Product Description
Move over, urban fantasy—here comes suburban fantasy. What self-respecting witch, vampire, or werewolf would be caught dead—or undead—anywhere but the Big City, you may ask? Look, let’s give the uncanny crew a little credit for intelligence: If they had the smarts to see the advantage in packing up and moving into the cities, why wouldn’t they have the smarts to move out of said cities if it looked like they could get a better quality-of-life/death elsewhere? (Tough enough going about your otherworldly business and evading the occasional mob wielding halogen torches and designer pitchforks, but have you ever seen city real estate prices?)

So let’s welcome our first group of supernatural suburbanites, the witches. Their powers are awesome, their methods of coping with the lumps, bumps, and idiosyncrasies of Suburbia are ingenious, and they always bring the loveliest gingerbread to the PTA bake sale. But whatever you do, don’t try telling them that life in a non-city setting is bland, banal and boring, or you might get turned into . . . ribbit!  

Stories of suburban sorcery by Harry Turtledove, Sarah A. Hoyt, Jan and S.M. Stirling, K. D. Wentworth, and more—including Esther Friesner herself.

  ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

some creative ideas, but mostly lacking
I thought this was pretty much the least entertaining collection of short stories I've ever read.It was like that old sitcom "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" on paper.The worst part is that it's a collection of shorts by different authors, so after each disappointing story you feel compelled to start reading the next one to see if it will be any better. You eventually read the whole book in this manner and that's several hours of your life you're not getting back any time soon. This may be a good read for about the 8 to 14-year-old age group but not very entertaining for an adult who reads regularly.Save your time and get a Neil Gaiman or Terry Pratchett book instead.Sorry.

Teen Witches, Sorcerous Soccer Moms, and Wizards in the Back Yard
Esther Friesner continues her life's work of bringing laughter to the world with this collection of sub-urban fantasy, for why should city-dwellers get all the good stories, as well as all the good restaurants? Here are 22 stories of magic, witch wannabes, sentient minivans, stolen power, grimoires, dank energy vortices that need dispelling, perilous soccer games, dating without parental approval, and trying to fly below the radar. From Harry Turtledove's story of rival bird-watchers who start conjuring extinct species to win the Yule count, to "There's No `I' in Coven" by Jody Lynn Nye, there is a lot of talented story-telling contained in these pages.
Several of these offerings are retro, either in setting or in the slang. "The Darren" by Hildy Silverman is about the dating misadventures of two teen witches at a mundane school, with lots of references to Bewitched. Julia S. Mandala's "Valley Witch" has a semi-villainous mom reliving her glory days at a California high school, to the untellable embarrassment of her son, who only wants to go back to Evil Academy. "Midnight at the Center Court" by David Levine is set in the seventies when open air strip malls were being converted to enclosed showcases. This story also hints at the difficulties faced by kids who don't fit the prevailing gender stereotypes. The 1980s are the setting for "Making Love," by Brenda Clough, about an elderly woman who knits healing spells into the gifts she makes. For readers who remember these decades, the setting cues are very evocative.
Protagonists come in all ages, races, and sizes, so if you come across one that just doesn't appeal to you, skip a few pages - you'll find one to your liking.
One of my favorite stories was "Witch Warrior" by Steven Piziks, because Baba Yaga shows up. I liked the showdown between the mother of all witches and a father fighting for the lives of his two terrified adopted Ukrainian children.
"The House of Lost Dreams" by Storm Christopher is very like "Wong's Lost and Found Emporium," but that motif - a mysterious shop that appears and gives you a chance to find what's missing in your life - needs retelling in and by and for every generation. This story has some moving - and chilling - scenes of dreams uncovered.
What about the rest? Find out for yourself! This ranks as one of the best buys for your money.

witch way to the mall

I bought this book after reading one of the stories on the Baen website. The website usually posts several chapters of their books so one can get an sample of the book and decide whether to buy. Normally I don't care much for anthologies but this one had a nice mix of stories by some of my favorite authors. I especially enjoyed The FairWitch Project by Daniel M Hoyt and Hex Education by K.D. Wentworth.

Like picking your way through a box ofrewarding cream filled chocolates
Loved every minute of this enjoyable anthology and discovered a number of new (for me) writers that I`ll be looking for in the future.Pretty much every item is a gem and no real clunkers.

The book starts out with the amusing "Birdwitching" by veteran Harry Turtledove about competitive suburban witches.Lee Martindale`s"Nimue and the Mall Nymphs" gives a nod to Buffy (which might appeal to fans of the character Willow) and "The Darren" with its pop culture reference to Bewitched is more about teen angst and ethnic identity. Punny references abound. "Neighbourhood Witch" is really just a shaggy dog story, but a fun one, and in "Soot" told from a familiar cat's POV we meet a "Neandertroll" and learn that Neanderthals and Trolls are the same thing.I especially enjoyed "Witch (which) Warrior" by Steve Piziks, "Queen of Suburbia" for its takes on chain letters and politics, and the poignant "Twice a Year" by anthology editor Esther Freisner.

The humour would also appeal to fans of Terry Pratchet, Neil Gaiman, Piers Anthony or Larry Niven's The Magic Goes Away Collection. I was not familiar with Esther Freisnerand I will certainly look up more of her work.

This was a library read but I enjoyed it so much that I`ll be adding it to my purchases next time I need a topper to get free shipping.A book this strong makes it a keeper.Excellent stocking stuffer or small gift to a teenager given that just over half the stories are teen oriented or involve children, suitable for ages 13 and up; some parents might object because sexual references.

Suburbia as a Magical Environment
More stories for those who like their fantasy modern and close to home, rather than far removed in time & space. ... Read more

Product Description
To Gudge's bride, Queen Artmeisia of Hydrangea, are born a set of royal triplets. But traditional Gorgorian belief holds that triplets are a sure sign of the mother's adultery--for which the tradition Gorgorian punishment is death. And Gudge is nothing is not a traditionalist.

So in secret the Queen sends her faithful servant Ludmilla on a desperate mission, to bear the girl and the younger boy to the secret forest redoubt of the last Hydrangean resistance. The oldest boy will remain, to be raised as the heir.

Unfortunately, Ludmilla takes both boys instead...
... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Conquest the Farcical Way
Split Heirs (1993) is a standalone humor fantasy novel.It is set in Hydrangea, a country conquered by Gorgorian barbarians.The conquerors were flea-bitten nomads and the conquered were decadent and refined citizens.Hydrangeans were so highly-refined that the wizards were useless for anything quick and nasty.

In this novel, King Gudge is now ruler of Hydrangea by right of conquest.He has beheaded the former Hydrangean ruler -- King Fumitory the Twenty-Second -- and married the daughter of the former king.Gudge then got his new queen pregnant by the usual Gorgorian practice of raping her.He hasn't stopped beheading Hydrangeans, finding it a quick way to cut off unwanted conversations.

Queenhas retired to the north tower of the palace in the ancient ritual of isolation of the pregnant queen.Strangely, none other remembers this ancient custom, but who knows all the ancient rites?Currently, the queen is in the process of parturition, having just delivered the second child with one more to go.

Old Ludmilla is the queen's handmaiden.Ludmilla is older than anyone else known to the queen.She is also the midwife for these births.

Prince Helenium, Prince Helianthus, and Princess Avena are the names bestowed on the newborn children of King Gudge and Queen Artemisia.They are each tagged with miniature portraits of their royal namesakes.

Odo is a shepherd living near Stinkberry village.He keeps his sheep on the mountain over the village.Odo is almost as old as Ludmilla and has had intimate relations with the crone many decades ago.

Clootie is the pseudonym of the only surviving Hydrangean wizard.The others were beheaded.He now lives in a thoroughly dry cave near Stinkberry village.Clootie is busily developing quick and dirty methods of creating havoc among the barbarians.He will be prepared to unleash his magic against the invaders any decade now.

In this story, the Gorgorians believe that multiple births mean multiple fathers.Since the penalty for adultery is death by wolverines, Queen Artemisia is determined to send the younger children to her brother Prince Mimulus, now known as the Black Weasel, brave and dashing heroic leader of the Bold Bush-dwellers.Unfortunately, Old Ludmilla gets agitated and carries off the two boys.

On the way to the Black Weasel, Old Ludmilla becomes lost and is found by Odo.He takes her back to his hut and they renew their close relations.Unluckily, Old Ludmilla dies with a smile on her face and Odo is left with two very young children on his hands.

Odo fetches his favorite ewe to nurse the boys and then ponders the lack of names.Old Ludmilla hadn't properly introduced him to the newborns, so he comes up with two names from his past.He names the boys Dunwin and Wulfrith for his errant uncles, who were hanged in Lichenberry.

Later, Odo decides that the boys are too much for his lifestyle and sells Wulfrith to Clootie as an apprentice or maybe lunch.Clootie takes the boy back to his cave.After watching Clootie execute his magic, Wulfrith learns a little magic himself, although he tends to be a tad erratic in his results.

Meanwhile, back at the palace, Queen Artemisia sends a message off to her brother to discover what happened to the two boys.The response is less than satisfactory, since Old Ludmilla had never arrived in the forest realm of the Black Weasel.So Artemisia keeps telling everybody that the remaining child is a boy named Arbol.

Prince Arbol grows up to be an almost typical Gorgorian youngster.He can outfight -- with fists or swords -- and outspit anyone else his age.Arbol is the terror of the palace guards, having a tendency to toss them down the stairs if they get in his way.

Then Clootie misplaces Wulfrith and follows Dunwin home under the understandable belief that he is really Wulfrith.In the ensuing conversation, Clootie proves that he is a wizard by changing Bernice -- a relatively calm and peaceful ewe -- into a dragon.Dunwin leaves home pursuing his beloved Bernice as she flies away.

This tale misrepresents every imaginable aspect of heroic fantasy.The girl thinks she is a boy and outdoes all her male friends.The boys are greatly impressed by their guardians and become a wizard and a shepherd.The Bush-dwellers finally learn to fight properly, but make the mistake of fighting Dunwin.

Then Artemisia lures Wulfrith back to the palace with a mask over his head and convinces him to become Arbol's food taster.After seeing the library, Wulfrith is easily persuaded to stay.Since they look so much alike, Arbol and Wulfrith trade places occasionally without anyone else noticing the difference.

The story is so farcical that it belongs in a class of its own.It is somewhat more logical than a Monte Python skit, but not by much.Enjoy!

Recommended for Watt-Evans & Friesner fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of cultural satire, social farce, and rampant confusion.

-Arthur W. Jordin

The freshest book I have read in awhile
Fun, Fun book about a simple case of mistaken identity between three royal children it is an excellent book to read if you into Terry P.Between boys being mistaken for girls and dragons being turned into sheep I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard while reading a book.

Hysterically Funny.
Don't take this any more seriously than you would a Terry Pratchett novel or a Zena episode.If you like campy, punny, word-based humor, it will push the limits of what you think is too much camp, puns, and downright silliness.

Very Monty-Python, very very silly.The plot romps along, happy, saucy, and raunchy to a pleasant and yet realistic enough conclusion for a book that includes tales of crying cheeses and lots of engaging descriptions of bad smells.Not to be missed.

Not worth the money
I had high hope for this book. I've heard good things about lawrence Watt-Evans and I'm a fan of Friesner. Unfortunately, this book does nether of them justice. The story idea is interesting enough (enough for me to shell out the money for it). A conquered queen gives birth to triplets and has to send two away or be killed, but the old retainer takes the two boys, and leaves the girl. But the actual writing makes me think its aimed for 10 year old maturity level, with a genius vocabulary level. The writing style is not captivating, and I pushed through several chapters after losing interest on the hope that it would get better... It didnt. This is the first time I've not been able to FINISH reading a book I started.

A funny, light read
This book is a hoot!It sends up most of the major conventions of the fantasy genre and has a great time doing it (what else would you expect from these authors?)Read this book a little at a time so you can savor all the zingers.But DON'T read it before bedtime--laughter is not conducive to sleep! ... Read more

Product Description
The sequel to The Psalms of Herod, this book concludes the harrowing journey of Becca of Wiserways Stead. Escaping her oppressive, rural stead, Becca journeys toward the magical city where her brother lives, certain that his knowledge will save her and her kin. But after finally arriving there, she is overwhelmed by the strange ways of the Coop citizens. She soon learns that everyone, including her brother, has ulterior motives. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Conclusion to Becca's story
In the conclusion to her story about Becca of Wiserways, Ms. Freisner made a choppier book than the first one.The city, which we all knew would not be the "Oz" like miracle place that Becca expected it to be, wasnever fully explored.The supporting characters were almost painful toread about, whorebabies and homosexual "abominations" took thebrunt of the abuse.Becca's behavior is also confusing and even when thestory resolved itself in the end, I was still left with a sense of "Isthat all there is?"I still enjoyed the read though, Becca hadcaptured my imagination and I suppose that with that Ms. Ester Freisner didwhat she was supposed to do.Read this to finish off a very uncomfortablebut believable view of what our society could one day devolve into. ... Read more

Product Description
It's 1910, and thirteen-year-old Raisa has just traveled alone from a small Polish shtetl all the way to New York City. It's overwhelming, awe-inspiring, and even dangerous, especially when she discovers that her sister has disappeared and she must now fend for herself. She finds work in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory sewing bodices on the popular shirtwaists. Raisa makes friends and even--dare she admit it?--falls in love. But then 1911 dawns, and one March day a spark ignites in the factory. One of the city's most harrowing tragedies unfolds, and Raisa's life is forever changed. . . .

One hundred years after the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, this moving young adult novel gives life to the tragedy and hope of this transformative event in American history. ... Read more

Product Description
The author traces the rise of the orchestral conductor from Bulow, Richter and Nikisch in the 19th century to the stars of today, masters of the musical world and its global media, courted by politicians, bankers and industrialists. ... Read more

Product Description
A collection of short stories highlights lycanthropy with a twist and includes contributions by R. A. Salvatore, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Peter David, Craig Shaw Gardner, Julia Ecklar, and Jody Lynn Nye. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Way too predicatable
Quite simply, plot twists are fun. Most stories need them to be exciting. The plot twist of all the stories is that someone turns into another creature. You usually can figure out what they are going to turn into in the first page. Most authors in here use that as thei main plot twist and the results are tedious. There are some good stories in here, particularly towards the back of the book. If you have nothing else to read I would start reading from the back and give up about halfway through. Overall this book is a waste of time and money.

One Interesting Spin on Lycanthropy After Another
I must say that I picked this book up initially just because I was bored, but it delivered much more then I thought it would.From the lighthearted "Stag Party" to the highly intriguing and thought-provoking "The Way Things Should Be", this book had more twists on the were-mythology then any compliation I've seen.Brilliant.Simply Brilliant.

mostly light-hearted, quite entertaining
Bought this book as an airplane reader... had a few hours to kill.I thouroughly enjoyed it.it was perfect for what I was looking for.There's some serious stuff in there, but it's mostly light (were-guppy???).

You've never read a changer book like this!
Once upon a time there was a werewolf! Now, well this is the nineties! We have moved beyond a wolf, and realized that we can be anything! An elephant, a tiger, a left-wing republican ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An alternate version of Sherlock Holmes' London.
Esther Freisner is an author who makes me laugh.Do you ever laugh out loud when your reading?It's a little embaressing, but her books make me do it.

In this story Esther takes you to a world where Magic is real. England has been ruled by Druids for centuries.Britian is surround by amagical shield which keeps out all commerce England does notwant.

Brithric Donne, is the Sherlock character, a logical man stuck in aland where magic precludes logic.He and his faithful companion Dr. JohnH. Weston who has a secret of his own, solve crimes without the help ofmagic.

The Queen is in danger and Donne and Weston rush to her rescue.Weston has a more then patriotic interest in helping the queen.

Eachchapter has a title based on an Authur Conan Doyle story.Esther refers toa couple of stories that Conan Doyle just allued to.

This novel is aclever tribute to Sherlock Holmes, but it also gives Watson or Weston achance to tell his own story.I would highly reccomend this story.I'dhave to give it ten stars! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

It's hard to believe how far we've come since 1991.
Sometimes it's hard to believe how much our society has changed in just a two decades.I mean, the Honeymooners had a threat of domestic violence as its catchphrase.This collection of humorous fantasy stories, originally published in 1991, isn't quite as bad as all that, but many of the stories assume gender and even racial stereotypes that no longer pass muster.

Some of the tales - such as the contributions from Roger Zelazny and Robert Silverberg - hold up extremely well.Their humor is character based, rather than situational.

Too many of the others, though, rely on stereotypical roles for women (secretaries, "needing a man", shrewish wife) or racist stereotypes about Jewish business owners for their humor.(I really don't know if the authors were/are Jewish themselves, but honestly, that's kind of beside the point.)Alan Dean Foster's introductions are, by today's standards, quite chauvinistic indeed.

As a result, many (over half) of the stories fall flat.Or you might find them funny - but unintentionally so.It's a shame, because the good stories herein *are* worth reading.Pick this book up at a library, or on the cheap at a used bookstore, if for no other reason than to realize how far we've come towards gender equity and race relationship since 1991.

A Wonderful Collection of Short Stories
This collection of short stories is absolutely wonderful.It includes Sci/Fi stories about Hell, Trolls, and the absolute worst wish ever imagined.I've read this book a number of times and it never fails to makeme burst into laughter. ... Read more

Product Description
A collection of stories follows the conquests of a band of warrior women and includes the writings of such authors as Esther Friesner, Elizabeth Moon, Jody Lynn Nye, Harry Turtledove, and Margaret Ball. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Enjoyable fantasy
I read Science Fiction.
I enjoy fantasy
I enjoy and learn from SCIENCE Fiction.
I avoid Horror.

The latest science is for me more interesting and educational than all the fantasy in the world.

Fantasy includes techno-bable.


SCIENCE Fiction starts off with a knowledgeable author being impressed with the latest thinking in any of the sciences and then showing how a what if scenereo could evvolve using people who are at least real seeming.

Chicks in Chain mail is fantasy because rarely do we see any interest in how a 100 to 150 pound woman is going to fight a 200 to 300 pound monster.

But Chicks in Chainmail, the whole series is a fun read.
Pete

I bought the book for it's cover
I have to be honest when I say it was the cover of the book that sold me. Despite not having too many scantily clad babes in chainmail bikinis I still liked the stories. It was refreshing to be able to read a fantasy where the women are always in peril. The short stories are a quick read and something you do not have to but a lot of effort into following. A book that as easy to but down as it is to pick up.

Ladies Only?Love it , Lots of FUN!
Get a sense of humor guys (and yes I mean males) All the "bashes" seam to come from men. Some great stories and laughs.Great satire.Read this book on a gloomy day (it took me anafternoon) to cheer the day up. I have read and re-read this book.Found the stories to be very readable - while I did not "love" every story and think it classical lit - I found it humorous and helpful.Let's see more ladies in chainmail. Last story left melaughing.

A Favorite!
This is one of my favorite fantasy books, and easily the best fantasy compilation I've read.It's got puns, some gender bending, strong women, and some fun, sexy scenes.(Some stories are probably PG).

From mediocre to dire
There are a few half-decent entertaining works in this book. In fact about half of them are average, mildly entertaining stories. The problem is the other half are below average to flat out dire.

The arrangement of the stories left something to be desired as well. Placing the very worst story of the collection in the fourth slot, after a couple below average tales almost put an end to my reading right there. The story I'm speaking of is the Hilary Clinton in Valhalla tale.

Even the better stories are hobbled by the restrictions of the collection. One after the other of stories that are very similar, bad jokes that aren't presented too differently from one story to the other just wears the reader down with the lack of variety. Really, how many breastplate asides and jokes are necessary?

Suffice to say that the title is the cleverest part of the collection. Good idea, but it wasn't pulled off.

2.5 stars that I rounded down to a 2. ... Read more

Product Description
Mike Ashley is back with an all-new edition of one of the bestselling Mammoth Books ever, from the funniest writers in the field, including Neil Gaiman, Tom Holt, and Terry Jones. The thirty- five off-the-wall comic fantasies featured in Ashley’s new collection are a mix of specially written stories and hard-to-find gems: a computer salesman in fairyland, a vampire football match, a psychotic Father Christmas, and a wizard allergic to magic. Ashley expertly turns fantasy and horror fiction on its head and magic into mayhem. This is huge fun for all comic fantasy fans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Mammoth Book of New Comic Fantasy
The Mammoth Book of New Comic Fantasy: A Dazzling New Collection of Comic Fantasy Masterpieces from Esther Friesner, Neil Gaiman, Tom Holt, Paul di Filippo, Adam Roberts, Molly Brown and Many More... A wonderful collection of stories. I enjoyed a lazy day reading this cover to cover and couldn't stop laughing.

Hannibal Hamlin's Stomach Spoke to Me from the Ether and Mentioned that the Denizens of the Afterlife prefer Colgate to Crest.
Into the gorge/I hardly stand it/This awful book/no likely bandit/I'll take in rapscallions, bickers, and moffs/but Mike Ashley must lop his unbid skull OFF!

Thanks to Tony the Tiger, Snap, Crackle, Pop, and Mikey the Cinnamon Life boy for the inspiration. ... Read more

Product Description
Here they come, and they’re out for blood. For too long, they say, have hot blooded babes in brass bras and chain link bikinis been held up to scorn as the embodiment of male fantasy wish-fulfillment and non-fictionality. You think their swords won’t cut, their clubs won’t crush? You think they look cute?

It’s time to take sword-swinging amazons more seriously. Well, maybe not too seriously. After all, the popular Chicks in Chainmail series wasn’t known for stark drama and solemn think-pieces. In fact, they made a lot of people laugh. And now the first three books in the series are combined in one attractively-priced Omni-Trade Paperback volume.

·         Chicks in Chainmail (The look at the lighter side of amazons that started it all.)

·         Did You Say Chicks? (Smile when you say that, you wimpy noncombatant!)  

·         Chicks ‘n Chained Males (Those men just can’t take care of themselves, so send in the amazons!)

It’s all right to have a laugh or two. The swordswomen like a good laugh as much as the next amazon. Just don’t let them get the idea that you’re laughing at them, instead of with them—if you know what’s good for you . . .

Stories of fierce female fighters by Harry Turtledove, Roger Zelazny, Elizabeth Moon, Jan and S.M. Stirling, K. D. Wentworth, Lawrence Watt-Evans and more—including Esther Friesner herself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

arrived in ok condition, fast ship
arrived in slightly worse condition than expected, but arrived fast.

Rated PG-13 At Least...
We purchased this book for our son for Christmas on a recommendation from someone else. However, the cover art is definitely not family-friendly, and a quick glance at the text revealed language that would be offensive to nearly any Christian. If the book were made into a movie, it would have a PG-13 rating at the very least, just on the basis of profanity. If language and nudity concern you, this book is not for you.

It Takes a Brilliant Mind....
...To write a novel as hilarious as this one.I can't imagine how _Gnome Man's Land_ was ever allowed to go out of print; it's one of the most hysterical, unbelievable things I've ever read, and a book I find myself coming back to again and again.The characters, the plot, the parodies--all are priceless, and the message of the ending equally so.I have never seen anyone better than Friesner at delivering a moral without spoiling the spirit of a humorous story.Not only will the reader quite possibly be in tears from laughter, but he or she should come away from this book with a sense of having read something meaningful as well as entertaining.

Five stars aren't enough.I'd give this one ten if I could.If you can find a copy of _Gnome Man's Land_ anywhere, snap it up--and then hunt down the two sequels, _Harpy High_ and _Unicorn U._They'll all be worth your wait!

Ow, my aching lungs!
Wow.Pure, nonstop comedy.Whether or not you're a comedy fan, you'llenjoy the skewering of traditional fantasy figures.Rarely does a bookmove me to laugh out loud, but Friesner is the best in the field.

One of the funniest fantasy novels I have ever read!
This novel is Friesner at her very best.A rift develops between here and the "other side" and the traditional spiritual companions of mankind are back in our world.These entitities spread out seeking humans of compatible ethnocultural backgrounds and move in with them.The protagonist, Tim Desmond, a teenager of Irish ancestry, is joined by a drop-dead gorgeous (and naked) Banshee.Tim's mother, of Russian descent, draws the attentions of a Bannik, the Russian spirit of the bathhouse.T'ing Hau Kaplan winds up with an Ancestral Spirit, a Mongol warlord named Bu, etc.Soon the world is elbow deep in lares, penates, leprechauns, kelpies, brownies, goblins, sprites and the like.The plot moves at a hell-bent-for-election pace, and Friesner's wry control of language has never been better. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Some Excellent Stories in an Eclectic Collection
"Once More With Footnotes", compiled for the 2004 World Fantasy Convention where Terry Pratchett was Guest of Honor, is an eclectic collection - short stories, essays and introductions, including Pratchett's first published story ("The Hades Business"). There's a lot here of interest to Pratchett fans, but less so for the more casual reader; essays are nice enough but it's Pratchett's stories that have made him standout.

There's a number of them here and they're generally quite good. It's actually slightly depressing seeing Pratchett's skill at 13 in "The Hades Business"; "Hollywood Chickens" and "Final Reward" are great little stories; "Theater of Cruelty" is probably the best of the Discworld stories. "Troll Bridge" and "The Sea and Little Fishes" are others, solid pieces. There's over a dozen short stories (some very short) all told. As for the essays and other ephemera, Pratchett does hit some of the same topics (fantasy and its place in literature) several times but there is some variance. They're a nice treat for Pratchett fans but not a big thing.

Some of the stuff in here is likely to be hard to find, but since the book had a print run of only 2500 and is currently selling for several hundred used online or several thousand new, it's not likely to be any easier to get. If you're a Pratchett fan, I'd suggest finding a copy at a library or suchlike to read; otherwise you can probably pass this up compared to his other works.

Indispensable for Discworld fans, good for everyone
This book contains many short stories, articles and other writings by Terry Pratchett. Among these we can find his first story published, which happened when Terry was just 13 years old!
What I enjoyed the most was the articles and the speeches, as these are sort of like eight-minute stand-up comedian monologues, but the four Discworld short stories (which, I might add, have never been published in book form before) were very good too. The long ones had excellent endings.
Buy this book if you like the Discworld, or if you simply like Pratchett. If you don't, then do anyway.

A must for Discworld fans
"Once More**with footnotes" is a collection of short stories, essays, book introductions, etc., by Terry Pratchett.Not all the material by any means is Discworld-related, but some of it is (two of the short stories -- "The Sea and Little Fishes" with Granny Weatherwax and "Troll Bridge" with Cohen the Barbarian -- fall into the "must-read" category for Discworld fans) and everything is fired with the particular Pratchett brand of humor ("Hollywood Chickens" may not answer fully the age-old question of why the chicken crossed the road, but it certain provides an unusual perspective of "how" it crossed).

OK but a little slow
I like the book and the short stories are good but I thought a few of them were a bit on the slow side to read. Thats ok though as the book gives you some very good examples of how his writing style has matured over the years. I can't wait for the next DiskWorld story!

For Pratchett Fans
This book is, first and foremost, a great purchase for the completist and fan of Pratchett's writing. There are a few short stories, all of which are good and most of which are excellent. Beyond that, though, there are some great essays about writing, fantasy, hats, Australia, and so on. Quite enjoyable, but not as recommended to the casual reader as to the Pratchett fan...If you're looking for good Pratchett and you're new to his works, aim for the Discworld books (I recommend Small Gods), then come back to this. If you're a fan already, absolutely buy this. ... Read more