Once Upon a Twisted Time: Fairy Tales, Folklore, and Fables Reimagined - Volume 2

The Crossing Genres Anthology Collection #4

by Marx Pyle, Marisa Wolf, Michael La Ronn

Once Upon a Twisted Time reimagines folklore and classic tales for readers ready to embrace the uncanny. Venture into worlds where the supernatural meets science fiction, and familiar characters face battles they never anticipated. Frankenstein's monster teams up with Dracula to hold off an attack, while a waitress receives a haunting letter from the future that blurs the line between Poe's Red Death and AI-driven horror. A ronin battles inner and outer demons to protect his home, to fantastical fables where crime-fighting animals meet their match. From feisty fables featuring unlikely heroes, to dark retellings that unravel our oldest fears, this anthology brings together both familiar voices and rising talents.   

As a bonus, enjoy the behind-the-scenes peek at the creative process through personal author articles.

Edited by Marx Pyle, Victoria L Scott, and Anne C. Lynch.

Twisted stories by Marisa Wolf, Melissa Olthoff, Michael La Ronn, Jeremiah Dylan Cook, Katharine Dow, Francis Fernandez, Madison McKeever, Amber Morant, Mariana Saric, and Victoria L. Scott.

238 pages, Paperback

Published March 4, 2025

Reviews

[Cat Bowser · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.

If you love a unique take on fairy tales, you will find no shortage here. I love the sci-fi twist on these classics and I was surprised by how many made their way into this book. You have your typical, expected fairy tales but I was surprised to see Three Little Pigs and Red Riding Hood make an appearance too.

There's a great approach to magical creatures by having scientific approaches. For example, werewolves are spoken about in terms of lycanthrophy and the dangers of full moon intoxication. It reads very much like a medical file so it fits perfectly into a murder mystery retelling!

Yeah, this whole book has twists like that. It gives a fresh look and feel and I'm happy to report, you won't just find the typical European tales here! There's a wide cultural net here! How thrilled I was to discover a retelling of the Peach Boy from Japan!

You'll find horror here. Sci-fi, thriller, mystery. All with the fantasy origin still kept intact. Yet it flows and works so well. A treat to be savored for certain!

[Melanie Deal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology collection was a delight for me to read! I love fairy tales, folklore, fables, myths… you name it. These short stories of reimagined versions of not only stories I grew up with, but ones I'd never read before, were so creative and imaginative. My favorites:

* The Red Death Returns, by Jeremiah Dylan Cook, a modern reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death".

* The Power of the Wild, by Melissa Olthoff and Marisa Wolf, which was a wonderful tale of how changelings and human babies impact the balance between the human and faerie realms.

* By The Shortest Way, by Victoria L. Scott, which was an occult story that I was on the edge of my seat for at the end.

I especially loved the bonus author notes at the end, where each author explained the inspiration for the story they wrote, as well as their process in pulling it all together. I love learning about a writer’s creative process!

[Jim Razinha · Rating 4 out of 5]

More twisted takes on familiar stories in this review copy I got from BookSirens, after I read another offering from them, Enchanted Tales & Twisted Lore. Not as twisted as that one, but still entertaining.

One author said! “The prompt for this anthology specifically said, ‘re-imagine these classic narratives and characters within the realms of fantasy or science fiction.’” Small prompt, big imaginations.

As with “Enchanted”, I really like the “Behind the Scenes” authors’ notes provided for some of the stories.

One author said When I write stories, I only have a few ideas of what will happen.

This always amazes me.

And another said, When I pen a story, I usually start with the ending and try to work toward it.

I found that rather interesting. And in one of the stories, “illimitable”. Good word

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this collection of short stories! Each story gives a fresh new perspective on creatures and beings from folklore and classic stories (Dracula and Frankenstein, for example). Most of the base stories will be familiar to the average reader, but there are also some less common ones, but even well-known stories become vibrant and new in Once Upon a Twisted Time. Overall, this is one of the more inspired short story collections I've read lately, and I highly recommend it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Angelia Pillow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so awesome! I admit I wanted to read it because I love Sci-fi but I also love werewolves. So imagine my surprise when I found this book to be a retelling of several fairy tales alongside with classic stories. I loved that the werewolves were treated as if scientific study as to why they attack wildly… that humans have an effect on the fairy world… that Dracula was a bartender. Wonderfully reimagined stories that keep you wanting to know more.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Christinaraven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the authors take on fairy tales in this collection. Their twists made for some great stories and ending that I really enjoyed. Plus there were different types and taken from different stories that I could enjoy them all and not feel like I was reading the same set story over and over with minor differences. Instead got new and fun stories to enjoy that were all different and compelling and hard to stop reading. Great for a lunch time read at work too.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this volume even better than volume 1! The Otter and the Dog had me laughing out loud but all of the stories were really creative and had a cool backstory and an interesting twist. Super fun to read!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something for everyone

Nine separate stories, different subjects & treatments, a range of moods (from quaint to horror, from obscure to almost well-known).

I didn't read this in one go but dipped in for one or two stories at a time - between other books - and found it really worked for me.

You might not like every tale but I would be amazed if you didn't enjoy the book!