Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword and Sorceress XXI

This is the twenty-first, and likely last, volume in this series, and it seems a shame to see it go, no matter whether a majority of the stories are my cup of tea or not. This is an above-average installment in terms of quality, with a few real standouts. "Spell of the Sparrow" has some interesting things to say about magic, and I couldn't help but find humor in the situation, intentional or not. "Child's Play" is strong, as one might expect from Friesner; and "Multiple Choice" is wonderfully duplicitous. "Oulu" is the best, in my opinion, with a twist that comes from nowhere (in this case, a good thing). "Love Potion #8 1/2," despite its terminally corny title, is a fitting bit of cleverness to end with. Granted, the collection has its usual share of perfunctory-seeming fragments and mood pieces that, taken by themselves, don't hold up so well, but the writing is, at worst, competent. Chances are, you know going in whether you'll like it. It is, so to speak, more of the same, and I leave it to the individual consumer to decide whether that's good or bad. Suffice to say, I enjoyed it more than any of the other Sword and Sorceress outings I've read, and it's good to see that at least the franchise is going out on a high note. The contents: "Sword and Sorceress" by Jennifer G. Tifft: A poem celebrating the titular archetypes. "Dawn and Dusk" by Dane Kramer-Rolls: Fleeing and uncaring home, a girl seeks shelter in a cottage and finds more than she bargained for. "Spell of the Sparrow" by Jim C. Hines: If a wizard decides she wants your husband, is there anything you can do about it? "The Woman's Place" by Susan Urbanek Linville: The matriarch of a clan of cavemen must provide for her people, but such duties require sacrifice. "Kin" by Naomi Kritzer: A military wizard rescues an infant and finds herself remarkable suited to the ensuing responsibility. "Child's Play" by Esther M. Friesner: Father and step-mother disagree over whether to accede to the king's interest in their unusually-talented child. "Ursa" by Jenn Reese: A woman and her attendant bear spirit embark on a quest to save a child--but from what? "Red Caramae" by Kit Wesler: Short mood piece about a swordswoman who seeks the instrument of her vengeance. "Parri's Blade" by Cynthia McQuillin: A widow swipes her dead husband's dearest possession to bind his soul to earth forever. "Necessity and the Mother" by Lee Martindale: Humorous, if unlikely, tale about the power of the free market. "Sun Thief" by K. A. Laity: Ice people make their annual sacrifice to bring about the return of the sun; told from the sacrifice's point of view. "Lostland" by Rosemary Edghill: Slightly confusing (purposely, no doubt) tale of a warrior searching for what she has lost, whatever it may be. "Plowshares" by Rebecca Maines: A group of raiders aren't quite what they seem. "Step By Step" by Catherine Soto: Story fragment about a groom who get the chance to prove herself as a swordswoman. "Rose in Winter"

The most recent incarnation of this perennial favorite continues the strong tradition of the Sword and Sorceress series. This anthology offers a wide variety of settings and magical systems that should meet any fantasy reader's desires. Those devoted to chicks in chain mail should take note, however; this particular volume is much more "soceress" than "sword." The short stories that I found most memorable are: "Spell of the Sparrow" for its original magic system; "Child's Play" for its unanticipated ending; "Necessity and the Mother" for the on-target spoof of town governance; "Rose in Winter" for its haunting love story of wrong choices; and "Skin Trade" for its original magic. Anyone who enjoys fantasy with strong heroines should find this a welcome addition of her library.

This is another collection in the Sword and Sorcerers series of anthologies. For those who like fantasy, Diana L. Paxson has put together a collection of 22 short stories and one poem. These all involve women in various settings. Like most collections, you will find some that you favor over others. The last one in the collection ("Love Potion No. 8 1/2," by Marilyn A. Racette) reminds me of stories written by the late Dr. Asimov about a helpful demon that tried to please people (be careful what you wish for). A couple of the stories are a little surreal, and plots vary considerably although they are in the realm of fantasy. I particularly liked "Necessity and the Mother," by Lee Martindale, as it illustrates how politicians pass some ill conceived laws. I also especially liked "Child's Play", by Esther M. Freisner. It would be difficult to rate the others in order of preference. Other short stories in the collection are "Dawn and Dusk," by Dana Kramer-Rolls; "Spell of the Sparrow," by Jim C. Hines; "The Woman's Place," by Susan Urbanek Linville; "Kin," by Naomi Kritzer; "Ursa," by Jenn Reese; "Red Caramae," by Kit Wesler; "Parri's Blade," by Cynthia McQuillin, "Sun Thief," by K. A. Laity, "Lostland," by Rosemary Edghill; "Plowshares," by Rebecca Maines, "Step by Step," by Catherine Soto; "Favor of the Goddess," by Lynn Morgan Rosser, "Rose in Winter," by Marie M. Longhin, "Kazhe's Blade," Terry McGarry, "The Skin Trade," by Heather Rose Jones, "Multiple Choice," by Leslie Fish, "Oulu," by Aimee Kratts, "A Kind of Redemption," by John P. Buentello, and "Journey's End," by Dorothy J. Heydt. The one two-page poem, "Sword and Sorceress," is by Jennifer G. Tifft. The editor should be commended for putting together the anthology. She is correct that authors need outlets for their short stories, as most magazines only take about one or two percent of what is submitted, if that much, and it can be difficult finding a magazine to match a particular story.