sucked in so many different elements that it is hard to catalogue them all. Not only is there the obvious vicious attack on certain prodigious fast food establishments, there is also some very inventive food stuffs, a great take on classic fantasy tropes, some topical news interwoven with a hint of roleplaying games, and the terrifying possibilities of lawyers with dark magic. Oh and a little bit of humour too. But the truly clever bit is the fact that all these elements come together and work in a cohesive whole, without being overcrowded and deliver an entertaining story.
