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alwroteabook's review
5.0
**Edit** I forgot to mention the ARC bit.
This anthology has managed to cram in 40 different authors to write 40 different stories on the nature (or art) of war - and it is masterful.
There are stories of comradeship and deceit, victories and defeats, tales of great bravery and others of great cowardice, battles that end badly and battles that end well. Some are light-hearted and some are pitch black (they are predominantly grimdark authors). There are authors you already know and authors you will want to know more of. It's all in here, and a lot more.
It's a blast, tearing through at a breakneck pace. I enjoyed all forty tales, but naturally some more than others (no disrespect to said others). My seven favourites (I tried five but couldn't cut it down) are in no particular order other than their appearance in the book:
The Last Arrow, by Mitchell Hogan - an archer faces a seemingly unbeatable foe
Dear Menelaus, by Laura M Hughes - a take on the Trojan War from Helen's perspective
The Two Faces of War, by Rob J Hayes - two soldiers - one a healer, one an old warrior - share their stories on the eve of battle
Grannit, by JP Ashman - a young soldier learns the value of loyalty
Assantir Forever, by Steven Poore - sometimes, battles can seem endless
Flesh and Coin, by Anna Stephens - a group of mercenaries set out to rob a wagon train
The Hero of Aral Pass, by Mark Lawrence - a tale of epic heroism. But then, history is written by winners.
I could go on. If someone suggested seven others, I wouldn't argue. As I scrolled through the contents to get the exact titles of the stories, I kept thinking "oh, there's this one. And this one."
Just read the damn thing already.
This anthology has managed to cram in 40 different authors to write 40 different stories on the nature (or art) of war - and it is masterful.
There are stories of comradeship and deceit, victories and defeats, tales of great bravery and others of great cowardice, battles that end badly and battles that end well. Some are light-hearted and some are pitch black (they are predominantly grimdark authors). There are authors you already know and authors you will want to know more of. It's all in here, and a lot more.
It's a blast, tearing through at a breakneck pace. I enjoyed all forty tales, but naturally some more than others (no disrespect to said others). My seven favourites (I tried five but couldn't cut it down) are in no particular order other than their appearance in the book:
The Last Arrow, by Mitchell Hogan - an archer faces a seemingly unbeatable foe
Dear Menelaus, by Laura M Hughes - a take on the Trojan War from Helen's perspective
The Two Faces of War, by Rob J Hayes - two soldiers - one a healer, one an old warrior - share their stories on the eve of battle
Grannit, by JP Ashman - a young soldier learns the value of loyalty
Assantir Forever, by Steven Poore - sometimes, battles can seem endless
Flesh and Coin, by Anna Stephens - a group of mercenaries set out to rob a wagon train
The Hero of Aral Pass, by Mark Lawrence - a tale of epic heroism. But then, history is written by winners.
I could go on. If someone suggested seven others, I wouldn't argue. As I scrolled through the contents to get the exact titles of the stories, I kept thinking "oh, there's this one. And this one."
Just read the damn thing already.
jamesnotlatimer's review
4.0
Bit late to the party, but I didn't want to review until I'd actually read them all. Some great stories here, and so many that there will be something for everyone, even if a few weren't to my taste. There are strong stories from some of the better-known authors as well, as you might expect, but just as many from the lesser-known ones. It's been a while, but the ones that stand out for me weeks later were Timandra Whitecastle's moving "This War of Ours" and Steven Poore's frenetic "Asalantir Forever". Overall it manages to portray many different facets of one of fantasy fictions favorite subjects. I hope it raises loads of money for its very good cause as well!
eyed's review
5.0
This was a fantastic anthology with quite a few stand out stories that were really amazing. There were quite a few stories that I thoroughly enjoyed that did not fall into the amazing category,. There were also a few stories in here that I didn't particularly enjoy. The ones I didn't enjoy were not bad or poorly written they just weren't for me, I feel like this is a pretty standard feeling about most anthologies that include forty stories.
Going in I was familiar with the work of some of the authors included in this anthology and some I had heard of but never read. For some of the authors that were new to me their work included made quite an impression on me. One of my favorite things about anthologies is getting to sample the work of so many authors in a single book. My to read list has definitely grown based on what I experienced.
The reason I give this five stars is that there are a lot of amazing stories in here. I had a hard time narrowing it down to my top ten but here they are in the order they appeared.
The Last Arrow by Mitchell Hogan
This was the tale of a farmer conscripted to war. The way the characters thoughts and emotions were described was amazing. I am looking forward to reading more from Mr. Hogan.
Dear Menelaus by Laura M Hughes
This is definitely one of the shorter stories but it was a powerful one. I loved the point of view chosen and the way it was told. Based on her contribution to Lost Lore this was one of the stories I was most looking forward to and my expectations were exceeded.
This War of Ours by Timandra Whitecastle
The list that started this story out set the pace for the emotional ride I was in for and it did not let up throughout. Probably the most intense story in the book for me. I loved it even though it made me sad.
The Fox and the Bowman by Sebastian de Castell
This was a very strange story about revenge. It told a lot of story in a short amount of pages. At first I was a little confused about what was actually happening but as it progressed it became one of the most memorable stories for me. I had never heard of this author but I have added him to my to read list.
Misplaced Heroism by Andrew Rowe
This was a pretty awesome story for me. It was my first adventure into the LitRPG genre and it had some unexpected twists that made me really enjoy it.
The Waving of the Flag by Thomas R Gaskin
This was an excellently written story. It was about how the powerful use deceit to get their people on board for a war. This one really hit home for me as I was in the military and was deployed for reasons that when I was younger I believed in and now that I am older see how it was done for all the wrong reasons.
The Art of War by Brian Stavely
Being a big fan or Brian Stavely I was really looking forward to this one and it was awesome. He is an excellent story teller and the tale he weaves in these few short pages is incredible.
Good Steel by Zachary Barnes
This is the story of a piece of metal being forged into the blade of a hoe. It tells from the metals perspective how he feels about being used for different tasks. It stood out for its uniqueness and emotion for me. Another new author that I really enjoyed.
The Undying Lands by Michael R Fletcher
There was some very incredible world building done in a very short time in this, and the story that took place in that world was top notch. This might be my favorite story included but it is tough to say for sure with so many great ones. I have been interested in books by Mr. Fletcher for some time but this story moved him to the top of my list of authors I want to read more by.
Exhibition by Ben Galley
This was an amazing story. The concept was so cool. It is about a student that is asked to paint the art of war and given unique experiences to do so. I have only read this and his story from Lost Lore but Ben Galley's Written is sitting on my desk to be read as soon as I manage to get through all my library books.
I recommend this to any fan of fantasy, you might just find your new favorite author in here.
Going in I was familiar with the work of some of the authors included in this anthology and some I had heard of but never read. For some of the authors that were new to me their work included made quite an impression on me. One of my favorite things about anthologies is getting to sample the work of so many authors in a single book. My to read list has definitely grown based on what I experienced.
The reason I give this five stars is that there are a lot of amazing stories in here. I had a hard time narrowing it down to my top ten but here they are in the order they appeared.
The Last Arrow by Mitchell Hogan
This was the tale of a farmer conscripted to war. The way the characters thoughts and emotions were described was amazing. I am looking forward to reading more from Mr. Hogan.
Dear Menelaus by Laura M Hughes
This is definitely one of the shorter stories but it was a powerful one. I loved the point of view chosen and the way it was told. Based on her contribution to Lost Lore this was one of the stories I was most looking forward to and my expectations were exceeded.
This War of Ours by Timandra Whitecastle
The list that started this story out set the pace for the emotional ride I was in for and it did not let up throughout. Probably the most intense story in the book for me. I loved it even though it made me sad.
The Fox and the Bowman by Sebastian de Castell
This was a very strange story about revenge. It told a lot of story in a short amount of pages. At first I was a little confused about what was actually happening but as it progressed it became one of the most memorable stories for me. I had never heard of this author but I have added him to my to read list.
Misplaced Heroism by Andrew Rowe
This was a pretty awesome story for me. It was my first adventure into the LitRPG genre and it had some unexpected twists that made me really enjoy it.
The Waving of the Flag by Thomas R Gaskin
This was an excellently written story. It was about how the powerful use deceit to get their people on board for a war. This one really hit home for me as I was in the military and was deployed for reasons that when I was younger I believed in and now that I am older see how it was done for all the wrong reasons.
The Art of War by Brian Stavely
Being a big fan or Brian Stavely I was really looking forward to this one and it was awesome. He is an excellent story teller and the tale he weaves in these few short pages is incredible.
Good Steel by Zachary Barnes
This is the story of a piece of metal being forged into the blade of a hoe. It tells from the metals perspective how he feels about being used for different tasks. It stood out for its uniqueness and emotion for me. Another new author that I really enjoyed.
The Undying Lands by Michael R Fletcher
There was some very incredible world building done in a very short time in this, and the story that took place in that world was top notch. This might be my favorite story included but it is tough to say for sure with so many great ones. I have been interested in books by Mr. Fletcher for some time but this story moved him to the top of my list of authors I want to read more by.
Exhibition by Ben Galley
This was an amazing story. The concept was so cool. It is about a student that is asked to paint the art of war and given unique experiences to do so. I have only read this and his story from Lost Lore but Ben Galley's Written is sitting on my desk to be read as soon as I manage to get through all my library books.
I recommend this to any fan of fantasy, you might just find your new favorite author in here.
swiff's review
5.0
I've read about 60% of this book so far, and have been impressed with nearly all of them. Exceptional list of authors covering the subject of War from different angles and takes, and nearly every story knocks it out of the park. I bought this book because not only are the profits going to Doctors Without Borders, but because it is a who's who list of some of the best genre writers in the game. But the best part of anthologies is discovering new writers that I can go explore after being exposed to their work for the first time, and I've found three new authors that I'm eager to dive into their back catalogs.
tctippens's review
4.0
Instead of writing a single review for the anthology or writing a short review of all 40 stories, I’ll leave you with my thoughts on my ten favorites from the anthology:
Sacred Semantics by Nicholas Eames
If I could take everything I loved about Kings of the Wyld and distill it into a single short story, this would be it. The world is unapologetically over-the-top in all the best ways. There’s a massive civil war going on between different factions who worship a spider goddess over how many legs she has: six or eight.
The Fox and the Bowman by Sebastian de Castell
Thomas swears revenge on the knight that took his family’s land. He climbs a hill, takes aim with his longbow, and….meets a wizard. The wizard offers to help him take revenge on the knight, and Thomas accepts.
This was simply excellent. The author makes great use of a couple tricks that really drew me in and complemented the story.
The Hero of Aral Pass by Mark Lawrence
I adored the Red Queen’s War trilogy, and this brings back the lovable, cowardly rouge Jalan Kendeth. Years after the events of the main series, Jalan decides to tell the true story of what actually happened at Aral Pass. As expected, the truth of the matter is far more interesting (and hilarious) than the story the rest of the Broken Empire knows.
The Undying Lands by Michael R. Fletcher
In the Undying Lands, widespread necromantic power has put an end to the finality of death. Every that dies continues living as an undead. This story is a bit of dark comedy following a woman who is condemned to fight in a gladiatorial arena for “accidentally” stabbing a man.
Why does this matter in a world where death is not the end? Well, the losers of the arena fights have their heads stacked on shelves throughout the arena as grotesque decorations. Those who fare particularly poorly in the arena get to spend an eternity decorating the walls of the community shitters.
This War of Ours by Timandra Whitecastle
Something about this story was incredibly compelling. A girl is on the run with her family, and their survival depends on utter silence. There’s a lot more going on in the world, but the author slowly reveals the mysteries surrounding the setting.
The prose kept things moving quickly and there was an air of mystery throughout the story as the author slowly revealed more about the world. In a short span of words, there was a complete story, full character arc, and a world that I would happily read a full-length novel about.
Misplaced Heroism by Andrew Rowe
It’s rare to find a short story that places fun above all else. This was a ton of fun.
The story begins with our hero being summoned through a magical ritual to help defend a fantasy realm from an army of demons. However, he’s just some random college kid.
The story doesn’t take itself too seriously. My favorite quote:
The Waving of the Flag by Thomas R. Gaskin
Usually, I can tell whether I’ll like a story from the start. I was a bit on the fence about the beginning of this story, but it just kept getting better.
Toris eagerly signed up for war, jumping at the chance for fame and glory. War was not quite what Toris expected.
The story picks up after years of battle, showing Toris as an experienced warrior. It then skips around in time, showing us the day Toris learned about the war, the day he signed up, the day he got his first taste of battle. Between each of these scenes, we get another picture of what is going on in the present.
Dear Menelaus by Laura M. Hughes
Helen of Troy is known as the face that launched a thousand ships, launching the infamous Trojan War. This story is from her perspective, written as a letter to her husband, Menelaus. She mocks him for his attitudes about war and martial approach to life.
This was a quick, fun read that offered a different perspective on Helen of Troy.
Violet by Mazarkis Williams
Violet is a lovely self-contained story that managed to make me feel as if I’d read a full-length novel. I don’t mean to say that it stretched on too long, or even that it was any longer than the other stories, but it just felt complete.
The story follows a young woman named Violet as she pursues a magician across the land. She thinks he’s stolen something from her, something to do with her very essence, and will not rest until she confronts him. Along the way, we get to see glimpses of what sounds like a truly fascinating world.
Exhibition by Ben Galley
This was probably one of the most interesting stories in the entire anthology. It follows a painter who must pass their final test by painting something that captures the art of war. The story makes use of some ideas that I’ve never seen outside of science fiction and pulls it off brilliantly.
Sacred Semantics by Nicholas Eames
If I could take everything I loved about Kings of the Wyld and distill it into a single short story, this would be it. The world is unapologetically over-the-top in all the best ways. There’s a massive civil war going on between different factions who worship a spider goddess over how many legs she has: six or eight.
The Fox and the Bowman by Sebastian de Castell
Thomas swears revenge on the knight that took his family’s land. He climbs a hill, takes aim with his longbow, and….meets a wizard. The wizard offers to help him take revenge on the knight, and Thomas accepts.
This was simply excellent. The author makes great use of a couple tricks that really drew me in and complemented the story.
The Hero of Aral Pass by Mark Lawrence
I adored the Red Queen’s War trilogy, and this brings back the lovable, cowardly rouge Jalan Kendeth. Years after the events of the main series, Jalan decides to tell the true story of what actually happened at Aral Pass. As expected, the truth of the matter is far more interesting (and hilarious) than the story the rest of the Broken Empire knows.
The Undying Lands by Michael R. Fletcher
In the Undying Lands, widespread necromantic power has put an end to the finality of death. Every that dies continues living as an undead. This story is a bit of dark comedy following a woman who is condemned to fight in a gladiatorial arena for “accidentally” stabbing a man.
Why does this matter in a world where death is not the end? Well, the losers of the arena fights have their heads stacked on shelves throughout the arena as grotesque decorations. Those who fare particularly poorly in the arena get to spend an eternity decorating the walls of the community shitters.
This War of Ours by Timandra Whitecastle
Something about this story was incredibly compelling. A girl is on the run with her family, and their survival depends on utter silence. There’s a lot more going on in the world, but the author slowly reveals the mysteries surrounding the setting.
The prose kept things moving quickly and there was an air of mystery throughout the story as the author slowly revealed more about the world. In a short span of words, there was a complete story, full character arc, and a world that I would happily read a full-length novel about.
Misplaced Heroism by Andrew Rowe
It’s rare to find a short story that places fun above all else. This was a ton of fun.
The story begins with our hero being summoned through a magical ritual to help defend a fantasy realm from an army of demons. However, he’s just some random college kid.
The story doesn’t take itself too seriously. My favorite quote:
Also, the legendary holy sword was kind of…bent.
They assured me it would still work just fine.
The Waving of the Flag by Thomas R. Gaskin
Usually, I can tell whether I’ll like a story from the start. I was a bit on the fence about the beginning of this story, but it just kept getting better.
Toris eagerly signed up for war, jumping at the chance for fame and glory. War was not quite what Toris expected.
The story picks up after years of battle, showing Toris as an experienced warrior. It then skips around in time, showing us the day Toris learned about the war, the day he signed up, the day he got his first taste of battle. Between each of these scenes, we get another picture of what is going on in the present.
Dear Menelaus by Laura M. Hughes
Helen of Troy is known as the face that launched a thousand ships, launching the infamous Trojan War. This story is from her perspective, written as a letter to her husband, Menelaus. She mocks him for his attitudes about war and martial approach to life.
This was a quick, fun read that offered a different perspective on Helen of Troy.
Violet by Mazarkis Williams
Violet is a lovely self-contained story that managed to make me feel as if I’d read a full-length novel. I don’t mean to say that it stretched on too long, or even that it was any longer than the other stories, but it just felt complete.
The story follows a young woman named Violet as she pursues a magician across the land. She thinks he’s stolen something from her, something to do with her very essence, and will not rest until she confronts him. Along the way, we get to see glimpses of what sounds like a truly fascinating world.
Exhibition by Ben Galley
This was probably one of the most interesting stories in the entire anthology. It follows a painter who must pass their final test by painting something that captures the art of war. The story makes use of some ideas that I’ve never seen outside of science fiction and pulls it off brilliantly.
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