The Vast Fantastic

THE VAST FANTASTIC

by Terese Mason Pierre and Avi Silver

"Earth’s a furious graveyard, but, O!
how my bones will rise."

—"Conversation with a Mountain God, Sicily 2098," by Morgan L. Ventura

Let us begin with a question so large that it becomes a quest to answer: what is fantasy?

Many definitions tie back to the creative imagination, which itself is unique to the individual. Our inner worlds, private and profound and possible, create the fantasy spaces that we can escape into, or else use to speculate on the questions too complex or tender for our current reality. So much of fantasy is myth-making, complex creation-storying around what matters to us most. How did we get here? Why are things the way they are? What hands have shaped the change we want to make? The fantasy in this issue makes myths to reveal truths. It is at once tender and sharp, holds us tight and sets us free, breaks and builds new orders and worlds.

We cast a wide net when it came to choosing our fantastical narratives, seeking different subgenres and subversions, tropes and traditions, aspirations and innovations. And our contributors did not disappoint! Within these pages, readers can find animal gods, sickle claws, rock dragons, poet creatures, mythical spirits caring and devious, and much more. In form, function, and fantasy, this issue grabs and is ready to be consumed. The miracle of art is the ability to share our fantasies with one another—we are deeply proud of what this issue has become.

Being an editor is a fantasy job, tender and alchemical. With each new piece of writing we encounter, our imagination of the world—both inside and outside of the publishing sphere—grows and expands. Lately at Augur, we have been engaging with our own myths and reimaginings, and you will likely see changes to come in the future (what’s fantasy without a cryptic little note?)

For now, we can tell you now that more spring workshops are coming your way, and a little bird told us there might be another AugurCon … In any case, we’re excited to molt into something fresh and engaging, for now, and the coming years.

Wishing you magic and possibility,

Terese Mason Pierre and Avi Silver

Co-Editors-in-Chief, Augur Magazine

Continued in Augur Magazine Issue 6.2...