Magazines

Another very good story is “The Archer of the Sun and the Lady of the Moon” by Eugie Foster, a Chinese fantasy and an enchanting love story.

—Sam Tomaino, SFRevu

Eugie Foster’s “The Archer of the Sun and the Lady of the Moon” gave me that frisson I get when reading Chinese myth…I forget for a time I’m reading in English—recalling the same enticing sense of Beyond the Fields We Know that I got when first exploring Chinese tales in library books when I was small…Jealousy, love, power, mercy, and ferocity imbue the beauty of the tale with real emotion, but what binds it together and fixes it among the stars is the question of whether the finite can find harmony with the infinite.

—Sherwood Smith, Tangent

Reprinted in the ASIM Best of Horror Anthology.

“Body and Soul Art” made me squirm…Foster does a good job portraying Rusell’s agony, both physical and mental, as he wrestles with the consequences of his decisions.

—Chris Markwyn, Tangent

Received an Honorable Mention in The Year’s Best Science Fiction Twenty-third Annual Collection, edited by Gardner Dozois, and The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror 2006: 19th Annual Collection, edited by Ellen Datlow, Gavin Grant, and Kelly Link.

[Prime Books]…launched a slick new fantasy magazine, called, appropriately enough, Fantasy Magazine, edited by Sean Wallace. The premiere issue featured strong work by Jeff Ford, Tim Pratt, Eugie Foster, and others.
—Gardner Dozois, The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Third Annual Collection.

In addition, Wallace debuted Fantasy Magazine at the World Fantasy Convention, which showcased some dark as well as light fantasy. The best darker stories were by Sarah Brandywine Johnson, Eugie Foster, Simon Logan, and Catherynne M. Valente.
—Ellen Datlow, The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror 2006: 19th Annual Collection.

a profoundly strange supernatural look at the morality of revenge.
—Nick Gevers, Locus

If the cute animal personifications initially seem to promise a slight, warm fuzzy story, the impression is soon countered by the topics of their debate…the story is emotionally effective and, impressively, given its subject matter, makes its point through character and story rather than cold rhetoric. A strong story.
—Ben Payne, Tangent

Realms of Fantasy’s August issue has several nice, challenging, stories, including a rather shocking look at sacrifice from James Van Pelt, “Light of a Thousand Suns,” and a bittersweet Japanese fantasy, complete with fox and rabbit women, Eugie Foster’s “Daughter of Bótù”.
—Rich Horton, Locus

The August 2008 issue of Realms of Fantasy has an impressive list of contributors…but even among such strong company, I found “Daughter of Bótù” the clear standout.
—Aaron Hughes, Fantastic Reviews Blog (Story Recommendation of the Week, 9/9/2008)

Foster delivers rich description in a narrative style that flows naturally, shows character depth without lengthy explanation, and builds plot structure like a professional engineer. In a day of too-easily-bored ADD readers, Foster manages to walk that razor’s edge between verbosity and action, and come out with no cuts at a time when many other writers find themselves bleeding from multiple wounds.
—Scott M. Sandridge, The Fix

Eugie Foster’s “The Goddess Queen’s Battlefield” is one of the standouts in issue #2 of GrendelSong…The language is stark and beautiful, like one of the ancient epics…Recommended.
—Aliette de Bodard, Tangent

“The Life And Times Of Penguin” by Eugie Foster is a beautiful fantasy, which employs the trappings of children’s fiction, with adult emotional themes of risk and mortality.
—Talie Helene, ASif

Eugie Foster’s “The Life and Times of Penguin” succeeds in being, by turns, funny, thought-provoking, and poignant…In this fairly brief story–an existentialist allegory, when you get right down to it–Foster manages to ask these questions, and she has something meaningful to say in return. It’s an impressive achievement. That she pulls it off in an entertaining way, without once sounding preachy, is also noteworthy; and if that weren’t enough, her prose is clean, taut, and relentlessly visual.
—Douglas Hoffman, Tangent

Magic! Poetry! Fisticuffs! All this and more make Eugie Foster’s “Of Two Minds in Lanais” the best story in the issue.
—E. Sedia, Tangent

Nominated for the 2005 Pushcart and 2006 Southeastern Science Fiction (SESFA) Awards.

“Oranges, Lemons, and Thou Beside Me” by Eugie Foster is a gripping tale…The ending was surprising and packed a punch…a well-done story, and a pleasant read.
—E. Sedia, Tangent

a well-rounded tale with appealing characters…with a finale that will not be easy to deduce and is shocking in its shrewdness.
—Matthew Tait, HorrorScope

an intense account of a painfully close relationship between twins…a well-structured story, driven by the character’s emotions.

—Catherine Davis, Whispers of Wickedness

Received an Honorable Mention in The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror 2006: 19th Annual Collection, edited by Ellen Datlow, Gavin Grant, and Kelly Link.

Eugie Foster’s “Returning My Sister’s Face”…is a tale of revenge as delightful as it is grisly…Asian folk tales and legends appear to be a rich story vein, and Foster mines it well…well-researched and entertaining

—James Palmer, Tangent

“Returning My Sister’s Face” by Eugie Foster is a ghost story about avenging wronged love in a medieval oriental setting…The author maintains a sense of suspense throughout, and the narrative style is so compelling I could almost hear the slow, dignified plinking of ancient oriental music as I read it.

—Joyce Ellen Armond, Science Fiction Romance Newsletter

Nominated for the 2005 British Fantasy Award for Best Short Story.

A wonderful story, one that I enjoyed reading tremendously. It’s one of the best stories I’ve ever critiqued in my years of teaching writing workshops.

—A.C. Crispin, New York Times bestselling author

It’s emotionally wrenching, and yet joyful…an interesting story-line, and a fine turn-of-phrase.

—Kathleen O’Malley, co-author of the Starbridge series (w/A.C. Crispin)

It’s a beautiful story—touching without being sentimental, with characters that come believably to life.

—Victoria Strauss, author of the Arm of the Stone series

Click to see more

Winner of the 2009 Nebula Award for Best Novelette and nominated for the 2010 Hugo Award for Best Novelette.

This far future science fiction tale is an exploration of self identity and the masks we all wear in public…a beautifully written and fast-paced tale

—Jason Sanford (Story Recommendation of the Week, 1/19/2009)

an elegantly strange slipstreamish fantasy

—Gardner Dozois, Locus

disconcerting and thought-provoking in equal measure and should rightly earn its author wider exposure—and perhaps appearances in the Year’s Best and on various award ballots.

—Colin Harvey, Suite 101

the broadening of the theme from science fantasy psycho-drama to full sf dystopia is a satisfying shock, and just when you think she’s going to wrap things up with a relatively redemptive ending, Foster sneaks in a suckerpunch in the end that’ll leave you wide-eyed and a bit breathless…the conception and plotting are top notch, and it’s a much more sf-nal story than it initially appears. Recommended.

—Paul Raven, Velcro City Tourist Board

Click to see more

Foster lends her own twist to this Korean version of the Cinderella story. Strong characterization means you will definitely connect with Shim Chung and want to know what happens next.

—Nicole McClain, Tangent

Author Eugie Foster has consistently used words to craft vibrant mental images in past stories, and this tale is no exception.The story is replete with intense visuals…The author expertly builds tension early in the story…At its core, “The Storyteller’s Wife” is a love story, but the early elements that hint at suicide, and the sinister nature of the denizens of Faerie add a dark element that enriches the story.

—Michael Gabriel Bailey, Tangent

Received an Honorable Mention in The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror 2006: 19th Annual Collection, edited by Ellen Datlow, Gavin Grant, and Kelly Link.

Foster writes with a graceful, easy touch, with just the right images, making the story into a tapestry.We’ve already seen the whole from the beginning, but that in no way takes away from the pleasure of going over it bit by bit in order to savor the details.

—Sherwood Smith, Tangent

Set in ancient China this masterfully combines Chinese legend and familiar European tales.

—Sam Tomaino, SFRevu

…I do recommend this magazine because one of the stories got an Excellent for me…The best story is “Wanting to Want” by Eugie Foster.

—Sam Tomaino, SFRevu

It’s quite a brutal description of the life of a junkie, enough, you would think, to put anyone off drugs. The narrative really gets inside the characters head though and you realise things aren’t that simple. A very well written piece.

—Gareth D Jones, Scifi UK Review

“Wanting to Want” is the strongest story to appear in the debut issue of Hub, and its position in the magazine will leave the readers with a positive feeling towards the magazine.

—Steven H Silver, Tangent

It’s an unflinching piece of writing, and takes the brave course of avoiding any happily-ever-after frippery with the ending…the descriptions of Bitty’s rough life on the streets is well-written and very believable…Foster’s warts-and-all handling of the scenery is well crafted, and this is a very contemporary piece of work which closes the magazine well.

—Paul Raven, Velcro City Tourist Board