Category Archives: Reviews

Another review of The Glorious Aerybeth (from On Spec #97)

Reviews

And what a review! Eamonn Murphy from SF Crows Nest had this to say about my story:

“‘The Glorious Aerybeth’ by Jason Fischer is one of those superb Science Fiction stories that you come across once in a blue moon. The Glorious Aerybeth, named after the Empress, is a gigantic organic starship fuelled by flesh and blood which it obtains by scouring the surface of planets and eating every living thing thereon. The race that crews it has a ruthless, hierarchical society. The Empress has an interest in archaeology and has sent our hero, Gannet, to halt the ship’s operations and investigate the planet it’s about to scour. Captain Orace resents this as he has a quota to fill and shareholders to keep satisfied. Combining an original premise, fascinating aliens with an intriguing culture and a few neat plot twists, this is an excellent piece of work. It’s the best hard Science Fiction short story I’ve read this year and should be up for awards.”

Thanks Eamonn! We aim to please – this review has really made my day 🙂

The rest of the review can be read at the following link:

http://sfcrowsnest.org.uk/on-spec-the-canadian-magazine-of-the-fantastic-vol-26-no-2-97-magazine-review/

Another review of Everything is a Graveyard

Reviews

Hey folks! Have had fun during Author August (especially my visit to Flinders University yesterday) but I’ll blog about everything in earnest when August is done and dusted.

In the meantime, I’ve just spotted another Fischery review in the wild, this time from my long-beloved Antipodean SF. 10 years ago to the month they published my first short story, now they are reviewing my book of short stories! Lovely circular serendipity, that.

everything-is-a-graveyard

Anywho, of my book EVERYTHING IS A GRAVEYARD, reviewer Jean M Gordon says:

“I’m not generally a fan of the macabre, and I tend to like my post-apocalypses full of triumphant remnants of humanity. I am, however, a fan of things done extremely well, and this book fits the bill.”

“Fischer has created several distinct worlds in this short book. Some completely unfamiliar, many quintessentially Australian, and a couple that beg for their own full length story to explore their potential complexity. All of them are vividly drawn and memorable. Possibly too memorable.”

Thanks Jean! For the rest of the review, please click on the following link:

http://www.antisf.com.au/antisf-reviews/1417-everything-is-a-graveyard-by-jason-fischer

These folks are wonderful and gave me my start, so make sure to stop by and read the other stories and reviews – fun awaits you!

Aurealis Magazine review of “Everything is a Graveyard”

Reviews

I have loved Aurealis Magazine for a long, long time (I think I’ve still got issue #2 somewhere). It was a great moment when I sold them a story, and they’ve published three of mine now. This was one of my go-to sources when I was first learning about Australian genre writers, and I always got a kick out of the extra material – the reviews, the occasional essay, and of course all the gorgeous artwork.

So it’s especially awesome to see these folks print a review of my short story collection “Everything is a Graveyard” (from Ticonderoga Publications).

Reviewer Alex Stevenson of Aurealis Magazine says:

“Jason Fischer’s new collection of short stories, Everything is a Graveyard, might perhaps be more accurately titled ‘Everything is going to kill you’. Featuring dimension-shifting, soul-sucking witches, a ravening horde of undead camels, and murderous, amputation-happy rednecks—among other things—Everything is a Graveyard is full of messy endings for the few poor souls who inhabit its post- apocalyptic worlds.”

and

“Tremendously imaginative and a great deal of fun, Everything is a Graveyard makes up for what it lacks in depth with buckets of gore, thrills, and laughs. Zombies, classic Australiana, violence and black humour all abound, and fans of schlock horror should find a lot to enjoy.”

The rest of the review can be read here:

http://aurealisblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/21/aurealis/

Further information about Aurealis Magazine itself can be found here – honestly, it’s just a great read:

http://www.aurealis.com.au/

New Review of “Quiver”

Reviews

Well, to be honest, I’m not sure how old this review is, but I stumbled across it in my travels the other day. Of my novel Quiver, reviewer Scott T Barnes says: “Quiver correctly focuses on the human reactions to a zombie apocalypse rather than on the zombies themselves. Zombies are in fact a force to push people to the breaking point, equivalent to a sinking Titanic, a horde of orcs, or an infernoing tower.”

Of my protagonist Tamsyn Webb, Scott says “She is competent, funny, determined-but-vulnerable, and very believable. The kind of girl I would have given up my entire comic book collection for, for a single date.”

I’ve asked Tamsyn how she feels about this, and while the jury is out on a blind date, she’s comic mad and will at least swap you some archery lessons for something new to read. She likes Red Sonja, Conan, anything with the X-Men, and anything weird and indy.

“I love the book’s title. It comes from a quiver of arrows, of course, but implies so much more. I can just picture naked living-dead flesh quivering as the zombies shamble forward, and the quiver that goes up Tamsyn’s spine as she nocks her arrow…”
YES. I love it when folks get what I’m trying to do. Mission accomplished! Thanks Scott.

Scott’s full review can be found here:

https://sites.google.com/a/newmyths.com/nmwebsite/books-we-are-reading/quiver

Black Static #39 – Review of “Everything is a Graveyard”

Reviews

In the latest issue of Black Static, reviewer Peter Tennant analyses a fat stack of Australian genre books, and gives a thorough review of many new works, including my short-story collection “Everything is a Graveyard”.

Peter says “Of all these writers, Jason Fischer is the one who, to my outsider sensibility at least, feels the most Australian, with stories that simply couldn’t happen anywhere other than a land down under…an engaging and thoroughly enjoyable collection showcasing a strong new voice with a distinctive vision.”

To get the latest copy of Black Static (as usual, chock full of fiction, horror news, reviews and all that good stuff) grab a copy at your local newsagent, or it can be ordered online via this link:

http://ttapress.com/blackstatic/currentissue/

New review for “Everything is a Graveyard”

Reviews

The folks over at ScaryMinds have just released a review of my short story collection “Everything is a Graveyard”. About it they say:

“Jason Fischer’s first collection Everything Is A Graveyard is arguably the best release of tales to chill by this year. A very solid collection of post apocalyptic stories that have a uniqueness about them that will provide you with hours of entertainment while making you wonder why on earth this Author hasn’t released a collection previously. As expected Ticonderoga Publication have produced a polished release that simply states professionalism. Excellent release that is one of the must have books of 2013. Do not miss this collection, it’s destined for cult status, highest recommendation folks.”

10 stars out of 10. Plus many other very kind words by the reviewer. I’m quietly stunned. Best review ever! I always love it when people enjoy my stories, and get a thrill when someone takes the time to write a review.

To read the rest of the review (and see some of the other excellent reviews and content hosted on this site) click on the following link:
http://scaryminds.com/reviews/2013/book182.php

New Review of Quiver

Reviews

Aussie horror review site Thirteen O’Clock has reviewed my novel Quiver. Reviewer Alan Baxter pulls no punches, and offers a thorough critique of the book, warts and all.

“Jason Fischer has embraced the pulp novella, embraced everything about zombie stories and combined them into something equal parts familiar and refreshingly original. If you’re a fan of zombie action, bow-wielding badass heroines and good pulpy fun you should really check out Quiver.”

To read the rest of the review (and other delicious offerings from Thirteen O’Clock) click on the following link:

http://www.thirteenoclock.com.au/quiver-by-jason-fischer/

Another Quiver Review

Reviews

Hey folks! I’m hoping to do a quick write-up of my Supanova experience soon, but in the meantime, here’s a new review of Quiver. Reviewer OzNoir writes:

“…QUIVER encapsulates many of the tried and true formulas common to survival horror; the building of fortifications, scavenging, zombie (or coffin-dodger) hoards and their migration, the fall of Government and the rise of independent parties, but the most important component of this zombie post apocalyptic concoction is the humans themselves who are commonly more inhumane than the walking dead. Fischer goes to great lengths to portray a dead world whose living souls are rotten and more menacing than those who threaten to end mans existence.”

The rest of the review can be read here:

http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/review-quiver-by-jason-fischer.html

New Review of “Quiver” from Scaryminds

Reviews

Scaryminds do love them some Aussie horror, and it was great to see them do a lengthy review of my first novel, “Quiver”. It was not without moments of tough love, but all’s fair in the world of reviewing. Having reviewed for many years before writing in earnest, I have nothing but love for anyone who’d take the time to read my work and express an opinion about it.

“The book is a big read that should have a few people squirming as the gore hits the page, but Fischer never drops his narrative edge from first page to last page. A solid example of decent writing in a ghetto sub genre Quiver kept my attention, and more importantly didn’t bounce me off the page, as the journey went increasingly more surreal.”

The rest of the review can be found here: http://www.scaryminds.com/reviews/2013/book161.php

Check out the rest of the Scaryminds site while you’re visiting, these folks are nothing if not prolific when it comes to following and covering the releases in local genre fiction.

New Review of Midnight Echo #8

Reviews

A new review has just gone up of Midnight Echo #8, the issue that contains my story Pigroot Flat. Reviewer OzNoir says:

“PIGROOT FLAT by Jason Fischer flips the script on zombie horror by introducing an all too real horror amidst the dust and desolate Australian outback. I particularly liked the living dead in PIGROOT FLAT as being objectified as mere obstacles while the true horror flourishes behind the face of the living.”

Glad it worked, that’s exactly what I was aiming to do! The rest of the review can be read here:

http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/review-midnight-echo-8.html