The Barnes & Noble Review
David Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer launch this series with an impressive lineup of contributors -- George R R Martin, Charles de Lint, Gene Wolfe, and Terry Goodkind, to name a few. As expected in a collection of this nature, the stories run the gamut from the satirical "Magic, Maples, and Maryanne" by Robert Sheckley to Don Webb's terrifying "The Prophecies at Newfane Asylum," a Lovecraftian tale set in the 18th-century British colony of New Connecticut. Jeremiah Brewster used to be a trusted spy for King George, but now he's insane. His story is guaranteed to make anyone think twice about turning off the lights.

Other memorable stories included Renee Bennett's "The Fey," a very unusual retelling of the Arthurian legend, and "Everything Changes," by John Sullivan, about an ancient dragon who has more wisdom and savvy than most modern-day politicians. If I had to pick a favorite, it would have to be "The Walking Sticks," by Gene Wolfe, a story described by the editors as "a darkly humorous contemporary sequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Johnny and Jo receive an unusual delivery -- an antique cabinet filled with walking sticks. Little do they know that the expensive walking sticks used to belong to an infamous killer....

This anthology is a bargain at four times the price -- a great way to launch what should be a very long-lived annual collection. (Paul Goat Allen)