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Unnatural Creatures: Stories Selected by Neil Gaiman
Unnatural Creatures is a collection of short stories about the fantastical things that exist only in our minds—collected and introduced by beloved New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman.
The sixteen stories gathered by Gaiman, winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards, range from the whimsical to the terrifying. The magical creatures range from werewolves to sunbirds to beings never before classified. E. Nesbit, Diana Wynne Jones, Gahan Wilson, and other literary luminaries contribute to the anthology.
Sales of Unnatural Creatures benefit 826DC, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students in their creative and expository writing, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.
The sixteen stories gathered by Gaiman, winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards, range from the whimsical to the terrifying. The magical creatures range from werewolves to sunbirds to beings never before classified. E. Nesbit, Diana Wynne Jones, Gahan Wilson, and other literary luminaries contribute to the anthology.
Sales of Unnatural Creatures benefit 826DC, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students in their creative and expository writing, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.
462 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,191 reviews
August 27, 2016
True to its title, Unnatural Creatures is an unnatural collection. This anthology is packed with short stories ranging from multiple genres: from science fiction to fantasy, and from horror to a sprinkle of contemporary.
I really couldn't resist keeping my fingers away when I found out that this is a collection of Neil Gaiman’s personal favourite stories. If you're up for the new, the bizarre and the odd, I recommend this book.
So… there are 16 tales to choose favourites from, all of which are about ‘fantastical things that exist only in our minds’. - there are even some ‘creatures’ I have yet to encounter in the fiction world until now, of course.
by Gahan Wilson
3 stars
A wealthy man and his butler discovered a pesky stubborn stain on a tablecloth that won't come off. The moment they blinked, however, the stain disappears only to appear somewhere else, somewhat bigger in size! It is alive.
I'm on the fence with this one. On one hand, I loved Wilson’s writing style. There was some dry humour he instilled here that cracked a grin from me and the story itself was very bizarre. But the ending left me quite unsatisfied and I have so many unanswered questions the story hadn't tackled down.
The Cartographer Wasps and The Anarchist Bees by E Lily Yu
2 stars
Wasps have invaded the Bee's homes. The Queen is forced to form a treaty but as time passes, the other bees are buzzing from a riot they're concocting to throw off the Wasps’ reign for good.
This could have been interesting to read about. But something about Yu’s writing made me zone off to Neverland. My disinterest in the concept of bees (never was a fan of the creatures) may have also even cause the story to went over my head. In short, it simply lacked in good execution.
The Griffin and The Minor Canon by Frank R.Stockton
4 stars
In a town, far away, there is a statue of a griffin carved into the walls of a church where a kindly minister preach there.
Another distance away from the town, there is a real, live Griffin who’d heard of the statue and having no idea how it looked like, decided to drop by for a visit to gaze at the slab of stone wearing its face. While the townspeople go panicky at the prospect of a beast lounging in their town, only one person is brave enough to befriend the Griffin and that is the minister himself. This is a story about the most unlikely, unnatural friendship between man & beast.
This one is so entertaining in all its glorious wry humour and Stockton’s version of his Griffin is wonderful. I adored how both stern and wise it is, and its friendly connection to the minister is something to root for.
Ozioma The Wicked by Nnedi Okorafor
2.5 stars
Twelve-year-old Ozioma is branded a WITCH by the villagers of Agwotown for her terrifying ability to communicate with creatures that have been crawling all over the village and terrorising the residents for forever. Snakes!
I have always harboured a fascination for stories that feature snakes and people who can talk to them. Ozioma did not disappoint except for the fact that she lacks in a lasting impression and her story, interesting as it is, did not hold my interest for long.
Sunbird by Neil Gaiman
3 stars
A group of friends felt bored because they have ate everything the world has offered.
Or so they thought.
Because there's one thing they haven't gotten a taste of, and that's a sunbird.
I can always spot Neil Gaiman’s usual trademark humour ( which is, oftentimes ironic and silly) anywhere and his little twists have never slipped past me. Sunbird did a great job at bringing something new to the plate (pun intended) but I probably wasn't in the right mood when I read this tale because I wasn't all that impressed by it.
It's like when I ordered a new dish off a menu at a restaurant only to find out that the taste of the food was nothing new or exceptional at all.
The Sage of Theare by Diana Wynne Jones
2.5 stars
This is about gods trying to cheat Fate only to muddle up the entire chain of events. It all started with a young boy who won't stop QUESTIONING everything.
He quite sounds like me so it's amusing to read about but darn it, this story is so boring despite some funny, silly moments. I felt that it's too long winded and more often than not, my attention kept slipping away. Not one of Jones’s best.
Gabriel - Ernest by Saki
3.5 stars
A classic werewolf story about a man who stumbled upon an unkempt boy. What could he be?
I'll give you a hint here.
Saki won me over with how he ended the story. His writing was grim and the little twist wasn't a pleasant one but it did deliver the shock effect very nicely.
The Cockatoucan by E. Nesbit
3 stars
Matilda and her nanny took a wrong bus one day only to end up someplace else where a Kingdom is in disarray because of a particular magical Cockatoucan.
I loved Nesbit’s writing style. It gave me a fairytale sort of feeling. But this one didn't exactly grab my whole attention and whatever interest it captured slipped away quickly.
Moveable Beast by Maria Dahvana Headley
2.5 stars
Everyone knows there is a beast that reside in the mini-forest. When a beast collector tried to use Abigail as a live bait, he's in for a nasty surprise.
This story is perhaps one of the oddest of the lot. I didn't (or couldn't) really enjoy this one but the twist did gave me quite a nice surprise. So, brownie points there.
The Flight of The Horse by Larry Niven
2 stars
Svetz has to travel a thousand years back in time to capture a real live horse into his own time.
I was disinterested in Svetz’s story and found the entire thing boring and unmemorable.
Prismatica by Samuel R. Delaney
3 stars
This is a story about the grey man, his trunk ‘his nearest and dearest friend’ and Amos, a poor fellow who wishes to gain a bit of fortune from the grey man by going on a quest to retrieve 3 shards of broken glass.
Delaney gave a lot of colourful impression with this one. Burst of rainbows, sparkling fountain of gems . . .
It was quite all right but for a questing story, it fell flat for me.
The Manticore, The Mermaid, and Me by Megan Kurashige
4 stars
There is an exhibition of odd and rare creatures in the Natural History Museum designed to fool people into believing in monsters.
Are they hoaxes or real?
This is by far one of my favourite story in this collection. I love that this isn't your average mermaid tale. Set in modern time, Kurashige still managed to write whimsically which is just my kind of theme. Don't let the .gif fool you though because her version of a mermaid is truly unlike anything.
The Compleat Werewolf by Anthony Boucher
4 stars
Professor Wolfe Wolf is trying to win his sweetheart’s hand but she thought him too boring and simple, and thus turned him down.When a magician suggest he turn into a werewolf, he obliged. Foolishly so.
Another werewolf story that turned out great. I'm really sad this story isn't long enough because this was just so entertaining to read. The Compleat Werewolf really left me feeling satisfied. Action-packed and funny at times, what's not there to like?
The Smile on the Face by Nalo Hopkinson
3.5 stars
Gilla could hear the tree in her backyard talking. When she took a cherry from its branch and swallowed the thing, strange sorts of things start happening to her.
What an odd contemporary story! There were mentions of hamadryads (women living in trees) that made the entire thing sound like a fantasy to me. Except that it is not.
I am not a fan of the mean girls tactics and the girl hate. In fact, I felt like tackling down anyone who insulted Gilla who, by the way, isn't the most confident girl you’ll ever meet but I've learnt not to underestimate her. I especially loved the message Hopkinson is trying to tell readers - that you’ve got to defend yourself against sexual assault and that loving yourself is much more important than what other people think of you.
Or All the Seas with Oysters by Avram Davidson
3 stars
Have you ever wondered why there always seem to be no safety pins around when you are desperately in need of them? Where could they have gone to?
I used to own a lot of stationeries. Before the start of a school term, I’d purchase a handful of pens, pencils & rubbers BUT by the time term ends, I was always left with 2 or 3 pencils and my rubber’s gone missing. But papers are plentiful at home. Papers I don't remember bringing back.
Now this story here got me thinking about all sorts of impossible What if’s.
What if the missing rubbers did not go missing at all but instead, have shrunk in size and is reduced to nothing? What if all the missing pens and pencils have morphed into something else - say, papers?
For a second, I was wildly imagining because of this tale, and that's what I call a storytelling done well.
Come Lady Death by Peter S. Beagle
4.5 stars
Lady Neville is bored of life and of people and lavish parties. To spice things up in her old years, she decided to invite Death Herself.
Dare her Lords, Ladies and Captains stare right into Death’s face? Dare she?
I found the gender reverse here super amusing. Death, a girl? Finally, something new! Plus, Peter Beagle’s writing was fantastic which makes for a great combination with his bizarre concept put together.
A great story that wrapped up the entire book perfectly unnaturally.
I really couldn't resist keeping my fingers away when I found out that this is a collection of Neil Gaiman’s personal favourite stories. If you're up for the new, the bizarre and the odd, I recommend this book.
So… there are 16 tales to choose favourites from, all of which are about ‘fantastical things that exist only in our minds’. - there are even some ‘creatures’ I have yet to encounter in the fiction world until now, of course.
by Gahan Wilson3 stars
A wealthy man and his butler discovered a pesky stubborn stain on a tablecloth that won't come off. The moment they blinked, however, the stain disappears only to appear somewhere else, somewhat bigger in size! It is alive.
I'm on the fence with this one. On one hand, I loved Wilson’s writing style. There was some dry humour he instilled here that cracked a grin from me and the story itself was very bizarre. But the ending left me quite unsatisfied and I have so many unanswered questions the story hadn't tackled down.
The Cartographer Wasps and The Anarchist Bees by E Lily Yu
2 stars
Wasps have invaded the Bee's homes. The Queen is forced to form a treaty but as time passes, the other bees are buzzing from a riot they're concocting to throw off the Wasps’ reign for good.
This could have been interesting to read about. But something about Yu’s writing made me zone off to Neverland. My disinterest in the concept of bees (never was a fan of the creatures) may have also even cause the story to went over my head. In short, it simply lacked in good execution.
The Griffin and The Minor Canon by Frank R.Stockton
4 stars
In a town, far away, there is a statue of a griffin carved into the walls of a church where a kindly minister preach there.
Another distance away from the town, there is a real, live Griffin who’d heard of the statue and having no idea how it looked like, decided to drop by for a visit to gaze at the slab of stone wearing its face. While the townspeople go panicky at the prospect of a beast lounging in their town, only one person is brave enough to befriend the Griffin and that is the minister himself. This is a story about the most unlikely, unnatural friendship between man & beast.
This one is so entertaining in all its glorious wry humour and Stockton’s version of his Griffin is wonderful. I adored how both stern and wise it is, and its friendly connection to the minister is something to root for.
Ozioma The Wicked by Nnedi Okorafor
2.5 stars
Twelve-year-old Ozioma is branded a WITCH by the villagers of Agwotown for her terrifying ability to communicate with creatures that have been crawling all over the village and terrorising the residents for forever. Snakes!
I have always harboured a fascination for stories that feature snakes and people who can talk to them. Ozioma did not disappoint except for the fact that she lacks in a lasting impression and her story, interesting as it is, did not hold my interest for long.
Sunbird by Neil Gaiman
3 stars
A group of friends felt bored because they have ate everything the world has offered.
Or so they thought.
Because there's one thing they haven't gotten a taste of, and that's a sunbird.
I can always spot Neil Gaiman’s usual trademark humour ( which is, oftentimes ironic and silly) anywhere and his little twists have never slipped past me. Sunbird did a great job at bringing something new to the plate (pun intended) but I probably wasn't in the right mood when I read this tale because I wasn't all that impressed by it.
It's like when I ordered a new dish off a menu at a restaurant only to find out that the taste of the food was nothing new or exceptional at all.
The Sage of Theare by Diana Wynne Jones
2.5 stars
This is about gods trying to cheat Fate only to muddle up the entire chain of events. It all started with a young boy who won't stop QUESTIONING everything.
He quite sounds like me so it's amusing to read about but darn it, this story is so boring despite some funny, silly moments. I felt that it's too long winded and more often than not, my attention kept slipping away. Not one of Jones’s best.
Gabriel - Ernest by Saki
3.5 stars
A classic werewolf story about a man who stumbled upon an unkempt boy. What could he be?
I'll give you a hint here.
Saki won me over with how he ended the story. His writing was grim and the little twist wasn't a pleasant one but it did deliver the shock effect very nicely.
The Cockatoucan by E. Nesbit
3 stars
Matilda and her nanny took a wrong bus one day only to end up someplace else where a Kingdom is in disarray because of a particular magical Cockatoucan.
I loved Nesbit’s writing style. It gave me a fairytale sort of feeling. But this one didn't exactly grab my whole attention and whatever interest it captured slipped away quickly.
Moveable Beast by Maria Dahvana Headley
2.5 stars
Everyone knows there is a beast that reside in the mini-forest. When a beast collector tried to use Abigail as a live bait, he's in for a nasty surprise.
This story is perhaps one of the oddest of the lot. I didn't (or couldn't) really enjoy this one but the twist did gave me quite a nice surprise. So, brownie points there.
The Flight of The Horse by Larry Niven
2 stars
Svetz has to travel a thousand years back in time to capture a real live horse into his own time.
I was disinterested in Svetz’s story and found the entire thing boring and unmemorable.
Prismatica by Samuel R. Delaney
3 stars
This is a story about the grey man, his trunk ‘his nearest and dearest friend’ and Amos, a poor fellow who wishes to gain a bit of fortune from the grey man by going on a quest to retrieve 3 shards of broken glass.
Delaney gave a lot of colourful impression with this one. Burst of rainbows, sparkling fountain of gems . . .
It was quite all right but for a questing story, it fell flat for me.
The Manticore, The Mermaid, and Me by Megan Kurashige
4 stars
There is an exhibition of odd and rare creatures in the Natural History Museum designed to fool people into believing in monsters.
Are they hoaxes or real?
This is by far one of my favourite story in this collection. I love that this isn't your average mermaid tale. Set in modern time, Kurashige still managed to write whimsically which is just my kind of theme. Don't let the .gif fool you though because her version of a mermaid is truly unlike anything.
The Compleat Werewolf by Anthony Boucher
4 stars
Professor Wolfe Wolf is trying to win his sweetheart’s hand but she thought him too boring and simple, and thus turned him down.When a magician suggest he turn into a werewolf, he obliged. Foolishly so.
Another werewolf story that turned out great. I'm really sad this story isn't long enough because this was just so entertaining to read. The Compleat Werewolf really left me feeling satisfied. Action-packed and funny at times, what's not there to like?
The Smile on the Face by Nalo Hopkinson
3.5 stars
Gilla could hear the tree in her backyard talking. When she took a cherry from its branch and swallowed the thing, strange sorts of things start happening to her.
What an odd contemporary story! There were mentions of hamadryads (women living in trees) that made the entire thing sound like a fantasy to me. Except that it is not.
I am not a fan of the mean girls tactics and the girl hate. In fact, I felt like tackling down anyone who insulted Gilla who, by the way, isn't the most confident girl you’ll ever meet but I've learnt not to underestimate her. I especially loved the message Hopkinson is trying to tell readers - that you’ve got to defend yourself against sexual assault and that loving yourself is much more important than what other people think of you.
Or All the Seas with Oysters by Avram Davidson
3 stars
Have you ever wondered why there always seem to be no safety pins around when you are desperately in need of them? Where could they have gone to?
I used to own a lot of stationeries. Before the start of a school term, I’d purchase a handful of pens, pencils & rubbers BUT by the time term ends, I was always left with 2 or 3 pencils and my rubber’s gone missing. But papers are plentiful at home. Papers I don't remember bringing back.
Now this story here got me thinking about all sorts of impossible What if’s.
What if the missing rubbers did not go missing at all but instead, have shrunk in size and is reduced to nothing? What if all the missing pens and pencils have morphed into something else - say, papers?
For a second, I was wildly imagining because of this tale, and that's what I call a storytelling done well.
Come Lady Death by Peter S. Beagle
4.5 stars
Lady Neville is bored of life and of people and lavish parties. To spice things up in her old years, she decided to invite Death Herself.
Dare her Lords, Ladies and Captains stare right into Death’s face? Dare she?
I found the gender reverse here super amusing. Death, a girl? Finally, something new! Plus, Peter Beagle’s writing was fantastic which makes for a great combination with his bizarre concept put together.
A great story that wrapped up the entire book perfectly unnaturally.
November 1, 2015
Overall I enjoyed this! I really loved a lot of the different stories and it was a great collection. You can look at my updates to see my ratings of the different stories!
July 14, 2013
I was excited to read a collection of stories picked by Neil Gaiman as some of his favorites. As with all anthologies this is a mixed bag; but in general it was a better mix than most anthologies I have read.
This collection consists of 16 stories. Many of these stories feature things or creatures that end up being something different from what they originally seem to be. The stories span a variety of settings but in general are fairy-tale like in feel and have a large dose of irony to them.
The ones I enjoyed the most were Gahan Wilson’s story (about a weird spot that grows into something dangerous), Ozioma the Wicked (about a girl who can talk to snakes), Sunbird (about a group of people who have eaten everything living), The Cockatoucan (a fabulous fairy tale about a sneezing bird who changes the world), Pristmatica (a story where a young man goes questing for three mirror pieces), and Come Lady Death (a story about a pretentious noblewoman who invites Death to her ball).
Each story is prefaced with a short commentary from Neil on why he chose this story and what it is about. This was interesting and added something extra special to this book. You can read below for short descriptions/reviews of each story.
Overall this was a solid collection of fantasy/fairy tale like stories. If you enjoy fantasy short stories go ahead and give this collection a read through, some of them are very good.
- (picture of weird line), by Gahan Wilson (5/5)
Loved this story. It’s about a dark spot on a tablecloth that isn’t really a dark spot at all but something much more sinister. I loved the writing style, found this easy and fun to read and enjoyed the inclusion of art to tell the story
- The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees, by E. Lily Yu (3/5)
This was an okay story. It’s about a bunch of rather odd wasps who invade the home of some bees. They form a treaty, but there is a rebellion in their midst. It’s an odd little story that was a bit confusing. It’s an interesting idea but not all that well executed.
- The Griffin and the Minor Canon, by Frank R. Stockton (4/5)
Very well written story about a Griffin who goes to a town to see pictures of his likeness and befriends a Minister there. This was a well-written and enjoyable read.
- Ozioma the Wicked, by Nnedi Okorofor (5/5)
About a girl who is ostracized by her village because of her ability to talk to snakes. Her fortunes change however when the village needs her to take care of a gigantic cobra. This story had absolutely wonderful imagery and was incredibly engaging. I really loved it.
- Sunbird, by Neil Gaiman (5/5)
I’ve read this story before and really enjoyed it then too. It is an ironic and humorous story about a group of people whose goal it is to eat everything. They are bored with the fact that they have eaten everything when one of their members invites them to Egypt to try eating Sunbird.
- The Song of Theare, by Diana Wynne Jones (3/5)
This story was long and boring. It’s about some Gods who are concerned about a prophecy that will bring about their dissolution. When one of the gods finds out its his offspring Thisper that is supposed to bring it about he tries to divert things, to no avail. It is somewhat ironic, but a bit long and wordy.
- Gabriel-Ernest, by Saki (4/5)
Well done and ironic story about a man who discovers a strangely beastial boy is living in his woods. I enjoyed the irony and found the story entertaining.
- The Cockatoucan; or, Great-Aunt Willoughby (5/5)
Magical story about a young girl who ends up in a different kingdom on her way to visit her Aunt. There she must discover how to make the bird stop laughing if she is to stop the craziness that plagues the kingdom. Wonderful description, fairy tale like, and very magical.
- Moveable Beast, by Maria Dahvana Headley (4/5)
Well done and creative story about a girl who gets involved with a Beast Hunter who is trying to hunt the beast that lives in her forest. Of course, the Beast is not exactly what you think it is going to be. It is well written and well done.
- The Flight of the Horse, by Larry Niven (4/5)
A man goes back in time to collect a horse, but is a bit puzzled by the fact that the horse is not exactly as pictured in his histories. A wonderful blend of sci-fi and fantasy. This story is also very humorous, I enjoyed it.
- Prismatica, by Samuel Delany (5/5)
A wonderful story about a poor man who is hired by a grey man to help him collect three magic mirror pieces. The grey man has a creature of a trunk that is very mysterious. This has very much of a questing feel to it, is full of twists and turns and is very fairytale-like. I enjoyed it a lot.
- The Manticore, the Mermaid, and Me, by Megan Kurashige (4/5)
A well done story about creatures in the Natural History Museum that aren’t exactly what they appear to be. This was well written and entertaining.
- The Compleat Werewolf, by Anthony Boucher (4/5)
The lengthiest story of the bunch. A decently done story about a man who finds out he’s a werewolf and tries to use this to catch the lady of his dreams. Along the way he ends up embroiled in a dastardly plot. This was a fun story that was a bit silly as well.
- The Smile on the Face, by Nalo Hopkinson (3/5)
A story about an insecure teenage girl who turns into something unusual when she is threatened with sexual assault. This is done in a modern setting and it is kind of interesting what happens when the girl swallows a cherry pit and ends up channeling something a bit beastial. It was an okay read, but I didn’t enjoy the writing style as much as some of the other stories and didn’t enjoy how long the story took to set up.
- Or All the Seas with Oysters, by Avram Davidson (4/5)
This was a strange and funny little story about a bike shop that isn’t exactly what it seems to be. The ending surprised me and was ironic and unexpected. Overall an entertaining read.
- Come Lady Death, by Peter S. Beagle (5/5)
A pretentious noblewoman who is bored with life decides to invite Death to her ball. When Death arrives the nobles get what they deserve, especially the noblewoman who invited Death. This was well written and I love the irony in it.
This collection consists of 16 stories. Many of these stories feature things or creatures that end up being something different from what they originally seem to be. The stories span a variety of settings but in general are fairy-tale like in feel and have a large dose of irony to them.
The ones I enjoyed the most were Gahan Wilson’s story (about a weird spot that grows into something dangerous), Ozioma the Wicked (about a girl who can talk to snakes), Sunbird (about a group of people who have eaten everything living), The Cockatoucan (a fabulous fairy tale about a sneezing bird who changes the world), Pristmatica (a story where a young man goes questing for three mirror pieces), and Come Lady Death (a story about a pretentious noblewoman who invites Death to her ball).
Each story is prefaced with a short commentary from Neil on why he chose this story and what it is about. This was interesting and added something extra special to this book. You can read below for short descriptions/reviews of each story.
Overall this was a solid collection of fantasy/fairy tale like stories. If you enjoy fantasy short stories go ahead and give this collection a read through, some of them are very good.
- (picture of weird line), by Gahan Wilson (5/5)
Loved this story. It’s about a dark spot on a tablecloth that isn’t really a dark spot at all but something much more sinister. I loved the writing style, found this easy and fun to read and enjoyed the inclusion of art to tell the story
- The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees, by E. Lily Yu (3/5)
This was an okay story. It’s about a bunch of rather odd wasps who invade the home of some bees. They form a treaty, but there is a rebellion in their midst. It’s an odd little story that was a bit confusing. It’s an interesting idea but not all that well executed.
- The Griffin and the Minor Canon, by Frank R. Stockton (4/5)
Very well written story about a Griffin who goes to a town to see pictures of his likeness and befriends a Minister there. This was a well-written and enjoyable read.
- Ozioma the Wicked, by Nnedi Okorofor (5/5)
About a girl who is ostracized by her village because of her ability to talk to snakes. Her fortunes change however when the village needs her to take care of a gigantic cobra. This story had absolutely wonderful imagery and was incredibly engaging. I really loved it.
- Sunbird, by Neil Gaiman (5/5)
I’ve read this story before and really enjoyed it then too. It is an ironic and humorous story about a group of people whose goal it is to eat everything. They are bored with the fact that they have eaten everything when one of their members invites them to Egypt to try eating Sunbird.
- The Song of Theare, by Diana Wynne Jones (3/5)
This story was long and boring. It’s about some Gods who are concerned about a prophecy that will bring about their dissolution. When one of the gods finds out its his offspring Thisper that is supposed to bring it about he tries to divert things, to no avail. It is somewhat ironic, but a bit long and wordy.
- Gabriel-Ernest, by Saki (4/5)
Well done and ironic story about a man who discovers a strangely beastial boy is living in his woods. I enjoyed the irony and found the story entertaining.
- The Cockatoucan; or, Great-Aunt Willoughby (5/5)
Magical story about a young girl who ends up in a different kingdom on her way to visit her Aunt. There she must discover how to make the bird stop laughing if she is to stop the craziness that plagues the kingdom. Wonderful description, fairy tale like, and very magical.
- Moveable Beast, by Maria Dahvana Headley (4/5)
Well done and creative story about a girl who gets involved with a Beast Hunter who is trying to hunt the beast that lives in her forest. Of course, the Beast is not exactly what you think it is going to be. It is well written and well done.
- The Flight of the Horse, by Larry Niven (4/5)
A man goes back in time to collect a horse, but is a bit puzzled by the fact that the horse is not exactly as pictured in his histories. A wonderful blend of sci-fi and fantasy. This story is also very humorous, I enjoyed it.
- Prismatica, by Samuel Delany (5/5)
A wonderful story about a poor man who is hired by a grey man to help him collect three magic mirror pieces. The grey man has a creature of a trunk that is very mysterious. This has very much of a questing feel to it, is full of twists and turns and is very fairytale-like. I enjoyed it a lot.
- The Manticore, the Mermaid, and Me, by Megan Kurashige (4/5)
A well done story about creatures in the Natural History Museum that aren’t exactly what they appear to be. This was well written and entertaining.
- The Compleat Werewolf, by Anthony Boucher (4/5)
The lengthiest story of the bunch. A decently done story about a man who finds out he’s a werewolf and tries to use this to catch the lady of his dreams. Along the way he ends up embroiled in a dastardly plot. This was a fun story that was a bit silly as well.
- The Smile on the Face, by Nalo Hopkinson (3/5)
A story about an insecure teenage girl who turns into something unusual when she is threatened with sexual assault. This is done in a modern setting and it is kind of interesting what happens when the girl swallows a cherry pit and ends up channeling something a bit beastial. It was an okay read, but I didn’t enjoy the writing style as much as some of the other stories and didn’t enjoy how long the story took to set up.
- Or All the Seas with Oysters, by Avram Davidson (4/5)
This was a strange and funny little story about a bike shop that isn’t exactly what it seems to be. The ending surprised me and was ironic and unexpected. Overall an entertaining read.
- Come Lady Death, by Peter S. Beagle (5/5)
A pretentious noblewoman who is bored with life decides to invite Death to her ball. When Death arrives the nobles get what they deserve, especially the noblewoman who invited Death. This was well written and I love the irony in it.
August 9, 2016
Amazing how one book can teach you many important things. In prose and tones that are sometimes humorous, sometimes wry, sometimes lyrical, sometimes fantastic, sometimes scary, always charming, always ironic and captivating, always touched by Neil Gaiman's own unique magic, Unnatural Creatures easily impart these things we've always wondered about yet didn't know for sure where to find. A collection of short stories, treasures...things we dare and daren't dream and imagine.
This book will teach you about a lot of stuff, about mermaids and manticores,and sunbirds; about wasps that draw elaborate maps, unnamed things that move and grow from dots to dangerous, about beasts and a club which sole purpose is to eat fireflies and everything; it will teach you how to spot a werewolf, that a unicorn is immune to sedatives(no matter how strong and futuristic), that a tree is not always just a tree; it will teach you not to immediately trust a bike, or a safety pin especially if you do not know for sure where they are from and to not make a cockatoucan laugh; alas!it will teach you not to judge things and stories in a rush because after all one mysterious man from a museum I know once said" You really can't see anything unless you look at it inside another skin."; most importantly it will teach you that the Museum of Unnatural History really do exist and how to obtain a free pass for it. Just be careful, though. Be very careful. I've been there and the displays aren't always what they claim to be.
"But I knew how to visit the creatures who would never be sighted in the zoos or museums or the woods. They were waiting for me in books and in stories, after all, hiding inside the twenty-six characters and a handful of question marks. These letters and words, when placed in the right order, would conjure all manner of exotic beasts and people from the shadows, would reveal motives and minds of insects and cats. They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me in the pages of books."
This book will teach you about a lot of stuff, about mermaids and manticores,and sunbirds; about wasps that draw elaborate maps, unnamed things that move and grow from dots to dangerous, about beasts and a club which sole purpose is to eat fireflies and everything; it will teach you how to spot a werewolf, that a unicorn is immune to sedatives(no matter how strong and futuristic), that a tree is not always just a tree; it will teach you not to immediately trust a bike, or a safety pin especially if you do not know for sure where they are from and to not make a cockatoucan laugh; alas!it will teach you not to judge things and stories in a rush because after all one mysterious man from a museum I know once said" You really can't see anything unless you look at it inside another skin."; most importantly it will teach you that the Museum of Unnatural History really do exist and how to obtain a free pass for it. Just be careful, though. Be very careful. I've been there and the displays aren't always what they claim to be.
"But I knew how to visit the creatures who would never be sighted in the zoos or museums or the woods. They were waiting for me in books and in stories, after all, hiding inside the twenty-six characters and a handful of question marks. These letters and words, when placed in the right order, would conjure all manner of exotic beasts and people from the shadows, would reveal motives and minds of insects and cats. They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me in the pages of books."
February 3, 2016
Unnatural Creatures is a fun collection with a rather diverse set of authors, including Gaiman himself, Peter S. Beagle, Nnedi Okorafor, Nalo Hopkinson, Diana Wynne Jones… it includes some stories published before which fit with the theme, and a couple which seem to be published for the first time here. Most of them weren’t stories I knew already, and I thought overall it was a good selection; there were none which really didn’t work for me, though I wasn’t so interested in ‘The Compleat Werewolf’, particularly given how long it was.
Some of the creatures are more traditional than others: werewolves and ancient animal gods and the spirits of trees juxtaposed against a predatory bicycle, the story by Gahan Wilson, etc. Which is always good, to my mind, because werewolves and unicorns and such have been done, and a bit of new blood is always interesting.
My favourites of the collection? Hmm. ‘The Griffin and the Minor Canon’, by Frank R. Stockton; ‘The Sage of Theare’, by Diana Wynne Jones; ‘The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees’, by E. Lily Yu; ‘Prismatica’, by Samuel R. Delaney… Stockton’s story, for example, is fairly traditional in the sort of structure and moral, but then there’s that odd sad note of pity for the Griffin, despite — well, you should probably read it for yourself. ‘The Cartographer Wasps’ is a fable, too, with a different sort of feel. And then ‘The Sage of Theare’ has a figure familiar from Jones’ other books — Chrestomanci!
Yes, it’s definitely an interesting combination, and a collection worth spending some time with, I think.
Originally posted here.
Some of the creatures are more traditional than others: werewolves and ancient animal gods and the spirits of trees juxtaposed against a predatory bicycle, the story by Gahan Wilson, etc. Which is always good, to my mind, because werewolves and unicorns and such have been done, and a bit of new blood is always interesting.
My favourites of the collection? Hmm. ‘The Griffin and the Minor Canon’, by Frank R. Stockton; ‘The Sage of Theare’, by Diana Wynne Jones; ‘The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees’, by E. Lily Yu; ‘Prismatica’, by Samuel R. Delaney… Stockton’s story, for example, is fairly traditional in the sort of structure and moral, but then there’s that odd sad note of pity for the Griffin, despite — well, you should probably read it for yourself. ‘The Cartographer Wasps’ is a fable, too, with a different sort of feel. And then ‘The Sage of Theare’ has a figure familiar from Jones’ other books — Chrestomanci!
Yes, it’s definitely an interesting combination, and a collection worth spending some time with, I think.
Originally posted here.
Read
October 29, 2022A whimsical menagerie of creatures and their tales (tails?). As with most short story collections, some were stronger than others. There was a disappointing amount of stories featuring self-inflated men as MCs, clearly geared towards male readers, which made me feel a little othered by the narrative lens, but this book featured a wonderful amount of imagination, wit, and interesting characters in turn. My favorites are easily the first story and the last: the first featuring an odd creature that felt half Whovian and half reminded me of Little Shop of Horrors, and the last featuring a female-led Gatsby-esque story about death (and life).
CW/TW: 1. death 2.insects 3.- 4. death 5. fire, death, animal death 6. child death (mention), fire 7. child death 8. skipped (anti-indigenous language) 9. sexual harassment, parental abandonment, death 10. - 11. drugging, animal death 12. body horror, human & animal experimentation, blood 13. misogyny, confinement, alcohol consumption, fascism, blood 14. body image, fatphobia, bullying, non-consensual kiss, slut shaming, f-slur 15. death 16. death, g-slur
CW/TW: 1. death 2.insects 3.- 4. death 5. fire, death, animal death 6. child death (mention), fire 7. child death 8. skipped (anti-indigenous language) 9. sexual harassment, parental abandonment, death 10. - 11. drugging, animal death 12. body horror, human & animal experimentation, blood 13. misogyny, confinement, alcohol consumption, fascism, blood 14. body image, fatphobia, bullying, non-consensual kiss, slut shaming, f-slur 15. death 16. death, g-slur
November 18, 2015
Reseña de David Tejera · Nota: 8,5 · Reseña en Fantífica
Dice Neil Gaiman en su introducción para la antología Criaturas fantásticas que el Museo de Historia Natural de Londres era el mejor lugar del mundo que podía visitar de pequeño, y bendito sea el momento en que pensó que tan solo le faltaba un unicornio para estar completo del todo. Sin esa idea, posiblemente no tendríamos al mismo Gaiman de ahora, el que nos ha llevado por los subterráneos de Londres, el que nos ha dejado con una sensación melancólica bastante difícil de borrar tras leer El océano al final del camino , o el que junto a Terry Pratchett nos contó una divertida versión del Apocalipsis donde no falta La Muerte en Buenos presagios.
Sin embargo, quizá sea menos conocida su faceta de antólogo, que por fin podemos disfrutar con el libro que sacó junto a Maria Dahvana Headley hace ya más dos años y que ahora publica Anaya Infantil y Juvenil en español. Los beneficios de esta antología están destinados al movimiento 826DC, una organización mundial sin ánimo de lucro que se dedica a dar clases de escritura creativa para estudiantes jóvenes y ayudar a los profesores que les animan a ello.
Antes de lanzaros a comprar el libro (terminaréis lanzándoos de todos modos), hay que saber que aunque el nombre de Neil Gaiman aparezca en la portada y en el lomo, debajo de esa edición tan golosa (con ilustraciones a principio de cuento realizadas por Briony Morrow-Cribbs) tan solo hay un relato escrito por el autor inglés. Pero esa es la gracia, ya que Criaturas fantásticas es una recopilación de dieciséis cuentos firmados por pesos pesados del género fantástico, y en la lista hay nombres poderosos como Larry Niven, Peter S. Beagle o Diana Wynne Jones.
Los cuentos tienen elementos comunes: todos están protagonizados por criaturas no naturales (desde un hombre lobo hasta avispas cartógrafas, pasando por un grifo o incluso la misma Muerte), todos son de fantasía y todos estaban publicados ya. El de Gaiman, titulado El pájaro solar, se publicó en 2005 y se ha podido encontrar en otras antologías, y lo mismo pasa con el resto de relatos (algunos de ellos premiados), así que no os sorprendáis si ya habéis leído algunos. Solo que esta vez el contexto es diferente, ya que todos ellos reunidos bajo un hilo conductor común. Si Gaiman los ha elegido para un libro que lleva su nombre en portada es por algo.
No quiero hablar demasiado de los cuentos porque algunos de ellos duran poco y se estropearía la sorpresa, pero hay que decir que, como en todas las antologías, el poso que nos deja cada relato es distinto y no todos los apreciaremos de la misma manera. El nivel general es muy bueno: se nota que tanto Gaiman como Dahvana Headley han sentido algo por ellos, pero evidentemente hay relatos que despuntan por encima de otros y las piezas más pequeñas no tienen nada que hacer frente a las mayores.
Es el caso de El pájaro solar de Gaiman, donde un selecto club de degustadores de animales raros y platos extravagantes se ha aburrido ya de probar absolutamente todo lo que hay en el mundo y solo le queda una cosa por comer. ¿Adivináis cuál? El relato que abre la antología, Las avispas cartógrafas y las abejas anarquistas de E. Lily Yu no es un mal comienzo, aunque para mi gusto le falta algo de chicha. Lo mismo le ocurre a Gabriel-Ernest, cuento que pese a estar firmado por un autor como Saki es en mi opinión una de las peores piezas del libro. Nada que ver, sin embargo, con El sabio de Theare de Diana Wynne Jones (sobre un elegido que cambiará el mundo y cuyos dioses tratan de impedir su crecimiento) o con El cacatucán, o la tía abuela Willoughby de E. Nesbit (sobre un pájaro que cambia cosas del reino cada vez que ríe): no podíamos esperar menos de dos de las más reputadas autoras de libros para niños. Gaiman cierra la antología con Ven, Lady Muerte de Peter S. Beagle (autor de El último unicornio), un buen relato publicado originalmente en 1963 sobre una caprichosa señora inglesa que invita a la misma Muerte a una fiesta.
En definitiva, si queréis leer una antología variada pero que gira en torno a un tema concreto, no os perdáis Criaturas fantásticas. No esperéis, sin embargo, grandes obras maestras del relato corto (aunque algunas son canela fina), de esas que apetecen leer de vez en cuando y que se quedan para el recuerdo. Todos los relatos incluidos en la antología son juveniles, y eso lo notarán sobre todo quienes estén más acostumbrados a las antologías fantásticas para adultos. Que eso no suponga un contratiempo, porque Criaturas fantásticas se ha concebido así desde el principio y Gaiman lleva muchos años ligado al público infantil/juvenil. Esperar otra cosa es problema del lector. Criaturas fantásticas es una antología ideal para regalar (tiene un diseño externo muy llamativo) y disfrutar por todos aquellos a los que les guste el realismo mágico, la fantasía y pasárselo bien en pequeñas dosis.
Dice Neil Gaiman en su introducción para la antología Criaturas fantásticas que el Museo de Historia Natural de Londres era el mejor lugar del mundo que podía visitar de pequeño, y bendito sea el momento en que pensó que tan solo le faltaba un unicornio para estar completo del todo. Sin esa idea, posiblemente no tendríamos al mismo Gaiman de ahora, el que nos ha llevado por los subterráneos de Londres, el que nos ha dejado con una sensación melancólica bastante difícil de borrar tras leer El océano al final del camino , o el que junto a Terry Pratchett nos contó una divertida versión del Apocalipsis donde no falta La Muerte en Buenos presagios.
Sin embargo, quizá sea menos conocida su faceta de antólogo, que por fin podemos disfrutar con el libro que sacó junto a Maria Dahvana Headley hace ya más dos años y que ahora publica Anaya Infantil y Juvenil en español. Los beneficios de esta antología están destinados al movimiento 826DC, una organización mundial sin ánimo de lucro que se dedica a dar clases de escritura creativa para estudiantes jóvenes y ayudar a los profesores que les animan a ello.
Antes de lanzaros a comprar el libro (terminaréis lanzándoos de todos modos), hay que saber que aunque el nombre de Neil Gaiman aparezca en la portada y en el lomo, debajo de esa edición tan golosa (con ilustraciones a principio de cuento realizadas por Briony Morrow-Cribbs) tan solo hay un relato escrito por el autor inglés. Pero esa es la gracia, ya que Criaturas fantásticas es una recopilación de dieciséis cuentos firmados por pesos pesados del género fantástico, y en la lista hay nombres poderosos como Larry Niven, Peter S. Beagle o Diana Wynne Jones.
Los cuentos tienen elementos comunes: todos están protagonizados por criaturas no naturales (desde un hombre lobo hasta avispas cartógrafas, pasando por un grifo o incluso la misma Muerte), todos son de fantasía y todos estaban publicados ya. El de Gaiman, titulado El pájaro solar, se publicó en 2005 y se ha podido encontrar en otras antologías, y lo mismo pasa con el resto de relatos (algunos de ellos premiados), así que no os sorprendáis si ya habéis leído algunos. Solo que esta vez el contexto es diferente, ya que todos ellos reunidos bajo un hilo conductor común. Si Gaiman los ha elegido para un libro que lleva su nombre en portada es por algo.
No quiero hablar demasiado de los cuentos porque algunos de ellos duran poco y se estropearía la sorpresa, pero hay que decir que, como en todas las antologías, el poso que nos deja cada relato es distinto y no todos los apreciaremos de la misma manera. El nivel general es muy bueno: se nota que tanto Gaiman como Dahvana Headley han sentido algo por ellos, pero evidentemente hay relatos que despuntan por encima de otros y las piezas más pequeñas no tienen nada que hacer frente a las mayores.
Es el caso de El pájaro solar de Gaiman, donde un selecto club de degustadores de animales raros y platos extravagantes se ha aburrido ya de probar absolutamente todo lo que hay en el mundo y solo le queda una cosa por comer. ¿Adivináis cuál? El relato que abre la antología, Las avispas cartógrafas y las abejas anarquistas de E. Lily Yu no es un mal comienzo, aunque para mi gusto le falta algo de chicha. Lo mismo le ocurre a Gabriel-Ernest, cuento que pese a estar firmado por un autor como Saki es en mi opinión una de las peores piezas del libro. Nada que ver, sin embargo, con El sabio de Theare de Diana Wynne Jones (sobre un elegido que cambiará el mundo y cuyos dioses tratan de impedir su crecimiento) o con El cacatucán, o la tía abuela Willoughby de E. Nesbit (sobre un pájaro que cambia cosas del reino cada vez que ríe): no podíamos esperar menos de dos de las más reputadas autoras de libros para niños. Gaiman cierra la antología con Ven, Lady Muerte de Peter S. Beagle (autor de El último unicornio), un buen relato publicado originalmente en 1963 sobre una caprichosa señora inglesa que invita a la misma Muerte a una fiesta.
En definitiva, si queréis leer una antología variada pero que gira en torno a un tema concreto, no os perdáis Criaturas fantásticas. No esperéis, sin embargo, grandes obras maestras del relato corto (aunque algunas son canela fina), de esas que apetecen leer de vez en cuando y que se quedan para el recuerdo. Todos los relatos incluidos en la antología son juveniles, y eso lo notarán sobre todo quienes estén más acostumbrados a las antologías fantásticas para adultos. Que eso no suponga un contratiempo, porque Criaturas fantásticas se ha concebido así desde el principio y Gaiman lleva muchos años ligado al público infantil/juvenil. Esperar otra cosa es problema del lector. Criaturas fantásticas es una antología ideal para regalar (tiene un diseño externo muy llamativo) y disfrutar por todos aquellos a los que les guste el realismo mágico, la fantasía y pasárselo bien en pequeñas dosis.
September 4, 2019
This book took me so many days to force myself through. I should have just DNFed it and found another book for the "Supernatural" square. Ah well. Not too much to say here except that most of these short stories were a flop IMHO. I have to say that the way these stories are pieced together doesn't really work very well at all. The flow between stories is so sharp and I keep getting taking out of each story as soon as I move on to the next one. Most anthologies have a central premise that all of the authors are supposed to be writing to. For example, I have read Christmas anthologies where each other takes on one of the 12 days of Christmas. Or an anthology that focuses on speculative fiction. Gaiman put this together because he liked the idea of unnatural creatures and a link between animals and words. From the prologue:
So I have to say that if that was the premise, maybe it was too wide for some of the authors. I just didn't get there for a lot of these stories.
1. I can't replicate what this first story is about here, it's a graphic of a dot that expands by Gahan Wilson (3 stars). This story had promise and I liked the idea of an unknown blot/dot becoming bigger and that it moves if someone stops staring at it. The last part of the story definitely made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
2. The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees by E. Lily Yu (2 stars). It's about wasps that make maps and bees that are anarchists. I don't know. I just know that I didn't like it and was bored from beginning to end.
3. The Griffin and the Minor Canon by Frank R. Stockton (2 stars). You would think a story about a griffin that comes to life would be interesting. It was not. Honestly most of these stories have a slimmer of a good idea but the execution is just not there at all.
4. Ozioma the Wicked by Nnedi Okorafor (5 stars). One of two stories that I gave five stars to. This was ingenious and I wanted to read more about Ozioma who can talk to snakes.
5. Sunbird by Neil Gaiman (1 star). Previously read in another short story collection of his. Was less impressed the second time through.
6. The Sage of Theare by Diana Wynne Jones (2 stars). This went on too long. We read about a special boy born of a good in a world that who supposed will end up being the Sage of Dissolution one day. So the gods, not being that smart go about trying to banish him to another world. This one went on way too long to the point I didn't even care anymore.
7. Gabriel-Ernest by H.H. Munro (3 stars). Reading about a boy and a wild beast that roams in the woods. This one had more horror elements which was a nice diversion from the slapstick type writing of some of the other stories.
8. The Cockatoucan; or Great-Aunt Willoughby by E. Nesbit (1 star). I honestly don't remember this one and I did re-read again this morning to refresh my memory and I don't know if my brain blanked it or what. This was too long and I just got bored by it.
9. Moveable Beast by Maria Dahvana Headley (4 stars). This was actually a great story about a beast that roams and the women, men, and girls who seem to protect it.
10. The Flight of the Horse by Larry Niven (3.5 stars). It's a story about time travel. It was an interesting idea and I liked this one for the most part.
11. Prismatica by Samuel R. Delany (1 star). I got nothing here folks.
12. The Manticore, the Mermaid, and Me by Megan Kurashige (2 stars). This story was very try hard to me. I liked where the author was initially going with things, but the ending was just baffling and I assume we are supposed to learn a lesson here or something.
13. The Compleat Werewolf by Anthony Boucher (3 stars). It's the second story in the book that deals with werewolves. Interesting, but I was really happy to realize I was almost done with this collection at this point.
14. The Smile on the Face by Nalo Hopkinson (1 star). Nope. It just had a rhyme going through the story and you had to read about people coming back for a ride with a lady inside and it was just all me going for the love of all that is holy just be done.
15. Or All the Seas with Oysters by Avram Davidson (1 star). Nope number two. At least it was fairly short.
16. Come Lady Death by Peter S. Beagle (5 stars). What a great story to end on with a so-so collection. I loved this whole idea and wanted to read more.
There was no such museum, not then. But I knew how to visit the creatures who would never be sighted in the zoos or the museum or the woods. They were waiting for me in books and in stories, after all, hiding inside the twenty-six characters and a handful of punctuation marks. These letters and words, when placed in the right order, would conjure all manner of exotic beasts and people from the shadows, would reveal the motives and minds of insects and of cats. They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.
So I have to say that if that was the premise, maybe it was too wide for some of the authors. I just didn't get there for a lot of these stories.
1. I can't replicate what this first story is about here, it's a graphic of a dot that expands by Gahan Wilson (3 stars). This story had promise and I liked the idea of an unknown blot/dot becoming bigger and that it moves if someone stops staring at it. The last part of the story definitely made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
2. The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees by E. Lily Yu (2 stars). It's about wasps that make maps and bees that are anarchists. I don't know. I just know that I didn't like it and was bored from beginning to end.
3. The Griffin and the Minor Canon by Frank R. Stockton (2 stars). You would think a story about a griffin that comes to life would be interesting. It was not. Honestly most of these stories have a slimmer of a good idea but the execution is just not there at all.
4. Ozioma the Wicked by Nnedi Okorafor (5 stars). One of two stories that I gave five stars to. This was ingenious and I wanted to read more about Ozioma who can talk to snakes.
5. Sunbird by Neil Gaiman (1 star). Previously read in another short story collection of his. Was less impressed the second time through.
6. The Sage of Theare by Diana Wynne Jones (2 stars). This went on too long. We read about a special boy born of a good in a world that who supposed will end up being the Sage of Dissolution one day. So the gods, not being that smart go about trying to banish him to another world. This one went on way too long to the point I didn't even care anymore.
7. Gabriel-Ernest by H.H. Munro (3 stars). Reading about a boy and a wild beast that roams in the woods. This one had more horror elements which was a nice diversion from the slapstick type writing of some of the other stories.
8. The Cockatoucan; or Great-Aunt Willoughby by E. Nesbit (1 star). I honestly don't remember this one and I did re-read again this morning to refresh my memory and I don't know if my brain blanked it or what. This was too long and I just got bored by it.
9. Moveable Beast by Maria Dahvana Headley (4 stars). This was actually a great story about a beast that roams and the women, men, and girls who seem to protect it.
10. The Flight of the Horse by Larry Niven (3.5 stars). It's a story about time travel. It was an interesting idea and I liked this one for the most part.
11. Prismatica by Samuel R. Delany (1 star). I got nothing here folks.
12. The Manticore, the Mermaid, and Me by Megan Kurashige (2 stars). This story was very try hard to me. I liked where the author was initially going with things, but the ending was just baffling and I assume we are supposed to learn a lesson here or something.
13. The Compleat Werewolf by Anthony Boucher (3 stars). It's the second story in the book that deals with werewolves. Interesting, but I was really happy to realize I was almost done with this collection at this point.
14. The Smile on the Face by Nalo Hopkinson (1 star). Nope. It just had a rhyme going through the story and you had to read about people coming back for a ride with a lady inside and it was just all me going for the love of all that is holy just be done.
15. Or All the Seas with Oysters by Avram Davidson (1 star). Nope number two. At least it was fairly short.
16. Come Lady Death by Peter S. Beagle (5 stars). What a great story to end on with a so-so collection. I loved this whole idea and wanted to read more.
November 20, 2013
Every single story in this collection is absolutely compelling. The fact that most of them are from beloved authors like Peter S Beagle, Diana Wynne Jones, E. Nesbit, and of course Neil Gaiman, was certainly what induced me to pick up the book. Most collections of this nature have a weak link or two, though. A story that you skim over because it either doesn't fit the spirit of the collection or simply isn't very well written. This book has nothing of the kind.
What this book does have are time travelers looking for horses and finding unicorns, werewolves, sentient bees, and teenage dryads. Not one monster manages to be ordinary; not one story fails to entertain.
I highly recommend this collection for anyone even a little bit interested in the otherworldly.
What this book does have are time travelers looking for horses and finding unicorns, werewolves, sentient bees, and teenage dryads. Not one monster manages to be ordinary; not one story fails to entertain.
I highly recommend this collection for anyone even a little bit interested in the otherworldly.
March 8, 2016
Прекрасен сборник, съдържащ чудесна подборка от разкази. Няма слаб разказ, всичките са супер добри - Геймън се показва в неподозирано амплоа, на съставител, и се справя удивително. Освен разказ от него, тук има творби и от Лари Нивън, Самюъл Дилейни, Питър Бийгъл, Антъни Баучър, Франк Стоктън, Едит Несбит, Геън Уилсън и др. Личи си, че Геймън е подбрал наистина разкази, които е обичал много - буквално във всяка творба сякаш се вижда по нещо мъничко от него. Силно препоръчвам, ако ви се чете нещо приказно в негов стил или подобен.
October 15, 2019
Unnatural creatures is a great collection of short stories, that was very enjoyable to read!
Most are creepy, eerie or strange, and almost feel like fables/fairy tales!
As always Gaiman’s writing style and sense of humour are brilliant (even if most of this book is not written by him save one story and the introductions) and his taste is definitely reflected in these stories!
June 23, 2013
Gaiman selected the stories in this anthology but was allowed to include one of his own, which is quite good. In fact, I liked all the stories in this collection bar the one by E. Nesbit, which has that annoying "technique" that many children's stories of her era employ of talking directly to the reader. It always feels patronising to me, which is why I don't like it.
Aside from that, the stories vary from quite good to excellent and many of them were by authors new to me. Discovering new authors is one of the best functions of these anthologies.
This selection shows a notable bias toward stories that sound like folk-tales, which seems to fit with Gaiman as an anthologist.
Perhaps my favourite story was the one by Diana Wynne Jones, an author I have been meaning to try for some time. She certainly lived up to her reputation in this example.
Aside from that, the stories vary from quite good to excellent and many of them were by authors new to me. Discovering new authors is one of the best functions of these anthologies.
This selection shows a notable bias toward stories that sound like folk-tales, which seems to fit with Gaiman as an anthologist.
Perhaps my favourite story was the one by Diana Wynne Jones, an author I have been meaning to try for some time. She certainly lived up to her reputation in this example.
January 3, 2015
The worst stories in this collection are really fucking good.
The best ones are enrapturing, colourful and magical - and I'm talking about the magic in the words, not the magic in the tale.
I'm not good with anthologies. I can never manage to properly get into them and normally completely lose interest in them less than halfway through.
But this anthology's theme offers the perfect occasion to balance different genres and styles without losing the fil rouge that ties everything together, keeping me intigued and curious all throughout.
I could have read another dozen stories, easily.
Actually, I would love to. Any chance of getting volume II?
The best ones are enrapturing, colourful and magical - and I'm talking about the magic in the words, not the magic in the tale.
I'm not good with anthologies. I can never manage to properly get into them and normally completely lose interest in them less than halfway through.
But this anthology's theme offers the perfect occasion to balance different genres and styles without losing the fil rouge that ties everything together, keeping me intigued and curious all throughout.
I could have read another dozen stories, easily.
Actually, I would love to. Any chance of getting volume II?
February 27, 2014
You got me again, Mr. Gaiman.
Unusual subject matter. Your name, bigger than the title of the book. Hearseloads of fame and praise heaped upon you. It had to be great, right?
Deep sigh...
Only one of the stories is by you, and it was a 6 out of 10; and even the ones you chose were lacking in unexpected twists or making me want to turn the page or hungry to devour the next one.
So this is the last Neil Gaiman book I try to read. But I'm sure it won't be the last one I want to read. Damn you, Neil. (Can I call you Neil?)
June 25, 2017
an intresting selection.
July 29, 2013
In any anthology of sixteen stories by different authors, a reader is usually lucky to get three fabulous stories, five good ones, and the rest not too awful to finish. “Unnatural Creatures” is completely unnatural – it has eight fabulous stories, four really good ones, and four reasonably good stories.
1. The very first story is a mystery by Gahan Wilson – instead of something getting lost, something shows up and must be identified. Unfortunately for the protagonist, it isn’t identified fast enough…
2. “Ozioma the Wicked” by Nnedi Okorafor stars a girl who is not wicked at all, only thouroughly slandered. Yet, when danger threatens, the very people who tuned their backs on her want her help. Will she or won’t she – and will the danger threaten her own life as well?
3. “The Sage of Theare” by Diana Wynnne Jones has the gods trying to subvert a prophecy. Do they think it will work for them any better than it works for mortals?
4. “The Cockatoucan” by E. Nesbit is a wonderful story of magic gone wrong, and can a little girl make the bird stop laughing?
5. “Movable Beast” by Maria Dahvana Headly has a questing beast – and people hunting it. Just what is the beast, and how does it hunt? Not what you expect. Starring the world’s crankiest ice cream-store scooper.
6. “The Flight of the Horse” by Larry Niven takes place in the far future, when polluted air has killed off all the horses. Happily, a time machine can take our unwilling hero back in time to fetch one back. “Do it or your fired” is a great motivator, but can he figure out how to get the horse onto the time machine? The animal has formidable speed, hooves, teeth, and… something else.
7. “The Smile on the Face” by Nalo Hopkins has a girl just trying to fit in with the crowd. The crowd has both friends and bullies, and the girl has some unexpected talents.
8. “Come Lady Death” by Peter S. Beagle stars the woman who has thrown the best parties ever – now how can she top that? By inviting Death to her party, of course. As an honored guest, this is not a workman���s holiday. But when the dancing is done, something unexpected happens…
9. “The Compleat Werewolf” by Anthony Boucher stars a werewolf who doesn’t eat people. He learns to change for the most unexpected reason, and therefore runs into some very unexpected problems…
10. “Prismatica” by Samuel Delany has a woman trapped in stone, about to be freed by the wrong person. The wrong person has his own ideas, and the trapped woman gives great advice.
11. “Sunbird” by Neil Gaiman proves that eating rare animals is a matter of taste. Hot coals, anyone? The narrator of this story thinks his father had this same problem years ago, but what was the solution?
Have fun reading!
1. The very first story is a mystery by Gahan Wilson – instead of something getting lost, something shows up and must be identified. Unfortunately for the protagonist, it isn’t identified fast enough…
2. “Ozioma the Wicked” by Nnedi Okorafor stars a girl who is not wicked at all, only thouroughly slandered. Yet, when danger threatens, the very people who tuned their backs on her want her help. Will she or won’t she – and will the danger threaten her own life as well?
3. “The Sage of Theare” by Diana Wynnne Jones has the gods trying to subvert a prophecy. Do they think it will work for them any better than it works for mortals?
4. “The Cockatoucan” by E. Nesbit is a wonderful story of magic gone wrong, and can a little girl make the bird stop laughing?
5. “Movable Beast” by Maria Dahvana Headly has a questing beast – and people hunting it. Just what is the beast, and how does it hunt? Not what you expect. Starring the world’s crankiest ice cream-store scooper.
6. “The Flight of the Horse” by Larry Niven takes place in the far future, when polluted air has killed off all the horses. Happily, a time machine can take our unwilling hero back in time to fetch one back. “Do it or your fired” is a great motivator, but can he figure out how to get the horse onto the time machine? The animal has formidable speed, hooves, teeth, and… something else.
7. “The Smile on the Face” by Nalo Hopkins has a girl just trying to fit in with the crowd. The crowd has both friends and bullies, and the girl has some unexpected talents.
8. “Come Lady Death” by Peter S. Beagle stars the woman who has thrown the best parties ever – now how can she top that? By inviting Death to her party, of course. As an honored guest, this is not a workman���s holiday. But when the dancing is done, something unexpected happens…
9. “The Compleat Werewolf” by Anthony Boucher stars a werewolf who doesn’t eat people. He learns to change for the most unexpected reason, and therefore runs into some very unexpected problems…
10. “Prismatica” by Samuel Delany has a woman trapped in stone, about to be freed by the wrong person. The wrong person has his own ideas, and the trapped woman gives great advice.
11. “Sunbird” by Neil Gaiman proves that eating rare animals is a matter of taste. Hot coals, anyone? The narrator of this story thinks his father had this same problem years ago, but what was the solution?
Have fun reading!
March 3, 2014
Spoiler free
4.5 stars
About a month ago, I was in an indie book store for an author event and I seen Unnatural Creatures on the top shelf, cover facing out. I'd never heard of the book before but I knew from the second I seen it, I had to have it. The cover is so beautiful and has amazing texture. I didn't even read what it was about or anything. I bought it based 100% on the cover. I was so excited to get home, learn more about it, and start reading it ASAP. After I read the blurb, I was even more excited. I love short stories and I love the idea of supernatural creatures.
Unnatural Creatures contains 16 short stories from various decades. From 1942 to 2012, these short stories show creative, unique and original stories. From basic werewolves to a haunted bicycle, you never know what your going to get.
My favorite story was The Flight of the Horse by Larry Niven. I loved every second of that story.
Overall, I loved reading Unnatural Creatures. It's full of fun, original, creative, and sometimes silly stories. I did dock half a star because I didn't really like four of the stories. But that's completely my opinion and should stop you from picking up this book right away. It may be "Young Adult" but I feel like anyone how picks up this book will enjoy it. You may not like all 16 stories but there has to be at the very least one or two you'll want to read over and over. And best of all,
sales of Unnatural Creatures benefit 826DC. How can you turn that down?
4.5 stars
About a month ago, I was in an indie book store for an author event and I seen Unnatural Creatures on the top shelf, cover facing out. I'd never heard of the book before but I knew from the second I seen it, I had to have it. The cover is so beautiful and has amazing texture. I didn't even read what it was about or anything. I bought it based 100% on the cover. I was so excited to get home, learn more about it, and start reading it ASAP. After I read the blurb, I was even more excited. I love short stories and I love the idea of supernatural creatures.
Unnatural Creatures contains 16 short stories from various decades. From 1942 to 2012, these short stories show creative, unique and original stories. From basic werewolves to a haunted bicycle, you never know what your going to get.
My favorite story was The Flight of the Horse by Larry Niven. I loved every second of that story.
Overall, I loved reading Unnatural Creatures. It's full of fun, original, creative, and sometimes silly stories. I did dock half a star because I didn't really like four of the stories. But that's completely my opinion and should stop you from picking up this book right away. It may be "Young Adult" but I feel like anyone how picks up this book will enjoy it. You may not like all 16 stories but there has to be at the very least one or two you'll want to read over and over. And best of all,
sales of Unnatural Creatures benefit 826DC. How can you turn that down?
November 6, 2015
3'5
Aunque hay 2-3 historias que no han terminado de convencerme, hay otras que me han encantado y en general es un libro que me ha gustado. Una selección de historias de lo más variopintas, que cuenta con la ventaja de no tener que leerlo en orden y siempre puedes volver a releer las historias que más te hayan gustado, y todo en una edición bien cuidada
Aunque hay 2-3 historias que no han terminado de convencerme, hay otras que me han encantado y en general es un libro que me ha gustado. Una selección de historias de lo más variopintas, que cuenta con la ventaja de no tener que leerlo en orden y siempre puedes volver a releer las historias que más te hayan gustado, y todo en una edición bien cuidada
dnf
October 17, 2024Normally I don't post thoughts on DNFs, but I was writing comments story by story, so I can comment on the parts I did read.
by Gahan Wilson
The title of this story is an image. Dear god, why? It looks like sound waves, and I'm annoyed by how pretentious and hard to document this is. Going in with that feeling, I expected to hate this, but I actually liked the writing and the story. It's a bit too brief and unresolved for my personal tastes, but it's certainly an intriguing opening story. I still think the "title" is bullshit though.
"The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees" by E. Lily Yu
I absolutely loathe bees and wasps, by which I mean every fiber of my being is terrified of them, so I again went in with low expectations only to be pleasantly surprised. This is sort of like A Bug's Life but with magical mapmaking wasps and bees. The writing is lovely.
"The Griffin and the Minor Canon" by Frank R. Stockton
Another solid story. A griffin moves into town to look at his image and the townspeople want him to leave so they won't be eaten. Surprisingly touching.
"Ozioma the Wicked" by Nnedi Okorafor
A girl who can talk to snakes is loathed and feared by her townsfolk, until they need her to help save them. Simplistic narratively but with lovely writing, and it conveys a message and culture, like a good fable.
"The Sunbird" by Neil Gaiman
This story is awful, but not in a way that necessarily means it's bad. A club of epicureans eat all the foods in the world, including ones that are morally reprehensible to eat in various ways. They're all hateful, and so truly is the outcome. But it's clever and eerie for sure.
"The Sage of Theare" by Diana Wynne Jones
Really long compared to the other stories. This one has classic Greek mythology vibes, with Gods attempting to subvert a prophecy with unexpected but also very expected results. It's good, but it's a pet peeve of mine to have short stories tie in with existing worlds (Chrestomanci is in this).
"Gabriel Ernest" by Saki
This one wasn't my favorite. The main characters are both annoying, and there's not a lot of depth to it. But it is creepy and about an unnatural creature, so it's not like it doesn't fit the brief.
"The Cockatoucan; Or, Great Aunt Willoughby" by E. Nesbit
I didn't like this one at all. Nesbit's a classic British children's author, and you can really feel the colonialism in the opening comments about savages. Aside from that, the magical world was annoying, as were the characters.
"Moveable Beast" by Maria Dahvana Headley
Another one I really didn't like. The world building is strange, and it's another story where I just was not interested in any of it or anyone. These stories are very concept-heavy, and either it's going to be something that captures the fancy or doesn't. This one did not.
"The Flight of the Horse" by Larry Niven
Time traveler seeks horse but obtains a unicorn. While I didn't care for the plot itself, the resolution was actually quite funny, so I suppose this was a win overall. At least it was clever and had a sense of humor.
"Prismatica" by Samuel R. Delaney
This didn't fully fit the prompt for me. The creature just didn't really satisfy. This was also so long. It had chapters! Why tho.
"The Manticore, the Mermaid, and Me" by Megan Kurashige
Well, it's definitely got unnatural creatures, but again I didn't enjoy this one. It felt emotionally off for me from the start, and it's hard to get over that. For example, there's a detail that she kissed her best friend and he wasn't into it. But really they just don't feel like friends at all, and you don't feel that kind of tension caused by rejected advances, just the tension of him clearly being a psychopath and her seemingly having no identity at all.
"The Compleat Werewolf" by Anthony BoucherAlright, anthology, you win. I'm three hundred pages in, and I'm giving up on this book because of this story. While there's been a lot in here I haven't cared for, I hated this right from the outset. It thinks it's being funny, but it's absolutely horrendous. The opening scene is so incredibly sexist, with this professor's comments on the secretary. Then he goes off and gets drunk and even more obnoxious, which is sounded out for him to slur everything in a way that's deeply irritating. At this point you learn he's sad, because the student he's been sleeping with refused his offer of marriage. I flip ahead and see there are going to be 80 pages of this drivel. I can't do it, and I won't claim I've read the whole book when I've skipped 70 pages of a story, so this is the end for me.
At the outset, I really thought I'd like this anthology. By and large, the writing is fantastic. Many of the stories are clever and imaginative. I really think work should have been done to balance this. Some stories are 15 pages, some are 80. I don't think the collection should be a mixture of short stories and novellas personally. However, I think people who really appreciate Neil Gaiman will probably enjoy his selections: they're eclectic, pretentious, and imaginative, as his books tend to be.
by Gahan Wilson
The title of this story is an image. Dear god, why? It looks like sound waves, and I'm annoyed by how pretentious and hard to document this is. Going in with that feeling, I expected to hate this, but I actually liked the writing and the story. It's a bit too brief and unresolved for my personal tastes, but it's certainly an intriguing opening story. I still think the "title" is bullshit though.
"The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees" by E. Lily Yu
I absolutely loathe bees and wasps, by which I mean every fiber of my being is terrified of them, so I again went in with low expectations only to be pleasantly surprised. This is sort of like A Bug's Life but with magical mapmaking wasps and bees. The writing is lovely.
"The Griffin and the Minor Canon" by Frank R. Stockton
Another solid story. A griffin moves into town to look at his image and the townspeople want him to leave so they won't be eaten. Surprisingly touching.
"Ozioma the Wicked" by Nnedi Okorafor
A girl who can talk to snakes is loathed and feared by her townsfolk, until they need her to help save them. Simplistic narratively but with lovely writing, and it conveys a message and culture, like a good fable.
"The Sunbird" by Neil Gaiman
This story is awful, but not in a way that necessarily means it's bad. A club of epicureans eat all the foods in the world, including ones that are morally reprehensible to eat in various ways. They're all hateful, and so truly is the outcome. But it's clever and eerie for sure.
"The Sage of Theare" by Diana Wynne Jones
Really long compared to the other stories. This one has classic Greek mythology vibes, with Gods attempting to subvert a prophecy with unexpected but also very expected results. It's good, but it's a pet peeve of mine to have short stories tie in with existing worlds (Chrestomanci is in this).
"Gabriel Ernest" by Saki
This one wasn't my favorite. The main characters are both annoying, and there's not a lot of depth to it. But it is creepy and about an unnatural creature, so it's not like it doesn't fit the brief.
"The Cockatoucan; Or, Great Aunt Willoughby" by E. Nesbit
I didn't like this one at all. Nesbit's a classic British children's author, and you can really feel the colonialism in the opening comments about savages. Aside from that, the magical world was annoying, as were the characters.
"Moveable Beast" by Maria Dahvana Headley
Another one I really didn't like. The world building is strange, and it's another story where I just was not interested in any of it or anyone. These stories are very concept-heavy, and either it's going to be something that captures the fancy or doesn't. This one did not.
"The Flight of the Horse" by Larry Niven
Time traveler seeks horse but obtains a unicorn. While I didn't care for the plot itself, the resolution was actually quite funny, so I suppose this was a win overall. At least it was clever and had a sense of humor.
"Prismatica" by Samuel R. Delaney
This didn't fully fit the prompt for me. The creature just didn't really satisfy. This was also so long. It had chapters! Why tho.
"The Manticore, the Mermaid, and Me" by Megan Kurashige
Well, it's definitely got unnatural creatures, but again I didn't enjoy this one. It felt emotionally off for me from the start, and it's hard to get over that. For example, there's a detail that she kissed her best friend and he wasn't into it. But really they just don't feel like friends at all, and you don't feel that kind of tension caused by rejected advances, just the tension of him clearly being a psychopath and her seemingly having no identity at all.
"The Compleat Werewolf" by Anthony BoucherAlright, anthology, you win. I'm three hundred pages in, and I'm giving up on this book because of this story. While there's been a lot in here I haven't cared for, I hated this right from the outset. It thinks it's being funny, but it's absolutely horrendous. The opening scene is so incredibly sexist, with this professor's comments on the secretary. Then he goes off and gets drunk and even more obnoxious, which is sounded out for him to slur everything in a way that's deeply irritating. At this point you learn he's sad, because the student he's been sleeping with refused his offer of marriage. I flip ahead and see there are going to be 80 pages of this drivel. I can't do it, and I won't claim I've read the whole book when I've skipped 70 pages of a story, so this is the end for me.
At the outset, I really thought I'd like this anthology. By and large, the writing is fantastic. Many of the stories are clever and imaginative. I really think work should have been done to balance this. Some stories are 15 pages, some are 80. I don't think the collection should be a mixture of short stories and novellas personally. However, I think people who really appreciate Neil Gaiman will probably enjoy his selections: they're eclectic, pretentious, and imaginative, as his books tend to be.
August 21, 2018
Преди всичко нека разсея една блестяща заблуда, плод на художественото оформление на корицата, наглед малко недодялано, но успяващо без капка съмнение да ни убеди, че в ръцете си държим нов сборник на великия майстор на странното Нийл Геймън. Не, това не е книга на Нийл, а събрана от Нийл, включваща негови любими автори, повечето от които откровени индита и толкова локално специфични, че внасят неразбираема екзотика, трудно оценима в повечето случаи. И с това ми шерлокхолмско откритие, след което, ако вече сте си купили книгата водени основно от Нийл идеята, може би се чувствате мъничко тъпо, бързам да ви убедя, че всъщност колекцията не е никак лоша, доста различна е, разнообразна, и, ами, по-скоро си заслужава.
Сюжетите са от всякакъв тип и род, но винаги леко обикалящи около темата за чудовищата, къде познати, къде – абсурдно появили се отнякъде с неясни цели, но някак винаги гладни и кисели на човешката раса. Дали ще е месоядно петно, изникнало изключително неуместно в гостната на саможив английски благородник, или грифон с безупречни обноски и огромно желание за просвещение на масите, а може и хаитянска хамадриада, помагаща на една жена да се осъзнае като такава в онези тъмни години на срама и неясните желания, разкъсващи подрастващата мини богиня – краят ще е малко неочакван, но не и съвсем непредвидим, вземайки предвид броя на зъбите на квадратен сантиментър у странните създания на въображението и мрака.
Чудовища има от всяка форма и размер, понякога зли френски велосипеди и агресивни закачалки, друг път – съшита фигурка от частици мъртва кожа на отдавна забравени животни, но най-често е нещо, което ни дебне в огледалото – като прелестната лейди Смърт, чиято позиция е отворена само за хора с кухи сърца, или змийските божества, търсещи своя човешки дан насред усойни места, и дори понякога фениксите – символи на цели скрити цивилизации, попаднали под угрозата да бъдат буквално изконсумирани от нашето си надземно отборче човешки малоумници с пари.
Неестествените твари се допълват и от любезни влюбени върколаци; хладнокръвни магьосници, успяващи да предизвикат божествените пантеони в няколко свята едновременно; древни демони, прехранващи се с каквото изпадне из тучните английски поля; паралелни измерения на постоянно променяща се реалност, под звуците на смеха на странния папатукан; сиви мъже търсещи цветни души, за да придобият шарен живот; галактически ловци на изчезнали животни, открили не просто измрели, ами несъществуващи такива; свръхразумни ята от оси, можещи да затрият и нашия свят, ако им се даде малко повечко време; и зверове с размери, твърде трудни за преодоляване от неизрастналите в техните сенки.
В такава компания приключенията и странностите просто извират от всяка страница, понякога забавни, понякога – натъжаващи, но обичайно стряскащи и създаващи нови източници на писъци, или поне някой и друг тягостен кошмар, обливащ в ледена пот и оставащ да гнети и през будната част на деня, скрит в джобче от подсъзнание. Не е Геймън, не е, но е нещо, което той би чел с удоволствие, и тук идва моментът на искрената фенщина – до каква степен ви се влиза в обувките на любимия автор, и можете ли да го видите през очите на събрата читател, споделящ своите предпочитани текстове почти на равна нога. И точно тук решението за успеваемостта на експеримента в ръцете ви е лично.
Сюжетите са от всякакъв тип и род, но винаги леко обикалящи около темата за чудовищата, къде познати, къде – абсурдно появили се отнякъде с неясни цели, но някак винаги гладни и кисели на човешката раса. Дали ще е месоядно петно, изникнало изключително неуместно в гостната на саможив английски благородник, или грифон с безупречни обноски и огромно желание за просвещение на масите, а може и хаитянска хамадриада, помагаща на една жена да се осъзнае като такава в онези тъмни години на срама и неясните желания, разкъсващи подрастващата мини богиня – краят ще е малко неочакван, но не и съвсем непредвидим, вземайки предвид броя на зъбите на квадратен сантиментър у странните създания на въображението и мрака.
Чудовища има от всяка форма и размер, понякога зли френски велосипеди и агресивни закачалки, друг път – съшита фигурка от частици мъртва кожа на отдавна забравени животни, но най-често е нещо, което ни дебне в огледалото – като прелестната лейди Смърт, чиято позиция е отворена само за хора с кухи сърца, или змийските божества, търсещи своя човешки дан насред усойни места, и дори понякога фениксите – символи на цели скрити цивилизации, попаднали под угрозата да бъдат буквално изконсумирани от нашето си надземно отборче човешки малоумници с пари.
Неестествените твари се допълват и от любезни влюбени върколаци; хладнокръвни магьосници, успяващи да предизвикат божествените пантеони в няколко свята едновременно; древни демони, прехранващи се с каквото изпадне из тучните английски поля; паралелни измерения на постоянно променяща се реалност, под звуците на смеха на странния папатукан; сиви мъже търсещи цветни души, за да придобият шарен живот; галактически ловци на изчезнали животни, открили не просто измрели, ами несъществуващи такива; свръхразумни ята от оси, можещи да затрият и нашия свят, ако им се даде малко повечко време; и зверове с размери, твърде трудни за преодоляване от неизрастналите в техните сенки.
В такава компания приключенията и странностите просто извират от всяка страница, понякога забавни, понякога – натъжаващи, но обичайно стряскащи и създаващи нови източници на писъци, или поне някой и друг тягостен кошмар, обливащ в ледена пот и оставащ да гнети и през будната част на деня, скрит в джобче от подсъзнание. Не е Геймън, не е, но е нещо, което той би чел с удоволствие, и тук идва моментът на искрената фенщина – до каква степен ви се влиза в обувките на любимия автор, и можете ли да го видите през очите на събрата читател, споделящ своите предпочитани текстове почти на равна нога. И точно тук решението за успеваемостта на експеримента в ръцете ви е лично.
October 22, 2015
I loved the introduction.
First story: 3.5 stars. That was a really good one!
The Cartographer wasps and the anarchists bees: 2.5 stars. I think I didn't understand this one and I do not like bees and wasps
The Griffin and the minor canon: 3 stars. This one really seems a children fairytales, and it was a sweet one.
Ozioma The Wicked: 3.5 stars. This one was really compelling.
Sunbird: 4 stars. I loved this one the first time I read it, and I loved it even this second time!
The Sage of Theare: 3.5 starts. This was intersting. I loved the begininnig, but the ending was a little... boring.
Gabriel-Ernest: 3.5 stars. I liked this one a lot.
The Cockatoucan; or Great-Aunt Willoughby: 3.5 stars. This was really intersting and funny. I loved the writing of the author!
Moveable Beast: 4 stars. This one was really good!
The Flight of the Horse: 2 stars. It was not bad, but I do not like it.
Prismatica: 3 stars. This one was really alike a children fairytale and it was really a good reading.
The Manticore, the mermaid, and me: 3 stars. This one was creepy and I enjoyed it a lot!
The Compleat Werewolf: 4 stars. It's maybe the longest one and it was an enjoyable reading: werewolves, magicians, spies and more!
The Smile on the Face: 3.5 I really liked this one!
Or All the Seas with Oysters: 3 This was really strange a little bit creepy.
Come Lady Death: 3.5 This one was really original.
First story: 3.5 stars. That was a really good one!
The Cartographer wasps and the anarchists bees: 2.5 stars. I think I didn't understand this one and I do not like bees and wasps
The Griffin and the minor canon: 3 stars. This one really seems a children fairytales, and it was a sweet one.
Ozioma The Wicked: 3.5 stars. This one was really compelling.
Sunbird: 4 stars. I loved this one the first time I read it, and I loved it even this second time!
The Sage of Theare: 3.5 starts. This was intersting. I loved the begininnig, but the ending was a little... boring.
Gabriel-Ernest: 3.5 stars. I liked this one a lot.
The Cockatoucan; or Great-Aunt Willoughby: 3.5 stars. This was really intersting and funny. I loved the writing of the author!
Moveable Beast: 4 stars. This one was really good!
The Flight of the Horse: 2 stars. It was not bad, but I do not like it.
Prismatica: 3 stars. This one was really alike a children fairytale and it was really a good reading.
The Manticore, the mermaid, and me: 3 stars. This one was creepy and I enjoyed it a lot!
The Compleat Werewolf: 4 stars. It's maybe the longest one and it was an enjoyable reading: werewolves, magicians, spies and more!
The Smile on the Face: 3.5 I really liked this one!
Or All the Seas with Oysters: 3 This was really strange a little bit creepy.
Come Lady Death: 3.5 This one was really original.
July 1, 2020
Изненадващи, мрачни, стряскащи и пропити с мъдрост, допълнени от личен коментар, всеки от разказите подсказва защо Геймън обича тези творби, а навярно носи и частица от самия него.
Препоръчвам сборника на всички, които нямат нищо против освен да се забавляват, понякога и да изтръпват от страх в компанията на чудати създания с различни нрави, способни да забъркат героите, а и самия читател в безброй необикновени приключения.
April 27, 2018
Like all anthologies, this collection has its high points and low points. The time traveling story was definitely my favorite from the bunch, but overall this just made me want to go back and re-read Fragile Things for a proper dose of Gaiman.
July 5, 2013
Rating - 2.5 stars
It seems like there is a theme in the making here for me where Mr. Gaiman' books are concerned. The first book I read of his was Coraline and I loved it, next came American Gods and it bored the crap out of me, following which I read The Ocean at the End of the Lane & loved it. Once again I ventured into Mr. Gaiman' works - his earlier release this year - Unnatural Creatures: Stories Selected by Neil Gaiman, an anthology edited by Gaiman which comprises of 16 short stories, one of which is penned by Gaiman himself.
The stories range from horror to science fiction and are in varying capacities appealing to readers. The complete list of the authors and their stories is as below :
1. (picture of weird line), by Gahan Wilson
2. The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees, by E. Lily Yu
3. The Griffin and the Minor Canon, by Frank R. Stockton
4. Ozioma the Wicked, by Nnedi Okorofor
5. Sunbird, by Neil Gaiman
6. The Song of Theare, by Diana Wynne Jones
7. Gabriel-Ernest, by Saki
8. The Cockatoucan; or, Great-Aunt Willoughby
9. Moveable Beast, by Maria Dahvana Headley
10. The Flight of the Horse, by Larry Niven
11. Prismatica, by Samuel Delany
12. The Manticore, the Mermaid, and Me, by Megan Kurashige
13. The Compleat Werewolf, by Anthony Boucher
14. The Smile on the Face, by Nalo Hopkinson
15. Or All the Seas with Oysters, by Avram Davidson
16. Come Lady Death, by Peter S. Beagle
I loved some of the stories, some of them were well written, some not so engaging to me personally.
Somehow with the title, came expectations which were not met completely. Werewolves, dragons, griffins, weird carnivorous things do sometimes make engaging reads but if and if only the book sustains the theme. Considering this was an anthology that was summarized as a collection of short stories about the fantastical things that exist only in our minds - as mentioned on the blurb, I was prepared for all sorts of creatures but reading a sc-fi themed story right in the middle of a book in which I had just read a take on the popular fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, was kinda weird to digest.
I really am too bummed out at the moment to rate each story individually, so will just list my favorites of the list - The Griffin and the Minor Canon, The Cockatoucan; or, Great-Aunt Willoughby ( which I loved the most ) and the very first one with no title but a weird squiggly line.
This review can also be found at One reader A thousand lives
It seems like there is a theme in the making here for me where Mr. Gaiman' books are concerned. The first book I read of his was Coraline and I loved it, next came American Gods and it bored the crap out of me, following which I read The Ocean at the End of the Lane & loved it. Once again I ventured into Mr. Gaiman' works - his earlier release this year - Unnatural Creatures: Stories Selected by Neil Gaiman, an anthology edited by Gaiman which comprises of 16 short stories, one of which is penned by Gaiman himself.
The stories range from horror to science fiction and are in varying capacities appealing to readers. The complete list of the authors and their stories is as below :
1. (picture of weird line), by Gahan Wilson
2. The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees, by E. Lily Yu
3. The Griffin and the Minor Canon, by Frank R. Stockton
4. Ozioma the Wicked, by Nnedi Okorofor
5. Sunbird, by Neil Gaiman
6. The Song of Theare, by Diana Wynne Jones
7. Gabriel-Ernest, by Saki
8. The Cockatoucan; or, Great-Aunt Willoughby
9. Moveable Beast, by Maria Dahvana Headley
10. The Flight of the Horse, by Larry Niven
11. Prismatica, by Samuel Delany
12. The Manticore, the Mermaid, and Me, by Megan Kurashige
13. The Compleat Werewolf, by Anthony Boucher
14. The Smile on the Face, by Nalo Hopkinson
15. Or All the Seas with Oysters, by Avram Davidson
16. Come Lady Death, by Peter S. Beagle
I loved some of the stories, some of them were well written, some not so engaging to me personally.
Somehow with the title, came expectations which were not met completely. Werewolves, dragons, griffins, weird carnivorous things do sometimes make engaging reads but if and if only the book sustains the theme. Considering this was an anthology that was summarized as a collection of short stories about the fantastical things that exist only in our minds - as mentioned on the blurb, I was prepared for all sorts of creatures but reading a sc-fi themed story right in the middle of a book in which I had just read a take on the popular fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, was kinda weird to digest.
I really am too bummed out at the moment to rate each story individually, so will just list my favorites of the list - The Griffin and the Minor Canon, The Cockatoucan; or, Great-Aunt Willoughby ( which I loved the most ) and the very first one with no title but a weird squiggly line.
This review can also be found at One reader A thousand lives
November 10, 2015
Bienvenidos al Museo de Historia Antinatural. Este particular y misterioso museo, a diferencia de su homólogo londinense al que debemos la fascinación de Neil Gaiman por todo lo que nos rodea, se encarga de recoger los especímenes más asombrosos, terroríficos, fascinantes, míticos, legendarios y maravillosos de la faz de la Tierra. ¿Grifos? Hecho. ¿Una mantícora? Marchando. ¿Unicornios? Por descontado. ¿Cosas sin nombre, sin forma, sin rostro que acechan en la oscuridad? No hay ni que mencionarlo. ¿No os parece una lectura de lo más estimulante para pasar una noche terrorífica recordando Halloween o Samaín, arropados en el sofá de casa y con las misteriosas luces anaranjadas de una Jack-o’-Lantern?
Sigue leyendo...
Sigue leyendo...
August 29, 2013
3.2 average = 3 stars. Some good stories here.
**** [inkspot] - (1972) - Gahan Wilson
An ominous inksplot grows every time an obnoxious aristocrat takes his eyes off it. Both amusing and creepy.
*** The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees - (2011) - E. Lily Yu
Just read this earlier this month in Nebula Awards Showcase, when I said: I feel like maybe I missed something here. Or maybe the 'something' just wasn't there. I liked the set-up, the conflict between the two insect species and the revolutionary faction amongst the bees. But I didn’t feel that it all pulled together.
*** The Griffin and the Minor Canon - (1885) - Frank R. Stockton
A vain griffin come to town to see his likeness carved in stone, as the gargoyles of the local church – to the great consternation of the townspeople. An amusingly written story, but the social commentary rather fell flat, for me. No, I don’t subscribe to the idea that the “sick and the poor” are all actually just malingerers.
*** Ozioma the Wicked - Nnedi Okorafor
Kind of a ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ set in an African village. People dislike and fear Ozioma, who is reputed to speak with snakes and to be a witch. But when her talents save a man’s life, and incidentally bring wealth to the villagers, they change their tune. Ozioma’s too forgiving for my taste…
Sunbird -(2005) - Neil Gaiman
*** Skipped, as I’ve read this story at least twice before, and remember it well. (read in Fragile Things and in Noisy Outlaws…)
The Sage of Theare - (1982) - Diana Wynne Jones
*** A short story which ties in with Wynne-Jones’ Chrestomanci series, in which a mysterious enchanter travels between worlds. In this mythologically-influenced tale, the gods of an extremely orderly realm eject a child whom, prophecy indicates, will grow to tear down their society. But it’s Chrestomanci’s job to restore balance, and his magic is aware that the child is in the wrong world… Some nice philosophy here regarding cause and effect, but it’s still not my favorite tale set in this world (or, rather, worlds).
*****Gabriel-Ernest - (1909) - Saki
This is a completely excellent werewolf story, and I can’t believe I’ve never read it before now. The young man/wolf’s insolence and effrontery are just perfect – an amoral reflection of the nature of a wild, predatory creature who encounters ‘civilisation,’ and a man who really doesn’t know how to handle the situation.
*** The Cockatoucan; or, Great-Aunt Willoughby -(1900) - E. Nesbit
The style and content of this story reminded me of The Phantom Tollbooth – which I haven’t read in long enough that the similarity could be completely illusory. A young girl and her nanny, on the way to visit a dreadfully dull great-aunt, accidentally take the wrong bus, and end up in a strange fairy-tale land where reality shifts every time the caged Cockatoucan laughs. But why is the bird laughing?
** Moveable Beast - Maria Dahvana Headley
A weird and unpleasant small town is centered around their one-block by one-block mini-forest. But not is all as it seems… Good idea, but the writing style didn’t appeal to me.
*** The Flight of the Horse - (1969) - Larry Niven
Sent back in time to retrieve a horse, to satisfy a spoiled prince’s whim, the hapless agent captures what is clearly, to the reader’s eye, a unicorn. What will the prince want next? Mildly amusing.
*** Prismatica - (1977) - Samuel R. Delany
By far my favorite thing I’ve read by Delany. Of course, it’s billed as an ‘Hommage a James Thurber,’ and I like Thurber. So, Delany imitating Thurber gets my thumbs-up. A classic quest fairy tale with clever and memorable twists – and a bit of a sappy ending, but that’s OK.
*** The Manticore, the Mermaid, and Me - Megan Kurashige
A kid discovers that his mom’s colleague at The Museum of Natural History has been sneaking hoax (?) taxidermy into the museum. Strange events occur, and perhaps two children learn something about friendship.
*** The Compleat Werewolf - (1942) - Anthony Boucher
Professor Wolfe Wolf (known around the office as Woof-Woof) discovers that his name relates to his identity far more closely than he’d ever realized. And proceeds to get himself into trouble.
** The Smile on the Face -(2004) - Nalo Hopkinson
Teenage girls should be happy with their bodies and stick up for themselves against attempted date rape. Yes, fine, I agree. But I didn’t love the story.
**** Or All the Seas with Oysters -(1958) - Avram Davidson
A horror/fantasy story about two partners who run a bike shop – not without much interpersonal conflict. Feels far more contemporary than its 1958 publication date. Really good.
**** Come Lady Death - (1963) - Peter S. Beagle
A bored aristocratic lady invites Death as a guest to one of her many soirees – and gets more than she bargained for. I imagine that this story may have influenced Gaiman’s portrayal of Death in Sandman. Excellent story.
**** [inkspot] - (1972) - Gahan Wilson
An ominous inksplot grows every time an obnoxious aristocrat takes his eyes off it. Both amusing and creepy.
*** The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees - (2011) - E. Lily Yu
Just read this earlier this month in Nebula Awards Showcase, when I said: I feel like maybe I missed something here. Or maybe the 'something' just wasn't there. I liked the set-up, the conflict between the two insect species and the revolutionary faction amongst the bees. But I didn’t feel that it all pulled together.
*** The Griffin and the Minor Canon - (1885) - Frank R. Stockton
A vain griffin come to town to see his likeness carved in stone, as the gargoyles of the local church – to the great consternation of the townspeople. An amusingly written story, but the social commentary rather fell flat, for me. No, I don’t subscribe to the idea that the “sick and the poor” are all actually just malingerers.
*** Ozioma the Wicked - Nnedi Okorafor
Kind of a ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ set in an African village. People dislike and fear Ozioma, who is reputed to speak with snakes and to be a witch. But when her talents save a man’s life, and incidentally bring wealth to the villagers, they change their tune. Ozioma’s too forgiving for my taste…
Sunbird -(2005) - Neil Gaiman
*** Skipped, as I’ve read this story at least twice before, and remember it well. (read in Fragile Things and in Noisy Outlaws…)
The Sage of Theare - (1982) - Diana Wynne Jones
*** A short story which ties in with Wynne-Jones’ Chrestomanci series, in which a mysterious enchanter travels between worlds. In this mythologically-influenced tale, the gods of an extremely orderly realm eject a child whom, prophecy indicates, will grow to tear down their society. But it’s Chrestomanci’s job to restore balance, and his magic is aware that the child is in the wrong world… Some nice philosophy here regarding cause and effect, but it’s still not my favorite tale set in this world (or, rather, worlds).
*****Gabriel-Ernest - (1909) - Saki
This is a completely excellent werewolf story, and I can’t believe I’ve never read it before now. The young man/wolf’s insolence and effrontery are just perfect – an amoral reflection of the nature of a wild, predatory creature who encounters ‘civilisation,’ and a man who really doesn’t know how to handle the situation.
*** The Cockatoucan; or, Great-Aunt Willoughby -(1900) - E. Nesbit
The style and content of this story reminded me of The Phantom Tollbooth – which I haven’t read in long enough that the similarity could be completely illusory. A young girl and her nanny, on the way to visit a dreadfully dull great-aunt, accidentally take the wrong bus, and end up in a strange fairy-tale land where reality shifts every time the caged Cockatoucan laughs. But why is the bird laughing?
** Moveable Beast - Maria Dahvana Headley
A weird and unpleasant small town is centered around their one-block by one-block mini-forest. But not is all as it seems… Good idea, but the writing style didn’t appeal to me.
*** The Flight of the Horse - (1969) - Larry Niven
Sent back in time to retrieve a horse, to satisfy a spoiled prince’s whim, the hapless agent captures what is clearly, to the reader’s eye, a unicorn. What will the prince want next? Mildly amusing.
*** Prismatica - (1977) - Samuel R. Delany
By far my favorite thing I’ve read by Delany. Of course, it’s billed as an ‘Hommage a James Thurber,’ and I like Thurber. So, Delany imitating Thurber gets my thumbs-up. A classic quest fairy tale with clever and memorable twists – and a bit of a sappy ending, but that’s OK.
*** The Manticore, the Mermaid, and Me - Megan Kurashige
A kid discovers that his mom’s colleague at The Museum of Natural History has been sneaking hoax (?) taxidermy into the museum. Strange events occur, and perhaps two children learn something about friendship.
*** The Compleat Werewolf - (1942) - Anthony Boucher
Professor Wolfe Wolf (known around the office as Woof-Woof) discovers that his name relates to his identity far more closely than he’d ever realized. And proceeds to get himself into trouble.
** The Smile on the Face -(2004) - Nalo Hopkinson
Teenage girls should be happy with their bodies and stick up for themselves against attempted date rape. Yes, fine, I agree. But I didn’t love the story.
**** Or All the Seas with Oysters -(1958) - Avram Davidson
A horror/fantasy story about two partners who run a bike shop – not without much interpersonal conflict. Feels far more contemporary than its 1958 publication date. Really good.
**** Come Lady Death - (1963) - Peter S. Beagle
A bored aristocratic lady invites Death as a guest to one of her many soirees – and gets more than she bargained for. I imagine that this story may have influenced Gaiman’s portrayal of Death in Sandman. Excellent story.
November 14, 2016
1.
by Gahan Wilson tells the story of a spot that keeps growing. (4 stars)
2. The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees by E. Lily Yu begins when a boy attacks the wasps in his village and they are forcet to flee. That swarm of wasps enslaves a nearby bee colony, and the bees, slowly but surely, begin to revolt, thanks to a group of secret anarchists living amongst them. (4 stars)
3. The Griffin and the Minor Canon by Frank R. Stockton is about a griffin who descends upon a town and the people send the young priest to him to deal with it (2 stars)
4. Ozioma the Wicked by Nnedi Okorafor follows the story of Ozioma who can talk to snakes, is ostracized because of it and yet is summoned to handle a huge snake who has descended from the sky (3 stars)
5. Sunbird by Neil Gaiman is a story I have read before in Fragile Things. (3 stars)
6. The Sage of Theare by Diana Wynne Jones is a story about invisible dragons, and about gods, and about a wise sage and a young man who seeks him. (3 stars)
7. Gabriel-Ernest by Saki is a story about a beast, or maybe about a boy (2 stars)
8. The Cockatoucan; or, Great-Aunt Willoughby by E. Nesbit tells the story of Matilda's visit to her ancient great-aunt where she meets a princess (2 stars)
9. Moveable Beast by Maria Dahvana Headley follows the story of a girl whose father hunts the Beast (2 stars)
10. The Flight of the Horse by Larry Niven is a story about time-travelling Svetz who needs to find a horse (2 stars)
11. Prismatica by Samuel R. Delany tells the story of Amos' search for three shards of magical miror (3 stars)
12. The Manticore, the Mermaid, and Me by Megan Kurashige begins with a strangecollection in the Museum of Natural History (3 stars)
13. The Compleat Werewolf by Anthony Boucher follows the story of professor turned werevolf (2 stars)
14. The Smile on the Face by Nalo Hopkinson is a story of teenager Gilla and her body image issues (3 stars)
15. Or All the Seas With Oysters by Avram Davidson tells the story of larva bicycles (2 stars)
16. Come Lady Death by Peter S. Beagle begins when Lady Neville plans to invite Death to her party among the fashionable London elite (3 stars)
by Gahan Wilson tells the story of a spot that keeps growing. (4 stars)2. The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees by E. Lily Yu begins when a boy attacks the wasps in his village and they are forcet to flee. That swarm of wasps enslaves a nearby bee colony, and the bees, slowly but surely, begin to revolt, thanks to a group of secret anarchists living amongst them. (4 stars)
3. The Griffin and the Minor Canon by Frank R. Stockton is about a griffin who descends upon a town and the people send the young priest to him to deal with it (2 stars)
4. Ozioma the Wicked by Nnedi Okorafor follows the story of Ozioma who can talk to snakes, is ostracized because of it and yet is summoned to handle a huge snake who has descended from the sky (3 stars)
5. Sunbird by Neil Gaiman is a story I have read before in Fragile Things. (3 stars)
6. The Sage of Theare by Diana Wynne Jones is a story about invisible dragons, and about gods, and about a wise sage and a young man who seeks him. (3 stars)
7. Gabriel-Ernest by Saki is a story about a beast, or maybe about a boy (2 stars)
8. The Cockatoucan; or, Great-Aunt Willoughby by E. Nesbit tells the story of Matilda's visit to her ancient great-aunt where she meets a princess (2 stars)
9. Moveable Beast by Maria Dahvana Headley follows the story of a girl whose father hunts the Beast (2 stars)
10. The Flight of the Horse by Larry Niven is a story about time-travelling Svetz who needs to find a horse (2 stars)
11. Prismatica by Samuel R. Delany tells the story of Amos' search for three shards of magical miror (3 stars)
12. The Manticore, the Mermaid, and Me by Megan Kurashige begins with a strangecollection in the Museum of Natural History (3 stars)
13. The Compleat Werewolf by Anthony Boucher follows the story of professor turned werevolf (2 stars)
14. The Smile on the Face by Nalo Hopkinson is a story of teenager Gilla and her body image issues (3 stars)
15. Or All the Seas With Oysters by Avram Davidson tells the story of larva bicycles (2 stars)
16. Come Lady Death by Peter S. Beagle begins when Lady Neville plans to invite Death to her party among the fashionable London elite (3 stars)
December 30, 2017
Приключвам читателската си година с една доста читава антология, селектирана от Нийл Геймън. Ако още не сте я разгръщали, вижте какво съдържа, ако пък сте - припомнете си:
1. • - Геън Уилсон
2. Осите картографи и пчелите анархисти - Е. Лили Ю
3. Грифонът и младшият свещеник" - Франк Р. Стоктън
4. Злата Озиома - Неди Окорафор
5. Птица слънце" - Нийл Геймън
6. Мъдрецът от Мезая" - Даяна Уейн Джоунс
7. Габриел-Ернест" - Саки
8. Папатуканът или леля Уилъби" - Е. Несбит
9. Звяр до корен" - Мария Дахвана Хийли
10. Бягството на коня" - Лари Нивън
11. Призматика" - Самюъл Дилейни
12. Мантикората, русалката и аз - Меган Курашиг
13. Завършеният върколак - Антъни Баучър
14. И усмивка на лицето - Нейло Хопкинсън
15. И океаните, и стридите - Аврам Дейвидсън
16. Добре дошла, милейди Смърт - Питър С. Бийгъл
Така-а, давам оценка Отличен 5=, защото три разказа здраво ме отегчиха - №2, №6 и №8. Въпреки всичко творбите-трепач превалираха и сред тях също имаше разкази на дами - №4 и № 14 (споменавам го, защото тегавините, сори, може да звучи сексистки, ама... бяха все дамски изпълнения :) ). Безапелационният фаворит, спечелил сърцето ми още от първото изречение стана "Завършеният върколак" на Антъни Баучър, най-дългата творба в сборника със своите 70 стр. Литературен джънкфуд от най-благите (1942 г. е публикуван за първи път) - ликантропи, нацистки шпиони, холивудски актриси - ако мога да го сравня с нещо, то веднага ми хрумва - огромна порция пържени картофки и халба запотена бира. "Птица Слънце" на Нийл Геймън също доволно ме израдва. "Бягството на коня" на Лари Нивън и "Призматика" на Самюъл Дилейни допълват списъка с изкъртващи разкази. Всичко останало бе с прилично качество. Заб. Изказаните мнения/оценки и пр. са крайно субективни и по никакъв начин не трябва да влияят върху собствения ви прочит :) Успешна читателска 2018 година - да откриете повече творби за повече звезди!!!
1. • - Геън Уилсон
2. Осите картографи и пчелите анархисти - Е. Лили Ю
3. Грифонът и младшият свещеник" - Франк Р. Стоктън
4. Злата Озиома - Неди Окорафор
5. Птица слънце" - Нийл Геймън
6. Мъдрецът от Мезая" - Даяна Уейн Джоунс
7. Габриел-Ернест" - Саки
8. Папатуканът или леля Уилъби" - Е. Несбит
9. Звяр до корен" - Мария Дахвана Хийли
10. Бягството на коня" - Лари Нивън
11. Призматика" - Самюъл Дилейни
12. Мантикората, русалката и аз - Меган Курашиг
13. Завършеният върколак - Антъни Баучър
14. И усмивка на лицето - Нейло Хопкинсън
15. И океаните, и стридите - Аврам Дейвидсън
16. Добре дошла, милейди Смърт - Питър С. Бийгъл
Така-а, давам оценка Отличен 5=, защото три разказа здраво ме отегчиха - №2, №6 и №8. Въпреки всичко творбите-трепач превалираха и сред тях също имаше разкази на дами - №4 и № 14 (споменавам го, защото тегавините, сори, може да звучи сексистки, ама... бяха все дамски изпълнения :) ). Безапелационният фаворит, спечелил сърцето ми още от първото изречение стана "Завършеният върколак" на Антъни Баучър, най-дългата творба в сборника със своите 70 стр. Литературен джънкфуд от най-благите (1942 г. е публикуван за първи път) - ликантропи, нацистки шпиони, холивудски актриси - ако мога да го сравня с нещо, то веднага ми хрумва - огромна порция пържени картофки и халба запотена бира. "Птица Слънце" на Нийл Геймън също доволно ме израдва. "Бягството на коня" на Лари Нивън и "Призматика" на Самюъл Дилейни допълват списъка с изкъртващи разкази. Всичко останало бе с прилично качество. Заб. Изказаните мнения/оценки и пр. са крайно субективни и по никакъв начин не трябва да влияят върху собствения ви прочит :) Успешна читателска 2018 година - да откриете повече творби за повече звезди!!!
May 2, 2016
I could go through each story in this collection and rate each separately, but then I would have to average all those ratings at the end. And I really try to avoid math whenever possible. I'm giving this 3 stars because I liked it. It may deserve more, but it certainly deserves no less.
This was quite the mixed bag - some slightly creepy, some pretty silly, some almost unforgettable, some all together forgettable. But this is a collection of Gaiman's favorites, not mine, so I can appreciate the selection. I read this slowly - not to savor but just because I didn't have a lot of ambition to pick it up. I was enjoying it while reading but not craving it while I was away. I didn't highlight much, but here are a couple of the few that I did:
I see that you are all looking at me doubtfully. Gentlemen, consider: of course the ancient Egyptians made beer cans; where else would they have kept their beer?
"A mammal," said Ozymandias, "is an animal that bears its young alive and suckles them. A virgin is nonetheless a mammal. Because you have never changed does not make you any the less a werewolf."
This was quite the mixed bag - some slightly creepy, some pretty silly, some almost unforgettable, some all together forgettable. But this is a collection of Gaiman's favorites, not mine, so I can appreciate the selection. I read this slowly - not to savor but just because I didn't have a lot of ambition to pick it up. I was enjoying it while reading but not craving it while I was away. I didn't highlight much, but here are a couple of the few that I did:
I see that you are all looking at me doubtfully. Gentlemen, consider: of course the ancient Egyptians made beer cans; where else would they have kept their beer?
"A mammal," said Ozymandias, "is an animal that bears its young alive and suckles them. A virgin is nonetheless a mammal. Because you have never changed does not make you any the less a werewolf."
Currently reading
November 1, 2013Okay, this anthology was irresistible for me when it came up as a Daily Deal, because I almost wrote my Masters thesis on medieval bestiaries, so it really hit my weakest spot. Its' not a review, just a couple thoughts.
1) Inkblotch story - enjoyed it, though I kinda didn't "get" what type of plant it was. The spiritualist started off as an interesting character (much more so than the others), but never had any room to develop. The other characters were a bit Wooster & Jeeves.
2) Bees and Wasps story - really enjoyed the writing. Not sure about the anarchist hive part and how they ended, seemed a little pointless/forced.
3) Griffin story. Writing feels a bit more forced here. Not sure I'm connecting to the voice.
1) Inkblotch story - enjoyed it, though I kinda didn't "get" what type of plant it was. The spiritualist started off as an interesting character (much more so than the others), but never had any room to develop. The other characters were a bit Wooster & Jeeves.
2) Bees and Wasps story - really enjoyed the writing. Not sure about the anarchist hive part and how they ended, seemed a little pointless/forced.
3) Griffin story. Writing feels a bit more forced here. Not sure I'm connecting to the voice.
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