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lizbusby's review
4.0
A good variety of stories, all involving a meeting between wizards of some type or other. The breadth of different interpretations of "wizard" is part of the fun of this anthology. Four of my favorites:
"The Business of Dragons" by Jodi L Milner - This story interprets the "Parliament of Wizards" as a pub and has a great spin on the "dragons actually not as dangerous as advertised" trope. The ending is a little pat, but worth it in my opinion.
"Blood Oath: An Orc Love Story" by Sarah E. Seeley - Woah, I was not expecting such a well-developed culture within a short story (granted, one of the longer ones in the collection). I want to read more about the world of these magic-wielding orcs. The titular love story has some great orc-y twists.
"What Burns in the Marshes" by Jeremy P Courville - The perfect Southern atmosphere captured in this story reminded me of Where the Crawdads Sing if it were a fantasy. (See? What book can't be improved with adding magic!) The adventures of Olive and her unusual familiar were cinematic, heart-renching, and triumphant.
"Wizards Die by Stages" by Steve DuBois - I loved the execution of the magic system based on offering small bits of your soul to tiny creatures in exchange for power, which will eventually kill you. You don't often read stories that center around the care of the elderly, and I loved the way the protagonist uses her ethical concerns to solve the dilemma.
"The Business of Dragons" by Jodi L Milner - This story interprets the "Parliament of Wizards" as a pub and has a great spin on the "dragons actually not as dangerous as advertised" trope. The ending is a little pat, but worth it in my opinion.
"Blood Oath: An Orc Love Story" by Sarah E. Seeley - Woah, I was not expecting such a well-developed culture within a short story (granted, one of the longer ones in the collection). I want to read more about the world of these magic-wielding orcs. The titular love story has some great orc-y twists.
"What Burns in the Marshes" by Jeremy P Courville - The perfect Southern atmosphere captured in this story reminded me of Where the Crawdads Sing if it were a fantasy. (See? What book can't be improved with adding magic!) The adventures of Olive and her unusual familiar were cinematic, heart-renching, and triumphant.
"Wizards Die by Stages" by Steve DuBois - I loved the execution of the magic system based on offering small bits of your soul to tiny creatures in exchange for power, which will eventually kill you. You don't often read stories that center around the care of the elderly, and I loved the way the protagonist uses her ethical concerns to solve the dilemma.
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