Tuesday, May 3, 2011

New(ish) Reviews for Myths and Magic

So, those who are wiser than I have informed me that when I get a rockin' review, or even just a nod, I need to use it as promo. And lo and behold, I reckon they're right and so I'm doing some of that now.
I published a short story in the anthology Myths and Magic, by Dreamspinner Press, called The Wild Hunt. Apparently a lot of peop enjoyed it, I've never gotten so many reviews that specifically mentioned my story out of the anthology line-up. Because it's fun to share, here are some excerpts from said reviews below.



Reviews By Jessewave link

From Jenre: One of the reasons I picked up this anthology, where all the stories are based around myths and legends, was because it had a few stories by my favourite authors. I’m happy to say that those stories didn’t disappoint, plus I found a few new authors whose stories were also very well written and who I shall probably look out for in the future.
My favourite of all the stories was The Wild Hunt by Cari Z., which tells the story of a young boy who becomes fascinated by the leader of the Wild Hunt during Halloween, and how this fascination colours his entire life. The author managed to skilfully interweave the Hunt mythology with the very ordinary tale of a young man who has one foot in a painful reality and another yearning for fantasy. I found it in turns exhilarating and heartbreaking and is worth the price of the anthology alone.


ERWA review link
Review by Vincent Diamond: One might argue that love itself is a myth, but that would cynical, wouldn't it? This anthology lets love mix it up with legends and myths from many cultures, times, and places. Thirteen male/male stories ranging from sad to serious to a bit silly, and many work quite well.


"Wild Hunt" by Cari Z. is another strong piece. As a small boy, David first encounters the horse, hounds, and huntsman of the Wild Hunt, and he's entranced from that moment on. The omniscient perspective works well in this piece with just a touch of David's sister and mother on the page. But it's largely David here, and he's a charming, sympathetic, and likeable character. Readers will root for he and the huntsman to get together. Beneath the love story, the undercurrent of grief and pain in this piece make this a story tinged with real sadness. Emotional and effective.



Amazon.com reviews

By J. Thomas: This book had so many different stories and authors to enjoy. With a wide variety of writing styles and plots there is sure to be something for everyone in this anthology. Whether it is a story about the Genie in the lamp or a Chinese dragon you are bound to find a wondrous tale of love and myth in this book.
There were many stories that I enjoyed and a few stood out more than the others. In The Wild Hunt by Cari Z. we see a child grow into a man and his intense love that never dies. This was an interesting story that used the mystical legend of the wild hunt.




So...nice, right?  Yeah!  A pick-me-up for me as I grind through the rest of Shadows and Light, a new perspective for anyone looking in for the first time who maybe hasn't thought about this particular anthology before, and for those of you who've already read and enjoyed it...good on ya, darlin'!  I'm throwing the Dreamspinne book link in just to be complete:  Myths and Magic link.

In other news, you may be wondering why the heck I haven't promo'd any new stuff here lately.  Just Pandora and promises of S and L.  I do have new work coming out next month, a novella for Pink Petal Books that's the sequel to Treasured and a short story in Storm Moon Press' anthology Wild Passions.  There's more on the way later in the year as well.  I'll have new cover art, new excerpts and new links for you soon.  Promise!

2 comments:

  1. As a reader, I like to read reviews of new books. Especially if its something I'm on the fence about reading and not sure whether I'll like. But I don't base all my decisions about what to read on reviews. Sometimes I totally agree with what a reviewer has to say and other times I have felt exactly the opposite about a book. I wish I had more time to give detailed reviews of books I've read. I've written a couple short reviews for Goodreads.com though.

    Looking forward to updates about your forthcoming books! Keep up the good work!

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  2. Thanks, Tiffany!

    I agree about the reviews, I enjoy reading them and getting a feel for a book even if I don't ultimately agree with the reviewer. And as someone who gets reviewed, feedback is important, both positive and negative. Anyone who wants to improve needs people around who are willing to point them in the right direction.

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