Elementary: All-New Tales of the Elemental Masters

Elemental Masters #8.5

by Mercedes Lackey (Editor), Samuel Conway (Contributor), Jennifer Brozek (Contributor)

In March 1987, Mercedes Lackey, a young author from Oklahoma, published her first novel, Arrows of the Queen. No one could have envisioned that this modest book would be the beginning of a fantasy career that would span decades and more than a hundred novels, with no signs of slowing yet.

And among Ms. Lackey's many novels, few are as critically-acclaimed and beloved as those of the Elemental Masters. The novels in this series are loosely based on classic fairy tales, and take place in a fantasy version of turn-of-the-century London, where magic is real and Elemental Masters control the powers of Fire, Water, Air and Earth.

Now the voices of other authors join Mercedes Lackey to add their own special touches to this delightful alternate history, in a world where magic is always just around the corner...

Genres: Fantasy, Short Stories, Fiction, Anthologies, Magic, Historical, Science Fiction Fantasy

322 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Mercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.

"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.

"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.

"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:

"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."

Also writes as Misty Lackey

Author's website

Reviews

[Kathy Davie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An anthology of 19 stories revolving around the Elemental Masters urban fantasy series set in Victorian England.

The Stories
Samuel Conway's "Fire-Water" is something of a parable with a dose of Solomon's judgment and a splash of tequila. It's a unique interpretation as well as a cute description of how prey detects a predator: "the sun winks".

Diana L. Paxson's "Fire Song" blends ancient history with magic as a philosopher's family flees the overthrow of his patron. Nice peek into the personal fears of a mother with the very real fears of pursuit and murder.

Kristin Schwengel's "Sails of the Armada" is a very sad attempt to "explain" how the Spanish Armada truly met its doom. It does take on a very personal perspective with the kidnapped Rodrigo's perspective and his friend, a sea serpent. Rodrigo raises an interesting question as he wonders if one is only a heretic if one is an enemy.

Fiona Patton's "The Wild Rogue" finds a wild, bad-tempered Water mage drinking his demons away. It's got plenty of twists and turns — enough to get me very confused.

Elizabeth A. Vaughan's "Feathers and Foundations" finds Thomas Davies in trouble for not controlling the ravens in his new role as Ravenmaster at the Tower of London. It's a struggle, for the ravens answer to Air while Davies is an Earth mage. It's struggle that ends when Davies must use his power to heal.

Dayle A. Dermatis's "Hearth and Family" is a little bit fairy tale and a little bit persecution as a new family is formed and torn asunder. It's the boy's return that accelerates decisions. It's a sweet story and only a bit clichéd.

Louisa Swann's "Secret Friends" is an anomaly in the Elemental Masters series in that its protagonist, Nettie, gains cooperation from Air, Water, and Earth spirits. It's a brief glimpse into her life, albeit a very dangerous episode in which she might lose her brother.

Elisabeth Waters' "Fire's Daughter" finds an upper-class girl battling her mother over whether she'll be a "proper young lady" or an independent young woman. It's both funny and sad as it reinforces the narrow view Victorian society had of what a woman could do.

Cedric Johnson's "Picking Up the Pieces" is cute but juvenile and the writing needs a LOT more polish. I think he included every idea he had about the story.

Jennifer Brozek's "The Price of Family" is somewhat selfish and somewhat righteous, and the whole of it is more real than I think we'd want to admit. It's a choice between which family to save: Josie's new family or reuniting a mother with her son.

Tanya Huff's "Arms of the Sea" is both tragic and uplifting. I know. I seem to be quite confused about events in the previous story and this one, but if you read them, you'll understand. It's a young crippled woman who battles against those who care for her, who only see a crippled person. But Marie manages to get her way and accomplish quite a bit. A good example of a complete story.

Ben Ohlander's "London Falling" is disgusting and depressing, even as this sibling finally becomes an adult.

Michele Lang's "The King of the River Rats" finds an intrepid woman reporter going against Tammany Hall to investigate the increasing number of missing girls. It's a quick, fun read.

Jody Lynn Nye's "Air of Deception" continues on from Elemental Magic: "Air of Mystery" with Aurelia saving another's life with her swift thinking and deft hand with perfumes. I did enjoy this story, almost as much as I enjoyed that first one I read.

Stephanie Shaver's "Fly or Fall" finds Aurelia fleeing her gift. It takes a young girl and her mother's ignorance to reconcile Aurelia with her own power. A good story that is well written.

Rosemary Edghill and Rebecca Fox's "Bone Dance" is confusing in small ways. For one, I have no idea how the title relates to the story. I had to hunt to understand how various characters were related and some aspects were rather juvenile. And what's with this Council? What happened to the White Lodge? The story has promise, but needs work.

Ron Collins' "The Flying Contraption" concludes that one should never stop making mistakes, lol. Of course, you have to clean up after. It's a cute story and well written about a very curious little girl and the Wright brothers.

Gail Sanders and Michael Z. Williamson's "A Peony Amongst Roses" is an unexpected foray into peony gardens and their value in protecting the royals. Sure I love peonies; they are absolutely gorgeous, but Sanders/Williamson do nothing to elucidate on this. Yeah, I know. It protects against evil. I'm sorry but it's too vague for me on how the peony accomplishes this. I guess short stories aren't required to be complete. It is cute with lots of interesting detail, except that one that I really want.

Mercedes Lackey's "Into the Woods" is an excerpt, the start, from Blood Red , 10. I see this as a cheat of a short story even though Blood Red is a good story.

The Cover and Title
The cover is a collage of the short stories and begins with a bright blue and purple set of draperies for the background, an inset rectangle with a woman in yellow and a man in a top hat with a cat sitting atop the rectangle and a pair of birds flying at them.

The title is basic enough, for it is Elementary: All-New Tales of the Elemental Masters.

[Eliška · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've come to accept that every anthology has two or three amazing stories, two or three stories that I completely hate for one reason or another, and a bunch of stories that fall somewhere in between.

This particular anthology is ostensibly a series of short stories set in the world of Mercedes Lackey's Elemental Masters series - most of which take place in the Edwardian period, primarily in Britain (my favourite, The Fire Rose, takes place in America). They are also all retellings of fairy tales or folk stories within this setting, and with an overlay of elemental magic on top.

With a few exceptions, none of the stories in this anthology deal with fairy tales, and many of them are set in a different time and place, leaving only the elemental magic aspect to tie them in. Despite this, some of the ones that don't fit are still quite good. I do feel like there was a length limit on some of these stories that negatively affected them - I'd have been all right with fewer, longer stories in here. I also had the nagging sense that more than a few of the authors in here didn't get a complete sense of what it means to be an Elemental Magician (or Master, as they are different) in Lackey's established world, and that took away from my enjoyment in a couple cases.

Unlike my usual anthology review, I'm going to list all of them, with commentary, rather than just the ones I feel are worth re-reading. In order of appearance:

Fire-Water, by Samuel Conway, is one that doesn't fit the setting, but does have certain folktale elements, explaining how something came to be. I liked it, despite it being very much not what I would have expected from this anthology.

Fire Song, by Diana Paxson: Having only experienced Diana Paxson's work in the S&S anthologies, I was expecting strong characterization and an emotionally compelling story. This was not that. Set in ancient Greece, this had far too many minor characters and far too little plot for my liking. Disappointing.

Sails of the Armada, by Kristin Schwengel: One of the gems of this anthology. Well-written and very emotionally evocative.

The Wild Rogue, by Fiona Patton: Another excellent story. Set about 20 years before the Regency, and Patton actually manages to do a decent job with the style of the era.

Feathers and Foundations, by Elizabeth Vaughan: Meh. It has good moments, and a decent premise, but seems like the "ending" was intended to connect to something longer.

Hearth and Family, by Dayle Dermatis: I had a sneaking suspicion that this was supposed to be a Hansel and Gretel retelling, but it wasn't overt enough to make me cranky. Emotionally compelling and mostly well-written.

Secret Friends, by Louisa Swann: This one made me really cranky. Set in San Francisco around the time of the gold rush, the plot could have been an excellent reversal of the Chinese sex slavery rampant at that time. Instead, it's a bland and unoriginal view of the foreign Other as the unambiguous villain of the story, with bad dialogue. Nope.

Fire's Daughter, by Elisabeth Waters: The dialogue is stilted and often jarring, and the details of the protagonist's life stretch my suspension of disbelief, but overall I kind of liked this story.

Picking Up the Pieces, by Cedric Johnson: Oh honey no. A redhead and a blonde named Garnet and Pearl, respectively? Seriously? This also reeks of the aftermath of the usual "fairy tale", where a magic hero rescues a magic princess, who automagically loves him because he's MAGIC and SAVED HER and oh god please no.

The Price of Family, by Jennifer Brozek: I liked this one. It's not AMAZING, but it is a solid story with good writing and ambiguously motivated characters, which sets it above some of the other stories in this book.

Arms of the Sea, by Tanya Huff, is possibly my favourite story in the whole book. This is one of the few that really follow in the footsteps of The Fire Rose, with excellent writing, realistic dialogue, and compelling characters.

London Falling, by Ben Ohlander: I did not think I would like this one when I started reading it (as I'm not really a fan of first-person in sf/f), but the ending turned my assumptions about the main characters on their ears, and while I'm not sure I'd read it again, I did end up kind of liking it.

The King of the River Rats, by Michele Lang: Not particularly memorable. Not bad, OH WAIT except for the ending, where the POWER OF WUV is more important to the protagonist than her independence. Fuck that.

Air of Deception, by Jody Lynn Nye: EEEE PERFUME FANDOM! A little silly in places, a little stilted in the dialogue, but I loved it anyway.

Fly or Fall, by Stephanie Shaver: Yay, another of MZB's S&S writers! I am amused that two stories in a row have protagonists named Aurelia who work with Air magic. This is good and I liked it quite a bit, despite some small nitpicks.

Bone Dance, by Rosemary Edghill and Rebecca Fox: Not so much a "retelling" of Jekyll & Hyde as a view of the influence it could have had on a rogue Elemental Magician. Good writing, solid story. I liked it.

The Flying Contraption, by Ron Collins: Cute little story. For once, someone writes a convincing 10-year-old.

A Peony Amongst Roses, by Gail Sanders and Michael Williamson: Meh? This wasn't bad, but I felt the pacing was a bit off. I do like the protagonist, though, and I like stories about gardening and political scheming, so... This was one that could have done well as a longer story.

Into the Woods, by Mercedes Lackey: Straight-up Little Red Riding Hood. Not even a little different. A resounding "Meh."

[Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

2020 bk 240. I had been wanting to read this for awhile and it didn't disappoint. This is a collection of stories by those interested in writing in the Elementals Universe, but willing to write in different places and times. I loved the number of stories set in Germany and nations other than England.
A delight.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed the full-length novels in this series, and in this collection, a variety of authors get to play around in Lackey's Edwardian fantasy series.
It was interesting to see the different approaches the authors took when it came to weaving a story set in a world with both magic and technology. Some of the stories were so rich that it's a pity they won't be developed into longer novels.
I especially loved the interaction of a young mage with the Wright Brothers in "The Flying Contraption," and the exceptionally grim story "The Bone Dance," in which a chemist's goal is to "recreate" the potion from Robert Louis Stevenson's "Dr. Jekyll" tale.
Overall, the stories were interesting and enjoyable, if you like the general tone of the Elemental Masters series in the original form.
For those who have never read any of that series, there's a snippet from one of the novels as the last story in the anthology. If you like that one, you would probably like the novels.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another anthology of stories set in Mercedes Lackey's Elemental Masters universe.

The stories were, on the whole, pretty even. Only disappointment was Mercede's own story. She later used it as the opening chapters of one of her books, so I felt vaguely cheated.

All in all, though, it was a good and enjoyable read. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

[CJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

These sorts of books are hard to review. Some of the stories I hated so much (and were so boring) my eyes glazed over while reading. Some I enjoyed, Some i neither liked or disliked. So in the end I rate it "it was ok" I think i would of rated it higher if they started the book with some of the more interesting stories because starting it with the boring ones just sets the whole book up with a bad feeling. I did however like that some of the stories were continuations of stories found in Elemental magic.

[Amy Fuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked how Jody Lynn Nye was able to contribute a second story with the same cast of characters from the first anthology. I'd like to see this continue with other authors, there are several very compelling characters from whom I'd like to see more; for instance, Marie from Arms of the Sea and El from The Fire's Daughter.

[Marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Victorian England this anthology of 19 stories revolves around the Elemental Masters
urban fantasy series. I give this book 4 stars. There were 15 stories I liked in this antho. My
fav's are Fire's Daughter by Elisabeth Waters,Arms of the Sea by Tanya Huff,The King of the
River Rats by Michele Lang,Air of Deception by Jody Lynn Nye,Fly or Fall by Stephanie Shaver,
Bone Dance by Rosemary Edghill and Rebecca Fox,A Peony Amongst Roses by Gail Sanders and Michael Z. Williamson,and Into the Woods by Mercedes Lackey.=0)

My ratings by story are as follows:
1.Fire-Water by Samuel Conway =I gave this story 3 stars. It was whimsical.

2.Fire Song by Diana L. Paxson=I gave this story 3 stars. It had an interesting ending.
This was a continuation of the short story from the 1st antho.

3.Sails of the Armada by Kristin Schwengel =I gave this story 3 stars. It was sad but was
written well.

4.The Wild Rogue by Fiona Patton=I gave this story 3.5-4 stars. It was nice and lively.=0p

5.Feathers and Foundations by Elizabeth A. Vaughan=I gave this story 4 stars. This was a continuation of the short story from the 1st antho. I was thrilled to continue with the tale!
Good word use I connected to the story it was a vivid tale.=0)

6.Hearth and Family by Dayle A. Dermatis=I gave this story 4 stars. There were sad parts.

7.Secret Friends by Louisa Swann=I gave this story 4 stars. Good tale.

8.Fire's Daughter by Elisabeth Waters=I gave this story 4.5 stars! This was a continuation
of the short story from the 1st antho. I really want more story though.Hope there is a
continuation! =0)

9.Picking Up the Pieces by Cedric Johnson=I gave this story 4 stars. Good tale.This was a continuation of the short story from the 1st antho. This story is set 15 years later.

10.The Price of Family by Jennifer Brozek=I gave this story 3.5-4 stars. It had a sad ending.

11.Arms of the Sea by Tanya Huff=I gave this story 4.5 stars! I really want more story
though.Hope there is a continuation! =0)

12.London Falling by Ben Ohlander=I gave this story 3.5-4 stars. Not a good ending.
Well written disturbing tale.

13.The King of the River Rats by Michele Lang=I gave this story 4 stars. Good tale.This
was a continuation of the short story from the 1st antho. Awesome yet sad.=0)

14.Air of Deception by Jody Lynn Nye=I gave this story 4 stars. This was a continuation
of the short story from the 1st antho. I would not mind more stories! =0p

15.Fly or Fall by Stephanie Shaver=I gave this story 4 stars. This was a continuation of
the short story from the 1st antho. =0)

16.Bone Dance by Rosemary Edghill and Rebecca Fox=I gave this story 4.5 stars! This was
a continuation of the short story from the 1st antho. =0p

17.The Flying Contraption by Ron Collins=I gave this story 3.5 stars. It was cute. Interesting retelling of historic event. Wink.

18.A Peony Amongst Roses by Gail Sanders and Michael Z. Williamson=I gave this story 4.5
stars! This was a continuation of the short story from the 1st antho. I love the main character
she has such a strong spirit.That is why I still want more story though.Hope there is a continuation! =0p

19. Into the Woods by Mercedes Lackey=I gave this story 4.5 stars!This is the start for
Blood Red! Kinda sad but good. Great twist to fairy tale.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spoilers
Note to Self:
1.Fire-Water by Samuel Conway
Octli(rabbit), bird, Earth Master(old lady).

2.Fire Song by Diana L. Paxson
Kyria(mom,daughter,Water Magic) & Empedocles(her son,3yo,fire magic), Eudocia
(mother)+ Archilaus(Pythagorean philosopher,dad),Lysander(8yo,philosophers youngest
pupil), Polycritos (oldest pupil), Nicolaus(oldest pupil),Picus(14yo,son of Roman),[Meto(her husband)].

3.Sails of the Armada by Kristin Schwengel [1588]
Rodrigo(sailor,water magic,pal,died),Tareixa(sea serpent,water elemental)

4.The Wild Rogue by Fiona Patton [1783]
Christopher Walcot(half bro,Kit,Water mage,maybe future Bow Street Runner),Edward
(Teddy,elder bro,Baron Clive of Plassy)+ Henrietta(intended),Lottie(sis),Lizzie(sis),
Rebecca (Becky,Fire Mage,sis)+?,Uncle Neville(Royal Astronomer),Henry Keeling(Bow
Street Runner,godfather).

5.Feathers and Foundations by Elizabeth A. Vaughan
Thomas Davies(Earth Master,ex-Royal Army,Yeoman Warder & Ravenmaster in Tower
of London),Lt. General Loftus(Tower of London),Colonel Doyle(Tower of London),Arthur
(Duke of Wellington, Constable Tower Field Marshall).

6.Hearth and Family by Dayle A. Dermatis
Klara(widow,fire magician,mill owner,new guardian),Frieda(13yo,sis,water magician,
run away),George(14yo,bro,earth magician,run away,conscripted German Army,soldier).

7.Secret Friends by Louisa Swann [San Francisco]
Nettie(12yo, Air Magician,sis),Wu Li(bro,Fire Magician),Mama Wu(mother).

8.Fire's Daughter by Elisabeth Waters
Sophia Pearce(sis,pal,new governess,Fire Magician),Lady Mary(mom,daughter of Water Magician),Eleanora(12yo,twin sis,apprentice physician,Fire Master),Sir Nicholas(Fire Master,dad,runs medical practice,physician),Albert(Water Master,twin bro,pupil),Father Pearce(her bro,Water Magician,Albert's mentor),Dr.Sarah Clarke(pal),Duke(grandad,
Master).

9.Picking Up the Pieces by Cedric Johnson
Clara Wohltat(mom,sis,Earth Magician)+Thaddeus Wohltat(Earth Master)=Garnet(their daughter,older twin sis,14yo,kitchen magic) & Pearl(their daughter,twin sis,14yo,animal
magic),Silas(great uncle),Ephram(great uncle), (white stag,Clara's bro,spirit),Bernhard Furst(bro,ex-cursed bear,now Peal's betrothed).

10.The Price of Family by Jennifer Brozek
Josie(9yo,food thief,orphanage run away,new Fire Magician,trainee),Edward Huffington
(Huff,Fire Master,blacksmith,mentor),Seneca(Fire spirit,mom,forge prisoner),Scintil(fire
spirit,son,wild, chimney prisoner,man killer).

11.Arms of the Sea by Tanya Huff
Marie Hudson(20yo,crippled w/ injured spine,Water Master,late captains daughter,pal), Mrs.Barton(her caretaker),?(her mom,widow,Air Master),Uncle Edward(),Dr.Evans(her doc),Dr.Harris(Earth Master,dad,new doc),Capt.Conner(Water Master,retired from her
Majesty's Navy),Ealasaid Harris(Ellie,daughter,medium,new pal), Capt.Alistair Williams
(Fire Master,Citadel officer,Ellie's pal),Erik Ahlquist(ship Capt., maybe love interest),
Brain(elder bro,Edward's son,steamship Capt.,died),Bradley(Water Master,bro,son,clipper Capt.,died).

12.London Falling by Ben Ohlander
?(sis,Fire Master,maimed hand),?(older bro,Fire Master,corrupt,died),?(father,Fire Master).

13.The King of the River Rats by Michele Lang [1886 NYC]
Jane Emerson(Fire Master,protegee reporter,pal),Rose(elemental phoenix,her pal,familiar),
Daniel Tappen(publisher,Air Master,employer,mentor),Polly March(Jane's 1st guardian).

14.Air of Deception by Jody Lynn Nye
Aurelia Degard(apprentice perfumeuse,Air Magician),Hyr(Air Elemental,Sylph,workroom
perfume shop), M.Rupier(employer,perfume shop owner,perfumeuse,Water Master),
Alfonse (perfume shop door warden,Earth Magician),Madame Goltier(perfume shop
customer,French spy,singer).

15.Fly or Fall by Stephanie Shaver [Chicago]
Aurelia Weiss(chef,Air Master,sis,ex-New York socialite),Alice Foster(daughter,Fire
Magician,was sick),Mrs.Grace Foster(mom,can see elemental's)+Ellis Foster(father,
not biological),Millicent Weiss(Millie,sis,Air Magician,died),Robert(Fire Master,biological dad,fiance,died).

16.Bone Dance by Rosemary Edghill and Rebecca Fox
Capt.Frederick Wentworth(earth Master,Animal Speaker)+(Lady Mina),Cinder(Animal Speaker,latent Earth Magician,"Goose girl",daughter),Bounce(dog,terrier),Bucket(stray pup),Percy(raven), Bright Eyes(cat), Jingo(monkey),Claire Prentiss(her mom,eloped w/)+
Russian lion tamer,Sir Henry(),Major General (Earl of Chawleigh),Alderscroft(head of
Council).

17.The Flying Contraption by Ron Collins
Daisy Mae Fuller(10yo,Air magician,shop cleaner),Wilbur Wright(bro,shop owner,inventor),
Orville Wright(bro,shop co-owner,inventor),Timmy fuller(older bro).

18.A Peony Amongst Roses by Gail Sanders and Michael Z. Williamson
Mei-Hua Walsingham(diplomats daughter,orphan,works at Royal Botanic Gardens),
Mrs.Harton (Memsa'b)+Sahib Harton,Mr.Isaac Burkill(expert botanist,Herbarium),
King George V(new king),Henry Walsingham(her dad,spirit,King's Representative to
Emperor of China)+Mrs.Wang(her mom,spirit),Lord Alderscroft(Fire Master).

19. Into the Woods by Mercedes Lackey
Rosamund Ackermann(Rosa,Earth Magic,trainee,now ward of Brotherhood of the Foresters),Mutti(her mom,Lutheran,fire magic)+Vati(her dad,fire magic,schoolmaster),
Onkel Hans(her uncle)+Tante Bertha(her aunt),GroBmutter Helga(earth Master,mentor, killed/died),Hunt Master(Brotherhood of the Foresters),Gilda(Brotherhood of the Foresters),Hans(Brotherhood of the Foresters),Fritz(Brotherhood of the Foresters).

[Rachel Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since this is a collection of short stories some are hit and miss for me. Several seemed to be sad. The story from Lackey is the prologue of Blood Red, which is one of my favorites. All together an ok group of stories.

[TheCosyDragon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon . Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.

This collection of short stories is a combination of new tales in Mercedes Lackey's Elemental Masters world, with a weird injection of some authors who have no idea what the Elements should be like.

"Fire-Water" by Samuel Conway brings a fishhawk to a rabbit to stop a small war. I found this entertaining because it was from a different perspective, and it was not what I was expecting from this short story collection at all.

"Fire Song" by Diana L. Paxson takes a young boy out of the city with his family. Fascinating bit of history to be had this one. it was predictable though, of course the son was able to do wonderful things. Masters of the elements do tend to be a bit strange, particularly double masters. I wanted to know more about the future of that child though.

"Sails of the Armada" by Kristen Schwengel forces a Galician sailor into the Spanish Armada. I did know the background for this one. The ending wasn't quite what was typical for novels, which was actually pretty good. I only wish I knew more about his earlier life.

"The Wild Rogue" by Fiona Patton puts a young water mage into the drunk tank. This one - complete loss. I had no idea what was going on.

"Feathers and Foundations" by Elizabeth A. Vaughan induces an earth mage to seek a rift. This was more like what I would hope from a story! Yes, it had the history element, but it was also well-written and fitting in with the way Lackey writes her stories. I was just waiting for the 'ah-ha' moment the whole time. I wish it has been a novel.

"Hearth and Family" by Dayle A. Dermatis solves a problem for a woman without a family. This was just as good as the previous short story. This reminded me of a fairytale for some reason, but its basing in history worked well.

"Secret Friends" by Louisa Swann draws unexpected assistance to a girl who is about to lose her brother. This was perfect for a short story.

"Fire's Daughter" by Elizabeth Waters musters new friends for Eleanora. This would work well as a longer story. It was right within the vein of Lackey's works. I did have a moment thinking she was trans, but she wasn't.

"Picking Up the Pieces" by Cedric Johnson introduces another victim of Marco. I think this had Pearl and Garnet in it, and ugh, they were just too tidy and annoying.

"The Price of Family" by Jennifer Brozek presents Josie with a problem of ethics. I don't appear to have written notes about this one...

"Arms of the Sea" by Tanya Huff challenges a crippled water master. I loved it - it highlighted stupid menfolk and the power of healing.

"London Falling" by Ben Ohlander leads a fire mage to his missing brother. This was powerful and disturbing, but I don't think it was canon within Lackey's works...

"The King of the River Rats" by Michele Lang involves a fire mage reporter in multiple disappearances of young women. This had the potential to be bigger, but I was personally frustrated by Jane's minor role. Not to mention I was confused by the ending.

"Air of Deception" by Jody Lynn Nye mixes an apprentice parfumeuse with a spy. This was excellent. I feel sure however that I have previously read this or something very similar.

"Fly or Fall" by Stephanie Shaver compels an air mage with a bitter choice. This was well-written and quirky.

"Bone Dance" by Rosemary Edghill & Rebecca Fox follows an earth master in a desperate hunt. I'm not sure why it was called this. It was very good and I enjoyed the different perspective and empathised with the Captain.

"The Flying Contraption" by Ron Collins guides a young air mage into the workshop of the Wright brothers. Arg! Why was she not taught air magic responsibly? This was an interesting take on the Wright brother legend.

"A Peony Amongst Roses" by Gail Sanders & Michael Z. Williamson relates the trials of a young earth mage whose talent is growing flowers. I felt like I had read this before, but it was enjoyable and crafty all the same. It could have been a good start to a novel.

"Into the Woods" by Mercedes Lackey tells the adventures of a young earth mage in her red riding hood. This was the Mercedes Lackey original. However it didn't have much substance and ended the way I expected - a fairy tale! Absolutely online with her other stories but nothing new, and certainly nothing exciting. This is just the beginning of Blood Red.

I read this selection of short stories a very long time ago now. While some of them were good, others failed miserably. I waited so long on posting the review because I didn't have all the story names and authors. Even now, I think I have two of the stories mixed up...

[Kristin Taggart]

I don't use star ratings, so please read my review!

(Description nicked from B&N.com.)

“In March 1987, Mercedes Lackey, a young author from Oklahoma, published her first novel, Arrows of the Queen. No one could have envisioned that this modest book would be the beginning of a fantasy career that would span decades and more than a hundred novels, with no signs of slowing yet.

And among Ms. Lackey's many novels, few are as critically-acclaimed and beloved as those of the Elemental Masters. The novels in this series are loosely based on classic fairy tales, and take place in a fantasy version of turn-of-the-century London, where magic is real and Elemental Masters control the powers of Fire, Water, Air and Earth.

Now the voices of other authors join Mercedes Lackey to add their own special touches to this delightful alternate history, in a world where magic is always just around the corner...”

The Elemental Masters series has gotten kind of derivative, and although I’ve enjoyed the past few books, I haven’t felt that they were especially creative. I also felt the same about the original short story volume, last year’s Elemental Magic. I am happy to report that Elementary far surpasses its predecessor and even the novels upon which it is based.

I was initially excited to see that the stories were drawing from ancient literary sources to craft their tales, and one story even touched on the historical events that led to the defeat of the Spanish Armada by the British fleet. It really felt like there was an attempt being made to pull the entire volume together with a common theme beyond just the world that it’s based on. However, after the first three stories, that conceit was dropped. I was disappointed, but the stories that came after were still strong despite not following in the footsteps of the earlier tales. Of these three stories, Samuel C. Conway’s “Fire-Water” is the best one, with a charmingly skittish rabbit and a benevolent, grandmotherly Earth mage.

Like in the Valdemar anthologies, several of the authors have chosen to carry over characters and storylines from the first volume. My favorite of these is “Air of Deception” by Jody Lynn Nye. Her main character is an apprentice perfume-maker, which I think is a very creative application of the powers of an Air Master.

Another story that I really liked (although I can’t remember if it’s a continuation from the first book) is Ben Ohlander’s “London Falling”. While most of the stories are tidily wrapped up, or at least have a positive ending, this one delves into darker territory. It’s a reminder that even strong magicians can meet their match and have to take drastic measures to preserve their lives. The story is deliciously creepy and a nice change from the other tales.

As to the others, Elisabeth Waters’ “Fire’s Daughter” caught my interest, with a girl on the cusp of puberty who was raised as a boy and does not want to step into a woman’s traditional gender roles. Pair this with the fact that she’s a powerful Fire Mage in training, and you have a recipe for a horrifying disaster. Other tales feature mages who are reluctant to truly commit to their magic or who have abandoned it for some reason. In a shared world where magic is usually something sought after, seeing those to whom it doesn’t come gently is a great choice of subject matter.

Overall, I was much more pleased with this volume than I expected to be. The stories were well-written, covered a variety of subjects and geographic locations and time periods, and didn’t shy away from dipping a bit into the dark side of magic when appropriate. If you know someone who might like the Elemental Masters series, this book of stories would be a good introduction.

This review originally appeared on Owlcat Mountain on January 27, 2014.

[Amy Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collection of short stories set in Mercedes Lackey's Elemental Masters universe by many awesome authors. I enjoyed the lot of them, as they flesh out more, filling in more scenery around the stories I've read so far. I especially enjoyed Into the Woods (a red riding hood retelling by Mercedes Lackey).

[CatBookMom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm giving this 3 stars, but that's generous; it really only deserves a 2.5 rating. I don't remember another anthology by Lackey with so few good stories in it, and I didn't think that some properly reflected the theme, that of the world of Lackey's Elemental Masters. A couple of the stories were so bad I didn't finish them. Small annoyance: the Table of Contents doesn't show authors' names with the story titles, nor the page numbers at which the stories start. I always like that information, since I can tell if I have time to read the next story by checking the length. The better stories were "Air of Deception" by Jody Lynn Nye, "Bone Dance" by Rosemary Edghill and Rebecca Fox, "A Peony Amongst Roses" by Gail Sanders and Michael Z. Williamson, and "Arms of the Sea" by Tanya Huff.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another of the short story anthologies set in the world of the Elemental Masters. I really like the series because I still think there is magic in the world. How else do I explain my black thumb and my best friend's green thumb? Some of these are follow-ups to characters from the last anthology set in the world and others are brand new. Some take place outside Edwardian England and those are rather fun. Love that there are good, strong women protagonists. Just makes me want more stories to read. Quick read.

[Hawksinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book of short(ish) stories based in the Elemental Masters Universe. It is, like most of its kind, written by a different author for each story, with an original story by the main author for the actual series, Mercedes Lackey. I have always loved seeing how new authors will write people into series, and I have not been disappointed here. Stories based in steam age Britain, full of Magicians and magical creatures. If you like fantasy, this will probably be right up your alley.

[Erin Stuhlsatz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't love this book. The Elemental Masters series were all kind of repetitive, but I read them all on the strength of Mercedes Lackey's writing and super BA female characters. These stories were just too short, the characters not developed enough, and the writing different enough from Lackey's that I just didn't feel it. AND THEN, I'd already read the 'all new' story by Lackey because it's the intro to her most recent Elemental Masters book! Woe is me.

[bumblethunderbeast · Rating 2 out of 5]

My lukewarm response to the book results from a disjuncture between expectation and product more than anything else. I thought the book was by Lackey, not stories by assorted authors using her Elemental cosmology. Some of the stories were good, but it seemed that every time I became attached to a character, the story ended shortly thereafter. And since there was no continuity of authorship, there was no continuity of character.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the stories pretty well overall, without the minor flaws and last second romances.
My favorites were overall Air of Deception, its just very unique. I would love to see something centered around the perfume making again.
And arms of the sea. Marie was a wonderful character. The relationship between Erik seemed a bit misplaced, just sudden, and I would have liked her better with Ellie.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good collection of Elemental Master stories, including stories taking place outside Great Britain, which is a welcome departure. A few of the stories were a little more difficult to get in to, but overall, an engaging read.

[Patricia West · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable afternoon of reading

This book of short stories was varied in its offerings and authors some of which I have enjoyed in book form. They were intriguing and unique in their perspective of elemental magic

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much much MUCH more coherent and cohesive than the other anthology. Enjoyed thoroughly.

[S.B. Barnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mixed bag for me, as the previous short story collection was. My biggest issue is that the way the elemental magic stuff is pretty inconsistently used by different authors. What exactly is the right form of interaction between magicians and elementals? Command and control or friendship? It's really inconsistent.

Fire-Water - Samuel Conway: Really interesting story told from the point of view of a rabbit based on Aztec mythology. Liked this one.

Fire Song - Diana L. Paxson: Sequel to previous short story about ancient Greco-Roman family, the previous protagonist now has a little child who is also a master and they flee from political stuff going on in Rome. Eh.

Sails of the Armada - Kristin Schwengel: Liked this one. Spanish history going on here; water master who is part of a colonized bit of previously independent Spain secretly works against the Spanish armada from within.

The Wild Rogue - Fiona Patton: This one is really interesting, follows the bastard son of a water master who is trying to take down the water master who killed his father. Nice character stuff.

Feathers and Foundations - Elizabeth a. Vaugham: Sequel to the previous one by her, the Earth Master who is now Raven Master and trying to fix London. Less interesting than the first one.

Hearth and Family - Dayle A. Dermatis: German Hansel and Gretel retelling; kids are lost in the woods and taken in by a miller's widow, they all have magical powers and use them to make the mill run. Then conscription happens. Kind of lovely.

Secret Friends - Louisa Swann: Nettie is searching for her adoptive brother. She finds him in the clutches of an evil magician. Meh.

Fire's Daughter - Elisabeth Waters: YES. The girl disguised as a boy from the last book gets her own story. Lovely. She tries to burn out her uterus when she gets her period.

Picking up the Pieces - Cedric Johnson: Meeeeeeeeh sequel to the one about the guy with Quartz powers. Worst retelling of Snow White and Rose Red I've read so far.

The Price of Family - Jennifer Brozek: Interesting kind of wild west story about an urchin who gets taken in by a blacksmith and wants to save a fire spirit but it's a bad fire spirit. Liked this one.

Arms of the Sea - Tanya Huff: Very rushed story about a girl trapped in a wheelchair after almost drowning and how she gets to do stuff anyway and send a snake home. Features characters from last time.

London Falling - Ben Ohlander: Very hard to read. Overly full of adjectives. Guy's evil brother tells him to come to London and then wants to do the bad magics on him. He becomes a rage monster of fire and there's a gross thing in his hand now.

The King of the River Rats - Michele Lang: Sequel to last one about the plucky young investigative journalist heroine in New York. Still not my thing; this should be a full length detective mystery. As is it's pretty flat.

Air of Deception - Jody Lynn Nye: Sequel about the parfumerie in Paris, really liked this one, introduces a sort of french white lodge with an opera singer, and perfumes that can make you remember things and forget things.

Fly or Fall - Stephanie Shaver: I liked this one, follows a girl who is scared to gain her mastery of Elementals because her sister failed and is now followed by vicious air spirits and became an opium addict. She uses kitchen magic and saves a little girl from opium. Good stuff.

Bone Dance - Rosemarie Edgehill and Rebecca Fox: Captain Frederick Wentworth (??? is this name not taken???) saves a girl from a weak water magician trying to Mr. Hyde a bear. The bear kills him and saves the day.

The Flying Contraption - Ron Collins: Girl starts working for the Wright brothers and an evil guy wants her to spy on them. Everyone is secretly an air magician. A bit of Zauberlehrling in there. Really enjoy what Collins does with perspective.

A Peony Among Roses - Gail Sanderson and Michael Z. Williams: Eh. It's okay, sequel about Mei who is half-chinese and grows magic flowers to protect the king. There's a new king who needs new flowers. Just not that interesting to me.

Into the Woods- MErcedes Lackey: Little Red Riding Hood retelling set in the Schwarzwald. Strong start, gets a little hazy towards the end - unsure about the wolf and what he did to the Grandmother, she gets mutilated etc.?? There's magic but it's vague. Girl ends up leaving her parents to go learn about magic. Would have been better if it had been set up that she felt misunderstood by her parents earlier as opposed to just how the mother was sad about being lonely.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

19 Tales from the Elemental Masters Universe written by basically the same authors as the previous anthology ‘Elemental magic’, including another new story by Mercedes Lackey. Some are continuations of stories found in the previously.

1) Fire-Water by Samuel Conway. 4 stars. A raptor asks help a rabbit to find an Earth Master to help his Water Master who fighting a Fire Master, The Earth Master teaches them a lesson in cooperation. Based on an Aztec legend.
2) Fire Song by Diana Paxton. 3 stars. While Kyria is visiting parents in Ancient Cumae, Italy the town revolts against their tyrannical ruler and she has to flee with her family. Story from a Plutarch essay.
3) Sails of the Armada by Kristen Schwengel. 3 stars. July 1588. Spanish sailor Rodrigo and his water nymph sail with the Spanish Armada guided by Don Ruarte, an air magician. Sad that they’d use the elements to kill.
4) The Wild Rogue by Fiona Patton. 4 stars. 1783. Christopher is water magician, rogue half-brother to the Baron of Plassy who keeps having to bail him out of jail. But it’s only a disguise.
5) Feathers and Foundations by Elizabeth Vaughan. 4 stars. Tower of London 1826. Sequel to the ‘Stone and Feathers’ story in the ‘Elemental Magic’ anthology. The ravens are misbehaving.
6) Hearth and Family by Dayle Dermatis. 4 stars. An alternate Hanzel and Gretel story. 1848. War had taken her son and killed her miller husband leaving fire mage Klara alone to run the mill. Then two starving children appear at her house; one water mage, one earth mage.
7) Secret Friends by Louisa Swann. 4 stars. San Fransico Gold Rush days.12-year-old Nettie is searching the streets for her Chinese adopted brother with the help of some elemental friends.
8) Fire’s Daughter by Elizabeth Waters. 3 stars. Continuation of the story “Fire’s Children’ found in the ‘Elemental Magic’ anthology. Sophia Pearce, a Fire Magician becomes governess and magic teacher to Eleanora who doesn’t want to be forced to be a girl.
9) Picking Up the Pieces by Cedric Johnson. Stars. Autumn, Colorado Rockies. Continuation of the story “For the Sake of Clarity’ found in the ‘Elemental Magic’ anthology. Thaddeus and Clara now have twin teenage girls: fair-haired Pearl and red-haired Garnet.
10) The Price of Family by Jennifer Brozek. 5 stars. Carson City, Utah 1880’s. A young girl runs away from an orphanage, becomes apprentice to a Fire Master and almost burns down the city.
11) Arms of the Sea by Tanya Huff. 5 stars. Nova Scotia, Canada. After a shipwreck kills her father and leaves her a paraplegic, Marie Hudson now owns half of a Successful shipping company. When a sea serpent threatens to sink all their ships, it’s Marie’s job as a water magician to find and stop the monster. The character Ellie is from a story in the previous anthology.
12) London Falling by Ben Ohlander. 3 stars. A Fire Master travels from Boston to London in response to his older brother’s telegram for help only to find himself in trouble. He ends up in an elemental battle for his life. Very strange with unsatisfying ending.
13) The King of the River Rats by Michele Lang. 4 stars. NYC, spring, 1886. A Fire Master Jane Emerson reporter story. While tracking down the location of missing high-class girls, Jane discovers a horrifying society scandal.
14) Air of Deception by Jody Nye. 4 stars. Rue du Faubourg, Paris. Aurelia Degaurd is an apprentice parfumier and an air magician. She uses a special scent to help save the life of a beautiful French spy.
15) Fly or Fall by Stephanie Shaver. 4 stars. Chicago. Running from a curse that ruined her sister, Air Master Aurelia Weiss is in hiding as a cook for a well-to-do- family. After she discovers that her mistress is using a dangerous drug on her child, Aurelia’s curse catches up to her and she needs to run yet again.
16) Bone Dance by Rosemary Edghill & Rebecca Fox. 4 stars. When Captain Frederick Wentworth is unable to convince his friends to help him find and rescue the Goose Girl from the Poison Master, he heads out on his own aided by various street animals. Meanwhile, the Goose Girl is also using animals in her own escape. I love Bucket.
17) The Flying Contraption by Ron Collins. 4 stars. Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Early 1900s. Behind the scenes with the Wright Brothers with a bit of ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ thrown in. Ten-year-old Daisy Mae wants adventure and she wants to fly.
18) A Peony Amongst Roses by Gail Sanders & Michael Williamson. 5 stars. Mei-Hua Walsingham (A Flower Grows in Whitechapel) now has a position at the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew protecting and caring for the magical Royal White Peonies. But somebody knows how special they are and are trying to destroy them.
19) Into the Woods by Mercedes lackey. 3 stars. Holzdorf, Schwartzwald. Elemental version of Little Red Riding Hood.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second All-New Tales of the Elemental Masters was much improved from the first, as much as I'd enjoyed that.

Whether it was that the authors had really got into their stride, or because so many of the short stories were follow-ons from the first anthology I don't know but, whatever caused it, it took a lovely read into an exceptional one!

I realised, after I'd read both anthologies, that they had actually come around halfway through the present series, but it didn't hurt any to read them in the order i did - except, of course, the last story in this anthology, written by Misty herself, as it was the original idea for a longer novel, written later on in the the EM series, so it wasn't as much of a surprise for me.

As I'm at the end of all the EM books I have at present, I think I might pop these two anthologies into their proper place, ready for when I get around to them again - probably in a few years, at the rate that I'm reading my books, and considering how I just cant resist adding to them!

But, until then, I'm going to continue along my bookshelves, doing my usual OCD, by reading them by author, A to W (as W is my last author), and the next book I'll be reading - something new to me once again - is: The Eagle and the Nightingale - I really hope I'll enjoy this, too!

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shared world anthologies happen when the author of an established series invites other authors to create new stories in his/her world.

In this case, authors were given the option of setting the stories anytime before about World War I. So, some of them are set in ancient times (like the ancient Romans or Greeks) plus the authors were allowed to set the stories in countries other than England (especially the U.S.).

I especially enjoyed Mercedes Lackey's own Red Riding Hood story. Some of the other stories were based on actual history (except that it is alternate history because Elemental Mage/Master magic works). Another story is based on Snow White/Rose Red [which is NOT the same tale as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs]. I expect that most were based on fairy tales but those were the only two fairy tales I recognized this time.

As with most anthologies, I liked some of the stories better than others.

I liked them all enough to definitely recommend this anthology and quite a few which I enjoyed were by authors new to me!

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another collection of other authors playing in Mercedes Lackey's world of the Elemental Masters series. One of the 19 short stories was even written by Lackey herself.

These type of collections are now nothing new in the world of fiction, in fact fanfiction is likely a training ground for nascent authors that play in an already constructed worlds with established characters and circumstances and see if they can actually develop an idea, plot and run with it without impinging on the copyright owned by authors and publishers.

Of course, all the authors that play in this sandbox are recognized authors in their own right. Some - having developed an interesting character in the previous collection - was invited back to play again, giving readers another adventure.

Lackey's contribution was the actual happenstance where Rosa from the tenth book, Blood Red was taken into the Foresters of Germany.

If you're already familiar with Lackey's Elemental Masters, this is collection of short visits into that world from other eyes. And none of them are very long.

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[Silvio Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another mostly non-Lackey Elemental Masters anthology. A lot of the stories are sequels to stories in the first anthology; some look like they were intended to have further sequels, which as far as I know hasn't happened. Most are in the 1780-1910 range; one is a superficial-looking pseudo-Aztec myth, one is a more careful story about ancient Greeks featuring baby Empedocles, and one is in the Spanish armada against England. Very many (annoyingly many, in my opinion) are in North America or about North American characters rather than England; Lackey's, a relatively close adaptation by this series' standards of Little Red Riding Hood, is in Germany. As in the first anthology, the stories are too short to have much development. One, "The Price of Family" by Jennifer Brozek, at least has the kind of ethical-dilemma tragedy theme that I like.

[Lif Strand · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were 19 stories in this Elemental Masters anthology but only 5 that I actually liked, Probably I shouldn't count the Mercedes Lackey story because it's the beginning of Blood Red, which I read before I read Elementary. That's what I get for having not read this book when it was published in 2013.

I'm not all that fond of anthologies because good short stories are tough to write and therefore aren't always pleasing to read, but generally Lackey's choices are more satisfying to me than this one was. Oh well, win some, lose some.

The stories I liked:
Arms of the Sea, by Tanya HUff
Bone Dance, by Rosemary Edghill and Rebecca Fox
The Flying Contraption, by Ron Collins
A Peony Amongst Roses, by Gail Sanders and Michael Z Williamson

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This took me forever to get through for some reason. I really really wished I had read this directly after the first compilation, since a lot of the stories were continued here. And sadly my tiny memory capacity struggled to remember what happened in the first stories.

I was excited to see the perfumer story continued, but enjoyed the "sequel" a bit less. Also disappointing, the last story is actually part of Blood Red, which I had already read. Did NOT like Picking Up the Pieces - the coupling off was just way too neat and sort of ick.

I enjoyed Fire-Water the most as it was clever, cute, and funny.

[Crystal Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of short stories by other authors that Lackey edits. I don’t know if I just wasn’t in the mood for this book or if it was that slow and boring but most of the stories I started but had to really fight to finish. I only wanted to really read a couple of them. I kept skipping ahead to see how many more pages I had to work through to finish most of the stories. Might give it another try again someday but this is so far my least favorite of the collections