A review by daveversace
Sword and Sonnet by Aidan Doyle, Tony Pi, Margo Lanagan, Kira Lees, A.C. Wise, Malon Edwards, Spencer Ellsworth, Hayley Stone, Samantha Henderson, Anya Ow, Carlie St. George, C.S.E. Cooney, Rachael K. Jones, Setsu Uzume, Victoria Sandbrook, E. Catherine Tobler, A.E. Prevost, Osahon Ize-Iyamu, Alex Acks, Cassandra Khaw, A. Merc Rustad, S.L. Huang, Khaalidah Muhammad-Ali, Ingrid Garcia, Suzanne J. Willis, Matt Dovey
5.0
A compelling idea for a SFF anthology - women and non-binary battle poets - which has produced a volume of outstanding stories. The editorial team have brought together a cadre of terrifically talented writers to put together one of my favourite anthologies of the year.
Some of the highlights for me were:
The Bone Poet and God (Matt Dovey) - a bear carrying the bones of her ancestors and loved ones ascend a mountain to confront God about the meaning of life (yes really! and it's marvelous!)
She Searches for God in the Storm Within (Khaalida Muhammad-Ali) - concerning suppressed fury and the bonds of love and loyalty between generations of Black American women
The Firefly Beast (Tony Pi) - poets compete over the right to be the city guardian of Song Dynasty Chengdu
And the Ghosts Sang With Her: A Tale of the Lyrist (Spencer Ellsworth) - A good old-fashioned revenge story of fire demons, singing assassins and abyssal pits of ghosts and smoke.
Some of the highlights for me were:
The Bone Poet and God (Matt Dovey) - a bear carrying the bones of her ancestors and loved ones ascend a mountain to confront God about the meaning of life (yes really! and it's marvelous!)
She Searches for God in the Storm Within (Khaalida Muhammad-Ali) - concerning suppressed fury and the bonds of love and loyalty between generations of Black American women
The Firefly Beast (Tony Pi) - poets compete over the right to be the city guardian of Song Dynasty Chengdu
And the Ghosts Sang With Her: A Tale of the Lyrist (Spencer Ellsworth) - A good old-fashioned revenge story of fire demons, singing assassins and abyssal pits of ghosts and smoke.