"The Gnarly Man" by the late L. Sprague de Camp is an interesting story. It is a humorous story about an immortal Neanderthal. He goes through life avoiding trouble, so he has a lot of knowledge about the small things in history. The main character is well drawn and sympathetic. This is an entertaining Fantasy story.
Fantasy meets mystery in the Contemporary Fantasy story "Stealing God" by Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald. The premise is that the Templar knights still exist in our modern day world along with magic. Peter Crossman the Templar knight is summoned to New York to find the missing Holy Grail. An intriguing story of action and mystery ensues. He must fight different factions for the Grail with the help of a warrior nun. Guns, magic and mystery blend well in this entertaining story.
Charles de Lint's "Ghosts of Wind and Shadow" is another Contemporary Fantasy. It takes place in the fictional city of Newford where Fairy meets reality. Lesli is a teenage girl with the gift of seeing fairies. Her mother doesn't want her daughter to see such things. Mr. de Lint presents an entertaining story with his descriptive prose and wonderful characters.
There are two Dying Earth stories by classic fantasist Jack Vance. "Mazirian the Magician" is about an ambitious mage trying to steal secrets from another one. He pursues an unattainable woman through a dangerous landscape. "Liane the Wayfarer" tells the story of Liane, a thief and braggart. He meets the witch Lith who he desires for himself. She sends him on a quest to retrieve her stolen tapestry. He meets an interesting fate for the witch. These stories have wonderful descriptions and quirky characters. They leave memorable images in the readers mind.
Terry Pratchett's "Troll Bridge" provides a Humorous Fantasy chosen by Michelle West. It is a satire about Cohen the Barbarian and his talking horse. In his old age, he wants to fight a troll before dying. They find an old, abandoned bridge where a stubborn troll and his family live. This is the tale of what becomes of aging heroes told in Mr. Pratchett's usual sly humor. Readers will laugh at this story.
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