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oursinculte's review
4.0
Je suis pas très client de recueils de nouvelles, mais quand un bouquin s’appelle Art of War et compile une flopée d’histoires avec des noms comme Sebastien De Castell, Nicholas Eames, John Gwynne, RJ Barker, Ed McDonald, Mark Lawrence… Ça ressemble à une dream-team de la fantasy anglophone, et en plus tous les bénéfices vont à Médecins sans frontières à l’initiative de Booknest.eu, pourquoi se priver ?
Bien sûr, ce sont les noms que je connaissais déjà qui ont attiré mon attention, et comme trois de mes gros coups de cœurs de ces dernières années sont représentés ici, c’est sur ces nouvelles que je vais attaquer. Sans surprise, The greatest battle de John Gwynne revient à l’univers de sa série The faithful and the fallen, et ne doit pas être lu avant la saga ! Effectivement elle se passe après la conclusion de Wrath donc ça va vous spoiler la gueule… Mais à part ça c’était un grand plaisir de retrouver cet univers pendant quelques pages, avec en plus un petit twist final qui donne sa saveur et son sens au tout. Je sais pas si ça aura autant d’impact sur quelqu’un qui ne connait pas ces héros, mais j’ai tellement envie de lire A time of dread maintenant…
A côté on a une nouvelle de Sebastien De Castell sous forme de fable grimdark à la fois poétique et fun, toujours du très haut niveau ! Nicholas Eames nous sort une histoire de conflit absurde entre deux peuples avec toute la malice et la patate qu’on lui connait maintenant. RJ Barker déforme le thème pour nous proposer une réflexion sur la place de l’art, les artistes et les artisans en temps de guerre, un twist très bien vu et subtilement amené. Ed McDonald nous livre une préquelle mélancolique à Blackwing qui peut se lire sans connaitre le roman mais ce dernier amènera quand même un contexte à l’affaire. On a même une très bonne histoire de Brian Staveley, qui pourtant ne m’avait pas convaincu avec son Emperor’s blades. Tous ces auteurs sont vraiment ce qui se fait de mieux dans le genre aujourd’hui et, sans surprise et avec toute la subjectivité malhonnête dont je suis capable, ils sont déjà une base solide pour l’anthologie proposée par booknest. Mais en plus on a tous les autres !
J’ai découvert quelques pépites d’auteurs qui n’étaient pas encore tombé sous l’œil vigilant de l’ours : Michael R. Fletcher s’amuse avec des zombies-gladiateurs glauques à souhait, Brandon Draga propose une histoire de soldats pas vraiment taillés pour, Rob J. Hayes calme le jeu avec son dialogue mélancolique fort bien mené, Timandra Whitecastle va faire chialer le lecteur avec son This war of ours. Autant d’auteurs que je note dans un coin pour une exploration plus approfondie de leur bibliographie !
Pourtant tout n’est pas absolument fantastique, on a quand même quarante histoires sur 500 pages donc évidemment, on peux s’attendre à quelques déceptions. Et pour le coup, il y en a pas mal ! On a notre lot de trucs un peu basiques à base de soldats bad-ass qui bottent des culs ou de gros-bras nihilistes parce que la-guerre-c’est-trop-le-désespoir. Sans être désagréables, certaines histoires sont juste des petites friandises littéraires pour amateur de guerroyage. Comme tout tourne autour du même thème, et souvent avec le même genre de traitement, je recommande de parcourir ces nouvelles à petites doses sous peine de se lasser. Et même comme ça, j’ai trouvé pas mal d’histoires redondantes ou manquant de propos fort.
Malgré ça, il serait dommage de se priver de cette anthologie si vous lisez l’anglais et appréciez le genre. Il contient assez de très bons textes dans le tas pour qu’on ne regrette pas son investissement, et le côté caritatif de la démarche pourra vous conforter dans ce choix. De plus, la couverture de John Anthony Di Giovanni et toutes les petites illustrations de Jason Deem en font un objet très sympathique à posséder.
http://ours-inculte.fr/art-of-war/
Bien sûr, ce sont les noms que je connaissais déjà qui ont attiré mon attention, et comme trois de mes gros coups de cœurs de ces dernières années sont représentés ici, c’est sur ces nouvelles que je vais attaquer. Sans surprise, The greatest battle de John Gwynne revient à l’univers de sa série The faithful and the fallen, et ne doit pas être lu avant la saga ! Effectivement elle se passe après la conclusion de Wrath donc ça va vous spoiler la gueule… Mais à part ça c’était un grand plaisir de retrouver cet univers pendant quelques pages, avec en plus un petit twist final qui donne sa saveur et son sens au tout. Je sais pas si ça aura autant d’impact sur quelqu’un qui ne connait pas ces héros, mais j’ai tellement envie de lire A time of dread maintenant…
A côté on a une nouvelle de Sebastien De Castell sous forme de fable grimdark à la fois poétique et fun, toujours du très haut niveau ! Nicholas Eames nous sort une histoire de conflit absurde entre deux peuples avec toute la malice et la patate qu’on lui connait maintenant. RJ Barker déforme le thème pour nous proposer une réflexion sur la place de l’art, les artistes et les artisans en temps de guerre, un twist très bien vu et subtilement amené. Ed McDonald nous livre une préquelle mélancolique à Blackwing qui peut se lire sans connaitre le roman mais ce dernier amènera quand même un contexte à l’affaire. On a même une très bonne histoire de Brian Staveley, qui pourtant ne m’avait pas convaincu avec son Emperor’s blades. Tous ces auteurs sont vraiment ce qui se fait de mieux dans le genre aujourd’hui et, sans surprise et avec toute la subjectivité malhonnête dont je suis capable, ils sont déjà une base solide pour l’anthologie proposée par booknest. Mais en plus on a tous les autres !
J’ai découvert quelques pépites d’auteurs qui n’étaient pas encore tombé sous l’œil vigilant de l’ours : Michael R. Fletcher s’amuse avec des zombies-gladiateurs glauques à souhait, Brandon Draga propose une histoire de soldats pas vraiment taillés pour, Rob J. Hayes calme le jeu avec son dialogue mélancolique fort bien mené, Timandra Whitecastle va faire chialer le lecteur avec son This war of ours. Autant d’auteurs que je note dans un coin pour une exploration plus approfondie de leur bibliographie !
Pourtant tout n’est pas absolument fantastique, on a quand même quarante histoires sur 500 pages donc évidemment, on peux s’attendre à quelques déceptions. Et pour le coup, il y en a pas mal ! On a notre lot de trucs un peu basiques à base de soldats bad-ass qui bottent des culs ou de gros-bras nihilistes parce que la-guerre-c’est-trop-le-désespoir. Sans être désagréables, certaines histoires sont juste des petites friandises littéraires pour amateur de guerroyage. Comme tout tourne autour du même thème, et souvent avec le même genre de traitement, je recommande de parcourir ces nouvelles à petites doses sous peine de se lasser. Et même comme ça, j’ai trouvé pas mal d’histoires redondantes ou manquant de propos fort.
Malgré ça, il serait dommage de se priver de cette anthologie si vous lisez l’anglais et appréciez le genre. Il contient assez de très bons textes dans le tas pour qu’on ne regrette pas son investissement, et le côté caritatif de la démarche pourra vous conforter dans ce choix. De plus, la couverture de John Anthony Di Giovanni et toutes les petites illustrations de Jason Deem en font un objet très sympathique à posséder.
http://ours-inculte.fr/art-of-war/
mxsallybend's review
4.0
Before I say anything about the stories inside, it needs to be stressed that Art of War is, in fact, an Anthology for Charity with all proceeds going to MSF (Doctors Without Borders). That alone makes it a must-purchase, and the 40 authors inside make it a must-read. Petros Triantafyllou has gathered an impressive amount of talent here, mixing best-selling authors you already know and love with smaller press authors you're going to want to read more of.
Rather than comment on every story and potentially taint reader opinions of the (very) few stories that didn't work for me, I just want to touch on some of my favorites - most of which won't be a surprise.
First up is The Breaking of the Sky, in which Ed McDonald shares a fantastic prequel story to his Raven's Mark saga, an atmospheric slice of fantasy that ends (quite literally) with a bang.
Dear Menelaus was an interesting surprise, a nice bit of Greek mythology with Laura M. Hughes penning a letter to Menelaus, from Helen, about his invasion of Troy - clever, creative, and thoughtful too.
Warborn is a story that I was looking forward to, and C.T. Phipps did not disappoint in a violent, cruel, darkly amusing tale of demon summoning and double crosses.
The Fox and the Bowman isn't a Greatcoats tale, which saddens me a bit, but it is another phenomenal piece of fiction from Sebastien de Castell that kind of fast-forwards a tale of revenge through cursed visions that turn out to be memories - and the final twist is perfect.
As the title suggests, The Two Faces of War offers up two intertwined stories, with Rob J. Hayes contrasting two veterans looking back on war with a young man beginning his journey to experience. I liked the telling of this almost as much as I liked the stories themselves.
What can I say about The Art of War by Brian Staveley, other than WOW - how anyone can build such depth of character, and establish such empathy, while weaving the story behind the story you expect, is really beyond me.
All you really need to know about The Undying Lands is that it's credited to "the combined efforts of Michael R. Fletcher’s Doppels" and it is just as much grim, mad, manic fun as you would expect of his Manifest Delusions.
The Storm is a story that really reminded me I need to read Miles Cameron's Traitor Son Cycle - he has such a crisp, historically suitable style, and somehow makes an endless siege (and an almost endless story) fantastically entertaining.
Rendered Chaos was one of the stories that has me adding a new author to the TBR pile, with D. M. Murray somehow making a complete scoundrel likable, sending a painter to war in an amusing, completely engrossing tale.
The Hero of Aral Pass is a fitting story on which to end the anthology, with Mark Lawrence offering up an epilogue to his Red Queen’s War trilogy, picking up on the tale of the man who once declared that “To war is human. To run away is sublime."
Ultimately, Art of War is as much about the art of capturing war as it is about the art of waging war. It's not preachy or heavy handed, and does have some great stories that demand you cheer for the wholesale slaughter of your enemies, but far more often we see that war is ugly and cruel - as, of course, it is. With a Kindle price of about 18 cents a story, you really have no excuse not to check this out, spend some time with your favorite authors, and get to know some new ones, all while supporting a great cause.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Rather than comment on every story and potentially taint reader opinions of the (very) few stories that didn't work for me, I just want to touch on some of my favorites - most of which won't be a surprise.
First up is The Breaking of the Sky, in which Ed McDonald shares a fantastic prequel story to his Raven's Mark saga, an atmospheric slice of fantasy that ends (quite literally) with a bang.
Dear Menelaus was an interesting surprise, a nice bit of Greek mythology with Laura M. Hughes penning a letter to Menelaus, from Helen, about his invasion of Troy - clever, creative, and thoughtful too.
Warborn is a story that I was looking forward to, and C.T. Phipps did not disappoint in a violent, cruel, darkly amusing tale of demon summoning and double crosses.
The Fox and the Bowman isn't a Greatcoats tale, which saddens me a bit, but it is another phenomenal piece of fiction from Sebastien de Castell that kind of fast-forwards a tale of revenge through cursed visions that turn out to be memories - and the final twist is perfect.
As the title suggests, The Two Faces of War offers up two intertwined stories, with Rob J. Hayes contrasting two veterans looking back on war with a young man beginning his journey to experience. I liked the telling of this almost as much as I liked the stories themselves.
What can I say about The Art of War by Brian Staveley, other than WOW - how anyone can build such depth of character, and establish such empathy, while weaving the story behind the story you expect, is really beyond me.
All you really need to know about The Undying Lands is that it's credited to "the combined efforts of Michael R. Fletcher’s Doppels" and it is just as much grim, mad, manic fun as you would expect of his Manifest Delusions.
The Storm is a story that really reminded me I need to read Miles Cameron's Traitor Son Cycle - he has such a crisp, historically suitable style, and somehow makes an endless siege (and an almost endless story) fantastically entertaining.
Rendered Chaos was one of the stories that has me adding a new author to the TBR pile, with D. M. Murray somehow making a complete scoundrel likable, sending a painter to war in an amusing, completely engrossing tale.
The Hero of Aral Pass is a fitting story on which to end the anthology, with Mark Lawrence offering up an epilogue to his Red Queen’s War trilogy, picking up on the tale of the man who once declared that “To war is human. To run away is sublime."
Ultimately, Art of War is as much about the art of capturing war as it is about the art of waging war. It's not preachy or heavy handed, and does have some great stories that demand you cheer for the wholesale slaughter of your enemies, but far more often we see that war is ugly and cruel - as, of course, it is. With a Kindle price of about 18 cents a story, you really have no excuse not to check this out, spend some time with your favorite authors, and get to know some new ones, all while supporting a great cause.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for review consideration. This does not in any way affect the honesty or sincerity of my review.
namulith's review
2.0
My second anthology of short stories and while it was OK, I liked Heroes Wanted better. The quality of stories felt a bit worse. But of course that's quite subjective. There were more stories in this anthology and I still like that you get so much variety in a single book. Even though I only found this OK, I'll definitely read more anthologies.
selinadragonair's review
4.0
Another fantastic anthology and a big one: containing 40 novellas!
It was an amazing mix of war stories and I am glad to have read it. I enjoyed most of them, especially the way every author approached the topic differently. I found new authors for my TBR pile and got another novella from some of my favorite authors too. So, the anthology was a big sucess!
If I have to name my four absolute favorite stories, which have impressed me with excellent storytelling and outstanding prose, surprised me and can be read independently, I'd nominate these:
1. The Fox and the Bowman - Sebastien De Castell (this author sure knows how to tell a story!)
2. The Art: Postwar - R.J. Barker (another great storyteller!)
3. The Hero of Aral Pass - Mark Lawrence (Jalans voice is just plain hilarious)
4. Misplaced Heroism - Andrew Rowe (surprise hit! This was so much fun)
There were so many good stories, so here a few more honorable mentions, in reading order:
*The Breaking of the Sky / Ed McDonald (kickass awesome)
*Violet / Mazarkis Williams (kept me guessing)
*The Two Faces of War / Rob J. Hayes (the realism impressed me)
*The Waving of the Flag / Thomas R. Gaskin (well told)
*The Art of War / Brian Staveley (awesome)
*The Feather and the Paw / Benedict Patrick (liked the fairy tale)
*Good Steel / Zachary Barnes (very creative)
*The Undying Lands / Michael R. Fletcher (very cool)
*Rendered Chaos / D. M. Murray (hilarious voice)
*Flesh and Coin / Anna Stephens (well written)
It was an amazing mix of war stories and I am glad to have read it. I enjoyed most of them, especially the way every author approached the topic differently. I found new authors for my TBR pile and got another novella from some of my favorite authors too. So, the anthology was a big sucess!
If I have to name my four absolute favorite stories, which have impressed me with excellent storytelling and outstanding prose, surprised me and can be read independently, I'd nominate these:
1. The Fox and the Bowman - Sebastien De Castell (this author sure knows how to tell a story!)
2. The Art: Postwar - R.J. Barker (another great storyteller!)
3. The Hero of Aral Pass - Mark Lawrence (Jalans voice is just plain hilarious)
4. Misplaced Heroism - Andrew Rowe (surprise hit! This was so much fun)
There were so many good stories, so here a few more honorable mentions, in reading order:
*The Breaking of the Sky / Ed McDonald (kickass awesome)
*Violet / Mazarkis Williams (kept me guessing)
*The Two Faces of War / Rob J. Hayes (the realism impressed me)
*The Waving of the Flag / Thomas R. Gaskin (well told)
*The Art of War / Brian Staveley (awesome)
*The Feather and the Paw / Benedict Patrick (liked the fairy tale)
*Good Steel / Zachary Barnes (very creative)
*The Undying Lands / Michael R. Fletcher (very cool)
*Rendered Chaos / D. M. Murray (hilarious voice)
*Flesh and Coin / Anna Stephens (well written)
ababoglo's review
5.0
The lineup of authors is amazing! I could only wish that editors would include [a:K.J. Parker|240708|K.J. Parker|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1429675138p2/240708.jpg] and [a:Richard Nell|17091491|Richard Nell|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1502671039p2/17091491.jpg] and I would be a happy man :)
A broad and diverse collection of circa 40 short stories. Perfect fantasy fiction 'tasting menu' or an opportunity to savour more stories from the authors you already love. I also specifically want to commend the charitable nature of this project and its fantastic execution. For this alone - it deserves 5*.
My personal favourites are (in the order of appearance):
> Dear Menelaus by [a:Laura M. Hughes|14537139|Laura M. Hughes|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1499452173p2/14537139.jpg]
> The Fox and the Bowman by [a:Sebastien de Castell|7390210|Sebastien de Castell|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1384883394p2/7390210.jpg]
> Misplaced Heroism by [a:Andrew Rowe|119164|Andrew Rowe|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1442456188p2/119164.jpg]
> The Two Faces of War by [a:Rob J. Hayes|7075073|Rob J. Hayes|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1516116970p2/7075073.jpg]
> The Art of War by [a:Brian Staveley|7086094|Brian Staveley|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1379804626p2/7086094.jpg]
> Sacred Semantics by [a:Nicholas Eames|15388346|Nicholas Eames|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1468878466p2/15388346.jpg]
> The Undying Lands by [a:Michael R. Fletcher|7035308|Michael R. Fletcher|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1450277125p2/7035308.jpg]
> The Fall of Tereen by [a:Anna Smith-Spark|15935255|Anna Smith Spark|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1478704719p2/15935255.jpg]
> The Storm by [a:Miles Cameron|6535608|Miles Cameron|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1442643373p2/6535608.jpg]
> The Hero of Aral Pass by [a:Mark Lawrence|4721536|Mark Lawrence|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1318781585p2/4721536.jpg]
These guys and gals brought their A-game to this anthology. And if you are not familiar with their long-form writing -you really should mend errors of your ways. And pronto.
Also, if you enjoyed this, you might also want to check out: [b:Evil is a Matter of Perspective: An Anthology of Antagonists|30636532|Evil is a Matter of Perspective An Anthology of Antagonists|Adrian Collins|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1466148043s/30636532.jpg|51173696] and vice versa.
A broad and diverse collection of circa 40 short stories. Perfect fantasy fiction 'tasting menu' or an opportunity to savour more stories from the authors you already love. I also specifically want to commend the charitable nature of this project and its fantastic execution. For this alone - it deserves 5*.
My personal favourites are (in the order of appearance):
> Dear Menelaus by [a:Laura M. Hughes|14537139|Laura M. Hughes|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1499452173p2/14537139.jpg]
> The Fox and the Bowman by [a:Sebastien de Castell|7390210|Sebastien de Castell|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1384883394p2/7390210.jpg]
> Misplaced Heroism by [a:Andrew Rowe|119164|Andrew Rowe|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1442456188p2/119164.jpg]
> The Two Faces of War by [a:Rob J. Hayes|7075073|Rob J. Hayes|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1516116970p2/7075073.jpg]
> The Art of War by [a:Brian Staveley|7086094|Brian Staveley|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1379804626p2/7086094.jpg]
> Sacred Semantics by [a:Nicholas Eames|15388346|Nicholas Eames|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1468878466p2/15388346.jpg]
> The Undying Lands by [a:Michael R. Fletcher|7035308|Michael R. Fletcher|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1450277125p2/7035308.jpg]
> The Fall of Tereen by [a:Anna Smith-Spark|15935255|Anna Smith Spark|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1478704719p2/15935255.jpg]
> The Storm by [a:Miles Cameron|6535608|Miles Cameron|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1442643373p2/6535608.jpg]
> The Hero of Aral Pass by [a:Mark Lawrence|4721536|Mark Lawrence|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1318781585p2/4721536.jpg]
These guys and gals brought their A-game to this anthology. And if you are not familiar with their long-form writing -you really should mend errors of your ways. And pronto.
Also, if you enjoyed this, you might also want to check out: [b:Evil is a Matter of Perspective: An Anthology of Antagonists|30636532|Evil is a Matter of Perspective An Anthology of Antagonists|Adrian Collins|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1466148043s/30636532.jpg|51173696] and vice versa.
wspence's review
4.0
Great compilation, a couple errors throughout the book but overall some great stories by authors I hadn't heard of, particular favorites:
-Greatest battle by John Gwynne
- The Art by RRJ Barker
- The Fox and the Bowman by Sebastian de Castell (my favorite one)
- The Art of War by Brian Staveley
- Good Steel by Zachary Barnes (coolest/most original idea out of the lot)
- The Storm by Miles Cameron
-Greatest battle by John Gwynne
- The Art by RRJ Barker
- The Fox and the Bowman by Sebastian de Castell (my favorite one)
- The Art of War by Brian Staveley
- Good Steel by Zachary Barnes (coolest/most original idea out of the lot)
- The Storm by Miles Cameron
barb4ry1's review
3.0
I love short stories and I’m always excited to put my hands on an anthology. There’s something about the concept that I find exciting.
While I bought my share of anthologies throughout the years, I can’t think of a single one that would really satisfy me.
The reason is simple, really. There are many voices and styles and I have my preferences. There’s just no way I’ll connect with everyone.
The Art of War is a collection of short fiction inspired by the theme of war. The project was started by Petros Triantafyllou and I have a lot of respect and admiration for the guy. Engaging forty established authors for a charity project may not be as easy as some may think. The thought behind the project and its goal to raise money for Doctors Without Borders is praiseworthy.
Having said that, I’ll review the book as a book and not as a charity item.
So what was the focus of the anthology? The War and it’s many faces. The stories in this anthology have quite a range of topics and ideas in them. From pure adventure to blood-soaked trenches and utter dispair. Spread throughout these stories were aspects and ideals of heroism, war politics, sacrifice and faith in higher values.
Below you’ll find mini (some micro or even nano) reviews of forty stories.
The Breaking of the Sky by Ed McDonald: 3/5
If someone hoped, despite the anthology theme, to get some lighthearted reading about noble soldiers rescuing kittens, Ed's here to destroy these hopes with a dark and dreary tale set in the Raven's Mark world. The story is depressing and brutal. Being nice girl in a time of war isn't recommended.
The Last Arrow by Mitchell Hogan: 2/5
Chewing chunks of rat meat, diarrhea, rotting bodies - that's some of "goodies" within the story. Soldiers are exhausted and starving. Hope is lost. There's also a magic arrow.
I liked the language but the story didn't make a lot of sense to me.
Dear Menelaus by Laura M. Hughes: 4/5
This story is very short. It's actually a letter written by Helen of Troy to Menelaus to Menelaus. Helen isn't partial to his decision to invade Troy. She reflects upon men and women roles in times of war. I liked the language, I enjoyed the perspective and humor.
Nice, twisty short story.
Warborn by C.T. Phipps – 2/5
A young woman summons a demon. Her choice of sacrificial blood isn’t perfect but the demon appears anyway. Girl wants him to kill her parents who are Warborn (demons who enjoy mayhem and destruction; they’re not best pals with guys from hell). It has a bit of a humor but the battle between demons is utterly disappointing and final twist unsurprising. It didn’t impress me.
The Greatest Battle by John Gwynne - 2.5/5
I did some google-fu. It seems that the story heroes are well known to Gwynne fans. Because I haven’t read his books yet, I knew nothing about them. As a result, I can appreciate nice prose and pacing, but I felt lost. It was quite brutal.
This War of Ours by Timandra Whitecastle - 4/5
I’m not sure when the story happens (bombarding is mentioned) but it’s not really important. What’s important is the fact that this story is self-contained and has a strong emotional impact. It follows Sparrow and her family who are on the run. Her mother is a Nightwitch, there are people (?) who want to catch them or at least one of her children. It’s well written and has slightly unsettling ambiance I enjoyed.
Shadows in the Mist by Sue Tingey: 2/5
Horror fantasy about a small war band finding something unexpected and dangerous into the battlefield. Truth be told, it’s a forgettable and uninspiring story that lacked strong twist and ending.
The Art: Post War by RJ Barker: 3/5
Beauty can be found everywhere, even in a ruined city. I liked this one. Second person storytelling works for me and this particular voice was fine. Also, I appreciate dark humor.
The Fox and the Bowman by Sebastian de Castell: 5/5
It seems I made a mistake. A serious mistake. People kept on recommending de Castell books and I ignored the voice of reason. After finishing this short story his books get near the top of my TBR list.
It was, above all, fun, well written, well plotted and entertaining. Thomas is just about to kill a knight with the arrow through the head when mysterious Master Reynard appears and stops him. It seems the man with fox face has better plan to have revenge on the knights. The story moves through centuries, there’s some cool magic and the writing has great flow. Excellent short story.
Arrow’s Wrath by Charles F. Bond: 1/5
Hmmm. Frankly, I didn’t like this one. It lacked lightness, the prose was heavy and the ending was weak. Characters felt indistinct to me and the intrigue rather disappointing.
Hard Lessons by Michael R. Miller: 2/5
Grim, dark, no humor involved. I didn’t care for Scythe and couldn’t get into the world. I guess Miller’s readers might appreciate this one more than me. For me, though, it’s the second warning sign (the other being author’s short story in Lost Lore) suggesting I won’t feel well in Miller’s world.
Battle for Elucame: Leah by R.B. Watkinson: 1/5
The protagonist is a violent rebel good with knives. She’s focused on revenge. I dunno, I couldn’t get into it and the story irked me in a way. I believe not everything is as clear as it should be in short story. Some terms that constitute part of the world weren’t explained at all.
The Revolution Changed Everyone by D. Thourson Palmer: 2/5
There’s a twist here. But it didn’t impress me. Neither has storytelling. It’s an ok story about a healer working during a time of the bloody revolution. I was tempted to skip it.
Misplaced Heroism by Andrew Rowe: 3/5
There a guy. Unlucky one. He was chilling drinking his coffee and enjoying reddit when the light blinded him and transported to the other world where he’s supposed to save everyone from a demon. In order to do so, he studies spells.
It was an enjoyable story that played nicely with a chosen one trope. I would enjoy it more without the necessity to learn/read about magic levels and upgrades through potions and stuff. Some people are into RPG-ish elements in the stories but I’m on the opposite side of the target audience. Truth be told, I hate these elements. Can’t help it.
Nevertheless, I appreciate final twist, a healthy dose of humor and the nicely crafted world.
Violet by Mazarkis Williams: 3/5
Someone has taken something from Violet and she wants it back. Things get complicated as Violet doesn’t have a lot of money and she’ll need to go across the sea. In order to do so, she’ll have to part with something important.
It’s nicely written, well paced and enjoyable. I like it.
The Two Faces of War by Rob J. Hayes: 3/5
It’s a time of war. People are dying. A healer and a warrior speak about their experience and ask a question about the sense of it all.
I enjoyed dark humor and nice flow of the story.
Grannit by JP Ashman: 3.5/5
Established and rich knight and a boy go to war. It’s a nice story, not as dark as many gathered here and has good flow.
Asalantir Forever by Steven Poore: 4/5
Well, it’s well written and bloody. A group of people joins the assault to take the walls of Asalantir, Jin and her pride join the assault through the bloody trenches to take the walls of Asalantir. Her pride is nicely characterized in few short sentences and the pacing was excellent.
So far it’s the first story that displays trenches, an image I have in my head when thinking about wars (due to the childhood nights spent in front of the TV).
I liked the language. It offers some strong imagery and nice sentences like this one:
I think this kind of short, concise sentences imagery sets the dreary tone well.
Tower of the Last by Steven Kelliher: 2/5
While I can’t say a bad word about the prose or pacing, I wasn’t really thrilled with this one. Basically, it follows Madrek who ascends the tower and fights with others along the way. I don’t know. It just didn’t work for me.
The Waving of the Flag by Thomas R. Gaskin:3.5/5
The story follows Toris in two timelines. First happens in the past when young Toris was full of zeal and impatient to go to war where she hoped to be engaged in action and adventure. In the second timeline, he’s practically last man standing on a bloody battlefield. Among dead bodies, blood and intestines.
It was done rather well, but due to format limitations wasn’t 100% satisfying. On the other hand, it touched many subjects, also war politics in an interesting way.
Worth trying.
The Art of War by Brian Staveley:5/5
I may be biased when it comes to Staveley - I’m a huge fan of his prose and his stories. Having said that, he touches some themes in a subtle and satisfying way so I hope other readers will appreciate this story as well.
General Dakesh is a legend. Sculptors sculpt him, painters paint him in all his bloody glory. Dakesh is similar to Logen Nine Fingers. He’s a nice bloke, rather cultural and finding satisfaction in watching grapes grow. But when he steps on the battlefield or arena, things change:
It’s almost as a god of war inhabits him in times of stress and fight. The focus of the story lies elsewhere, though. Don’t expect to see tons of bloody actions. Expect to receive a punch, though. Staveley’s good with emotions.
Hero of the Day by Nathan T. Boyce:2/5
Golfrey is a luffer with royal blood. He’s not particularly skilled with a bow and it’s a shame as he’s part of bowmen.
As usurper horseman advance, Golfrey analyzes the situation and tries to help.
The story touches the theme of those who become heroes despite their action being rather unheroic. But who’ll notice it in the chaos of the battle?
There was a little and cruel twist but the writing felt a bit off to me.
Sacred Semantics by Nicholas Eames: 4.5/5
Very, very good. Humorous, creative and twisty. There’s a conflict. People are dying. Both sides believe in the Spider Goddess but one side of the conflict believes she has eight legs, their antagonists will die and kill to make a point that she actually has six legs. One side wears blueish-grey uniforms, the other blueish-grey.
Go read it. It’s almost perfect.
The War God’s Axe by Anne Nichols: 3.75/5
Goat is a cripple. He lives among the people at the temple. Some of them are cruel him, some less. It seems Goat knows something that may save the day and the city. First, though, people need to believe him. There’s a mind-reader called Brainspoon and few other interesting characters.
It was quite enjoyable but, truth be told, I wasn’t fully invested in writing and characters.
The Feather and the Paw by Benedict Patrick: 5/5
I loved this one.
It’s a dark fairy tale telling the story of the Lionfolk invading Magpie King forest under King Reoric lead.
It has excellent ambiance and nice ending. Some of the creatures from Benedict Patrick debut novel appear.
Until the Light has Faded by Graham Austin-King:2.5/5
It was gritty and dark. Reanne and Ferrin flee the fae army. They want to warn their people before it’s too late.
While I enjoy Graham Austin-King prose and stories, I think this one doesn’t work very well as a standalone and self-contained story.
Under the Queen’s Throne by Ed Greenwood: 1/5
Not much to say about this one, except for the fact it didn’t work for me on any level. It doesn’t mean it’s bad. It’s just not for me. Also, I didn’t really appreciate this change of “direction”.
Good Steel by Zachary Barnes: 3/5
A fun story told from a piece of steel POV. Yes, you heard that right. Steel speaks about its face, elbows, experiencing blood for the first time and stuff.
It was quite fun and short. I believe it could be slightly better but, overall, it was enjoyable.
The Cost of Power by Ulff Lehmann: 2/5
Well, this one feels more like the first chapter of a novel than self-contained short story. As such it doesn't really work well for me.
The Undying Lands by Michael R. Fletcher and his Doppels: 4.5/5
If you're this far in the anthology and look forward to a ray of sunshine, a story that would show goodness and kindness in people in times of war, don't count of Mike Fletcher and his doppels. They'll shatter your hopes and bath you in blood and shit.
Fayad is going to die. She stabbed someone and now she finds herself in the arena with a rusty blade and little skill in using it. To survive she would have to defeat ten opponents.
It was grim and violent but also humorous in a dark way. A fine story.
The Fall of Tereen by Anna Smith-Spark: 3/5
Death, death, death. Blood, blood, blood. Viscera, viscera,viscera.
You know that Anna Smith - Spark isn't called Queen of the Grimdark without a reason, right? Her style and prose are unique but I have to admit they tired me in this particular story.
Valkyrie Rain by Dyrk Ashton:3/5
Dyrk Ashton is a walking myths encyclopedia. He knows all gods and goddesses by name. He knows their birthdays, names of their little ones, spouses and lovers.
And he's willing to use this knowledge to craft his world.
While I appreciate knowledge, I prefer stories that don't introduce dozens of characters in few pages. It's strictly subjective but it doesn't work for me.
Chattels by Stan Nichols: 1.5/5
The story starts with long and massive info dump written in italics. Infodumping in short story kills it for me. Ai it turns out, Chattels is one of few stories set in this world. The thing is I don't know this world and I expect stories in an anthology like this to be self-contained.
The story itself lacks a spark that would sustain my interest.
The Storm by Miles Cameron 3.5/5
It was one of longest stories in the anthology. It’s nicely plotted and a well written story about a siege and overcoming an impasse. Basically, it deserves, probably, higher rating but somehow I didn’t fully connect with Great Sword Ippeas. I think I’ll give it another go in some time.
Shortblade by Brandon Draga 4/5
Light, nicely written, humorous with well-sketched characters. I enjoyed this one a lot. There’s no blood and cruelty and yet it delivers a message. Well done Mr. Draga. Now you should think about changing your pen name (yes, yes, I know. I just couldn’t stop myself).
Rendered Chaos by D.M. Murray 4/5
Sontino DeVerocci is a sex-obsessed douchebag who enjoys fornication and alcohol. He loathes people and behaves deplorably. I would say it’s almost impossible to like him. And yet he’s a fun voice. He’s been forced into the army as a painter. Some of his numerous sins come back to hit him.
And when the battle starts he follows the front lines looking for perfect images that would allow him to capture the beauty of war on paintings.
It’s well written, twisty and fun.
The Best and the Bravest by M.L. Spencer - 3.5/5
Michel loves and respects his father. That’s why he finds pride in being his squire. His family doesn’t live well with everyone. On this particular day, there’s a fight with another ancient house. And the dead wights are watching.
The story is confusing at times but it has a strong and punchy ending. Worth reading.
Exhibition by Ben Galley: 3.5/5
An interesting view on the Art of War theme. It’s about war, art, and sense (or maybe lack of sense) of it all. Good ending.
Flesh and Coin by Anna Stephens: 3.5/5
It’s well written but damn, it’s quite depressing – even despite some elements of dark and brutal humor. Syl Stoneheart is a mercenary. She’s not happy with her name. She’s not good at business partnerships. She’s good at what she does, though. But so are other players presented in the story.
Truth be told, Anna Stephens’ world may be too dark for me.
I’m tempted to read Godblind but it seems if I decide to do so, I’ll have to download some Pratchett books on my Kindle to read something more positive in between pieces of grimdark reality and occasional bloodbath.
The Hero of Aral Pass by Mark Lawrence: 5/5
I have to confess I haven’t read Jalan series yet. I know Jorg, I love Nona. Somehow, though, I haven’t read Jalan series. A grave mistake I need to correct ASAP.
It was witty. It was funny. Also, it contains what I believe to be the perfect summary of war:
Let’s look at stats.
The Anthology contains forty short stories written by forty different authors. There was no way I could connect with all of them. The final results look this way and as they say, the truth is in numbers:
Loved: 4
Enjoyed: 7
Consider average: 15
Didn’t really like: 10
Disliked: 4
Here's a graph.
On the whole, the writing level and my personal enjoyment (which is, to me, most important factor) varied mostly around a mediocre level. Some of it got a little worse; some a little better. There were obvious exceptions that you’ll easily spot by looking at my ratings.
In the end, it might be that I’ve rated this anthology a little lower than it deserves, but if it is so, it’s because my expectations were probably too high. After seeing all these cool author names I was expecting my mind to be blown by pure awesomeness. Sadly, it didn’t happen.
I was strongly tempted to skip some of the stories. I haven’t but the temptation was there.
It is important to note, though, that there are some gems here and given that the money earned by the book will be given to a charity and can make people’s life better, I think it’s worth time and very reasonable price.
I’m pretty sure everyone will find here stories and protagonists that will speak to him. Not necessarily the ones I’ve indicated as most interesting.
My top six stories are:
The Art of War by Brian Staveley
The Hero of Aral Pass by Mark Lawrence
The Fox and the Bowman by Sebastian de Castell
The Feather and the Paw by Benedict Patrick
The Undying Lands by Michael R. Fletcher and his Doppels
Sacred Semantics Nicholas Eames
I enjoyed these stories for different reasons but I think each of them allowed me to look at a theme of war/conflicts through a different lense.
I encourage fantasy fans to give this anthology a try. I’m sure everyone will find some gems and the money will serve those in need. It’s a win-win transaction.
While I bought my share of anthologies throughout the years, I can’t think of a single one that would really satisfy me.
The reason is simple, really. There are many voices and styles and I have my preferences. There’s just no way I’ll connect with everyone.
The Art of War is a collection of short fiction inspired by the theme of war. The project was started by Petros Triantafyllou and I have a lot of respect and admiration for the guy. Engaging forty established authors for a charity project may not be as easy as some may think. The thought behind the project and its goal to raise money for Doctors Without Borders is praiseworthy.
Having said that, I’ll review the book as a book and not as a charity item.
So what was the focus of the anthology? The War and it’s many faces. The stories in this anthology have quite a range of topics and ideas in them. From pure adventure to blood-soaked trenches and utter dispair. Spread throughout these stories were aspects and ideals of heroism, war politics, sacrifice and faith in higher values.
Below you’ll find mini (some micro or even nano) reviews of forty stories.
The Breaking of the Sky by Ed McDonald: 3/5
If someone hoped, despite the anthology theme, to get some lighthearted reading about noble soldiers rescuing kittens, Ed's here to destroy these hopes with a dark and dreary tale set in the Raven's Mark world. The story is depressing and brutal. Being nice girl in a time of war isn't recommended.
The Last Arrow by Mitchell Hogan: 2/5
Chewing chunks of rat meat, diarrhea, rotting bodies - that's some of "goodies" within the story. Soldiers are exhausted and starving. Hope is lost. There's also a magic arrow.
I liked the language but the story didn't make a lot of sense to me.
Dear Menelaus by Laura M. Hughes: 4/5
This story is very short. It's actually a letter written by Helen of Troy to Menelaus to Menelaus. Helen isn't partial to his decision to invade Troy. She reflects upon men and women roles in times of war. I liked the language, I enjoyed the perspective and humor.
Nice, twisty short story.
Warborn by C.T. Phipps – 2/5
A young woman summons a demon. Her choice of sacrificial blood isn’t perfect but the demon appears anyway. Girl wants him to kill her parents who are Warborn (demons who enjoy mayhem and destruction; they’re not best pals with guys from hell). It has a bit of a humor but the battle between demons is utterly disappointing and final twist unsurprising. It didn’t impress me.
The Greatest Battle by John Gwynne - 2.5/5
I did some google-fu. It seems that the story heroes are well known to Gwynne fans. Because I haven’t read his books yet, I knew nothing about them. As a result, I can appreciate nice prose and pacing, but I felt lost. It was quite brutal.
This War of Ours by Timandra Whitecastle - 4/5
I’m not sure when the story happens (bombarding is mentioned) but it’s not really important. What’s important is the fact that this story is self-contained and has a strong emotional impact. It follows Sparrow and her family who are on the run. Her mother is a Nightwitch, there are people (?) who want to catch them or at least one of her children. It’s well written and has slightly unsettling ambiance I enjoyed.
Shadows in the Mist by Sue Tingey: 2/5
Horror fantasy about a small war band finding something unexpected and dangerous into the battlefield. Truth be told, it’s a forgettable and uninspiring story that lacked strong twist and ending.
The Art: Post War by RJ Barker: 3/5
Beauty can be found everywhere, even in a ruined city. I liked this one. Second person storytelling works for me and this particular voice was fine. Also, I appreciate dark humor.
The Fox and the Bowman by Sebastian de Castell: 5/5
It seems I made a mistake. A serious mistake. People kept on recommending de Castell books and I ignored the voice of reason. After finishing this short story his books get near the top of my TBR list.
It was, above all, fun, well written, well plotted and entertaining. Thomas is just about to kill a knight with the arrow through the head when mysterious Master Reynard appears and stops him. It seems the man with fox face has better plan to have revenge on the knights. The story moves through centuries, there’s some cool magic and the writing has great flow. Excellent short story.
Arrow’s Wrath by Charles F. Bond: 1/5
Hmmm. Frankly, I didn’t like this one. It lacked lightness, the prose was heavy and the ending was weak. Characters felt indistinct to me and the intrigue rather disappointing.
Hard Lessons by Michael R. Miller: 2/5
Grim, dark, no humor involved. I didn’t care for Scythe and couldn’t get into the world. I guess Miller’s readers might appreciate this one more than me. For me, though, it’s the second warning sign (the other being author’s short story in Lost Lore) suggesting I won’t feel well in Miller’s world.
Battle for Elucame: Leah by R.B. Watkinson: 1/5
The protagonist is a violent rebel good with knives. She’s focused on revenge. I dunno, I couldn’t get into it and the story irked me in a way. I believe not everything is as clear as it should be in short story. Some terms that constitute part of the world weren’t explained at all.
The Revolution Changed Everyone by D. Thourson Palmer: 2/5
There’s a twist here. But it didn’t impress me. Neither has storytelling. It’s an ok story about a healer working during a time of the bloody revolution. I was tempted to skip it.
Misplaced Heroism by Andrew Rowe: 3/5
There a guy. Unlucky one. He was chilling drinking his coffee and enjoying reddit when the light blinded him and transported to the other world where he’s supposed to save everyone from a demon. In order to do so, he studies spells.
It was an enjoyable story that played nicely with a chosen one trope. I would enjoy it more without the necessity to learn/read about magic levels and upgrades through potions and stuff. Some people are into RPG-ish elements in the stories but I’m on the opposite side of the target audience. Truth be told, I hate these elements. Can’t help it.
Nevertheless, I appreciate final twist, a healthy dose of humor and the nicely crafted world.
Violet by Mazarkis Williams: 3/5
Someone has taken something from Violet and she wants it back. Things get complicated as Violet doesn’t have a lot of money and she’ll need to go across the sea. In order to do so, she’ll have to part with something important.
It’s nicely written, well paced and enjoyable. I like it.
The Two Faces of War by Rob J. Hayes: 3/5
It’s a time of war. People are dying. A healer and a warrior speak about their experience and ask a question about the sense of it all.
I enjoyed dark humor and nice flow of the story.
Grannit by JP Ashman: 3.5/5
Established and rich knight and a boy go to war. It’s a nice story, not as dark as many gathered here and has good flow.
Asalantir Forever by Steven Poore: 4/5
Well, it’s well written and bloody. A group of people joins the assault to take the walls of Asalantir, Jin and her pride join the assault through the bloody trenches to take the walls of Asalantir. Her pride is nicely characterized in few short sentences and the pacing was excellent.
So far it’s the first story that displays trenches, an image I have in my head when thinking about wars (due to the childhood nights spent in front of the TV).
I liked the language. It offers some strong imagery and nice sentences like this one:
Spill offers a flaccid skin. The Pride takes a mouthful each. The last of the water. It tastes of dirt and death, just as the air does..
I think this kind of short, concise sentences imagery sets the dreary tone well.
Tower of the Last by Steven Kelliher: 2/5
While I can’t say a bad word about the prose or pacing, I wasn’t really thrilled with this one. Basically, it follows Madrek who ascends the tower and fights with others along the way. I don’t know. It just didn’t work for me.
The Waving of the Flag by Thomas R. Gaskin:3.5/5
The story follows Toris in two timelines. First happens in the past when young Toris was full of zeal and impatient to go to war where she hoped to be engaged in action and adventure. In the second timeline, he’s practically last man standing on a bloody battlefield. Among dead bodies, blood and intestines.
It was done rather well, but due to format limitations wasn’t 100% satisfying. On the other hand, it touched many subjects, also war politics in an interesting way.
Worth trying.
The Art of War by Brian Staveley:5/5
I may be biased when it comes to Staveley - I’m a huge fan of his prose and his stories. Having said that, he touches some themes in a subtle and satisfying way so I hope other readers will appreciate this story as well.
General Dakesh is a legend. Sculptors sculpt him, painters paint him in all his bloody glory. Dakesh is similar to Logen Nine Fingers. He’s a nice bloke, rather cultural and finding satisfaction in watching grapes grow. But when he steps on the battlefield or arena, things change:
One moment, he felt ready to vomit up his own heart. The next, he was standing over the Mad Bull’s body, soaked in blood, a severed head clutched in his left hand.
It’s almost as a god of war inhabits him in times of stress and fight. The focus of the story lies elsewhere, though. Don’t expect to see tons of bloody actions. Expect to receive a punch, though. Staveley’s good with emotions.
Hero of the Day by Nathan T. Boyce:2/5
Golfrey is a luffer with royal blood. He’s not particularly skilled with a bow and it’s a shame as he’s part of bowmen.
As usurper horseman advance, Golfrey analyzes the situation and tries to help.
The story touches the theme of those who become heroes despite their action being rather unheroic. But who’ll notice it in the chaos of the battle?
There was a little and cruel twist but the writing felt a bit off to me.
Sacred Semantics by Nicholas Eames: 4.5/5
Very, very good. Humorous, creative and twisty. There’s a conflict. People are dying. Both sides believe in the Spider Goddess but one side of the conflict believes she has eight legs, their antagonists will die and kill to make a point that she actually has six legs. One side wears blueish-grey uniforms, the other blueish-grey.
Go read it. It’s almost perfect.
The War God’s Axe by Anne Nichols: 3.75/5
Goat is a cripple. He lives among the people at the temple. Some of them are cruel him, some less. It seems Goat knows something that may save the day and the city. First, though, people need to believe him. There’s a mind-reader called Brainspoon and few other interesting characters.
It was quite enjoyable but, truth be told, I wasn’t fully invested in writing and characters.
The Feather and the Paw by Benedict Patrick: 5/5
I loved this one.
The story takes place in the early days of the world, when the creatures of the forest had not yet lost the ability to speak, when dog and deer and man would tread alongside each other through the woodland, conversing happily about their hopes and misfortunes.
It’s a dark fairy tale telling the story of the Lionfolk invading Magpie King forest under King Reoric lead.
It has excellent ambiance and nice ending. Some of the creatures from Benedict Patrick debut novel appear.
Until the Light has Faded by Graham Austin-King:2.5/5
It was gritty and dark. Reanne and Ferrin flee the fae army. They want to warn their people before it’s too late.
While I enjoy Graham Austin-King prose and stories, I think this one doesn’t work very well as a standalone and self-contained story.
Under the Queen’s Throne by Ed Greenwood: 1/5
Not much to say about this one, except for the fact it didn’t work for me on any level. It doesn’t mean it’s bad. It’s just not for me. Also, I didn’t really appreciate this change of “direction”.
Good Steel by Zachary Barnes: 3/5
A fun story told from a piece of steel POV. Yes, you heard that right. Steel speaks about its face, elbows, experiencing blood for the first time and stuff.
It was quite fun and short. I believe it could be slightly better but, overall, it was enjoyable.
The Cost of Power by Ulff Lehmann: 2/5
Well, this one feels more like the first chapter of a novel than self-contained short story. As such it doesn't really work well for me.
The Undying Lands by Michael R. Fletcher and his Doppels: 4.5/5
If you're this far in the anthology and look forward to a ray of sunshine, a story that would show goodness and kindness in people in times of war, don't count of Mike Fletcher and his doppels. They'll shatter your hopes and bath you in blood and shit.
Fayad is going to die. She stabbed someone and now she finds herself in the arena with a rusty blade and little skill in using it. To survive she would have to defeat ten opponents.
It was grim and violent but also humorous in a dark way. A fine story.
The Fall of Tereen by Anna Smith-Spark: 3/5
Death, death, death. Blood, blood, blood. Viscera, viscera,viscera.
You know that Anna Smith - Spark isn't called Queen of the Grimdark without a reason, right? Her style and prose are unique but I have to admit they tired me in this particular story.
Valkyrie Rain by Dyrk Ashton:3/5
Dyrk Ashton is a walking myths encyclopedia. He knows all gods and goddesses by name. He knows their birthdays, names of their little ones, spouses and lovers.
And he's willing to use this knowledge to craft his world.
While I appreciate knowledge, I prefer stories that don't introduce dozens of characters in few pages. It's strictly subjective but it doesn't work for me.
Chattels by Stan Nichols: 1.5/5
The story starts with long and massive info dump written in italics. Infodumping in short story kills it for me. Ai it turns out, Chattels is one of few stories set in this world. The thing is I don't know this world and I expect stories in an anthology like this to be self-contained.
The story itself lacks a spark that would sustain my interest.
The Storm by Miles Cameron 3.5/5
It was one of longest stories in the anthology. It’s nicely plotted and a well written story about a siege and overcoming an impasse. Basically, it deserves, probably, higher rating but somehow I didn’t fully connect with Great Sword Ippeas. I think I’ll give it another go in some time.
Shortblade by Brandon Draga 4/5
Light, nicely written, humorous with well-sketched characters. I enjoyed this one a lot. There’s no blood and cruelty and yet it delivers a message. Well done Mr. Draga. Now you should think about changing your pen name (yes, yes, I know. I just couldn’t stop myself).
Rendered Chaos by D.M. Murray 4/5
Sontino DeVerocci is a sex-obsessed douchebag who enjoys fornication and alcohol. He loathes people and behaves deplorably. I would say it’s almost impossible to like him. And yet he’s a fun voice. He’s been forced into the army as a painter. Some of his numerous sins come back to hit him.
And when the battle starts he follows the front lines looking for perfect images that would allow him to capture the beauty of war on paintings.
It’s well written, twisty and fun.
The Best and the Bravest by M.L. Spencer - 3.5/5
Michel loves and respects his father. That’s why he finds pride in being his squire. His family doesn’t live well with everyone. On this particular day, there’s a fight with another ancient house. And the dead wights are watching.
The story is confusing at times but it has a strong and punchy ending. Worth reading.
Exhibition by Ben Galley: 3.5/5
An interesting view on the Art of War theme. It’s about war, art, and sense (or maybe lack of sense) of it all. Good ending.
Flesh and Coin by Anna Stephens: 3.5/5
It’s well written but damn, it’s quite depressing – even despite some elements of dark and brutal humor. Syl Stoneheart is a mercenary. She’s not happy with her name. She’s not good at business partnerships. She’s good at what she does, though. But so are other players presented in the story.
Truth be told, Anna Stephens’ world may be too dark for me.
I’m tempted to read Godblind but it seems if I decide to do so, I’ll have to download some Pratchett books on my Kindle to read something more positive in between pieces of grimdark reality and occasional bloodbath.
The Hero of Aral Pass by Mark Lawrence: 5/5
I have to confess I haven’t read Jalan series yet. I know Jorg, I love Nona. Somehow, though, I haven’t read Jalan series. A grave mistake I need to correct ASAP.
It was witty. It was funny. Also, it contains what I believe to be the perfect summary of war:
War is neither a science or an art, it’s a fucking mess, and the only sane response to it is to run fast in the opposite direction..
Let’s look at stats.
The Anthology contains forty short stories written by forty different authors. There was no way I could connect with all of them. The final results look this way and as they say, the truth is in numbers:
Loved: 4
Enjoyed: 7
Consider average: 15
Didn’t really like: 10
Disliked: 4
Here's a graph.
On the whole, the writing level and my personal enjoyment (which is, to me, most important factor) varied mostly around a mediocre level. Some of it got a little worse; some a little better. There were obvious exceptions that you’ll easily spot by looking at my ratings.
In the end, it might be that I’ve rated this anthology a little lower than it deserves, but if it is so, it’s because my expectations were probably too high. After seeing all these cool author names I was expecting my mind to be blown by pure awesomeness. Sadly, it didn’t happen.
I was strongly tempted to skip some of the stories. I haven’t but the temptation was there.
It is important to note, though, that there are some gems here and given that the money earned by the book will be given to a charity and can make people’s life better, I think it’s worth time and very reasonable price.
I’m pretty sure everyone will find here stories and protagonists that will speak to him. Not necessarily the ones I’ve indicated as most interesting.
My top six stories are:
The Art of War by Brian Staveley
The Hero of Aral Pass by Mark Lawrence
The Fox and the Bowman by Sebastian de Castell
The Feather and the Paw by Benedict Patrick
The Undying Lands by Michael R. Fletcher and his Doppels
Sacred Semantics Nicholas Eames
I enjoyed these stories for different reasons but I think each of them allowed me to look at a theme of war/conflicts through a different lense.
I encourage fantasy fans to give this anthology a try. I’m sure everyone will find some gems and the money will serve those in need. It’s a win-win transaction.
richard_nell's review
4.0
Overall/tl;dr
A dark, wonderful fantasy anthology with a mix of newer and established authors. If you read this and don't end up with several books on your TBR pile, I'll send you your money back. OK that's a lie, I'm very cheap, and actually the proceeds here are for charity so you really shouldn't have asked, you monster.
A note on my reading bias.
I've read almost none of these authors with the exception of M.L. Spencer (1 of her books), and Mark Lawrence (erm, mostly, all of them...). So I went in pretty blank and objective, and actually Spencer made my top 5 without me realizing it (I'd forgotten who the author of the story was until I went back). So, I completely admit unfair Lawrence bias, and nothing else!
*Edit - I've realized I also read one of Brian Staveley's books, but I'd completely forgotten this as I read.
My top five favorites (thanks to Petrik at BookNest for the inspiration! Also your choices are slightly wrong! Eternal war between us is on!)
5. The Art of War - Brian Staveley
Not much to say here. Clever story-telling, very interesting character, well-written. I wanted more. Also I just remembered in this moment I've read the first book in Mr. Staveley's Unhewn Throne series and wasn't hugely keen to continue. I might change my mind about that...
4. The Best and Bravest - M.L. Spencer
The world-building got me here, and I wanted to know more, damnit. The second I felt this way and the story ended, I narrowed my eyes and did the only thing a reader can do in such situations. I admitted defeat. You got me.
3. The Breaking of the Sky - Ed McDonald
Dark, clever, well-written. Actually the only problem with this story is that it was first and took like 10 more stories to find something I liked as much. This bogged me down a little. Thanks a lot, Ed.
2. Exibition - Ben Galley
Whether this story is simply Mr. Galley's style, or inspired by opioids, it's trippy as hell. And frankly I loved it. I don't think I can tell you what happened or why it happened, but you know what? I don't care. This fellow can write. I'll be looking for more.
1. The Hero of Aral Pass - Mark Lawrence
Ah, Mr. Lawrence. Maybe to actually add some value here I'll just say this story is very amusing and clever, and not only finished the anthology well, but in a pleasant way. War is a dark subject, but ultimately - no matter the darkness of life - all one can do is have a sense of humour.
On War and darkness
I expect I'll blog about this elsewhere, but I just wanted to add for anyone thinking they'd rather not read about war and suffering for several hundred pages - every now and then, you really should. We all have problems. We all read the daily depression of the news. But stories like these can help remind us that life is very capable of being more terrible than we can imagine. That the technology and peace forged by the blood and sweat of our ancestors need not last forever. So cherish it. Protect it. Evil and darkness exists in this world, and to appreciate our lives in contrast, every now and then, it must be stared at. Fantasy stories are a good place to start, and this one helps to serve those who need not use their imagination.
A dark, wonderful fantasy anthology with a mix of newer and established authors. If you read this and don't end up with several books on your TBR pile, I'll send you your money back. OK that's a lie, I'm very cheap, and actually the proceeds here are for charity so you really shouldn't have asked, you monster.
A note on my reading bias.
I've read almost none of these authors with the exception of M.L. Spencer (1 of her books), and Mark Lawrence (erm, mostly, all of them...). So I went in pretty blank and objective, and actually Spencer made my top 5 without me realizing it (I'd forgotten who the author of the story was until I went back). So, I completely admit unfair Lawrence bias, and nothing else!
*Edit - I've realized I also read one of Brian Staveley's books, but I'd completely forgotten this as I read.
My top five favorites (thanks to Petrik at BookNest for the inspiration! Also your choices are slightly wrong! Eternal war between us is on!)
5. The Art of War - Brian Staveley
Not much to say here. Clever story-telling, very interesting character, well-written. I wanted more. Also I just remembered in this moment I've read the first book in Mr. Staveley's Unhewn Throne series and wasn't hugely keen to continue. I might change my mind about that...
4. The Best and Bravest - M.L. Spencer
The world-building got me here, and I wanted to know more, damnit. The second I felt this way and the story ended, I narrowed my eyes and did the only thing a reader can do in such situations. I admitted defeat. You got me.
3. The Breaking of the Sky - Ed McDonald
Dark, clever, well-written. Actually the only problem with this story is that it was first and took like 10 more stories to find something I liked as much. This bogged me down a little. Thanks a lot, Ed.
2. Exibition - Ben Galley
Whether this story is simply Mr. Galley's style, or inspired by opioids, it's trippy as hell. And frankly I loved it. I don't think I can tell you what happened or why it happened, but you know what? I don't care. This fellow can write. I'll be looking for more.
1. The Hero of Aral Pass - Mark Lawrence
Ah, Mr. Lawrence. Maybe to actually add some value here I'll just say this story is very amusing and clever, and not only finished the anthology well, but in a pleasant way. War is a dark subject, but ultimately - no matter the darkness of life - all one can do is have a sense of humour.
On War and darkness
I expect I'll blog about this elsewhere, but I just wanted to add for anyone thinking they'd rather not read about war and suffering for several hundred pages - every now and then, you really should. We all have problems. We all read the daily depression of the news. But stories like these can help remind us that life is very capable of being more terrible than we can imagine. That the technology and peace forged by the blood and sweat of our ancestors need not last forever. So cherish it. Protect it. Evil and darkness exists in this world, and to appreciate our lives in contrast, every now and then, it must be stared at. Fantasy stories are a good place to start, and this one helps to serve those who need not use their imagination.