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December 13, 2004
Year's Best Fantasy 4
I picked up The Years Best Fantasy 4 when I went home for my Twentieth Year High School Reunion and I forgot to bring the books I was reading along with me. I enjoy a good anthology from time to time and rather appreciate the art of short story making. I’ve written a number of short stories myself, and although two have been published—I have a distinct portfolio of them.
From the beginning I was pleased, as the book started off with Michael Swanwick’s “King Dragon,” a short story set in the same world as his nihilistic 1997 fantasy, The Iron Dragon's Daughter. The story, while self-encompassing, was written in the same postmodern industrialized fairy world as the novel. It gave me great pleasure to return to that land.
I was delighted by Gahan Wilson’s brief horror, “The Big Green Grin,” as well as Charles Coleman Finley’s traditional fantasy, “Wild Thing.” Neil Gaiman, of graphic novel fame, had a mini-horror entitled “Closing Time,” in the mix—a bit too off the wall for my tastes.
I adored Kelly Link’s “Catskin” and will remember it for years to come. Tanith Lee doesn’t disappoint with her werewolf horror, “Moonblind.” Tim Pratt a new writer, will certainly be a name to look out for. He was a masterful and imaginative storyteller in “Fable from a Cage.” Lucius Shepard’s “Señor Volto” was a wonderful and bizarre piece. Mary Soon Lee’s “Shen’s Daughter” was cute.
“Basement Magic,” by Ellen Klages, certainly stands apart. It’s a little piece of entertainment between a 1960 era young girl, her mean stepmother, and the southern black housekeeper who teaches the child bits of practical magic to learn to deal with the situation.
Finally, “Almost Home” by Terry Bisson, was the perfect ending to the anthology. A story about three children, doing things only children do, in a world limited only by the desert boundaries of their tiny oasis-like town and the edges of their imagination.
If you’d like to pick up the this wonderful anthology, edited by David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer, do so here: Year's Best Fantasy 4.
Posted by Bastique at December 13, 2004 10:59 AM