A review by marlan
The Mammoth Book of Extreme Fantasy by Mike Ashley
3.0
I appreciated the commitment to finding fantasy stories that moved beyond Tolkien. But like a lot of anthologies, it's a mixed bag. Below are the stories in the collection that I would rate higher than the overall collection (four or five stars):
Sandmagic by Orson Scott Card
I know - but it's an excellent story about the all-consuming nature of revenge.
Lost Wax by Leah Bobet
Eerie fantasy story that focuses on class differences.
The Old House Under the Snow by Rhys Hughes
So weird and wild. Felt like I was reading a lost Poe story or an M.C. Escher drawing brought to life.
Banquet of the Lords of Night by Liz Williams
Beautifully detailed world with creepy villains.
Using It and Losing It by Jonathan Lethem
Not a good title - sounds like an 80s teen sex comedy. But the story is actually about one man's attempt to isolate himself from the everyday demands of other people. And his solution involves a mental phenomenon we've all experienced.
The Detweiler Boy by Tom Reamy
Film-noir style story about a series of mysterious deaths and the innocent boy that seems to be at the heart of them. The X-Files episode "Humbug" was based on this story.
Ring of Green Fire by Sean McMullen
The premise of this story was a bawdy surprise, so I won't ruin it. But the main character was a European-converted-to-Islam doctor in the middle ages, and the plot was tight.
Sandmagic by Orson Scott Card
I know - but it's an excellent story about the all-consuming nature of revenge.
Lost Wax by Leah Bobet
Eerie fantasy story that focuses on class differences.
The Old House Under the Snow by Rhys Hughes
So weird and wild. Felt like I was reading a lost Poe story or an M.C. Escher drawing brought to life.
Banquet of the Lords of Night by Liz Williams
Beautifully detailed world with creepy villains.
Using It and Losing It by Jonathan Lethem
Not a good title - sounds like an 80s teen sex comedy. But the story is actually about one man's attempt to isolate himself from the everyday demands of other people. And his solution involves a mental phenomenon we've all experienced.
The Detweiler Boy by Tom Reamy
Film-noir style story about a series of mysterious deaths and the innocent boy that seems to be at the heart of them. The X-Files episode "Humbug" was based on this story.
Ring of Green Fire by Sean McMullen
The premise of this story was a bawdy surprise, so I won't ruin it. But the main character was a European-converted-to-Islam doctor in the middle ages, and the plot was tight.