The Urban Fantasy Anthology

July 18, 2011
An odd feeling of embarrassment wafts from the essays introducing the three sections of this eclectic collection. Editor Beagle (Sleight of Hand) calls the 20 stories "raw, consciously commercial," while Charles de Lint insists that urban fantasy is "bricks and mortar" and lacks the "sense of wonder" of what he calls mythic fiction. Paula Guran's examination of paranormal romance's origins is knowledgeable and informative but unenthusiastic, and Lansdale (Devil Red) openly disdains labels. The stories themselves, mostly reprints, are frequently excellent, but several of urban fantasy's most prominent authors are absentâmost notably Jim Butcher and Charlaine Harrisâand the editorial bias undermines the book's strength as well as its claim to being "the" anthology of its genre. It's as though Beagle and Lansdale don't actually want their work to be labeled urban fantasy, even as they reap the benefits of its popularity.

September 1, 2011

With this impressive collection, Beagle, best known for The Last Unicorn, and Lansdale, author of the cult classic novella Bubba Ho-Tep, demonstrate their knowledge of the urban fantasy genre. Included here are pieces from well-known contributors in three categories: mythic fiction, paranormal romance, and noir fiction. The authors run the gamut from YA magical realist Francesca Lia Block (Weetzie Bat) to Charles de Lint, the creator of the expansive Newford series, who also contributes the introduction to the mythic fiction section. Most of these stories have appeared in both multiauthor anthologies and personal collections (Neil Gaiman's "The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories," for instance, was first printed in David Copperfield's Beyond Imagination and then in Gaiman's own Smoke and Mirrors). Others are previously unpublished and well worth a read. VERDICT While urban fantasy is often misconstrued as containing only paranormal romance, this anthology collects various examples of the genre that will delight and entertain a wide array of readers. Buy at least one copy.--Stacey Rottiers Comfort, Dexter District Lib., MI

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