SciFan Magazine (SF & Fantasy
Magazine)
Issue #1, January 2017
SciFan Entertainment
ISBN # 978-1520252056
Price $8.95
182 Pages
Rating 3-Stars
We live in a time when magazines are becoming a thing of
the past. It’s nice to see a new science fiction/fantasy magazine appear,
basically with unknown authors to start, hopefully, a long run.
I wanted to review the production of the magazine this
time around, as I don’t have time to read all the stories in my busy review
log. First of all, this is a huge magazine, 8.5 x 11 inches, with a glossy
cover and white pages. The production looks good.
There are several negative points to this issue, and I
hope they will be addressed in future issues. Number one, the price doesn’t
seem bad when you first look at it, but that’s not what the buyer pays. Add to
the $8.95 price, include postage of $4.98, then a tax of $1.15, and the
magazine cost me $15.08, which is too high a price. I do not plan on repeating.
The publisher needs to think seriously about creating a subscription price and
knock off five or six dollars.
The second negative complaint concerns the TM (Trade Mark
image). It’s nice, but almost every page has a full size image of the trademark
center page and covering story text like a watermark; this could have been a
small image placed in one of the corners of the page, if they want it on every
page. But definitely not as a large image covering every page. It is
distracting, and not needed. Come on, we know it’s your trademark, gee.
Another complaint concerns interior illustrations. Yes,
there are a few, but basically what is known as “postage stamp” small spot
drawings. Hmm, the trademark gets almost full page on every page, but we get a
tiny spot illustration for the stories? That doesn’t seem right. How about a
larger image of interior art?
Okay, that’s my take on this new SF/Fantasy magazine. Recommended
with a few misgivings. My 3-Star Rating is strictly on the price and
production, not on the stories. I will rate the stories another day. Since I didn’t
review the stories, I’ll let the magazine editor tell you what’s inside.
“In this first
issue of SciFan™ Magazine, we are proud to present the creative works of
thirteen talented authors who write in the Science Fantasy genre. Among these
authors, we secured an Exclusive Sneak Peek to Amazon Bestselling Author Blaise
Corvin's upcoming novella "Secret of the Old Ones" which is scheduled
to be released in late January 2017! In this issue we will also divulge the
secrets to his success story in the new LitRPG genre.
To learn more about
what Science Fantasy is, or if you are interested in submitting your works for
consideration in a future issue, check out our website at SciFan.org.
Octav’s Rise to
Ainoren by Dawn Chapman:
What the King has to say to
Commander Octav Broki not only rocks his very beliefs but will alter the world
he knows and loves forever. Despite his most primal need to defend and protect,
he must go on this mission and leave his friend to fate.
Seance on Death Row
by Douglas Kolacki:
The courts are willing to
commute a murderer's sentence from death to life. But first he must face the
ghost of his victim.
The Tot of Wonder
by John Taloni:
Omniman has been a superhero
for decades - and a father for just over a year. His superpowered tot is a joy
and a trial for him and his human wife. How can Omniman balance the duties of a
superhero against the needs of a baby only he can handle?
Miss Soames by Kyle
Hemmings:
A banker, bored with his life
and his job, falls in love with a beautiful new employee who seems just as
empty and bored as he is. Little does he know what she has in store.
Orlok's Song by
David Castlewitz:
When Orlok flees the onslaught
of humans, he intends to take his family to the nearby city where a rumored
underground sanctuary will shelter them.
Voices Beneath The
Ice by Matthew McKiernan:
When three astronauts land on
Europa looking for extraterrestrial life, they find themselves trapped in a
nightmare from which they cannot escape.
Secret of the Old
Ones by Blaise Corvin:
A hardcore gamer has been
playing for a year and is about to get his big break. Trent has the keys to
massive success, but he also accidentally painted a target on his back… both
in, and out of the game.
The SciFan™
Universe: A Scientific Creationist Story
Episode One: The Stirring by
Jared Fleming:
Father's creation has been
threatened by That-From-Beyond. Entire armies die, planets are torn asunder,
and some swear that reality itself is coming undone. And yet, they stand.
Despite all odds, tanks and artillery go forth, a bulwark against the Beast.
The Keystone
Islands: Portals of the Grave by Lander Allen:
Scott, Miranda, and Dixon are
in a race to find out who they really are. As they battle to save Cova from the
threat of this new civilization, they must answer this most important question:
are they the very weapons that could destroy humanity?
Stormguard: The
Invisible War
Episode One by Tom Fallwell:
The Stormguard are the guardian
angels of myth and legend, those who protect mortal souls and fight the war
against Lucifer and his Fallen. Two of these angels embark on a mission to save
humanity from unseen forces and dark terrors.
Spacejacking, First
Act by Russell Hemmell:
What would you be thinking if
an Asteroid Belt-bound spaceship suddenly vanishes under your eyes with no
apparent scientific explanation? Bonus point: the ship's pilot is the girl
you're in love with. Remi is going to find out.
The Brat and the
Other Country by David Perlmutter:
Responding to a phone call from
a colleague, the superhero known as the Brat enters the magical realm of
Anthropomorph, where even her formidable powers are put to the test by the many
supernatural denizens dwelling there.
In the Hot Mists by
John A. Frochio:
A wild and rollicking steampunk
adventure about a steam-powered airship race held at the Tenth Annual World
Steam and Technology Convention. During the course of the race, the contestants
have strange and extraordinary encounters.”
Tom Johnson
Author of WORLDS OF TOMORROW
