Issue 26 (Isonoe) nearly here...

Four stories this issue, 3 from authors we've published before.
The Space Sphinx by Edward Rodosek follows a reporter seeking to uncover the mystery of the 'Sphinx' on a colony world.
The Octagon by David Conyers looks at the future of reality tv gameshows.
Cold Pressure by Rosie Oliver takes us on ocean voyage over a future earth.
Lastly In the Shadows of Hemera by Will Styler (our new author) is a moving piece looking at future space exploration.
We also have a short poem by G. O. Clake and the cover image (which I'll post later) is by Michael King.

Another good issue I think.

SFSite reviews issue 25

The reviews are coming thick and fast at the moment.
Rich Horton has reviewed issue 25 here.
Overall another good review "I thought this was even better than the last issue, which I thought pretty good."
He summed up Jupiter nicely at the end "Jupiter has reached a point where it reliably offers steady stories by newer writers. It's doing what we expect from semipro magazines: giving new talent a place to grow. These writers are doing enjoyable work now, and we can expect even better from some of them in the future."

Issue 25 reviewed at SFCrowsnest

SFCrowsnest have uploaded their review of issue 25. It's another good review which you can read here.
Rod starts by suming up the issue as "five excellent stories to entertain".
Can ask for a better start to a review than that really. I'll let you guys read the full review this time.

Prador Moon

By Neal Asher. Finished reading this yesterday. Probably the shortest SF book I've read for a while. Normally I look for the thickest spines I can for my books (I'm a particular fan of Peter F. Hamilton's) but due to the impending arrival of my son/daughter I thought I'd pick something I was fairly sure of finishing. Despite its size, Neal did great things with this book, he quickly created a world which seemed very possible, and aliens that would pretty much be my worst nightmare - all I could think of was giant cockroaches! Anyway, a good book about humans winning despite overwhelming odds against them with lots of action explosives and spaceships. To be honest, pretty much everything I could ask for from a short novel!
Its particularly nice to read a Asher novel, as many many years ago I published a story of his in my previous magazine Zest. It's nice to see people you knew way back have had all that hard work pay off.

Jupiter XXIV: Iocaste reviewed in The Fix

Finally after several years of trying, The Fix has reviewed an issue of Jupiter.
http://thefix-online.com/reviews/jupiter-xxiv-iocaste-april-2009/
David Hebblethwaite (not a stranger to Jupiter, he reviewed issue 14 for Whispers of Wickedness) takes up the challenge of issue 24.
Of Black Water (David Conyers) Hebblethwaite writes "Conyers is pretty good at evoking his future, in particular by dropping in telling little details that hint at broader goings-on outside the frame of the narrative."
Sides of the Coin (Gustavo Bondoni) is "a kind of techno-magical warfare reminiscent of computer games"
He describes Our Man in Herrje (Andrew Knighton) "beneath the humour is an interesting examination of the difficulties of relating to cultures very different from our own; and a question for each of us – how much of what we say or think, even to ourselves"
The Ninth Circle (A.J. Kirby) "is an interesting story which I’m not sure I fully understood, but found engaging nonetheless."
If You Can't Beat Them (James McCormick) is "a story which is lightweight and fun"
And finally Dog's Best Friend (Gareth D. Jones) "ends the magazine on a poignant and thoughtful note"

I'm happy with all that, I wonder what The Fix will make of Erinome

The Steel Remains

Just finished reading this from Richard Morgan. A departure from his usual SF, but very definitely a Morgan book. I've read a good bit of Fantasy in my time, in my younger days I was a bit of a Stephen Lawhead fan, so swords and mythical creatures read just fine to me. And this book was great, at times a bit disturbing, and not exactly pretty, but Richard is just so good at description and making it feel like you really know your characters, that this is a winner for me. Heard today that the sequel is on the way, which is only a good thing, Richard has created a wonderful world here, perhaps not the best story line, but with writing like this, that doesn't matter, you're there on that battlefield seeing the blood flash up across your face. This is writing that grips and pulls you along with it.
Good stuff Richard, just hope you haven't abandoned SF altogether, though the Kiriath technology helped me feel at home.

SFrevu of issue 25: Erinome

SFrevu have published their review of issue 25.
You can see the full review here.
'Radio Free' by Sam Kepfield apparently "doesn't really describe the current United States of America".
But more positively...
Fet Milners 'On the Commodore' is described as "an effective, unsettling tale."
Kate Kellys 'The Oracle' is "a fine story".
Neil Clifts 'The Mariner' is "a delightful, touching tale".
'Dusting Tycho' by Vera Sepulveda is a "fun story that I enjoyed a lot".

Would be interesting to hear if you agree with Sams review?