Oxford Book of Fantasy Stories

[King Bob]

I found this for $1 at the library, so I picked it up. And I must say that so far (I'm about 1/3 done), I'm very impressed. Highlights so far: Lord Dunsany and C.L. Moore, both of whom I have not read but will seek out more of.

Other authors include Leiber, Kuttner, Bradbury, Sturgeon, Niven, Pratchett and more. It lacks Moorcock for one, but you can't have everything.

Unlike most anthologies I've read, this one seems to be all strong stories. I'll post again when I've finished and give my final word.

[King Bob]

Well I've finished this book, and it was very good. Many of the stories might be labeled "horror" in this country; if this collection is any indication, fantasy runs towards that in the UK. There was some more straight sword & sorcery stuff (C.L. Moore, R.E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, Larry Niven), but most of the stories had a touch of horror to them. I'd say it has an overall "Weird Tales" kind of tone.

I discovered several authors who I'd like to read more of; unfortunately the single author collections referenced were all out of print and often expensive. Below were the authors I was most taken by, if any of you have read them please comment.

Lord Dunsany, "The Fortress Unvanquishable, Save for Sacnoth" -
very mythic, with good imagery

Manley Wade Wellman, "The Desrick on Yandro" -
horror with Appalachian folklore elements, nicely done

Jack Vance, "Liane the Wayfarer" -
sort of like a Bradbury horror story, but more fantastic setting

Mervyn Peake, "Same Time, Same Place" -
great atmosphere in post-war London and a bit disturbing

Sterling Lanier, "The Kings of the Sea" -
an English officer's tale of the supernatural told in a men's club

Tanith Lee, "Bite-Me-Not or, Fleur de Fur" -
interesting vampire tale with good imagery

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

Lord Dunsany is considered the father of modern fantasy. He's got a very old style of writing that was hard to get into. Plus most fantasy is a derivative of his so it's hard to see how ground breaking his work was. His most famous work would be the "King of elfland's daughter". I might have it kicking around the Lynch lending library, if you would like it sent your way.

I've read Vance, but he didn't leave enough of an impression for me to remember which. I think you need to read Lyonesse.

Tanith Lee is still kicking out novels. But again they didn't leave much of an impression.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

I read a Manly Wade story (very Manly!) called "Waystation" or some such, about a feller livin' up in them thar hills that doesn't seem to get any older, and that's cuz during the War of Northern Agression, some aliens picked his cabin to use as a temporal/spatial gate and made him the inn-keeper.

Mervyn Peake's Titus Groan, Titus Alone, The Worm Oruborus, were, to my then young palate, unreadable. I do know that Robertson Davies (one of my fave authors, even if he is a Canadian) thought he was the finest fantasy author ever. Prolly just too advanced for my teen-aged brain.

Concur with G-Man about Vance and Lee. Lanier...I read a story by him, I know it...better add him to the Vance & Lee list, I guess.

[Drunk Monk]

Just the word Sacnoth brought a flashback to my high school years. I remember reading that because many Tolkien/Lewis commentators said it was seminal. I also remember loving it for its poetic language. I haven't any clue what it was about, but high school was a long time ago. I've forgotten a lot of high school. All I remember was ED took the equivalancy and got out of there before my torrid affair with tat Desperate Housewives chick, and the name Sacnoth...

[King Bob]

YETI -

Actually you are thinking of the novel Way Station by Clifford Simak. It was out of print, as was all his work except City, but has been recently reprinted in hardcover by Old Earth Books. (There is also a project by Darkside Press to print all his short stories, but it seems to have stalled after volume two.) He's one of my favorite authors, and I would recommend both of the above and the various short story collections.

I have a copy if you'd like to borrow it, or it shouldn't be hard to find a used PB copy for a couple of dollars.

Both Simak and Wellman sometimes used a kind of a down-home style and mountain setting. But while Simak used that setting for SF, Wellman seems to have written mostly horror. I knew Wellman's name, but when I looked him up on the Contento index, I couldn't find anything of his that I had actually read; I guess I knew the name from old pulp cover art.

[thatguy]

He's one of my favorite authors, and I would recommend both of the above and the various short story collections.

My favorite Simak is a short story called "The Big Front Yard" (I actually found it online here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.wesjones.com/bigfront.xml">http://www.wesjones.com/bigfront.xml</a><!-- m -->). I first read it in an old collection of '59 Hugo Award winners. It's about a handyman/antique dealer and his close encounter...

Question: How many Simak stories have a dog named "Towser"?

--TG

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

That was Cliffy? Man. I know I have read some Manly Wade Wellman, but i guess it didn't stick. I'll just sit here quietly for a while and try not to forget anything else.

[King Bob]

Yeti - you can look at the list (http://contento.best.vwh.net/0start.htm) to check for Wellman and jog your memory.