Short fiction doesn’t get a fair shake, especially in the Fantasy and Science Fiction genres. So, when I landed copies of both The Solaris Book of New Fantasy, I wanted to come up with a fun, unique way to give the not only the anthology, but also the authors who filled the pages.
So, to that end, I’ve decided to tackle the anthology the way it was written. Piece by piece. Everyday or two, over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be reading and reviewing one of the short stories from the anthology. And this is all leading up to an interview with George Mann, Consultant Editor at Solaris Books and editor of the anthology. It’s sure to be a lot of fun!
The stories in the anthology are:
Who Slays the Gyant, Wounds the Beast by Mark Chadbourn
Reins of Destiny by Janny Wurts
Tornado of Sparks by James Maxey
Grander than the Sea by T.A. Pratt
The Prince of End Times by Hal Duncan
King Tales by Jeff VanderMeer
In Between Dreams by Christopher Barzak
And Such Small Deer by Chris Roberson
The Wizard’s Coming by Juliet E. McKenna
Shell Game by Mike Resnick
The Song Her Heart Sang by Steven Savile
A Man Falls by Jay Lake
O Caritas by Conrad Williams
Lt. Privet’s Love Song by Scott Thomas
Chinandega by Lucius Shepard
Quashie Trapp Blacklight by Steven Erikson
As you can see, there are some pretty big names on that list! I’m especially excited for VanderMeer, Resnick and Erikson’s contributions. If this goes off well and me readers enjoy it, I’ve also got The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction waiting as well, which I can tackle in the same manner!
I’m actually reading this right now too! And like you, I’m looking at each short individually though it will all be one big review :) Also, I really liked that opening story. Very fun! Finally, I can’t wait to see your interview with Mr. Mann. From what I’ve seen, he has some interesting thoughts and I loved the intro to the anthology :D
I just finished this today. Thank you again for the recommendation. It really opened my eyes to many new authors, writing styles and fantasy genres.