Ratings2
Average rating3.3
I have been a bit spoiled in the short story anthologies I have read recently, but this one was more of a mixed bag than a lot of them. There are some extremely good stories in this collection, but there are others which I really struggled to enjoy. The theme itself is somewhat meta - that of stories and tales. It is broad enough to encompass a large range of different fantasy styles. I will try and run through the different stories a little individually:
1) No Fairy Tale - Ben Galley
This one was OK. It follows a girl discovering she has magical talents, losing her family as a result but then coming to terms with who she is as part of greater whole rather than through being some special one. I struggled a bit with the various motivations and the world needed more development. It felt like it was a compressed first few chapters of something larger.
2/5
2) And They Were Never Heard from Again - Benedict Patrick
This story focuses on the power of stories to shape reality and the dangers that can entail. I have read a couple of other short stories from Benedict Patrick set in the same world - and it is a clever story telling style. An interesting little vignette of a story
3/5
3) A Tree Called Sightless - Steven Kelliher
A melodramatic mess of a story. What story there was here got lost in an overly grandiose prose which just turned me off completely.
1/5
4) Barrowlands - Mike Shel
An nice little take on the grave robbing trope common in fantasy.
3/5
5) Into the Woods - Timandra Whitecastle
One of the better stories in the collection. The story being told by the grandmother had some interesting twists, which help to keep you intrigued.
4/5
6) Paternus: Deluge - Dyrk Ashton
A retelling of the great flood interlinking various different flood stories from different religions and myths around the world. A somewhat detached story telling style didn't necessary grip me all the time, but I have to admire the invention displayed within
3/5
7) I, Kane - Laura M. Hughes
Wow. This story blew me away. I loved the engaging writing style, the clever perspective put on things and the sinister way the whole tale unfolded. The voice of the main character being dictated is both engaging and pompous, polite but extremely sinister at the same time, and ultimately very funny. A real gem, and i need to search out more of Laura's writing
5/5
8) The Huntress - Michael R Miller
This story contained a lot within a very short space, with love and loss, vengeance and forgiveness. The ending does not shy away from grim realities and I can always appreciate that in a story
3/5
9) The Prisoner - Phil Tucker
Short and sweet, this is ultimately a tale of how expectation and reality rarely match up in the idea of battlefield honour. A story of the loss of innocence
3/5
10) A Simple Thing - Bryce O'Connor
An assassin's first mission. An interesting take on the psychology of staking out a first target and taking on a dark role. Written in a journal style this was a fun little piece
4/5
11) Palesword - T L Greylock
I love a bit of norse in my fantasy, being currently resident in Norway. This is an interesting take that leans heavily into Norse traditions. The corruption and abuse of power at the heart of the story lends a believable air, with Norse mysticism giving a nice magical overprint.
3/5
12) The Light in the Jungle - Jeffrey Hall
An eclectic mix of characters make up a group of adventurers heading to loot a jungle city. You gradually find out they are all different races/species with different abilities and strengths. They all have their own motivations and they are all pretty ruthless in trying to achieve their individual aims. Weird and twisted at times, I can appreciate the creativity on display, even if the story didn't grip me as well as it could have done.
3/5
13) Black Barge - J. P. Ashman
Gnomes are an under-used fantasy race for lead characters in novels, but that might be because they are not especially interesting. The ‘gnomish' traits of the characters didn't really come across, but I can appreciate the difference of setting a fantasy story on a canal barge at least.
2/5
14) Making a Killing - David Benem
Another assassin origin story, but the weaker of the two in the collection. Still an entertaining read, but the perspective in Bryce o'connor's story gives a greater degree of interest. The same question of how to align an assassination with your morals is asked.
3/5
15) The First Thread - Alec Hutson
There was some really good world building in this short story. The idea of the balance of the seasons and the consequence of changes run strongly through the story. The politicking and the willingness to not back away from some of the brutal truths that a medieval style society would live under are also commendable. I enjoyed this as a close to the collection.
4/5
Instead of writing a single review for the anthology or writing a short review of all 15 stories, I'll leave you with my thoughts on my five favorites from the anthology:
I, Kane by Laura M. Hughes
Just...wow. Written in the form of a one sided-rant as a powerful dragon addresses a human scribe, this was a blast to read. Kane completely steals the show in his own story, full of personality and sarcasm.
For the record, 'tis evening—about teatime, in fact—the eighth full moon of the Year of the Flaming Maw, etcetera, etceter— No, don't actually write ‘etcetera', fool!
A Simple Thing by Bryce O'Connor
And They Were Never Heard From Again by Benedict Patrick
The First Thread by Alec Hutson
Into the Woods by Timandra Whitecastle