A review by octavia_cade
Spells by Jack Vance, Andre Norton, Edward D. Hoch, Fritz Leiber, Isaac Asimov, Charles G. Waugh, Stephen King, Gerald W. Page, Arthur Conan Doyle, Martin H. Greenberg, Frank R. Stockton, Robert Arthur, Ray Bradbury, Henry Slesar

3.0

An anthology of fantasy stories themed around magic spells. Quite a range in tone here, from light-hearted fantasy to straight horror, which means there's something for everyone I guess. I certainly had a range of different reactions, and though overall I quite enjoyed it, most of the stories were pretty average really. Low points were the Greenberg (short and silly) and the Vance (long and dull). On the other hand, Leiber and Norton both had interesting, likeable stories, and the anthology's high point was the oldest story of them all: Arthur Conan Doyle's "Lot No. 249". I'm not usually one who finds mummy stories particularly creepy - too many B-grade movies of bandaged limbs jerking out of coffins - but this was genuinely horrifying.