★★★☆☆ Honorable Mention
(Horror) A magician dies on stage performing his most famous trick, but what really happened? (7,439 words; Time: 24m)
"How the Trick Is Done," by A.C. Wise [bio] (edited by Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas), appeared in Uncanny Magazine issue 29, published on July 2, 2019.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Review: 2019.398 (A Word for Authors)
Pro: From the start, we know that the Magician dies, and we know that Angie is responsible. The bulk of the story tells us what sort of person the Magician was (selfish to the point of psychopathy) and how everyone felt about him. We also learn about Angie’s own power, which is real and serious magic.
Con: The magician is such a jerk that it’s hard to sympathize with the other three for not simply walking away. Letting the trick fail knowing he’ll die amounts to murder, and murdering someone because you love him too much to leave him isn’t something a good person does.
Other Reviews: Search Web
A.C. Wise Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
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Pro: From the start, we know that the Magician dies, and we know that Angie is responsible. The bulk of the story tells us what sort of person the Magician was (selfish to the point of psychopathy) and how everyone felt about him. We also learn about Angie’s own power, which is real and serious magic.
Con: The magician is such a jerk that it’s hard to sympathize with the other three for not simply walking away. Letting the trick fail knowing he’ll die amounts to murder, and murdering someone because you love him too much to leave him isn’t something a good person does.
Other Reviews: Search Web
A.C. Wise Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
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