Masters of Fantasy

"Masters of Fantasy" provides readers an introduction to many of the big name fantasy writers publishing now, as well as the popular series each author is known for. For someone who does not know Mercedes Lackey's "Valdemar", or Andre Norton's "Witchworld", or the many other worlds evoked here by writers like David Drake, Elizabeth Moon, and Margaret Weis, this volume gives a peek into such realms. The quality of writing varies in the course of the collection. In this way, the book may be of even greater use to fantasy writers new to the genre, especially by examining what works in each story and what doesn't. For the fledgling writer, it can also be instructive to see famous names like Mike Resnick completely drop the ball. If such a prolific author can write something so painfully awful, then maybe our own ideas might not be so bad after all. Some stories here rise above the rest. Mercedes Lackey gives us one of the more unusual denizens to inhabit her well-known world, Andre Norton tells us an unusual tale of a mute witch, and Margaret Weis and Don Perrin weave a dashing magical story. Perhaps the most satisfying stories in this volume are the ones by Elizabeth Moon ("Gifts") and Janny Wurts ("Child of Prophecy"). The volume is a grab bag, but amongst the marbles and stones are a handful of gems.