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abigcoffeedragon's review against another edition
3.0
Another collection of short stories - this covers all genres for the most part and all styles - all dealing with a Warrior of some sort - nothing stands out as great, and most are readable, but nothing that made this a wonderful outing for me - all said and done it was fair to midland.
bogdanbalostin's review against another edition
5.0
Some short stories are worth it. Here's my favorites:
The Triumph by Robin Hobb. 5⭐/5
I loved this. I didn't think Robin Hobb can write such brutal torture but at its core, this one is a story of friendship and some nice battles with some twists. Historical fiction that reads like fantasy.
Clean Slate by Lawrence Block. 5⭐/5
Another one I loved though from the beginning towards the middle I thought this is a really weak story. It is not my genre and there's a lot of sex and I didn't understand what's the connection with the warriors. And then the pieces fell at the end and damn, the protagonist is so well written. I almost reread it again.
And Ministers of Grace by Tad Williams. 5⭐/5
Fantastic world-building, focusing on religion and holy wars in the future. Unfortunately, there is no wrap-up for the story and everything feels only like a chapter out of a bigger book.
Soldierin’ by Joe R. Lansdale. 5⭐/5
Engaging and funny western story. The story is average at best but the characters and the presentation are delicious.
Dirae by Peter S. Beagle. 5⭐/5
Really confusing for the first few pages, it's a fantastic story in the end with mystery and heart. Beware of the spoilers in the title and don't search for the meaning of the word if you don't know it.
The Girls From Avenger by Carrie Vaughn. 5⭐/5
I really liked this story. Despite the small scale, it feels extremely personal and because of the way the story is written, the stakes are everything. Also, even the ending feels satisfying even though some will find it weak.
The Scroll by David Ball. 5⭐/5
An amazing villain and the path to madness. It's about psychological torture in 15th century Morocco. You feel compelled to read all the horrifying things the protagonist is subjected to and while I expected more for the end, I was not disappointed.
The Mystery Knight by George R.R. Martin. 5⭐/5
The gem of the volume. Lots of characters, delicious dialogue, plenty of schemes, it is Game of Thrones at a smaller. The plot is smart is all I can say. You know what to expect from George R.R. Martin.
The Triumph by Robin Hobb. 5⭐/5
I loved this. I didn't think Robin Hobb can write such brutal torture but at its core, this one is a story of friendship and some nice battles with some twists. Historical fiction that reads like fantasy.
Clean Slate by Lawrence Block. 5⭐/5
Another one I loved though from the beginning towards the middle I thought this is a really weak story. It is not my genre and there's a lot of sex and I didn't understand what's the connection with the warriors. And then the pieces fell at the end and damn, the protagonist is so well written. I almost reread it again.
And Ministers of Grace by Tad Williams. 5⭐/5
Fantastic world-building, focusing on religion and holy wars in the future. Unfortunately, there is no wrap-up for the story and everything feels only like a chapter out of a bigger book.
Soldierin’ by Joe R. Lansdale. 5⭐/5
Engaging and funny western story. The story is average at best but the characters and the presentation are delicious.
Dirae by Peter S. Beagle. 5⭐/5
Really confusing for the first few pages, it's a fantastic story in the end with mystery and heart. Beware of the spoilers in the title and don't search for the meaning of the word if you don't know it.
The Girls From Avenger by Carrie Vaughn. 5⭐/5
I really liked this story. Despite the small scale, it feels extremely personal and because of the way the story is written, the stakes are everything. Also, even the ending feels satisfying even though some will find it weak.
The Scroll by David Ball. 5⭐/5
An amazing villain and the path to madness. It's about psychological torture in 15th century Morocco. You feel compelled to read all the horrifying things the protagonist is subjected to and while I expected more for the end, I was not disappointed.
The Mystery Knight by George R.R. Martin. 5⭐/5
The gem of the volume. Lots of characters, delicious dialogue, plenty of schemes, it is Game of Thrones at a smaller. The plot is smart is all I can say. You know what to expect from George R.R. Martin.
jefffrane's review against another edition
4.0
I'd forgotten how much I could enjoy short stories and novelettes, nice digestible stories and particularly from a wide variety of authors like those in Warriors. I didn't love them all and a few I didn't care for, but for the most part I think Dozois and Martin did a fine job of gathering these tales. Some of the stories are fantasy or other genres but the emphasis is on story-telling and the best here are very well told indeed. My favorites include tales by Cecilia Holland, Joe Haldeman, Joe R. Lansdale, Naomi Novik and George R. R. Martin, as well as Diana Gabaldon, David Weber and S. M. Stirling.
jwels's review against another edition
3.0
Good stories. Some were stronger than others. I enjoyed the one bt David Weber immensely and also the one from George R R Martin.
carolinethereader's review against another edition
3.0
SOME excellent stories in here and some authors I'll definitely be reading again. But as with Dangerous Women, I found it a little underwhelming overall. Individual ratings below.
The King of Norway by Cecelia Holland - 2.5/5
A heroic Viking story. The combat was fun but I found the characters quite lacking which was a real bummer.
Forever Bound by Joe Haldeman - 3.5/5
Futuristic, enhanced soldiers form team units with a mental bond. Interesting, clever concept that packs an emotional punch.
Triumph by Robin Hobb - 4.5/5
An escaped slave watches the death of a childhood friend/ military leader and reflects on their lives together. Brilliantly told! I was so invested in this story and surprisingly sad at the end.
Clean Slate by Lawrence Block - 1/5
WARNING for rape
As with his story in Dangerous Women, this probably deserves a zero. It's probably his style to write 'fucked up' characters but I just find them disturbing. This story follows a woman who is strong because of assault in her past (bleugh) and it fits with the 'warrior' theme because her father used to call her his little warrior when he raped her (BLEUGH!) She kills men she sleeps with now and honestly, just whyyyy.
And Ministers of Grace by Tad Williams - 3/5
Religious war and an intriguing main character. Solid ending.
Soldierin' by Joe R. Lansdale - 2/5
Some soldiers caught in an Apache attack. A little forgettable amongst the other stories but not really poorly written, just meh.
Dirae by Peter s. Beagle - 5/5
Bizarre in the beginning but ended up becoming one of my favourites in the book. Interested to read more by this author!
Custom of the Army by Diana Gabaldon - DNF
Tried to give it a go but just couldn't get into it.
Seven Years From Home by Naomi Novik - 4.5/5
Loved it. A government that wants to colonise a new planet is doing some political maneuvering. Really entertaining story in a clever, well-developed world.
The Eagle and the Rabbit by Steven Saylor - 3.5/5
A captain plays cruel mental games with a group of slaves. Liked the concept and the ending was good, if a little predictable.
The Pit by James Rollins - DNF
A story about pit fighting dogs told from the perspective of one of the dogs. Not for me.
Out of the Dark by David Weber - 3/5
Aliens expect an easy time invading earth but are surprised by the tenacity of humans. This was on its way to being one of my favourites but the ending is a bizarre twist that I did not enjoy (some will) because I felt it was a genre shift from the rest of the story and kind of undermined things. It was an interesting choice.
The Girls from Avenger by Carrie Vaughan - 3/5
A female WASP pilot during WWI is investigating the crash of one of her fellow pilots. I liked the characters and the conspiracy, it was very entertaining.
Ancient Ways by S.M. Stirling - 2.5/5
I only remember bits and pieces of this story. It's an adventure story and I had fun while reading it but I feel like I forgot it the second I finished.
Ninieslando by Howard Waldrop - 3/5
A bunch of secret soldiers/ revolutionaries hiding beneath the trenches in WWI waiting for the right moment. This was a cool enough story but I feel like it didn't do enough.
Recidivist by Gardner Dozois - 2.5/5
Post-apocalyptic world run by robots, a small group of people plot to take them out. I enjoyed the world in this story but everything else (characters, ending, writing) was lacking.
My Name is Legion by David Morrell - 3.5/5
The Foreign Legion clashes in a sad WWII story. I enjoyed the narration a lot, it was quite introspective and elevated the story from a regular military one.
Defenders of the Frontier by Robert Silverberg - 2.5/5
A small force of military men are left defending a fort long after communication from higher-ups stops. They have to make the decision to leave or stay. This was an okay story that I think would've benefited from more depth to some of the characters.
Scrolls by David Ball - 5/5
Another favourite in the collection! An engineer is enslaved and forced to kill each day in order to save lives (he kills one person or three people will be killed) in a brutal game played by the Emperor (wait, was he Emperor? It's a depressing story but it was written wonderfully. The pacing was excellent, the characters were great and that ending!
The Mystery Knight by George RR. Martin - 4/5
I feel I would've enjoyed this a little more if it wasn't my first Dunk & Egg story (I think there is one before this). I always like GRRM stories though- there's politicking, food, fights and friendship. All the good stuff in a world I love.
This will probably be the last of the GRRM/ Gardner Dozois collections I read and review. I think Rogues was the best of the three I've read and it was the first one. There's some authors I've found through these books I'll be sure to check out and there's others I'll be staying away from but overall it's been good fun.
The King of Norway by Cecelia Holland - 2.5/5
A heroic Viking story. The combat was fun but I found the characters quite lacking which was a real bummer.
Forever Bound by Joe Haldeman - 3.5/5
Futuristic, enhanced soldiers form team units with a mental bond. Interesting, clever concept that packs an emotional punch.
Triumph by Robin Hobb - 4.5/5
An escaped slave watches the death of a childhood friend/ military leader and reflects on their lives together. Brilliantly told! I was so invested in this story and surprisingly sad at the end.
Clean Slate by Lawrence Block - 1/5
WARNING for rape
As with his story in Dangerous Women, this probably deserves a zero. It's probably his style to write 'fucked up' characters but I just find them disturbing. This story follows a woman who is strong because of assault in her past (bleugh) and it fits with the 'warrior' theme because her father used to call her his little warrior when he raped her (BLEUGH!) She kills men she sleeps with now and honestly, just whyyyy.
And Ministers of Grace by Tad Williams - 3/5
Religious war and an intriguing main character. Solid ending.
Soldierin' by Joe R. Lansdale - 2/5
Some soldiers caught in an Apache attack. A little forgettable amongst the other stories but not really poorly written, just meh.
Dirae by Peter s. Beagle - 5/5
Bizarre in the beginning but ended up becoming one of my favourites in the book. Interested to read more by this author!
Custom of the Army by Diana Gabaldon - DNF
Tried to give it a go but just couldn't get into it.
Seven Years From Home by Naomi Novik - 4.5/5
Loved it. A government that wants to colonise a new planet is doing some political maneuvering. Really entertaining story in a clever, well-developed world.
The Eagle and the Rabbit by Steven Saylor - 3.5/5
A captain plays cruel mental games with a group of slaves. Liked the concept and the ending was good, if a little predictable.
The Pit by James Rollins - DNF
A story about pit fighting dogs told from the perspective of one of the dogs. Not for me.
Out of the Dark by David Weber - 3/5
Aliens expect an easy time invading earth but are surprised by the tenacity of humans. This was on its way to being one of my favourites but the ending is a bizarre twist that I did not enjoy (some will) because I felt it was a genre shift from the rest of the story and kind of undermined things. It was an interesting choice.
The Girls from Avenger by Carrie Vaughan - 3/5
A female WASP pilot during WWI is investigating the crash of one of her fellow pilots. I liked the characters and the conspiracy, it was very entertaining.
Ancient Ways by S.M. Stirling - 2.5/5
I only remember bits and pieces of this story. It's an adventure story and I had fun while reading it but I feel like I forgot it the second I finished.
Ninieslando by Howard Waldrop - 3/5
A bunch of secret soldiers/ revolutionaries hiding beneath the trenches in WWI waiting for the right moment. This was a cool enough story but I feel like it didn't do enough.
Recidivist by Gardner Dozois - 2.5/5
Post-apocalyptic world run by robots, a small group of people plot to take them out. I enjoyed the world in this story but everything else (characters, ending, writing) was lacking.
My Name is Legion by David Morrell - 3.5/5
The Foreign Legion clashes in a sad WWII story. I enjoyed the narration a lot, it was quite introspective and elevated the story from a regular military one.
Defenders of the Frontier by Robert Silverberg - 2.5/5
A small force of military men are left defending a fort long after communication from higher-ups stops. They have to make the decision to leave or stay. This was an okay story that I think would've benefited from more depth to some of the characters.
Scrolls by David Ball - 5/5
Another favourite in the collection! An engineer is enslaved and forced to kill each day in order to save lives (he kills one person or three people will be killed) in a brutal game played by the Emperor (wait, was he Emperor? It's a depressing story but it was written wonderfully. The pacing was excellent, the characters were great and that ending!
The Mystery Knight by George RR. Martin - 4/5
I feel I would've enjoyed this a little more if it wasn't my first Dunk & Egg story (I think there is one before this). I always like GRRM stories though- there's politicking, food, fights and friendship. All the good stuff in a world I love.
This will probably be the last of the GRRM/ Gardner Dozois collections I read and review. I think Rogues was the best of the three I've read and it was the first one. There's some authors I've found through these books I'll be sure to check out and there's others I'll be staying away from but overall it's been good fun.
bethebookworm's review against another edition
2.0
I didn't enjoy all of the stories in this anthology, but several of them were intriguing. I really got it for the continuation of the "Egg and Dunk" stories (Set in GRRM's Westeros), which was excellent. I wish he would publish these in a small free-standing book.
wanderlustlover's review against another edition
4.0
And lastly, read again for George R. R. Martin's "Tales of Egg and Dunk."
God. He truly makes me fall in love with characters. Truly how much I like Dunk may never change, but I can see how much of this story is the shaping of both Dunk and Egg. How much it will shape the history and the kingdom of the future from this point (and the past from the time of The Song of Fire & Ice).
I really felt this one though. The way the Eye is. How The Great War of the Two Dragon's literally effects everything, in a way Dunk gets but Egg doesn't yet. The way a great king can be made of a eleven-year-old boy with too much pride, who will be the only person in his family to truly know his people and his land.
I really do hope the rumor that there will be eight or nine stories of these to is true.
I will look forward to this.
God. He truly makes me fall in love with characters. Truly how much I like Dunk may never change, but I can see how much of this story is the shaping of both Dunk and Egg. How much it will shape the history and the kingdom of the future from this point (and the past from the time of The Song of Fire & Ice).
I really felt this one though. The way the Eye is. How The Great War of the Two Dragon's literally effects everything, in a way Dunk gets but Egg doesn't yet. The way a great king can be made of a eleven-year-old boy with too much pride, who will be the only person in his family to truly know his people and his land.
I really do hope the rumor that there will be eight or nine stories of these to is true.
I will look forward to this.
davybaby's review against another edition
4.0
To be more specific, the only story from this I'm reading is a novella by George R.R. Martin, "The Mystery Knight".
I thought the story was good, and well-timed. It's been years since I've read A Song of Ice and Fire, and it was nice to be reintroduced to the history and world of Westeros through a tangential, low-commitment story. Of course, it's not as good as the books, but he does a lot with relatively few pages. Worth the read for fans of Martin, or anyone who's curious but not willing to commit to a 5,000-page (so far) visit to his world.
I thought the story was good, and well-timed. It's been years since I've read A Song of Ice and Fire, and it was nice to be reintroduced to the history and world of Westeros through a tangential, low-commitment story. Of course, it's not as good as the books, but he does a lot with relatively few pages. Worth the read for fans of Martin, or anyone who's curious but not willing to commit to a 5,000-page (so far) visit to his world.
miklosha's review against another edition
4.0
I initially set out to list the authors and stories that I really enjoyed, thinking those would be only a handful. This stems from a belief that many anthologies have only a few gems, with mostly duds. However, I found myself finishing with a list of about four stories that I didn't care for, the rest being both entertaining, thoughtful, and well done.
But, for the sake of listing for listings sake, here are a couple that really stood out:
1. The Triumph - Robin Hobb
2. Dirae - Peter S. Beagle
3. The Custom of the Army - Diana Gabaldon
4. Seven Years from Home - Naomi Novik
5. The Eagle & The Rabbit - Steven Saylor
6. Defenders of the Frontier - Robert Silverberg
7. The Scroll - David Ball
I didn't list GRRMs Tale of Dunk & Egg as I already read it and reviewed it elsewhere.
Overall, the anthology was a strong one and I really enjoyed the diversity of both storyline and the commonality in what they shared.
But, for the sake of listing for listings sake, here are a couple that really stood out:
1. The Triumph - Robin Hobb
2. Dirae - Peter S. Beagle
3. The Custom of the Army - Diana Gabaldon
4. Seven Years from Home - Naomi Novik
5. The Eagle & The Rabbit - Steven Saylor
6. Defenders of the Frontier - Robert Silverberg
7. The Scroll - David Ball
I didn't list GRRMs Tale of Dunk & Egg as I already read it and reviewed it elsewhere.
Overall, the anthology was a strong one and I really enjoyed the diversity of both storyline and the commonality in what they shared.
kfrench1008's review against another edition
4.0
The third (and last, for now) of George R. R. Martin's "Dunk & Egg" stories. And the best if the three. You can see them becoming the men they will later be in the pre-Game of Thrones Westeros.