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I've never quite developed an appreciation for wine. Savoring bouquets, and the subtle flavors. (I like cocktails, which is to say, I want the alcohol to do its job without me having to go through the displeasure of tasting it.) Poetry is another thing for which I haven't developed a proper appreciation. While I usually don't consider reading poetry nearly as unpleasant as tasting wine, I still don't get the pleasure some people find in holding the lovely metaphor or image of a poem in one's mind. Poetry is a thing to be savored, and I haven't the knack.
I have, however, managed to develop a mantra for describing poetry that I usually like: I like my poetry to read like prose (and my prose to read like poetry). Which is to say that I think poetry, at its best, reveals more than it obscures. Too often I read a poem and realize that I don't understand what, exactly, the beautiful language is describing. And, being in the story business, if I can't figure out what the story is, I get a little frustrated (usually). Often, after reading a poem, my only response is, "Yep. That was a poem."
Which brings me to Neon. They seem to have a very fine appreciation for poetry. Issue 14 has sixteen poems and five short stories (by my hasty count). At least part of the time, they're publishing the sort of poetry that I can appreciate having read. "Don't Blink," about someone wistfully trying to get in contact with a friend by searching for him on the internet, stands out.
What I find myself focusing on, however, is the fiction, and in five short stories, Neon manages to present quite a mixed bag, though all have quite a literary bent (which here seems to mandate abrupt endings), and two could be considered postapocalyptic.
"Second Coming" is a fun story about Christ's return, and the absolute mess that's made in London as a result. It creates a nice set of imagery, Jesus shouts a few lines that start as parable and end up worthy of an action hero about to blow something up. Then the story ends, as the narrator suggests that the people are about to raze London. Very short, but fun and a little bit confusing, in a literary sort of way.
"Up Here" is a flash fiction piece about a quiet little girl that hides in the attic. The story's driven by its imagery much more than the plot, and the story ends just before the complete picture comes together. So one reads the story, furrows one's brow, then realization dawns. If you tend to be a strict realist, I advise you to promptly stop thinking about it, lest you begin to see the improbabilities. If you're okay with things not quite making sense, feel free to ponder.
"Crows" is a literary story about a father and son's experiences in a plague-devoured world. While it didn't blow me away, it was very readable. It ends on a line that was probably supposed to be more impactful than I found it to be, but this doesn't detract from the story (and it may just prove that editors are jaded people who are really hard to impress).
"What He Lacked Was Commitment" was, in my opinion, the weakest of the stories. It also focuses on imagery much more than plot, but a little voice in my head kept interrupting: "Really? Did he really do that? Does he really exist in that much of a vacuum?" I still finished the story, where a believable ending is interrupted by a ludicrous but hilarious ending (at least to my macabre sensibilities).
Finally, "This is What the Robots Do" really shines in this collection. It's not perfect, but it keeps you reading, curiously amused, and your smile grows all the way through. In one of the last lines, the narrative voice drastically changes, and the change is jarring. Despite this, it's easily my favorite, and it is the main reason that I'm going to keep my eye on this publication.
The magazine is illustrated with urban black and white photography, some of which is quite striking. In one instance, a full page photograph has story text over it, and both are vying for attention, as though the editors couldn't decide which was more important. It makes the story difficult to read and the image difficult to appreciate. By and large, however, the photography does a very good job of illustrating and complimenting the stories and poems.
Overall, Neon is a magazine I would recommend, but with qualifications. Primarily, I would recommend this to readers who've cultivated a deep appreciation for poetry. In the pages of Neon, excellent contemporary poetry abounds. The stories are there, too, and Neon is very modern in its sensibilities. That sometimes means an entire story may exist primarily to show series of very good descriptions and metaphors, and stories tend to end with striking scenes more than actual conclusions. If this sounds like something you'd like (which is fairly likely, since you're reading Susurrus), you might want to order an issue or two of Neon.
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To get more information, or to purchase an issue, you can visit Neon here.