Albedo One review – one of the most broad-reaching literary mags around
Albedo One issue 37
Despite branding itself as a magazine of speculative fiction, Albedo One is one of the most broad-reaching literary magazines around, claiming to publish anything that captures the imagination of the five editors involved in creating the publication.
As Frank Ludlow, one of the five editors, says of the stories: “they need a spark, something to generate an emotional response in us. Writing well is obviously a requirement, but isn’t alone sufficient to get your work published with us.”
The selection that made it onto the pages of issue 37 certainly provoked a cavalcade of emotions in me. Many of the stories were on the long side, which I liked, giving them plenty of room to transport me into the fantastical realm they described.
One of my favourites, which I found myself retelling in the coming days, was Aegis by D T Neal, which provides a new viewpoint of Medusa’s sister as a modern day sculptor with a penchant for creating headless statues.
Other deliciously unsettling reads includes Creepdoll by Gareth Stack, which was wonderfully eerie, examining the evils of exploitation and lies on a completely unexpected level as a man buys a ‘Creepdoll’ in order to pose as a single dad and find love - a sort of twisted sci-fi version of Nick Hornby’s About a Boy, with a far more disturbing ending.
I also enjoyed the Gothic-toned Stoker’s Benefactor by Richard Allen Scott, who introduced Bram Stoker to the Count in a tale relayed through a series of letters, journal entries and police reports that gave the story a sense of formality that worked well in the context.
A compelling narrative needs more than imagination
Others stories began strongly, but lost their way a little before the end, demonstrating that even the most intriguing notion needs more than imagination to maintain a compelling narrative.
If you write any kind of other-worldly fiction, Albedo One is a great place to gain an idea of what works and why. The submissions accepted for publication include work from debut and experienced writers alike, and the realities their authors present are fully imagined, so that even the most bizarre concept seems plausible. Many take contemporary controversies, such as in Robert Reed’s Safe, and twist them almost beyond recognition, while others follow more traditional sci-fi routes with devastated Earth’s of the future as backdrops.
The reviews and interviews provide further insight into the genres encompassed by speculative writing.
This is a magazine that offers escapism and exploration in equal measure, and we can’t wait to climb aboard the next issue.
To subscribe or submit please visit www.albedo1.com
To submit a review of a book, course, film, magazine or website, please email judy@EssentialWriters.com
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