“The American Dead” by Jay Lake (September 1, 2008) is the south of the border tale of a man living in horror whose greatest dream is to be American. Sex charged, but not sexy it walks a fine line between many things; science fiction and real, tragic and beautiful, hopeless and escapism, exotic and familiar. While many of Apex’s stories are not for the faint of heart this one strikes in different, mournful, ways.
Where other stories are the battle “The Limb Knitter” by Steven Francis Murphy (September 8, 2008) is waiting in the trenches through the fight. Perhaps adding to the feel of the story are the nonstop descriptions of a place, a fight, and beings that are otherworldly enough to prevent the reader from gaining their bearings, making it hard to explain what the story is about other than the human spirit’s desire to survive despite the wicked horrors and crushing losses dealt to them. There is a love story of sorts, and lots of horror. A future world that seems to be all front line fighting where humans are repaired as basically as required or recycled into future forces. But at times it’s hard to follow and often it’s a bit to much, which very well may be the point to this war story.
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