Aurealis #145 kicks off with Dirk Strasser looking at the phenomenon of the mega-seller in speculative fiction with a focus on Stephen King. West Australian writer Carol Ryles' opening story 'She Who Played for Morrocks' explores the relationships and misunderstandings between different species of human. John Higgins serves up a tense, creepy tale in 'The List', while Clark Lewis' classy and engaging 'The Corner of Seventh and Marino' riffs on the strange and unbelievable things that can happen in forests, and the curious environments of small towns.

Amy Laurens explores the three distinct periods in the history of dragons in 'Dragons: World Origins, Evil and Knowledge Throughout History', and Claire Fitzpatrick looks at how Mary Shelley continues to influence modern science fiction. Simon Foster, Festival Director of the Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival, recounts the staging of not one, but two, major film events under the shadow of COVID-19 and examines how science-fiction filmmakers around the world have responded to the 'new normal' that is pandemic film production.

Over a dozen reviews of recently released science fiction, fantasy and horror round off another issue of Aurealis crammed full of speculation.