Faerie Tales

Faerie Tales is a volume of twelve short stories "about the folk of Faerie as they mix in mortal affairs". I love short stories, and am continually drawn to collections like this. It's hard to find a collection where all the stories are of good quality - this is one of them. An excellent read, with authors putting thier own spin on the old tales.

Faeries, the Fair Folk, the Old Ones: no matter what name they take, Fairies have long fascinated us, holding our collective imagination in their small, yet inescapable grasp. In this anthology DAW presents 12 original tales, some funny, some sad, all about fairies. They include: ***Sweet Forget-Me-Not by Charles de Lint *** The September People by Tim Waggoner *** Judgment by Kristine Kathryn Rusch *** Changeling by John Helfers *** Yellow Tide Foam by Sarah A. Hoyt *** He Said, Sidhe Said by Tanya Huff *** A Very Special Relativity by Jim Fiscus *** Witches'-Broom, Apple Soon by Jane Lindskold *** Wyvern by Wen Spencer *** A Piece of Flesh by Adam Stemple *** The Filial Fiddler by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough *** The Stolen Child by Michelle West Really, this book gets 3.5 stars in my eyes. It is not the best DAW anthology out there. Many of the stories use repetitive themes. One third of the stories deal with changelings and stolen children. There's so many other things the fairies are known for, why dwell on this one point? Also, Stolen Child and Witches'-Broom, Apple Soon were both clinkers by usually good writers. However, to balance this, a Piece of Flesh and Sweet Forget-Me-Not are both bloody brilliant, the type of haunting story that sticks in your brain long after you're done reading the book. This is more of a mixed bag than the usual DAW excellence, but it's still well worth buying in my opinion.

FAERIE TALES does the near-impossible; it retells old, shopworn tales, giving them life and up-to-the-minute relevancy in the process. Sometimes, the oldest plotlines are the best. That surely is the case here; the absolute, #1, best story here, bar none, is John Helfers' "Changeling." This uses one of the oldest plotlines anywhere (that of an Elf baby being exchanged for a human baby) to explore the problems of adoption in a brand new light. The Elfling never quite "fits," and when he finds out the truth of his birth and adoption, goes to look for his birth parents. And what he finds . . . well, let's just say that I was reasonably sure how it'd end, but Mr. Helfers did an excellent job in keeping me riveted to the page until the story was complete. Five stars plus with the highest recommendation possible for "Changeling." Two other stories were very good, and nearly up to Mr. Helfers' in quality. These were the stories by Charles de Lint and Tim Waggoner. Both of these stories were interesting, well thought out, and I enjoyed them very much. Five stars for each of them. I didn't really care for Ms. Huff's story or Ms. West's story, but other folks might like them. I'd give those stories a three rating (so-so), with the remaining stories all three and a half to four ratings. Which is why the anthology gets an overall four-star rating. And while I'd recommend the anthology itself anyway, I highly recommend Mr. Helfers' exceptional story, "Changeling." Read it. It's very good, probably one of the best short stories I've read all year. (And I've read a whole lot of good ones.) Barb Caffrey

FAERIE TALES contains twelve delightful stories from a virtual fantasist who's who. Each contribution entertains the audience with its enjoyable link between humanity and faerie lands that make the latter seem genuine. Many of the stories actually provide deep messages, which normally are surprising for shorts yet with authors like De Lint, Rusch, Hoyt, Huff, and Spencer, etc. it is to be expected. The other contributors are also top rate (Waggoner, Helfers, Fiscus, Lindskold, Stemple, Scarborough, and West) furbishing winners as Greenberg and Davis obviously got the top guns to provide a tale. Some inputs are amusing while others contain serious tones, but all are fun. Fans of fantasies will appreciate this strong compilation in which each contribution holds the bar of excellence at the highest levels. An aside to Mr. Greenberg the guru of anthologies: looking forward to seeing how you can top this treasure.Harriet Klausner