Wizards, Edited by Jack Dann and Gardner Dozois

I picked this up from the new release shelf at the library. It’s a collection of fantasy short stories by several authors including Elizabeth Hand, Gene Wolf, Eoin Colfer, Patricia McKillip, Jane Yolen, Nancy Kress, and others. I thought it would be a good way to try out some of these people.

I didn’t read every story, though I tried to! But in all honesty, I abandoned several of them very quickly. I didn’t want to read any that were set in schools of wizardry; J. K. Rowling now owns that territory, as far as I am concerned, and also, I prefer to read about adults. I also skipped the ones set in contemporary times. But I did read and enjoy The Witch’s Headstone by Neil Gaiman, Holly and Iron by Garth Nix, The Stranger’s Hands by Tad Williams, Zinder by Tanith Lee, and Stonefather by Orson Scott Card. My favorite was Holly and Iron by Garth Nix, a writer who is new to me (though my son has long been a fan). I also liked Stonefather by Orson Scott Card. The notes for this story tell me that Card will soon come out with a series set in this same fantasy world, so that is something to look forward to.

(Book 22, 2008)