Tag Archives: Steve Berman

Teeth edited by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling

November 23, 2023Book ReviewCassandra Clare, Catherynne M. Valente, Cecil Catellucci, Christopher Barzak, Delia Sherman, Ellen Datlow, Ellen Kushner, Emma Bull, Garth Nix, Genevieve Valentine, Holly Black, Jeffrey Ford, Kaaron Warren, Kathe Koja, Lucius Shepard, Melissa Marr, Nathan Ballingrud, Neil Gaiman, Paranormal Fantasy, Short Story Collections, Steve Berman, Suzy McKee Charnas, Tanith Lee, Teeth, Teeth - Vampire Tales, Terri Windling, Vampireskyebjenner

Image result for teeth ellen datlow terri windling book cover

Title: Teeth: Vampire Tales
Author: Ellen Datlow, Terri Windling, Genevieve Valentine, Steve Berman, Christopher Barzak, Neil Gaiman, Delia Sherman, Garth Nix, Suzy McKee Charnas, Kaaron Warren, Cecil Castellucci, Jeffrey Ford, Nathan Ballingrud, Kathe Koja, Catherynne M. Valente, Melissa Marr, Ellen Kushner, Cassandra Clare, Holly Black, Lucius Shepard, Emma Bull & Tanith Lee
In: Teeth: Vampire Tales (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Short story collections, Vampires
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology, eBook
Publisher: Harper
Year: 2011

This is one of those collections that I’ve stopped and started multiple times. Because sometimes that’s what I do with a short story collection. And yet, I have enjoyed reading it almost every step of the way. There’s always something fun and interesting about a collection edited by Ellen Datlow.

Vampire stories are one of those things that I’m very much on the fence about. I mean, I often enjoy them. But because of the naughties, they became something that was slightly overdone. Probably one of the reasons this book came in and out of my shelves so much – I enjoyed it but didn’t want to overdo it either.

The stories in this run the gambit of vampire characterisation. Some are classical. Some are romantic. Some are just a little bit bizarre. But every story was fun and worth reading again.

<- The Puma

Things to Know About Being Dead ->

Image source: HarperCollins

All Smiles by Steve Berman

March 29, 2021Book ReviewSteve Berman, Teeth - Vampire Tales, Vampiresskyebjenner

Title: All Smiles
Author: Steve Berman
In: Teeth: Vampire Tales (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one)
My Bookshelves: Vampires
Dates read: 28th February 2021
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Harper
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: A New York State license plate.

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He’s mixed up in something he knows nothing about… but there may be a happily ever after, if he can just find the strength and courage.

I’m not entirely sure what even happened in this story if I’m being honest. Which definitely means that this wasn’t high on my list of stories that I want to reread.

Then again, the ending of this story was kind of brilliant. A good, fun twist at the end. First of all, I thought that the MC was going to be vampire-food. Then he, well… wasn’t.

Overall, a fun and easy story to read. And not a total loss. But one that I wouldn’t necessarily want to read again.

<- Things to Know About Being Dead

Gap Year ->

Image source: HarperCollins

The Coyote Road edited by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling

November 20, 2019Book ReviewCarol Emshwiller, Caroline Stevermer, Carolyn Dunn, Charles de Lint, Christopher Barzak, Delia Sherman, Elizabeth E. Wein, Ellen Datlow, Ellen Klages, Ellen Kushner, Holly Black, Jedediah Berry, Jeffrey Ford, Katherine Vaz, Kelly Link, Kij Johnson, Kim Antieau, Michael Cadnum, Midori Snyder, Mythology, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Pat Murphy, Patricia A. McKillip, Richard Bowes, Short Story Collections, Steve Berman, Terri Windling, The Coyote Road, Theodora Goss, Tricksters, Will Shetterlyskyebjenner

Title: The Coyote Road
Author: Ellen Datlow, Terri Windling, Pat Murphy, Carolyn Dunn, Steve Berman, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Christopher Barzak, Delia Sherman, Richard Bowes, Ellen Klages, Patricia A. McKillip, Theodora Goss, Charles de Lint, Katherine Vaz, Caroline Stevermer, Midori Snyder, Michael Cadnum, Ellen Kushner, Elizabeth E. Wein, Kim Antieau, Will Shetterly, Kelly Link, Holly Black, Carol Emshwiller, Jedediah Berry, Jeffrey Ford, Jane Yolen & Kij Johnson
In: The Coyote Road (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Mythology, Short story collections, Tricksters
Dates read: 11th March – 24th October 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Firebird Fantasy
Year: 2007
5th sentence, 74th page: She handed me a message, one that read I was to be married to a stranger.

Coyote. Anansi. Brer Rabbit. Trickster characters have long been a staple of folk literature – and are a natural choice for the subject of the acclaimed Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling’s third “mythic” anthology. Twenty-six authors, including Holly Black (The Spiderwick Chronicles), Charles de Lint (Little (Grrl) Lost), Ellen Klages (The Green Glass Sea), Kelly Link (Pretty Monsters), Patricia A. McKillip (Ombria in Shadow) and Jane Yolen, have crafted stories and poems drawing from cultures and traditions all over the world – each surprising, engrossing, and thought provoking. Terri Windling provides a comprehensive introduction to the trickster myths of the world, and the entire book is highlighted by the remarkable decorations of Charles Vess.

The Coyote Road, like its companions The Green Man (winner of the World Fantasy Award) and The Faery Reel (a World Fantasy Award Finalist), is essential reading for anyone interested in contemporary fantastic fiction.

This collection took a long time to read. Yet, I absolutely adored it. Mostly it took a while to read because there were so many short stories filling the pages, and whenever I finished one, I often went searching for more stories by the authors I was discovering. My wishlist has grown by leaps and bounds since starting this collection.

Like many of the Ellen Datlow collections lining my shelves, the theme and collected authors in this are brilliant. Each and every story is perfectly curated to match into the theme of Tricksters. Often in surprising and confusing ways. After all, the prefect trickster never does what is expected, and many of the stories in this managed to take me by surprise.

I would suggest this collection to anybody who loves short stories, fantasy, mythology, tricksters… really I would just suggest it to almost anyone. There are sad stories and happy ones. Insanely complex tales and ones that are so beautifully simplistic. Definitely one of those collections that I’m going to read again and again.

<- The Cinderella Game Anthology

One Odd Shoe ->

Image source: Amazon

Wagers of Gold Mountain by Steve Berman

March 24, 2019Book ReviewHistorical fiction, Mythology, Steve Berman, The Coyote Road, Trickstersskyebjenner

Title: Wagers of Gold Mountain
Author: Steve Berman
In: The Coyote Road (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical fiction, Mythology, Tricksters
Dates read: 5th March 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Firebird Fantasy
Year: 2007
5th sentence, 74th page: The hatchet man turned to Yuan.

Yuan just wants to help his brother survive, but a deal with a pair of tricksters could be his downfall… or his salvation.

I really wasn’t expecting a Trickster story with a Chinese spin on it when I started reading this story. I was kind of expecting another Native American / Coyote story. But I really liked the fact that there was a very different spin on the Trickster tale. For starters, it is based in California during the Gold Rush and features a time long gone.

The duality of an immigrant moving to a new country is reflected in the duality of the trickster which Yuan comes across. There is the Chinese inspired woman who is a little blood thirsty and kind of terrifying, and then the fat American trickster who is a lot more pompous and self-centred. They work as two sides of the same coin… the impact which the gold rush and movements of immigrants into California during the period.

Most Trickster tales I’ve read involve the trickster getting the better of the victim. Instead, the tables are flipped and he spends his time figuring out the trap that has been laid for him. And, eventually it is the victim of the deal who is able to gain the upper hand.

<- Coyote Woman Review

The Listeners Review ->

Earth and Skye

The ramblings of a bibliophile.