Reviews and Awards

"The Fear of White" by Rjurik Davidson, published in Borderlands issue 7, won the 2007 Ditmar (Australian Science Fiction Achievement award) for Best Short Story, voted on by members of the 2007 National Science Fiction Convention, Convergence 2 in Melbourne.

Two non-fiction articles from Borderlands, "Man and Super-Monster: A History of Daikaiju Eiga and its Metaphorical Undercurrents", by Robert Hood (issue 7), and "Bad Film Diaries - Sink or Swim: The Truth Behind Waterworld", by Grant Watson (issue 8) were finalists in the ballot for the 2007 William Atheling Jr Award for Criticism or Review.

"Ghosts of 1930" (issue 6), by Lily Chrywenstrom, was an honourable mention in the 2006 Aurealis Awards for Best Fantasy Short Story.

"How Green Was Their Love" (issue 4) by Tess Williams, was Highly Commended in the Science Fiction Short Story category of the 2005 Aurealis Awards, and "The Deviation Road" (issue 4), by Greg Guerin, and "The Light In Autumns Leaves" (issue 5), by Paul Haines, were Highly Commended in the Best Horror Short Story category.

Borderlands Makes Ellen Datlow's Recommended Reading List

In the "Years Best Fantasy and Horror - 2005", the following stories from Borderlands garnered nods in Ellen Datlow's Recommended Reading List. Congratulations to all the the authors!

Stephanie Campisi "Gloves," Borderlands Issue 4
Shayne Jiraiya Cummings "Hear No Evil," Borderlands Issue 4
Jo-Ann Whalley "The Seasonal Collector," Borderlands Issue 4
Kyla Ward "The Oracle of Brick and Bone," Borderlands Issue 5

The Australian Specfic in Focus website, ASif! has reviews of Issues 6 and 7. Tansy Rayner Roberts reviews Issue 6.

...this issue contains two of the best non fiction pieces and two of the best short stories I've read this year, so it's not hard to feel kindly towards it

and Ben Payne looks at Issue 7

I predict that the last two pieces will be among the best things I read this year. The issue is worth picking up for them alone, but to ignore the other strong fiction would be to do the magazine, and yourself a disservice. This issue lifts Borderlands to a new level. Buy it and read it today.

Issue 5 has been reviewed at Oz HorrorScope by Shane Jiraiya Cummings.

Productions values are high, starting with the bold black and white cover, and the magazine is all business - no extraneous ads or rambling review sections. Each issue packs a wallop with about half a dozen quality short stories and novelettes, plus a very strong non-fiction component.

US speculative fiction editor, Ellen Datlow, nominated stories from Issues One and Two in her Recommended Reading list for 2003.

The Borderlands stories were

• Biancotti, Deborah "The Distance Keeper," Borderlands 1
• Brown, Simon "Ring Ring!", Borderlands 1
• Brown, Simon "Sister," Borderlands 2
• Cupitt, Cathy "Heat Seeking," Borderlands 1
• McKenzie, Chuck "Predatory Instincts," Borderlands 2
• Thornton, Alinta "The Collector," Borderlands 2
  

Lee Battersby reviewed Borderlands issue one and several other Australian small press magazines in Ideomancer.  His review of Borderlands said

Borderlands #1: From the ashes of the late Eidolon, a new committee, a new direction, same old magazine? Well no, not really. The editors are trying a tricky task here: to emulate the deeds of the parent magazine whilst creating a reputation and ethos of their own. The first issue is a step in the right direction. Bold black and white cover artwork stands it out from its competitors, and the contents are an eclectic yet strong mix of stories by some of the more solid contributors to the Oz SF scene. I'd like to see more fiction (this first issue contained only half a dozen stories), but the quality is there from the first, and the editorial committee have the experience and smarts to ensure that this will be one of the stronger magazines in Australia for some time to come.