Sword and Sorceress VI

An anthology, by its nature, is a conglomeration, and every reader will have individual favorites among its offerings. My experience with this one is a good example of the notion that it's well to have patience and give each story its chance: I enjoyed the first story, Diana L. Paxson's "Equona's Mare" (warrior-princess Shanna finds her consciousness transferred to that of her warhorse after losing temporary custody of the animal on a bet), then went through eight more before I found another I could mark as "worth rereading," and ended up so marking nine of the last ten in the book. If I'd given up on it after story #3, or #4, or #5, I'd have missed out on some good heroic fiction. Among the high points here are Jennifer Roberson's "Sleeping Dogs" (a veterinarian-witch, summoned to help the young king's favorite bitch deliver her litter, finds the only surviving pup the catalyst for revelations she never expected); Mercedes Lackey's "The Making of a Legend" (heroines Tamra and Kethry wander into the town of Viden, whose overlord is a petty despot--but is he really as bad as they think?); Mary Fenoglio's "Burnt Offerings" (the story of a peculiar alliance between a wandering (male) warrior and a slightly inept (female) magic-user); Dorothy J. Heydt's "Ratsbane" (in which Greek sorceress Cynthia, to combat a Carthaginian sorcerer who's taken rat form to spread the Plague, tries to transform herself into a terrier and becomes a cat instead); Bobbi Miller's "Wolf Hunt" (a female outlaw in Medieval France seeks a ravening werewolf); Jessie D' Eaker's "Name of the Demoness" (a new mother must save her just-born child from a hungry malevolence); and Lois Tilton's "Hands" (a young thief, deprived of both her hands by the law, is rescued by a sorcerer who provides her with an invisible set of replacements, but he has an agenda of his own). As is usual in MZB's anthologies, all of them are competently written, some are superior, and a few have flashes of wry humor. The editor's introduction is something of a diatribe against romance novels (I think she overreacts: they're escapism, just as fantasy is), but like all her introductions it helps us understand something of where she was coming from. On balance this collection is at least as good as most of the rest of the series, and worth your time if you like strong, competent women in a variety of fantasy settings.

Love this series. To bad MZB has passed on - I'd love to see more anthologies like this. Very interesting stories - always a variety of stories. So what if you don't like one or two stories, there are always some you love. I highly recommend collecting the series. Liked "Burnt Offerings" - wish there was a follow-up story to let you know who she is. I think the princess of a country - or a witch passing her finals? "A Lesser of Evils" about "industrialization" vs a basilisk was very good. And the Cynthia story was great as always. Wish Dorthy Heydthad been able to find a publisher for her collection of stories - any out there listening? Book left me wanting more (as always).