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Crown & Court #2.7
The Feathered Edge
Magic, Swords, and Romance...Want a taste of romance in your swashbuckling adventure? Sparkling verbal repartee in your heroic quest? A lover swain spun of dreams and moonlight? A rescue from an Algerian brothel? Swords that would rather make love than fight duels? A woodland god in the guise of a wounded stag? A stowaway on a pirate ship? Between waking and dreams, 'twixt mortal lands and Faerie, the old world and the new, lies an enchanted realm. Here lovers duel with wits as well as swords, swords have souls, and swordsmen rouse from their garden graves. Master storytellers offer a sumptuous feast of lovers and rivals, ghosts and paladins, danger and daring, wit and wizardry, for your reading delight.
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 29, 2012
2 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
About the author
Deborah J. Ross
90Ìýbooks95ÌýfollowersDeborah J. Ross writes and edits fantasy and science fiction. Her novels include Jaydium, Northlight, Lambda Finalist first-contact Collaborators, and The Seven-Petaled Shield epic fantasy trilogy. Besides continuing the "Darkover" series created by Marion Zimmer Bradley, she's edited the Darkover anthology series and the award-nominated Lace and Blade series. Her short fiction has appeared in Asimov's, F & SF, Realms of Fantasy, and many others, earning multiple Honorable Mention in Year's Best SF. When she's not writing, she knits for charity, plays classical piano, and goes hiking in the redwoods.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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March 25, 2012I have a short piece in this anthology, one that comes after Remalna's Children (semi-spoiler)
February 28, 2013
A thoroughly enjoyable collection of swashbuckling adventure tales with fantasy elements. Many of the stories fall squarely into the fantasy of manners subgenre that I greatly enjoy, in particular Sherwood Smith's theater-based "The Art of Masks," Tanith Lee's "Question a Stone" and Judith Tarr's "The Woman Who Fell in Love with the Horned King." Certainly, these were amongst my favorites, but I would also include K.D. Wentworth's "The Garden of Swords," with its heroic kitchen-maid coached into fighting prowess by trapped ghosts, Samantha Henderson's "Outlander" and Diana Paxson's "Blue Velvet," which I would love to read more of, on that list as well. Many of the stories feature strong and interesting female leads, which I appreciate as well.
Even the stories that didn't work for me were interesting reads, and your mileage may vary. For me, Shannon Page and Jay Lake's "Embers" didn't feel like it stood alone from a larger work, Rosemary H. Jarman's Norse-mythos flavored "Fire and Ice and Burning Rose" seemed an odd fit with the other choices, and Sean McMullen's "Culverelle" felt rushed toward the end. The cover, on the other hand, is truly unfortunate for such a good book and I fear that it will drive off some of the readership that a fine anthology with an all-star cast like this one would otherwise attract. But my advice is to ignore it, buy the book and enjoy some excellent storytelling. Highly recommended!
Even the stories that didn't work for me were interesting reads, and your mileage may vary. For me, Shannon Page and Jay Lake's "Embers" didn't feel like it stood alone from a larger work, Rosemary H. Jarman's Norse-mythos flavored "Fire and Ice and Burning Rose" seemed an odd fit with the other choices, and Sean McMullen's "Culverelle" felt rushed toward the end. The cover, on the other hand, is truly unfortunate for such a good book and I fear that it will drive off some of the readership that a fine anthology with an all-star cast like this one would otherwise attract. But my advice is to ignore it, buy the book and enjoy some excellent storytelling. Highly recommended!
February 4, 2013
The Feathered Edge is an apt title for this anthology. Within each story, from writers like Tanith Lee, Judith Tarr, Diana Paxson and other talents, the reader feels the delicate feathery touch of a kiss, and the sharp prickly edge the gives that delicacy its form and shape.
Each story is a wonderfully crafted journey taking the character (and reader) toward destiny. Some of the central characters prove to be unlikely heroes, or not really heroes at all. Some stories are romantic--two characters realize they may be destined to be together. But even that destiny may require some deeds, or oaths honored, or time spent elsewhere, before they can be together. Some stories are based in the myths of the Norsemen (as in "Fire and Ice and Burning Rose" by Rosemary Hawley Jarman.) Some stories involve the world of Faerie. All include magic of some form or other. More importantly, each story is deeply rooted in the spirit's search for a proper place in whatever world one finds oneself.
Some other stories in this anthology:
The young girl Amielle in "A Wreath of Luck" finds herself stuck on a pirate ship. The narrator of "Outlander" by Samantha Henderson seems to be a bit clueless to the true state of things around him.
"Embers", by Shannon Page and Jay Lake, is set in Renaissance Florence in the time of the strange monk Savaranola, and the reader is left to marvel at the possibility that sorcery played a part in those historical events.
In "The Garden of Swords," by K.D. Wentworth, the young scullery-maid Tana befriends the ghosts of dead warriors and learns how to follow her heart and destiny.
Judith Tarr writes of "The Woman Who Fell in Love with the Horned King," who first must act as his Champion, and thereafter must first fulfill her duty to family.
One hopes that perhaps this anthology can turn into a series.
Each story is a wonderfully crafted journey taking the character (and reader) toward destiny. Some of the central characters prove to be unlikely heroes, or not really heroes at all. Some stories are romantic--two characters realize they may be destined to be together. But even that destiny may require some deeds, or oaths honored, or time spent elsewhere, before they can be together. Some stories are based in the myths of the Norsemen (as in "Fire and Ice and Burning Rose" by Rosemary Hawley Jarman.) Some stories involve the world of Faerie. All include magic of some form or other. More importantly, each story is deeply rooted in the spirit's search for a proper place in whatever world one finds oneself.
Some other stories in this anthology:
The young girl Amielle in "A Wreath of Luck" finds herself stuck on a pirate ship. The narrator of "Outlander" by Samantha Henderson seems to be a bit clueless to the true state of things around him.
"Embers", by Shannon Page and Jay Lake, is set in Renaissance Florence in the time of the strange monk Savaranola, and the reader is left to marvel at the possibility that sorcery played a part in those historical events.
In "The Garden of Swords," by K.D. Wentworth, the young scullery-maid Tana befriends the ghosts of dead warriors and learns how to follow her heart and destiny.
Judith Tarr writes of "The Woman Who Fell in Love with the Horned King," who first must act as his Champion, and thereafter must first fulfill her duty to family.
One hopes that perhaps this anthology can turn into a series.
Shelved as 'paused-skimmedthru'
October 28, 2015"The Art of Masks" (Sherwood Smith).
October 5, 2014
I loved this book. Seldom do I find anthologies where *all* the stories range from Good to Excellent; I think this one fits the bill. It's pretty much as described: Tales of Magic, Love, and Daring. All the stories have all three of those elements, are well-told, and have satisfying conclusions.
Though some stories have dark elements, the overall tone of the anthology is positive. Strong, likeable protagonists, dire situations, rich settings, and generally a win at the end of most stories make this an engaging read.
Though some stories have dark elements, the overall tone of the anthology is positive. Strong, likeable protagonists, dire situations, rich settings, and generally a win at the end of most stories make this an engaging read.
June 1, 2012
This was a solid anthology. Like most anthologies, a couple stories didn't do it for me, most were good, and a few great. Two of the stories that stood out the most to me were Tanith Lee's and K.D. Wentworth's.
August 22, 2013
more misses than hits in this one, i think.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2015
I got this for the Remalna short story in there, which was ok. Most of the stories in here were just ok.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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