Reviews for Troll's Eye View: A Book of Villainous Tales

The average rating for Troll's Eye View: A Book of Villainous Tales based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-12-11 00:00:00 Xion Zeffir 3 stars...but a pallid, sickly, sadness-laced three stars blocked from shining its brightest by the unfulfilled promise of all that might have been. I liked this and don't intend to sound too berating, but given the talent level assembled, and the subject matter being explored, I was really hoping to a discover a sparkling pot of gold at the end of this anthology. Unfortunately, what I found was mostly tarnished silver, with a few 24k pieces and one brilliant diamond of a tale that made the entire collection worth reading (thank you, Ms. Valente).   The writers contributing to this anthology were asked, by editor extraordinaire Ellen Datlow, to re-examine established fairy/folk tales (though not all were well known to this reviewer) and recast events through the eyes of the villains of said stories. To the writers' credit, they do a good job, with a few exceptions, of not merely retelling the tales through another's voice, but actually strive to spin a fresh yarn using the familiar ingredients of the original.   THE STORIES:   Wizard's Apprentice by Delia Sherman   A new author (for me) and a quality beginning to this ensemble. An abused boy runs away from his "punch first, verbally insult second" uncle and ends up as an apprentice to a evil wizard, who may just not be as bad as he seems.   Solidly written, fun and subtly emotional. I liked it.    3.5 stars.       An Unwelcome Guest by Garth Nix.   I love Garth Nix's Abhorsen novels, but this was a rather tepid bowl of Meh. Repunzel as bratty teenager fresh off a casting call for the latest MTV reality show uses her mega locks to get inside a witche's castle and proceeds to abuse the hospitality laws.   Cute concept, but nothing about its execution inspires me to recommend it. Still, being Nix, the writing it decent and so the story is not a total loss.   2.0 stars.   Faery Tales by Wendy Frond (poem)   Except for Neil Gaiman's contribution, this was the best poem of the collection...but that's still not enough praise to fill a tea cup.   2.0 stars   Rags and Riches by Nina Kiriki Hoffman   This reimagining of "The Goose Girl" was the biggest disappointment for me because I've always been impressed with Ms. Hoffman's work. Granted, this is geared towards a younger crowd, but I found the writing lifeless and without flair. Plus, Hoffman's version stuck a bit too closely to the original and lacked the freshness factor. Not bad, just a let down.   2.5 stars   Up the Down Up the Down Beanstalk: A Wife Remembers by Peter S. Beagle A wonderful, whimsical breeze of a tale that puts the anthology back on track. A recounting of an intemperate giant's fateful (and fatal) encounter with a puckish hooligan named Jack, as told by the giant's clever, droll and entertaining widow. I had fun with this. Nicely done, Mr. Beagle.   3.5 stars.   The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces by Ellen Kushner   This one never came within striking distance of hooking me. I wasn't familar with the source material, which I'm sure didn't help, but this just felt tedious and soporific. 2.0 stars   Puss in Boots, the Sequel by Joseph Stanton   How? How? How in the name of all that is good and holy do you screw up a cat poem? Shame on you, sir.    1.0 star.   Boy Who Cried Wolf by Holly Black   One of the solid gold standouts of the collection. This story has a lot to recommend it. Ms. Black takes a well known fairy tale (but not the one you are thinking of) and creates a brilliant origin story that not only enterained, but also added new depth to the source story. Well written and tons of fun. This is one you should seek out.   4.0 stars.   Troll by Jane Yolen   Another shiny, 24K standout. Growing up, the Three Billy Goats Gruff was a favorite story on mine, and so I was really looking forward to this. Ms. Yolen does not disappoint. She reimagines the story from the viewpoint of the troll and shows him as a sad, sympathetic and very endearing character. You just want to hug the guy and his childlike, "in the moment" interaction with the world gave the story a kind of existential quality. That may sounds silly, but it's true. Definitely one I recommend tracking down.    4.0 stars.   Castle Othello by Nancy Farmer   I liked this one and thought it was one of the more daring pieces. Combining Shakespeare's Othello with the legend of Bluebeard and twisting it into a story that felt all its own. Well written and enjoyable.   3.0 stars.   'Skin by Michael Cadnum.   Another new author for me and another story I really enjoyed. I was impressed by how Mr. Cadnum employed all of the known story elements of the Rumplestiltskin tale and yet told a surprisingly unique story that turned old Rumpy into a altruistic prometheus with a weakness for eating children. A wonderfully crafty tale and one of the standouts in the collection.   3.5 to 4.0 stars   A Delicate Architecture by Catherynne M. Valente.   I give you the Hope Diamond...Head, shoulders and naughty bits above every other story in this collection. Ms. Valente, as she usually does, awed me with her talent. From the very first page, through the imaginative middle that is both whimsical and achingly sad, right up to the perfect, and I mean perfect, tie-in ending to one of the world's most classic fairy tales. Golden honey drips from this woman's pen and this is an absolute MUST READ.   5.0 stars.     Molly by Midori Snyder.  This is another one where my enjoyment may have been hampered by my lack of familiarity with the original story. Even so, I think Snyder does a terrific job inverting the sympathies towards the characters and I thought there was a touching emotional core to this tale. Another worthwhile enterprise.    3.5 stars.    Observing the formalities by Neil Gaiman.   Another poem, but it's Neil so I kinda sorta have to like it. And I do, but just barely. Not his best work.    2.5 stars.   Cinderella Game by Kelly Link   A nice way to end this collection. A solid, creepy tale about two step-siblings who decide to play make believe…with bizarre results. I'm not entirely sure what happened in this story, but the atmosphere alone makes it worth recommending.   3.5 stars.   In sum...3.0 stars. Despite my misgivings and my shattered hopes, still...Recommended (for the gold and the sparkly diamond of Ms. Valente).

Review # 2 was written on 2016-10-02 00:00:00 Steven Grinolds Familiar tales are viewed through fresh eyes when well-known storybook villains step up and relate their versions of classic stories. Sorry to say, most of these are pretty forgettable. Even looking back over the titles listed in the table of contents, I'm having trouble remembering what they're about . . . and I just read them a few days ago. I do remember feeling rather cheated as many of the villains I was rooting for did not come out on top. The big standouts for me were Jane Yolen's Troll, a story told by the son of a famous bridge-guarding troll, and Peter S. Beagle's Up the Down Beanstalk: A Wife Remembers. This one is particularly hilarious if you imagine it being narrated by a member of Monty Python in drag.