‘Channel 7’ by Jamie Killen is, in effect, a transcript of a news programme during an alien invasion that has evidently being going on far a while. It’s not a very professional broadcast as the city has already been gassed with a substance that makes everyone very laid back and lethargic, leading to an interesting slant on the story. The tension builds almost unnoticed as nobody seems to care what happens, yet somehow I did end up caring, even about the cameraman.

In ‘Down to a Sunless Sea’, Neil Carstairs paints a picture of an idyllic colony world, until you suddenly realise that it is, in fact, a penal colony. The dichotomy of the two viewpoints makes for an intriguing read.

Eric Hermanson tells us about ‘The Thief of Life’, an ancient Mayan god brought back from a trip to Mexico. When reactivated it begins to have a baleful effect, as the title suggests, and some well-written, atmospheric episodes ensue.

‘Courting Hell’ is Marlo Dianne’s story of more ancient gods, all from various underworlds, who are facing a recruitment crisis. It’s quite light-hearted, considering the subject matter, and you might worryingly start to see things from their side!

Kirsten Lincoln is the author whom the editor highly praises, and I have to say I agree with him about ‘The Last Moments of Rapture and Peak’. An Artificial Intelligence may have caused two deaths at a mining colony and is under investigation. The description of the link between human and AI mind is brilliantly original. The story avoids either ‘cyberpunk’ or ‘hard SF’ labels, but is a masterfully told tale of relationships and consequences.

A little girl with synesthesia is the subject of Joseph Fullam’s ‘The Sounds We Make’. The ‘good’ and ‘bad’ sound given off by objects and people add confusion to a world that is already difficult to understand, and the innocent point of view add a nice perspective in this heart-warming story.

M.J.Danville’s amusing story ‘The Other Short Guy Syndrome’ mixes technology with fantasy to give a new meaning to the help icon on your word processor. It manages to give the odd moment of chilling realisation, while maintaining an overall feeling of satisfaction as it unfolds.

Finally, James Targett gives us ‘The Fundamentals’, the tale of a hedonistic, cyberpunk society brought to its knees by a killer virus. Again, it’s the characterisation that impresses, with the implants and nanotech as a backdrop. The ending seems abrupt, but when I re-read the final paragraph again later I decided it was a perfect conclusion.