What do you think?
Rate this book
Hart and Boot and Other Stories
Hart & Boot & Other Stories collects thirteen stories of love, death and monsters, including new story "Komodo," a tale of lizards, sex magic and dangerous men. The title story, "Hart & Boot," was chosen by Michael Chabon for inclusion in The Best American Short Stories: 2005.
Contents:
Hart & Boot (2004)
Life in Stone (2004)
Cup and Table (2006)
In a Glass Casket (2004)
Terrible Ones (2004)
Romanticore (2003)
Living with the Harpy (2003)
Komodo (2007)
Bottom Feeding (2005)
The Tyrant in Love (2007)
Impossible Dreams (2006)
Lachrymose and the Golden Egg (2005)
Dream Engine (2006)
Contents:
Hart & Boot (2004)
Life in Stone (2004)
Cup and Table (2006)
In a Glass Casket (2004)
Terrible Ones (2004)
Romanticore (2003)
Living with the Harpy (2003)
Komodo (2007)
Bottom Feeding (2005)
The Tyrant in Love (2007)
Impossible Dreams (2006)
Lachrymose and the Golden Egg (2005)
Dream Engine (2006)
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 31, 2007
11 people are currently reading
155 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
February 19, 2021
To begin, Tim Pratt is undeniably a talented writer and I would absolutely read more of his work. However, this collection hit me right in the “mediocre region” of my brain, not inducing or exciting much more than a “meh” at the close. He was even nice enough to include author notes at the end of the book in which he explained the inspiration behind many of his stories! His imagination IS excellent, however, in an effort to write about “tough women” he bumbled along, instead stereotypically writing his women as uncaring, frigid, promiscuous sketches that end up being irritating instead of inspiring. *Sigh* Hopefully my next Pratt read will be worth two more stars.
March 27, 2018
Tim Pratt is an author of two very different aspects.
The aspect I encountered first was in his Marla Mason stories (as T.A. Pratt), in which unpleasant people do unpleasant things to other unpleasant people, with a good deal of meaningless and often kinky sex, graphic violence, and occasional drug use. That's not at all my thing, so I didn't stick with the series for very long, even though they were well written.
The other aspect I encountered through a story that is collected in this book - the one about the mysterious video store - which I read in an anthology. (I can't remember which one; I read a lot of anthologies.) It's a lovely story with just a hint of sweet romance and plenty of joy and hope. Since it had been years since I read T.A. Pratt, and I'd forgotten the name and didn't make the connection, I then picked up a book under the Tim Pratt byline, Heirs of Grace, which was wonderful and redemptive and had a magnificent ending, far better than I'd anticipated. It also refreshed the tired urban fantasy genre.
With that experience in mind, I happily grabbed The Wrong Stars, hoping that it might do the same for the tired space opera genre, and was not disappointed.
So when I saw this collection (which Amazon recommended to me), and saw that the video store story was in it, I picked it up without even sampling it, because I thought it would be in the bright aspect of Tim Pratt.
Some of the stories are, but some of them - I think a majority - are in the dark aspect, including the title story. There's some very ugly stuff here, including a story which is a prequel to Heirs of Grace.
Plenty of people like that sort of thing, but I am not one of them. Though there are some stories in here from "bright Pratt" as well as "dark Pratt", if I'd known before I bought the book exactly what was in it, I wouldn't have picked it up. I always seem to end up regretting it if I don't read the sample first, so this is my reminder to myself to always do that.
The aspect I encountered first was in his Marla Mason stories (as T.A. Pratt), in which unpleasant people do unpleasant things to other unpleasant people, with a good deal of meaningless and often kinky sex, graphic violence, and occasional drug use. That's not at all my thing, so I didn't stick with the series for very long, even though they were well written.
The other aspect I encountered through a story that is collected in this book - the one about the mysterious video store - which I read in an anthology. (I can't remember which one; I read a lot of anthologies.) It's a lovely story with just a hint of sweet romance and plenty of joy and hope. Since it had been years since I read T.A. Pratt, and I'd forgotten the name and didn't make the connection, I then picked up a book under the Tim Pratt byline, Heirs of Grace, which was wonderful and redemptive and had a magnificent ending, far better than I'd anticipated. It also refreshed the tired urban fantasy genre.
With that experience in mind, I happily grabbed The Wrong Stars, hoping that it might do the same for the tired space opera genre, and was not disappointed.
So when I saw this collection (which Amazon recommended to me), and saw that the video store story was in it, I picked it up without even sampling it, because I thought it would be in the bright aspect of Tim Pratt.
Some of the stories are, but some of them - I think a majority - are in the dark aspect, including the title story. There's some very ugly stuff here, including a story which is a prequel to Heirs of Grace.
Plenty of people like that sort of thing, but I am not one of them. Though there are some stories in here from "bright Pratt" as well as "dark Pratt", if I'd known before I bought the book exactly what was in it, I wouldn't have picked it up. I always seem to end up regretting it if I don't read the sample first, so this is my reminder to myself to always do that.
February 8, 2009
I do like Tim Pratt's work. His first novel, The Strange Adventures of Rangergirl, was a zany romp, as if Tom Robbins on one of his better days decided to script a graphic novel.
In this collection, Pratt tells tall tales in limpid prose that hits me in all the right spots - surreal stories of the Wild West, Greek myths in modern settings, a lovely little one called "Impossible Dreams" that reminds me of Jack Finney...
Many of these stories - most, even - are humorous, or have their humorous elements, but Pratt's unafraid of exploring the darker regions of fiction as well. Strong stories like "Romanticore," "Komodo" and "The Tyrant in Love" are frankly sexual and often more than a little violent.
Diversity of writing combined with a consistent excellence of style make for one very pleasing package.
In this collection, Pratt tells tall tales in limpid prose that hits me in all the right spots - surreal stories of the Wild West, Greek myths in modern settings, a lovely little one called "Impossible Dreams" that reminds me of Jack Finney...
Many of these stories - most, even - are humorous, or have their humorous elements, but Pratt's unafraid of exploring the darker regions of fiction as well. Strong stories like "Romanticore," "Komodo" and "The Tyrant in Love" are frankly sexual and often more than a little violent.
Diversity of writing combined with a consistent excellence of style make for one very pleasing package.
February 15, 2023
This series of short stories is quite different from what I am used to reading. It's quite postmodern with themes of sexuality, gender, and deconstruction. You can tell that Pratt had fun while writing them, they are all very playfully written and engaging.
Hart and Boot: the titular story is certainly far from the best in the series, but it is still entertaining and showcases the strong female protagonist that will feature in the rest of his stories. It also has another recurring idea of myth transfer, where a Greek or Norse tragedy is transferred to a different setting or environment .Thus it causes all kinds of subtle changes in the character's interactions, while evolving the idea. Here the story is not quite that but still features a mythical story, one that is set in the wild west. It's based on a real story about stagecoach robbers but there is a surreal element added to it that gives it depth and makes it more intriguing as you try to understand the rules of the magic. John Boot is a tulpa, a being created from imagination, which i have always found to be one of the more striking surreal tropes. For it gives one room to explore what it would be like to literally create the person of your dreams.
Life in Stone: my least favorite one from the series. The myth feels inserted and unnatural to the story. The author's attempt at making the main character badass and intriguing, fails in my opinion. For it feels like he is just another assassin trope that is trying to be more rather than actually being more.
Cup and Table: an Arthurian legend style of epic that revolves around interesting characters. The powers and the world is interesting but the characters are what drive this story. It is quite awesome when an author is able to take you into his epic world in such a short amount of time, and Pratt does just that.
In a Glass Casket: my favorite story in the series. It is quite rewarding when there is a children driven story that still feels "grown-up". This is a story that takes it's children seriously, something we tend to forget to do as a society. The magical elements in the story also feel very natural to it adding to the narrative and main idea.
Terrible ones: a story that takes the idea of mixing myth and modernity to the next level with Greek Chorus, Furies, and Medea featuring in a narrative about an actor who did a role about a dominatrix in some sort of club. A man is obsessed with her performance and not able to separate fantasy from reality. The mixture of elements in this story is intriguing but the narrative itself is mediocre.
Romanticore: one of the longer stories in the series it is also quite strong in terms of character development. You get really attached to the protagonist even though he is a quite different one (from me personally at least) in terms of values and personality. The myth and surreal aspects of the story are introduced later in the story very slowly and thus take you by surprise.
Living with the Harpy: another Greek myth based story that is set in the modern world. The story is too short to discuss specifics without giving it away, but in general the ending is romantic and idealistic in a way that is a bit off-putting.
Komodo: the mythical elements in this story are introduced early from the start. Another strong female protagonist shines in this one, however, she is too tough for her own good. In the end she relies on her friends and community who assist her making the story feel like a fable with a moral agenda. This is a bit forced but it doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the narrative.
Bottom Feeding: the character in this story is easy to sympathize with but also feels a bit too pitiful at times. Magical surrealism also features in this one but in a more subtle way, in a sense it's the classic salmon wisdom stories but transferred to the American south with all of its motifs. Hence the catfish is the main focus rather than salmon. The romantic side of the story is not as intriguing though and feels forced.
The Tyrant in Love: set in a medieval setting with a harlequin jester and a tyrant in a feudal castle. The story is quite dark from the start and gets a little light before ending in a dark twist again. It is still highly engaging and entertaining despite all the gore and grotesque elements.
Impossible dreams: an easy going romantic story that has surreal elements and lots of movie trivia. The author's love of cinema is quite evident here. The story feels a bit silly and predictable but still a fun and worthy read. As far as love stories go, this one touches me easily due to the characters obsession with cinema.
Lachrymose and the Golden Egg: another love story with mythical elements. This one is not as silly or fun as the other ones but what it lacks in engagement it makes up for in other ways. For the message and social commentary issued by this story is quite meaningful and carries the story.
Dream engine: a very engaging story with an elaborate science fiction world. It reads like a noir narrated by a side character who through the journey discovers more about himself and the main character as the story progresses. Also, I find the steampunk imagery and elements fun no matter the context so this really adds to my enjoyment of this one.
Hart and Boot: the titular story is certainly far from the best in the series, but it is still entertaining and showcases the strong female protagonist that will feature in the rest of his stories. It also has another recurring idea of myth transfer, where a Greek or Norse tragedy is transferred to a different setting or environment .Thus it causes all kinds of subtle changes in the character's interactions, while evolving the idea. Here the story is not quite that but still features a mythical story, one that is set in the wild west. It's based on a real story about stagecoach robbers but there is a surreal element added to it that gives it depth and makes it more intriguing as you try to understand the rules of the magic. John Boot is a tulpa, a being created from imagination, which i have always found to be one of the more striking surreal tropes. For it gives one room to explore what it would be like to literally create the person of your dreams.
Life in Stone: my least favorite one from the series. The myth feels inserted and unnatural to the story. The author's attempt at making the main character badass and intriguing, fails in my opinion. For it feels like he is just another assassin trope that is trying to be more rather than actually being more.
Cup and Table: an Arthurian legend style of epic that revolves around interesting characters. The powers and the world is interesting but the characters are what drive this story. It is quite awesome when an author is able to take you into his epic world in such a short amount of time, and Pratt does just that.
In a Glass Casket: my favorite story in the series. It is quite rewarding when there is a children driven story that still feels "grown-up". This is a story that takes it's children seriously, something we tend to forget to do as a society. The magical elements in the story also feel very natural to it adding to the narrative and main idea.
Terrible ones: a story that takes the idea of mixing myth and modernity to the next level with Greek Chorus, Furies, and Medea featuring in a narrative about an actor who did a role about a dominatrix in some sort of club. A man is obsessed with her performance and not able to separate fantasy from reality. The mixture of elements in this story is intriguing but the narrative itself is mediocre.
Romanticore: one of the longer stories in the series it is also quite strong in terms of character development. You get really attached to the protagonist even though he is a quite different one (from me personally at least) in terms of values and personality. The myth and surreal aspects of the story are introduced later in the story very slowly and thus take you by surprise.
Living with the Harpy: another Greek myth based story that is set in the modern world. The story is too short to discuss specifics without giving it away, but in general the ending is romantic and idealistic in a way that is a bit off-putting.
Komodo: the mythical elements in this story are introduced early from the start. Another strong female protagonist shines in this one, however, she is too tough for her own good. In the end she relies on her friends and community who assist her making the story feel like a fable with a moral agenda. This is a bit forced but it doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the narrative.
Bottom Feeding: the character in this story is easy to sympathize with but also feels a bit too pitiful at times. Magical surrealism also features in this one but in a more subtle way, in a sense it's the classic salmon wisdom stories but transferred to the American south with all of its motifs. Hence the catfish is the main focus rather than salmon. The romantic side of the story is not as intriguing though and feels forced.
The Tyrant in Love: set in a medieval setting with a harlequin jester and a tyrant in a feudal castle. The story is quite dark from the start and gets a little light before ending in a dark twist again. It is still highly engaging and entertaining despite all the gore and grotesque elements.
Impossible dreams: an easy going romantic story that has surreal elements and lots of movie trivia. The author's love of cinema is quite evident here. The story feels a bit silly and predictable but still a fun and worthy read. As far as love stories go, this one touches me easily due to the characters obsession with cinema.
Lachrymose and the Golden Egg: another love story with mythical elements. This one is not as silly or fun as the other ones but what it lacks in engagement it makes up for in other ways. For the message and social commentary issued by this story is quite meaningful and carries the story.
Dream engine: a very engaging story with an elaborate science fiction world. It reads like a noir narrated by a side character who through the journey discovers more about himself and the main character as the story progresses. Also, I find the steampunk imagery and elements fun no matter the context so this really adds to my enjoyment of this one.
December 25, 2015
Con los años uno se va volviendo cada vez más descreído, de ahí esta adoración por la facilidad que tiene Tim Pratt para llenar sus relatos de magia de una forma tan engañosamente sencilla, tan natural. Todo esto aderezado con un puñado de personajes fascinantes (desde la bandida Hart que pone su nombre a la colección hasta la harpía con la resulta tan fácil y a la vez complicado vivir, pasando por entrañables monstruos construidos a partir de la maldad).
La pega es, como en cualquier colección, que relatos redondos como Life in Stone<\i>, Cup and Table<\i>, Bottom Feeding<\i> o Living with the Harpy<\i> conviven con otros que, aún siendo buenos, están un escalón por debajo, como Komodo<\i>, Lachrymose and the Golden Egg<\i> o Romanticore<\i> (aunque este último sea el favorito del autor, según nos cuenta en sus notas finales). En este sentido, si alguien quiere iniciarse en la ficción corta de Pratt, recomendaría el destilado que hace Fata Libelli en su Hic sunt dracones, donde seleccionan (y traducen) los mejores relatos del libro.
La pega es, como en cualquier colección, que relatos redondos como Life in Stone<\i>, Cup and Table<\i>, Bottom Feeding<\i> o Living with the Harpy<\i> conviven con otros que, aún siendo buenos, están un escalón por debajo, como Komodo<\i>, Lachrymose and the Golden Egg<\i> o Romanticore<\i> (aunque este último sea el favorito del autor, según nos cuenta en sus notas finales). En este sentido, si alguien quiere iniciarse en la ficción corta de Pratt, recomendaría el destilado que hace Fata Libelli en su Hic sunt dracones, donde seleccionan (y traducen) los mejores relatos del libro.
Read
September 15, 2012Pratt's forte is imagining ordinary people -- most of them kind of life's losers, or at best geeky types just scraping by physically and emotionally -- who are touched by encounters with supernatural forces, specifically the minor Greek deities.
My favorite of these stories is probably the least typical, "Dream Engine". Instead of some Burning Man type meeting a mythological creature, Pratt does some fairly serious world-building plus he introduces a kind of Holmes and Watson pair... except Watson is disembodied and Holmes can take on the body of any creature it has ever eaten. The depiction of a complex partnership seems to help Pratt loosen up and play a little, compared to most of his protagonists who are struggling alone with grief over love gone by.
My favorite of these stories is probably the least typical, "Dream Engine". Instead of some Burning Man type meeting a mythological creature, Pratt does some fairly serious world-building plus he introduces a kind of Holmes and Watson pair... except Watson is disembodied and Holmes can take on the body of any creature it has ever eaten. The depiction of a complex partnership seems to help Pratt loosen up and play a little, compared to most of his protagonists who are struggling alone with grief over love gone by.
October 26, 2007
So I picked this one up b/c I loved the title story (collected in the 2005? 06? Best American Short Stories). While that story is still high on my list of favorites, the rest of this collection fell flat for me. Nearly every story dealt with the same themes and none really managed to pull them off in a fully satisfying way. Some good stuff in each, but overall read like the frist or second draft in a genre writers' workshop.
February 15, 2014
Soberbia recopilación de low fantasy. 14 relatos de fantasía, el único mediocre es el titular "Hart & boot", principalmente porque no me gustan las historias de vaqueros.
Llega a sus puntos más altos con Cup and table, Romanticore, living with the harpy, bottom feeding e immposible dreams.
Soberbios relatos, me ponen una sonrisa en el rostro y alegría en mi corazón.
Llega a sus puntos más altos con Cup and table, Romanticore, living with the harpy, bottom feeding e immposible dreams.
Soberbios relatos, me ponen una sonrisa en el rostro y alegría en mi corazón.
December 9, 2021
This is a SOLID 4 stars.
Every one of these stories either intrigued me, or entertained me. Lots of excellent ideas, some of them not totally with a few plot / logic holes, but the good writing and relatable characters always pulled me through.
I particularly liked the final story in the collection, Dream Engine. Pratt does big ideas, most of the time, in these stories, and almost always pulls them off with excellence.
I found the first stories the weakest for some reason, even though the title story was a prize winner. They just didn't hit the mark for me. So, if you find the same experience, please push through those and you will be well rewarded.
It's hard to believe this is Pratt's debut collection, and I am surely going to read his other story collections and check out his novels. A new favourite, I would say!
Every one of these stories either intrigued me, or entertained me. Lots of excellent ideas, some of them not totally with a few plot / logic holes, but the good writing and relatable characters always pulled me through.
I particularly liked the final story in the collection, Dream Engine. Pratt does big ideas, most of the time, in these stories, and almost always pulls them off with excellence.
I found the first stories the weakest for some reason, even though the title story was a prize winner. They just didn't hit the mark for me. So, if you find the same experience, please push through those and you will be well rewarded.
It's hard to believe this is Pratt's debut collection, and I am surely going to read his other story collections and check out his novels. A new favourite, I would say!
February 26, 2011
Tim Pratt, is... I think the technical term is hot shit. The short stories in this collection are written in a vein that I especially like, which is called, variously, the New Weird, Cross-Genre, or Urban Fantasy. This can mean a lot of things. The stories are all set in modern eras. The furthest from modern that he gets is the old west, which is still a long way from knights in shining armor and bards and unicorns. Which are good in their own place, but I've always liked this kind of thing better.
The characters all have a modern sensibility mixed with mythological elements. They are women struggling to get ahead in their profession (stage coach robbing), lesbians sharing apartments with mythological creatures, nebbishes falling in love and stumbling across hidden treasures, assassins looking for the lost soul of a wizard who hid it to become immortal (but after so long would like to die now, thank you very much).
Sometimes they mix technology with magic, or fantasy with other genres, like westerns, super heroes, or space opera.
And even when they talk about big subjects (finding god, becoming a god, killing unkillable monsters) they are always about why people would want to do those things to begin with.
None of the stories were bad. The ones I liked best were the most fabulous, with the most detailed fretwork, but the quieter ones were all strong, and more importantly, fun. None of the stories attempt to put you in your place by being maudlin. Even the most dour end with little jokes. They all have wonder and hope mixed in with the awe and terror.
Because there is so much to like, I can't pause to give you highlights in such a short review. I'll tell you about my two clear favorites, and hope they pique your interest enough to pick this up. Cup and Table is about super heroes looking for God, and has the most perfect closing line. I thought it tied the whole story up like a bow.
Impossible Dreams won a Hugo and you can find it on the other side of the link. It takes an old twilight zone story (film buff finds a video shop carrying movies from an alternate universe) and gives it such a sweet twist that it really becomes quite it's own thing.
This volume offers a lot more, though. It is compulsively readable, beautiful, companionable fiction about the kind of flawed reprobates I used to hang about with.
The characters all have a modern sensibility mixed with mythological elements. They are women struggling to get ahead in their profession (stage coach robbing), lesbians sharing apartments with mythological creatures, nebbishes falling in love and stumbling across hidden treasures, assassins looking for the lost soul of a wizard who hid it to become immortal (but after so long would like to die now, thank you very much).
Sometimes they mix technology with magic, or fantasy with other genres, like westerns, super heroes, or space opera.
And even when they talk about big subjects (finding god, becoming a god, killing unkillable monsters) they are always about why people would want to do those things to begin with.
None of the stories were bad. The ones I liked best were the most fabulous, with the most detailed fretwork, but the quieter ones were all strong, and more importantly, fun. None of the stories attempt to put you in your place by being maudlin. Even the most dour end with little jokes. They all have wonder and hope mixed in with the awe and terror.
Because there is so much to like, I can't pause to give you highlights in such a short review. I'll tell you about my two clear favorites, and hope they pique your interest enough to pick this up. Cup and Table is about super heroes looking for God, and has the most perfect closing line. I thought it tied the whole story up like a bow.
Impossible Dreams won a Hugo and you can find it on the other side of the link. It takes an old twilight zone story (film buff finds a video shop carrying movies from an alternate universe) and gives it such a sweet twist that it really becomes quite it's own thing.
This volume offers a lot more, though. It is compulsively readable, beautiful, companionable fiction about the kind of flawed reprobates I used to hang about with.
November 3, 2012
Tim Pratt is perhaps best known for his Marla Mason novels and for good reason -- they're fun, rollicking reads with a smart, complicated protagonist that you can really root for. But for readers who aren't familiar with his shorter work (or with Pratt at all), Hart & Boot & Other Stories is a wonderful place to begin.
This collection, showcasing much of Pratt's earlier published work, includes 13 stories that blend the flavors of fantasy, mythology, science fiction, westerns, fairy tales, and lit fiction into a delightful reading experience. Some of the stories show off Pratt's "Mason" voice -- that quirky style that is imbued with wit and a tiny bit of snark -- but other stories go off in new directions, giving readers a taste of just how skillfully diverse Pratt's voice is. The stories, their themes and characters, often turn traditional tropes on their heads. "Life in Stone" is perhaps my favorite-ever story of Pratt's and is worth the cost of the book for its originality and strength of premise alone.
Characters you can root for, put into situations where they are probably going to lose something or someone, having to make the most difficult choice of their lives: that's part of what makes a great story in any genre, and Pratt is one of the masters of giving us exactly that. Whether the protagonists are criminals in the very weirdest old west, voice actors who live with harpies, or little boys who find girls in glass caskets, they're the kind of characters you want to root for, even as you watch them lose their way.
Overall, Hart & Boot and Other Stories is a great book to dip into again and again, especially when you want something that will take you to original worlds with characters who will touch you, heart and soul.
This collection, showcasing much of Pratt's earlier published work, includes 13 stories that blend the flavors of fantasy, mythology, science fiction, westerns, fairy tales, and lit fiction into a delightful reading experience. Some of the stories show off Pratt's "Mason" voice -- that quirky style that is imbued with wit and a tiny bit of snark -- but other stories go off in new directions, giving readers a taste of just how skillfully diverse Pratt's voice is. The stories, their themes and characters, often turn traditional tropes on their heads. "Life in Stone" is perhaps my favorite-ever story of Pratt's and is worth the cost of the book for its originality and strength of premise alone.
Characters you can root for, put into situations where they are probably going to lose something or someone, having to make the most difficult choice of their lives: that's part of what makes a great story in any genre, and Pratt is one of the masters of giving us exactly that. Whether the protagonists are criminals in the very weirdest old west, voice actors who live with harpies, or little boys who find girls in glass caskets, they're the kind of characters you want to root for, even as you watch them lose their way.
Overall, Hart & Boot and Other Stories is a great book to dip into again and again, especially when you want something that will take you to original worlds with characters who will touch you, heart and soul.
December 27, 2012
A while back I read one of the stories in this collection ("Impossible Dreams"), loved it, and jumped at the chance to read more of Pratt's short fiction.
"Hart & Boot & Other Stories" has an impressive thirteen stories, most with some extraordinary elements, ranging from supernatural to mythological to science fiction and most things in between. There are touches of humor and tranquility, but a lot of the stories also get darker and explore violence and sexuality, sometimes together. By nature of having a little bit of everything this collection won't be for everyone.
Pratt's writing style is excellent, vividly describing things without letting the stories slow down. I was happy to find I like most of the collection and some of the stories were even on par with "Impossible Dreams." My favorites of the bunch besides that were "Cup and Table", "Life in Stone" and "Living with the Harpy." Even the ones I liked less ("The Tyrant in Love" and "In a Glass Casket," for example) were interesting and unique. My least favorite was actually the titular "Hart & Boot," although I seem to be in the vast minority in not caring for it some your milage may vary.
Overall an excellent and diverse bunch of short works from a very talented author. Highly recommended.
"Hart & Boot & Other Stories" has an impressive thirteen stories, most with some extraordinary elements, ranging from supernatural to mythological to science fiction and most things in between. There are touches of humor and tranquility, but a lot of the stories also get darker and explore violence and sexuality, sometimes together. By nature of having a little bit of everything this collection won't be for everyone.
Pratt's writing style is excellent, vividly describing things without letting the stories slow down. I was happy to find I like most of the collection and some of the stories were even on par with "Impossible Dreams." My favorites of the bunch besides that were "Cup and Table", "Life in Stone" and "Living with the Harpy." Even the ones I liked less ("The Tyrant in Love" and "In a Glass Casket," for example) were interesting and unique. My least favorite was actually the titular "Hart & Boot," although I seem to be in the vast minority in not caring for it some your milage may vary.
Overall an excellent and diverse bunch of short works from a very talented author. Highly recommended.
April 14, 2013
Pratt's writing is stunning, original and addictive. For fans of quality and those who appreciate a fantastic imagination... you're welcome.
"Perhaps moss enjoys the sensation of falling rain, or the warmth of sunlight but that's not meaning. It's just pleasure."
noctiluscent- shining at night; often thin, high clouds p30
"I mean, you're made of evil."
"You're mostly made of carbon atoms," Carlsbad said. "But you don't spend all of your time thinking about forming long-chain molecules do you? There's more to both of us than our raw materials." 34
"You don't deserve to experience stories, Doug, because you can't handle the responsibility that stories involve." 73
"Perhaps moss enjoys the sensation of falling rain, or the warmth of sunlight but that's not meaning. It's just pleasure."
noctiluscent- shining at night; often thin, high clouds p30
"I mean, you're made of evil."
"You're mostly made of carbon atoms," Carlsbad said. "But you don't spend all of your time thinking about forming long-chain molecules do you? There's more to both of us than our raw materials." 34
"You don't deserve to experience stories, Doug, because you can't handle the responsibility that stories involve." 73
August 25, 2014
Me suele costar darle 5 estrellas a un libro, y mucho más a un libro de relatos.
Como es habitual, no todos me han gustado al mismo nivel, pero ninguno bajaría de las 3 estrellas. Los relatos que han hecho que me decida por esta nota excepcional son:
-Life in Stone
-Cup & Table
-Komodo
-Bottom Feeding
-Impossible Dreams
-Dream Engine
6 de los 13 relatos me han parecido excepcionalmente buenos, cosa que no suele pasarme con las antologías, de las que me suele gustar MUCHO un relato o dos.
Mis primera puntuación de 5 estrellas desde Embassytown, creo que con esto lo dejo claro.
Como es habitual, no todos me han gustado al mismo nivel, pero ninguno bajaría de las 3 estrellas. Los relatos que han hecho que me decida por esta nota excepcional son:
-Life in Stone
-Cup & Table
-Komodo
-Bottom Feeding
-Impossible Dreams
-Dream Engine
6 de los 13 relatos me han parecido excepcionalmente buenos, cosa que no suele pasarme con las antologías, de las que me suele gustar MUCHO un relato o dos.
Mis primera puntuación de 5 estrellas desde Embassytown, creo que con esto lo dejo claro.
November 8, 2011
Worth reading but not great. This goes well into the weird in several cases, but does it in a Gaimanesque way that draws you into the authpr's utter confidence that all this is no big deal and perfectly natural in HIS world. The weirdness gives Pratt room to explore some ideas, and you get to feel amused, shocked, etc. with a few "well, sure, of course it would have had to end that way, wouldn't it?"
If you've read his "Rangergirl" , well, you'll probably like both books or neither.
If you've read his "Rangergirl" , well, you'll probably like both books or neither.
March 13, 2012
Wow. I had heard many of these stories on various podcasts (Podcastle, for sure) and I still LOVE them. I didn't remember that a lot of them were written by Tim Pratt, but I am glad I know that now. Pratt has a gift that I admit I envy, and I aspire to. His short stories are a microcosm unto themselves, transporting the reader for a brief time into a different world that may be only slightly different than our own, or it may be an absurd world. A wonderful collection!
January 7, 2011
Pratt's simply one of my favorite short story authors. He creates characters that feel heartfelt, complicated, and flawed and spins wonderful stories around them. He makes it look easy.
"Cup and Table" is easily one of my favorite short stories, but there's so many other good ones in this collection.
"Cup and Table" is easily one of my favorite short stories, but there's so many other good ones in this collection.
January 31, 2012
Tim is an excellent short story writer. He's moved into novels in the last few years, and you can't blame him for that, not at all, but I have a fondness for the shorter work. I blame my short attention span (it's a wonder I can manage to write any reviews). This is a good collection of good stories.
April 14, 2015
A great collection of stories, including the Hugo-winning "Impossible Dreams," where Pratt declares his true love for the movies. Compares favorably to another wonderful novel about movies, Theodore Roszak's 1991 thriller, "Flicker."
October 7, 2007
the good stories were great and the great stories were a real mind fuck
November 6, 2008
I've been looking forward to this book on the basis of several reviews. First story of the collection was quite good...
...and the rest of it was strong.
Good stuff.
...and the rest of it was strong.
Good stuff.
Read
December 27, 2011A collection of up and coming sci-fi/fantasy author Tim Pratt's latest short stories, including his Hugo award winning "Impossible Dreams".
February 2, 2010
Hands down, my favorite author. His incorporation of gods in his stories won me over from the beginning. His worlds are full of wonder, terror, awe and magick, that we can relate to.
December 26, 2009
Loved this. I'm a sucker for modern adaptations of mythology, and this short story collection has a lot of that (drawing on several different mythologies).
September 10, 2013
I love these stories, a mix of weird west and dark urban fantasy. Tim Pratt reminds me a lot of Neil Gaiman.
September 13, 2014
Splendid short stories starting with 'Hart and Boot'. I love a good Weird Western and this story delivered.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews