Showing posts with label Anthology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anthology. Show all posts

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Foretold: 14 Tales of Prophecy and Prediction

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Foretold: 14 Tales of Prophecy and Prediction edited by Carrie Ryan

Have you ever been tempted to look into the future? To challenge predictions? To question fate? It's human nature to wonder about life's twists and turns. But is the future already written—or do you have the power to alter it?

From fantastical prophecies to predictions of how the future will transpire, Foretold is a collection of stories about our universal fascination with life's unknowns and of what is yet to come as interpreted by 14 of young adult fiction's brightest stars. -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads

This anthology collects stories from:
Malinda Lo (Ash)
Lisa McMann (Wake)
Kami Garcia (Beautiful Creatures)
Margaret Stohl (Beautiful Creatures)
Laini Taylor (The Daughter of Smoke and Bone)
Michael Grant (Gone)
Saundra Mitchell (The Vespertine)
Richelle Mead (The Vampire Academy)
Matt de la Pena (I Will Save You)
Meg Cabot (The Princess Diaries)
Heather Brewer (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod)
Diana Peterfreund (Rampant)
Simone Elkeles (Perfect Chemistry)
Carrie Ryan (The Forest of Hands and Teeth)

All anthologies are inherently a bit of a grab-bag, and Foretold is no exception, or if it is, the difference here is that nearly all the stories are ok. There were two I skipped, and one I LOVED (I'm a huge Daughter of Smoke and Bone fan, I'll give you three guess which story that was, and of course the first two don't count). The others were just pretty decent, in my opinion. Your mileage may vary, especially if you're a big Vampire Academy fan (that trailer was surprisingly good, right?). Oh, and I did really like the story about vampires in apocalyptic Paris, but just the fact that I'm struggling to think of stories to talk about says a fair bit about the collection. An enjoyable read, but I wouldn't bump other things off your reading lists for it.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Somewhere Beneath Those Waves

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Somewhere Beneath Those Waves by Sarah Monette

The first non-themed collection of critically acclaimed author Sarah Monette''s best short fiction. To paraphrase Hugo-award winner Elizabeth Bear's introduction: '"onette's prose is lapidary, her ideas are fantastical and chilling. She has studied the craft of fantastic fiction from the pens of masters and mistresses of the genre. She is a poet of the awkward and the uncertain, exalter of the outcast, the outre, and the downright weird. There is nothing else quite like Sarah Monette's fiction." -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads

Ok, so this isn't YA. I was getting desperate for another post, and I know there are people who may read this blog occasionally who would love this one. Before this one I had read The Bone Key, her collection of short stories about Kyle Murchison Booth, a sort of supernatural detective. She really captured the feel of Lovecraft's horror in some of those stories, without getting bogged down in the prose or offering faceless narrators. She also has the detective story thing down, and I'd love to see a Mystery! production of Booth's stories, in the same vein as Miss Marple or Poirot. 

Both these points, while true, don't do any justice to Monette's own voice as an author, which is distinct, memorable, and masterful. These stories will creep up on you- the language is evocative and conjures up images that will stick with you. The other thing that sets Monette apart, and that many other reviewers have commented on, is the feeling of Otherness embodied by most of her narrators. Her protagonists are, for the most part, outsiders, people who find themselves treading boundaries. To call them quirky would be an insult- they aren't stock characters with a twist, or exploding with irritating eccentricities. They are three-dimensional people, drawn believably but with surprisingly few strokes. Some, like the cops in "A Night in Electric Squidland" and "Impostors," and the aforementioned Booth, are recurring characters. Others, like the courtesan/spy from "Amante Doree" or the heartbroken musician from "Katabasis: Seraphic Trains" (possibly my favorite story), you'll only see for a few brief pages but are unlikely to forget. 

I'd recommend this, and The Bone Key, for fans of Neil Gaiman, Margo Lanagan, Charles DeLint, Catherynne M. Valente (the Seraphic Trains story really reminded me of Palimpsest), Lovecraft, Hellboy, Supernatural (not only are there paranormal cop buddies, there's a naive but tetchy angel), urban fantasy, horror, and magic realism. 

*A caveat: some of these stories are extremely dark, and not just in the sense that they deal with supernatural beings and gothic situations ("The Séance at Chisholm End" is a fantastic period piece about spirit mediums). No, some of these stories deal openly with some heavy stuff, like the loss of an older brother to Vietnam ("Letters from a Teddy Bear on Veterans Day"), surviving conquest ("A Light in Troy") and trauma ("After the Dragon"), and the horrors of war ("No Man's Land"). Serious trigger warnings for these, especially the last.   

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Unnatural Creatures

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Unnatural Creatures edited by Neil Gaiman

Unnatural Creatures is a collection of short stories about the fantastical things that exist only in our minds—collected and introduced by beloved New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman.

The sixteen stories gathered by Gaiman, winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards, range from the whimsical to the terrifying. The magical creatures range from werewolves to sunbirds to beings never before classified. E. Nesbit, Diana Wynne Jones, Gahan Wilson, and other literary luminaries contribute to the anthology.

Sales of Unnatural Creatures benefit 826DC, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students in their creative and expository writing, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads

 It's a good time to be a Gaiman fan. Good Omens might finally get its long awaited adaptation, and HBO is developing a multi-season American Gods Series (I'm actively restraining myself from getting too excited about my own casting choices. "Benedict is too busy, don't get your hopes up" is a new mantra). On top of that, The Ocean at the End of the Lane was better than I had expected- while Gaiman builds on themes he's been exploring his whole career, the book never feels stale and if anything, the pseudo-autobiographical elements add weight to the narrative voice. Check out Tor's excellent review here. Add to that an anthology of stories about mythical creatures and you've got one happy fantasy fan. 

 For one thing, how great is the cover design? I love the sketchy antler-tentacle design, and the longer you look the more things you see. I like the font, too, and the contrasty blue text (graphic design people, feel free to weigh in here!). As for the stories themselves, well, most were good, a few were boring, and one or two I loved. Some I had read in other collections, including Gaiman's- which turned out to be one of my favorites. It's not brilliant, but it's got a good variety and plenty of shelf appeal. Plus, the proceeds go to a very cool charity!

Saturday, June 22, 2013

TV Love

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Hi, my name is Emily, and I'm a television addict (hi, Emily)

Really though, I love TV. And now that damn near all my shows are over, cancelled, or on summer hiatus, I'm going a little batty. What a perfect time to catch up on some critical essays!

Finding Serenity: Anti-Heroes, Lost Shepherds and Space Hookers in Joss Whedon's Firefly edited by Jane Espenson

Oh Firefly. Nothing will ever fill the broken, rusty hole you left in my heart. Luckily I'm not alone, as proven by this collection brought to your grabby Browncoat hands by contributors including crew members, fans, and even the best mechanic in the verse, Kaylee actress Jewel Staite. *hums theme song. You can't take the sky from meeeeee*

(remember what I said about going a bit batty? Yeah, Space Madness has definitely set in)

Seven Seasons of Buffy: Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Discuss Their Favorite Television Show edited by Glen Yeffeth

Speaking of our Lord and Savior His Great And Mighty Whedonness- Buffy! Not all of these anthologies are so big on the analysis, but this one is, which is very welcome as this series is so full of ideas, tropes, development and symbolism to be mined. Before launching into a rewatch, check this out. It's kind of like taking a Buffy-centered media studies course, and who among us wouldn't have rocked that elective in college?



In the Hunt: Unauthorized Essays on Supernatural edited by Leah Wilson and Supernatural TV

This anthology is great- diverse, entertaining, and scholarly, while still being a celebration of the show. Have you ever noticed that Dean is kind of a soccer mom? Why do people write so much fanfiction, anyway? Read multiple essays on how awesome the Impala is, and trace the magnificently constructed arcs of the first 5 seasons. Decide how much of a crap father John was (my answer: very much, but maybe he did the best he could...?), and contemplate the differences between Sam and Dean. A great way to stave off hiatus angst (do we really have to wait until November??)

Chicks Dig Time Lords: A Celebration of Doctor Who by the Women Who Love It edited by Lynne M. Thomas and Tara O'Shea

Chicks Dig Time Lords is, as the title implies, more a celebration of fandom than a book of insightful analyses about the show. The entries are short, and occasionally personal to the point of being of more interest to the authors than the readers. But still, many will resonate with fans from diverse backgrounds who all have different experiences with the show. I enjoyed the mix- long-time viewers, new converts, women who grew up watching the show who were then able to introduce it to their daughters, writers/readers of fic, costumers, congoers, authors and even an actress (India Fisher!!!). It's worth picking up solely for Carol Barrowman's (yes, THAT Barrowman) entry. There are two sequels: Chicks Unravel Time, which might fulfill my yen for more in-depth critiques, and Queers Dig Time Lords, an exploration of LGBT characters & themes in the show, and fans of all stripes who love it.

Serenity Found: More Unathorized Essays on Joss Whedon's Firefly Universe edited by Jane Espenson

One might think that this, being the second anthology about the Firefly 'verse, might be a little thin. Fear not! It was written after Serenity skewered us all in the gut premiered, so contributors have plenty of material to explore. There are some fantastic pieces from great contributors, all intelligent and insightful, which illuminated several ideas and themes in the series- and yet all I can think of right now is Nathan Fillion's entry, which pretty much proves that he is (a better adjusted) Captain Malcom Reynolds.


Reading these didn't just give me more insight into some of my favorite shows. Sure, they were often fun and funny, and I loved learning more about fans, creators, characters, sets and stories, but I also got to flex the part of my brain that has been languishing since I left my last English lit course. Watching tv is all well and good, but I'm not (just) in it for the pretty people, compelling baddies, striking sets and costumes. I'm in it for the stories, the connections, and I love finding out more about genre, the process of media production, and how tv can legitimately be called literature.

If any of that sounds interesting, or if you're looking for something tv-related to do in the long haul until the fall season, check out one of these books and let me know what you think!

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Queen Victoria's Book of Spells

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Queen Victoria's Book of Spells: An Anthology of Gaslamp Fantasy edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling

 “Gaslamp Fantasy,” or historical fantasy set in a magical version of the nineteenth century, has long been popular with readers and writers alike. A number of wonderful fantasy novels, including Stardust by Neil Gaiman, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, and The Prestige by Christopher Priest, owe their inspiration to works by nineteenth-century writers ranging from Jane Austen, the Brontës, and George Meredith to Charles Dickens, Anthony Trollope, and William Morris. And, of course, the entire steampunk genre and subculture owes more than a little to literature inspired by this period.

Queen Victoria’s Book of Spells is an anthology for everyone who loves these works of neo-Victorian fiction, and wishes to explore the wide variety of ways that modern fantasists are using nineteenth-century settings, characters, and themes. These approaches stretch from Steampunk fiction to the Austen-and-Trollope inspired works that some critics call Fantasy of Manners, all of which fit under the larger umbrella of Gaslamp Fantasy. The result is eighteen stories by experts from the fantasy, horror, mainstream, and young adult fields, including both bestselling writers and exciting new talents such as Elizabeth Bear, James Blaylock, Jeffrey Ford, Ellen Kushner, Tanith Lee, Gregory Maguire, Delia Sherman, and Catherynne M. Valente, who present a bewitching vision of a nineteenth century invested (or cursed!) with magic. -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads

 Oh Datlow and Windling, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Your anthologies, especially The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest, are astoundingly good and helped to cement my love of folklore and speculative fiction. Not only do you collect stellar stories from many of the best authors writing today, but you do so with lovely cover art and FANTASTIC essay/forewards that are enlightening and entertaining. *deep contented sigh*

 Can you tell I loved this one? I love Gaslamp Fantasy anyway (Stardust is one of my favorite books of All Time), not to mention 19th century writers like Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and let me just head this sentence off before it gets away from me, shall I? This is worth reading for the editors' essays at the beginning alone, but luckily several of the stories are memorable and wonderful and full of period details- and magic, of course. 

I loved Delia Sherman's "Queen Victoria's Book of Spells" (hey, isn't that the title of the book?), the story of a modern day researcher/spell detangler working his way through a previously undiscovered journal/spellbook belonging to the young queen. A story about the Great Exhibition was a little tricky to get into, but offered a tantalizing description of that spectacle. One of my favorites was about a certain author's (never named, but strongly hinted at) attempts to photograph the last nights of an unelectrified London. There was a story about Edison being a Grade A jerk (as we know he was, all hail Tesla, the true Electric King), and one about the last days of Ebeneezer Scrooge, post-Christmas miracle. There's even another story based on Pre-Raphaelite artists, as if the world knew how delighted I was with Patricia A. McKillip's "The Kelpie" from Wonders of the Invisible World and deigned to nudge another similar story my way. Bliss.

Brew some tea, put on your favorite fingerless gloves, dim the lights, and settle in.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd

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Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci

Acclaimed authors Holly Black (Ironside) and Cecil Castellucci (Boy Proof) have united in geekdom to edit short stories from some of the best selling and most promising geeks in young adult literature: M.T. Anderson, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, John Green, Tracy Lynn, Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Barry Lyga, Wendy Mass, Garth Nix, Scott Westerfield, Lisa Yee, and Sara Zarr.

With illustrated interstitials from comic book artists Hope Larson and Bryan Lee O'Malley, Geektastic covers all things geeky, from Klingons and Jedi Knights to fan fiction, theater geeks, and cosplayers. Whether you're a former, current, or future geek, or if you just want to get in touch with your inner geek, Geektastic will help you get your geek on! -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads

This was a fun, fairly quick read that did touch on most aspects of fandom (cosplaying, cons, fic, online communities, bonding with people over weirdly specific things, etc), as well as mentioning most of the big geek touchstones (Star Trek, Buffy, Doctor Who, Star Wars, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and so forth).  None of the stories were AMAZING, but they were mostly at least entertaining, and some stood out. I really enjoyed the Klingon/Jedi love story, and the one about a Buffy fan defending Dawn (no she's not my favorite either, but is she really deserving of so much hate, especially after Season Seven? I think not.) If you want to enjoy some geek nostalgia, or learn what some of your favorite writers fangirl about, this is the place to do it.


Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Wonders of the Invisible World

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Wonders of the Invisible World by Patricia A. McKillip

Stylistically rooted in fairy tale and mythology, imperceptible landscapes are explored in these opulent stories from a beloved fantasy icon. There are princesses dancing with dead suitors, a knight in love with an official of exotic lineage, and fortune’s fool stealing into the present instead of the future. In one mesmerizing tale, a time-traveling angel is forbidden to intervene in Cotton Mather’s religious ravings, while another narrative finds a wizard seduced in his youth by the Faerie Queen and returning the treasure that is rightfully hers. Bewitching, bittersweet, and deeply intoxicating, this collection draws elements from the fables of history and re-creates them in startlingly magical ways. -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads


I'm always up for a good short story collection, and since McKillip stories are often standouts in anthologies and I have enjoyed several of her novels, I figured this would be a safe bet. I was pleasantly unsurprised when this proved to be true. I'd read several stories in previous books, but some were new to me, including my now favorite McKillip tale: "Kelpie." I loved the group of (fictional but still recognizable) pre-Raphaelite artists in that one, particularly the sweet and especially well-developed romantic leads (although I also really enjoyed the Dante Rossetti stand-in). I also loved re-reading "Jack O'Lantern," "The Fortune Teller," and some others.

This collection works equally well as a great introduction to a pillar of modern fantasy writing, or a chance to discover missed stories from a favorite author, and both ways you can enjoy the gorgeous cover art.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

The Curiousities: A Collection of Stories

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The Curiousities: A Collection of Stories by Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton, and Brenna Yovanoff

From acclaimed YA authors Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton, and Brenna Yovanoff comes The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories.

- A vampire locked in a cage in the basement, for good luck.
- Bad guys, clever girls, and the various reasons why the guys have to stop breathing.
- A world where fires never go out (with references to vanilla ice cream).

These are but a few of the curiosities collected in this volume of short stories by three acclaimed practitioners of paranormal fiction.

But The Curiosities is more than the stories. Since 2008, Maggie, Tessa, and Brenna have posted more than 250 works of short fiction to their website merryfates.com. Their goal was simple: create a space for experimentation and improvisation in their writing—all in public and without a backspace key. In that spirit, The Curiosities includes the stories and each author's comments, critiques, and kudos in the margins. Think of it as a guided tour of the creative processes of three acclaimed authors.

So, are you curious now? -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads

 This book is really unique. Not only have all three authors (longtime friends and collaborators) chosen stories from their website, they've added notes (and doodles) to each other and readers in the margins! It's a nifty way to get a peek into their creative processes and friendship. There's also plenty of incidental tips for writers that I'd imagine would be helpful when writing fiction, and plenty of comments give additional insight into the stories. At one point Maggie Stiefvater describes the writing process in a way I'd never heard but immediately liked: "... a story is really a reverse telescope of narrowing opportunities. With every sentence you write, you reduce the number of paths open to you as a writer."

Every anthology is a bit of a mixed bag, but this was one of my favorites this year. The aforementioned caged vampire one was a standout, as was one about a viking's widow, a retelling of Snow White, a Halloween dumb supper, and my personal favorite, one that begins thusly: "I was created of beeswax and honey, with a butterfly for a heart. He should have used a spider or an iridescent beetle." Instant love. 

 If you like a good fantasy anthology, this is a solid choice. If you are a fan of any one of these talented ladies and/or a writer, I would recommend this book even more highly.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Under My Hat: Tales from the Cauldron

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Under My Hat: Tales from the Cauldron edited by Jonathan Strahan

Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, Diana Peterfreund, Margo Lanagan, Peter S. Beagle, and Garth Nix are just a few of the authors who have toiled over their cauldrons and conjured up bewitching new creations inspired by and celebrating the might and mystery of the witch. Assembled by one of the most well-regarded anthologists in the science fiction/fantasy world, this rich, intelligent collection will enchant readers of all ages. -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads

 I have been itching to read this book since I saw the list of contributors (which also includes Charles de Lint, Tanith Lee, Delia Sherman, Jim Butcher and Jane Yolen among others) and the gorgeous cover. I'm happy to say that I was not disappointed!

 Every short story collection is a bit of a mixed bag, but after the slightly underwhelming collection of vampire stories called Teeth, I was pleasantly surprised by these shorts. I liked or loved nearly all of them, and there were only two that I skimmed over. This was a really fun, witchy read that introduced me to several new (to me) authors to keep an eye on. Fly on over to your local library and grab a copy today!

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Teeth: Vampire Tales

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Teeth: Vampire Tales edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling

The first bite is only the beginning.

Twenty of today's favorite writers explore the intersections between the living, dead, and undead. Their vampire tales range from romantic to chilling to gleeful—and touch on nearly every emotion in between.

Neil Gaiman's vampire-poet in "Bloody Sunrise" is brooding, remorseful, and lonely. Melissa Marr's vampires make a high-stakes game of possession and seduction in "Transition." And in "Why Light?" Tanith Lee's lovelorn vampires yearn most of all for the one thing they cannot have—daylight. Drawn from folk traditions around the world, popular culture, and original interpretations, the vampires in this collection are enticingly diverse.

But reader beware: The one thing they have in common is their desire for blood. . . . -Summary borrowed from Barnes & Noble

I was thrilled when I saw that Datlow and Windling had put together a collection of vampire themed stories. Their collections are almost always stellar, and their Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest and The Faery Reel: Tales from the Twilight Realm are two of my very favorite story collections. I was also intrigued by the number of contributing authors that I'm a fan of: Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, Catherynne M. Valente, Garth Nix, Emma Bull, Delia Sherman, and more. Also, vampires! Hurray!!

All that being said, I wish I could say I love this book. Don't get me wrong- I really liked it, it was good seasonal reading, and some of the stories really stood out ("Baby" by Kathe Koja is one of the creepiest things I've read in a long time, I would be thrilled to read a novel length sequel to Delia Sherman's circus themed story, "Flying," and "Late Bloomer" by Suzy McKee Charnas was poignant and explored a facet of vampirism I'd never thought much about/seen explored this way elsewhere). And hey, maybe someone without a pile of other books to read clamoring for their attention would be able to settle down and enjoy this collection as much as I wanted to.

If you're looking for a new vampire read, or if you're looking for some new authors and would like to get a sample of many at once, or if you're a big fan of any of the authors mentioned, OR if you just think the cover is nifty, I would recommend this book.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Lips Touch: Three Times

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Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor, illustrated by Jim DiBartolo

Three tales of supernatural love, each pivoting on a kiss that is no mere kiss, but an action with profound consequences for the kissers' souls:

-Goblin Fruit: In Victorian times, goblin men had only to offer young girls sumptuous fruits to tempt them to sell their souls. But what does it take to tempt today's savvy girls?

-Spicy Little Curses: A demon and the ambassador to Hell tussle over the soul of a beautiful English girl in India. Matters become complicated when she falls in love and decides to test her curse.

-Hatchling: Six days before Esme's fourteenth birthday, her left eye turns from brown to blue. She little suspects what the change heralds, but her small safe life begins to unravel at once. What does the beautiful, fanged man want with her, and how is her fate connected to a mysterious race of demons? -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads

 *Swoon!!!!!* This book is gorgeous and lovely and thrilling and, in every sense of the word, FANTASTIC. A friend recommended this to me after I read (and fell completely, madly in love with) Daughter of Smoke and Bone. It sat on my "to read" list for almost a year-mostly because I thought the cover was really underwhelming and I was afraid this wouldn't live up to my internal Taylor hype. I was very wrong.

 Each story is unique, but each is full of lush details, inviting/exciting settings, and fascinating characters. I would love to see a whole novel in the setting from "Goblin Fruit"- think Appalachian gypsies. And the world-building of the novella-length Hatchling blew me away. When it comes down to it, some of the aspects of that story were familiar (children snatched by fey creatures, an icy queen, wolf men), but everything still felt new and magical. 

 This would be an excellent collection with "just" Taylor's prose, but as an added bonus, you get her husband's illustrations as well!




If you are also counting down the days until Days of Blood and Starlight is released, this will be a great way to keep busy in the meantime.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

A Visitor's Guide to Mystic Falls

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A Visitor's Guide to Mystic Falls: Your Favorite Authors on The Vampire Diaries by




I've read and liked other collections of essays before (Buffy, Ballads and Bad Guys Who Sing: Music in the Worlds of Joss Whedon, and The Girl Who Was on Fire: Your Favorite Authors on Suzanne Collin's Hunger Games Trilogy were also excellent), but this book shines for its skillful combination of insighful, academic, and just plain fun aspects. One of my favorite entries was from the point of two female fans debating Team Stefan VS. Team Damon. By comparing the Romantic Hero to the Gothic Hero. And summoning the ghosts of Jane Austen and Emily Brontë. It's called "In Which Our Intrepid Heroines Discuss the Merits of the Bad Boy Versus the Reformed Bay Boy with the Help of a Couple of Dead Women Who Know About Such Things" and it is fantastic.

Some of my other favorite essays include a scathing review of Stefan's supposed nobility by Diana Peterfreund, an essay praising Elena's character and ability to hold her own despite being 1/3 of a fangy love triangle by Sarah Rees Brennan, and Jennifer Lynn Barnes look at the overlooked Caroline.

This book was written with just one season to work with- now that the fifth season is set to air in a few months and there is far more material to to draw from, I am very much hoping for a sequel.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Zombies Vs. Unicorns

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Zombies Vs. Unicorns, Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier (Editors)

It's a question as old as time itself: which is better, the zombie or the unicorn? In this anthology, edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier (unicorn and zombie, respectively), strong arguments are made for both sides in the form of short stories. Half of the stories portray the strengths--for good and evil--of unicorns and half show the good (and really, really bad-ass) side of zombies. Contributors include many bestselling teen authors, including Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson, Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, and Margo Lanagan. This anthology will have everyone asking: Team Zombie or Team Unicorn -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads

Great Googly Moogly was this a fun read! Even before you get to the excellent stories written by some perfectly chosen authors, you get a lot of fun banter between the editors. You can tell that everyone involved had a blast compiling this anthology which makes reading and choosing a side (if you haven't already) all the better. Before each chapter, which alternate between Team Unicorn and Team Zombie, the editors sing the praises of their own chosen Being, sling snark at the other side, and generally add to the fun.

When I picked this up I figured I was a staunch member of Team Unicorn. Unicorns are powerful, mysterious, magical, and well, pretty. Zombies are dangerous, shuffling, rabid, bitey, and constantly dropping their bits. Eww.

BUT. As much as I enjoyed the unicorn stories, it was the zombie ones that got under my skin, made me think, and are kind of unforgettable. So I'm left undecided as to which team I am on, which is kind of great.



Which side will YOU choose?

Monday, November 21, 2011

Steampunk!

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Steampunk!: An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories  edited by Kelly Link and Gavin J. Grant

Imagine an alternate universe where romance and technology reign. Where tinkerers and dreamers craft and re-craft a world of automatons, clockworks, calculating machines, and other marvels that never were. Where scientists and schoolgirls, fair folk and Romans, intergalactic bandits, utopian revolutionaries, and intrepid orphans solve crimes, escape from monstrous predicaments, consult oracles, and hover over volcanoes in steam-powered airships. 

Here, fourteen masters of speculative fiction, including two graphic storytellers, embrace the genre’s established themes and refashion them in surprising ways and settings as diverse as Appalachia, ancient Rome, future Australia, and alternate California. Visionaries Kelly Link and Gavin J. Grant have invited all-new explorations and expansions, taking a genre already rich, strange, and inventive in the extreme and challenging contributors to remake it from the ground up. The result is an anthology that defies its genre even as it defines it. -Plot summary borrowed from Goodreads


I've been interested in Steampunk for a long time in a sort of vague "well my friends are into it, and I like Victorian clothing and twisty copper/bronze metalwork, so maybe I like Steampunk?" way. When I saw this anthology on the shelf, and noticed that it included stories by some of my favorite authors (Garth Nix, Holly Black, Libba Bray), I thought I would give it a shot. I'm glad I did.


There is a great mix of stories here: some funny, some adventurous, several at least slightly creepy and nearly all will kickstart your imagination. There is something for everyone here, and I really enjoyed that the editors included two graphic stories. If you are already a fan of the genre, or want to get a better feel for it, I would definitely recommend this anthology.

NB: I am soooo not a Steampunk expert. From my limited knowledge, I can tell you that you might enjoy the genre/movement/fashion trend/scene if:

-You are a fan of Westerns, Sci-Fi, and/or Period Pieces in general
-You enjoyed The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (film adaptation, not graphic novel), The Golden Compass (film version),  Howl's Moving Castle (the Hiyao Miyazaki film adaptation), Sherlock Holmes (the one with Robert Downey Jr.), Wild Wild West, Last Exile, or other works from this list
-Corsets and full skirts sound like fun everyday wear (I know they do to me!)
-You enjoy top hats, goggles, pocket watches, bronze, copper, brass, tubes, gears, automata, clockwork, difference engines, alternate histories, and of course, steampowered mechanical... things

For more info on the genre, check out Steampunk.com or go to Etsy and just do a search for "Steampunk." There are thousands of examples of gorgeous hand-made jewelry, fashion, statues, paintings, odd little things with gears, and more.

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