WARRIORS - Review

TITLE:  Warriors
AUTHOR/EDITOR:  Edited by George R.R. Martin & Gardner Dozois
INFO: Hardcover, Fiction, 736 pages
PUBLISHED: Tor Books, 2010
ISBN#: 978-0-7953-2048-3
HOW'D I GET IT: Bought it

FROM THE COVER/PUBLISHER:
From George R. R. Martin’s Introduction to Warriors:

“People have been telling stories about warriors for as long as they have been telling stories. Since Homer first sang the wrath of Achilles and the ancient Sumerians set down their tales of Gilgamesh, warriors, soldiers, and fighters have fascinated us; they are a part of every culture, every literary tradition, every genre. All Quiet on the Western Front, From Here to Eternity, and The Red Badge of Courage have become part of our literary canon, taught in classrooms all around the country and the world. Our contributors make up an all-star lineup of award-winning and bestselling writers, representing a dozen different publishers and as many genres. We asked each of them for the same thing—a story about a warrior. Some chose to write in the genre they’re best known for. Some decided to try something different. You will find warriors of every shape, size, and color in these pages, warriors from every epoch of human history, from yesterday and today and tomorrow, and from worlds that never were. Some of the stories will make you sad, some will make you laugh, and many will keep you on the edge of your seat.”

CONTENTS:
"Stories from the Spinner Rack," by George R.R. Martin
"The King of Norway," by Cecelia Holland
"Forever Bound," by Joe Haldeman
"The Triumph," by Robin Hobb
"Clean Slate," by Lawrence Block
"And Ministers of Grace," by Tad Williams
"Soldierin'," by Joe Lansdale
"Dirae," by Peter S. Beagle
"The Eagle and the Rabbit," by Steven Saylor
"Seven Years from Home," by Naomi Novik
"The Custom of the Army," by Diana Gabaldon
"The Pit," by James Rollins
"Out of the Dark," by David Weber
"The Girls from Avenger," by Carrie Vaughn
"Ancient Ways," by S.M. Stirling
"Ninieslando" by Howard Waldrop
"Recidivist" by Gardner Dozois
"My Name is Legion," by David Morrell
"Defenders of the Frontier," by Robert Silverberg
"The Scroll," by David Ball
"The Mystery Knight," by George R.R. Martin

MY TAKE:  I don't always read introductions to books, but I was glad I did read this one. I loved George R.R. Martin's reference to the "spinner rack" at the drugstore. He compares this collection to the variety of books and comics you might have found on one of those dime store racks.

I tried to read all of the stories, but got very bogged down on a couple of them. A few left me scratching my head or just being glad I was finished with that particular story, if I finished it at all.  They really weren't my cup of tea, I guess. But...

That being said, three of the stories were quite memorable and enjoyable.  The three of them alone made the book worth the purchase.  I loved George R.R. Martin's "The Mystery Knight" - I'm planning on reading more of his Fire and Ice series now.  As always, I loved Diana Gabaldon's writing with her story "The Custom of the Army" (I'm reviewing Echo of the Bone in a few weeks).  And David Weber's "Out of the Dark" was a very well-weaved tale which left quite an impression.  The biggest compliment in my mind is that all of these left me wanting more.

While I don't give it 5 stars, I would definitely recommend this book to others simply because I feel that there is truly something for everyone in this collection of warrior tales. 

MY RATING:   4/5

WHERE TO BUY IT:  Amazon.com

Happy Reading!