"October in the Chair" by Neil Gaiman is a combination fantasy and ghost story. The story begins with the months of the year, personified, gathered together in a forest clearing. Each month takes the prominent seat once at each meeting, in turn, to tell a story. October sits in the leadership chair now. Mr. October tells the story of a boy called Runt who runs away from home and makes friends with a ghost boy. Mr. Gaiman delivers a poignant story with interesting characters.
Shakespeare's "Tempest" is used to tell a different type of story in "Shift" by Nalo Hopkinson. Caliban is trying to hide in the human world from his mother Sycorax. He pursues a beautiful woman to help him make a change to hide from his mother not knowing his sister Ariel watches him invisibly. The story of their complicated lives is told from the shifting points of view of the siblings. Ms. Hopkinson is a newer voice in the genre, adding striking new stories from a different a different cultural viewpoint. This is a memorable story for readers.
Charles de Lint is represented in the anthology by his Newford story of "Somewhere in My Mind There Is a Painting Box." Lily lives near a forest with her aunt. One day she finds a painter's box in the forest. She discovers it belonged to a missing artist that disappeared many years before. On her next trip into the forest she finds the artist's apprentice wandering around the woods. The men have been living in Fairy. Lily tires to help get the young man back to the Fairy world. The author creates another memorable story with likable characters full of vivid descriptions that brings it to life.
Go To Page: 1 2
