Showing posts with label anthologies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anthologies. Show all posts

Tales From Gundarland: Eight humorous stories from the land of the incongruous Review

Tales From Gundarland: Eight humorous stories from the land of the incongruous
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Tales From Gundarland: Eight humorous stories from the land of the incongruous ReviewThis delightful collection of six short stories and two novellas is set in the mythical realm of Gundarland on a planet named Gundar, which, according to Quense, was named after "the omniscient god who accidentally created the universe with an explosive sneeze caused by snorting a larger-than-average dose of His favorite recreational powder." As you can gather, this work is only for older kids and their insightful parents...
Gunderland itself is populated by such diverse races as "dwarfs, humans, elves, half-pints, yuks and a few lesser races...[that]...live cheek-by-jowl in many cases and get along with no more than the usual interracial hostility". And, don't worry, you definitely don't have to be a geek to enjoy their adventures, despite two of the pieces in Tales from Gundarland being satires of two of the Great Bard's (i.e. Shakespeare's) most popular works: "Romeo & Juliet" and "Merchant of Venison" (a send-up of The Merchant of Venice). A few of the tales are under ten pages, while the others vary substantially in length. All of them, however, are side-splittingly funny, and, if you enjoy the writings of Terry Pratchett, you should enjoy these too. Quense's irreverent take on the world of fantasy is most amusing, I find, when he describes the relationships between fellow characters and between man and beast. Mind you, the characterization of the yuks is also a key source of humor, and reminded me somewhat of the trolls in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. Their poor grasp on the English language is most evident in the verbal spats between the yuk brothers, Rolf and Ralf. Quense promises to return to these two characters in other stories, as he likes them too much to ignore them.
In "Chasing Dreams", a hilarious spoof on The Mask of Zorro, and a number of other westerns, the showdown at Okidoky Corral is accompanied by cheer-leading molls, who raise some dust linking arms and performing multiple high leg kicks. In fact, one might say that the women tend to be a feisty bunch throughout the tales, including one princess who refuses to be rescued from a tower by a Warrior-Cook, for fear that she will never be able to show her face at court again if she is saved by anyone other than a nobleman ("Boggerts Blue"). The pages teem with loads of swashbuckling adventure, both on land and sea, with heroes and villains aplenty--just don't expect them to be archetypal!
Quense acknowledges the help that he received from an international group of critics known as the Critters, who helped him to shape the stories. Another group of writers who also provided input into the stories was drawn from as far away and as diverse locations as the Canary Islands, Greece, Britain and Ireland. Further details of the author are available on his website: [...], and you can follow his "antics, rants and occasional snippets of wisdom" on his blog: [...]. Tales from Gundarland is an enjoyable read, and thoroughly recommended as light relief from the more serious stuff. [Reviewer for [...]]
Tales From Gundarland: Eight humorous stories from the land of the incongruous OverviewTales From Gundarland, won a medal in a recent Readers Favorite competition in the scifi/fantasy category.Laughter is contagious.Enjoy some by reading this bookIt's filled with delightful entertainment.Without commercial interruption!Gundarland is populated by humans, dwarfs, elves and other races; it's the backdrop for unique adventures, brilliant heroes and cunning villains.You'll meet some of Shakespeare's most famous characters, a warrior-cook, vigilantes and beautiful, lusty princesses to mention just a few of the memorable characters in the stories.Here is a list of the stories and a brief synopsis of each.Romeo and Juliet: Romeo, a dwarf miner, and Juliet, the elfin daughter of a rich gem merchant, have a rocky courtship because Juliet's brothers are avowed enemies of Romeo's family.Chasing Dreams: This novella tells the story of twin yuk brothers on their journey from strong-armed thugs to highway robbers to bawdy house owners to politicians. The brothers are plagued and harassed by vigilantes. Boggerts Blue: A warrior-cook seeks to rescue a kidnapped princess.She refuses to be rescued by someone who isn't noble-born.The Big Bang: A wizard has to eliminate a dragon and his minions.On the way to complete his mission, he is tested by a shape-changer and a pair of trolls.The Queen's Hero: This novella is about a young tinker-warrior as he struggles to save his Queen from a pirate admiral trying to overthrow her and become king. The Queen's three beautiful daughters have their own plans for the young hero.Merchant of Venison: A dwarf butcher borrows money to help his best friend and soon regrets it.The dwelf money lender has bloody ideas about the default payments.Inter-Racial Musical Playoffs: A few greedy wizards attempt to fix a musical competition.Tactical Surprise: A general develops unusual tactics to defeat a rebel army.

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Stroke of Midnight Review

Stroke of Midnight
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Stroke of Midnight ReviewMidnight Angel by Carly Phillips:
I really liked this story because it was very believable. Two high school sweethearts went their separate ways after graduation because the guy wasn't ready to settle down. After they've both matured as adults and established themselves in their careers, they reunite 10 years later when he realizes that all the fame and fortune in the world isn't worth anything compared to the true love he left behind. Dylan certainly knows how to woo a woman, with lots of romance and sentimentality, which I found VERY appealing. Holly is distrusting at first, because Dylan broke her heart when he left her 10 years earlier, and she finds it hard to believe that he really means to settle down to a quiet life with her and give up his more glamourous life and women. But she is smart enough to understand why he left then, and why he returned now. And she knows she must follow her heart and choose the man with whom she shares this deep passion and electrical connection, rather than settle for a safer relationship with someone she isn't "wildly in love' with. (I did find it hard to imagine that John gave up Holly so easily and stepped aside when Dylan came back into her life). The sexuality is very steamy and somewhat graphic, especially the scene involving Marshmallow Fluff. The dialogue is very realistic and compassionate, and not full of unnecessary conflict and hurtful bickering like most other romance novels.
Meet Me At Midnight by Janelle Dennison:
I was very moved and deeply touched by this realistic story. Shane was the-boy-next-door and had a platonic brotherly-sisterly relationship with Alyssa since childhood. They both suppressed their attraction and romantic/sexual interest for the other because they didn't realize it was reciprocal, and therefore feared it would jeopardize their best-friendship. When committment-phobic Alyssa announces her resolution to settle down and marry because she doesn't want to end up lonely, Shane can't imagine her with any man other than himself. Out of this jealousy, he devises a brilliant and very romantic plan to quickly help Alyssa realize that he's the only one for her. The dialogue between these two flows very naturally. The feelings expressed are genuine, sweet and caring. And I found it most refreshing that although Alyssa expressed feeling self-conscious about her not-so-skinny body, Shane was greatly attracted to her womanly curves and sexy voluptuousness.
Mine At Midnight by Jacquie D'Alessandro:
This was a good story, but sort of a let-down after reading the first two which centered around couples with a long history together eventually finding soul-mates in each other. The couple in this last story had a casual business relationship for two years, without ever having shared anything personal during that time. Merrie was annoyingly perky, and Tom was such a stick-in-the-mud that it was hard to imagine that these two had what it takes to form a lasting relationship. They didn't seem at all compatable, making the story less believable and realistic. The situation that threw them together seemed hokey and contrived, as did much of the dialogue. I warmed up to Tom after he became Santa because of the meaningful way he interacted with the children. As Merrie and Tom began working more closely together as elf and Santa, they revealed a common childhood experience, and although they each handled it in very different ways (which accounts for their opposite personality types), this was the common bond upon which their relationship blossomed, however it always seemed to be more about the sex than about any deep or true soul-mate kind of love. Just an OK story for me, whereas the first two bowled me over.
Stroke of Midnight OverviewNew York Times bestselling author Carly Phillips reunites two long-ago lovers for a bittersweet holiday reunion. But what will it take for them to forget the past, and warm up to the scintillating promises of the future?

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The Undead That Saved Christmas Review

The Undead That Saved Christmas
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The Undead That Saved Christmas ReviewI got my copy of this book this weekend for my boyfriends son, whom couldn't get his nose out of it all weekend. I thought this would be a really great review due to the fact that he is 7 years old and there isn't an age limit for reading this book. I read a few stories in it to ensure it was OK for him to read and he loved it. It has an index in the front and great graphics. He started with all the comics inside the book first and then read the stories that sounded interesting. He ended up reading the whole book in 2 days. Wonderful job to all the people who put the time in to make this happen. Highly recommended!!The Undead That Saved Christmas OverviewThe Undead That Saved Christmas is the heart-chilling anthology with stories across the spectrum of holiday mythology. The perfect stocking stuffer that doesn't include a box of shotgun shells or a macheté, The Undead That Saved Christmas brings together various talented authors and artists from Great Britain, the United States and Ireland. Stories include The Magic of Christmas, by Rebecca Besser; Santa Claws is Coming to Town, by Calvin A.L. Miller II; Night of the Frozen Elf, by Richard S. Crawford; And to All a Good Fright by Stacey Graham; and many others. The anthology also includes rich illustrations by David Naughton-Shires, Jason Tudor, Chris Williams and more. Another thing to expect in this anthology is a fun collection of holiday zombie-themed poems and carols. And to wrap things up there is an awesome assortment of original comics, from Mike Schneider, Nate Call, and many others. Proceeds from the sales of The Undead That Saved Christmas benefit the Hugs Foster Family Agency (hugsffa.org) and will help them give their foster children gifts this holiday season.

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Twelve Quickies of Christmas Vol. 2 Review

Twelve Quickies of Christmas Vol. 2
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Twelve Quickies of Christmas Vol. 2 ReviewWHO is Lisa Marie Rice?
WHAT can we do to assist her in writing as many books as quickly as possible?
WHEN will her next book come out?
WHERE did Ellora's Cave find this awesome author?
WHY would anyone believe 26 pages is a sufficient length to describe a fully fleshed out romantic couple?
HOW did Ms. Rice author such a beautiful romance that can take you from the depths of despair Nicole feels at the loss of her lover to a sad smile as she relives their love affair? All in 26 pages! I don't know of anyone else who's ever created so much on such a small canvas.
"Christmas Angel" the last story in the "12 Quickies of Christmas Volume 2," will not leave the reader with a bitter aftertaste as so many anthologies do. The dreaded question "Was that it?" hangs on the tip of my tongue all too often after I finish one, but not here.
Yes, yes, there are 5 other stories in this book and I'm sure those authors gave it their best shot. But let's not kid ourselves here: "Christmas Angel" is the only real reason to buy this book.
"Hot for Santa" by Lacey Alexander has some cute, sexy scenes. "A Christmas Phantasie" by Kit Tunstall is by turns weird, frightening and unrealistic (yep, put me right in the holiday spirit! :) "Passion and a Pear Tree" by Tawny Taylor might cause that previously-mentioned bitter aftertaste. "Snow Angel" by Joey Hill has some good moments. The other story is a twist on "The Nutcracker Suite" and is both odd and sexy.
Lisa Marie Rice has been compared to Linda Howard, Shannon McKenna and Suzanne Brockmann. Buy this book and if you haven't already experienced Ms. Rice's other books, try: "Midnight Man," "Midnight Run," "Midnight Angel," "Woman on the Run," and "Port of Paradise." You'll be hooked, just like the rest of us.Twelve Quickies of Christmas Vol. 2 OverviewPassion and a Pear Tree By Tawny TaylorBook 7 in the Twelve Quickies of Christmas seriesWhat does a prudish, self-proclaimed loner do when a nearly naked man jumps out of an oversized Christmas gift, sings a slightly racy version of the Twelve Days of Christmas, and promises to make her deepest desires come true? She goes for it, of course, and has the best twenty-four hours of her life. But at the stroke of midnight, the spell ends, and her happy holidays take an unexpected turn. Alone again, there's only one thing she wishes for: a little Christmas magic to bring back the man who taught her the joy of giving.Review Quotes for Passion And A Pear Tree by Tawny Taylor". . .a hot, sexy and emotionally-fulfilling book by a new author."~Robin Taylor, In the Library Reviews"If you like Sherrilyn Kenyon's Fantasy Lover, then you will LOVE Ms. Taylor 's Passion and a Pear Tree!!"~Faith Jacobs, Just Erotic Romance Reviews". . .the chemistry between Brian and Destiny is enough to provoke an explosive reaction."~Mireya Orsini, The Road to Romance A Christmas Phantasie By Kit TunstallAfter a bad marriage, Jakarta finds it difficult to commit to a future with the man she's now seeing. Teague has grown frustrated with her hesitation, believing she doesn't trust him. On their Christmas trip to Castle Phantasie, things come to a head. Jakarta must prove her trust in Teague by submitting to him, or their relationship will end. She loves him, but what he's asking for might be more than she can give. Snow Angel By Joey W. HillBook 9 in the Twelve Quickies of Christmas seriesIn her misspent youth, Constance used sex as a shallow substitute for the intimacy and love she craved. Fifteen years later, she whispers her deepest wish into Santa's ear at a Christmas benefit, only to discover he is someone who was part of that unfortunate and embarrassing time of her life. Mortified, she plans an early exit from the party, but Santa has different ideas. Sam Coble always wanted to get to know

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Barrel Fever: Stories and Essays Review

Barrel Fever: Stories and Essays
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Barrel Fever: Stories and Essays ReviewI first saw David Sedaris on a late night talk show and thought the story he read was hilarious. It was an excerpt from "Me Talk Pretty One Day" and the next day I went to the library and got it. I read through it in a day, laughing out loud for the better part of the book. I bought "Barrel Fever" and began to read. I must say that I thought the book was extremely funny, but not as funny as "Me Talk...". Not because Sedaris did a bad job, but because I have a preference for essays while the majority of this book is short stories. That being said, it is still a great book. Its probably not for those that don't have a dark or twisted sense of humor. If your idea of hilarity is "Family Circus" then you probably won't enjoy the book. However, if you like witty and humorous stories about alcoholics and dysfunctional families, you will like this. I showed one of my favorite parts to a friend and she replied that I have "one sick sense of humor" but she was laughing right along with me. And so if that description could apply to you, I highly recommend this book.Barrel Fever: Stories and Essays Overview

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Run Ronny Run Review

Run Ronny Run
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Run Ronny Run ReviewCenturies before he joined the Golden Mane werewolf Sarah Coppernick and her friends, Ronny the gnome wasn't exactly what you'd call a respectable fellow.
This tale is about just one of his many adventures and also explains how he first met the eccentric and even less respectable Master of Enchanted Flora, the sorcerer James Isaacs.
It's also just a little bit naughty, certainly more naughty than Golden Mane. How naughty? Well, the story starts with a lecherous gnome in a tryst with dwarf with a taste for enchanted narcotics, and the attempted murder of an adulterous elf king... Don't say you haven't been warned!Run Ronny Run OverviewCenturies before he joined the Golden Mane werewolf Sarah Coppernick and her friends, Ronny the gnome wasn't exactly what you'd call a respectable fellow.This tale is about just one of his many adventures and also explains how he first met the eccentric and even less respectable Master of Enchanted Flora, the sorcerer James Isaacs.It's also just a little bit naughty (certainly more naughty than Golden Mane!) so don't say you haven't been warned!

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Elf Fantastic (Fantasy Anthology) Review

Elf Fantastic (Fantasy Anthology)
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Elf Fantastic (Fantasy Anthology) ReviewMany of the stories in Elf Fantastic are incredibly well written. Martin H. Greenberg has done a wonderful job on this one. One story that I must give particular praise to is "Jerlayne" by Lynn Abbey. This is by far the best tale I have ever read. The characters are vivid and the plot is all-encompasing. Lynn Abbey is truly a fabulous writer. "Jerlayne" is completely beautiful, suspenseful and captivating. Personal thanks to Abbey for so moving me with her writing :)Some of my other favorites in the anthology were -- "The dancing ring", "The girl who was taken into the hill" and "I sing the dark riders" I cannot say enough good things about this book. I guarantee that anyone fascinated by the Sidhe, as I am, will fall in love with Elf Fantastic. I can't stress enough the degree of quality in this anthology. I would strongly recommend it to anyone interested in reading quality fantasy. (This one is a must have!)Elf Fantastic (Fantasy Anthology) OverviewA collection of original tales by such authors as Jane Yolen, Mickey Zucker Reichert, John DeChancie, Dennis McKiernan, Andre Norton, and Jennifer Roberson features the elfish exploits of wood sprites both valiant and mischievous. Original.

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Elf Magic Review

Elf Magic
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Elf Magic ReviewI, for one love elves with a passion, and when I found this book I decided to read it out of curiosity. I was amazed to find that the stories were very captivating with twists and turns I never expected! Not only that, but the descriptions of these creatures were amazing, and very vivid. I suggest this to anyone who enjoys stories about the immortal beings of magic!Elf Magic OverviewIn this new collection of stories that magicks readers into the lands of elves both high and low, fantasy lovers will be treated to tales both humorous and tragic, spellbinding and terrifying. From unwary humans enchanted, to elves threatened by the encroachment of the mortal realms, to the mortal and immortal clashes between magic and science, here are unforgettable tales by some of fantasy's most creative storytellers.

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Elf Love: An Anthology Review

Elf Love: An Anthology
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Elf Love: An Anthology ReviewElf Love is a great anthology for any fantasy afficionado. Pink Narcissus's first effort is a sampling of fiction from a wide variety of authors embarking on their literary careers, from a high school student to a professional visual artist to a college professor, and many points between.
While for many of the authors these shorts represent their first opportunity at publication, the work is anything but amateurish. The collection represents virtually every genre that the "elf love" theme could possibly be applied to: high fantasy, urban fantasy, steampunk, fairy tale, noir mystery, saga, even sci-fi. Nor is the theme followed too strictly: make no mistake that "love" is here interpreted in every possible way, from the romantic to the purely sensual, including some potentially disturbing combinations and a fair helping of fantasy violence.
Editors Mambert et al have done a great job of tying these disparate tales together to form a cohesive collection, while maintaining a lightness and sense of vairiety that makes for a truly entertaining read. Here's looking eagerly forward to their next offering later this year.Elf Love: An Anthology OverviewTales of lust, betrayal, murder and... elves. In this one-of-a-kind collection, 20 original stories enchant, intrigue, and delight as they explore the theme of "Elf Love" in a variety of genres: fantasy, suspense, romance, noir, humor, and much more.

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