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The May/June 2011 issue of Interzone is another good one, with stories by Jon Ingold, Lavie Tidhar, Suzanne Palmer, Jason Sanford, and Will McIntosh along with the usual articles and features.

The May/June 2011 issue of Interzone has some fascinating stories.

The fiction begins with "Sleepers" by Jon Ingold. Our narrator is a monk who helps the elderly in a retirement home. He has had many discussions with Jean-Luc who tells the monk about his grandmother and a failed colony on the fifth world of the Centauri system, many years ago. Fifteen thousand colonist had traveled from Earth through what was know as the lightgate, something apparently built by aliens. All but twenty had died and the survivors returned to Earth. After many years, the lightgate is being reopened. Will they find the "Centaurons" that Jean-Luc talked about? This was an interesting start to this issue.

Lavie Tidhar is a unique writer and "In the Season of Mango Rains" is a good example of his craft. It is a brief tale of a man talking to his lover of years ago and their happiness. He refers to prophets of new religions that do not appeal to his lover. As they age, she becomes increasingly withdrawn and takes an irrevocable step. This was a sad, lyrical story and quite affecting.

"The Ceiling is Sky" by Suzanne Palmer takes place in a future in which most people work temporary jobs so that they can live. To find a permanent job is to find real security. When you run out of employment, the alternatives are utter poverty or suicide. Phill has an opportunity for a permanent job but finds out that it would involve something nasty. How he resolves his problem makes for a very well done tale.

You can always count on Jason Sanford for something imaginative and "Her Scientifiction, Far Future, Medieval Fantasy" certainly more than achieves that goal. Princess Krisja Jerome inhabits a fantasy pocket universe, entirely controlled by an artificial intelligence. She has used forbidden technology to escape to another universe briefly. Invaders attack her father's kingdom and kill him. Now she is ruler of this kingdom. Before she leaves, she must fulfill her father's dying request, but she finds out all about her world and herself in the process. Another stunning piece by a talented writer.

The issue concludes with "Incompatible" by Will McIntosh. Leia has been haunted by menacing circles all her life. At certain times, they close in on her and she must find ways to keep them at bay. She lives her life that way. At a pumpkin sale, she meets a man and finds out that he, too, is haunted by the dots. The problem is that his way of keeping them back is the exact opposite of hers. How this is resolved makes for a great end for this issue.

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