by John Kessel
First published 2010
This anthology cannot be summarized through a single protagonist's journey, as it contains twenty distinct fantasy tales curated by Kevin Brockmeier for the Best American Fantasy series. The collection spans from bottled cities to royal courts, from supernatural beings to seafaring elders. Established voices like Peter S. Beagle, Laura Kasischke, Jeffrey Ford, and Lisa Goldstein appear alongside emerging talents including Kellie Wells, Thomas Glave, Ryan Boudinot, and Rebecca Makkai. Brockmeier, an O. Henry Award winner three times over and recipient of the Nelson Algren Award, brings his deep understanding of fantasy literature to bear on these selections. His editorial eye has been shaped by publications in The New Yorker, McSweeney's, and other prestigious venues. The stories range across contemporary fantasy's spectrum, offering readers encounters with literary elements from Austen to Frankenstein. Each tale operates within fantasy's realm while maintaining literary sophistication. The collection demonstrates how fantasy can illuminate human experience through supernatural means.
Genres: short-stories, literary-fiction, anthologies, fantasy
Vibes: atmospheric, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: diverse-voices, found-family
Period: 21st-century
318 pages · Paperback · Underland Pr