LIGHTSPEED is an online science fiction and fantasy magazine. In its pages, you will find science fiction: from near-future, sociological soft SF, to far-future, star-spanning hard SF--and fantasy: from epic fantasy, sword-and-sorcery, and contemporary urban tales, to magical realism, science-fantasy, and folktales.This month, our cover art is by Reiko Murakami, illustrating a new science fiction story by John Grant ("The Law of Conservation of Data"). We also have a new story from...

Brought to you by Penguin.What a thing of wonder a mobile phone is. Six ounces of metal, glass and plastic, fashioned into a sleek, shiny, precious object. At once, a gateway to other worlds - and a treacherous weapon in the hands of the unwary, the unwitting, the inept.The Cleverley family live a gilded life, little realising how precarious their privilege is, just one tweet away from disaster. George, the patriarch, is a stalwart of television interviewin...

Brought to you by Penguin.VINTAGE CLASSICS MURDOCH: Funny, subversive, fearless and fiercely intelligent, Iris Murdoch was one of the great writers of the twentieth century. To celebrate her centenary Vintage Classics presents special editions of her greatest and most timeless novels.‘I saw a monster rising from the waves.'Charles Arrowby has determined to spend the rest of his days in hermit-like contemplation. He buys a mysteriously damp ...

The contemporary legal landscape is no longer a rigid hierarchy composed of limited and complacent behemoths, but rather an ecosystem, filled with a wide variety of players that facilitate disruption and revolution and jostle for clients' attention with agility and innovation. This includes - but is certainly not limited to - entities such as technology companies, consultants, alternative legal service providers, and paraprofessionals. Law firms are not the only ones in this environment th...

The hundreds of illuminated miniatures found in the Cantigas de Santa Maria, sponsored by King Alfonso X (1252–84), reveal many vistas of daily life in thirteenth century Spain.No other source provides such an encyclopedic view of all classes of medieval European society, from kings and popes to the lowest peasants. Men and women are seen farming, hunting, on pilgrimage, watching bullfights, in gambling dens, making love, tending silkworms, eating, cooking, and writing poe...

Autumn approaches, and with it comes a time of dark magic. In this issue we celebrate the fantastical, the foreign and the fatalistic. We have kallikantzaroi on a mission, banana Popsicle munching bombs, alien friends happy to lend more than a hand, a band that really puts themselves into their music and part one of Flashlight, Knife and Flowered Crown, an electrifying, modern fairy tale.Poetry, flash fiction and keen illustration add variety to the mix. An Spanish interview of Jac...

23 Essays Demonstrate How God's Voice Guides Every Area of Life, from Science and Economics to Marriage and the ArtsWhat we think shapes who we are. That's why the Bible tells us, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind" (Romans 12:2a). In a time of differing voices competing for our allegiance, we must learn to "think biblically" so we can distinguish good from evil.In this collection of essays, John MacArthur and ...

In the richly evocative anthology, 'The Horrors for the Long Christmas Night,' readers are treated to a broad panorama of Victorian and Edwardian literature, where the enchantment of Christmas intertwines with the eerie charm of ghost stories. This collection showcases an intriguing range of styles—from the subtle psychological tension to the overtly supernatural. Each piece, masterfully crafted, transports readers into a time when storytelling was an art form, wielded to captivate audienc...

Dive into the enigmatic and haunting world of "Christmas After Dark," a compelling anthology that captures the eerie allure of the supernatural during the festive season. Featuring a diverse array of literary styles, from the Gothic to the whimsical, the collection traverses the shadowy realms of yuletide ghost stories and supernatural thrillers. Spanning historical and cultural contexts, each tale presents its unique narrative twist, contributing to the anthology's rich tapestry of suspen...

In the intriguing anthology, *Darkness Looms on Christmas*, the collection traverses the haunting and often mesmerizing interplay between the mystique of the holiday season and the eerie undercurrents of the supernatural. This volume meticulously brings together a vast array of literary styles, from Gothic dread to ethereal fantasy, showcasing masterful storytelling that captivates by fusing familiar Christmas themes with chilling mystery. Through its diversity, the anthology illuminates t...

In the enthralling collection titled *Murder Mysteries for the Long Christmas Night*, readers are invited to immerse themselves in a tapestry of suspenseful tales that capture the essence of the Christmas season's mystery and intrigue. This anthology spans a diverse range of literary styles, from the atmospheric and gothic to the plot-driven and cerebral, effectively highlighting the multifaceted nature of the murder mystery genre. Amidst festive backdrops and wintery settings, the narrati...

Murder Mysteries for the Long Christmas Night gathers Victorian and Edwardian crime fiction into a seasonally apt meditation on secrecy, domesticity, detection, and moral unease. Its range extends from Gothic hauntings and locked-room puzzles to comic inversions, sensation fiction, psychological suspense, and early procedural inquiry. Against Christmas's conventional imagery of hearth and fellowship, these tales expose concealed resentments, precarious inheritances, uncanny visitations, an...