Fantasy & Science Fiction (print edition)

I'm a big fan of fantasy and science fiction short stories, picking up various "Best of" anthologies every year. In those anthologies, it always tells where each story came from, so I was always aware of the various magazines that are around. I never really went looking for them, however. Then, one day I was at my local science fiction book store and saw the magazine shelf and decided I should check one out. Being more of a fantasy fan then a science fiction fan, I decided to try out Fantasy & Science Fiction. Am I ever glad I did. Ever since that fateful day in January, I have been buying it every month.

NOTE: I buy it at the store rather then getting a subscription because I not only want to support the magazine, but I also want to support my local store. Being in Canada, there isn't a lot of savings with the subscription, though there is some. I would definitely suggest getting a subscription unless you are in similar circumstances.

Fantasy & Science Fiction has been publishing continually since 1949. Each issue is full of stories and interesting columns from some of the big names in the genre today. Recent stories by Joe Haldeman, Peter S. Beagle and David Gerrold were all excellent, and even the stories by less experienced writers are usually quite good. As with any anthology or other group of stories, there may be the occasional clunker in there. Overall, though, the hit rate is very high. There do seem to be some almost regular contributors, such as Matt Hughes and Ray Vukcevich, but thankfully their work is usually good. There are always a mix of science fiction and fantasy, and each sub-genre is represented pretty well too. There's urban fantasy, some high fantasy (though usually nothing like Lord of the Rings), modern science-fiction, far future, and many more. Stories vary from novellas to short stories, and everything in between. There are usually 7-10 stories per issue.

There are sometimes theme issues as well, such as the July, 2004 issue that was the "All American issue." Each story took place in the United States, but even within that theme, the stories were quite varied. "The Battle of York" was an example of how history can be perverted when records are fragmented. It's a story being told in the 29th century that takes bits and pieces of American history and twists them into a myth of George Washington, George Custer, Dwight Eisenhower, and the giant turned to stone that became the Statue of Liberty. It also contains a civil war tale and a modern-day story of science and terror.

Each issue also has some departments. There is "Books to Look For" by Charles de Lint, where he gives you the scoop on some books that you may have missed. There's also another column on books from various authors who muse either on books they want to suggest or just about books in general. There's also a films column by either Lucius Shepard or Kathi Maio. Usually these columns give interesting analyses of current genre films, sometimes commenting on the state of the industry today. They are always well-written, even when they are talking about something you may not be interested in.

The layout of the magazine is great. It's bound rather then stapled, so it fits nicely on your bookshelf. Unfortunately, that means that it won't lay flat like other magazines, so you'll have to hold it. The stories and columns are spread around, interrupted with the occasional cartoon or other artwork. Each story is introduced by the editor, Gordon Van Gelder, giving a little bit of information about the author usually including when the last story by that author had been published in the magazine. He also occasionally writes an editorial that kicks off the issue.

The benefit of short fiction is that it doesn't take very long to read, even if it's something that's not grabbing you. I have not skipped anything in any of the issues that I've read, and I've always been at least mildly entertained by even the lesser stories. It's definitely a way to stay on top of current trends in the genre. If you like short fiction, you owe it to yourself to check this magazine out.

*Edit* As has been pointed out in the comments section, this is now a bi-monthly magazine.

Dave Roy

F&SF, published on its own rather than as part of a larger stable of magazines, isn't easily pigeonholed. As its title describes itself, it's a magazine of Fantasty and Science Fiction. The fantasy is usually quite good, tending more toward humorous light fantasy than heroic sword-and-sorcery but some of the latter also shows up. Straight science fiction more suited to Analog can also find its way to F&SF, as will social SF or literary attempts that one might expect from Asimov's.

Some pieces are harder to categorize. There is usually one horror piece per issue, and why this is still the case is beyond me. The editors have done several surveys of the subscriber base and every result has loudly complained about "the horror! the horror!" yet still it slouches on. Mainstream authors are more likely to appear in F&SF than the other SF digests; Joyce Carol Oates is a regular contributor. Some of these mainstream pieces have little fantasy or SF element to them, which is what makes people call F&SF "quirky."

One nice thing about F&SF was that they used to sell lifetime subscriptions. I don't know if they'll still do it, but the cost used to be ten times the annual rate. I've been reading F&SF for almost 20 years, and the format hasn't changed much, despite the new editor and publisher taking over from the Furmans. If you used to read it, you won't be surprised if you come back to it.

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What sets F&SF Mag apart from the other digest-sized magazines that deliver speculative fiction is that F&SF chooses, almost every month, to transcend the genres it represents instead of remaining within the definitions and boxes that limit the other magazines. There don't seem to be any hard and fast rules concerning the stories that appear in this magazine except that they be really well written, and compellingly readable. The stories run all over the fertile woodland of Fantasy and Science Fiction and every month hold many surprises. There really hasn't been a magazine this satisfying since the old Twilight Zone magazine. In the end, it isn't about hard science or speculation about what might happen (in a scientific way). This is a magazine about stories for people who love to read them.

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Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine is full of imaginative stories every month; I have never been disappointed. The stories range in length from blasters to novellas, so no matter how much or little time one has, there is a story that will fit in. The authors are professionals who deliver well polished prose time after time. There are rarely stories at the extremes of the fantasy or sci-fi genres. I have never read about elves and dragons or about the workings of a space ship in any issue. The stories are about people, relationships, and all the strangeness we call life, as is the case with all good writing, not dazzling displays of scientific blather.

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Once upon a time this little magazine serialized The Gunslinger. I cannot give it any higher personal praise than that. But if you still need some convincing...

The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction is the gold standard in its genres (which are broader than the title might initially seem to suggest--there are all kinds of Fantasy and Science Fiction--and this magazine also features some horror from time to time). What Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock's Magazine are to mystery, F&SF is to, well, F&SF.

I have met some of my favorite authors in the pages of this magazine. Most recently, I read a great short story, "Finding Beauty," by Lisa Goldstein. I intend to read some of her novels as soon as I can get my hands on them.

The excellent review by David Roy below covers the nuts and bolts description of this magazine pretty well, so I won't repeat what he has so concisely said already.

I will however, make a nod to Charles de Lint's excellent column. If you are a voracious reader like me, you will find it of great worth and use.

I encourage you to not only check out, but support Fantasy and Science Fiction. This great publication is a jewel and well worth the money and time spent reading.

Fantasy and Science Fiction gets my full recommendation.

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Non-No - Woman

Don't purchase subscriptions from Amazon or Magazine Express.

The following are my experiences with a subscription to Hiragana Times from Amazon.

This page doesn't tell you is that the Japanese magazines subscribed to on Amazon and filled by a company called Magazine Express are shipped SEAMAIL from Japan which mean you'll recieve every issue 8 to 10 after it's released.

I placed my order in January and it to date have not recieved a single issue. After several phone calls, the Magazine Express people (who fill the Amazon subscriptions) said they had to restart my subscription for the May issues which will take 8-10 weeks due to shipping issues. So after ordering in January, I will not receive a single issue of this uncancelable magazine until possibly in late July. Very poor service.

This is unacceptable for a magazine that most US Japanese bookstores can get within a week or that you can order directly from the publisher for ony a few dollars more. If I had known the shipping policy I would not have ordered and the magazine supplier, Magazine Express will not cancel the subscrition.

I advise avoiding ALL Amazon magazine subsriptions due to their poorly stated policies.

**Update, I wrote this review in June. It is now July 8th and I've just been informed I must wait until August 15th to see if an issue arrives. I ordered the magazine on January 9th and I have had no resolution from either Magazine Express or Amazon who provides no way to contact anyone within Amazon about magazine orders. I reiterate, buying magazines from Amazon if a poor idea.

I've read Non-No now for several years, and I truly recommend it to anyone wanting to expand their fashion outlook-it's true, what the previous review said about wacky fashion! However, they eat this stuff up over there! And apparently I do too or else I wouldn't have bought the magazine! My earliest Non-No mag is from may of 1995, and the fashion in that magazine didn't really catch on in America until 1997 or 1998. I promise! So if you want a two-year fashion forecast THIS IS A MUST!!!!

By the way, my brother lived in Japan for some time and he said that a Gap t-shirt was $78.

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This was the first Japanese magazine I had ever perused and I was pretty impressed by all the pretty, yet conservative models. Some of the fashions are wacky and funny to the American reader, but that's what they go for. Some fashions, however, find their way into the US scene years later. Keep that in mind. The Japanese are, for the most part, trendsetters. Hong Kong and Taiwan just copy them. Most of the magazine is in color but the black and white section is probably just horoscopes, advice and interviews. I don't know. I can't read Japanese. It's alright because the pictures are entertaining enough. By the way, the Japanese have a ravenous obsession with shoes. Whatever nobody else is really wearing, they'll wear it. I hear that their fashion changes each week. I wonder how much money they spend on clothes...

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The styles and trends shown in Non-No magazine are always at least 3 years ahead of the American's. I received my first Non-No magazine in June of 2001, and it is only now (in late 2006) that I'm seeing those styles here in the United States. Back in 2001, while we were still wearing regular-rise/high-rise bellbottoms, hip huggers or flare jeans, Non-No was already featuring low-waisted hip huggers, modified skinny jeans (lower-waisted, more flattering fit), and designer brands that were still relatively unknown here (Seven For All Mankind, Juicy Couture). Definitely give this magazine a shot if you want to stay aead of the trends here.

Not only is Non-No several years ahead, but it is also ahead when it comes to beauty, cosmetics and makeup application.

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Star Magazine (1-year)

Star is definitely way up there on my list of guilty pleasures. In my opinion, of the celebrity magazines it has the best photos, the best reporters and tattlers, it's always easy to read and with its new slick format, it is totally irresistable. And they always come up some clever columns or series. Like for a minute, it was Joan Rivers and her daughter on the Fashion Police Beat. Now, it's "Normal or Not Normal". As the paparazzo catch the Beautiful Ones doing seemingly everyday things the Star Editors have fun with whether this is normal behavior with a hilarious rating system. Anyway, I stack it right along with my weekly journal and magazine reading. To me it's a fun publication.

I have been a faithful Star reader for the past few years and sometimes their stories are right on the money. Now that Star is glossy, they really try to give Us Weekly a run for their money. I love the new glossy star, but don't like the higher price tag, so if you can afford a subscription it's worth it. They tend to cover the usual suspects as far as celebrities, and rarely do they cover human interests stories that don't have to deal with tinseltown, but if you want to read about -Kirstie Alley, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie, Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, The Olsen Twins, and the usual suspects you will enjoy this mag.

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The one thing like about this magazine is that they have exclusive pictures on stars but what I don't like about this magazine is that they would start up rumors and make all kinds of lies.

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Now, you've gotta laugh at some of the stuff that Star publishes. Oftentimes, they are the first to make up rumors and untrue stuff about celebrities, hereby deeming this a tabloid even if it has glossy pages. It's not really the most reliable source if you're looking for celebrity news (unless you like to laugh at the stuff they deem to be true), but if you like this kind of stuff, you'll probably love Star. (At least it's better than National Enquirer, The Globe, National Examiner, etc.) Me? I found the fashion and beauty pages to be kind of interesting, and I liked reading the celebrity news even though I definitely never take it seriously. For a celebrity news magazine with some truth in the news, read People instead.

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I am a new subscriber and I ham very unhappy. I will not order again. I get the magazines late and also I get duplicated. Where is the magazine from this week? They are in the stores but I never received mine.

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Opera News (1-year auto-renewal)

I have been a subscriber of Opera news for over 5 years now, and I eagerly look forward to the arrival of each issue. Not only does Opera News provide information about the Metropolitan Opera in New York, but also every major opera house in the world. I feel connected with all that is going on in the world of opera when I read Opera News. The timely articles about performers, performances, and recordings help me to make informed decisons about what to see and what to buy. I highly recommend Opera News to anyone who loves opera.

I've been a subscriber to Opera News for almost forty years. (Now THAT's a sobering thought!) And indeed it is the opera-lover's best friend. There is always a lot going on in the opera world, over and above the performances themselves. And Opera News is a great place to keep up. Of course, it focuses primarily on the Metropolitan Opera and in particular the the Saturday afternoon broadcasts (I'm listening to a delectable 'Don Giovanni' as I write this--'La ci darem la mano').

And for people who are new to the world of opera it is easily the best periodical for easing them into this admittedly difficult (at first) art form. The price is terrific, too.

If you've hesitated before, now's the time!

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I am a young singer who is really excited about what's ahead. I love Amazon because I can find everything I need. Opera News teaches me about all the professional artist, I get Classical singer which talks to me as a young artist with audition listings, and Voice Lessons To Go by Vaccarino (two volumes of singing lessons on CDyey!). Now if I could just get an agent of this site!

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(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)I have only recently become an opera enthusiast partially because I realized I needed to be old enough to appreciate it and also because of my intimidation of those who are quite knowledgeable about it. That's why I heartily endorse a subscription to "Opera News", which I find to be by far, the most reader-friendly of magazines dedicated to opera and classical music. It is probably not as comprehensive as others are, but it makes for educational and entertaining reading at a level that would make sense to anyone interested in learning more about opera. Published monthly by the Metropolitan Opera Guild, it naturally places primary focus on the Met's performances, but it also does an excellent job in covering performances at venues around the world. The layout and graphic quality are as polished as any popular entertainment publication.

The feature articles are consistently informative and well-written, especially in their efforts to broaden perspectives on opera relative to other performing arts (e.g., Broadway, early movie musicals) and spotlighting historic performances. Generally showcased as the cover stories, there are in-depth profiles of the leading performers rising, established and legendary. There is also a comprehensive section devoted to reviews of recordings and performances available on CD and DVD, which I find very helpful in prioritizing my own purchase decisions. In fact, I was lucky enough to travel to New York last month to see the wondrous Stephen Wadsworth production of Handel's "Rodelinda" at the Met, and the December 2004 issue (with star countertenor David Daniels on the cover) gave me all the information I could use to heighten my anticipation of that superb performance. If you are a long-time opera aficionado or a neophyte like myself, it would be difficult to find a more worthwhile publication on the newsstands. Also worth noting is the accompanying Web site () that includes online exclusives of particular reviews, easy access to archived issues and daily news updates in the opera world.

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A Great scource of information for lovers of opera and classical recital singing. As a singer myself by avocation, it's great to know what the pros are up to, to read stories and interviews from some past luminaries and to see what's up with the regional and international opera scene.

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Travel 50 & Beyond

I received this magazine as a gift... and I will not renew. Articles are very short and refer you to websites, telephone numbers, etc. for more information. Why so little information in the magazine itself?

Additionally, there is a load of advertising: take that out of the equation and the magazine would only be a few pages long.

For my money, there is much more available elsewhere, including a "google" search. Waste of paper, IMHO.

"Travel 50 & Beyond" was on almost every page an ad for "Vacations To Go" There were very few articles on travel destinations and most of those were in a section called "sponsored section" sponsored by who? well Vacations To Go of course. Sometimes the articles were even written by the editor and editorial asst. of the publication. Any articles that were printed were always glowing reports,nothing unbiased. So I googled the publisher -vacationpublicationsand here's another big surprise vacationspublications came up with this:

"Vacations To Go is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vacation Publications, Inc., which publishes magazines, books and special reports for the travel and mature ..."

I feel like I really got taken. This was like one big pamphlet for thier travel company. I probably could have gotten all of it for free from their agency. Not only that but aside from pictures of some really happy looking older folks, I didn't particularly feel that this "magazine" I hate to even call it that was geared toward people age 50 plus.

There were many cruises(all of course should be booked through vacations to go), and some foreign travel that would probably blow a couple months of our fixed income. I would have liked to see some road trips or even train tours through the good ole U.S.A. There were some suggestions for a couple of vacations in some states, with maybe a map of the entire state, but not much actually showing any kind of route to take.There was an article a few months ago for a trip through route 66, but once again this was written by an editorial asst of Travel 50.

I ordered this through a subscription from a school fundraiser have recieved about 3 alreadyand the only thing good I have to say is that the publication arrives on schedule. Well, why wouldn't it?....Vacations To Go will benefit highly from any reservations made through this,their own magazine...and subscribers are just paying for all the adsabout 100 pages worth. Fahgetaboutit.

thanks....Laurie

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I could not distinguish the articles from the ads. Nothing in this magazine is worth reading. It is one big brochure for the tour and cruise company, Vacations To Go. I bought this for my granddaughter's magazine drive; so I probably can't get my money back; it is really a terrible excuse for a magazine!

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I have never received a copy of this magazine that I ordered in August of last year! They didn't hesitate to take my money though! I have no idea if the magazine has any redeemable articles in it at all.

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I am an older single woman. I love to travel by myself or with friends. Recently, I subscribed to Travel 50 & Beyond.

I counted photographs of thirty couples in a recent issue and NONE of single travellers enjoying themselves. According to the American Association of Single People, almost 50% of the adult population of the US is unpartnered. The travel industry and its publications need to catch up with the demographics! I will not continue to subscribe to this or any other magazine that does not give equal representation to the travel interests of the single population. Wake up to reality!

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Games (1-year auto-renewal)

If you like board games, word games, logic games, video games--any games--this is the magazine for you. A typical issue of Games magazine contains interesting articles on a variety of subjects--from hobbies like card tricks to online gaming communities; unique and colorful puzzles; and "ordinary" puzzles put together with a twist.

From crosswords to crostics to word finds to logic puzzles and teasers, whatever tips your hat, you will likely find it here. In addition, they print a number of Conceptis Paint by Number puzzles in each edition, a type of language-independent picture-forming logic puzzle that is a growing trend: each numbered puzzle turns into a pixel picture when completed.

Even the advertisements in this magazine are interesting. While you are hunting for the fictional ad, you will come across tournaments, board games, and websites that you would never have heard about anywhere else.

This magazine is highly recommended for most any age and type of puzzler. I've been receiving it for years and have never been disappointed.

Side Note: If you find a mistake or a unique answer to a puzzle, Games Magazine will send the first such finder a finder's fee: a Games Magazine t-shirt.

I have been teaching academically gifted students for the past 25 years and GAMES magazine has been a part of my curriculum for awhile. It is never out of date and the crytograms and puzzles are wonderful for left brain / right brain thinking.

GAMES magazine teaches kids to focus and become absorbed in the thinking process. These are learning characteristics which are surprisingly scarce these days, even in very bright students.

GAMES magazine is also balanced between mental gymnastics and humor it is fun to find the fake ad and enter the contests. It is the only magazine I have ever read in which I even like to read the ads!

It is a thumbs up publication!

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I've been a fan of GAMES magazine for many years! My favorite section is "Pencilwise" which is crosswords, logic puzzles, word games, and other puzzles. The puzzles come in different levels, with some puzzles geared for kids, some for beginners, and some that are very difficult.

My only complaint is that the magazine is only published 10 times a year.

If you like GAMES, try GAMES World of Puzzles Magazine!

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I've been "reading" Games Magazine for over 10 years. The puzzles range in difficulty from the very easy to the obscenely hard. Every issue has at least one contest (requiring the reader to solve puzzles and games, of course) with a prize that can vary from a t-shirt to $1,000. Whether you are a fan of crosswords, logic puzzles, cryptograms, or word games, you'll find something to spend your free time on with GAMES Magazine.

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This isn't just a book of jumbles, it is games for smart people. The logic and crossword puzzles are really challenging, and keep you on your toes. There are some light weight ones to help you cool down, but their annual treasure hunt is the best!

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Sport Fishing (1-year auto-renewal)

My husband used to buy magazine every month at the store at 6.95 a pop! Amazon had a great sale on magazines over the holidays so I decided to get him some subscriptions as Christmas gifts. What a great idea! Not only does he get his Salt Water fix, but we have been SAVING A TON OF MONEY by not buying it at the news stand. My husband never forgets to get the mail now, and we always have something to look forward to every month instead of junk papers.

Thank you Amazon for making these subscriptions so affordable!

Got this as a surprise for my boyfriend who is an avid fisherman and he loves it. I thought it was a little skinny but he really enjoyed the first issue. I do agree thus far the articles have been interesting; would recommend, especially for the $5 Amazon special. Can't beat that price!

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My son is a big fishing fanatic, I ordered this subscription for him a couple of years ago and he loved it so I have renewed since then and will continue to do so. If your into fishing this magazine is a great read, full of articles, product reviews and tips for fishing.

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This fishing magazine is the best on the market.It feels like you are really there fishing.

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I ordered this magazine as a gift for someone out of state. As far as I know, the magazine is fine. I have never seen it. What I am upset about is that it got set up as an automatic subscription to renew every year and bill my credit card which is on file with Amazon. I never knew this until I got a notice that it was being automatically renewed after the year was over. I immediately cancelled the order but a month later, it still shows in my account as "in the process of cancellation" and I just got a bill for it on my credit card. I am afraid if I pay the bill, it will not get cancelled.

When you go into your Amazon account, there is a Subscription Manager spot where you are supposed to be able to manage subscriptions. Yet there is no place to cancel as far as I can see. When I clicked on a link to give my feedback about the Subscription Manager, it took me to a page where I could do nothing.

I hate it when I order something and unbeknownst to me it sets itself up as an automatic renewal subscription which uses my credit card.

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Siempre Mujer (2-year)

I'm working on learning Spanish. I figured this magazine would be very helpful in improving my reading skills. It has so far. It's a typical women's magazine with articles about beauty, fashion, relationships, and family issues. It also frequenlty includes an interview with a celebrity. I would recommend this to any woman who wants to improve her Spanish skills.

Purchased a year of Siempre Mujer for my bff who likes Latino magazines. This is the first Latino magazine she's received that's actually written in Spanish, she told me. It is something like Good Housekeeping...meaning articles about various topics. After she'd received an issue or two, I saw a sale somewhere for another year of the magazine and asked if she'd like it renewed, and she said yes. She's not big into reading, so I take it to mean this is an enjoyable magazine.

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This is the second time I've been asked to review this magazine. I find it irritating since they never bothered sending it. I know this review won't be published; I just wish you'd stop asking for one. BTW I am not Hispanic, I volunteer at a hospital and got this to add to the library cart for the patients who speak Spanish. Seemed like a nice idea...

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I LOVE THIS MAGAZINE BECAUSE IT HAS INTELLIGENT READING AND ARTICLES. AND A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING THAT WE HISPANIC WOMEN LIKE.

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thats ok very little books for a year. why ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

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Writing Matters

If you write Italic, or if you would like to, you'll find no substitute for this: the quarterly journal of the Society for Italic Handwriting, and the only magazine entirely devoted to Italic handwriting past and present (and future ... )