Unfettered Anthology with New Wheel of Time Story (and others)

Unfettered edited by Shawn Speakman came about as a project to help Speakman pay off debts from a serious medical condition he has struggled with. Speakman is a bit of industry insider since he runs The Signed Page and many authors volunteered stories to help. Early inidcations had me excited so it was an anthology that I had my eye - good cause or not, it has a great lineup.

 

Now a full table of contents has been revealed that includes a few suprises. The biggest one that caught my mind is "River of Souls" by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. Clearly it's a Wheel of Time short story/novella or similar and Jason from Dragonmount tweeted it was related to A Memory of Light (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon) in some way. But right now any details are still haven't gone public. My guess is it's a short story set after events in A Memory of Light and the Wheel of Time series, but that's only a guess - I sure hope its not simply an excerpt (unlikely since the description of Unfettered calls them all original stories).

 

Anyway, I'm not more excited and have just pre-ordered my copy of Unfettered. You should do the same. And check out that table of contents - it's full of goodies that go well beyond Wheel of Time (there's Terry Brooks and Shannara, Patrick Rothfuss, Tad Williams, Daniel Abraham, Jacqueline Carey, and many more).

EDIT: The point of view for the Wheel of Time story is Demandred and it is a deleted scene(s) from A Memory of Light. Below is a quote from a Torchat event:

“River of Souls,” the forthcoming Wheel of Time short story featured in Unfettered is a collection of scenes that illustrate Demandred/Bao the Wyld’s story leading up to A Memory of Light.

Review: The Urban Fantasy Anthology Edited by Peter S. Beagle & Joe R. Lansdale

The Urban Fantasy Anthology (Book Depository, Powell’s Books, Indiebound) is edited by two powerhouses in genre and beyond – Peter S. Beagle and Joe R. Lansdale. They have amassed 19 previously published stories, 1 original story and 4 non-fiction essays that attempt to capture what the genre of urban fantasy really is. The result end up being more of a highlight of the identity crisis of urban fantasy rather than a clarification, while providing some interesting and fun reading.

As I discuss the details of the anthology below, I give my thoughts and reactions in the order the material is produced in the anthology. The resulting review ranges from short reviews of individual stories, to reactions to the essays, and ends up being nearly an essay of its own.

Introduction. Beagle writes a good and informative introduction to anthology that I largely find myself agreeing with. He outlines the evolution of urban fantasy from its beginnings, with a general evolution from what this anthology categorizes as mythic fiction to paranormal romance and finally to noir fantasy. Beagle spends a good bit of time discussing Buffy the Vampire Slayer and essentially credits it with the creation of paranormal romance and the shift away from mythic fiction in urban fantasy. A quick look at the original copyright dates for the stories in the anthology reveals how this is an over simplicity – the earliest paranormal romance story was first published in 1989, predating Buffy. The oldest story included is actually from the noir fantasy section (which is presented as the final evolution of urban fantasy in this introduction) and was first published in 1983. This introduction presents a rather simplistic evolution of urban fantasy, the dates alone show that things evolved on their own and at different times, with their popularity ebbing and waning on yet another timescale. Not that I really thing Beagle would disagree with this, it’s just that he oversimplifies things a bit to get his point across.

Mythic Fiction

“A Personal Journey into Mythic Fiction” an introduction to mythic fiction by Charles de Lint (2011). De Lint presents a very personal journey of his becoming a writer and developing his style, which if you’ve read de Lint before is easily recognizable. His reflections quickly reminded of me why this is sort of urban fantasy I tend to enjoy the most.

“…the biggest difference is that mythic fiction has room for a story to be told at a slower pace. The preternatural elements are present, not only for their coolness factor (werewolves and witches and vampires, oh my!), but because fairy tales and mythology tap into a deeper part of the psyche than an adventure story can reach.”

“A Bird that Whistles” by Emma Bull (1989). This story very quickly reminded me of why I love mythic fiction so much. A young musician is taught by a fae, while he just may have taught the fae a thing or two. This is a pleasant and easy to read story with more depth than readily apparent. When it ended I was sad – I really wanted to know more.

“Make a Joyful Noise” by Charles de Lint (2005). While I wouldn’t place this among de Lint’s best work, it was a very pleasant reminder of how much of love his writing. This story of a couple of corvid (crow) immortals amuse themselves by helping out a ghost is at once melancholy and irreverent.

“The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories” by Neil Gaiman (1996). I had a huge sense of déjà vu while reading this story – whether real or not, this is that sort of story.* It’s a story about Hollywood – as much about the past as it is about the current. I love that the editors include this in mythic fiction to highlight a belief that all myths aren’t all ancient. The contemporary world is creating myths all its own and the recent past has as well. It’s really hard to separate the fact from the fiction in a story that Gaiman clearly writes about himself.

*Of course the déjà vu is real since I have read this story before in one of Gaiman’s collections.

“On the Road to New Egypt” by Jeffrey Ford (1995).  A driver in New Jersey picks up a hitch-hiking Jesus and the Devil joins them. This irreverent and surreal journey has Jesus and the Devil palling around with both less and more separating them than you may expect. The ride was fun, but the little shit in me couldn’t help but be disappointed that Ford didn’t take it even further.

“Julie’s Unicorn” by Peter S. Beagle (1997). Beagle’s story of a young woman who unintentionally releases a unicorn from an ancient painting is an interesting exploration that ultimately didn’t stick with me very far.

Mythic Fiction. These five stories all look deep into the past in one way or another. They tend to be melancholic yet ultimately hopeful with a strong feeling of retrospect, even when they are set in the now.  I think it must be this introspective and backward look that touches me in a deeper and more meaningful way than other stories in this anthology.

Paranormal Romance

“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Urban Fantasy” an introduction to paranormal romance by Paula Guran (2011). Guran presents a very interesting and rather defense exploration of the origins of paranormal romance while she eschews the term – she prefers the far more awkward urban fantasy/paranormal moniker. Guran seems unhappy with the stories included in this section of the anthology and goes on further to say that this sort of story doesn’t lend itself to short fiction. I disagree. I believe that it’s more likely that the majority of writers in this sub-genre don’t write short fiction. Guran’s essay quickly becomes rather tedious – she rambles, she’s defensive and I have no better understanding on what this sub-genre is. However, Guran does correctly point out that while Buffy certainly played a big role in the popularity of this sort of fiction, it was not the origin of it. The anthology still calls it paranormal romance, but apparently the authors writing it hate the term. There are of course good reasons for this – particularly where there is disparity between how male and female writers are treated when writing essentially the same thing – how many male urban fantasy writers earn the label paranormal romance. It is also noted that there are plenty of examples that do fit firmly into a label of paranormal romance – often more from a traditional romance background. Ultimately, it’s unfortunate that Guran’s essay comes off as a bit too defensive and whiney in places and looses the effect that it could have.

“…all the fiction collected [in this section] has something in common: an intersection of “the other” – the magical, the strange, the weird, the wondrous, the dark that illumines, the revelation of the hidden – with the mundane, the world we know.

Our world is in perpetual need of this otherness. It entertains and, at its best, enlightens. We need both.”

“Companions to the Moon” by Charles de Lint (2007). A young woman begins to question her relationship and suspect her partner of infidelity, but she’s not prepared for the truth. Inclusion of this story in the paranormal romance section is curious – there is a dominant romantic aspect that is probably the reason behind the placement, but the tone and style of de Lint’s writing probably make this a better example of mythic fiction. And as with de Lint’s earlier story, his writing style appeals to me at a very personal level.

“A Haunted House of Her Own” by Kelley Armstrong (2009). A couple purchase their dream home in hopes of converting it into a successful bed and breakfast – and nothing makes for a more successful B&B than a haunting. This is another curious story to place in this section of the book – I felt this was much more of a standard horror story. A pretty darn good horror story.

“She’s My Witch” by Norman Partridge (1995). A passion-filled relationship between two youths, with a pretty standard dominant male (though not abusive) and submissive girl. Only the twist is that he’s dead and she’s the witch who brought him back. In this story we have a much better fit for what this anthology calls paranormal romance – someone who is down, who is overlooked, comes into their own and others come to regret it.

“Kitty’s Zombie New Year” by Carrie Vaughn (2007). A New Year’s party comes to a shocking halt when a zombie shows up at the door. The story itself has much more in common with horror than paranormal romance, though Vaughn’s novels certainly fit the label. I love that the ‘heroic’ actions aren’t exactly traditionally heroic.

“Seeing Eye” by Patricia Briggs (2009). Witches and werewolves falling in love. This is paranormal romance. And a pretty enjoyable story as well.

“Hit” by Bruce McAllister (2008). A hit man is hired by angel to kill a vampire. The price – redemption. Here is yet another example of a misplaced story – this is more of a combination of mythic fiction and noir fantasy than paranormal romance. But, forget the labels, this is one of the best stories in the anthology.

“Boobs” by Suzy McKee Charnas (1989). “Boobs” is the story of a teenage girl’s journey to early womanhood by being the first in her class to grow real breasts and have her period. Then she turns into a werewolf and eats the boy who picks on her. It completely lacks romance but otherwise fits well. While I can’t relate to this story on a personal level, I imagine that many female readers will find this a rather enjoyable read.  

“Farewell, My Zombie” by Francesca Lia Block (2009). The general theme of this section of the book is that stories that don’t really belong are forced in. This story is probably the most forced - there is no romance, heck, it could be argued that in spite of the zombie title and talk of zombies in the story that it has no real speculative component at all, particularly considering that I’m not sure the main character is actually sane. This is true horror – a mother suffering extreme grief from the loss of her son, to the point where she seems to have invented an alternative world. Either that or zombies really are out to get her, it’s a bit unclear. Whatever it is, this is the most powerful story in the anthology.

Paranormal Romance. The introduction and following stories reveal a fundamental aspect of this sub-genre – it suffers from an identity crisis. It doesn’t know what it is or what it wants to be. Most of the stories included seemed to be forced in to lend it legitimacy. I suppose they could be attempting to broaden the sub-genre that becomes limited by using the paranormal romance label. Or maybe there really is a lack of good short stories to include here. Whatever the cause, the result is that the stories included don’t feel quite right. Guran seems intent on ducking and dodging the romance side of the label and Beagle and Lansdale seem at a loss on which stories to include. It almost seems they try so hard to avoid the Buffy-wanna-be’s that they missed the boat entirely on the sub-genre so many love. Well, get some confidence, stand up for yourself and kick some ass – don’t shy away from what the genre is. It is paranormal romance, sometimes less and sometimes more on the romance. Romance can be of the sexual/attraction side or a something taken out of Romanticism with 21^st Century wish-fulfillment and kick-ass adventure. And the best of it has a near post-modern vibe. It works, people buy it, people are entertained, and some people will deride it. However, I wish there was more of deeper discussion on societal pressures that make this so popular – such as a reaction to the post-cold war world of anonymous terrorism and fear of the dark, complete lack of confidence in our government’s ability to govern and the rising equality of women, minorities, and others that still has a ways to go. Or maybe we all just wish we could release some kind of an inner-beast.

Noir Fantasy

“We are not a Club, but We Sometimes Share a Room” an introduction to noir fantasy by Joe R. Lansdale (2011). This anthology really develops into a fascinating journey through the subgenres of urban fantasy with the three introductions: first justifying the need for a label, then bitching about a bad label and the search for a new one, and finally Lansdale concludes with a very eloquent discussion on the lack of meaning of labels and how writers don’t (or at least shouldn’t) write for a label. With that you know that the stories to come will bust right through the label.

“The White Man” by Thomas M. Disch (2004). Here’s another story that is hard to call truly speculative or even horror as many of the noir fantasy subgenre trend to. It could be speculative – perhaps there really are vampires in the story. Or perhaps it’s African folklore coming into conflict through immigrants in America – and of course the white man. Or maybe it’s just a charismatic preacher manipulating a young girl. Whatever you choose to call it, it’s certainly a thought-provoking story.

“The fiction has the stink of urban about it…either because they take place in the city, or display the weaknesses of humanity in large numbers and close quarters. The terror is often due to the actions of people: pollution, street crime, over population, dehumanization, and so on. What supernatural elements there are, are dragged out of the haunted house and into the tract house and walk-up apartment, or they take place in the wasteland of some horrid aftermath brought on by the mistakes of civilization.”

“Gestella” by Susan Palwick (2004). This and the next story are the anti-paranormal romance stories of this anthology. The werewolf in this story is submissive, she is not empowered, she is the victim. And this is not overcome as would be expected. I love what the story does, though I can’t say I enjoyed the story.  

“The Coldest Girl in Coldtown” by Holly Black (2009). A young woman is infected – she may become a vampire or she may be able to wait out the infection and live. She has a choice to make. Like the story before it, this could be paranormal romance, only it turns out be more of an answer against paranormal romance. This one works – the end is absolutely terrific, heavy on the terror.

“Talking Back to the Moon” by Steven R. Boyett (2011). This is a post-apocalyptic journey through the remains of LA with a young girl and a centaur. The story is subtle and surreal, and I simply wanted more. There is so much behind this that I want to know – this one should be a full novel.  

“On the Far Side of the Cadillac Desert with Dead Folks” by Joe R. Lansdale (1989). More post-apocalyptic fun, this time in typical Lansdale style as a bounty hunter catches his target only to be captured by a weird zombie religious cult. My instinct would not have been to classify this as any form of urban fantasy, but that doesn’t take away from this being one of the best stories in the anthology.

“The Bible Repairman” by Tim Powers (2005). This is a surreal story of an old man who repairs bibles. He’s damaged physically and emotionally, a consequence of his former profession. A new job comes up, one he can’t refuse. This is a story I need to read again – it’s deep and cynical, though maybe not as much as on first take. Another of the best offered in the anthology.

“Father Dear” by Al Sarrantonio (1983). “Father Dear” is another dark, surreal tale that feels post-apocalyptic even though it’s not. It’s the story of son’s reaction to the destruction inflicted by an abusive father destroys with a bit of twist.

Noir Fantasy. It’s either funny, ironic or some odd combination of a bunch of things that the noir fantasy section doesn’t really have any true noir stories. More seem to be post-apocalyptic, though a dark, surreal mood may be the more common thread. This seems another example of forcing a label that just doesn’t fit, or intentionally choosing stories that don’t fit the label. Either way, it serves to highlight the identity crisis contemporary urban fantasy suffers. It’s also interesting that the stories included in this section are more stylistically diverse – from second person to first person to subversion and all with a surreal aspect that is just as other-worldly as the speculative components.

The bottom line is that this is a solid anthology, all the stories are good, and there is a distinct lack of the dud story all too common in anthologies. There aren’t a lot of truly great stories, but all are entertaining and good enough. I’m not sure if the goal of the anthology is met – I can’t say that I really have any better of an idea of what contemporary urban fantasy is than I did before reading it. It’s certainly a range from mythic fiction to paranormal romance to fantasy noir, though many of the stories chosen work mostly as a reaction to the labels given. Perhaps this anthology is more of a statement of what urban fantasy isn’t than what it is. Either way, it shows the huge range of contemporary urban fantasy as well as reminding us that it’s been around for a while. Mostly, The Urban Fantasy Anthology highlights the identity crisis that the genre/sub-genre faces. No one seems to know what urban fantasy is. A few have ideas of what it should be, but the reader is left with ‘I’ll know it when I see it’ rather than easy definitions with clearly defined boundaries. I suppose, that’s just how it should be.

Review: Swords & Dark Magic: The New Sword and Sorcery edited by Jonathan Strahan and Lou Anders

Swords & Dark Magic: The New Sword and Sorcery edited by Jonathan Strahan and Lou Anders (Book Depository, Powell’s Books, Indiebound) collects original stories from authors who were there near the beginning of sword and sorcery and from the new guys and gals, some of whom have earned reputations as the latest and greatest. As a whole the anthology succeeds with its goal: showcase Sword and Sorcery. These stories are fun and entertaining adventures often full of dark humor. They are not, nor should they be, powerful short stories that punch you in the gut and haunt your dreams – well, OK, some of these stories will punch you in the gut and then kick you in the face, spit on your back and maniacally laugh between guzzles of some horrendous, potent beverage, but I think the point comes across that this is much more of collection of entertainment than deeply symbolic stories on the human condition.

As I was reading I actually kept decent notes for once, so I have at least some comment about every story in the anthology – of course these comments reflect my reading experience and don’t really stand in as true reviews and will probably leave you wanting, but they are what they are.

Introduction

Anders and Strahan do a good job with a complete and illuminating run-down of sword and sorcery as a genre. I felt like I learned something, which is as it should be.

"Goats of Glory" - Steven Erikson

This story embraces the idea of Sword and Sorcery a bit more fully than many of the other stories in this anthology. A small group of mysterious soldiers are ambushed by a nest of nasty demons – I’ve said before that Erikson excels in the short form and this is a pretty good example of it. And nobody names characters better.

"Tides Elba: A Tale of the Black Company" - Glen Cook

This new Black Company story is one of the standouts in the anthology. It’s fun, full of dark humor and makes me want to read more of Cook.

"Bloodsport" - Gene Wolfe

As with much of Wolfe’s fiction, I’m sure I’m missing something, but in the end I found this story to be dull and forgettable.

"The Singing Spear" - James Enge

This short Morlock Ambrosious story rides firmly in the middle of the pack in regards to quality in this anthology, but in combination with his recent World Fantasy Award Nomination, it makes me want to read Enge’s novels.

"A Wizard of Wiscezan" - C.J. Cherryh

“A Wizard of Wiscezan” is one of most complete stories of this anthology. In fact, I’m pretty sure there is a novel to be had.

"A Rich Full Week" - K. J. Parker

This dark tale of the disposal of an unwanted zombie/vampire/dead guy is subtly humorous and well executed.

"A Suitable Present for a Sorcerous Puppet" - Garth Nix

At times fun and witty, but ultimately more forgettable than anything.

"Red Pearls: An Elric Story" - Michael Moorcock

As the introduction of this anthology states, no anthology about Sword and Sorcery would be complete without the presence of Michael Moorcok. This new Elric story is probably the best written of the anthology, yet it still feels as if it’s missing something – now if I could only figure exactly what that is.

"The Deification of Dal Bamore" - Tim Lebbon

This tale of misdirection surrounding the execution of a potential martyr stands out as one of the best of the anthology. Set in Echo City, it makes me very curious about Lebbon’s new book, Echo City.

"Dark Times at the Midnight Market" - Robert Silverberg

In this all-new Majipoor tale, Silverberg writes a mildly entertaining story about a down-and-out wizard trying to make a living in hard times.

"The Undefiled" - Greg Keyes

I forgot everything about this story immediately after reading it, and I think that speaks for itself.

"Hew the Tint Master" - Michael Shea  

This story of a barbarian and a house painter on a mission to save the world started out to be the best of the anthology. The writing was clever, fun and unexpected, but the tale grows bigger than a short story, looses focus, and ultimately falls flat.

"In the Stacks" - Scott Lynch

With a lot of fans anxiously awaiting the next Lynch book for several years now, this little short story gained some legs. Lynch’s take on an exam in a sorcery academy is a good reminder of why fans are eagerly awaiting that next book.

"Two Lions, A Witch, and the War-Robe" - Tanith Lee

This tale of two good Samarians who find themselves in a bit of bind is one of the more entertaining of the anthology.

"The Sea Troll's Daughter" - Caitlin R Kiernan

I learned something I didn’t know with this story – I learned that Kiernan is a geologist. Now to most people that probably doesn’t matter, but since I’m also a geologist, I found this very interesting. As a result, Kiernan’s correct use of geology in “The Sea Troll’s Daughter” stood out. The story it a good one too – I’ll be reading more of her work in the future.

"Thieves of Daring" - Bill Willingham

This was another clever and fun adventure in an anthology that seems to save its best for the end.

"The Fool Jobs" - Joe Abercrombie

I thought this one started out slow, but by the end of the story, Abercrombie’s characteristic dark humor and sense of ‘not quite you’re father’s fantasy’ adventure really takes hold, making this one of the strongest stories in the anthology and good story to end with. “The Fool Jobs” has also been selected for inclusion in The Best Sci-Fi and Fantasy of the Year: Vol. 5 anthology edited by Strahan (Book Depository, Powell’s Books, Indiebound).

Swords & Dark Magic succeeds as an anthology, though perhaps not as a great collection of stories. No single story stands out as great, and there are a couple of real duds. However, the stories in Swords & Dark Magic are hugely fun and entertaining and showcase the pulp-ish genre of Sword and Sorcery. 7.5

Speculative Horizons edited by Patrick St-Denis

Often one of my favorite parts of an anthology is the introduction by the editor. The framework of the anthology is laid out, the thematic strings that connect often wildly different stories are tied, and I usually learn something. In Speculative Horizons (Book Depository, Powell’s Books, Indiebound, Subterranean) editor Patrick St-Denis does not include an introduction, which while disappointing, doesn’t have much impact one way or another on the anthology as a whole. However, if he had written one, it may have gone something like this:

Speculative Horizons is simply the culmination of my wanting to see some of my favorite authors in the same anthology. I suppose it could be argued that the result is showcase of wide range of possibilities within science fiction and fantasy; however, it is very interesting that this result also managed to form a mostly coherent theme between stories of vastly differing scopes and styles. Perhaps even more curious is the theme itself – love. Whether love between family, lovers, or even the quaint ‘love’ of simple kindness to strangers, each of these stories could be called a love story, though in some cases it would surficially seem quite a stretch to do so. However perverse it may be to view this collection as a collection of love stories, it does hammer home the idea that science fiction and fantasy often deals with the deep connections of people to one another. In the context of love stories, it can’t be ignored just how jaded this anthology seems – love is a powerful emotion and the pain and scars it leaves behind last a lifetime. I’ll leave the implications of that to reader to reflect on, but I can’t help but feel it’s says something about where society is at this moment in time.

Genre’s hackles may often rise in needless defense of itself and it certainly takes a beating from so-called literati, but we should all just relax and let the words speak for themselves.

Speculative Horizons features stories from C.S. Friedman, Tobias S. Buckell, L.E. Modesitt, Jr., Brian Ruckley, and Hal Duncan. Editor Patrick St-Denis is best known as the force behind the popular blog Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist and this is his first foray into the editing world. It is also worth noting that much of the proceeds of this anthology will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

“Soul Mate” by C.S. Friedman begins the anthology. In this story a young woman meets the perfect man who turns out to be too perfect. It’s a good beginning and well-written story, though it’s not likely to stick with you for very long.

“The Eve of the Fall of Habesh” by Tobias S. Buckell is a small tale within a larger world that the reader never gets to see. In this world to use magic one literally uses their life up, so either someone only rarely uses small bits of learned magic or people are enslaved and forced to use up their lives. An invading force threatens destruction of the city and one magical enforcer is confronted with a decision.

It’s fun to see Buckell do fantasy while he better known for science fiction. This world is a very interesting creation and the story takes an interesting turn. As with the Friedman story, it’s well written and entertaining, if not the sort to haunt you after reading it.

In “The Stranger” by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. a mysterious man on the run invites the hospitality of a family of herders. The inevitable does happen just as you would expect. This is a return to the world of the bestselling Recluse Saga, though if like me, you haven’t read those books you will not be at a loss in spite of perhaps not fully appreciating everything in the story.

“The Stranger” is fun and straight-forward. It is also the biggest stretch from love theme I spoke of above. Unfortunately it bears little in common with the much better known story of the same name.

“Flint” by Brian Ruckley turned out to be the biggest surprise of this collection. Ruckley is best known as a relatively new author of a big, fat, epic fantasy trilogy and to my knowledge is not known at all for short stories. In “Flint” he writes of a small Neolithic clan surviving on an unnamed shore. A young shaman struggling to prove his worth must stop an affliction threatening to kill off his clan, an affliction of the spirit world.

“Flint” is a surprisingly well-rounded story that includes flashes of humor along with darker subjects. Love, murder and pranks are all central to this story that rivals Duncan’s for the best of this anthology.

“The Death of a Love” by Hal Duncan should be the best story of this collection by a long-shot, though it unfortunately falls short of its potential. A detective of Erocide, the murder of love, describes to the reader his world. Duncan’s writing is bitter, pained, and cynical in a creative, free-form, rant and clever discussion of love in the modern world. For anyone only familiar with Duncan via his blog they will be surprised to find his published writing more tame and readable. However, ”The Death of a Love” slowly looses containment as you can feel Duncan and the nameless, unreliable narrator gaining what feels like alcohol-fueled momentum. This is a story that does stick with you, though I think it could have greatly benefited from a more experienced editor.

It’s always tough to judge an anthology, especially one with such a wide-range of contributions. Overall, Speculative Horizons is solid, containing no duds and a couple of gems, though with only five stories, it’s not a big collection. For me it was worth it just to see what blogger St-Denis put together with the bonus of money going to a worthy cause. If that isn’t enough for you, know that the contents are quality, if short of excellent. But the real surprise was the commonality between the stories – it was an unexpected gift that really bonds this group of unusual suspects and makes me think on the implications for the genre as a whole. 7.5-8/10

Mini-Review: Fast Ships, Black Sails Edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer

I review pretty much everything I read, but here’s a case where I’m so thoroughly uninspired to write a review, that I have finally decided to not do (well, mostly). So, I’ll give a few general thoughts here, but I certainly don’t consider it a full review (probably not even a mini-review).

My being uninspired to write much about Fast Ships, Black Sails Edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer (US, UK, Canada, Indibound) actually makes sense because I was quite uninspired while reading it. I found the majority of the stories to simply be uninteresting. I’m not sure why – it could be that the stories tend toward a more literary side than I fully appreciated, it could be that I’m not really into pirates (which I’m not sure is true), it could be that I read this just before (and a bit after) the a book I was very excited to read, and it could be that the stories just didn’t appeal to me. Whatever case is, I simply didn’t enjoy reading most of the stories in this anthology, or I didn’t enjoy them enough to care.

Of course there were a few that I did enjoy – generally the stories that tend towards the absurd (people who know me and my sense of humor well would not find this surprising in the least). “Castor on Troubled Waters” by Rhys Hughes and “Voyage of the Iguana” by Steve Aylett are prime examples of these sorts and they both amused me greatly. I also quite enjoyed “Elegy to Gabrielle, Patron Saint of Healers, Whores, and Righteous Thieves” by Kelly Barnhill. But the rest failed to stand out at all. And one comment that I don’t want to forget – just how many gender-bending twists with surprise female captains are necessary? By the end of the anthology, I couldn’t help but think ‘surprise, yet another female captain’. I understand (and approve of) the idea, but it just felt way overdone by the end.

So, Fast Ships, Black Sails is an anthology that really missed the mark with me (with only a few exceptions out of the 19 stories). Tread at your own risk with this one. 4.5/10

Review: The New Space Opera edited by Gardner Dozois and Jonathan Strahan

“science fiction is for real, space opera is for fun”
-Brian Aldiss

The term ‘space opera’ dates to the early 1940s when it was coined by Tucker Wilson to describe “the hacky, grinding, stinking, outworn space-ship yarn”. Through time it has evolved past its derogatory roots to be a general descriptor of wide-ranging adventures in space, often lauding human conquest of the universe. In the 1970s, authors began to reinvent and reinvigorate this aging form and the ‘new space opera’ evolved in concert with cyberpunk, trending toward darker topics, stronger characterization, and the use of new technologigies and infusion of hard sci-fi elements and scientific rigour, while distancing itself from the triumph of mankind style of old. The New Space Opera collects original short stories and novellas by some of the most prolific writers of the new space opera tradition of the past 30 years. Authors include Gwyneth Jones, Ian McDonald, Robert Reed, Paul J. McAuley, Greg Egan, Kage Baker, Peter F. Hamilton, Ken MacLeod, Tony Daniel, James Patrick Kelly, Alastair Reynolds, Mary Rosenblum, Stephen Baxter, Robert Sivlerburg, Gregory Benford, Walter Jon Williams, Nancy Kress, and Dan Simmons.

I feel the need to provide some context for the rest of the review – space opera, new and old, is not a sub-genre that I have much experience with. This doesn’t come from any dislike, just the limits of time and scope on my reading for the past 20 years. Another area of limited exposure is shorter fiction – yes I’ve read and liked quite a bit of it, but the novel is the form I fell for and spend the most time with. I feel the need to provide this context because my over all impression of The New Space Opera sums up best with ‘meh’ and I believe that this is equally a result of my reading background as it is with the stories themselves.

As with most anthology collections, The New Space Opera has both winners and losers. Unremarkable and forgettable are the terms that jump into my mind regarding most of the contents – not one story kept me up thinking late into the night, and very few left any lasting impression. At the same time, I wouldn’t call any stories bad. It could be argued that space opera (new and old) is more often aimed at the entertainment/escapist side of fiction, but then the most entertaining stories can get my pulse racing and stick with me will into the night and beyond.

Another contributing factor is the editorial introduction to each story. In other anthologies these jewels are often as good (or better) than the stories that follow – not so with The New Space Opera. These introductions offer little more than an extended bibliography and leave the impression that the editors don’t have their fingers on the current pulse of the genre, but remain in somewhere in the past.

As I indicated above, there are a few entries that stand above, justifying the time spent reading this book – these are the stories I’ll highlight in more detail. Those stories not mentioned were lost in the mediocrity of the majority.

The first six offerings presented little of great interest to me. ”Maelstrom” by Kage Baker presents a fun look at an eccentric’s goal to bring the art of the theatre to a colonial Mars, but was too jumpy and uncertain in its execution to ultimately satisfy. This sets up the seventh story, “Blessed by an Angel” by Peter F. Hamilton, to shine as the most skilled presentation to this point. We see parallel story arcs where a young woman in a free and fun society has her personal rights violated by a pair of shadowy agents next to the story of an angel spreading his genes in an effort to help humanity evolve to a more enlightened place. The stories meet and the angelic life seems much less angelic, the shadowy agent a little less bad, and the reader is left to wonder if either side has it right.

Ken MacLeod’s “Who’s Afraid of Wolf359” and “Dividing the Sustain” by James Patrick Kelly weave heavy doses of dead-pan humor, with MacLeod shining a bit brighter with his banter between a long-lived human and a spaceship as they encounter an isolated human population. Gregory Benford’s “The Worm Turns” isn’t as successful at the witty banter between human and machine in his first contact story of wormhole wrestling. Though as far humor is concerned, “Send them Flowers” by Walter Jon Williams rules with its short-on-cash rogue-ish captain and his Don Juan companion as they aim to stay one leap ahead of slighted lovers in an inter-dimensional ruckus. This story could have been written by Joss Whedon – thinking of which, isn’t it a shame that Whedon doesn’t write short (or long) fiction?

Robert Silverberg reinvents Arabian Nights in “The Emperor and the Maula” with a fairy tale for the stars and a human race that has found nirvana, only to have it annexed and enslaved by an ever expanding galactic empire.

My favorite installments seem to be the stories that get a bit more ‘political’ and pointed in their aim. “Art of War” by Nancy Kress features the estranged son of a heroic military leader in a time of war between humans and an alien race. Through the recovery of looted art he discovers the key to their enemy’s war, an answer beyond the willingness of the general to accept. The inflexibility of those in power proves deadly in the end. “Minla’s Flowers” by Alastair Reynolds left the longest impression on me in a story of unintended consequences where a man called Merlin chooses compassion against better judgment and helps a primitive human society rapidly evolve to avoid the upcoming unavoidable destruction of their planet. Power corrupts and humanity never seems to change.

Though it wasn’t my favorite, the strongest story is the last –“Muse of Fire” by Dan Simmons. As with much of his writing, “Muse of Fire” is heavily peppered with literary reference and Shakespeare in particular. A troop of players travels part of the galaxy to entertain the long enslaved human race – an unprecedented opportunity to perform for their masters arises. What Shakespearean play will save humanity – King Lear, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet …?

For those that are fans of space opera, old and new, The New Space Opera is a collection you’ll enjoy, and for those that are seeking adventurous stories in fascinating settings afar, this is a collection you’ll enjoy. For me it is too much mediocrity surrounded by too few gems – but those gems just might be enough. 6/10

Fast Forward 1 Edited by Lou Anders

Lou Anders has a very ambitious goal – to start a new anthology series in the tradition of past landmarks like Damon Knight’s Orbit and Frederik Pohl’s Star SF. I have not read those series, but it’s safe to say that Anders is on the right track with Fast Forward 1. This start to a knew series contains stories by such genre big names as Gene Wolfe, Larry Niven, and Mike Resnick and hot, newer voices such as Kage Baker, Robert Charles Wilson, Justina Robson, Paolo Bacigalupi, Ian McDonald and many more.

In the Introduction: “Welcome to the Future”, he provides another essay in a long tradition of essays lauding the importance and relevance of science fiction to our world. Honestly, it doesn’t say anything really new, but reiterated much of what others have said, however, he does say it well.

Anders speaks to science fiction’s ability to show us something new, to make us think. He goes on to remind us that so many important people behind advances in our society don’t just stand on the shoulders of previous scientists and engineers, but also on the inspiration provided by early science fiction writers. Science fiction is critical thought, it is skepticism, and it is rationalism. In that spirit, I’ll let Anders’ own words from the Introduction speak for themselves.

Here, then, are twenty-one windows on the future, as seen through the imagination of twenty-three different talents. Their collective visions take us from the far future to the day just after tomorrow. In their hands, science fiction is indeed a tool for making sense of a changing world. It’s not the only such tool, but it is an amazingly effective one. Who knew enlightenment could so much fun?

Each of the twenty-one stories accomplishes these goals in some way, each in their own way. “Small Offerings” by Paolo Bacigalupi shows us the poison of our society and its direct affect on the next generation in a dark, highly symbolic story that is so disturbing because we can envision it happening. “Aristotle OS” by Tony Ballantyne provides an equally saddening view of what our world could be, if only just…

Humanity of the far future is visited in “Plotters and Shooters” by Kage Baker, “Time for the Snake” by A.M. Dellamonica, and “The Terror Bard” by Larry Niven and Brenda Cooper. Humanity of a less distant future is visited in others.

Consequences reign for many – whether it’s the rather obvious consequence of rescuing a genetically derived saber-tooth tiger in “Pride” by Mary A. Turzillo or the less obvious consequences of the world’s greatest swordsman in “The Hour of Sheep” by Gene Wolf.

Consequence’s eternal companion, choice, follows right along. In “Solomon’s Choice” by Mike Resnick and Nancy Kress a doctor is faced with two unacceptable choices – is their a third? Will humanity choose to accept help from an unknown origin in “Settlements” by George Zebrowski, or will simply nuke the perceived enemy?

Elizabeth Bear brings attention to the teen ‘choking’ or ‘pass-out game’ in an interesting combination with quantum computers. Robyn Hitchcock provides two poetic interludes and “Sideways from Now” is beautifully told novella of love lost and telepathy by John Meany.

What science fiction anthology could be complete without satire – it’s no surprise to me that my favorites of the collection would be here. “Jesus Christ, Reanimator” by Ken Macleod relates the story of Christ’s second coming through the eyes of a reporter covering the event all the way to its inevitable conclusion. Anders appropriately chooses to conclude the anthology “Wikiworld” by Paul Di Fillipo. The wonderfully witty prose and plotting allow the anthology to end in a humorously satisfying stalemate.

Short stories are always difficult for me to review, and collections even more so. Certain stories always exceed those around them, and others can be total failures. Anders has done well to avoid the failures, though some are as forgettable as the page number. Of course others still keep me awake at night. Fast Forward 1 is better than most – 7.5/10.

EDIT: A short update post and a link to the Introduction.