Interzone # 209 - April 2007
01/04/2007 . Source: Rod MacDonald 
bi-monthly magazine: UK publisher/editor address: Andy Cox, TTA Press, 5 Martins Lane, Witcham, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB6 2LB. Price: £ 3.75 (UK) $ 7.00(US). ISSN: 0264-3596. Buy Interzone in the USA - or Buy Interzone in the UK  check out website: www.ttapress.com
This is the 25th anniversary edition of 'Interzone'. The first point to note
is that they could have made a better job of the cover. I know it's an anniversary
issue and that the art is by Jim Burns, but in my opinion it's dull and uninspiring,
something which certainly will not sell magazines when in competition with hundreds
of others on a news-stand. Instead of looking back, 'Interzone' should have
been looking towards the future and used something far more appropriate and
aesthetically appealing.
With each story being associated with its own artwork, there's plenty to make
up for the bad cover. Richard Marchand is there with his usual depiction of
a head in pieces, though don't despair, there is other more inspiring stuff
from Christopher Nurse and Stefan Olsen to name but two.
I wonder, nevertheless, what percentage of the illustrations is actually created
specifically for the stories rather than being selected from the artists' portfolios?
I suspect that most of it is from the latter. While I can understand problems
with costs of special commissions and time limitations, it would be nice to
see more directly related fiction and illustrations.
Edward Morris gives us a story entitled 'Journey To The Centre Of The Earth'
relating to the Project Moho of the Sixties which was all about drilling through
the Earth's crust to get to the mantle. Basically the idea was a non-starter
because of limited funds and technical difficulties but it created a stir at
the time with all sorts of doom and gloom imaginings of what would happen when
the mantle was penetrated. Probably nothing would have happened but it filled
columns in newspapers nonetheless. Morris has captured this in his story involving
a multitude of other people including Steinbeck and the British Secret Service.
Should you wish to read the story it's available free to download from the TTA
press website. This is an interesting innovation from 'Interzone'. Not only
does it give readers an insight into the contents of the magazine, something
given away free is bait to attract new subscribers and should be encouraged
for the future. In fact, contract problems notwithstanding, 'Interzone' should
put some of its past stories free to download on the net. In addition to this,
an on-line version of the magazine would be very welcome to many people. Surely
in this climate of global warming and greenhouse effect, saving paper must be
a good idea? A discount on the cover price could be given to attract on-line
readers.
However, I'm not sure if this is possible. With the introduction of their horror
magazine, 'Black Static', maybe the work involved with producing two magazines
are just a magazine too far, and producing an on-line edition of 'Interzone'
is therefore pie in the sky?
There are seven stories to read in 'Interzone # 209'. While not a magnificent
seven, they are all very good, varied and entertaining. There is an article
about television, plus reviews, interviews and comments by various authors on
'Interzone's twenty-five years as 'the British number one Science Fiction magazine'.
Undoubtedly a good magazine, somehow I was looking for something a bit more
special for the anniversary issue.
Of course, I'm probably a miserable old beggar unimpressed by nothing, but
it takes all types, as they say! Let's hope that they make it to 50 years.
Rod MacDonald 
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