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wimzie's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
youraveragedave's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
A nice anthology of short stories taking place in the Dark Ages, and happily not just Europe - (Asia, Latin America, and N. America). Topics covered are things like the institution of religion & monastic life, witchcraft, crusades, knights, the role of God and mankind.
Some favorites were "The Crowing" by Caleb Stephens wonderfully performed by Sonja Lademacher. A witches coven prepares for a ceremony and is attacked by the king.
"Brother Cornelius" by Peter Ong Cook. Life copying books in the monastery takes a turn to the horrific when reading a cursed book! The trumpet in the ass was the icing on the cake of you've ever seen that image from a medieval tapestry.
"In Every Drop" by Lindsey Ragsdale is a look into pre-contact Central America.
"The Final Book of St Foy's Miracles" by M.E. Bronstein, a boy becomes a follower after being saved by a child saint, who still acts like a fickle child.
"The Lai of the Danse Macabre" by Jessica Peter. A girl is given visions of the end times, a dancing sickness hits the town and it's all told through a rhyming poem, the kind you'd expect to hear in a mostly illiterate society when sharing stories around a fire or in a tavern.
Some favorites were "The Crowing" by Caleb Stephens wonderfully performed by Sonja Lademacher. A witches coven prepares for a ceremony and is attacked by the king.
"Brother Cornelius" by Peter Ong Cook. Life copying books in the monastery takes a turn to the horrific when reading a cursed book! The trumpet in the ass was the icing on the cake of you've ever seen that image from a medieval tapestry.
"In Every Drop" by Lindsey Ragsdale is a look into pre-contact Central America.
"The Final Book of St Foy's Miracles" by M.E. Bronstein, a boy becomes a follower after being saved by a child saint, who still acts like a fickle child.
"The Lai of the Danse Macabre" by Jessica Peter. A girl is given visions of the end times, a dancing sickness hits the town and it's all told through a rhyming poem, the kind you'd expect to hear in a mostly illiterate society when sharing stories around a fire or in a tavern.
luc_3's review against another edition
3.0
this anthology has a couple of great ones (Schizzare and White Owl, loved them), half a dozen good ones, and then a mix of not really enticing entries that go from just a bit boring to bad.
still, I really appreciated the art and the variety of tales and I will say there are no badly written stories, just some whose subject and storytelling I did not vibe with.
still, I really appreciated the art and the variety of tales and I will say there are no badly written stories, just some whose subject and storytelling I did not vibe with.
delaney_de_spain's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
sheriffrockyraccoon's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I was pleasantly surprised by this collection! I had read Between Two Fires and loved it, so when I saw Christopher Buehlman had written the foreword, I trusted it would be interesting.
What I liked most about this collection was that it extended beyond the traditional European Medieval culture and engaged with other stories around the world. This gave a better idea of what the world was like then, and expanded what it means for a story to take place in the “Medieval” era. I especially enjoyed “The Forgotten Valley” by C.B. Jones, as I’m always looking for more North American Indigenous literature. My other favorites included “Schizzare” and “The Lai of the Danse Macabre”.
I finished this book in a little over a day, it was nice to be able to digest many stories at once (although I do feel some were better formed than others). It’s definitely great if you’re looking for a fast or non-committal read.
What I liked most about this collection was that it extended beyond the traditional European Medieval culture and engaged with other stories around the world. This gave a better idea of what the world was like then, and expanded what it means for a story to take place in the “Medieval” era. I especially enjoyed “The Forgotten Valley” by C.B. Jones, as I’m always looking for more North American Indigenous literature. My other favorites included “Schizzare” and “The Lai of the Danse Macabre”.
I finished this book in a little over a day, it was nice to be able to digest many stories at once (although I do feel some were better formed than others). It’s definitely great if you’re looking for a fast or non-committal read.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Torture, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
friedathurman's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
faustian_bargain's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
phikret's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25