The Stories
"The Vampire Kiss" - by Gene Wolfe
"The Wooden Baby" - by Graham Edwards
"Death, the Devil, and the Lady in White" - by Richard Parks
"The Language of Moths" - by Christopher Barzak
"Blackthorn and Nettles" - by Liz Williams
"Dancing in the Light of Giants" - by Jay Lake
"Christmas Apples" - by Margaret Ronald

The April issue of Realms of Fantasy isn't quite up to the February one, but that would be tough to do. The average quality of the stories is right up there, though that average is boosted by Barzak's "The Language of Moths." It's been a while since I've read such a beautiful story that's affected me like that one did, and it more than made up for the more pedestrian tale that's the issue's only real clunker, "The Wooden Baby." Include the fascinating articles, and this is another winner of an issue.

"The Vampire Kiss" - by Gene Wolfe
A young boy tells his master the story of the slow deaths of his parents, the life slowly sucked out of them over time by a weird creature from down in the cellar. When the opportunity comes for him to deal with it, however, he can't bring himself to do it. Was it fear, or something else that stayed his hand? This story is a little far from what I'm used to from Gene Wolfe, but it is still quite effective. It's relatively short (about 2000 words), but Wolfe captures the boy's voice perfectly, giving an extra tragedy to the story as he watches his parents die. Even more effective is his description of the life he led with his mother after his father died, the extreme poverty and how he would scrimp and save just for crusts of bread. It makes his mother's death at the hands of the creature even more poignant. Is it mercy? And is that why the boy can't bring himself to do the deed when he has the chance? Wolfe gets a lot into few words, and this is a powerful opening tale in the issue.

"The Wooden Baby" - by Graham Edwards
A private dick with a special gift inhabits an office that doesn't advertise itself. If you need him, you go for a walk, and you find him on your doorstep. Miss Henson is one of those people, and she comes with a strange one: her baby has turned to wood. Our intrepid detective has some idea of what's happened, and he agrees to take the case. It becomes a case of faerie politics and changeling tradition, but thankfully, our hero knows what he's doing and can turn the tables. It seems that Realms of Fantasy always has to have at least one faerie story per issue, and this one is it for April. It's fairly light, but it has an effective noir tone to it that makes it more entertaining than it really deserves. There wasn't much suspense to it, as the detective always seemed to have a good idea of what was going on, even going so far as to bring the weapon that he would need to deal with the situation. Miss Henson's constant amazement at the detective's special tricks is funny, but overall the story is fairly pedestrian. Worth a read, but it won't stick with you far.

"Death, the Devil, and the Lady in White" - by Richard Parks
The Lady in White is a ghostly image around a deep forest pond. Legend has it that any man who approaches her will sink into the mud and leave their bones to decorate her lair. A young man has fallen in love with her from afar, however. Then Death happens along with a proposition to help him win his love. Ultimately, he learns that while Death may be honest, you always have to look beneath the honest to find out what he's really after. I loved Death in this one, in the guise of an old, worldly man who knows a lot about the nether realms that border the pond, and the situation the lady finds herself in. He's charming and he's able to convince the young man, John Alby, that he can help John win his love. The dialogue between the two is very good, and I loved the coda to the story. It's poignant, as you know that whatever happens, the lady will always be John's one, true love. The scenes between the lady and John toward the end of the story aren't quite as effective, as Parks doesn't really convey the sense of between worlds that they inhabit, but overall the story is quite effective and enjoyable.

"The Language of Moths" - by Christopher Barzak
The crowning glory of this issue, Barzak gives us two intertwining tales. One is about Eliot, a young man who is coming of age and finds love in an unexpected place. The other is about Dawn, his sister and an autistic girl. She inhabits another world, speaking another language and socializing with the moths and butterflies around her. The two of them are taken on a summer-long camping trip by their parents. The father is an entomologist and swears that he saw a unique moth in the woods around the Allegheny mountains when he was a kid. Their mother, a philosophy professor, is distracted in her own way with the essay that she needs to complete, so Eliot is the one who has to look after Dawn. He does find time to go to the local town, befriending a young boy and falling in love. It's a summer that will change all of them, and while the parents are ultimately successful, it's Eliot who will carry what he learns with him throughout his days. He finally is able to understand his sister, the girl he has resented for years, with one beautiful gesture on her part. This story is amazing. When I looked at how long it was and saw the brief description, I was apprehensive. I've never skipped a story in one of these issues before, but I was tempted on this one. I'm glad I didn't. It's extremely powerful, with the alternating viewpoints of Dawn and Eliot showing us the two aspects of their world, as both resent the actions of their parents in their own way. Dawn's outlook on the world is beautiful, and I loved how she considered Eliot the "little old man," seeing the older spirit in his young body. The ending is extremely moving as well. Barzak has written probably the best story I've read in this magazine so far.

"Blackthorn and Nettles" - by Liz Williams
A story of two women trying to possess the same man. A young woman becomes involved with Gwydion, a man whose sister is also quite possessive of him, they begin a circle of hate with each other, eyeing each other warily. Despite the fact that Gwydion has told the woman not to broadcast their situation while his sister is in the castle, word has gotten around anyway, making them instant rival. Still, a reluctant friendship begins to manifest when Gwydion is called away, but there is a fine line between love and hate. And sometimes, hatred can take on a physical shape. This is an interesting story about relationships and how rivalries can lead to unexpected consequences. I have to say that the climax took me by surprise, as I had no idea that Williams would make the situation literal, with hatred growing inside. I found the ending a bit confusing, with a bit of symbolism that went over my head, but overall, I found the story grabbed me enough to be glad I read it.

"Dancing in the Light of Giants" - by Jay Lake
I'm not a fan of short-short stories, so this one didn't really move me much. It's the story of the coming of age of a young giantess, and the ceremony that's involved in it. The story seems to be about living each day of your life fully, as you are already moving one day more toward the grave, which is a great message. A lot of meaning packed into so few words, making it much more effective than some shorts, and it is a quick read.

"Christmas Apples" - by Margaret Ronald
Genevieve is a young woman who is bitter about holidays. She has no use for Christmas, as it doesn't contain anything but bad memories. Thus, when a strange man walks into her office on Christmas Eve, asking her to help him find a place, she reluctantly agrees. They drive late into the night, always in danger of skidding off the road as they drive through the mountains, she begins to talk about her life. When they finally find what Charlie is looking for, Genevieve discovers that she's found something she had been missing, too. This is a great way to end the issue, though it's a couple of months late (the issue came out in February). Genevieve is an interesting character, and I loved the revelations she had when they finally get to where they're going. I also really liked the sense of unreality that the house had, especially at the end of the story as there is no sign of how they got there. It may as well have been a journey in Genevieve's mind for all the evidence that's left, but she has a wonderful re-awakening. A nice, gentle way to wrap up the issue.

Other features of this issue
"Television" - Behind the scenes of Lost. Also, a Winter 2005 fantasy television preview
"Folkroots" - a great article on the superstitions of the stage, including talk of "that Scottish play."
"Books" - reviews of upcoming and just published books
"Gallery" - the art of Gary Gianni
"Games" - Reviews of upcoming and just published RPGs and video games