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A review by angrywombat
Swords & Dark Magic by Michael Shea, C.J. Cherryh, Garth Nix, K.J. Parker, Michael Moorcock, Jonathan Strahan, Greg Keyes, Bill Willingham, Scott Lynch, Gene Wolfe, Caitlín R. Kiernan, James Enge, Steven Erikson, Robert Silverberg, Tanith Lee, Tim Lebbon, Glen Cook, Joe Abercrombie
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!