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Out of Tune
Out of Tune is calling.
A song half-heard. The murmur of a voice singing in the dark. There it is again…a few words set to an old melody filled with mystery, heartbreak and horror.
Out of Tune gathers a collection of original dark fantasy tales inspired by folk ballads. Here you’ll find stories of strange creatures and strangers humans, treachery and love, murder and monsters.
Out of Tune brings together some of today’s most talented writers and sets them loose in that swirling darkness at the edge of town. NY Times bestselling author and editor Jonathan Maberry unleashes his own brand of dark forces with a line-up of bestsellers and award winners. Kelley Armstrong, Jack Ketchum, Simon R. Green, Seanan McGuire, Christopher Golden, David Liss, Gregory Frost, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Jeff Strand, Lisa Morton, Jeff Mariotte & Marsheila Rockwell, Nancy Holder, Del Howison, and Gary Braunbeck. With commentary on each source ballad by folklorist Nancy Keim Comley.
Now get ready to dance to the music of the night.
A song half-heard. The murmur of a voice singing in the dark. There it is again…a few words set to an old melody filled with mystery, heartbreak and horror.
Out of Tune gathers a collection of original dark fantasy tales inspired by folk ballads. Here you’ll find stories of strange creatures and strangers humans, treachery and love, murder and monsters.
Out of Tune brings together some of today’s most talented writers and sets them loose in that swirling darkness at the edge of town. NY Times bestselling author and editor Jonathan Maberry unleashes his own brand of dark forces with a line-up of bestsellers and award winners. Kelley Armstrong, Jack Ketchum, Simon R. Green, Seanan McGuire, Christopher Golden, David Liss, Gregory Frost, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Jeff Strand, Lisa Morton, Jeff Mariotte & Marsheila Rockwell, Nancy Holder, Del Howison, and Gary Braunbeck. With commentary on each source ballad by folklorist Nancy Keim Comley.
Now get ready to dance to the music of the night.
290 pages, Paperback
First published November 17, 2014
49 people are currently reading
1325 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Maberry
518 books7,778 followersJONATHAN MABERRY is a NYTimes bestselling author, #1 Audible bestseller, 5-time Bram Stoker Award-winner, 4-time Scribe Award winner, Inkpot Award winner, comic book writer, and producer. He is the author of more than 50 novels, 190 short stories, 16 short story collections, 30 graphic novels, 14 nonfiction books, and has edited 26 anthologies. His vampire apocalypse book series, V-WARS, was a Netflix original series starring Ian Somerhalder. His 2009-10 run as writer on the Black Panther comic formed a large chunk of the recent blockbuster film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. His bestselling YA zombie series, Rot & Ruin is in development for film at Alcon Entertainment; and John Wick director, Chad Stahelski, is developing Jonathan’s Joe Ledger Thrillers for TV. Jonathan writes in multiple genres including suspense, thriller, horror, science fiction, epic fantasy, and action; and he writes for adults, teens and middle grade. His works include The Pine Deep Trilogy, The Kagen the Damned Trilogy, NecroTek, Ink, Glimpse, the Rot & Ruin series, the Dead of Night series, The Wolfman, X-Files Origins: Devil’s Advocate, The Sleepers War (with Weston Ochse), Mars One, and many others. He is the editor of high-profile anthologies including Weird Tales: 100 Years of Weird, The X-Files, Aliens: Bug Hunt, Out of Tune, Don’t Turn out the Lights: A Tribute to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Baker Street Irregulars, Nights of the Living Dead, Shadows & Verse, and others. His comics include Marvel Zombies Return, The Punisher: Naked Kills, Wolverine: Ghosts, Godzilla vs Cthulhu: Death May Die, Bad Blood and many others. Jonathan has written in many popular licensed worlds, including Hellboy, True Blood, The Wolfman, John Carter of Mars, Sherlock Holmes, C.H.U.D., Diablo IV, Deadlands, World of Warcraft, Planet of the Apes, Aliens, Predator, Karl Kolchak, and many others. He the president of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers, and the editor of Weird Tales Magazine. He lives in San Diego, California. Find him online at www.jonathanmaberry.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
January 10, 2016
What an outstanding premise-short stories based on old folk ballads. I'm happy to say that this book lived up to that premise.
Edited by Jonathan Maberry, this anthology features many authors I was already familiar with, which was good, but also some new to me authors, like Seanan McGuire and Del Howison. (I mean, who the hell is this guy? He is the author of my favorite story in the collection: "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair.") That story was followed closely in my favorites list by Seanan McGuire's "Driving Jenny Home." One thing I've always loved about anthologies is that it's a great way to find new authors and obviously this method is still working for me to this day.
Each story was followed up by notes as to the folk ballad on which the story was based. I found them to be interesting while also shedding some light as to the origins of the songs.
I listened to the audio version of this book and there were two narrators. I'm sorry to report that I did not care for the female narrator at all, but I enjoyed the male voicing just fine.
Out of Tune is a lovely anthology with a lot of variety and new blood to offer. I highly recommend it!
*Thanks to Christopher Payne of JournalStone for the free audio version he provided.*
Edited by Jonathan Maberry, this anthology features many authors I was already familiar with, which was good, but also some new to me authors, like Seanan McGuire and Del Howison. (I mean, who the hell is this guy? He is the author of my favorite story in the collection: "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair.") That story was followed closely in my favorites list by Seanan McGuire's "Driving Jenny Home." One thing I've always loved about anthologies is that it's a great way to find new authors and obviously this method is still working for me to this day.
Each story was followed up by notes as to the folk ballad on which the story was based. I found them to be interesting while also shedding some light as to the origins of the songs.
I listened to the audio version of this book and there were two narrators. I'm sorry to report that I did not care for the female narrator at all, but I enjoyed the male voicing just fine.
Out of Tune is a lovely anthology with a lot of variety and new blood to offer. I highly recommend it!
*Thanks to Christopher Payne of JournalStone for the free audio version he provided.*
December 13, 2015
I received a copy of the audiobook in return for a honest review.
I absolutely loved this book. the stories are beautifully woven from the folklore/folk songs and at the end they tell you a bit about the song. I loved the added notes at the end of the stories and plan on looking everyone of them up. the only story that I didn't love (but still liked) was sweet William's ghost and that was because of the douche bag guy, but that's ok. we aren't suppose to like him. my favorites were black is the color of my true, john henry and bedlam. if you are at all interested in folk tales, I recommend this book.
I absolutely loved this book. the stories are beautifully woven from the folklore/folk songs and at the end they tell you a bit about the song. I loved the added notes at the end of the stories and plan on looking everyone of them up. the only story that I didn't love (but still liked) was sweet William's ghost and that was because of the douche bag guy, but that's ok. we aren't suppose to like him. my favorites were black is the color of my true, john henry and bedlam. if you are at all interested in folk tales, I recommend this book.
June 2, 2021
Out of Tune is an anthology of fourteen original dark fantasy stories based on old folk ballads. Christopher Golden's Wendy, Darling is a very good, dark look at Peter Pan; Sweet William's Ghost by David Liss has an unpleasant narrator who can't handle rejection; Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair by Del Howison is a very good tale of an evil child; John Wayne's Dream by Gary Braunbeck is a very visceral story of twisted parental expectations; Bedlam by Gregory Frost is an old-fashioned demon-lover story with a mad twist; Awake by Jack Ketchum is an unpleasant story of illness and incest; and Jeff Strand offers a quirky look at an old folk legend in John Henry: The Steel Drivin' Man. One of my favorites was Fish Out of Water by Keith R.A. DeCandido, which was a much-needed, more light-hearted story about a mermaid, followed by Kelley Armstrong's Making Music, which featured modern music magic in the spirit of Charles deLint, and the interesting Tam Lane by Lisa Morton, which puts a modern frame around a classic tale. I particularly liked the last four: John Barleycorn Must Die by Marsheila Rockwell and Jeffrey J. Mariotte about beer via witchcraft; In Arkham Town, Where I Was Bound by Nancy Holder, which is a nifty Poe-Lovecraft mash-up; Driving Jenny Home by Sean McGuire, my favorite in the book, about teen angst and a more modern-themed form of ballad; and, finally, Hollow is the Heart by Simon R. Green, a very imaginative and very English old-fashioned chiller. Each story has a somewhat academic afterward explaining the folk-ballad root, and a very nice illustration by Robert Papp, who also provided the cover. It's altogether a fine group of stories, though the reader will have to decide just how close to the theme the individual ones hit.
December 18, 2015
I listened to the audio version of this book, as I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I love Jonathan Maberry's work, and this is the first anthology of his I have read. It's clear he's also a very capable editor, because the quality of the stories was uniformly high, and they hung together as a theme quite well, despite beign very different stories. All are stories based on classic folk ballads, and notes about the underlying ballad are presented at the end of each story, which is a nice touch.
Hard to pick a favorite, honestly, becaue most of the stories were very good. Jeff Strand's entry, based on the ballad of John Henry, is hilarious, as expected. Hollow is the Heart was quite creepy, as was Fish Out of Water. Driving Jenny Home was haunting and sad. None really stood out as stories that should have been left out.
There were 2 narrators, one male and one female, and for some stories I had a hard time with the female narrator's annunciation. Her character voices were always well-done, and a short passage proves she's got an excellent singing voice, but her "narrator voice" was flat, and not well-articulated much of the time, which made her at times hard to understand, and failed to engage me in the story. By the end, though, it really didn't bother me anymore, so it may have just taken some getting used to. The male narrator was excellent.
I definitely look forward to reading more anthologies edited by Jonathan Maberry! This is definitely recommended, especially for folks interested in folk tales.
I love Jonathan Maberry's work, and this is the first anthology of his I have read. It's clear he's also a very capable editor, because the quality of the stories was uniformly high, and they hung together as a theme quite well, despite beign very different stories. All are stories based on classic folk ballads, and notes about the underlying ballad are presented at the end of each story, which is a nice touch.
Hard to pick a favorite, honestly, becaue most of the stories were very good. Jeff Strand's entry, based on the ballad of John Henry, is hilarious, as expected. Hollow is the Heart was quite creepy, as was Fish Out of Water. Driving Jenny Home was haunting and sad. None really stood out as stories that should have been left out.
There were 2 narrators, one male and one female, and for some stories I had a hard time with the female narrator's annunciation. Her character voices were always well-done, and a short passage proves she's got an excellent singing voice, but her "narrator voice" was flat, and not well-articulated much of the time, which made her at times hard to understand, and failed to engage me in the story. By the end, though, it really didn't bother me anymore, so it may have just taken some getting used to. The male narrator was excellent.
I definitely look forward to reading more anthologies edited by Jonathan Maberry! This is definitely recommended, especially for folks interested in folk tales.
June 1, 2015
I enjoy anthologies though they can be hit or miss at times .... some really good stories and some not so good. I have to say that in this collection of 14 stories there is not one that I would call a 'miss' - there are some standouts, but overall I enjoyed all of them. There are some names here I recognized - Christopher Golden, Jack Ketchum, Jeff Strand and Simon R Green, Nancy Holder, Seanan McGuire, and some I did not, but some of my favorites were by the 'did nots' and I will look into what else they have written. The stories are all based on old folk ballads - some are dark, some not so much, some are amusing and Jeff Strand's is exactly what you would expect from Jeff Strand -- and that's a good thing. It's hard to pick a favorite though Tam Lane by Lisa Morton, In Arkam Town Where I Was Bound by Nancy Holder and Driving Jenny Home by Seanan McGuire Wendy Darling by Christopher Golden stand out. Actually I could pretty much list all of them --- check it out and decide which is your favorite. There is a history of the ballad used by the author at the end of each story. Highly recommended
October 29, 2014
Out of Tune is calling.
A song half-heard. The murmur of a voice singing in the dark. There it is again…a few words set to an old melody filled with mystery, heartbreak and horror.
Out of Tune gathers a collection of original dark fantasy tales inspired by folk ballads. Here you’ll find stories of strange creatures and strangers humans, treachery and love, murder and monsters.
Out of Tune brings together some of today’s most talented writers and sets them loose in that swirling darkness at the edge of town. NY Times bestselling author and editor Jonathan Maberry unleashes his own brand of dark forces with a line-up of bestsellers and award winners. Kelley Armstrong, Jack Ketchum, Simon R. Green, Seanan McGuire, Christopher Golden, David Liss, Gregory Frost, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Jeff Strand, Lisa Morton, Jeff Mariotte & Marsheila Rockwell, Nancy Holder, Del Howison, and Gary Braunbeck. With commentary on each source ballad by folklorist Nancy Keim Comley.
Now get ready to dance to the music of the night.
A song half-heard. The murmur of a voice singing in the dark. There it is again…a few words set to an old melody filled with mystery, heartbreak and horror.
Out of Tune gathers a collection of original dark fantasy tales inspired by folk ballads. Here you’ll find stories of strange creatures and strangers humans, treachery and love, murder and monsters.
Out of Tune brings together some of today’s most talented writers and sets them loose in that swirling darkness at the edge of town. NY Times bestselling author and editor Jonathan Maberry unleashes his own brand of dark forces with a line-up of bestsellers and award winners. Kelley Armstrong, Jack Ketchum, Simon R. Green, Seanan McGuire, Christopher Golden, David Liss, Gregory Frost, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Jeff Strand, Lisa Morton, Jeff Mariotte & Marsheila Rockwell, Nancy Holder, Del Howison, and Gary Braunbeck. With commentary on each source ballad by folklorist Nancy Keim Comley.
Now get ready to dance to the music of the night.
November 23, 2014
This anthology is a collection of short stories inspired by old folk ballads. With contributing authors like Kelley Armstrong, Jack Ketchum and Nancy Holder, I was anticipating an entertaining read and I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I was introduced to several new-to-me authors whose other work I am now looking forward to reading. Some of my favorites in this collection are Fish Out of Water by Keith R.A. Decandido, Tam Lane by Lisa Morton, and Driving Jenny Home by Seanan McGuire. As each story was inspired by a folk ballad, I appreciated the section after each story that explained more about the original ballad. It was interesting to see how each author interpreted and put their own spin on the ballad of their inspiration. I recommend this anthology to anyonw who is a fan of any of the contributing authors or anyone who enjoys dark fantasy stories.
Note: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Note: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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November 2, 2015Free on audio for those willing to review it. Find your copy HERE . You'll need to unzip the files before loading them into Itunes. It looks like it'll be free only for a few more hours.
December 8, 2015
This is a short story collection of horror and dark fantasy tales based on old ballads. The audio book is narrated by Peter Bishop and Lesley Ann Fogle. Each story is followed by a short commentary on the folklore associated with the ballad by Nancy Keim Comley.
I found Mr. Bishop’s narration pleasant to listen to, while his voices didn’t change much from the narration. Ms. Fogle’s voice was too monotone for my tastes, though after a few minutes I was generally enthralled by the story and it didn’t bother me anymore. I loved her character voices, which were excellently done.
I didn’t find any of the stories particularly scary, though some were creepy and unsettling. Familiarity with the ballads increased my enjoyment of the stories. Having said that, I didn’t feel any detriment when I wasn’t familiar with the ballads, and in a few cases I’m sure it helped with suspense.
The stories are all excellent quality, though individual tastes may have you disagreeing with my ratings.
***** “Wendy, Darling” by Christopher Golden
This story combines a ballad theme about mothers with Peter Pan as Wendy prepares for her wedding. - I wasn’t familiar with the ballad theme this riffed off of, so it was delightfully creepy learning Wendy’s secret and the truth of the Lost Boys.
**** “Sweet William’s Ghost” by David Liss
A woman cheats on her fiancee and comes to regret it. - The story is told from the lover’s point of view and he’s quite a piece of work. There’s black humour in his beliefs about women, though his sentiments and swearing may offend.
**** “Black is the Color of my True Love’s Hair” by Del Howison
A man must make a difficult decision when the daughter he wanted so badly turns out to be as prophecised. - While I would have liked more background information on the wife, I found this story quite creepy with a horrifying ending.
***“John Wayne’s Dream” by Gary Braunbeck
The unnamed narrator arrives for their AA meeting only to find it cancelled and a special concert being shown instead. - The story is slow as it mixes what’s happening in the present with flash backs of the protagonist’s childhood. I’m not a fan of cowboys or ‘real men’ rhetoric, and while the story shows their potentially caustic nature, it wasn’t a story I particularly liked.
**** “Bedlam” by Gregory Frost
Tom, captain of The Bedlam, journeys home with his crew to find the woman he loves but hasn’t seen in years. - This story changes part way through, making it feel like two stories. While the change took me a moment to comprehend, it made the story something other than a prose retelling of the ballad it’s inspired by.
**** “Awake” by Jack Ketchum
A jazz musician struggles with a respiratory disease and marital problems. - It starts slow and ends dark.
*****“John Henry, the Steel Drivin’ Man” by Jeff Strand
The bigger and bigger exploits of John Henry are told. - This story’s a lot of fun. I was left thinking that the few hints you get of the narrator’s story sound creepily interesting and might make a great story too.
**** “Fish Out of Water” by Keith R. A. Decandido
A dive tour operator helps find a missing vessel that reported seeing a mermaid before losing contact. - This is a short story featuring Cassie Zukav, a character Decandido has written about several times. No knowledge of the other stories is necessary to understand this tale as everything is explained, though some mention is given to previous events. In addition to mermaids, expect some Norse characters.
**** “Making Music” by Kelley Armstrong
A female lyrics writer gets a commission to write for a famous musician. - An entertaining story with a great ending.
***** “Tam Lane” by Lisa Morton
A young architect in training’s father buys an old haunted house she greatly admires, where she has an unusual encounter. - Knowing the ballad this was based on meant I could better appreciate the ways the author subverted the story.
***** “John Barleycorn Must Die” by Marsheila Rockwell and Jeffrey J. Mariotte
A recovered alcoholic is sent to do an interview with three sisters who have started their own brewery. - Highly descriptive writing. While it’s easy to figure out where the story’s ultimately going, it’s interesting seeing the protagonist struggle with his own demons first.
***** “In Arkham Town, Where I was Bound” by Nancy Holder
Edgar Allen Poe visits some rich ‘relatives’ in hopes of some money or a loan to help with food and medicine for his dying wife. - A sad story of love, trust and betrayal.
**** “Driving Jenny Home” by Seanan McGuire
Lee has trouble letting go of her dead girlfriend. - Another sad story, this time one of grieving.
**** “Hollow is the Heart” by Simon R. Green
A reporter is trying to get his job back by writing a story about a local legend. The hollow women are mysterious women who prey on unattached men. - A few things about the story were predictable, but it’s well told and the hollow women legend is quite interesting.
I found Mr. Bishop’s narration pleasant to listen to, while his voices didn’t change much from the narration. Ms. Fogle’s voice was too monotone for my tastes, though after a few minutes I was generally enthralled by the story and it didn’t bother me anymore. I loved her character voices, which were excellently done.
I didn’t find any of the stories particularly scary, though some were creepy and unsettling. Familiarity with the ballads increased my enjoyment of the stories. Having said that, I didn’t feel any detriment when I wasn’t familiar with the ballads, and in a few cases I’m sure it helped with suspense.
The stories are all excellent quality, though individual tastes may have you disagreeing with my ratings.
***** “Wendy, Darling” by Christopher Golden
This story combines a ballad theme about mothers with Peter Pan as Wendy prepares for her wedding. - I wasn’t familiar with the ballad theme this riffed off of, so it was delightfully creepy learning Wendy’s secret and the truth of the Lost Boys.
**** “Sweet William’s Ghost” by David Liss
A woman cheats on her fiancee and comes to regret it. - The story is told from the lover’s point of view and he’s quite a piece of work. There’s black humour in his beliefs about women, though his sentiments and swearing may offend.
**** “Black is the Color of my True Love’s Hair” by Del Howison
A man must make a difficult decision when the daughter he wanted so badly turns out to be as prophecised. - While I would have liked more background information on the wife, I found this story quite creepy with a horrifying ending.
***“John Wayne’s Dream” by Gary Braunbeck
The unnamed narrator arrives for their AA meeting only to find it cancelled and a special concert being shown instead. - The story is slow as it mixes what’s happening in the present with flash backs of the protagonist’s childhood. I’m not a fan of cowboys or ‘real men’ rhetoric, and while the story shows their potentially caustic nature, it wasn’t a story I particularly liked.
**** “Bedlam” by Gregory Frost
Tom, captain of The Bedlam, journeys home with his crew to find the woman he loves but hasn’t seen in years. - This story changes part way through, making it feel like two stories. While the change took me a moment to comprehend, it made the story something other than a prose retelling of the ballad it’s inspired by.
**** “Awake” by Jack Ketchum
A jazz musician struggles with a respiratory disease and marital problems. - It starts slow and ends dark.
*****“John Henry, the Steel Drivin’ Man” by Jeff Strand
The bigger and bigger exploits of John Henry are told. - This story’s a lot of fun. I was left thinking that the few hints you get of the narrator’s story sound creepily interesting and might make a great story too.
**** “Fish Out of Water” by Keith R. A. Decandido
A dive tour operator helps find a missing vessel that reported seeing a mermaid before losing contact. - This is a short story featuring Cassie Zukav, a character Decandido has written about several times. No knowledge of the other stories is necessary to understand this tale as everything is explained, though some mention is given to previous events. In addition to mermaids, expect some Norse characters.
**** “Making Music” by Kelley Armstrong
A female lyrics writer gets a commission to write for a famous musician. - An entertaining story with a great ending.
***** “Tam Lane” by Lisa Morton
A young architect in training’s father buys an old haunted house she greatly admires, where she has an unusual encounter. - Knowing the ballad this was based on meant I could better appreciate the ways the author subverted the story.
***** “John Barleycorn Must Die” by Marsheila Rockwell and Jeffrey J. Mariotte
A recovered alcoholic is sent to do an interview with three sisters who have started their own brewery. - Highly descriptive writing. While it’s easy to figure out where the story’s ultimately going, it’s interesting seeing the protagonist struggle with his own demons first.
***** “In Arkham Town, Where I was Bound” by Nancy Holder
Edgar Allen Poe visits some rich ‘relatives’ in hopes of some money or a loan to help with food and medicine for his dying wife. - A sad story of love, trust and betrayal.
**** “Driving Jenny Home” by Seanan McGuire
Lee has trouble letting go of her dead girlfriend. - Another sad story, this time one of grieving.
**** “Hollow is the Heart” by Simon R. Green
A reporter is trying to get his job back by writing a story about a local legend. The hollow women are mysterious women who prey on unattached men. - A few things about the story were predictable, but it’s well told and the hollow women legend is quite interesting.
January 22, 2016
I preferred the male reader and thoroughly enjoyed the story with Poe as the lead and the story with the personal trainer. These stories all find their beginnings in song. Not much of a review here, because I had a very strange audiobook file that is no longer in front of me and I can't remember who the authors were for each (and I am too lazy at this point in time to go look it up). There were one or two stories I didn't care for and one I outright despised, but otherwise a solid collection. A more complete review will likely be forthcoming.
In short - recommended.
In short - recommended.
January 31, 2016
First of all, thanks to JournalStone for providing a free copy of the audiobook. Also thanks to the mods over at HA for setting up the giveaway.
First the good. I really liked the majority of these stories, there were only two or three that didn't ring my bell. All use old folk ballads for their basis and while I knew some of the songs many were unfamiliar to me so that added to my enjoyment. Each story ended with a short description of the song and it's history.
Some of my favorites
Wendy Darling-by Christopher Golden,based on The Cruel Mother
Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair-by Del Howison, ballad of the same name
Bedlam-by Gregory Frost, based on The Demon Lover and Tom O' Bedlam
Fish out of Water-by Keith R. A. DeCandido, based on The Mermaid
John Barleycorn Must Die-by Marsheila Rockwell & Jeffrey Mariotte based on John Barleycorn
and my favorite Driving Jenny Home-by Seanan McGuire based on The Unquiet Grave
Now for the not so good. The two narrators just didn't work for me. Initially I didn't mind the female narrator but as the book went on her narrator voice really started to grate on me, her character voices were actually great but otherwise her voice made her sound almost uninterested. The male narrator never impressed me one way or the other he was just sort of.....there. Now I don't listen to many audiobooks so you can take my opinion with a grain of salt.
Stories 4
Narration 2
Overall 3
First the good. I really liked the majority of these stories, there were only two or three that didn't ring my bell. All use old folk ballads for their basis and while I knew some of the songs many were unfamiliar to me so that added to my enjoyment. Each story ended with a short description of the song and it's history.
Some of my favorites
Wendy Darling-by Christopher Golden,based on The Cruel Mother
Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair-by Del Howison, ballad of the same name
Bedlam-by Gregory Frost, based on The Demon Lover and Tom O' Bedlam
Fish out of Water-by Keith R. A. DeCandido, based on The Mermaid
John Barleycorn Must Die-by Marsheila Rockwell & Jeffrey Mariotte based on John Barleycorn
and my favorite Driving Jenny Home-by Seanan McGuire based on The Unquiet Grave
Now for the not so good. The two narrators just didn't work for me. Initially I didn't mind the female narrator but as the book went on her narrator voice really started to grate on me, her character voices were actually great but otherwise her voice made her sound almost uninterested. The male narrator never impressed me one way or the other he was just sort of.....there. Now I don't listen to many audiobooks so you can take my opinion with a grain of salt.
Stories 4
Narration 2
Overall 3
November 19, 2014
A Solid Collection of Short Horror/Fantasy
(Full disclosure: I receive a free e-copy of this book for review through Library Thing's Early Reviewers program. Also, the story summaries may include spoilers, so skip them if you'd rather read the anthology with fresh eyes. Trigger warning for rape.)
Confession time. I requested a review copy of Out of Tune based solely on the merits of one of its contributors: Seanan McGuire. I devoured the Newsflesh trilogy (penned under the pseudonym Mira Grant) and thought that her contribution (“Each to Each”) was the single best thing in Lightspeed's special "Women Destroy SF" issue (a magazine filled with awesome things, mind you). I recognized some of the other names, but no one struck a chord like McGuire. Additionally, my interest in old ballads pretty much begins and ends with covers recorded by my favorite folk singers - Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Woody Guthrie. I didn't really have any expectations, good or bad, for this collection.
Overall, I came away pleasantly surprised. The fourteen stories in Out of Tune run the gamut: there's lots of horror and fantasy, peppered with a little romance and some good, old-fashioned ghost stories. Some, like "Wendy, Darling," incorporate elements of other, much-loved tales, while others have an air of historical fiction; here I'm thinking of "In Arkham Town, Where I Was Bound," which features Edgar Allen Poe as the incidental narrator. The authors' respective senses of humor - whether wry, playful, or just downright wicked - are evident throughout. A few of the stories are remarkably poignant and painfully beautiful; "Driving Jenny Home," I'm looking at you. As for the Big Bads, you'll spot a number of usual suspects - ghosts, demons, mermaids, and wicked women - as well as villains less common to ballads, such as gods from Norse mythology.
The majority of the stories are in the 4-star range, with a few 3- and 5-star pieces to round the curve out. I can't say that I disliked a single one, though some are more memorable than others. Among my favorites are "Driving Jenny Home" (no surprise there - it's McGuire's piece!); "Wendy, Darling"; and "Fish Out of Water." These are definitely stories I'll return to in the future.
*begin spoiler alert!*
"Wendy, Darling" by Christopher Golden - Based on the ballad The Cruel Mother, with elements of Peter Pan sprinkled throughout, "Wendy, Darling" kicks off the collection on a high note. The titular Wendy Darling, a twenty-something bride-to-be, is frequently visited by The Lost Boys - the spirits of children killed by their mothers...including the baby a very young and unwed Wendy drowned in the Thames. 5/5 stars.
"Sweet William's Ghost" by David Liss - After Maggie's fiancé William unexpectedly dies during a business trip to Scotland, she's "haunted" by her controlling meathead body trainer lover. Turning the original ballad (also called Sweet William's Ghost) on its head, it's William's ghost who comes to her rescue. 4/5 stars (mostly because said meathead is incredibly difficult to stomach).
"Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair" by Del Howison - A child, conceived in sin and poisoned in utero by her mother. A father who knows that she's possessed by Satan, yet cannot bring himself to save her mortal soul by making the ultimate sacrifice. (Based on Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair.) 3/5 stars.
"John Wayne's Dream" by Gary A. Braunbeck - A middle-aged man, struggling with his father's disapproval, comes to realize that none of us will ever measure up to expectations, whether or own or those of others. What we are will ultimately destroy us - so why not go out in that clichéd blaze of glory? (Based on The Streets of Loredo.) 3/5 stars.
"Bedlam" by Gregory Frost - A pirate, long deceased, returns to claim his beloved through necessary deceit - only to find that it's she who tricked him into spending eternity with her. (Based on The Demon Lover / The Carpenter's Wife / The House Carpenter.) 4/5 stars.
"Awake" by Jack Ketchum - What starts out as a story about a dying jazz star (sympathetic, if a bit of a lout) quickly morphs into a twisted tale of infidelity, rape, and incest as Ketchum abruptly hands the story over to his long-suffering wife. (Based on The Silver Dagger / Katie Dear.) 4/5 stars.
"John Henry, The Steel Drivin' Man" by Jeff Strand - Freed slave John Henry was a steel-driver who was compelled to beat a series of increasingly powerful competitors in order to save the jobs on his fellow laborers: first a steam-powered hammer; then a warlock; then a dragon; and finally, all of them, working in concert. Each time the challenge killed him - and each time, his wife and friends resurrected him to do it all over again. Ultimately, John Henry ended up stealing their jobs, since he proved that he could perform them better than anyone.
Based on the ballad John Henry, Strand remixes the old tale so that it's a little more favorable toward technological advancement. Yet this arguably pro-capitalist stance feels vaguely problematic, given that the original ballad was a source of pride and inspiration to African Americans. 4/5 stars.
"Fish Out of Water" by Keith R.A. DeCandido - When mermaids begin appearing in the waters of Key West, driving all humans who see them to madness, dive master Cassie - who recently discovered that she's a Disir, a Norse fate goddess - sets out to right her friend Loki's wrongs. (Based on The Mermaid.) 5/5 stars.
"Making Music" by Kelley Armstrong - A songwriting fae-turned-human makes music by literally stealing the words right out of other peoples' mouths. I found it kind of nifty that Izzy reimagines old ballads - how meta. (Based on Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight.) 4/5 stars.
"Tam Lane" by Lisa Morton - When Janet's wealthy father purchases the old Daily Examiner building and asks his daughter, a budding architect, to transform the rooms into lofts, she's over the moon with excitement: the building was famed architect May O'Greene's final project. But she's stunned to find a long-disappeared actor living on the third floor. (Based on Tam Lin.) 4/5 stars.
"John Barleycorn Must Die" by Marsheila Rockwell and Jeffrey J. Mariotte - In an assignment that was doomed from the start, a recovering alcoholic reporter is sent to a local microbrewery to write a fluff piece on the three successful young female entrepreneurs who run it - and narrowly escapes becoming their latest sacrifice to the barley. (Based on John Barleycorn Must Die / John Barleycorn / Sir John Barleycorn.) 5/5 stars.
"In Arkham Town, Where I Was Bound" by Nancy Holder - Upon discovering that his deceased adoptive parents had some extended family in Arkham, Massachusetts, Edgar Allen Poe reluctantly leaves the bedside of his ailing wife Virginia to beg a loan - and bears witness to a witch's curse of the unfaithful at the behest of a jealous lover. (Based on Barbara Allen / Bonny Barbara Allan / Sir John Grehme and Barbara Allan / Barbara Allens' Cruelty.) 4/5 stars.
"Driving Jenny Home" by Seanan McGuire - When Leigh's girlfriend Jenny dies in a post-Homecoming car accident, Leigh's unable to let go. Every day, she parks outside the cemetery gates; eventually, Jenny begins to appear to her, always requesting that promised ride home. Two words: lesbian cheerleaders. Also: a The Last Unicorn reference FTW. (Based on The Unquiet Grave.) ALL THE STARS.
"Hollow is the Heart" by Simon R. Green - A disgraced journalist pitches a story to his old newspaper - a local piece exploring the historic roots of the Hollow Women myth. An age-old superstition, the Hollow Women are women who look human but are really empty inside. They prey on young men, laying claim to their virtue - and sometimes their lives. (Not to mention their sperm!) It's all fun and games until the story turns on him, in a most personal way. (Based on The Foggy, Foggy Dew.) 4/5 stars.
*end spoiler alert!*
Out of Tune is an original, inventive collection that's sure to appeal to a variety of readers: those who have made ballads a hobby or career, as well as those who just have a passing interest; fans of horror, fantasy, and the supernatural; and people who dig short fiction and are looking for a solid collection.
http://www.easyvegan.info/2014/12/01/...
(Full disclosure: I receive a free e-copy of this book for review through Library Thing's Early Reviewers program. Also, the story summaries may include spoilers, so skip them if you'd rather read the anthology with fresh eyes. Trigger warning for rape.)
Confession time. I requested a review copy of Out of Tune based solely on the merits of one of its contributors: Seanan McGuire. I devoured the Newsflesh trilogy (penned under the pseudonym Mira Grant) and thought that her contribution (“Each to Each”) was the single best thing in Lightspeed's special "Women Destroy SF" issue (a magazine filled with awesome things, mind you). I recognized some of the other names, but no one struck a chord like McGuire. Additionally, my interest in old ballads pretty much begins and ends with covers recorded by my favorite folk singers - Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Woody Guthrie. I didn't really have any expectations, good or bad, for this collection.
Overall, I came away pleasantly surprised. The fourteen stories in Out of Tune run the gamut: there's lots of horror and fantasy, peppered with a little romance and some good, old-fashioned ghost stories. Some, like "Wendy, Darling," incorporate elements of other, much-loved tales, while others have an air of historical fiction; here I'm thinking of "In Arkham Town, Where I Was Bound," which features Edgar Allen Poe as the incidental narrator. The authors' respective senses of humor - whether wry, playful, or just downright wicked - are evident throughout. A few of the stories are remarkably poignant and painfully beautiful; "Driving Jenny Home," I'm looking at you. As for the Big Bads, you'll spot a number of usual suspects - ghosts, demons, mermaids, and wicked women - as well as villains less common to ballads, such as gods from Norse mythology.
The majority of the stories are in the 4-star range, with a few 3- and 5-star pieces to round the curve out. I can't say that I disliked a single one, though some are more memorable than others. Among my favorites are "Driving Jenny Home" (no surprise there - it's McGuire's piece!); "Wendy, Darling"; and "Fish Out of Water." These are definitely stories I'll return to in the future.
*begin spoiler alert!*
"Wendy, Darling" by Christopher Golden - Based on the ballad The Cruel Mother, with elements of Peter Pan sprinkled throughout, "Wendy, Darling" kicks off the collection on a high note. The titular Wendy Darling, a twenty-something bride-to-be, is frequently visited by The Lost Boys - the spirits of children killed by their mothers...including the baby a very young and unwed Wendy drowned in the Thames. 5/5 stars.
"Sweet William's Ghost" by David Liss - After Maggie's fiancé William unexpectedly dies during a business trip to Scotland, she's "haunted" by her controlling meathead body trainer lover. Turning the original ballad (also called Sweet William's Ghost) on its head, it's William's ghost who comes to her rescue. 4/5 stars (mostly because said meathead is incredibly difficult to stomach).
"Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair" by Del Howison - A child, conceived in sin and poisoned in utero by her mother. A father who knows that she's possessed by Satan, yet cannot bring himself to save her mortal soul by making the ultimate sacrifice. (Based on Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair.) 3/5 stars.
"John Wayne's Dream" by Gary A. Braunbeck - A middle-aged man, struggling with his father's disapproval, comes to realize that none of us will ever measure up to expectations, whether or own or those of others. What we are will ultimately destroy us - so why not go out in that clichéd blaze of glory? (Based on The Streets of Loredo.) 3/5 stars.
"Bedlam" by Gregory Frost - A pirate, long deceased, returns to claim his beloved through necessary deceit - only to find that it's she who tricked him into spending eternity with her. (Based on The Demon Lover / The Carpenter's Wife / The House Carpenter.) 4/5 stars.
"Awake" by Jack Ketchum - What starts out as a story about a dying jazz star (sympathetic, if a bit of a lout) quickly morphs into a twisted tale of infidelity, rape, and incest as Ketchum abruptly hands the story over to his long-suffering wife. (Based on The Silver Dagger / Katie Dear.) 4/5 stars.
"John Henry, The Steel Drivin' Man" by Jeff Strand - Freed slave John Henry was a steel-driver who was compelled to beat a series of increasingly powerful competitors in order to save the jobs on his fellow laborers: first a steam-powered hammer; then a warlock; then a dragon; and finally, all of them, working in concert. Each time the challenge killed him - and each time, his wife and friends resurrected him to do it all over again. Ultimately, John Henry ended up stealing their jobs, since he proved that he could perform them better than anyone.
Based on the ballad John Henry, Strand remixes the old tale so that it's a little more favorable toward technological advancement. Yet this arguably pro-capitalist stance feels vaguely problematic, given that the original ballad was a source of pride and inspiration to African Americans. 4/5 stars.
"Fish Out of Water" by Keith R.A. DeCandido - When mermaids begin appearing in the waters of Key West, driving all humans who see them to madness, dive master Cassie - who recently discovered that she's a Disir, a Norse fate goddess - sets out to right her friend Loki's wrongs. (Based on The Mermaid.) 5/5 stars.
"Making Music" by Kelley Armstrong - A songwriting fae-turned-human makes music by literally stealing the words right out of other peoples' mouths. I found it kind of nifty that Izzy reimagines old ballads - how meta. (Based on Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight.) 4/5 stars.
"Tam Lane" by Lisa Morton - When Janet's wealthy father purchases the old Daily Examiner building and asks his daughter, a budding architect, to transform the rooms into lofts, she's over the moon with excitement: the building was famed architect May O'Greene's final project. But she's stunned to find a long-disappeared actor living on the third floor. (Based on Tam Lin.) 4/5 stars.
"John Barleycorn Must Die" by Marsheila Rockwell and Jeffrey J. Mariotte - In an assignment that was doomed from the start, a recovering alcoholic reporter is sent to a local microbrewery to write a fluff piece on the three successful young female entrepreneurs who run it - and narrowly escapes becoming their latest sacrifice to the barley. (Based on John Barleycorn Must Die / John Barleycorn / Sir John Barleycorn.) 5/5 stars.
"In Arkham Town, Where I Was Bound" by Nancy Holder - Upon discovering that his deceased adoptive parents had some extended family in Arkham, Massachusetts, Edgar Allen Poe reluctantly leaves the bedside of his ailing wife Virginia to beg a loan - and bears witness to a witch's curse of the unfaithful at the behest of a jealous lover. (Based on Barbara Allen / Bonny Barbara Allan / Sir John Grehme and Barbara Allan / Barbara Allens' Cruelty.) 4/5 stars.
"Driving Jenny Home" by Seanan McGuire - When Leigh's girlfriend Jenny dies in a post-Homecoming car accident, Leigh's unable to let go. Every day, she parks outside the cemetery gates; eventually, Jenny begins to appear to her, always requesting that promised ride home. Two words: lesbian cheerleaders. Also: a The Last Unicorn reference FTW. (Based on The Unquiet Grave.) ALL THE STARS.
"Hollow is the Heart" by Simon R. Green - A disgraced journalist pitches a story to his old newspaper - a local piece exploring the historic roots of the Hollow Women myth. An age-old superstition, the Hollow Women are women who look human but are really empty inside. They prey on young men, laying claim to their virtue - and sometimes their lives. (Not to mention their sperm!) It's all fun and games until the story turns on him, in a most personal way. (Based on The Foggy, Foggy Dew.) 4/5 stars.
*end spoiler alert!*
Out of Tune is an original, inventive collection that's sure to appeal to a variety of readers: those who have made ballads a hobby or career, as well as those who just have a passing interest; fans of horror, fantasy, and the supernatural; and people who dig short fiction and are looking for a solid collection.
http://www.easyvegan.info/2014/12/01/...
December 14, 2018
This was a great collection of messed up short stories based on some messed up songs. Some better than others, but on the whole, a solid collection.
November 28, 2015
Rating: 4.5 stars.
I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers scheme, though sadly through a combination of circumstances had not the opportunity and ability to read and review it until now.
There are a great many themed anthologies of short fiction sent out into the world. Some themes are broad, some narrow; some popular, some obscure; some old and some new. The stories therein can be as contrasting as their themes, naturally; I've found that in many such anthologies, with quality as well as all other features.
Most multiple-author anthologies I've read have had at least one story that feels rather like a dud, or that's no better than "almost good enough to be mediocre". This anthology, however, doesn't fall into that category. I was surprised and very pleased while reading this one. I can say honestly that there is not one single story of truly poor quality in the book. Perhaps one or two might not be to everybody's taste, but even where that is or may be the case, the quality of their writing - and of the editing done for this anthology - is not lacking.
Usually, when I read short-story anthologies, I take them bite by bite, reading one or two at first, then another in a few days' time, and so on, and so forth. With this particular anthology, though, I didn't feel compelled to follow that pattern. I didn't get bored enough to stop reading even once; I simply paused to take in the annotations regarding the song each tale had been based upon, and carried on to the next.
Not all the tales in Out of Tune are flawless, nor all the characters or songs chosen by the individual authors participating especially likeable. However, every one is worth reading, for one reason or another. I requested this advance copy for the contribution by Seanan McGuire, a casual online friend and favourite author of mine, and when I say that her story didn't particularly stand out from the book, apart from by the gender of its central couple (which is, in fact, a way in which I was a little unhappy that it did stand out, since it meant the anthology featured only one female couple among its many romantic pairings), I am insulting neither her nor it, I do assure you. McGuire has a talent for short stories - and so, it seems, do several other authors who took part in this project. I look forward to investigating their work further.
The anthology loses just half a star from its 5-star rating, and that is for its apparently determined heteronormativity (with the exception of Seanan McGuire's aforementioned contribution). This non-heteronormative reader wasn't terribly happy about that, on looking over the anthology after first reading. If anybody reading my review wants me to say more about the individual stories, I might just revisit my review later to do that. However, I read the book as one unit, so that's how I'm first approaching it to review it. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 for GR.
I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers scheme, though sadly through a combination of circumstances had not the opportunity and ability to read and review it until now.
There are a great many themed anthologies of short fiction sent out into the world. Some themes are broad, some narrow; some popular, some obscure; some old and some new. The stories therein can be as contrasting as their themes, naturally; I've found that in many such anthologies, with quality as well as all other features.
Most multiple-author anthologies I've read have had at least one story that feels rather like a dud, or that's no better than "almost good enough to be mediocre". This anthology, however, doesn't fall into that category. I was surprised and very pleased while reading this one. I can say honestly that there is not one single story of truly poor quality in the book. Perhaps one or two might not be to everybody's taste, but even where that is or may be the case, the quality of their writing - and of the editing done for this anthology - is not lacking.
Usually, when I read short-story anthologies, I take them bite by bite, reading one or two at first, then another in a few days' time, and so on, and so forth. With this particular anthology, though, I didn't feel compelled to follow that pattern. I didn't get bored enough to stop reading even once; I simply paused to take in the annotations regarding the song each tale had been based upon, and carried on to the next.
Not all the tales in Out of Tune are flawless, nor all the characters or songs chosen by the individual authors participating especially likeable. However, every one is worth reading, for one reason or another. I requested this advance copy for the contribution by Seanan McGuire, a casual online friend and favourite author of mine, and when I say that her story didn't particularly stand out from the book, apart from by the gender of its central couple (which is, in fact, a way in which I was a little unhappy that it did stand out, since it meant the anthology featured only one female couple among its many romantic pairings), I am insulting neither her nor it, I do assure you. McGuire has a talent for short stories - and so, it seems, do several other authors who took part in this project. I look forward to investigating their work further.
The anthology loses just half a star from its 5-star rating, and that is for its apparently determined heteronormativity (with the exception of Seanan McGuire's aforementioned contribution). This non-heteronormative reader wasn't terribly happy about that, on looking over the anthology after first reading. If anybody reading my review wants me to say more about the individual stories, I might just revisit my review later to do that. However, I read the book as one unit, so that's how I'm first approaching it to review it. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 for GR.
February 20, 2015
I picked up this book for one story, "Fish Out of Water" by Keith R.A. DeCandido, because I'm already a Cassie Zukav fan. I read the story, it was wonderful, and I put the book aside, not being familiar with the other authors (and not being a fan of classic old tunes). It wasn't until later, when a friend who had read all the stories praised the book, that I figured I should go ahead and try the rest.
Holy cats, am I glad I did. Just about all of the stories in this volume are excellent. One or two were a little weaker than the others, but even those were enjoyable. There was one where I spent half the story disappointed because I thought I knew where it was going, and then there was a twist at the end and I'd had it all wrong, and I was delighted. While I was reading, I kept thinking "this is my favorite in the collection," and then I'd get to the next story and say "no, this is my favorite in the collection!"
If I had to call out a few favorites, they'd be as follows:
David Liss - "Sweet William's Ghost" - I should have had no connection with this story. I'm not a gym bunny. I don't have a dead fiancé. I don't know the song it's named for. And yet this story stuck with me even as I read the rest of the book. Something in the voice, in the telling, was so clear that I couldn't forget the story as I moved on to the others. It was outstanding.
Lisa Morton - "Tam Lane" - I'm a historian, and the history in this one was powerful. Not that it's a true story, of course, but that the history of the world in the story leaps off the page. Even the architecture comes to life along with the characters. I wouldn't have minded a bit if it had been twice as long.
Jeff Strand - "John Henry, the Steel Drivin' Man" - How do you take a story as well known as John Henry's and fit it into a book of otherworldly stories? Ask Jeff Strand, because he's done it. That the story takes off from what we know and leaps onto another plane is a testament to his talent. It's well-written, it deepens the legend, and it's just enjoyable.
Please know that I could have written a capsule review for any of the stories in this book, and it would have been full of praise. That I have selected these three in no way diminishes the others; the entire book is good. Grand kudos to Jonathan Maberry for putting together a collection of stories based on music that delights even a non-musical person like me. It is a phenomenal assemblage, and I highly recommend the book.
Holy cats, am I glad I did. Just about all of the stories in this volume are excellent. One or two were a little weaker than the others, but even those were enjoyable. There was one where I spent half the story disappointed because I thought I knew where it was going, and then there was a twist at the end and I'd had it all wrong, and I was delighted. While I was reading, I kept thinking "this is my favorite in the collection," and then I'd get to the next story and say "no, this is my favorite in the collection!"
If I had to call out a few favorites, they'd be as follows:
David Liss - "Sweet William's Ghost" - I should have had no connection with this story. I'm not a gym bunny. I don't have a dead fiancé. I don't know the song it's named for. And yet this story stuck with me even as I read the rest of the book. Something in the voice, in the telling, was so clear that I couldn't forget the story as I moved on to the others. It was outstanding.
Lisa Morton - "Tam Lane" - I'm a historian, and the history in this one was powerful. Not that it's a true story, of course, but that the history of the world in the story leaps off the page. Even the architecture comes to life along with the characters. I wouldn't have minded a bit if it had been twice as long.
Jeff Strand - "John Henry, the Steel Drivin' Man" - How do you take a story as well known as John Henry's and fit it into a book of otherworldly stories? Ask Jeff Strand, because he's done it. That the story takes off from what we know and leaps onto another plane is a testament to his talent. It's well-written, it deepens the legend, and it's just enjoyable.
Please know that I could have written a capsule review for any of the stories in this book, and it would have been full of praise. That I have selected these three in no way diminishes the others; the entire book is good. Grand kudos to Jonathan Maberry for putting together a collection of stories based on music that delights even a non-musical person like me. It is a phenomenal assemblage, and I highly recommend the book.
January 26, 2015
Jonathan Maberry, the editor of Out of Tune: All New Tales of Horror and Dark Fantasy, cites Meat Loaf, Whitesnake, and Journey as contemporary balladeers. However, their ballads do not compare with the ballads of older times. I first thought of a story, Ballad of the Sad Café, then I thought of country music, music that tells a good story about lost love, hard times, the first blush of new love. The ballads from which the stories in this anthology draw are old and they speak of myths, legends, folktales, fairy stories, and the damned of the Irish and Scottish cultures. Country music takes its cue from the old ballads from the old countries.
I first read Black is the Color because I grew up hearing Nina Simone sing this song. This was one of the first songs I learned to sing as a child. I found myself reading the notes provided before reading the stories. Historical notes on the origins of the ballads, the various versions of the ballads' themes, and references to sources of the lyrics and the songs performed by artists like Simone, Burl Ives, Joan Baez, to name a few, are invaluable asset to this volume. The notes are as important as the stories and I truly appreciate their inclusion because of their historic and folkloric content.
There is not one thing I want to give away about these stories, save to say I have several favorites in the collection, but each story has its own flavor.
Let me summarize a few of the stories this way:
Wendy, Darling by Christopher Golden has elements of Peter Pan blended with a bit of horror.
Black is the Color of my True Love's Hair by Del Howison is so totally disturbing I read it three times. Superstition really ain't the way.
John Henry, the Steel Drivin' Man by Jeff Strand put a decidedly new twist on the old inspirational story of John Henry, who beat the stake-driving machine to save the jobs of his fellow workers. What a nightmare fate.
Driving Jenny Home by Seanan McGuire is my favorite in the collection. It is a reflection on the unquiet grave and the problems for the dead associated with extremes in grieving.
Hollow is the Heart by Simon R. Green is my third favorite, following Black is the Color. It's erotic.
If you like music, history, folklore, horror, fantasy, short stories, exquisite use of language, and really good yarns, you will love this collection of stories.
I first read Black is the Color because I grew up hearing Nina Simone sing this song. This was one of the first songs I learned to sing as a child. I found myself reading the notes provided before reading the stories. Historical notes on the origins of the ballads, the various versions of the ballads' themes, and references to sources of the lyrics and the songs performed by artists like Simone, Burl Ives, Joan Baez, to name a few, are invaluable asset to this volume. The notes are as important as the stories and I truly appreciate their inclusion because of their historic and folkloric content.
There is not one thing I want to give away about these stories, save to say I have several favorites in the collection, but each story has its own flavor.
Let me summarize a few of the stories this way:
Wendy, Darling by Christopher Golden has elements of Peter Pan blended with a bit of horror.
Black is the Color of my True Love's Hair by Del Howison is so totally disturbing I read it three times. Superstition really ain't the way.
John Henry, the Steel Drivin' Man by Jeff Strand put a decidedly new twist on the old inspirational story of John Henry, who beat the stake-driving machine to save the jobs of his fellow workers. What a nightmare fate.
Driving Jenny Home by Seanan McGuire is my favorite in the collection. It is a reflection on the unquiet grave and the problems for the dead associated with extremes in grieving.
Hollow is the Heart by Simon R. Green is my third favorite, following Black is the Color. It's erotic.
If you like music, history, folklore, horror, fantasy, short stories, exquisite use of language, and really good yarns, you will love this collection of stories.
November 29, 2014
If you have a place in your heart for old ballads and folklore, you really can’t go wrong by reading “Out of Tune,” edited by New York Times Bestseller Jonathan Maberry, and published by JournalStone.
“Out of Tune” is an anthology featuring all new stories that are influenced by old ballads from not only the UK region, but also America. An additional nice feature is an explanation at the end of each story that tells the ballad of origin and singers who have performed these tunes, many of whom you will recognize.
The anthology starts off with a familiar trope, “Wendy, Darling,” by Christopher Golden, who not only puts an interesting story to the ballad of origin, but also sets it in the Peter Pan universe (and if you are familiar with Golden, this probably comes as no surprise—and if you aren’t familiar with Golden, you really need to start reading his books).
Next up I was delighted to see that David Liss was included in this anthology. I read his novel “The Coffee Trader” several years back and was ecstatic to read in his bio that “The Coffee Trader” is being developed for film and “A Conspiracy of Paper” is being developed for television. It’s always a plus when the bio sections of anthologies give you information you didn’t previously know, adding to the fanboy value. At any rate, his story “Sweet William’s Ghost” is another strong edition to the book.
I really wasn’t disappointed with any story here, and while some I enjoyed better than others, I always looked forward to the ballad origin at the end of each entry.
You can’t go wrong with “Out of Tune.” It has a stellar lineup of writers, also including Gary Braunbeck (everything he writes is great, isn’t it?), Kelley Armstrong, Nancy Holder, Simon R. Green, Lisa Morton, Jack Ketchum, Jeff Strand, Jeffrey J. Mariotte, and more. You get the picture. This is one not to miss.
“Out of Tune” is an anthology featuring all new stories that are influenced by old ballads from not only the UK region, but also America. An additional nice feature is an explanation at the end of each story that tells the ballad of origin and singers who have performed these tunes, many of whom you will recognize.
The anthology starts off with a familiar trope, “Wendy, Darling,” by Christopher Golden, who not only puts an interesting story to the ballad of origin, but also sets it in the Peter Pan universe (and if you are familiar with Golden, this probably comes as no surprise—and if you aren’t familiar with Golden, you really need to start reading his books).
Next up I was delighted to see that David Liss was included in this anthology. I read his novel “The Coffee Trader” several years back and was ecstatic to read in his bio that “The Coffee Trader” is being developed for film and “A Conspiracy of Paper” is being developed for television. It’s always a plus when the bio sections of anthologies give you information you didn’t previously know, adding to the fanboy value. At any rate, his story “Sweet William’s Ghost” is another strong edition to the book.
I really wasn’t disappointed with any story here, and while some I enjoyed better than others, I always looked forward to the ballad origin at the end of each entry.
You can’t go wrong with “Out of Tune.” It has a stellar lineup of writers, also including Gary Braunbeck (everything he writes is great, isn’t it?), Kelley Armstrong, Nancy Holder, Simon R. Green, Lisa Morton, Jack Ketchum, Jeff Strand, Jeffrey J. Mariotte, and more. You get the picture. This is one not to miss.
January 23, 2016
3.89 stars rounded up.
I am always leery of short story collections because they tend to have a bunch of just-okay to silly stories in them, held down by one solid offering from a more established author. This collection contains a short by Seanan McGuire, one of my favorites.
I won't summarize each story but I will give a list of contents, so you can see if any of your favorites are included. I hate when you are considering purchasing an anthology and can't find a listing of its contents.
The theme of this anthology is stories based around folk ballads. Most of the stories successfully incorporated their ballads. In my biased opinion, I thought Seanan McGuire's offering was the strongest. It and Simon Green's offering were the best and most solidly written. The weakest was Jeff Strand's entry, "John Henry, the Steel Drivin' Man." It was just ridiculously silly. I have always loved Traffic's version of "John Barleycorn Must Die," so I enjoyed that story as wel.
"Wendy, Darling" - Christopher Golden (3 stars)
"Sweet William's Ghost" - David Liss (3 stars)
"Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair" - Del. Howison (3 stars)
"John Wayne's Dream" - Gary A. Braunbeck
"Bedlam" - Gregory Frost (4 stars)
"Awake" - Jack Ketchum (4 stars)
"John Henry, the Steel Drivin' Man" - Jeff Strand (1 star)
"Fish Out of Water" - Keith R.A. DeCandido (4 stars)
"Making Music" - Kelley Armstrong (4 stars)
"Tam Lane" - Lisa Morton
"John Barleycorn Must Die" - Marsheila Rockwell & Jeffrey J. Mariotte (5 stars)
"In Arkham Town, Where I was Bound" - Nancy Holder (3 stars)
"Driving Jenny Home" - Seanan McGuire (5 stars)
"Hollow is the Heart" -Simon R. Green (4 stars)
I am always leery of short story collections because they tend to have a bunch of just-okay to silly stories in them, held down by one solid offering from a more established author. This collection contains a short by Seanan McGuire, one of my favorites.
I won't summarize each story but I will give a list of contents, so you can see if any of your favorites are included. I hate when you are considering purchasing an anthology and can't find a listing of its contents.
The theme of this anthology is stories based around folk ballads. Most of the stories successfully incorporated their ballads. In my biased opinion, I thought Seanan McGuire's offering was the strongest. It and Simon Green's offering were the best and most solidly written. The weakest was Jeff Strand's entry, "John Henry, the Steel Drivin' Man." It was just ridiculously silly. I have always loved Traffic's version of "John Barleycorn Must Die," so I enjoyed that story as wel.
"Wendy, Darling" - Christopher Golden (3 stars)
"Sweet William's Ghost" - David Liss (3 stars)
"Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair" - Del. Howison (3 stars)
"John Wayne's Dream" - Gary A. Braunbeck
"Bedlam" - Gregory Frost (4 stars)
"Awake" - Jack Ketchum (4 stars)
"John Henry, the Steel Drivin' Man" - Jeff Strand (1 star)
"Fish Out of Water" - Keith R.A. DeCandido (4 stars)
"Making Music" - Kelley Armstrong (4 stars)
"Tam Lane" - Lisa Morton
"John Barleycorn Must Die" - Marsheila Rockwell & Jeffrey J. Mariotte (5 stars)
"In Arkham Town, Where I was Bound" - Nancy Holder (3 stars)
"Driving Jenny Home" - Seanan McGuire (5 stars)
"Hollow is the Heart" -Simon R. Green (4 stars)
December 11, 2015
I received the audiobook version of this in exchange for a review, so here is my review! This was a collection of dark fantasy short stories based on ballads. Its a very interesting mix of stories! It had everything from ghosts to John Henry, so I think there is really something for everyone in this collection of stories. Some of the stories have really fun twists to them. Some of the stories are familiar and seem like classic stories, for example “Driving Jenny Home” by Seanan McGuire is a ghost story and a variation of a hitchhiking ghost. Other stories are new ideas to me, for example, “Fish Out of Water” by Keith R.A. DeCandido is about mermaids, and I’m not very familiar with mermaid stories. I think through this entire collection there was only one that I wasn’t very interested in, but it wasn’t because of the story, but rather my taste.
Since I read the audiobook, I’ll say a little about the narrators. This book had two narrators, a female and a male narrator. Both did a good job, but I think the female narrator could use a few more pauses and more intonation through most of it.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, and I think the stories are diverse enough to appeal to most people.
Since I read the audiobook, I’ll say a little about the narrators. This book had two narrators, a female and a male narrator. Both did a good job, but I think the female narrator could use a few more pauses and more intonation through most of it.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, and I think the stories are diverse enough to appeal to most people.
February 28, 2015
Feb-13-I finished this books and most of the stories are really great. Some were just pretty good. There weren't any stories that I'd say were bad. All of the stories are the author's take on folk songs. At the end of each story, there is a short explanation of the song the story was adapted from and the history of this song. There were some of the stories that really creeped me out. I really liked this collection and would recommend it to my friends.
Jan- I won this book in the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway and I can NOT wait to get it in the mail! YAY!
Feb 3 - I have plans to start reading this book tonight when I lay down. Mostly, I get to read right before bed. I can't wait to get started on it, it looks great. I am a HUGE fan of anthologies, I love getting to discover authors that I've maybe heard of, but not had the chance to read, or authors I've never heard of.
I'm a little sad to see there isn't a story by Jonathan Maberry here, because I love his writing so much. But there is a bright spot, there is a story by Simon R Green and I like his work a lot also.
Jan- I won this book in the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway and I can NOT wait to get it in the mail! YAY!
Feb 3 - I have plans to start reading this book tonight when I lay down. Mostly, I get to read right before bed. I can't wait to get started on it, it looks great. I am a HUGE fan of anthologies, I love getting to discover authors that I've maybe heard of, but not had the chance to read, or authors I've never heard of.
I'm a little sad to see there isn't a story by Jonathan Maberry here, because I love his writing so much. But there is a bright spot, there is a story by Simon R Green and I like his work a lot also.
November 12, 2014
I received this book as a LibraryThing early reviewer in ebook edition. I must admit to being a cherry picker in most anthologies. I buy them for one or two authors and too often end up flitting through the remainder of the stories without truly enjoying many of them. Not so with this book. Like my beloved Windling/Kushner anthologies, this book has a strong thematic feel that draws on older sources and leaves you wanting to delve into the original material to inform your reading. My only complaint is that I'm wishing desperately it had come with a CD of the old ballads it pulls from so I do't have to do the work of tracking them down myself! I came for Seanan McGuire and stayed for the rest!
November 17, 2014
A song half-heard. The murmur of a voice singing in the dark.
I received this book from Library Thing Early Reviewers. Out of Tune is edited by Jonathan Maberry is full of dark fantasy based classic ballads. new interesting take on classic ballads. This collection has many different talented writers: Kelley Armstrong, Jack Ketchum, Simon R. Green, Seanan McGuire, Christopher Golden, David Liss, Gregory Frost, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Jeff Strand, Lisa Morton, Jeff Mariotte & Marsheila Rockwell, Nancy Holder, Del Howison, and Gary Braunbeck.
These stories are filled with horror and will give you nightmares. You will feel extreme heartbreak for the characters. There are many tales of loss and grief. You will not be able to put this book down until every story is read.
I received this book from Library Thing Early Reviewers. Out of Tune is edited by Jonathan Maberry is full of dark fantasy based classic ballads. new interesting take on classic ballads. This collection has many different talented writers: Kelley Armstrong, Jack Ketchum, Simon R. Green, Seanan McGuire, Christopher Golden, David Liss, Gregory Frost, Keith R.A. DeCandido, Jeff Strand, Lisa Morton, Jeff Mariotte & Marsheila Rockwell, Nancy Holder, Del Howison, and Gary Braunbeck.
These stories are filled with horror and will give you nightmares. You will feel extreme heartbreak for the characters. There are many tales of loss and grief. You will not be able to put this book down until every story is read.
December 8, 2014
In "Out of Tune," each short story is based (some of them quite loosely) on an old ballad, and the results are a surprisingly fresh take on the traditional ghost story. The list of writers who contributed to to this volume are quite impressive, and none disappointed. Even in the best of anthologies, there are usually a couple of stories that don't make the grade, either because they don't resonant with the reader or just don't meet the standard set by the others, but there were no stories here that didn't fit or felt inferior, thanks to an excellent pool of talent and skillful editing by Jonathan Maberry. I also enjoyed the short description at the end of each story of the history of the ballad that inspired the piece.
September 30, 2018
I had read Out of Tune II before I read this one but they really don't need to be read in order to enjoy them. I liked the second book a bit better but the stories in this anthology were very good as well.
I love folk songs, especially the ghostly ones. So, not only did it give me more than several hours of pleasurable reading it also gave me some new songs to add to my music so it was a win-win situation all the way around. I highly recommend both anthologies and with so many songs of murders and ghosts I'm hoping that there will be a third book to come.
Pretty please?
I love folk songs, especially the ghostly ones. So, not only did it give me more than several hours of pleasurable reading it also gave me some new songs to add to my music so it was a win-win situation all the way around. I highly recommend both anthologies and with so many songs of murders and ghosts I'm hoping that there will be a third book to come.
Pretty please?
July 7, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in return for a review, via the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.
"It's all about faith," said Sister Joan. "So lacking in modern times. The legend of the Hollow Women is old . . . They have existed alongside civilisation under many names. Before this town was a town, there were Hollow Women preying on the men, Before there were people, there were Hollow Women. They learned to look like people, the better to prey on them. Perhaps these days they have learned to look like something else."
I found this collection of stories inspired by old ballads very enjoyable, as they were very varied, with some stories closely based on the songs and others less so. My favourites were "Wendy, Darling", "Hollow is the Heart", and the most light-hearted story in the book, "Fish Out of Water" which was a fun story about lost mermaids and Norse gods set in the Florida Keys.
But what makes this book even better, is the section after each story describing the ballads. Apart from the American ballad John Henry, most of these ballads came to North America from the British Isles, with some having altered quite a bit along the way, such as The Unfortunate Rake, which became The Bad Girl's Lament, The Streets of Laredo and the Saint James Infirmary Blues.
As she sings, other forms move forward from the shadows; a knight in the remains of ruined armour, his sword in one hand, his bent and twisted visor in the other; behind him comes a cowboy, classic and tall, spurs jangling with each step, holding his stained and tattered hat in wind-burnt hands; an older woman dressed in mourning black; a group of soldiers in uniforms crisp and funereal, carrying the shroud-covered form of a fallen comrade.
YouTube let me listen to versions of the ballads from both sides of the Atlantic, with my favourites being Mama Cass Elliot singing The Young Girl's Lament and Ebony Buckle singing Silver Dagger.
"It's all about faith," said Sister Joan. "So lacking in modern times. The legend of the Hollow Women is old . . . They have existed alongside civilisation under many names. Before this town was a town, there were Hollow Women preying on the men, Before there were people, there were Hollow Women. They learned to look like people, the better to prey on them. Perhaps these days they have learned to look like something else."
I found this collection of stories inspired by old ballads very enjoyable, as they were very varied, with some stories closely based on the songs and others less so. My favourites were "Wendy, Darling", "Hollow is the Heart", and the most light-hearted story in the book, "Fish Out of Water" which was a fun story about lost mermaids and Norse gods set in the Florida Keys.
But what makes this book even better, is the section after each story describing the ballads. Apart from the American ballad John Henry, most of these ballads came to North America from the British Isles, with some having altered quite a bit along the way, such as The Unfortunate Rake, which became The Bad Girl's Lament, The Streets of Laredo and the Saint James Infirmary Blues.
As she sings, other forms move forward from the shadows; a knight in the remains of ruined armour, his sword in one hand, his bent and twisted visor in the other; behind him comes a cowboy, classic and tall, spurs jangling with each step, holding his stained and tattered hat in wind-burnt hands; an older woman dressed in mourning black; a group of soldiers in uniforms crisp and funereal, carrying the shroud-covered form of a fallen comrade.
YouTube let me listen to versions of the ballads from both sides of the Atlantic, with my favourites being Mama Cass Elliot singing The Young Girl's Lament and Ebony Buckle singing Silver Dagger.
March 31, 2015
I was pleased to receive an Early Reviewer copy of Out of Tune from LibraryThing last year. The editor of this anthology, Jonathan Maberry, was a contributor to another JournalStone collection I enjoyed in 2014, and I was curious what he would do in the editor’s chair.
Out of Tune is a solid anthology with an interesting theme. These fourteen stories take as their inspiration old British and American folk tunes that range from “John Henry” and “Tam Lin” to “The Unquiet Grave” and “The Mermaid.” It’s fun to see what the authors do with them.
My favorite stories are the ones that take a nugget of inspiration from the chosen song and then branch out in an unexpected direction. For example, Gary A. Braunbeck‘s “John Wayne’s Dream” puts “The Streets of Laredo” in a very contemporary context with excellent results. Gregory Frost‘s “Bedlam” presents “The Demon Lover” in an especially chilling aspect, àpropos of the story’s title.
I also couldn’t help but be fond of Nancy Holder‘s “In Arkham Town, Where I was Bound.” Her homage to Edgar Allan Poe in this retelling of “Barbara Allen” is nigh on perfect.
Other stories in the collection didn’t grab me quite as well. “The Cruel Mother,” for example, is a ballad that can die and never come back, as far as I’m concerned, and turning its creepiness on to Peter Pan‘s Wendy Darling as Christopher Golden does in his story just feels mean. Other stories, too, stuck too close to the original songs for my taste.
That said, there is a lot of good reading in Out of Tune. Definitely worth checking out. 3.8/5
Out of Tune is a solid anthology with an interesting theme. These fourteen stories take as their inspiration old British and American folk tunes that range from “John Henry” and “Tam Lin” to “The Unquiet Grave” and “The Mermaid.” It’s fun to see what the authors do with them.
My favorite stories are the ones that take a nugget of inspiration from the chosen song and then branch out in an unexpected direction. For example, Gary A. Braunbeck‘s “John Wayne’s Dream” puts “The Streets of Laredo” in a very contemporary context with excellent results. Gregory Frost‘s “Bedlam” presents “The Demon Lover” in an especially chilling aspect, àpropos of the story’s title.
I also couldn’t help but be fond of Nancy Holder‘s “In Arkham Town, Where I was Bound.” Her homage to Edgar Allan Poe in this retelling of “Barbara Allen” is nigh on perfect.
Other stories in the collection didn’t grab me quite as well. “The Cruel Mother,” for example, is a ballad that can die and never come back, as far as I’m concerned, and turning its creepiness on to Peter Pan‘s Wendy Darling as Christopher Golden does in his story just feels mean. Other stories, too, stuck too close to the original songs for my taste.
That said, there is a lot of good reading in Out of Tune. Definitely worth checking out. 3.8/5
December 10, 2014
This collection of short stories, based on English/Scottish/Irish (and one wholly American!) ballads was amazing. If you are a fan of ballads and/or dark fantasy, I think you owe it to yourself to grab this anthology. The stories are varied, and mostly take part in our modern world.
I have a few favorites (but don't get me wrong--they were ALL great stories!), like John Barleycorn Must Die by Marsheila Rockwell and Jeffrey J. Mariotte, Fish Out of Water by Keith R. A. Decandido, Driving Jenny Home by Seanan McGuire, and In Arkham Town, Where I was Bound by Nancy Holder
I have a few favorites (but don't get me wrong--they were ALL great stories!), like John Barleycorn Must Die by Marsheila Rockwell and Jeffrey J. Mariotte, Fish Out of Water by Keith R. A. Decandido, Driving Jenny Home by Seanan McGuire, and In Arkham Town, Where I was Bound by Nancy Holder
December 15, 2015
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
The concept behind this anthology was nicely unique: take old folk ballads and create stories around/about them. Then choose writers who can give the song a fantastical twist.
Each of the stories was very well written, most having an easy style to read. Only one or two were written in a style that I personally didn't care for but that doesn't mean they were bad stories.
I'm glad an explanation was given for each individual ballad as my interest in them has been sparked.
The concept behind this anthology was nicely unique: take old folk ballads and create stories around/about them. Then choose writers who can give the song a fantastical twist.
Each of the stories was very well written, most having an easy style to read. Only one or two were written in a style that I personally didn't care for but that doesn't mean they were bad stories.
I'm glad an explanation was given for each individual ballad as my interest in them has been sparked.
December 9, 2015
I received this audiobook version via JournalStone publisher, thank you!
The book cover could be more mystical and better this one is not the one I would pick up from the book shelves and thus would miss the new favourite.
This audiobook involves several stories written by many authors and each of them are one way or another related to a historical ghost/ death story/tale but with nowadays adaption. Very interesting and entertaining. Loved the way I could listen to the stories and think to the actual stories once long time ago. These stories are short but well written.
The book cover could be more mystical and better this one is not the one I would pick up from the book shelves and thus would miss the new favourite.
This audiobook involves several stories written by many authors and each of them are one way or another related to a historical ghost/ death story/tale but with nowadays adaption. Very interesting and entertaining. Loved the way I could listen to the stories and think to the actual stories once long time ago. These stories are short but well written.
February 6, 2015
Truly haunting, OUT OF TUNE is NOT about rock stars or jazz musicians its about the songs of old, the ballads that sailors and others sang about haunted women and other things that go bump in the night. Dark Fantasy doesn't even begin to cover this book! If you like your scary, disturbing stories short, OUT OF TUNE" is the book for you.
I received this book from goodreads in exchange for a review!
I received this book from goodreads in exchange for a review!
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