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There must be thousands of fantasy anthologies on the market, so we won't try to list them all. We have presented here some that we've actually read and reviewed. Anthologies compiled by editors who are also fantasy novelists can be found by looking up the author in the menu above. On this page, you'll mainly find books compiled by editors who we don't have an author page for. They are arranged by editors' last name and then by date.
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John Joseph Adams

Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse — (2008) Publisher: Famine, Death, War, and Pestilence: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the harbingers of Armageddon — these are our guides through the Wastelands... From the Book of Revelations to The Road Warrior; from A Canticle for Leibowitz to The Road, storytellers have long imagined the end of the world, weaving tales of catastrophe, chaos, and calamity. Gathering together the best post-apocalyptic literature of the last two decades from many of today's most renowned authors of speculative fiction, including George R.R. Martin, Gene Wolfe, Orson Scott Card, Carol Emshwiller, Jonathan Lethem, Octavia E. Butler, and Stephen King, Wastelands explores the scientific, psychological, and philosophical questions of what it means to remain human in the wake of Armageddon.

Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse

John Joseph Adams assembles a wide variety of apocalypse-related fiction in Wastelands. some of which are older than I am, while others are more recent. What you end up with is a diverse anthology covering topics such as religion, war, and exploration while containing horror, comedy, and a sense of wonder.

The majority of the stories are easy to get into. Some stories are more subtle than others. Overall, Wastelands is an enjoyable read and the selection seems balanced. Having said that, here are my top three stories:

"Bread and Bombs" by M. Rickert is one of the more horrifying stories in this anthology, and this is achieved through her characterization and commentary on society. It's easy to jump into Rickert's text and there is a foreboding established early on which rewards the reader by the time they reach the end.
"Artie's Angels" by Catherine Wells is another favorite; the author succeeds in using a first-person narrative to tell another character's story. Again, characterization is a key strength of this piece and the ending has that perfect combination of hope and complexity.
"The End of the World as We Know It" by Dale Bailey is perhaps the post-modern apocalypse story as it's one-part meta-fictional commentary and one-part anti-thesis to the conventions of the sub-genre.

Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse is an interesting ensemble and I enjoyed many of the stories in this anthology. Adams succeeds in providing a diverse array of pieces despite the seemingly specific theme. —Charles Comments FanLit thanks Charles Tan from Bibliophile Stalker for contributing this guest review.

The Living Dead — (2008) Publisher: When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth! From White Zombie to Dawn of the Dead, Resident Evil to World War Z, zombies have invaded popular culture, becoming the monsters that best express the fears and anxieties of the modern west. Gathering together the best zombie literature of the last three decades from many of today's most renowned authors of fantasy, speculative fiction, and horror, including Stephen King, Harlan Ellison, Robert Silverberg, George R. R. Martin, Clive Barker, Poppy Z. Brite, Neil Gaiman, Joe Hill, Laurell K. Hamilton, and Joe R. Lansdale, The Living Dead covers the broad spectrum of zombie fiction.

The Living Dead

Right from the very beginning, The Living Dead blew me away and this is easily John Joseph Adams’s best anthology yet. The Living Dead is quite meaty with 34 stories and Adams covers a lot of ground, from the literary to the experimental. And surprisingly, I found myself enjoying most of the stories, with a rare few falling in the mediocre range. Picking my three standout stories was difficult as there's a huge pool to choose from and my agendas clash with each other: do I highlight what's politically relevant or what's taboo, what's well-written or what's fun?

After much deliberation, the first story that stuck to me was Jeffrey Ford's "Malthusian's Zombie." This is the usual Ford story that engulfs the reader with his characterization and detailed but enthralling writing style. I had read this piece before, but this does not take away from the impressive ending. Ford combines the fantastical with the horrifying and the strength of this piece is that the story's zombie is all too human.

"Meathouse Man" by George R. R. Martin dives into taboo territory, but what's discomforting about this story is its emotional resonance. This could easily have been a high school romance story yet it's set in a post-apocalyptic setting with zombie handlers, which distills the author's agenda. "Meathouse Man" wouldn't have worked if readers didn't sympathize with its protagonist. Martin succeeds in that part and everything else falls into place.

The anthology ends with "How the Day Runs Down" by John Langan. “How the Day Runs Down” is original to this book. Langan effectively uses the theater as his setting and tells an epic yet character-driven story of how the world succumbed to the zombie apocalypse. Sprinkle in some humor, horror, and an unconventional narrator and you get an impressive piece to conclude the book.

There are lots of terrific stories in The Living Dead, and Adams impressed me with this anthology as it shows he's getting better as an editor. The Living Dead easily outshines both of his previous anthologies combined. Quite a must-have book, not just for zombie fans, but for readers who love well-written fiction. There's no sitting on the fence with this book: each story will have an impact on you.
—Charles Comments FanLit thanks Charles Tan from Bibliophile Stalker for contributing this guest review.

The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes — (2009) Publisher: Sherlock Holmes is back! Sherlock Holmes, the world's first — and most famous — consulting detective, came to the world's attention more than 120 years ago through Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novels and stories. But Conan Doyle didn't reveal all of the Great Detective's adventures... Here are some of the best Holmes pastiches of the last 30 years, twenty-eight tales of mystery and the imagination detailing Holmes's further exploits, as told by many of today's greatest storytellers, including Stephen King, Anne Perry, Anthony Burgess, Neil Gaiman, Naomi Novik, Stephen Baxter, Tanith Lee, Michael Moorcock, and many more. These are the improbable adventures of Sherlock Holmes, where nothing is impossible, and nothing can be ruled out. In these cases, Holmes investigates ghosts, curses, aliens, dinosaurs, shapeshifters, and evil gods. But is it the supernatural, or is there a perfectly rational explanation? You won't be sure, and neither will Holmes and Watson as they match wits with pirates, assassins, con artists, and criminal masterminds of all stripes,including some familiar foes, such as their old nemesis, Professor Moriarty. In these pages you'll also find our heroes crossing paths with H. G. Wells, Lewis Carroll, and even Arthur Conan Doyle himself, and you'll be astounded to learn the truth behind cases previously alluded to by Watson but never before documented until now. These are tales that take us from the familiar quarters at 221B Baker Street to alternate realities, from the gaslit streets of London to the far future and beyond. Whether it's mystery, fantasy, horror, or science fiction, no puzzle is too challenging for the Great Detective. The game is afoot!

The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (on audio)

In this collection of stories, compiled by John Joseph Adams, a variety of authors invent cases that Sherlock Holmes might encounter if our world were just a bit different. These are cases in which the “improbable” occurs. Most of the stories involve some sort of fantastical situation in which Holmes is required to go outside of his normal logic-based abilities and enter the realm of fantasy. The array of horror, fantasy, and sci-fi authors is quite extensive. Laurie King, Neil Gaiman, Stephen Baxter and Robert Sawyer are just a few of the names that grace this anthology.

I enjoyed the premise of the book very much. I’m an urban fantasy fan, and this sounded right up my alley. Many of the stories stay true to the theme, but a significant number are just typical Holmes stories: he gets involved in a case that seems fantastic, but by the end he is able to explain what happened in his usual surprisingly mundane way. I was a little disappointed that so many of these stories were not the “improbable” type that the book advertises. The whole hook was supposed to be that these are Sherlock Holmes stories that go beyond the normal. That small complaint aside, I found the majority of the tales enjoyable. I love a good mystery, and I love to watch Sherlock Holmes pick apart a case using his inhuman deduction skills. You will find plenty of that in The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

There are a few stories that really stand out. Tim Lebbon’s “The Horror of the Many Faces” captures the spirit of the collection perfectly. Watson bears witness to a series of grisly murders. The story takes an unnatural path, and stretches the imagination by the time it concludes. Although the things that happen would be impossible in the actual Holmes universe, “The Horror of the Many Faces” never loses the spirit of a Sherlock Holmes mystery. Neil Gaiman’s entry, “A Study in Emerald,” is another that stood out for me. In a Lovecraftian world, where the dark beasts are now our rulers, Holmes works a case involving a murder of one of the ruling races. Very entertaining and twisted stuff, as we have come to expect from Gaiman.

I listened to The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes on a set of 18 discs released by Brilliance Audio. As in the original Holmes tales, the stories are primarily dictated from the point of view of Holmes’ friend and sidekick, Dr. Watson. Simon Vance provides the voice of the male characters, and he is nothing short of brilliant. He switches from Watson to Holmes seamlessly, and adds inflections that match the ages and personalities of the characters perfectly. His voice acting instantly took me away to the Holmes world. I did cringe a little whenever he was forced to do an “American” accent, but I will say that his American accent is worlds better than my English one! Anne Flosnick is another voice contributor and does a great job as well. It’s obvious that the voice actors were cast with great care.

The beginning of the book gives a welcome introduction to the Holmes universe. I am not altogether familiar with the cast of characters that appear in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s work, so I was grateful for the short history lesson, and it left me much more knowledgeable about certain figures in the stories.

I had a lot of fun listening to this anthology, and the production quality was flawless. My hour-long commute to work went by much more quickly, and for that I’m grateful. I would also suggest that readers take their time with Adams’ collection. The stories are best enjoyed one or two at a time. I found they tended to mesh together when going through them one after the other. When I read one or two and then moved on to something else, I found that to be the most enjoyable way to experience these stories.
—Justin Comments

Mike Allen

Strange Wisdoms of the Dead — (2006) Publisher: How many ways can the world end? In fire. In ice. In howls of laughter or tears of madness. As a flip cosmic joke or a tragedy of love destroyed. In private agony or sweeping apocalypse. In our ignorance we turn to the dead for enlightenment, but even they despair of the answer. In STRANGE WISDOMS OF THE DEAD, award-winning poet Mike Allen's first book-length collection, the mysticism of tarot fuses with the magic of the Mayans, and childhood nightmares caress your face in the middle of the night. A playful kick sends Earth out of orbit, plots to steal time arethwarted, windows pulse with ghostly breath. The sacrifice of a daughter damns the world, and the dead struggle to communicate a fate beyond all understanding. These poems and stories, spanning a 10-year career on the cutting edge of the alternative press, take you through bends in reality to bring you to places you've never imagined.

fantasy book review anthology Mike Allen Strange Wisdoms of the Dead Strange Wisdoms of the Dead

I thought Strange Wisdoms of the Dead would be yet another attempt to convert me into a fan of speculative poetry, but leafing through the pages of this book I found something more massive. This is a comprehensive Mike Allen anthology covering ten years of work, compiling not just his poems but his fiction and collaborations as well.

Allen's poetry does dominate this book. Whether he's talking about time sharks, spiders, or decapitated heads, Allen evokes visceral images that surprise and entice. If you're just looking for variety, Strange Wisdoms of the Dead delivers as the poet tackles fantasy, science fiction, and horror in an array of tricky and fanciful poems. "Morse Code," for example, approaches the title through more "natural" means, evoking the buzzing of insects’ wings to replicate what seems like a monotonous sound. "Momentum," on the other hand, is a real rollercoaster. Don't worry if it's not readily apparent how to read or recite it — that’s part of the charm.

Another impressive aspect of the book is its division. It's broken into four sections, and at the end of each section is a fiction piece. While I wouldn't identify the stories as the best of the best, they certainly leave an impression. The first story, "Humpty," for example, is both fanciful and tense, diving directly into the action. When you reach the end, there remains a sense of dread that a longer or more complicated piece couldn't capture. The fourth section is also interesting because this is where Allen showcases his collaborations with other authors. These pieces are different from the rest of his work and give us a glimpse of the end result of such fusion.

My one regret is that Allen's poems need to be reread and savored. A hundred-plus page book is already a lot when it comes to poetry, and going through it in one sitting doesn't do it justice. The format is certainly to be lauded, from the sequencing to the combination of poetry and token prose. If you've been following Allen's body of work, Strange Wisdoms of the Dead features some of his more daring and experimental work and so you might want to check this out for that. Otherwise, this is a splendid collection that you might enjoy for its breadth if nothing else. —Charles Comments
FanLit thanks Charles Tan from Bibliophile Stalker for contributing this guest review.

Mythic — (2006) Publisher: Amid the hard-scrabble West Virginia coal mines, a terrible magical vengeance takes an equally terrible toll on a young boy's heart. Ancient gods provide metaphors for a father's love and a child's grief, and Cinderella's shattered glass slippers become a window into the horror of the Holocaust. A mythic tale of a little girl's rebellion explains all the craziness of weather, and the Wandering Jew reveals the truth about the Loch Ness Monster... The first release from Mythic Delirium Books, Mythic is a 136-page trade paperback digest of fantasy prose and verse. This volume, the first of a planned anthology series, places off-beat new talents like Matthew Cheney, Theodora Goss, Richard Parks, and Sonya Taaffe alongside veterans such as Joe Haldeman and Ian Watson to offer a unique literary smorgasbord of humor and horror, wonder and wisdom.

fantasy book review anthology Mike Allen Mythic Mythic

While a relatively short anthology, what Mythic lacks in quantity is more than made up for with the quality of its selections. Each poem and story stands out as well as fitting the "mythic" tone the book is attempting to capture. Right from the very start, I was already enamored by the opening poem, "Syllables of Old Lore" by Vandana Singh and Mike Allen keeps the interest, flow, and beat consistent throughout the volume.

There are some editorial choices I'd like to highlight. The first is the sequencing. The poems alternate with the short stories and, if you're like me who reads anthologies in the sequence they're presented, this formula works. I can imagine my interest waning if I was barraged with poems initially followed by short stories and vice versa. As it is, Mythic gives readers enough time to digest and appreciate the poem that preceded it before moving into short story territory. The alternation keeps the reading experience refreshing. Admittedly, the length of the book (under 200 pages) also helps. Mythic is the type of book that you can read in one sitting and it keeps you mesmerized the whole time.

The second item worthy to note is that the poems and stories are consistently readable and easy to understand. The poems aren't threatening to those of us who don't often read poetry and the short stories are relatively short reads, with a few delving into experimental territory, such as "Of the Driving Away of a Certain Water Monster by the Virtue of the Prayers of the Holy Man or What Really Happened at Loch Ness in the Summer of 565 A.D," by Bud Webster. I also noticed that Allen included some authors twice (e.g., Singh and Theodora Goss). Not many anthologies do repetitions and I think Mythic is a stronger anthology because of this inclusion.

Here are the top three poems and short stories that caught my eye: "Kristallnacht" by Lawrence Schimel played with my expectations and usurped the Cinderalla myth for his own. Aside from having a steady beat, Schimel ties it with the Jewish experience, giving this simple verse an extra layer of depth and cultural identity.

Catherynne M. Valente's "The Eight Legs of Grandmother Spider" features two parallel narratives; one has a fable feel while the other has more modern sensibilities. Much like "Kristallnacht," Valente plays with the reader's expectations, not only thematically tying the two poem-stories together, but taking them into a truly horrifying yet beautiful direction.

Erzebet YellowBoy's "Misha and the Months" is one of the stories that stand out. Subversion seems to be a common theme of the anthology and this one is no different. Using old tropes, YellowBoy turns them around which makes for an interesting and refreshing story.

Overall, Mythic is a great anthology that could serve as the perfect "breather" when you're overwhelmed by thick novels and collections. This isn't a "meaty" book when it comes to length, but I think that's a strength of Mythic. You get the best of the best, a consistent theme, and accessible language.
—Charles Comments FanLit thanks Charles Tan from Bibliophile Stalker for contributing this guest review.

Mythic II — (2006) Publisher: The world's greatest sorcerer is losing his mind, and all the nations wait in fear for his next move. The faces of the future gaze forward and back, and sirens don't always sing the songs you expect. Deserts speak with the voices of girls, mothers and stepmothers are two pages of the same book, and churches house things stranger than angels. But in the afterlife, you never know when an absinthe spoon will come in handy... The second volume in the critically acclaimed fantasy anthology series from Mythic Delirium Books, edited by Rhysling Award-winning poet Mike Allen, with new writings by Leah Bobet, Richard Parks, Cherie Priest, Catherynne M. Valente, Lawrence Schimel, Sonya Taaffe, Steve Rasnic Tem, Jo Walton and more.

Mythic II

Much like its predecessor Mythic, Mythic 2 feels compact and precise. Both the prose and poetry (and everything else in between) are easy to read and have a lyrical tonality. The anthology is even and consistent, with no sudden drops or spikes in the quality. Editor Mike Allen also continues the format of alternating between both mediums, which makes the book work.

For the most part, I found the poems to be decent and the fiction enjoyable. Mythic 2 continues the tradition of weaving or re-inventing fairy tales, legends, and myths and infusing them with the sensibilities of the various authors. This isn't a long anthology, but the quality more than makes up for the brevity. I really liked all of the prose and appreciated the poetry but I think the former wins out overall, at least in this volume of Mythic.

Particularly striking is Catherynne M. Valente's "Temnaya and the House of Books," an amalgam of well-known fairy tales appropriated by the author and transformed into a modern narrative, all the while retaining its fairy tale tone and sensibilities. The ending is to be applauded as it is open enough for the reader to wonder at its implications.

Jo Walton's "Post-Colonial Literature of the Elves" is an appropriately-titled poem and makes great use of rhyme without sounding childish, especially considering the subject matter.

Richard Parks's "A Pinch of Salt" is a narrative that strikes an emotional chord as it deals with all too human predicaments and a web of relationships. Characterization and dialogue are easily the author's strengths, and the story is filled with conflict. The final line of the story is perfect as it leaves enough room for ambiguity.

Mythic 2 is another fascinating anthology that combines speculative fiction prose with poetry. This is certainly easy to pick up and recommendable to anyone. —Charles Comments
FanLit thanks Charles Tan from Bibliophile Stalker for contributing this guest review.

Kevin Brockmeier

Real Unreal: Best American Fantasy 3 — (2010) Publisher: A city in a bottle. Kings. Genies. Jane Austen and Frankenstein. Grandmothers at sea... The acclaimed Best American Fantasy series continues with 20 stories chosen by best-selling writer Kevin Brockmeier. With stories by established writers, such as Peter S. Beagle, Laura Kasischke, Jeffrey Ford, and Lisa Goldstein, alongside tales by brilliant newcomers like Kellie Wells, Thomas Glave, Ryan Boudinot, and Rebecca Makkai, Real Unreal delivers a richly diverse experience of contemporary fiction. Guest editor Brockmeier knows fantasy inside and out: he is the recipient of three O. Henry Awards, the Chicago Tribune’s Nelson Algren Award, and an Italo Calvino Short Fiction Award. His stories have been published widely, including The New Yorker, The Georgia Review, McSweeney's, and The Oxford American, and have been reprinted in Best American Short Stories, The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror, and the first volume of The Best American Fantasy.

fantasy anthology review Kevin Brockmeier Real Unreal: Best American Fantasy 3 Real Unreal: Best American Fantasy 3

On a hypothetical chart, with high epic fantasy in the vein of J.R.R. Tolkien and Stephen Donaldson on one end and (for want of a better term) the magical realism of Gabriel García Marquez and Graham Joyce on the other, the twenty stories in the excellent Real Unreal: Best American Fantasy 3 fall, for the most part, close to or smack on the latter extreme of the scale. If you then add a y-axis, describing how pulpy a story is, everything in this collection would trend towards the end of the scale where the most accomplished and literary pieces of short fiction reside.

However, describing the beautiful and often unique stories in this anthology as points on a chart is simply cruel. I can almost see Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society making his students tear this review from a text book: "Begone, Stefan Raets!" To avoid that fate, I'll just try to introduce some of my favorite stories:

The first story in the collection, "Safe Passage" by Ramona Ausubel, is representative of much of this collection, as it resides in that vague place where reality, fantasy and dream meet. It's also one of several stories that deals with death — a persistent theme that gives Real Unreal: Best American Fantasy 3 as a whole a melancholy atmosphere. "Safe Passage" is a beautiful story, and I found it hard to believe that it is the author's first published piece of fiction.

Peter S. Beagle's "Uncle Chaim and Aunt Rifke and the Angel" continues strongly with its touching, insightful and compassionate look at a boy's childhood, spent in his uncle's painting studio. The main characters in this story are unforgettable, and the irreverent but heartfelt look at religion and mercy make this one of the strongest stories in the entire collection.

The mood changes with the next few stories, including Ryan Boudinot's "Cardiology", in which all the people in a small town share one central heart, and Will Clarke's "The Pentecostal Home for Flying Children" about the wayward children of a local superhero. Both stories are surreal, quirky and original.

Listing all twenty stories would make this review too long and, again, reduce this excellent collection to a list, so here are just a few more of my favorites:

Chris Gavaler's "Is" is a gorgeous evocation of childhood memory. I was impressed with the way it analyzes its own symbology, but then spins it back out to a touching finale. Another unforgettable story.
Lisa Goldstein's "Reader's Guide", told in the form of a book discussion questionnaire, is hilarious and thought-provoking at the same time. It reminded me of Jasper Fforde's THURSDAY NEXT stories, as well as the section in Jeff Vandermeer's City of Saints and Madmen that's told in the form of a bibliography.
John Kessel's "Pride and Prometheus" is an elegant mash-up of Jane Austen and Frankenstein. Part of the fun of reading it is being aware that you know more than the characters — and still being surprised at the end.
Shawn Vestal's "The First Few Hundred Years Following My Death" offers such a bleak view of the afterlife that I found it almost physically painful. The contrast of life's small pleasures with the darkness of being trapped with your memories is very effective.
In Rebekka Makkai's "Couple of Lovers on a Red Background", Bach comes back to life to share the apartment of a lonely real estate agent. The story is quite funny, but the way it manages to combine the fantastic with the main character's private tragedy makes it much more than just a gimmick story.

There are several more excellent stories in this collection, and only one or two I found disappointing. Maybe the best compliment I can give Real Unreal: Best American Fantasy 3: prior to reading it, I'd only heard of 4 of the 20 authors, but after finishing it, more than half of them are firmly on my watch list. You won't find dragons, elves or sexy vampires here, but if you're interested in checking out some truly excellent stories that show how varied fantasy as a genre can be, give Real Unreal: Best American Fantasy 3 a try. —Stefan Comments

Ellen Datlow

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Nick Gevers

The Book of Dreams — (2010) Publisher: Perchance to dream... To dream is to enter inner worlds of terror and revelation, to look the collective unconscious in the face. In this ground-breaking anthology, five modern masters of the fantastic conjure especially potent encounters with the stuff of the sleeping mind, unveiling dark hints about who (or what) we truly are, about our uncertain relationships with the waking world. The stories in The Book of Dreams are bold ventures into the kingdom of Morpheus, upon which individual destinies crucially depend — or perhaps the destiny of the entire human species. In The Prisoner, Grand Master Robert Silverberg, long an explorer of visionary realms, indicates just how dangerous it can be to respond to a cry for help — especially when you are unconscious at the time. In Dream Burgers At The Mouth of Hell , the commanding prose of Lucius Shepard explores the secret dream factories of Hollywood, tracing where the inspiration of scriptwriters really originates. In Testaments , Jay Lake brilliantly employs the language of prophecy to consider the totality of human history, and where its contradictory trends may lead us as new kings dream of glory. In Rex Nemorensis, Kage Baker incisively considers the violent dream landscape of Vietnam veterans, and fuses it with the territory of ancient myth and ritual. And in 86 Deathdick Road, Jeffrey Ford, dreamer of dreamers, plunges into an oneiric domain in which fateful symbols are everywhere, but truth is forever elusive. The Book of Dreams is a cornucopia of strange enlightenment, a quintet of voyages to wonderful yet disturbing worlds within.

The Book of Dreams

The Book of Dreams is a small but satisfying collection of short stories that are thematically, albeit loosely, connected by the theme of "dreams." The book features original stories by Robert Silverberg, Lucius Shepard, Jay Lake, Kage Baker and Jeffrey Ford, and was edited by Nick Gevers for Subterranean Press.

Somewhat surprisingly, my least favorite story in the collection comes courtesy of Grand Master Robert Silverberg. "The Prisoner" is a somewhat repetitive and heavily symbolic story about a man facing an onslaught of nightmares that gradually threaten his sanity. It's not a bad story, but I found it a bit predictable. (2 stars)

"Dream Burgers at the Mouth of Hell" by Lucius Shepard, on the other hand, is wildly inventive and completely unpredictable. This story about a Hollywood screenwriter's surreal business lunch is funny, trippy and at times almost uncomfortable to read. I think Philip K. Dick would have been proud of this one. As a bonus, Lucius Shepard's prose is simply a pleasure to read. I hadn't read anything by this author before, but based on this story, I plan to seek out more of his works very soon. (4 stars)

The quality continues to be very high with "Testaments" by Jay Lake. The sequence of six (plus one) miniatures paints a powerful story, filled with prophetic language and gorgeous imagery. This is definitely one of those stories you can read and re-read. The final sentence of the story is a perfect summation of the entire collection: "For now, dreaming is enough. There is no higher truth." Jay Lake is another author who's going on my must-read-more list. (4 stars)

Next up is "Rex Nemorensis" by the consistently excellent Kage Baker. A Vietnam veteran tells his story, and as always, Baker manages to capture the voice of her narrator perfectly. If you're not familiar with the phrase "rex nemorensis," look it up after reading the story to see how cleverly Kage Baker connects the scars of post-traumatic stress disorder to a millennia-old myth. (4.5 stars)

The final story is the somewhat unpleasantly titled "86 Deathdick Road" by Jeffrey Ford. This one really captures the hallucinatory character that some dreams have, and the way they gather the scattered images we collect during the day into a surreal stream of symbols. I admired how Jeffrey Ford captured the feeling of powerlessness during unpleasant dreams and infused the story with touches of dark sexuality. (3 stars)

At just under 120 pages, The Book of Dreams may be a bit short, but it contains some great stories that justify the price of admittance, especially the contributions by Lucius Shepard, Jay Lake and Kage Baker. —Stefan Comments

Sharyn November

The Firebird Anthologies can be found on our Sharyn November page.

Patrick St. Denis

Speculative Horizons — (2010) Publisher: Speculative fiction is wide in scope and styles, and Speculative Horizons showcases the talent and storytelling skills of five of the genre’s most imaginative voices:

In C. S. Friedman’s “Soul Mate,” it’s love at first sight for Josie at the arts and crafts festival when she meets the handsome Stephan Mayeaux. It all sounds too good to be true until her newfound boyfriend starts to act strangely and unexplained occurrences begin to take place around her.
In Tobias S. Buckell’s “The Eve of the Fall of Habesh,” contragnartii Jazim must carry out one final assignment before the armies of the Sea People lay waste to the city he loves.
L. E. Modesitt, Jr. returns to the universe of his bestselling Recluce saga in “The Stranger.” A young herder’s existence will be forever changed by the unexpected arrival of the black-clad man recounting tales of angels living on the summit of the Roof of the World.
In “Flint,” Brian Ruckley introduces us to a young and inexperienced shaman who must venture into the spirit world to discover the source of the sickness which afflicts his tribe before they are all wiped out.
Talk to any cop working for Homicide, Narcotics, or Vice, and they’ll tell you that they get the worst cases imaginable. But in Hal Duncan’s “The Death of a Love,” you realize that they have nothing on Erocide

Speculative Horizons

Stefan's review coming soon...

Jonathan Strahan has been moved to our Jonathan Strahan page.

Gordon Van Gelder

The Very Best of Fantasy & Science Fiction: Sixtieth Anniversary Anthology — (2009)
Publisher: Collecting more than two dozen stories that originally appeared in the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction — the premiere speculative fiction magazine — this extraordinary anthology celebrates 60 years of top-notch genre fiction. Including “All Summer in a Day,” Ray Bradbury’s lasting tale of what happened on one special day; “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes, describing what happened to Charlie Gordon when he was made into a genius; “Harrison Bergeron,” Kurt Vonnegut’s absurdist cautionary tale of mandatory equality; and “The Electric Ant” by Philip K. Dick, concerning what Garson Poole learned after the accident that hospitalized him. This remarkable collection also features some of the most highly acclaimed, award-winning authors, including Neil Gaiman, Harlan Ellison, Shirley Jackson, Peter S. Beagle, Karen Joy Fowler, Ursula K. Le Guin, Theodore Sturgeon, and Roger Zelazny. Hand-picked by the magazine’s current editor, this is an unmatched assemblage of appealing, first-rate fiction.

The Very Best of Fantasy & Science Fiction: Sixtieth Anniversary Anthology

The Very Best of Fantasy & Science Fiction: Sixtieth Anniversary Anthology is an excellent collection of 23 stories picked from the treasure trove of short fiction that's been published in the eponymous magazine over the past 60 years. Editor Gordon Van Gelder — also the editor of the magazine since 1997 — has done an admirable job, picking stories that illustrate the diversity of both the genre and the magazine. As such, this is a great anthology for SF&F fans as well as newcomers looking for a taste.

The line-up of authors in this collection looks like a veritable Who's Who of speculative fiction: Ray Bradbury, Philip K. Dick, Stephen King, Roger Zelazny, Ursula K. Le Guin, Neil Gaiman — just to name a few of the most famous ones. What's even more impressive is the fact that all the stories collected here saw their first publication in the magazine. It really gave me pause when I realized that a towering classic such as "Flowers From Algernon" by Daniel Keyes first appeared in this digest-sized magazine (and if you haven't read that story yet, you have at least one perfect reason to get this anthology right now!). Every story is preceded by a brief and thoughtful editorial note, often highlighting its author's involvement with the magazine.

The quality of these stories is, as could be expected, almost uniformly excellent. Stand-outs for me were: the previously mentioned "Flowers For Algernon" which is about a mentally retarded man who gains a brief period of brilliance via a scientific experiment; "Solitude" by Ursula K. Le Guin, an exquisite and touching story set in her Hainish Cycle; "Creation" by Jeffrey Ford, about a young boy's attempt to create life; and "Mother Grasshopper" by Michael Swanwick, about how a far-future civilization becomes reintroduced to death. If I could give these stories individual ratings, they'd all have five stars by their names, with the majority of the others getting a solid four stars. The only disappointment for me was "Buffalo" by John Kessel, a reverie about a fictional meeting between the author's father and H.G. Wells.

By the numbers: out of the 23 stories collected here, I'd call 12 solidly science fiction, 6 definitely fantasy, 1 horror, and the rest hard to place but trending towards the fantastical. Included in that last category is Harlan Ellison's "The Deathbird", which is more or less a genre of its own and one of the oddest things I've read in years. The stories are spread out across the six decades of the magazine's existence, although strangely enough not a single story from the eighties was included. The earlier part of the anthology is predominantly science fiction, and as fantasy became more popular over the years, more stories of that genre appear towards the end of the collection. The only real "high fantasy" story included here is Peter S. Beagle's "Two Hearts," in which the author revisits his classic The Last Unicorn. In terms of length, the stories vary from barely 3 pages (Neil Gaiman's "The Others," a terrifying vision of hell) to Stephen King's 44 page story "The Gunslinger," one of the 5 stories that make up the novel of the same name, originally serialized in the magazine.

Another number, and one that might raise an eyebrow, is 5: the number of female authors represented here, compared to 18 male authors. Also, some readers may look for one or more legendary stories from the magazine that unfortunately aren't represented here. My personal pick would be to add Fritz Leiber's "Ill Met in Lankhmar" novella, originally published in F&SF Magazine and certainly one of its classic — and now sadly underappreciated — stories.

Still, it's easy to second-guess almost any anthology, let alone one that attempts to span the life of one of the most revered magazines in speculative fiction. When all's said and done, this is undeniably an excellent collection of stories — one that will give readers a great look at the history of F&SF Magazine and, in doing so, the history of the entire genre. It's possible that some reader will already be familiar with many of these stories, but if you aren't, The Very Best of Fantasy & Science Fiction: Sixtieth Anniversary Anthology is practically a must-read. Highly recommended. —Stefan Comments

Jason M. Waltz

The Return of the Sword — (2008) Publisher: The Return of the Sword is a brand new anthology of blood-pounding, spine-tingling stories by some of fantasy's most critically acclaimed Sword and Sorcery authors. Stacey Berg, Bill Ward, Phil Emery, Jeff Draper, Nicholas Ian Hawkins, David Pitchford, Ty Johnston, Jeff Stewart, Angeline Hawkes, Robert Rhodes, E.E. Knight, James Enge, Michael Ehart, Thomas M. MacKay, Christopher Heath, Nathan Meyer, S.C. Bryce, Allen B. Lloyd, William Clunie, Steve Goble, Bruce Durham, and Harold Lamb present you with enough fast paced adventure to keep you reading for hours. A hand painted, wrap around cover by fantasy artist Johnney Perkins ensures that The Return of the Sword will not only be enjoyable to read, but also look good on your coffee table or bookshelf. Too long have the halls of fantasy been dominated by packs of weak-kneed elves hunting goblins and doughty dwarves mining for gold. Return now to the days of true adventure. Unsheath your sword and enter if you dare!

review The Return of the Sword fantasy anthology The Return of the Sword: An Anthology of Heroic Adventure

I read and have read a lot of anthologies. They’re great for “in-between-books-reading” and are perfect when you just want a story that you can start and finish in one sitting. Anthologies are also a great source for sampling different writers.

Jason M Waltz did a great job of picking out the stories to use for The Return of the Sword. Except for only one or two stories (even the ones that weren’t particularly something to my personal taste) I found these to be very well and interestingly written.

The Return of the Sword contains twenty sword-and-sorcery tales — too many for me to summarize and rate individually here. I’d say most of the stories fall between 3 and 4 stars, but my personal favorites — "The Battle of Raven Kill" by Jeff Draper, "To Be A Man" by (FanLit’s own) Robert Rhodes, "The Hand that Holds The Crown" by Nathan Meyer, and "The Mask Oath" by Steve Goble are each an easy 5 stars and then some. In fact, I’d buy this book for those stories alone. And I’d venture to say that most any fan of fantasy literature will find something to their liking in this book.

I highly recommend The Return of the Sword to anyone who appreciates a straight-forward adventurous tale, and I applaud the effort to present some quality sword & sorcery tales in a market where the sub-genre seems all but forgotten. I hope more publishers will follow suit and give us more new S & S books. —Greg Comments

Yanni Kuznia

A Fantasy Medley — (2009) Publisher: A Fantasy Medley features the superlative storytelling abilities of four diverse authors:

In "Zen and the Art of Vampirism," Zoe Takano, the only vampire in Toronto, a city filled with supernatural creatures of Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld, finds her place in the hierarchy threatened by two interlopers.
"Riding the Shore of the River of Death" returns us to the world of Kate Elliott's Crown of Stars. Kareka, daughter of the begh of the Kirshat, hunts to take a man's head. It is her last opportunity to prove herself as a man or else she will find herself restricted to the role of woman and wife in the clan forever.
Robin Hobb revisits her Farseer world in "Words Like Coins." Mirrifen, a failed hedge-witch's apprentice who has married to find security finds that threatened by a severe drought and the appearance of a pregnant female pecksie.
C.E. Murphy takes us to frozen Moscow in "From Russia, with Love." Baba Yaga's daughter is a barmaid at a dive when Janx and Eliseo Daisani walk in. They discover, as they compete for the girl's affections, that Baba Yaga has plans for Janx and that her beautiful daughter had merely been the bait.

A Fantasy Medley

FORMAT/INFO: A Fantasy Medley is 136 pages long divided over four short stories and is published by Subterranean Press in two editions: A fully clothbound hardcover limited to 3000 copies and a numbered hardcover limited to 200 copies and signed by the authors and editor. Dust jacket by Kristy Doherty.

ANALYSIS:

1) “Zen and the Art of Vampirism” by Kelley Armstrong. “Zen and the Art of Vampirism” is an urban fantasy tale with all of the usual trimmings including a female protagonist, a contemporary setting, supernatural elements, humor, etc. The story is actually pretty interesting and follows a lesbian Japanese vampire who uses wits instead of violence to prevent two other vampires from running her out of town. To be honest, I’m starting to get bored of the whole urban fantasy craze and didn’t expect to enjoy this story very much. Instead though, Ms. Armstrong’s contribution was a pleasant surprise and made me interested in checking out more of the author’s work.

2) “Riding the Shore of the River of Death” by Kate Elliott. “Riding the Shore of the River of Death” is set in the world of Kate Elliott’s epic Crown of Stars saga, but generations later, so it’s not necessary for readers to be familiar with the series. However, for those who have read the books, “Riding the Shore of the River of Death” offers some nice treats including the Quman, stone circles, griffin feathers and references to Prince Sanglant, Bulkezu, and Liath. The story itself — which is told in the third-person by Kereka, a begh’s daughter who wishes to live a man’s life — follows Kereka and two other boys on their Quman rite of passage to manhood. During their journey they are captured by a witch. Eventually Prince Vayek, Kereka’s betrothed, comes to their rescue, but Kereka seeks a different kind of liberation… This story was kind of slow for me, but it was nice revisiting the Crown of Stars setting. Plus, as expected, the story was well written and offers a solid glimpse at Elliott’s writing abilities including strong characterization and world-building.

3) “From Russia, with Love” by C.E. Murphy. “From Russia, with Love” is an Old Races tale, the setting for the author’s Negotiator trilogy, and features a couple of familiar faces from the series in the dragon Janx and the vampire Daisani. The plot concerns the daughter of Baba Yaga — a fearsome witch of Russian folklore — who catches the attention of both Janx and Daisani. Unfortunately, they catch the attention of Baba Yaga. Though falling under the urban fantasy/paranormal romance umbrella, “From Russia, with Love” reads more like a fairy tale and shines with elegant prose and creative magic. Easily the highlight of the anthology.

4) “Words Like Coins” by Robin Hobb. “Words Like Coins” returns readers to the author’s popular Realm of the Elderlings setting, but like Kate Elliott’s story, it’s not necessary to be familiar with Hobb’s previous work. In fact, readers will be hard-pressed to find anything recognizable from the Farseer/Liveship Traders milieu. Instead, “Words Like Coins” is basically a YA-friendly fable about being typecast and the power of words. Cleverly written with a timeless moral lesson, “Words Like Coins” was my second favorite story in A Fantasy Medley.

CONCLUSION: Serving as both a delicious indulgence for those readers already familiar with the authors and an enticing appetizer for those who are not, A Fantasy Medley is a successful and diverse glimpse at the magic and wonders that fantasy has to offer. My only complaint with the anthology is that it was so short... but as with anything that brings pleasure, I never wanted A Fantasy Medley to end.
—Robert T. Comments

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