Best New Paranormal Romance

Any book entitled "Best..." gives the potential for disappointment, especially in the crowded genre of paranormal romance. However this book was not disappointing in the least and was instead a great collection of short stories within this tricky-to-define genre, each very different in their own way. The editor, Paula Guran, gives an introduction to the genre (or, rather, how difficult it is to define the genre) and there follows twelve different short stories by authors within this field. Most of these stories are set in the modern world although with paranormal elements: ('Follow Me Light' by Elizabeth Bear; 'A Maze Of Trees' by Claudia O'Keefe; 'Walpurgis Afternoon' by Delia Sherman; 'Calypso in Berlin' by Elizabeth Hand, 'Single White House' by Heather Shaw; 'Magic In A Certain Slant Of Life' by Deborah Coates; 'Fir Na Tine' by Sandra McDonald; 'A Treatise On Fewmets' by Sarah Prineas and 'The Hard Stuff' by John Grant), two are more traditional space science fiction ('The Shadowed Heart' by Catherine Asaro and 'Hero's Welcome' by Rebecca York) and one has historical elements ('A Knot of Toads' by Jane Yolen). Unlike most full-length romance novels there isn't always a Happy Ever After in these stories, they often instead explore some of the difficulties and sadnesses of life on this planet or another. What really stands out about these stories is the writing styles. Many romance novels have little literary merit but the contributions to this anthology are written with great attention to detail and some wonderful turns of phrase. I particularly highlight "Calypso in Berlin" here which has some wonderful descriptions of Berlin after the Wall came down although in this story the romance is a very minor part of the piece. The last story in the anthology, 'The Hard Stuff' is very different in that it has a male author. It focuses on a man severely injured in Iraq and is a strongly anti-war piece with a brilliant depiction of the difficulties of a man who has had both hands amputated coming to terms with his new disability and the different ways in which his disability is viewed in America and in Scotland. The paranormal aspect of this story came in quite a way through by which point I was fascinated with the hero's story and in some ways I would have enjoyed reading this without the paranormal aspect as the topic of the man and his injuries was so well written, although then it could not have been included in this collection! This is an excellent book for those who wish to find talented authors in this overcrowded genre. Each of these stories has a writing style markedly better than much of the available writing in this genre and it's an excellent introduction to these authors for those looking for new things to read. Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

Editor Paula Guran begins this anthology with a look at the definition of paranormal romance. It is a genre that is evolving over time, taking bits of its parental genres with it- Romance mixed with sci fi, fantasy and horror. Add a bit of suspense, maybe adventure and a dash of mystery. Shaken, not stirred. It is not an easily defined category as it can include happily ever after sex with a vampire as well as love in a space ship. But it may not even involve the love or sex or a happy ending. Best idea- ignore the need to categorize and enjoy the stories in Best New Paranormal Romance from Juno Publishing. Best New Paranormal Romance is the first of a planned series by that title. The twelve stories included cover a broad scope but adhere to the basic recipe in the title. Noteworthy for different reasons are For sheer imagination and humor, Heather Shaw's Single White Farmhouse is a stand out. It proves that everything has needs and meeting your true love in a chat room is always risky. For its current, political bent, John Grant's The Hard Stuff as the story of a man who loses both hands in Iraq and the efforts of his wife to save him from himself is hard hitting and forceful. For depth and intelligence, Calypso in Berlin by Elizabeth Hand is the book's stand out selection. Calypso is alive and smitten with her modern day Odysseus. She again finds it hard to let go. For fun and a chuckle, a brand new way to rid the property of dragons is explored in the light hearted A Treatise on Fewmets by Sarah Prineas. Each story is a drink unto itself, best sipped slowly to enjoy the levels of bouquet and aroma. The selection is varied enough to have something to appeal to any reader who enjoys well written, carefully selected short stories that each tell a unique tale on its own.

Despite the title, not all of the stories in this book are romances in the traditional sense, nor do all have "paranormal" elements as they are often defined; many are just outright fantasy, which is, at least to me, something different from "paranormal." The editor's introduction tries to explain what she means by "romance" but not all the stories in the book meet the definition. My favorite story in the whole collection, Delia Sherman's "Walpurgis Afternoon," is not a romance at all - although it happens to involve a wedding, it does not involve courtship at all. It's a very funny fantasy story, though - and it does have a happy ending. The editor's intro also attempts to define "paranormal" - but has such a broad definition that it includes not only some sort of psychic powers among humans - the narrowest definition often used for paranormal - and supernatural fantasy beings, but also time travel, alternate history, and other sorts of science fiction; usually, science fiction that does not involve, say, elves, witches, or vampires is not considered fantasy or paranormal. A couple of stories, in my opinion, involve all the worst cliches of the romance genre - big strong men, cowering women who need to be rescued, blah, blah - with some overlay of not-very-good science fiction. However, a couple of stories I don't like doesn't mean the collection isn't worthwhile, especially since there are more stories I did like than not. Elizabeth Bear is always worth reading. Jane Yolen's tale, more gothic horror than paranormal romance, is nonetheless a good story. And Sarah Prineas' "A Treatise on Fewmets" brings an entirely new slant to the old tropes about dragons and virgins. Perhaps the most unusual romance in the whole book is "Single White Farmhouse" by Heather Shaw. It's one of the funniest, too. One of the best things about an anthology like this is that it brings to one's attention authors one may not have run across before. At the end of each story, there is a paragraph saying what else the author has written and what magazines she (or in one case, he) has appeared, so that if you like a particular story, you can easily find more by that author. I am already looking forward to reading more by several of these writers.

"The Shadowed Heart" by Catherine Asaro. He is the last empathic starfighter, but his soul has been devastated with all he felt as his comrades died; she is the native who healed his body, but can she restore his heart. "The Hard Stuff" by Paul Barnett. Disabled in combat, he takes out his feelings of inadequacy on his loving wife until he learns how much she gave up out of love for him. "Follow Me Light" by Elizabeth Bear. The public defender loved the crippled attorney, but she married someone else as he was disinterested in a relationship until he realized how much he lost. "Magic in a Certain Slant of Light" by Deborah Coates. The scientist lives her life to a precise cosmic order until she loses her beloved Jeff and turns to magic. "Calypso in Berlin" by Elizabeth Hand. Nymphs know men love and leave them, but she plans to be with her mortal forever. "Fir Na Tine" by Sandra McDonald. They were college lovers who went different ways in life after graduation, but neither forgot how their love was hotter than the sun. "A Maze of Trees" by Claudia O'Keefe. To know one will never go home while adjusting to totally alien environs seems too harsh, but for the bathrobe that provides memories and subsequently solace. "A Treatise on Fewmets" by Sarah Prineas. The College of Magic professor arrives to rid the garden of the monsters, but neither she nor the owner's nephew yet understand a different form of magic is needed to send the pests packing. "Single White Farmhouse" by Heather Shaw The rural cuddly farmhouse and the hunk San Franciscan building meet and fall in love over the Internet. "Walpurgis Afternoon" by Delia Sherman. In the middle class urban neighborhood, a Victorian house is now owned by two resident witches who plan to bring the magic of love to the locals. "A Knot of Toads" by Jane Yolen. Upon the death of her father the scholar returns home to learn what killed him, but finds no allies as no one, even her former lover, is quite like her memories of them. "A Hero's Welcome" by Rebecca York. They were the best of friends until the war made them the worst of enemies, but the hostilities are over with each needing the other yet distrusting one another. These twelve short stories live up to the title as each is an enchanting romantic fantasy. Fun to follow though the format does not allow the paranormal elements to feel believable, readers will appreciate the acute yet quirky tales of mystical love. Harriet Klausner