Epic

October 29, 2012
Prolific editor Adams (Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse) returns with a fantasy collection that lives up to its title in scale and at least partly in substance. The 17 selections range widely in theme, taking in faith, power, magic, and science. Genre legends Ursula K. Le Guin and Michael Moorcock appear alongside veterans Orson Scott Card and George R.R. Martin, but the collection’s three standouts come from less storied contributors. In Mary Robinette Kowal’s “Bound Man,” mortal men unexpectedly succeed in summoning the mythical “Chooser of the Slain.” N.K. Jemisin’s “The Narcomancer,” explores the same ancient Egypt–inspired universe as her Dreamblood novels, and Carrie Vaughn’s “Strife Lingers in Memory” explores the costs soldiers continue to pay after their battles are done. Though this isn’t one of Adams’s most compelling anthologies, it still merits a place on fantasy fans’ bookshelves.

December 1, 2012

In Robin Hobb's "Homecoming," a noblewoman recounts her family's exile to a hostile land and the strange transformation that overtakes them. Set in the world of his "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, George R R. Martin's "The Mystery Knight" spins a tale of young men in search of adventure, hidden identities, and a dragon's egg. Li Reiko, the warrior in Mary Robinette Kowal's "The Bound Man," has been pulled through time to save a village from invaders, but she is not wholly pleased to be called. VERDICT For newcomers and fans of the genre, this solid collection offers a strong sampler of short fiction by 17 masters and rising stars of epic fantasy, including Ursula K. Le Guin, Paolo Bacigalupi, N.K. Jemsin, Patrick Rothfuss, and Brandon Sanderson. An excellent showcase of epic fantasy at its best.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.