For a look at the people already writing reviews for Tangent, check out our staff index on the Tangent URL Index page. Jumps to the reviewer's personal web-page have been included, where available
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Paul T. Riddell was Tangent's first columnist. Ever since we ran his initial pair of columns in the Spring 1995 issue (both under the general title "Catholics Have More Fun") readers have come to appreciate his often outrageous and infuriating style. Paul finds very little sacred in the SF world and pulls no punches in telling the reader why. In just one year he has lampooned and pilloried: a Hugo-winning semi-pro newszine editor; Star Trek geeks and similar brain-dead fan boys; the pros and cons of the Internet; those who whine about SF on Film but have seen Every Dumb Movie 20 times; and the scummy situation pervading the short fiction horror genre. Love him or hate him, people always read him.
Lillian Csernica loves the horror field. Honest she does. But she hates horrible writing. Ms. Csernica is not afraid of condemning the sleazy or sloppy, or praising the superb and scintillating. From a writer's viewpoint, her column reviews horror magazines and collections with an acute eye for basic storytelling mechanics. It's about time someone did. Tangent is proud to have her insight revealed in our pages on a continuing basis. Her column bears the title, "The Penny Dreadful Reader."
Dr. Paul Levinson discusses various contemporary issues in the SF genre in his column "Light Through," revealing the erudition and precise reasoning of the scholar. He has been an on and off-line educator for many years, reviews regularly for Tangent, has sold roughly a dozen short, well-received short stories, and is currently shopping his first novel around. Some of his other genre related, non-fiction work can be found in The New York Review of Science Fiction.
With only two columns under his belt, John L. Coker III is Tangent's newest columnist. His "Days of Wonder: Science Fiction's Early Years" is rapidly becoming one of the editor's personal favorites. John is a photographer, Science Fiction historian, collector and enthusiast. His pictures have appeared in Locus, SF Chronicle, and Horror; and have appeared on book jackets for Ace Books, Baen Books, NESFA Press, TOR and Pulphouse. John collects Weird Tales magazine and 1930's SF magazines. Accompanying his fascinating, factual articles on the early days of SF, "Days of Wonder" is liberally sprinkled with photos of old SF magazine covers, assorted rare memorabilia, and photos of the early pioneers of the genre. Harlan Ellison even went so far as to call the editor to express his interest in this one!
To further enhance the above eclectic mix of columns Tangent also showcases one-shot guest articles from time to time. Past contributors have included Darrell Schweitzer ("On the Death of Amazing Stories"), adult fiction writer and editor Gary Bowen (on gay censorship in Canada and elsewhere), and Jeff VanderMeer and Paul Levinson (a "debate" on the merits of the Consortium for the Literature of the Fantastic: CLF), as well as others. These pieces are always a welcome surprise.
Coming in the Summer 1996 issue: With a Doctorate in Chemical Physics and a degree in Physics, short story writer and novelist Catherine Asaro will get to "The Heart of the Matter: the Science in Science Fiction." In this new column, Ms. Asaro will not only discuss the accuracy of the science used in personally selected stories, but will explore its imaginative content (or lack thereof), as well as whatever else strikes her scientific sensibilities. Sure to excite interest as well as controversy, "The Science in Science Fiction" column will premiere in the Spring 1996 issue.
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Two copies are necessary: one for the reviewer to read, and one for the printer to use for the cover shot.
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"Tangent is the Factsheet Five of mainstream SF magazines."-- Factsheet Five
"Tangent is a real standout..." -- Richard Blair, Managing Editor, Aberrations SF
"So many differing opinions and philosophies...are rarely housed under the roof of a single magazine." -- Jeff VanderMeer, co-editor, Leviathan
"Tangent...is consistently excellent, every note, every review. It is a benchmark other review publications should study and try to emulate; I doubt they could surpass it." -- Gregory Bennett, Analog author; Founder, The Artemis Project
"Tangent is a very handsome package indeed. I look forward to seeing future issues. This is the kind of magazine I enjoy curling up with. Keep up the good work." -- David Gerrold
"I compliment you on the great editing job you are doing with Tangent. Really fine, effective, thoughtful layouts. A superior line-up of columnists and writers." -- Richard E. Geis, multiple Hugo Award winner for Best Fanzine (Science Fiction Review) and Best Fan Writer
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| Novel | Author | Issue |
| Love & Sleep | John Crowley | 10 |
| Shadow's End | Sheri S. Tepper | 10 |
| Primary Inversion | Catherine Asaro | 10 |
| Becoming Human | Valerie J. Freireich | 10 |
| The Diamond Age | Neal Stephenson | 11 |
| ReGenesis | Julia Ecklar | 11 |
| Siduri's Net | P.K. McAllister | 11 |
| Pawn's Dream | Eric S. Nylund | 11 |
| Resurrection Man | Sean Stewart | 12 |
| Brightness Reef | David Brin | 13 |
| The Baker's Boy | J.V. Jones | 13 |
| Diary of a Vampire | Gary Bowen | 13 |
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Last revised Tuesday August 26 1997