Review - Songs of Love & Death by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois

TITLE:    Songs of Love and Death: All-Original Tales of Star-Crossed Love
AUTHOR/EDITOR:    Editors George R. R. Martin & Gardner Dozois
INFO:    Hardcover, Fiction, 468
PUBLISHED:   Gallery Books, 2010
ISBN#:   978-1-4391-5014-6
HOW'D I GET IT:   Received from Gallery Books for Review

FROM GOODREADS:  In this star-studded cross-genre anthology, seventeen of the greatest modern authors of fantasy, science fiction, and romance explore the borderlands of their genres with brand-new tales of ill-fated love. From zombie-infested woods in a postapocalyptic America to faery-haunted rural fields in eighteenth- century England, from the kingdoms of high fantasy to the alien world of a galaxy-spanning empire, these are stories of lovers who must struggle against the forces of magic and fate.

Award-winning, bestselling author Neil Gaiman demonstrates why he’s one of the hottest stars in literature today with “The Thing About Cassandra,” a subtle but chilling story of a man who meets an old girlfriend he had never expected to see.


International blockbuster bestselling author Diana Gabaldon sends a World War II RAF pilot through a stone circle to the time of her Outlander series in “A Leaf on the Winds of All Hallows.” Torn from all he knows, Jerry MacKenzie determinedly survives hardship and danger, intent on his goal of returning home to his wife and baby—no matter the cost.


New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher presents “Love Hurts,” in which Harry Dresden takes on one of his deadliest adversaries and in the process is forced to confront the secret desires of his own heart.


Just the smallest sampling promises unearthly delights, but look also for stories by New York Times bestselling romance authors Jo Beverley and Mary Jo Putney, and by such legends of the fantasy genre as Peter S. Beagle and Tanith Lee, as well as many other popular and beloved writers, including Marjorie M. Liu, Jacqueline Carey, Carrie Vaughn, and Robin Hobb. This exquisite anthology, crafted by the peerless editing team of George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, is sure to leave you under its spell.


Discover the many realms of the heart with this extraordinary cast of acclaimed authors:


PETER S. BEAGLE
JO BEVERLEY
JIM BUTCHER
JACQUELINE CAREY
DIANA GABALDON
NEIL GAIMAN
YASMINE GALENORN
M.L.N. HANOVER
ROBIN HOBB
CECELIA HOLLAND
TANITH LEE
MARJORIE M. LIU
MARY JO PUTNEY
LINNEA SINCLAIR
MELINDA SNODGRASS
LISA TUTTLE
CARRIE VAUGHN

MY TAKE:   This book was a must-read for me as soon as I read that Diana Gabaldon had contributed a new story for this collection.  Her "A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows" was well worth the wait.  It ties up some unanswered questions about Roger Mackenzie's father Jeremy as well as opening up some more lines from "An Echo in the Bone".

Many other favorite authors added their all-original tales of star-crossed love for this happy, sad, tear-jerking, smile-making group of shorts.  While there were a couple of stories that I didn't really care for (as happens with any collection), most of them have reaffirmed my enjoyment of the authors' writing or introduced me to a few new-to-me writers that I will seek out in the future.

Two of my top picks along with Diana Gabaldon would be Jo Beverly with her inventive tale "The Marrying Maid" inspired by Tatiana and Oberon's continual toying with humankind and "Blue Boots" from Robin Hobb which follows the lingering love story of a minstrel and a kitchen girl.

I highly recommend this collection and I think it would be a great gift idea for the avid reader on your gift list.
   
MY RATING:    4.5

WHERE TO BUY IT:   Amazon, The Book Depository, Powell's Books

 

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

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!