Aurealis #165

By Stephen Higgins (Editor)

Australia's longest continuously published specualtive fiction magazine. Each issue features new writing from the worlds best authors. Each issue also has provocative articles, great reviews and fantastic artwork.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chimaera Publications
• Release date: Oct 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9781922471314

Book preview

AUREALIS #165

Edited by Stephen Higgins

Published by Chimaera Publications at Smashwords

Copyright of this compilation Chimaera Publications 2023

Copyright on each story remains with the contributor

EPUB version ISBN 978-1-922471-31-4

ISSN 2200-307X (electronic)

CHIMAERA PUBLICATIONS

Smashwords Edition License Notes

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Hard copy back issues of Aurealis can be obtained from the Aurealis website: www.aurealis.com.au

Contents

From the Cloud—Stephen Higgins

The Last Day—Rodney Smith

Tipping Points—Kai Holmwood

Dreams in Ink—Erin L Swann

Pioneering SF Women: Judy-Lynn del Rey: Editor Extraordinaire—Lynne Lumsden Green

Journey to the West: A Taste of Chinese Science Fiction—Yimin Xu

More or Less All Right: Belief in Pratchett’s Discworld—Amy Laurens

Reviews

Next Issue

Submissions to Aurealis

Credits

From the Cloud

Stephen Higgins

Many years ago the science fiction genre was broken up into a few main sub-genres. We had Time Travel, Aliens (a sort of catch all category), Disaster, Bug-eyed Monsters and Space Travel. There has been a constant fracturing of the genre to the point where it is almost impossible to cater for all of the sub-genres in a single magazine. Soon, there might be magazines dedicated to just one or two of these sub-genres. This process continues apace and we now have ‘Cosy’ science fiction. You know a sub-genre has really arrived when an example gets onto the Hugo Award shortlist. A lot of people pour scorn upon each new sub-genre as it seemingly springs into existence in an instant. They say it’s derivative, or too ‘light’ and not worthy of serious consideration. I’m guilty of this myself, but I’m aware that sub-genres only exist if there is a readership for them. I initially was dismissive of ‘Cosy’ SF until I realised that I had already read and enjoyed some ‘Cosy’ novels. Sometimes I’ll re-read a novel just to get that ‘cosy’ familiarity from a previously loved novel. The two texts I’ve re-read the most would be The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkein and The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers. Neither of these are what you would call ‘Cosy’ reading. But I do derive pleasure from my familiarity with these two texts. I enjoy the anticipation of events coming and there is no diminishing of the pleasure of reading in having that knowledge of what is to come. I’ve also read the Aubrey/Maturin books by Patrick O’Brien and I get a kick just out of the use of language in those books. I often read and re-read sentences and paragraphs by O’Brien simply because the writing is so good.

Anyway, I don’t think Cosy fantasy is my cup to tea, nor is Cosy science fiction, for that matter, but I’m not a huge fan of all of the other sub-genres either.

‘I don’t know much about art, but I know what I don’t like.’

All the best from the cloud!

Stephen Higgins

Editor: Stephen Higgins

Stephen has been interested in science fiction for ages and has written a few stories for Aurealis in the past. Lately he has been creating a lot of music. You can hear his music on Spotify, iTunes, Bandcamp and Soundcloud and all of the other usual places you get your music. You can find out more at www.stephenhigginsmusic.com.

Associate Editor: Scott Vandervalk

Scott Vandervalk has been a freelance editor for over 10 years, with projects ranging across the globe, from educational textbooks to novels, short stories, roleplaying games and boardgames, amongst other types of text. Scott has previously worked in science and education support, both of which have led to editing projects related to those fields. When not editing, Scott can also be found dabbling in gardening, cooking, writing or designing and playing games. Scott currently serves on the committee of the Bendigo Writers’ Council. Website: scottvandervalk.com.

Back to Contents

The Last Day

Rodney Smith

A pair of angels scuttled down the Spine, limbs clicking and whirring, their eyes sweeping fluorescent light over pale faces. Brothers and sisters slowed at their stations as the angels passed but did not stop, for the Glorious Work must never cease.

Jelana held her breath as the angels drew near, but they hadn’t come for her; they detached at the next platform down, landing with a thud beside Tolgin, the eldest brother there.

One of the angels took Tolgin’s thin arm in its claws, tested his elbow and shoulder; the other pawed at his cheeks and mouth. The Glorious Work thrummed on around them, but all eyes remained fixed on the three. At last, the angels pointed across the chasm. Tolgin had been called.

Brothers and sisters watched enviously as the angels escorted the old man across the gangway to the elevator. The steel door slid open. The elevator was worn and rusted inside, for it had lifted so many called to the Last Day. Tolgin would soon be up there with them all, standing in Daylight beside the Keeper Himself.

Tolgin seemed a giant, suddenly, in the tiny elevator. His chest, long deflated, swelled now with pride. He smiled out at the torch-lit faces and waved to no-one in particular as the door slid shut.

All heads turned back to the Glorious Work, save one: a brother, one cog-wheel up, staring down at Jelana. The great chain had snapped taut between their stations again.

Jelana leaned harder into the wheel. With a shudder, the chain-links resumed their ascent. The brother, satisfied, disappeared back into the dark.

It had begun as a whisper, a faint scratching in every second or third turn of the wheel, a secret she didn’t want to hear. She’d ignored it at first. After all, it was impossible: the Works were anointed, they couldn’t fail in righteous hands. Yet the secret had grown louder with each turn.

Now the chain twisted and bunched again. She threw her shoulder into the stiffening gear.

Why? she whispered, so only the Works could hear. Had she not lifted the Word with these very hands? She’d never betrayed the Keeper’s trust, not in a single cycle since her ascension.

Others had. She’d seen the negotiations just beyond the torchlight: brothers and sisters selling their rations, their flesh, to lighten their burden. They disgusted her. When her muscles cried out, she simply stayed on through the next cycle, and the next, until the Word burned all the selfishness from her bones.

But now the Works resisted her as if her hands were deviant. The gears choked on the chain, gnawed the links in their teeth. Tears turned the soot on her cheeks to mud.

It could