A Kind of Magic (Highlander zine)

Zine
Title:	A Kind of Magic
Publisher:	Ashton Press
Editor(s):	Leah Rosenthal
Date(s):	2002
Series?:
Medium:	print
Genre:	gen
Fandom:	Highlander
Language:	English
External Links:
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Leah Rosenthal

A Kind of Magic is a 105-page gen Highlander fanzine.

It includes articles, poetry, and stories that feature those most dynamic of ancient enemies, Methos and Cassandra, as well as MacLeod, Joe Dawson and a host of others. Some of these stories have previously appeared on the Highlander Holyground Forum as part of the Mid-Week Challenges.

The cover is by Leah Rosenthal.

Regarding the Title

The zine's title comes from the 1986 album by Queen. See A Kind of Magic.

Contents

• The Midwife’s Garden by Janice Rodriguez ("A medieval village is both refuge and peril for Grace Chandel, her Immortal teacher comes to discover.")
• Circumstances by Dell Highway ("In the aftermath of the tragic events of Endgame, MacLeod disappears and Methos and Joe Dawson follow, in order to discover whether their friend needs solace—or killing.")
• War in the Next Room; older version by Leslie Fish ("In a hotel room in Scotland, a pair of deadly enemies learn that Connor MacLeod's death has created several unavoidable ironies.") (winner of a 2003 FanQ)
• Unto Dust by Storie ("A haunting tale of one Immortal's journey in the midst of a land seized by Depression.")
• Crossroads by A ("Methos is in danger of losing the soul he fought three millennia to reclaim. His fate may depend on the aid of his best friend — and worst foe.")
• The Eyes of Age by Palladia ("Not long after the events of Comes A Horseman and Revelations, MacLeod, Methos, Joe and Cassandra are drawn into a war with an Immortal with a taste for butchery and no regard whatsoever for the Rules of the Game.")
• The Musings of Death by Titania ("Methos stumbles across a fateful battle, to tragic consequences.")
• Magic and the MacLeods (an article concerning legendary stories of the MacLeods and fairy folk.)
• Buried Treasure by Janice Rodriguez ("A small, enigmatic collection of artifacts are found in the desert, and Cassandra rediscovers memories lost more than 3,000 years before.")
• Let or Hindrance by Palladia ("How far is Methos willing to go to get what he wants...and will he recognize it when he finally gets it?")
• Musings in Bordeaux (a poem.)

Reactions and Reviews

Cassandra stories seem to fall into one of two categories. Either she's a psychotic bitch driven over the edge by the events of CaH/Rev who takes her madness out on either Mac or Methos until one of them finally puts her down like the dog she is, or she's this virgin-priestess-goddess all-powerful-all-knowing wise-woman. I don't really buy either one, though I have fewer problems with the former since they're usually chock full of angst. :-)

I actually don't much care for the character, but if I had to choose, I'd say my favorite version of Cassandra is in the 'zines Then the Night Comes, The Lightning's Hand, and Touched by Magic written by Ann Wortham & Leah Rosenthal. I picked the first two up at MediaWest con and liked 'em enough to get dragged back into Highlander after 3+ years out (and lordy, was there alot of fiction written during that time!!).