This modest set of 16 new stories about mutants has the tenor of a genteel riposte to X-Men. Its basic premises are that there is seldom a Professor Xavier to help those who are different find acceptance (granted, he had a mixed track record), and that usually each different being has to find its own way of coping. The tone predominant in the stories, however, is not as somber as those premises seem to promise, and the book turns out to be a good introduction to sf and fantasy treatments of mutants for readers who are transcending X-Men. The stories are varied in quality. A few are outstanding, and none is less than readable. Charles de Lint's entry stands well in front of the pack, which is to be expected, and other welcome contributions come from Janet Berliner, a greatly gifted writer who isn't published enough, and comparative newcomers Brendan DuBois and Marc Bilgrey.

Roland Green