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Aberrant Dreams Winter 2006 # 6
01/05/2006 . Source: Rod MacDonald 
magazine pub: HD-Image, 210 Van Ness, Peachtree City, GA 30269, USA. 64 page magazine. Price: $ 5.50 (US). ISSN: 1554-4605. Buy Aberrant Dreams in the USA - or Buy Aberrant Dreams in the UK  check out website: http://www.hd-image.com/index2.htm
I've had this magazine to review for some months but was delayed by a terminal crisis in my old computer and the seemingly endless time it took to set up a new one. However, it is a quarterly magazine and by the time this review appears in SFCrowsnest, issue 7 of 'Aberrant Dreams', which is itself subject to a delay, may still be shrouded in darkness.
The cover art by Tony Diana leaves us in no illusion that this is indeed a dark magazine. This is the blackest, most evil and scary cover I've seen for a long time. Looking at the archive from their website, previous covers have been equally effective albeit in other ways.
The much used the phrase 'speculative fiction' is employed to describe the magazine's fiction content but I am happy to report that this isn't a purely horror magazine. In fact, this is more a Science Fiction magazine which employs horror in stories, many of which are set in space. 'The Melancholy Aihai' by Gerald Page is one such tale.
Imagine you're in space in a clapped-out spaceship going nowhere fast and along comes an alien craft in good condition and it's abandoned? It seems too good to be true and, of course, it is. The other ship is black! There is a life-form associated with it, something resembling the silhouette of a large being. Told in first person, this is a very effective story which you must read.
'And how can I do that?' I hear you say. The answer is rather simple, my good reader. You'll find the whole magazine at the website given above. You'll also find past editions of the magazine. Obviously, the editors think that people will pay $5.50 for a paper copy rather than read it online free. I think, of course, the real reason is that the paper copy is aimed at a more local market whereas the electronic copy goes world-wide and reaches places where paper cannot reach. In addition to this, they actually pay for submissions and like copy to be in electronic form.
Too good to be true? Is this another dark spaceship? Somehow I don't think so. This is a magazine of some quality which has found a niche in the market. The stories are good. They all have punch and the tempo carries you along, away from tedium and boredom. You could do a lot worse than read this.
Rod MacDonald
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