I always enjoy receiving the latest issue of Black Gate, and I wish they came more often. Still, a gigantic version was a nice surprise for Issue 14, and it’s taken me quite a while to read through it. My only quibbles were the use of the scantily clad female imagery at the end of the stories; they just seemed to give the issue a cheapened feel. Also, I would have preferred something less revealing for the illustration to “Devil on the Wind”. I’m coming from a viewpoint of wanting to see Black Gate continue to gear itself towards a wide audience, age-wise, which I think has been done well to this point (such as providing warnings for stronger content).
Issue 14 had a mix of old and new authors, and I’m sure many Black Gate readers will be enthusiastic about the return of Morlock via “Destroyer,” a great novella by James Enge. My favorite story within the issue is “The Word of Azrael” by Matthew David Surridge. This was like a novel or series of novels condensed down into a single story in an impressive way; the world building was fantastic. I also want to mention another great read within the issue – “Folie and Null” by Douglas Empringham. This was a story that read really well; the narrative and flow were exceptional.
If you haven’t read this issue yet, you’re missing out. This is a good one.
