The Year's Best Australian Fantasy and Horror 2014

The Year's Best Australian Fantasy and Horror

by Liz Grzyb (Editor), Talie Helene (Editor), Alan Baxter

Liz Grzyb and Talie Helene have compiled an impressive list of fantastic stories first published in 2014, from New Zealand's and Australia's finest writers.

The 28 stories selected are

Alan Baxter, “Shadows of the Lonely Dead” [Suspended in Dusk]
James Bradley, “The Changeling” [Fearsome Magics]
Imogen Cassidy, “Soul Partner” [Aurealis 74]
David Conyers & David Kernot, “The Bullet & The Flesh” [World War Cthulhu]
Terry Dowling, “The Corpse Rose” [Nightmare Carnival]
Thoraiya Dyer, “The Oud” [Long Hidden Anthology]
Jason Franks, “Metempsychosis” [SQ Mag]
Michelle Goldsmith, “Of Gold and Dust” [Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine 60]
Michael Grey, “1884” [Cthulhu Lives: An Eldrich Tribute to H.P.Lovecraft]
Stephanie Gunn, “Escapement” [Kisses by Clockwork]
Lisa L. Hannett & Angela Slatter, “Vox” [The Female Factory]
Gerry Huntman, “Of The Colour Tumeric, Climbing on Fingertips” [Night Terrors III]
Rick Kennett, “Dolls for Another Day” [The Ghosts & Scholars Book of Shadows: Vol 2]
Charlotte Kieft, “Chiaroscuro” [Disquiet]
SG Larner, “Kneaded” [Phantazein]
Claire McKenna, “Yard” [Use Only As Directed]
Andrew J. McKiernan, “A Prayer for Lazarus” [Last Year, When We Were Young]
Faith Mudge, “Signature” [Kaleidoscope: Diverse YA Science Fiction]
Jason Nahrung, “The Preservation Society” [Dimension6]
Emma Osborne, “The Box Wife” [Shock Totem: Curious Tales of the Macabre & Twisted #9]
Angela Rega, “Shedding Skin” [Crossed Genres]
Tansy Rayner Roberts, “The Love Letters of Swans” [Phantazein]
Angela Slatter, “The Badger Bride” [Strange Tales IV]
Cat Sparks, “New Chronicles of Andras Thorn” [Dimension6 Annual Collection 2014]
Anna Tambour, “The Walking-stick Forest” [Tor.com]
Kyla Ward, “Necromancy” [Spectral Realms #1]
Kaaron Warren, “Bridge of Sighs” [Fearful Symmetries: An Anthology of Horror]
Janeen Webb, “Lady of the Swamp” [Death at the Blue Elephant]

In addition to the above incredible tales, the volume includes a review of 2014 and a list of highly recommended stories.

Genres: Fantasy

500 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2015

About the author

I'm a reader, librarian, teacher, bellydancer, traveller and champagne-addict.

Reviews

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a good overview of current trends and styles in Australian fantasy and horror. It's hard sometimes when you go to a convention to have read everyone's work, so I'm glad I read this, which covers a lot of good authors writing today. The stand out stories for me were Kaaron Warren's haunting 'Bridge of Sighs', about a disturbed photographer who captures the spirits of ghosts (no surprises there I liked it...) and Angela Slatter's 'The Badger Bride', reminiscent of that other great Angela, Angela Carter. The other stories which particularly stood out to me were those that captured a distinct sense of place, including 'Of the Colour Turmeric, Climbing on Fingertips' by Gerry Huntman and Michelle Goldsmith's very Australian 'Of Gold and Dust'. Also notable is Andrew J. McKiernan's original and disturbing tale 'A Prayer for Lazarus', which has a distinct use of voice.

The book also features a detailed overview of the year in Australian SFF as well as the lists of award winners for the Ditmars, Aurealis and Sir Julius Vogel Awards.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course I loved it -- I edited it!

[Anthony Panegyres · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this series. It was a pleasant surprise to see 'The Tic-Toc Boy of Constantinople' mentioned by both Talie Helene and Liz Grzyb in the foreword, and to also have it listed among the 38 stories in The Recommended Reading List at the end (a list well worth checking out).

I will highlight a few stories I really loved, although I'm always in two minds about doing this as a writer. But ultimately, I think stories vanish too soon if there isn't any dialogue and conversation. Furthermore, the works highlighted here are about celebrating fabulous stories, and not denigrating the others (I could easily list far more strong stories here). The anthology in its entirety is another successful celebration of the strength of Australian short fiction.

I've commented before on the wonderfully tight and beautiful tale 'The Badger Bride' by Angela Slatter, along with the rich 'Dickensian' magical realist story 'Escapement' by Stephanie Gunn. Out of those I read for the first time, I love 'Kneaded' by S.G Larner –I'm always a sucker for a well-written pancake-boy tale; 'A Prayer for Lazarus' by Andrew J. MCkiernan is an atmospheric gothic tale with an intriguing plot and strong voice throughout. Its ending is shocking but also darkly satisfying. And 'The Walking-Stick Forest' by Anna Tambour is a haunting piece, which, as expected by Tambour, takes a few abrupt turns on the way. Tambour's prose here lends towards the more baroque and is something I can only admire. I personally find Tambour's unexpected shifts refreshing, but I think in most other writer's hands they'd come across as clunky. Tambour’s courage and inventiveness deserve praise.