In Memoriam: Fantasy Magazine (2020-2023)

In the realms of speculative fiction, where dreams and nightmares intertwine, the closure of Fantasy Magazine marks the end of a beautiful era. For three incredible years, it has been a beacon for lovers of fantasy, a digital kingdom where imagination knew no bounds. As we say goodbye, we wish to celebrate its journey and the legacy it leaves behind.

A Portal to Infinite Worlds

Returned to life in November of 2020, Fantasy Magazine dared to open at an unusually strange time, reflecting the very essence of what it represented. It opened doors to all types of fantasy—dark fantasy, magical realism, high fantasy, folktales, and everything in between. Here, readers were challenged to think, to explore what it means to be human, all while traversing uncharted territories of the mind.

A Rich Tapestry of Content

From original short stories and flash fiction to podcasts, poetry, and behind-the-scenes Q&As, Fantasy Magazine became a rich tapestry that showcased diverse voices. Its free online access allowed anyone to embark on fantastic journeys, while eBook subscriptions offered another way to dive into monthly content. The excitement of each new issue became a ritual for its devoted audience.

Accolades and Achievements

Fantasy Magazine’s brilliance did not go unnoticed. Finalists for two Locus Awards and two World Fantasy Awards stand testament to its creative excellence. The work of its contributors found places in ‘Best Of’ anthologies and various awards lists, a mark of prestige that extends beyond its pages.

The End of an Enchanting Journey

Despite its remarkable achievements, Fantasy Magazine was faced with the harsh realities of sustainability. The end comes with October 2023’s issue, marking three years of inspiring readers with something special, distinctive, and meaningful. The closure is poignant but not without pride in the vast landscape of genre it has contributed to.

Christie Yant & Arley Sorg, the architects of this fantasy realm, express their gratitude to contributors, the incredible individuals behind the scenes, and most of all, the readers. Information for subscribers is detailed, ensuring a smooth transition.

A Farewell to Fantasy

The closure of Fantasy Magazine is a loss for the world of speculative fiction but also a celebration of what it achieved. It reminded us of the power of imagination, the thrill of discovery, and the human experience embedded in the fantastic.

In its absence, we will remember its courage to dream, its passion for storytelling, and its commitment to entertain the fantasy genre readers. Fantasy Magazine may have closed its digital doors, but the worlds it opened will continue to live in the hearts of its readers.

Farewell, Fantasy Magazine. Thank you for the magic.

Fantasy Magazine’s Goodbye letter

Here is what Christie Yant and Arley Song, unfortunately, had to share right here to inform us all of this sad news.

This is the editorial we’ve been dreading having to write. We’ve been trying not to think about it too much, but we can’t put it off any longer.

We relaunched Fantasy Magazine in November of 2020–what a weird thing to do at an exceptionally weird time!–and we did it with high hopes, but realistic expectations based on our many years of experience in this field.

It is with real sadness that we have to announce that October 2023 will be our last issue. People will want to know why, of course, and the answer is the expected one: Unfortunately Fantasy never reached a point of paying for itself, and with the Kindle Periodicals mess it’s just not sustainable. We’ve actually carried on a little longer than we originally anticipated, because ending on our third anniversary made sense.

We accomplished what we set out to do, which was to make something special, to offer something distinctive, and to contribute to the landscape of genre in meaningful ways. There were a number of fantastic accolades along the way, including being finalists for two Locus Awards and two World Fantasy Awards, not to mention the work of our contributors landing in Best Of anthologies and various awards lists. Fantasy was driven by our vision, but it wouldn’t exist without our contributors. And we can’t forget the amazing individuals helping behind the scenes, who you’ll learn more about next month. They were all instrumental in Fantasy’s success.

Finally, we couldn’t have done this without you, dear readers. Thank you for joining us in celebrating these wonderful works.

Christie Yant & Arley Sorg

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Publisher’s Note: Information for Subscribers

If you are a subscriber to Fantasy and subscribed directly through the store on our website, you can either get a refund for the remaining issues on your subscription, or we can convert your Fantasy subscription to a Lightspeed or Nightmare subscription. Please email [email protected] to let us know how you’d like to proceed. If we don’t hear from you by the time the last issue is published, we’ll just convert your subscription to a Lightspeed subscription. We’ll also be reaching out to direct subscribers via email soon.

If you subscribed via Weightless Books, you can contact their customer service at weightlessbooks.com/contact.

If you subscribed via Amazon, as noted repeatedly in our editorials over the last couple of months, the Kindle Periodical program is closing in September (one of the primary reasons for Fantasy’s closure), so there shouldn’t be anything you need to do to cancel. All Kindle Periodicals magazines are being moved into Kindle Unlimited.