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Jupiter # 16: SF Magazine aka Jupiter 4 XIX: Megaclite
01/03/2008 . Source: Rod MacDonald 
Pub: Ian Redman, 19 Bedford Road, Yeovil, Somerset BA21 5UG, UK. 56 A5 magazine. ISSN: 17402069. check out website: www.jupitersf.co.uk
This magazine is named after Jupiter's satellites. One wonders what editor Ian Redmond will do when he comes to the last on the list? Move on to Saturn, Uranus and Neptune? In that case, with Jupiter having, at the last count, 63 satellites and the other planets probably just as many, he will be a very old man indeed when he comes to the end of his publishing quest.
I reviewed Jupiter # 15 in an earlier edition of SFCrowsnest. This issue carries on the same tradition of good quality fiction at a reasonable price. For this, you get five short stories and a poem, the latter a quaint little piece about a comet closing in on the Sun.
My favourite story was 'The Penetration Of Luna' by Philip K. Lentz. Set in the future a century or so from now, Jack makes a trip to the Moon only to be held up by excessive security on account of terrorist activities. While waiting, he chats up a woman, Erin, and endeavours to meet her later. That's when the trouble starts. Exactly what is the Luna Liberation Army? If you think security is bad today, just wait until we get to the Moon.
Monte Davies has a rather strange and intriguing offering. 'O-Topper' is definitely bizarre. In the fifth century AD, people appear from the future to slaughter Hun soldiers for sport. All this happens as a form of entertainment with advertising chucked in while at the same time we have the human angle from a girl of that era. The point is, do we really need time travel to commit such atrocities?
'Roadwalker' by Gareth D. Jones is the sequel to a previous story and, on reading this, it seems likely that there is something farther down the road in the future. The story could go on and on but, thankfully, it's well-written and there is mileage in it. An entertaining tale set in the future after civilisation has collapsed, it concerns the building of a road through the wilderness and the reaction of the people who encounter it.
Two other stories make up the quintet offered in this issue. I have to say, that all stories are ably written and entertaining. This is a nice little magazine which you could take anywhere to read on a bus, train or in an hotel without taking up too much space. However, I can't let it get away without some criticism. Come on, nobody is perfect (apart from the SFCrowsnest editor of course. I'm not really a crawler. Honest.). Oh yes, the criticism. It is time 'Jupiter' had a colour cover! The magazine would look much better and it wouldn't cost a great deal because colour laser printers are now available for just over £100. Apart from that, I can't think of anything else of criticism. Well done to Ian Redman.
Rod MacDonald
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