African American West: A Century of Short Stories Book

This small paperback has been hiding from me for years, escaping my eye at the bottom of my box with books-to-read. I love anthologies, and while year's best anthologies must present the best of that particular year, these are often hard for me to read because I dont know what to expect in terms of theme and style.

However, looking at this anthology I find stories from a lot of masters that I respect. Masters like Michael Swanwick, Tanith Lee, Neil Gaiman and Liz Williams.

This is a review-in-progress and I will review the stories as I read them, starting with the very first story, of course.

Her Father's Eyes (by Kage Baker) is a hauntingly beautiful (and dark) story about a girl who meets a strange boy on a train. I am not sure that I really understood all the layers in this story, but there was certainly an element of the supernatural and even quite a bit of fairy tale here. I've wanted to read something from Kage Baker for years and this is a good place to start. (3 stars)

Want's Master (by Patricia Bowne) is the story about the enchanter Gracile. It presents a very weird setting with lots of magic, but also with Vice Presidents, academies and even cars. It was a little too contemporary for my liking. Or perhaps I just didn't get the setting. It is, however, easy to read. (1.5 stars)

October in the Chair (by Neil Gaiman) is the story of how October told a story to the rest of the months. Yeah, a wonderful way to start a story, a little strange, but wonderfully strange, and the story? Well, it concerns a named boy who runs away from home, only to find a new home... perhaps? This has Neil Gaiman written all over it and is definitely worth a read. (3 stars)

Greaves, This Is Serious (by William Mingin) is a weird little piece of fiction that didn't really speak to me. When something doesn't speak to me, I don't really make an effort to understand the story. I think this one was about death and dying. (0 stars)

Shift (by Nalo Hopkinson) is an even weirder piece of fiction with at least two narratives. It felt like the author thought she was being very clever, yet disguising her lack of story within her cleverness. I really didn't like this piece and since it was quite long, didn't finish it. How it made it into a "Best of" anthology is beyond me. (0 stars)

A Book, by Its Cover (by P.D. Cacek) is a story set in Germany under the second world war. It definitely has some nice ideas, but is still rather unfullfilling in some strange way - at least to me. (2 stars)

Somewhere In My Mind, There Is A Painting Box (by Charles de Lint) is a wonderful tale of imagination and fairy tales. A girl finds a painting box hidden in a forest and then a series of wonderful events start to unfold... but will she leave this world for Fairyland or will she stay and discover the magic of her world instead? Charles de Lint always delivers... and this tale is no exception! Wonderful! (5 stars)

The Pyramid of Amirah (by James Patrick Kelly) is the story of a lonely girl who watches the world from within her pyramid. It might have something to do with her mother's death, but then again, it might just be something else. A little too cryptic for me. (1.5 stars)

Our Friend Electricity (by Ron Wolfe) is a love story, but not an ordinary one. Its tone reminded me a bit of Palahniuk, Auster and Blaylock. It also had some Sturgeon within it - lots of puns. It almost threw me off by the end, but only almost. A great story. (4 stars)

Social Dreaming of the Frin (by Ursula K. Le Guin) is a strange treatise on dreaming amongst the alien Frin. It certainly has some interesting ideas, but doesn't seem all that fantastic to me - perhaps it is her choice of genre that confuses me. (2 stars)

Five British Dinosaurs (by Michael Swanwick) is five very short and very strange stories about dinosaurs discovered in Britain. There were some amusing moments, especially in the last of the five, but not a whole lot of meaning! (2 stars)

The Green Word (by Jeffrey Ford) is a story about King Pious and his battle against the forest people. It is epically told - almost as poetry. There is much to like here, even if you aren't a big fan of fairytales. Like Kage Baker, I've wanted to read something of Jeffrey Ford for years as well and this is a very good place to start. (4 stars)

The Comedian (by Stepan Chapman) is a modern fantasy with psychic powers. It tells the story of a young man named Shell and how his heart is broken by a girl named Bekka. From the intro I was almost certain that I wouldn't like this story much, but surprise... I did! Perhaps because it is very... human. (3 stars)

The Pagodas of Ciboure (by M. Shayne Bell) is about a sick boy named Maurice, who finds some strange creatures that may be able to help him with his illness. It is very straightforward and easy to read. I found myself transported to some forest outside Paris... at the mercy of the strange creatures called the Pagodas! (3 stars)

From the Cradle (by Gene Wolfe) is another great love story, a mix between sci-fi and fantasy. It centers around a boy named Michael and a strange book that is looking for an owner. It actually contains several minor stories within, as Michael gets to read some of the stories within the book. I love it! Oh, and it has a twist at the end. (4 stars)

Sam (by Donald Barr) is a weird story about... Sam. Basically, the question the author wants an answer to is... what happens when a person is forgotten? Does he vanish? It's a good philosophical question, but the question is... does it belong in a fantasy anthology? (2 stars)

Travel Agency (by Ellen Klages) is more of an idea than an actual story. Remember being a child, remember lying on your bed and reading a story... remember being transported into the book? (2.5 stars)

A Fable of Savior and Reptile (by Steven Popkes) is the tale of Jesus seen through the eyes of a tortoise. I am not religious and this story did not really open my eyes or anything. It is well-written, however. (1.5 stars)

Comrade Grandmother (by Naomi Kritzer) is another Baba Yaga story set during the second world war. It is well spun tale in the fairy tale tradition - but not for me. (2 stars)

Familiar (by China Mieville) is the story of a witch and his familiar. I may be the only one on this planet who does not understand how great China Mieville is... and this short story did not change that. It is confusing to say the least and far too long. (1 star)