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yak_attak's review against another edition
4.5
Strahan and Anders put together an absolutely stacked collection of modern fantasy heroes, turning them loose on broadly, Sword and Sorcery, and have ended up with a cracking collection of excellent stories. Despite the fairly irritating introduction (it does the "But THIS stuff is Not your TOLKIEN'S FANTASY" nonsense that. We get it. Booze and Tits. Okay.) (However it does serve as a good summary of the history of S&S) pitch sounding more flat than it should, there's a great amount of variety here, crossing styles, genre, settings, and more. Lots of Rogues and Scoundrels, bloody fights, Demons, and more - there's nothing you're going to miss out on. Honestly, only one or two (of *seventeen*!) stories are any less than great.
I came into this primarily to finally read Steven Erikson's Goats of Glory (which is good and fun), but after being shocked by the absolutely stacked roster assembled (Erikson. Cook. Wolfe. Cherryh. Moorcock. Silverberg. Abercrombie. And more!), the stories I ended up enjoying the most were often those from authors I'm *not* familiar with - either in name or reputation. The Sea Troll's Daughter by Caitlin Kiernan is quasi-Beowulf monsterslaying, except things don't go well for the town. And I'll join in calling The Deification of Dal Bamore the best story here - An Abercrombie-esque story of political upheaval, torture, violence, and god. I'm not familiar with Lebbon, but I'll absolutely be checking his other works out soon.
So yeah, to make things short, if you like S&S or any of these authors at all, get this. It's great.
Quick reviews:
Goats of Glory - Erikson - 4
A little simple for Erikson, but the twist is fun. Great writing, good characters, slightly empty.
Tides Elba - Cook - 3
I've already read (and hated) the book this was eventually turned into, but in short story format it dodges a lot of what made that novel terrible. It's alright, but not as good as older Cook.
Bloodsport - Wolfe - 4.5
I don't get the hate, this is beautifully written.
The Singing Spear - Enge - 3.5
A little too simple and obvious, but written well, and Morlock has enough character to at least make me curious about picking up Enge's other work.
A Wizard in Wiscezan - Cherryh - 4.5
One of the best in the bunch. Great setting, great scenario with a lot of character to it.
A Rich Full Week - Parker - 4.5
My first Parker, and it will absolutely not be my last - there's so much character and tone conveyed so simply, all of it a joy to read, and the ending is one of the better ones in the book, leaving you with a good bit to think about.
A Suitable Present for a Sorcerous Puppet - Nix - 3
Weaker showing from Nix, there's good ideas here, but it seems too wrapped up/neat to really be more than a fine story.
Red Pearls - Moorcock - 2.5
Sadly, the most disappointing story in the collection comes from legend Moorcock, but dang man, the pacing here is dismal, there's like 4 extra plots for no reason, and the eventual main one we're supposed to care about is the dullest of the bunch.
The Deification of Dal Bamore - Lebbon - 5
Already mentioned, but this is incredibly good.
Dark Times at the Midnight Market - Silverberg - 4.5
My first Silverberg, and won't be my last. One of the best works of setting in the collection, even though basically everything takes place in one room.
The Undefiled - Keyes - 4
I know Greg Keyes from Star Wars, so having him pop in with the nastiest story of a heroic rape monster was a hell of a shock. It works great though.
Hew the Tintmaster - Shea - 3
Cool ideas/scenes, but a little too far up its own ass to connect
In the Stacks - Lynch - 4.5
Many of these stories I'd love to have been expanded, none more so than this one - This has such a cool setting, *far* more than enough for a full book. Sad there isn't more.
Two Lions, a Witch, and the War-Robe - Lee - 3.5
At first I was really enjoying this, and then I don't even know what was going on in the second half. Feels like it was written just for the pun title at some point. Great start though.
The Sea Troll's Daughter - Kiernan - 4.5
Again, mentioned already, but this one is excellent.
Theives of Daring - Willingham - 3
The shortest in the collection by far, there isn't enough here to really make it worth your time, but the idea is cool. Could've been much more.
The Fool Jobs - Abercrombie - 4
Great work from Abercrombie, short heist story, lots nasty characters, tons of great violence.
I came into this primarily to finally read Steven Erikson's Goats of Glory (which is good and fun), but after being shocked by the absolutely stacked roster assembled (Erikson. Cook. Wolfe. Cherryh. Moorcock. Silverberg. Abercrombie. And more!), the stories I ended up enjoying the most were often those from authors I'm *not* familiar with - either in name or reputation. The Sea Troll's Daughter by Caitlin Kiernan is quasi-Beowulf monsterslaying, except things don't go well for the town. And I'll join in calling The Deification of Dal Bamore the best story here - An Abercrombie-esque story of political upheaval, torture, violence, and god. I'm not familiar with Lebbon, but I'll absolutely be checking his other works out soon.
So yeah, to make things short, if you like S&S or any of these authors at all, get this. It's great.
Quick reviews:
Goats of Glory - Erikson - 4
A little simple for Erikson, but the twist is fun. Great writing, good characters, slightly empty.
Tides Elba - Cook - 3
I've already read (and hated) the book this was eventually turned into, but in short story format it dodges a lot of what made that novel terrible. It's alright, but not as good as older Cook.
Bloodsport - Wolfe - 4.5
I don't get the hate, this is beautifully written.
The Singing Spear - Enge - 3.5
A little too simple and obvious, but written well, and Morlock has enough character to at least make me curious about picking up Enge's other work.
A Wizard in Wiscezan - Cherryh - 4.5
One of the best in the bunch. Great setting, great scenario with a lot of character to it.
A Rich Full Week - Parker - 4.5
My first Parker, and it will absolutely not be my last - there's so much character and tone conveyed so simply, all of it a joy to read, and the ending is one of the better ones in the book, leaving you with a good bit to think about.
A Suitable Present for a Sorcerous Puppet - Nix - 3
Weaker showing from Nix, there's good ideas here, but it seems too wrapped up/neat to really be more than a fine story.
Red Pearls - Moorcock - 2.5
Sadly, the most disappointing story in the collection comes from legend Moorcock, but dang man, the pacing here is dismal, there's like 4 extra plots for no reason, and the eventual main one we're supposed to care about is the dullest of the bunch.
The Deification of Dal Bamore - Lebbon - 5
Already mentioned, but this is incredibly good.
Dark Times at the Midnight Market - Silverberg - 4.5
My first Silverberg, and won't be my last. One of the best works of setting in the collection, even though basically everything takes place in one room.
The Undefiled - Keyes - 4
I know Greg Keyes from Star Wars, so having him pop in with the nastiest story of a heroic rape monster was a hell of a shock. It works great though.
Hew the Tintmaster - Shea - 3
Cool ideas/scenes, but a little too far up its own ass to connect
In the Stacks - Lynch - 4.5
Many of these stories I'd love to have been expanded, none more so than this one - This has such a cool setting, *far* more than enough for a full book. Sad there isn't more.
Two Lions, a Witch, and the War-Robe - Lee - 3.5
At first I was really enjoying this, and then I don't even know what was going on in the second half. Feels like it was written just for the pun title at some point. Great start though.
The Sea Troll's Daughter - Kiernan - 4.5
Again, mentioned already, but this one is excellent.
Theives of Daring - Willingham - 3
The shortest in the collection by far, there isn't enough here to really make it worth your time, but the idea is cool. Could've been much more.
The Fool Jobs - Abercrombie - 4
Great work from Abercrombie, short heist story, lots nasty characters, tons of great violence.
murphyc1's review against another edition
3.0
There are several good stories in the anthology, and several that are passable efforts, and a couple that definitely are stories (the nicest thing I can say about those). My favorite reads were the stories by Steven Erikson, Glen Cook, James Inge, Garth Nix, and a latter-day Majipoor story by personal favorite, Robert Silverberg. I skipped the Moorcock novella because, at some point, I'm going to go back to the first Elric novels and read them in order.
peapod_boston's review against another edition
3.0
New Elric and Black Company stories, plus a short piece from Joe Abercrombie. Toss in a handful of stories ranging from decent to clever to sharp, and you've got a solid collection. Unfortunately, nothing really stood out to push this one over the edge.
markyon's review against another edition
3.0
When the back of the cover says ‘Seventeen Original Tales of Sword and Sorcery penned by Masters Old and New’ and then goes on to mention Glen Cook and the Black Company, Michael Moorcock and Elric, Steven Erikson and Malazan, Gene Wolfe, Robert Silverberg and Majipoor, KJ Parker, Scott Lynch, Joe Abercrombie and others, most readers would need little persuading to pick this one up.
Furthermore, when the two editors are known as a couple of the best in the business currently, you would expect a healthy selection of the best tales from the best.
Consequently, the beginning boded well. Their introduction to Sword and Sorcery is well written and informative, pointing out the origins of the subgenre and the current re-emergence of interest in it.
So far, so good. However, having eagerly sat down to read the actual stories, it was a different reaction. The first three stories in the collection – by Erikson, Cook and Wolfe respectively - were extremely disappointing, to the point where I seriously thought I had made a major mistake in reading it.
However, the fourth, by James Enge, was an improvement and the next by stalwart CJ Cherryh began to make me feel happier. Things started to look better. KJ Parker’s tale was a joy and Moorcock’s Elric was a triumph. Halfway through the book I was feeling much happier, though there were still stories that left me unimpressed. By the end I was glad I had read it, though it was not the triumph of the genre I had hoped it was going to be when I started.
The nature of story collections is that there are bound to be stories that you like better than others. Usually though I can say whether I liked the collection or not. Silverberg’s Legends, for example, published in 1998, and its sequel Legends II (2003) had the same intent as this, to showcase the best Fantasy and had some unusual yet interesting choices that made me read more of some authors I had not read.
Here, with the same aim, there were no authors I had not encountered before and all of whom previously I would’ve said were good, but the overriding cumulative impression in the end here is much less positive.
What worried me most is that this book was not the book I had hoped would be definitive. I was hoping that this was the one that would allow me to say to others, ‘Here you are. This is the book that tells you why I read Fantasy. It is a collection of great stories from some of the best writers in the field today. Read it and you will want to read more.’ It should’ve been, but isn’t.
There are stories there I liked, for a variety of reasons. It was wonderful to revisit old favourites such as Elric and Majipoor, it was also great to read tales from some of the new – Scott Lynch’s tale of a magical library gone awry was great, so too Joe Abercrombie’s The Fool Jobs (which augurs well for the new book soon) – but there were far too many that, despite me wanting to like them, left me feeling at the end that I had wasted my time.
A curate’s egg then, and, for me, a disappointingly uneven read. There is a lot to like, but you may not find the journey totally acceptable.
Having said that, Rob Bedford reviewing for the Sacramento/ San Francisco Book Review liked it.
Think this may be one that divides readers. I’m going to be interested in reading what others think.
Furthermore, when the two editors are known as a couple of the best in the business currently, you would expect a healthy selection of the best tales from the best.
Consequently, the beginning boded well. Their introduction to Sword and Sorcery is well written and informative, pointing out the origins of the subgenre and the current re-emergence of interest in it.
So far, so good. However, having eagerly sat down to read the actual stories, it was a different reaction. The first three stories in the collection – by Erikson, Cook and Wolfe respectively - were extremely disappointing, to the point where I seriously thought I had made a major mistake in reading it.
However, the fourth, by James Enge, was an improvement and the next by stalwart CJ Cherryh began to make me feel happier. Things started to look better. KJ Parker’s tale was a joy and Moorcock’s Elric was a triumph. Halfway through the book I was feeling much happier, though there were still stories that left me unimpressed. By the end I was glad I had read it, though it was not the triumph of the genre I had hoped it was going to be when I started.
The nature of story collections is that there are bound to be stories that you like better than others. Usually though I can say whether I liked the collection or not. Silverberg’s Legends, for example, published in 1998, and its sequel Legends II (2003) had the same intent as this, to showcase the best Fantasy and had some unusual yet interesting choices that made me read more of some authors I had not read.
Here, with the same aim, there were no authors I had not encountered before and all of whom previously I would’ve said were good, but the overriding cumulative impression in the end here is much less positive.
What worried me most is that this book was not the book I had hoped would be definitive. I was hoping that this was the one that would allow me to say to others, ‘Here you are. This is the book that tells you why I read Fantasy. It is a collection of great stories from some of the best writers in the field today. Read it and you will want to read more.’ It should’ve been, but isn’t.
There are stories there I liked, for a variety of reasons. It was wonderful to revisit old favourites such as Elric and Majipoor, it was also great to read tales from some of the new – Scott Lynch’s tale of a magical library gone awry was great, so too Joe Abercrombie’s The Fool Jobs (which augurs well for the new book soon) – but there were far too many that, despite me wanting to like them, left me feeling at the end that I had wasted my time.
A curate’s egg then, and, for me, a disappointingly uneven read. There is a lot to like, but you may not find the journey totally acceptable.
Having said that, Rob Bedford reviewing for the Sacramento/ San Francisco Book Review liked it.
Think this may be one that divides readers. I’m going to be interested in reading what others think.
angrywombat's review against another edition
4.0
Intro
So this is a little different from my normal fare. I generally dislike short stories as they feel unfinished. Or perhaps I dislike unfinished short stories? But anyway, I think my prejudices will show up in my rankings. I generally demand a story: somebody wants something, challenges to get that want, and then success or failure. I can see that this kind of structure is much easier to achieve in longer narrative, but there are some short stories that actually did it for me.
Another thing I'm considering - would I want to read other stories by the same author? So.. onto the stories!
Goats of Glory by Steven Erikson: 3/5
OK, I've only read the first of the Malazan books, so I cant tell if this fits somewhere in amongst that series' world, but it really felt like it does :) This seems like a classic horror story - the isolated townfolk wary of strangers, the unwelcome strangers who look on the locals as hicks, and the mysterious "haunted house" that the strangers are herded towards... Great setup, and I started to care about the locals! Then the "reveal" which was pretty mediocre and a final twist that didn't really feel like a twist (as it didn't change anything of importance in the story)...
An enjoyable ride, but the "climax" felt like treading water as there was nothing really at stake....
Tides Elba by Glen Cook: 4/5
Oh I love the stories of the Black Company, and getting back with Croaker and his cohorts felt like snuggling up in front of a warm fire... with the smelly Taken "Limper" for company... This was a tiny complete story that could be from any time of the Company's service to the Lady: while on garrison the company is ordered to uncover a rebel leader and take her prisoner... but Limper is playing his own games and the troops need to outsmart him while following orders.
More of a character study, with a bit of mystery thrown in. But there was a distinct goal, problems and complications, and a distinct outcome... and it makes me want to go back and read the Chronicles once again!
Bloodsport by Gene Wolf: 1/5
Huh?
Seemed interesting - a society built around what sounded like a fancy game of chess using real people as pieces, following the story of a knight and a pawn... I didn't quite get the point perhaps? Everything seems, in the end, to be pointless? I've not read Gene Wolf before, and this story makes me hesitant to want to try...
The Singing Spear by James Enge: 5/5
Why have I never heard of this author before! I loved this tale of a suicidal-alcoholic mage who just wants to drown his sorrows, but his own creation (said Singing Spear) comes back to haunt him (and interrupt his drinking). At turns hilarious, tragic, horrific, and full of tension!
Now I need to find more! Morlock the maker was an awesome character that I want to read more about!
A Wizard in Wiscezan by C.J. Cherryh: 3/5
An interesting little tale about an apprentice magician, down on his luck, and his big test going up against a demon... and his only magic is a knack for illusions.
A fun read, with a nice "magic system" that made for some great tension, but the characterisation is a little dry.
A Rich Full Week by K.J. Parker: 5/5
Wow. Another completely unknown (to e) author, and a fantastic story. About a travelling "wizard" (who calls himself a philosopher and scientist), who goes on rounds fixing problems in various farms and towns. This one is a problem with a dead man who doesn't want to stay dead... It felt straight out of norse mythology - a Draugr - complete with the swelling, strength, and conversations. But the "magic" and reference to schooling and testing.. This was fantastic! It is the "The Witcher" but with less cynicism.
I need to read more! I hope there are other stories about this setting, and the magical Order.
A Suitable Present for a Sorcerous Puppet by Garth Nix: 2/5
Hmmm.. Nod a bad yarn. A Knight convalescing in a nunnery with a "sorcerous puppet" as his companion. There were some good parts, but the writing felt a little heavy on Important Capitalised Names of Important Places... At least Sir Hereward and his (failed) attempts to hit on the young nun were a bit of needed levity.
Red Pearls by Michael Moorcock: 3/5
Hey, Elric! Yep, we're back in what feels like a classic tale of Elric. Here he is travelling with his companion Moonglum as they pay a visit to "the other side of the world".... literally, as they go over the edge in a special boat. Everything screams classic Elric to me in this story - from the use of slightly archaic words to the overly dramatic descriptions. Basically he's headed to visit a relative to collect the "white sword", law-following version of his own Stormbringer chaos-sword. But as always he gets dragged into a local problem and his family oaths bind him into a less than optimal path.
I'd probably give it more, but it feels a little too familiar to all the other Elric stories. (which isn't necessarily a bad thing...) This is also the longest of the stories in this book so far...
The Deification of Dal Balmore by Tim Lebbon: 2/5
This felt like a "fantasy retelling" of the Jesus parable... told from the point of view of the Officials. A rebel leader captured and tortured for 3 days - who has a mythic power over life and death, and who needs to be publicly killed to avoid his followers thinking him a god... But this has a neat twist :)
The writing wasn't awesome, but did the job, and the characters were similarly serviceable.
Dark Times at the Midnight Market by Robert Silverberg: 4/5
Ah, this was awesome - but hey, its Silverberg! This is a cute tale about an alchemist - a seller of potions and magic items - who gets caught up in plots of the powerful. I REALLY felt for the poor little guy (really, knee high) and his two headed partner. Offered stupid sums of money to make a love potion, and dealing with an arrogant noble who cant make up his mind what, exactly, he wants the potion to do.
Awesome writing, and full of little details that just make this a joy to read.
The Undefiled by Greg keys: 2/5
An interesting story, well written. I suppose this is the kind of thing a short story aims for - except the characters felt a little hollow... i just didn't really care about the main character as he didn't seem to care about a whole lot other than himself. He's possessed by a spirit that makes him go crazy (like a were-wolf, but without the physical changes... i think) and he seems to want to rid himself of the riding-spirit, but gets involved in some local trouble and wanders off on an assigned quest so he might "save the girl"... but he doesn't really like the girl or care much for what happens to her, and nothing is keeping him there other than "hey, i'm curious about this whole thing"...
Better motivations might make this otherwise great story even better.
Hew the Tintmaster by Michael Shea: 0/5
No. Just no.
I started reading a few pages, and the writing is just terrible. Overly flowery, ornate, and just pure description for pages... and again with the Important Capitalised Words of Importance... DNF (very rare for me)
In the Stacks by Scott Lynch: 4/5
Oh boy. Why do I love the idea of magical libraries? I guess it started with Discworld and the Unseen University's library.. But this story takes it to another level. The library in question is like an aggressive tardis - bigger on the inside, and full of strange magical creatures that do not like you interfering with the books. This story is about a group of students who have to return books...
I love it!
Only problem (although a fairly big sized one) is that the characters are hard to distinguish at times. But I would read a whole series about Lazlo the apprentice magician and the great library :)
Two Lions, a Witch, and the War-Robe by Tanith Lee: 2/5
Ok. I don't really know why this rubbed me the wrong way. Its a nice little tale of two men caught up in magical misdeeds - it felt very "swords & sorcery", but once again we hit the problem of motivation. The two men are just going about their business when set upon by "town guards" who are more criminal than anything else, and so are ensorcelled to undertake a quest...
I think that there is my issue. Neither of the main character want to be there, and don't care about the outcome of said quest other than "i get to survive" and are both very flippant about everything...
But that being said, it is a well written tale that is clever and well rounded - shame about our main characters though.
The Sea Troll's Daughter by Caitlín R. Kiernan: 3/5
This was fun. A nice twist on a hoary old trope. A monster-hunter comes to town claiming to have killed the local threat, the Sea Troll... but with no proof. Then arguments and accusations begin. Then the relatives show up :)
It kept hinting at the expected, then taking the story in a different direction. Our (initially unnamed) heroine seems awesome, but then descends into a drunken stupor, but the rest of the townfolk carry the story. One of the few non-single-PoV short stories, but it works.
Thieves of Daring by Bill Willingham: 2/5
At first this reminded me of some old Conan stories, and I got excited. But once again we fall to the old problem of "where is the story?" which annoys me. This is about a bunch of local yahoos who decide to steal from a magicians house, and we're dropped in just as people are dying. Who are these people again and why should I care? To make it worse the ending isn't, it is just open ended and made me think that this is a chapter excerpt - maybe chapter 4 or 5 in a bigger book.
On the other hand, it is REALLY well written to remind me of R.E. Howard's works. Makes me want to see if this author has done anything longer...
The Fools Jobs by Joe Abercrombie: 5/5
Ahh, Mr Abercrombie you never fail to delight. This is (I think) a bit of a prequel to "The Heroes" where we meet Craw and his band of named going on a raiding expedition against a little hold in the middle of nowhere - apparently seeking a treasure for the sorceress, but no one knows what it is they are really looking for "You'll know it when you see it"...
I adore the characterisation, especially Craw (with his tired outlook on life) and Whirrun (who is too earnest for words).
After reading this I want to go back and read all of Abercrombie's book again!
Other Thoughts
Wow. I am so glad I read this book! Some of these are astounding writing that I feel the need to chase down a whole slew of authors i've never read before. A couple of these were not so good, but on the whole this has given me a new appreciation for short stories!
So this is a little different from my normal fare. I generally dislike short stories as they feel unfinished. Or perhaps I dislike unfinished short stories? But anyway, I think my prejudices will show up in my rankings. I generally demand a story: somebody wants something, challenges to get that want, and then success or failure. I can see that this kind of structure is much easier to achieve in longer narrative, but there are some short stories that actually did it for me.
Another thing I'm considering - would I want to read other stories by the same author? So.. onto the stories!
Goats of Glory by Steven Erikson: 3/5
OK, I've only read the first of the Malazan books, so I cant tell if this fits somewhere in amongst that series' world, but it really felt like it does :) This seems like a classic horror story - the isolated townfolk wary of strangers, the unwelcome strangers who look on the locals as hicks, and the mysterious "haunted house" that the strangers are herded towards... Great setup, and I started to care about the locals! Then the "reveal" which was pretty mediocre and a final twist that didn't really feel like a twist (as it didn't change anything of importance in the story)...
An enjoyable ride, but the "climax" felt like treading water as there was nothing really at stake....
Tides Elba by Glen Cook: 4/5
Oh I love the stories of the Black Company, and getting back with Croaker and his cohorts felt like snuggling up in front of a warm fire... with the smelly Taken "Limper" for company... This was a tiny complete story that could be from any time of the Company's service to the Lady: while on garrison the company is ordered to uncover a rebel leader and take her prisoner... but Limper is playing his own games and the troops need to outsmart him while following orders.
More of a character study, with a bit of mystery thrown in. But there was a distinct goal, problems and complications, and a distinct outcome... and it makes me want to go back and read the Chronicles once again!
Bloodsport by Gene Wolf: 1/5
Huh?
Seemed interesting - a society built around what sounded like a fancy game of chess using real people as pieces, following the story of a knight and a pawn... I didn't quite get the point perhaps? Everything seems, in the end, to be pointless? I've not read Gene Wolf before, and this story makes me hesitant to want to try...
The Singing Spear by James Enge: 5/5
Why have I never heard of this author before! I loved this tale of a suicidal-alcoholic mage who just wants to drown his sorrows, but his own creation (said Singing Spear) comes back to haunt him (and interrupt his drinking). At turns hilarious, tragic, horrific, and full of tension!
Now I need to find more! Morlock the maker was an awesome character that I want to read more about!
A Wizard in Wiscezan by C.J. Cherryh: 3/5
An interesting little tale about an apprentice magician, down on his luck, and his big test going up against a demon... and his only magic is a knack for illusions.
A fun read, with a nice "magic system" that made for some great tension, but the characterisation is a little dry.
A Rich Full Week by K.J. Parker: 5/5
Wow. Another completely unknown (to e) author, and a fantastic story. About a travelling "wizard" (who calls himself a philosopher and scientist), who goes on rounds fixing problems in various farms and towns. This one is a problem with a dead man who doesn't want to stay dead... It felt straight out of norse mythology - a Draugr - complete with the swelling, strength, and conversations. But the "magic" and reference to schooling and testing.. This was fantastic! It is the "The Witcher" but with less cynicism.
I need to read more! I hope there are other stories about this setting, and the magical Order.
A Suitable Present for a Sorcerous Puppet by Garth Nix: 2/5
Hmmm.. Nod a bad yarn. A Knight convalescing in a nunnery with a "sorcerous puppet" as his companion. There were some good parts, but the writing felt a little heavy on Important Capitalised Names of Important Places... At least Sir Hereward and his (failed) attempts to hit on the young nun were a bit of needed levity.
Red Pearls by Michael Moorcock: 3/5
Hey, Elric! Yep, we're back in what feels like a classic tale of Elric. Here he is travelling with his companion Moonglum as they pay a visit to "the other side of the world".... literally, as they go over the edge in a special boat. Everything screams classic Elric to me in this story - from the use of slightly archaic words to the overly dramatic descriptions. Basically he's headed to visit a relative to collect the "white sword", law-following version of his own Stormbringer chaos-sword. But as always he gets dragged into a local problem and his family oaths bind him into a less than optimal path.
I'd probably give it more, but it feels a little too familiar to all the other Elric stories. (which isn't necessarily a bad thing...) This is also the longest of the stories in this book so far...
The Deification of Dal Balmore by Tim Lebbon: 2/5
This felt like a "fantasy retelling" of the Jesus parable... told from the point of view of the Officials. A rebel leader captured and tortured for 3 days - who has a mythic power over life and death, and who needs to be publicly killed to avoid his followers thinking him a god... But this has a neat twist :)
The writing wasn't awesome, but did the job, and the characters were similarly serviceable.
Dark Times at the Midnight Market by Robert Silverberg: 4/5
Ah, this was awesome - but hey, its Silverberg! This is a cute tale about an alchemist - a seller of potions and magic items - who gets caught up in plots of the powerful. I REALLY felt for the poor little guy (really, knee high) and his two headed partner. Offered stupid sums of money to make a love potion, and dealing with an arrogant noble who cant make up his mind what, exactly, he wants the potion to do.
Awesome writing, and full of little details that just make this a joy to read.
The Undefiled by Greg keys: 2/5
An interesting story, well written. I suppose this is the kind of thing a short story aims for - except the characters felt a little hollow... i just didn't really care about the main character as he didn't seem to care about a whole lot other than himself. He's possessed by a spirit that makes him go crazy (like a were-wolf, but without the physical changes... i think) and he seems to want to rid himself of the riding-spirit, but gets involved in some local trouble and wanders off on an assigned quest so he might "save the girl"... but he doesn't really like the girl or care much for what happens to her, and nothing is keeping him there other than "hey, i'm curious about this whole thing"...
Better motivations might make this otherwise great story even better.
Hew the Tintmaster by Michael Shea: 0/5
No. Just no.
I started reading a few pages, and the writing is just terrible. Overly flowery, ornate, and just pure description for pages... and again with the Important Capitalised Words of Importance... DNF (very rare for me)
In the Stacks by Scott Lynch: 4/5
Oh boy. Why do I love the idea of magical libraries? I guess it started with Discworld and the Unseen University's library.. But this story takes it to another level. The library in question is like an aggressive tardis - bigger on the inside, and full of strange magical creatures that do not like you interfering with the books. This story is about a group of students who have to return books...
I love it!
Only problem (although a fairly big sized one) is that the characters are hard to distinguish at times. But I would read a whole series about Lazlo the apprentice magician and the great library :)
Two Lions, a Witch, and the War-Robe by Tanith Lee: 2/5
Ok. I don't really know why this rubbed me the wrong way. Its a nice little tale of two men caught up in magical misdeeds - it felt very "swords & sorcery", but once again we hit the problem of motivation. The two men are just going about their business when set upon by "town guards" who are more criminal than anything else, and so are ensorcelled to undertake a quest...
I think that there is my issue. Neither of the main character want to be there, and don't care about the outcome of said quest other than "i get to survive" and are both very flippant about everything...
But that being said, it is a well written tale that is clever and well rounded - shame about our main characters though.
The Sea Troll's Daughter by Caitlín R. Kiernan: 3/5
This was fun. A nice twist on a hoary old trope. A monster-hunter comes to town claiming to have killed the local threat, the Sea Troll... but with no proof. Then arguments and accusations begin. Then the relatives show up :)
It kept hinting at the expected, then taking the story in a different direction. Our (initially unnamed) heroine seems awesome, but then descends into a drunken stupor, but the rest of the townfolk carry the story. One of the few non-single-PoV short stories, but it works.
Thieves of Daring by Bill Willingham: 2/5
At first this reminded me of some old Conan stories, and I got excited. But once again we fall to the old problem of "where is the story?" which annoys me. This is about a bunch of local yahoos who decide to steal from a magicians house, and we're dropped in just as people are dying. Who are these people again and why should I care? To make it worse the ending isn't, it is just open ended and made me think that this is a chapter excerpt - maybe chapter 4 or 5 in a bigger book.
On the other hand, it is REALLY well written to remind me of R.E. Howard's works. Makes me want to see if this author has done anything longer...
The Fools Jobs by Joe Abercrombie: 5/5
Ahh, Mr Abercrombie you never fail to delight. This is (I think) a bit of a prequel to "The Heroes" where we meet Craw and his band of named going on a raiding expedition against a little hold in the middle of nowhere - apparently seeking a treasure for the sorceress, but no one knows what it is they are really looking for "You'll know it when you see it"...
I adore the characterisation, especially Craw (with his tired outlook on life) and Whirrun (who is too earnest for words).
After reading this I want to go back and read all of Abercrombie's book again!
Other Thoughts
Wow. I am so glad I read this book! Some of these are astounding writing that I feel the need to chase down a whole slew of authors i've never read before. A couple of these were not so good, but on the whole this has given me a new appreciation for short stories!
wmhenrymorris's review against another edition
Very solid anthology with no egregious groaners and some really fun stories and a lot of variety. Plus you get a Black Company and an Elric story. What keeps this from garnering four stars from me is that fact that several of the stories have weak endings. I guess that part of that may be that the stories tie in to rest of the author's oeuvre so you have a sense of what comes next (or what came before), but if you are unaware of those ties, some of the endings seem quite abrupt or premature or just lazy.
Highlight: There are a lot of good stories, but Scott Lynch's story is particularly cool and fun.
Highlight: There are a lot of good stories, but Scott Lynch's story is particularly cool and fun.
eclipse777's review against another edition
4.0
Lots of famous authors and lots of good stories, really you can't go wrong with this one
thiefofcamorr's review against another edition
5.0
As I read each novella, I'll update this review with my thoughts on each part individually, so I can rate and discuss accordingly.
Goats of Glory - Steven Erikson - Three and a half stars out of five.
Not that I didn't like this... I just didn't love it. Oh, it's well written and entertaining, but there was a lack of description - you couldn't really visualise it happening... and it took a while for the five soldiers's names to sink in - they weren't really introduced well.
It was still good though, I've just lately been spoiled by the book [b:Legends of Australian Fantasy|8417820|Legends of Australian Fantasy|Jack Dann|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1275978824s/8417820.jpg|13280442] so I'm a hard woman to please...
Tides Elba - Glen Cook - Four stars out of five.
I think this is a novella you have to read in one go. I read a bit before work, a bit during lunch break, a bit after a nap after work... and I have no idea what the message they returned to the carpet was.
I liked it though. Some may think the pacing is a little slow to start, but I liked seeing how they all interacted. Hmmm... yes, I'll have to re-read it.
Bloodsport - Gene Wolfe - Three Stars out of five.
Again, I was a little confused about the ending of this one. I'm either just too dumb or my head's too woozy from how ill I've been this last week.
Very well written though, and I loved the language used. Really beautiful imagery - even though the plot was gruesome, he managed to bring it to a delightful feel.
The Singing Spear - James Enge - Five Stars out of Five.
My favourite so far. He really has such a lovely way with words, such flowing language, that I almost wish the story was longer.
A Wizard in Wiscezan - C. J. Cherryh - Five Stars out of Five.
I loved the way he described the magic. The writing, and how Master's writing was so 'twisty'... and how he saw things and said that's what they were, to take their form. It was written in a sturdy, dependable way - you could really believe in it.
A Rich Full Week - K. J. Parker - Five stars out of five.
Oh this was brilliant. WHAT AN ENDING. AAAAAH!!
A Suitable Present for a Sorcerous Puppet - Garth Nix - Four stars of Five.
A cute little tale, though of course the woman are always beautiful and always immediately attracted to the MC - though I guess if they weren't, it wouldn't be a story. :)
Red Pearls - Michael Moorcock - Three stars of five
A little long, but well written and had a constant pace that was easy to read. It seemed to lack something though, and I can't put my finger on what it could be...
The Deification of Dal Bamore - Tim Lebbon - Five stars of five
I really loved the ending. It wasn't expected yet it was realistic, and I liked that the MC wasn't young and likable and pretty - yet you still needed her to survive.
Quite reminds me of Cayal from Jennifer Fallon's Tide Lords...
Dark Times at the Midnight Market - Robert Silverberg - Five stars of five
Fantastically written, good ending, and always a good pace do you were never bored and always wanted to keep reading. Awesomely done.
The Undefiled - Greg Keyes - Five of five stars.
Kinda twisted. I'll never know why there's such an obsession with virgins, but... *shrug*
All in all, I liked this novella.
Hew the Tintmaster - Michael Shea - Zero.
Couldn't even read this novella. It couldn't hold my attention for even a page, no matter how many times I tried.
In the Stacks - Scott Lynch Five billion out of five.
Oh my flippin' goodness. The ending line was perfect. The imagery, the characters - how he shows Yvette isn't just some pretty female, she's as rough as nails with just a hand gesture?
The way he describes magic makes it seem totally different and absolutely wonderful compared to any other magic in any other book - high praise, I know.
Tastriza and Molnar are perfect - commanding, yet a bit humbled by what they do - serious, trustworthy and well rounded.
And that said, I always love the names he chooses to use.
Laz's name! I love it! And that they weren't all humans.
Perfectly titled.
Fantastic little clues that things aren't always what they seem. Chits and grimoire and etc - all hints that help you believe you're somewhere different.
Oh, I'd love to be a librarian there. If only to be part of the world Scott's created. BRILLIANT!
Two Lions, a Witch, and the War-Robe - Tanith Lee - Four of Five stars
Really quite enjoyable, especially after trying so many times to read Shea.
The Sea Troll's Daughter - Caitlin R. Kiernan - Four of Five Stars
Liked it, but it suddenly included a bit of romance with absolutely no grounds for it all? A quick razzle dazzle suddenly changes into having no care for everyone you've grown up with - the man who saved your life by taking you off the streets - only for the hero? In all writing workshops I've been to, they say never to do this...
It kinda worked though, but... idk. It just seemed like there was no internal reason for it, other than having something to write about.
Thieves of Daring - Bill Willingham - Five of Five.
It was hard at first, to stop thinking of him in terms of Fables and instead judge just the story itself... but I managed, after restarting it twice.
It was too short (in a good way). It really left you wanting more. :) He's pretty awesome!
The Fool Jobs - Joe Abercrombie - 10 of five stars. Yes, that's right.
SUCH a delightful read, oh my! I really have to read his series - thankfully I already have [b:The Blade Itself|944073|The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1)|Joe Abercrombie|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1179673778s/944073.jpg|929009] waiting for me on my bookshelf.
Oh the fighting scene! He writes it so well. And the characters, and the wit, and the wording. He's really almost close to Scott Lynch in his writing (or did he come first and Scott's close to him?) Either way, I enjoyed it a lot.
Goats of Glory - Steven Erikson - Three and a half stars out of five.
Not that I didn't like this... I just didn't love it. Oh, it's well written and entertaining, but there was a lack of description - you couldn't really visualise it happening... and it took a while for the five soldiers's names to sink in - they weren't really introduced well.
It was still good though, I've just lately been spoiled by the book [b:Legends of Australian Fantasy|8417820|Legends of Australian Fantasy|Jack Dann|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1275978824s/8417820.jpg|13280442] so I'm a hard woman to please...
Tides Elba - Glen Cook - Four stars out of five.
I think this is a novella you have to read in one go. I read a bit before work, a bit during lunch break, a bit after a nap after work... and I have no idea what the message they returned to the carpet was.
I liked it though. Some may think the pacing is a little slow to start, but I liked seeing how they all interacted. Hmmm... yes, I'll have to re-read it.
Bloodsport - Gene Wolfe - Three Stars out of five.
Again, I was a little confused about the ending of this one. I'm either just too dumb or my head's too woozy from how ill I've been this last week.
Very well written though, and I loved the language used. Really beautiful imagery - even though the plot was gruesome, he managed to bring it to a delightful feel.
The Singing Spear - James Enge - Five Stars out of Five.
My favourite so far. He really has such a lovely way with words, such flowing language, that I almost wish the story was longer.
A Wizard in Wiscezan - C. J. Cherryh - Five Stars out of Five.
I loved the way he described the magic. The writing, and how Master's writing was so 'twisty'... and how he saw things and said that's what they were, to take their form. It was written in a sturdy, dependable way - you could really believe in it.
A Rich Full Week - K. J. Parker - Five stars out of five.
Oh this was brilliant. WHAT AN ENDING. AAAAAH!!
A Suitable Present for a Sorcerous Puppet - Garth Nix - Four stars of Five.
A cute little tale, though of course the woman are always beautiful and always immediately attracted to the MC - though I guess if they weren't, it wouldn't be a story. :)
Red Pearls - Michael Moorcock - Three stars of five
A little long, but well written and had a constant pace that was easy to read. It seemed to lack something though, and I can't put my finger on what it could be...
The Deification of Dal Bamore - Tim Lebbon - Five stars of five
I really loved the ending. It wasn't expected yet it was realistic, and I liked that the MC wasn't young and likable and pretty - yet you still needed her to survive.
Quite reminds me of Cayal from Jennifer Fallon's Tide Lords...
Dark Times at the Midnight Market - Robert Silverberg - Five stars of five
Fantastically written, good ending, and always a good pace do you were never bored and always wanted to keep reading. Awesomely done.
The Undefiled - Greg Keyes - Five of five stars.
Kinda twisted. I'll never know why there's such an obsession with virgins, but... *shrug*
All in all, I liked this novella.
Hew the Tintmaster - Michael Shea - Zero.
Couldn't even read this novella. It couldn't hold my attention for even a page, no matter how many times I tried.
In the Stacks - Scott Lynch Five billion out of five.
Oh my flippin' goodness. The ending line was perfect. The imagery, the characters - how he shows Yvette isn't just some pretty female, she's as rough as nails with just a hand gesture?
The way he describes magic makes it seem totally different and absolutely wonderful compared to any other magic in any other book - high praise, I know.
Tastriza and Molnar are perfect - commanding, yet a bit humbled by what they do - serious, trustworthy and well rounded.
And that said, I always love the names he chooses to use.
Laz's name! I love it! And that they weren't all humans.
Perfectly titled.
Fantastic little clues that things aren't always what they seem. Chits and grimoire and etc - all hints that help you believe you're somewhere different.
Oh, I'd love to be a librarian there. If only to be part of the world Scott's created. BRILLIANT!
Two Lions, a Witch, and the War-Robe - Tanith Lee - Four of Five stars
Really quite enjoyable, especially after trying so many times to read Shea.
The Sea Troll's Daughter - Caitlin R. Kiernan - Four of Five Stars
Liked it, but it suddenly included a bit of romance with absolutely no grounds for it all? A quick razzle dazzle suddenly changes into having no care for everyone you've grown up with - the man who saved your life by taking you off the streets - only for the hero? In all writing workshops I've been to, they say never to do this...
It kinda worked though, but... idk. It just seemed like there was no internal reason for it, other than having something to write about.
Thieves of Daring - Bill Willingham - Five of Five.
It was hard at first, to stop thinking of him in terms of Fables and instead judge just the story itself... but I managed, after restarting it twice.
It was too short (in a good way). It really left you wanting more. :) He's pretty awesome!
The Fool Jobs - Joe Abercrombie - 10 of five stars. Yes, that's right.
SUCH a delightful read, oh my! I really have to read his series - thankfully I already have [b:The Blade Itself|944073|The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1)|Joe Abercrombie|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1179673778s/944073.jpg|929009] waiting for me on my bookshelf.
Oh the fighting scene! He writes it so well. And the characters, and the wit, and the wording. He's really almost close to Scott Lynch in his writing (or did he come first and Scott's close to him?) Either way, I enjoyed it a lot.
michaeldrakich's review against another edition
4.0
I went through and rated each story and came out with a combined average of 3.4 stars. There are, in my mind, four pieces that I gave 5 stars to and a number of stories where I was hard on them because they relied on the reader already knowing the characters. I decided to rate things on the basis of having never read any previous works by any of the authors. For example, having read everything featuring Elric of Melnibone, I understood the premise of his character. A novice reader would have none of this previous knowledge and not get the same enjoyment. This ran true with other stories such as dealt with the Black Company and others. For those readers who are aficionados of this genre, their enjoyment would be higher, hence the four star overall rating.
Breaking down the stories one by one in order.
To begin, I'm adding a comment about the preface by Lou Anders & Jonathan Strahan, the editors. The preface is entitled, Check Your Dark Lord At The Door. This 8 page manifesto about the history of Sword & Sorcery fantasy as a genre, although detailed, is of little use to the reader unless they are looking for a history lesson. 3 out of 5 stars for it."
Goats of Glory by Steven Erikson. A classic blood and guts swords and demons story. A touch cliché, but entertaining, nevertheless. 5 stars"
Tides Elba by Glen Cook. Way too many characters to follow in a short story. I suppose if you are a follower of his books it may work, but not for the first time reader. 3 stars"
Bloodsport by Gene Wolfe. Difficult dialogue and a storyline that is hard to follow. In its attempts to draw parallels to the game of chess, it loses itself. 2 stars"
The Singing Spear by James Enge. Something you see quite often in modern sword & sorcery, a main character with a huge failing - in this case, drunkenness. Standard overcoming of failing to win out. 4 stars"
A Wizard In Wiscezan by C, J, Cherryh. I wonder whether the first few pages that serve like a prologue were necessary in this short story, they were the only negative. The tale was entertaining and flowed. 5 stars"
A Rich Full Week by K. J. Parker. Easy, enjoyable read with an ending leaving you guessing. 5 stars"
A suitable Present For A Sorcerous Puppet by Garth Nix. Too short a tale that needed fleshing out some. 2 stars"
Red Pearls by Michael Moorcock. A standard Elric of Melnibone tale. Having read all the novels before, the story is fine, but again, a novice would get lost in it. It reads like part of a novel, not a stand alone tale. 3 stars"
The Deification Of Dal Bamore by Tim Lebbon. I liked the story with a nice twist at the end. Only the cheesy modern dialogue made me groan now and then. 4 stars"
Dark Times At The Midnight Market by Robert Silverberg. An easy read tale of things gone wrong in a simple love potion. Entertaining, although ending somewhat predictably. 4 stars"
The Undefiled by Greg Keyes. I don't know. I read through this story twice, parts of it three times. At the end I still had some confusion on what happened. 2 stars"
Hew The Tintmaster by Michael Shea, This story trundles along without and real sense of value. Many things are left unexplained and the ending lacked any punch. 2 stars"
In The Stacks by Scott Lynch. Here is the crown jewel of the collection. A masterpiece. One of the best shorts I have read in a very long time. 5 stars"
Two Lions, A Witch, And The War-Robe by Tanith Lee. The title immdiatley made me think of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, but there is no relation after that. Not an exciting piece. 3 stars"
The Sea Troll's Daughter by Caitlin R. Kiernan. It started well with a predictable story line that ended so-so. Still, I found it flowed well enough. 4 stars"
Thieves Of Daring by Bill Willingham. Short, direct, somewhat comical. 4 stars"
The Fool Jobs by Joe Abercrombie. It started slow, ran a predictable course and ended exactly as how I thought it would. 2 stars"
In summation, more good than bad, and "In The Stacks" by Scott Lynch made the purchase of this book worthwhile.
Breaking down the stories one by one in order.
To begin, I'm adding a comment about the preface by Lou Anders & Jonathan Strahan, the editors. The preface is entitled, Check Your Dark Lord At The Door. This 8 page manifesto about the history of Sword & Sorcery fantasy as a genre, although detailed, is of little use to the reader unless they are looking for a history lesson. 3 out of 5 stars for it."
Goats of Glory by Steven Erikson. A classic blood and guts swords and demons story. A touch cliché, but entertaining, nevertheless. 5 stars"
Tides Elba by Glen Cook. Way too many characters to follow in a short story. I suppose if you are a follower of his books it may work, but not for the first time reader. 3 stars"
Bloodsport by Gene Wolfe. Difficult dialogue and a storyline that is hard to follow. In its attempts to draw parallels to the game of chess, it loses itself. 2 stars"
The Singing Spear by James Enge. Something you see quite often in modern sword & sorcery, a main character with a huge failing - in this case, drunkenness. Standard overcoming of failing to win out. 4 stars"
A Wizard In Wiscezan by C, J, Cherryh. I wonder whether the first few pages that serve like a prologue were necessary in this short story, they were the only negative. The tale was entertaining and flowed. 5 stars"
A Rich Full Week by K. J. Parker. Easy, enjoyable read with an ending leaving you guessing. 5 stars"
A suitable Present For A Sorcerous Puppet by Garth Nix. Too short a tale that needed fleshing out some. 2 stars"
Red Pearls by Michael Moorcock. A standard Elric of Melnibone tale. Having read all the novels before, the story is fine, but again, a novice would get lost in it. It reads like part of a novel, not a stand alone tale. 3 stars"
The Deification Of Dal Bamore by Tim Lebbon. I liked the story with a nice twist at the end. Only the cheesy modern dialogue made me groan now and then. 4 stars"
Dark Times At The Midnight Market by Robert Silverberg. An easy read tale of things gone wrong in a simple love potion. Entertaining, although ending somewhat predictably. 4 stars"
The Undefiled by Greg Keyes. I don't know. I read through this story twice, parts of it three times. At the end I still had some confusion on what happened. 2 stars"
Hew The Tintmaster by Michael Shea, This story trundles along without and real sense of value. Many things are left unexplained and the ending lacked any punch. 2 stars"
In The Stacks by Scott Lynch. Here is the crown jewel of the collection. A masterpiece. One of the best shorts I have read in a very long time. 5 stars"
Two Lions, A Witch, And The War-Robe by Tanith Lee. The title immdiatley made me think of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, but there is no relation after that. Not an exciting piece. 3 stars"
The Sea Troll's Daughter by Caitlin R. Kiernan. It started well with a predictable story line that ended so-so. Still, I found it flowed well enough. 4 stars"
Thieves Of Daring by Bill Willingham. Short, direct, somewhat comical. 4 stars"
The Fool Jobs by Joe Abercrombie. It started slow, ran a predictable course and ended exactly as how I thought it would. 2 stars"
In summation, more good than bad, and "In The Stacks" by Scott Lynch made the purchase of this book worthwhile.