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Bardic Voices
Fiddler Fair
A command performance by fantasy's grand diva...
Mercedes Lackey has, in a few short years, soared to the peak of the fantasy field, and her thousands of enthusiastic readers clamor for more and more. Now comes a volume demonstrating the wide range of her talent, running the gamut from her beloved Bardic fantasies to urban fantasy set in the modern world; from science fiction adventure to chilling horror. And throughout Fiddler Fair, Lackey's sheer storytelling skill will hold the reader spellbound.
Learn what happens when animal rights fanatics try to "liberate" genetically reconstructed dinosaurs. Follow Lawrence of Arabia into the desert to meet a power beyond human comprehension; and be with King Arthur, reborn into the present day, when he again gains possession of the enchanted sword Excalibur. And, in a very weird encounter of the most bizarre kind, learn why an alien from a UFO took an unusual interest in a battered Chevy pickup truck.
Fiddler Fair is a feast for the multitudes of Lackey fans everywhere – and for new readers, a powerful introduction to the most significant new fantasy writer of the decade.
Short stories include:
How I Spent My Summer Vacation
Aliens Ate My Pickup
Small Print (with Larry Dixon)
Last Rights (with Larry Dixon)
Dumb Feast
Dance Track (with Larry Dixon)
Jihad
Balance
Dragon's Teeth
The Cup and the Cauldron
Once and Future
Fiddler Fair
The Enemy of My Enemy
Mercedes Lackey has, in a few short years, soared to the peak of the fantasy field, and her thousands of enthusiastic readers clamor for more and more. Now comes a volume demonstrating the wide range of her talent, running the gamut from her beloved Bardic fantasies to urban fantasy set in the modern world; from science fiction adventure to chilling horror. And throughout Fiddler Fair, Lackey's sheer storytelling skill will hold the reader spellbound.
Learn what happens when animal rights fanatics try to "liberate" genetically reconstructed dinosaurs. Follow Lawrence of Arabia into the desert to meet a power beyond human comprehension; and be with King Arthur, reborn into the present day, when he again gains possession of the enchanted sword Excalibur. And, in a very weird encounter of the most bizarre kind, learn why an alien from a UFO took an unusual interest in a battered Chevy pickup truck.
Fiddler Fair is a feast for the multitudes of Lackey fans everywhere – and for new readers, a powerful introduction to the most significant new fantasy writer of the decade.
Short stories include:
How I Spent My Summer Vacation
Aliens Ate My Pickup
Small Print (with Larry Dixon)
Last Rights (with Larry Dixon)
Dumb Feast
Dance Track (with Larry Dixon)
Jihad
Balance
Dragon's Teeth
The Cup and the Cauldron
Once and Future
Fiddler Fair
The Enemy of My Enemy
272 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 1998
31 people are currently reading
1346 people want to read
About the author
Mercedes Lackey
441 books9,533 followersMercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
April 24, 2021
Read as part of my ongoing shelf audit and... meh.
There's always variance in short story collections; this one just varied on the low side of average. The only ones I particularly liked were "Dumb Feast" and "Aliens Ate My Pickup" - the first for being a truly satisfying little revenge story, the second for just being fun and silly. Low points: "Last Rights", a story which just felt mean-spirited (and which Lackey's introduction pretty much confirmed was written as such); and "Balance", in which I got blindsided by one protagonist referring to another as a 'faggot' for the way he dressed... and then she ended up sleeping with him despite being old enough to be his mother. I'm not blanket-opposed to age gaps but a) the story was too short to develop their chemistry beyond physical attraction and b) it's hard not to think about her friendship with Marion Zimmer Bradley when reading this and being squicked out.
Other stories were mostly ehhh, either because of a feeling of incompleteness ("Jihad", which was compelling but felt more like a vignette than a full narrative, comes to mind; or "The Cup and the Cauldron", which never actually resolved the widespread famine that looked at its start) or just plain not being very interesting to me ("Dance Track" felt very dated and relied on the reader knowing more about Isidora Duncan, James Dean, and Paul Newman than I do; "Dragon's Teeth" intrigued me right up until I realized that there were, in fact, no actual dragons involved and then resolved far too easily).
It did all feel familiarly Lackey to me, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing - it has me thinking that maybe my shelf full of Valdemar books will not survive their turn at the re-reading, when I eventually get there, and that's saddening because I did really love them in high school. (Then again, I also loved Twilight at the time... so letting go of nostalgia isn't all bad.)
There's always variance in short story collections; this one just varied on the low side of average. The only ones I particularly liked were "Dumb Feast" and "Aliens Ate My Pickup" - the first for being a truly satisfying little revenge story, the second for just being fun and silly. Low points: "Last Rights", a story which just felt mean-spirited (and which Lackey's introduction pretty much confirmed was written as such); and "Balance", in which I got blindsided by one protagonist referring to another as a 'faggot' for the way he dressed... and then she ended up sleeping with him despite being old enough to be his mother. I'm not blanket-opposed to age gaps but a) the story was too short to develop their chemistry beyond physical attraction and b) it's hard not to think about her friendship with Marion Zimmer Bradley when reading this and being squicked out.
Other stories were mostly ehhh, either because of a feeling of incompleteness ("Jihad", which was compelling but felt more like a vignette than a full narrative, comes to mind; or "The Cup and the Cauldron", which never actually resolved the widespread famine that looked at its start) or just plain not being very interesting to me ("Dance Track" felt very dated and relied on the reader knowing more about Isidora Duncan, James Dean, and Paul Newman than I do; "Dragon's Teeth" intrigued me right up until I realized that there were, in fact, no actual dragons involved and then resolved far too easily).
It did all feel familiarly Lackey to me, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing - it has me thinking that maybe my shelf full of Valdemar books will not survive their turn at the re-reading, when I eventually get there, and that's saddening because I did really love them in high school. (Then again, I also loved Twilight at the time... so letting go of nostalgia isn't all bad.)
July 1, 2015
Fiddler Fair is an anthology of short stories written by Mercedes Lackey. There are about a dozen stories in the book. The majority were fantasy, but there were two alternate histories, one science fiction, and another subtly post-apocalyptic story that had a fantasy feel.
Some of the stories were short and only mildly entertaining. I’m not always a fan of the short story format because I like more meat to my stories, so it’s probably not surprising that the shortest stories were also, for the most part, the ones I liked the least. However, I really liked her writing style and even the stories I was less interested in kept my attention pretty well.
The science fiction story, “Aliens Ate My Pickup” was short and cute, but there wasn’t much to it. The two alternate history stories were my least favorite. I’ve only read a few alternate history books so far but, in my opinion, what makes them fun is learning how the alternate history came about in the first place and exploring the idea of “what could have been” if things had been just a little bit different. These stories didn’t have any back story or explanation, and they were also about people I knew nothing about.
Most of her fantasy stories were much more interesting to me, and most of them were also longer so they had more meat to them. There was one short fantasy story that I really liked called Fiddler Fair, which apparently later became the basis for the Bardic Voices series she wrote. I also enjoyed The Enemy of My Enemy a lot, which was the post-apocalyptic story. My biggest complaint with the fantasy stories was that one of them had an overly sappy romance, and there were two stories in which she had characters falling in love after only having known each other for a couple days. Those things detracted from what were otherwise interesting stories.
I’ve had several books in my to-be-read list by Mercedes Lackey for quite a while, so this anthology was a good opportunity to check out her writing style. Although there were some stories I didn’t care for, in general I really liked her writing style and I now have good expectations for her books. I’m hoping though, that with full-length books to work with, any romances she decides to include are spread out more subtly and over a more realistic time period!
This book (and a gazillion others published by Baen) can be legally downloaded for free here: http://baencd.freedoors.org/Books/Fid...
Some of the stories were short and only mildly entertaining. I’m not always a fan of the short story format because I like more meat to my stories, so it’s probably not surprising that the shortest stories were also, for the most part, the ones I liked the least. However, I really liked her writing style and even the stories I was less interested in kept my attention pretty well.
The science fiction story, “Aliens Ate My Pickup” was short and cute, but there wasn’t much to it. The two alternate history stories were my least favorite. I’ve only read a few alternate history books so far but, in my opinion, what makes them fun is learning how the alternate history came about in the first place and exploring the idea of “what could have been” if things had been just a little bit different. These stories didn’t have any back story or explanation, and they were also about people I knew nothing about.
Most of her fantasy stories were much more interesting to me, and most of them were also longer so they had more meat to them. There was one short fantasy story that I really liked called Fiddler Fair, which apparently later became the basis for the Bardic Voices series she wrote. I also enjoyed The Enemy of My Enemy a lot, which was the post-apocalyptic story. My biggest complaint with the fantasy stories was that one of them had an overly sappy romance, and there were two stories in which she had characters falling in love after only having known each other for a couple days. Those things detracted from what were otherwise interesting stories.
I’ve had several books in my to-be-read list by Mercedes Lackey for quite a while, so this anthology was a good opportunity to check out her writing style. Although there were some stories I didn’t care for, in general I really liked her writing style and I now have good expectations for her books. I’m hoping though, that with full-length books to work with, any romances she decides to include are spread out more subtly and over a more realistic time period!
This book (and a gazillion others published by Baen) can be legally downloaded for free here: http://baencd.freedoors.org/Books/Fid...
June 30, 2009
Fiddler Fair
I suspect I've read this before, but the stories are generally slight and generic enough that I suspect I just forgot most of them. Which is not to say I'm not enjoying the book (again?).
Best: Isadora Duncan, James Dean, & Paul Newman as racers (warped from some real facts).
Most cliche: bodyguard/mage lovers (in multiple parts).
I suspect I've read this before, but the stories are generally slight and generic enough that I suspect I just forgot most of them. Which is not to say I'm not enjoying the book (again?).
Best: Isadora Duncan, James Dean, & Paul Newman as racers (warped from some real facts).
Most cliche: bodyguard/mage lovers (in multiple parts).
March 31, 2021
This set of stories made up for the previous book that I read - in spades!
I loved that the book started with a foreword from Misty & Larry, explaining a little about their methology when writing separately, and together.
The first story: Aliens Ate My Pickup, was a wonderful piece, and answered the mystery of crop circles - sort-of! Lol
The second story: Small Print, was a brilliant version of the old tale of making deals with the devil, and I couldn't tell which part was written by Misty, and which part by Larry - I guess that means that all the stories they have written together over the years are actually what I've always attributed to Misty alone - I learned that I loved that mix years ago, so I'm happy.
The third story: Last Rights, once again written by both authors, made me chuckle - I guess that, no matter what, there will always be people who think they know best how the creatures we share our world with should be treated - often to the person's detriment!
The fourth story: Dumb Feast, actually taught me the meaning behind the phrase, that I'd come across before - they say that vengeance is sweet, and I guess that's true here.
The fifth story: Dance Track, was one I really enjoyed, as I do love reading alternative history stories, and the characters that took part in it brought back wonderful memories of my childhood days.
The sixth story: Jihad, immediately made me feel a little sad, as I'd been fascinated by Laurence of Arabia when growing up. I have to say, I preferred this version of his ending so much better than our history books tell it!
The seventh story: Balance, was a wonderful look into the beginnings of the Bardic Voices novels. I loved how the story progressed, and how Martis and Lyran learned to accommodate each others' ways.
The eighth story: Dragon's Teeth, was a continuation of the previous one, and brought everything to a satisfying conclusion for me - and I loved that Martis and Lyran bucked the system with their amazing relationship.
The ninth story: The Cup and The Cauldron, really took me back to my fascination with the legends surrounding the Holy Grail, and the way that Christianity changed a way of life, for so many people - through the spilling of their blood, more often than not. It made me think, though, about the preconceptions we tend to hold about others' beliefs.
The tenth story: Once and Future, although different from the previous story, brought in the Arthur story, but from a totally modern angle - I loved it!
The eleventh story: Fiddler Fair, brought me straight back to the Bardic Voices that I have so recently read, loved, and thoroughly enjoyed, and it didn't hurt a bit to read this beginning story that helped to get it out there so we could all enjoy it!
The twelfth, and final, story: Enemy of My Enemy, brought to me a story that has intrigued me enough, that I'll be looking out for Robert Adams', 'Friends of the Horseclans', series, no matter if it didn't weather well with time - there are many books, labeled as such, that I've loved.
The whole concept - as Misty explained it to her readers - is intriguing enough for me to at least have a good look. This story, although a version of Misty's own, was thought provoking enough for me to enjoy very much - I don't know if she ever wrote any more but, if not, I hope Robert Adams' books will suffice instead.
I loved that the book started with a foreword from Misty & Larry, explaining a little about their methology when writing separately, and together.
The first story: Aliens Ate My Pickup, was a wonderful piece, and answered the mystery of crop circles - sort-of! Lol
The second story: Small Print, was a brilliant version of the old tale of making deals with the devil, and I couldn't tell which part was written by Misty, and which part by Larry - I guess that means that all the stories they have written together over the years are actually what I've always attributed to Misty alone - I learned that I loved that mix years ago, so I'm happy.
The third story: Last Rights, once again written by both authors, made me chuckle - I guess that, no matter what, there will always be people who think they know best how the creatures we share our world with should be treated - often to the person's detriment!
The fourth story: Dumb Feast, actually taught me the meaning behind the phrase, that I'd come across before - they say that vengeance is sweet, and I guess that's true here.
The fifth story: Dance Track, was one I really enjoyed, as I do love reading alternative history stories, and the characters that took part in it brought back wonderful memories of my childhood days.
The sixth story: Jihad, immediately made me feel a little sad, as I'd been fascinated by Laurence of Arabia when growing up. I have to say, I preferred this version of his ending so much better than our history books tell it!
The seventh story: Balance, was a wonderful look into the beginnings of the Bardic Voices novels. I loved how the story progressed, and how Martis and Lyran learned to accommodate each others' ways.
The eighth story: Dragon's Teeth, was a continuation of the previous one, and brought everything to a satisfying conclusion for me - and I loved that Martis and Lyran bucked the system with their amazing relationship.
The ninth story: The Cup and The Cauldron, really took me back to my fascination with the legends surrounding the Holy Grail, and the way that Christianity changed a way of life, for so many people - through the spilling of their blood, more often than not. It made me think, though, about the preconceptions we tend to hold about others' beliefs.
The tenth story: Once and Future, although different from the previous story, brought in the Arthur story, but from a totally modern angle - I loved it!
The eleventh story: Fiddler Fair, brought me straight back to the Bardic Voices that I have so recently read, loved, and thoroughly enjoyed, and it didn't hurt a bit to read this beginning story that helped to get it out there so we could all enjoy it!
The twelfth, and final, story: Enemy of My Enemy, brought to me a story that has intrigued me enough, that I'll be looking out for Robert Adams', 'Friends of the Horseclans', series, no matter if it didn't weather well with time - there are many books, labeled as such, that I've loved.
The whole concept - as Misty explained it to her readers - is intriguing enough for me to at least have a good look. This story, although a version of Misty's own, was thought provoking enough for me to enjoy very much - I don't know if she ever wrote any more but, if not, I hope Robert Adams' books will suffice instead.
April 18, 2025
Generally I enjoy reading short stories; with a busy schedule it can be nice just to commit to a little bit of reading at a time. My problem with these is that a lot of them actually just feel like first chapters of larger books--and I can see in the notes that many are, or were expanded into series later, and really like what's the point then. Few of these stories are contained with a solid narrative and an ending to the plotlines. And you know what, most of them I can't say that I even do want to search out and read the whole book. Some of that is things aging poorly and others like are just so forgettable/bland I don't even remember what they were supposed to be about.
May 24, 2022
I will always support you
I recommend this book to anyone who is offended over the use of the phrase colored person to describe someone. This woman has been using her words to battle discrimination in every form from the day she started writing. In each and every book she has treated each and difference in her characters with respect to the culture she is representing. Her first rule is there is no one way. There's also no one word to describe someone that someone else won't find offensive.
I recommend this book to anyone who is offended over the use of the phrase colored person to describe someone. This woman has been using her words to battle discrimination in every form from the day she started writing. In each and every book she has treated each and difference in her characters with respect to the culture she is representing. Her first rule is there is no one way. There's also no one word to describe someone that someone else won't find offensive.
July 4, 2017
A mixed bag as anthologies often are.
This is a bunch of stories that have mostly been published elsewhere. Some of which I had already read. So, not necessarily the best bargain if you have read a lot of Mercedes Lackey's stuff.
I really like the Valdemar series and what I've read of the Baradic series appeals as well.
If you are a die hard fan you'll probably find something you'll like. But for me much of the anthology deviates from the stuff that I like about Mercedes Lackey.
This is a bunch of stories that have mostly been published elsewhere. Some of which I had already read. So, not necessarily the best bargain if you have read a lot of Mercedes Lackey's stuff.
I really like the Valdemar series and what I've read of the Baradic series appeals as well.
If you are a die hard fan you'll probably find something you'll like. But for me much of the anthology deviates from the stuff that I like about Mercedes Lackey.
August 29, 2017
This is one of those books I'm certain I read in the 80s, but I just couldn't remember it. Too bad, because it is a great collection of Ms. Lackey's short fiction.
I appreciated the introductions that preceded most of the tales; they let the reader know when the story was written, the idea behind them, and how some of them fit into her larger worlds.
Regardless if you are a Lackey fan or just a lover of short stories, you should find a copy.
Read it!
I appreciated the introductions that preceded most of the tales; they let the reader know when the story was written, the idea behind them, and how some of them fit into her larger worlds.
Regardless if you are a Lackey fan or just a lover of short stories, you should find a copy.
Read it!
July 14, 2019
Many fun stories in this anthology! I particularly enjoyed Aliens Ate My Pickup, Balance, Dragon's Teeth, Once And Future (my favorite of the group*) and The Enemy Of My Enemy (set in Robert Adams Horseclans world).
* A refreshing new telling of Arthur.
* A refreshing new telling of Arthur.
January 13, 2020
A book of short stories; one was the basis of the Free Bards books; pretty good.
July 11, 2020
Light and lovely fantasy with the Mercedes Lackey flair!
February 3, 2021
Serviceable short fiction. Probably wouldn't set the world on fire, but if you're a Lackey completist, you'll definitely want this. A fun, quick read.
May 4, 2021
Enjoyable short stories
October 6, 2021
It's fine. Decent stories some clever ideas but not all of the stories are hits.
September 3, 2014
"Aliens Ate My Pickup"; reminds me keenly of "Stray Dog Man" sung by Bill Sutton in Past Due.
"Small Print" is amusing, for those that think to beat the devil and demons in deals.
"Last Rights" is also sarcastic and ironic, as animal rights fanatics/activists try to "liberate" dinosaurs. It would so happen too.
"Dumb Feast" is just the right amount of creepy, and a "Christmas Ghost" story.
"Dance Track" this to me is something new, reading about racing, and previous to this, I hadn't heard of Isadora Duncan (I have very little interest in dance) but I had known a little more of James Dean "Jimmy".
"Jihad" while I don't recall having heard of Lawrence of Arabia, I find I like him - I think I'll keep this name in mind and do a little digging.
"Balance"/"Dragon's Teeth" wow, Mercedes Lackey, where oh where is this book? Gods, I want to read so much more of this; full of a sorceress and her sword-man lover.
"The Cup and the Caldron" I like this little tale of Grail Maidens and the Cup-that-isn't and the Lord-Lady-Being that holds it, despite it being a little odd in reminding me of "The Mists of Avalon".
"Once and Future" mhahaha, oh, oh this, this was delightful fun - what would you do, really, if you found the sword that meant all you were Arthur and all your mortal enemies would likely be looking for you very soon if you used it; it goes to the pawn shop for some other poor sot to find.
"Fiddler Fair" is true to it's original roots from Magic of Ithkar books and Rune's story which came to be a part of her "Free Bard" books.
"The Enemy of My Enemy" it is odd, isn't it, that for all that blogs are going on about fanfiction being the evil teen bane of all good literary works and a cheap way publishing companies are profiting by abusing it, that here is a bit of fan-fiction, published, by a very prolific writer right here, based on the Horseclans series by Robert Adams.
Ought to tell you something, that "fan-fiction" isn't a new thing at all; there are anthologies printed based on the works of published authors - sometimes edited by those very authors - that can be purchased still, and most who write it put out their published names. Science fiction has quite a few of them; and filk just ought to confound the chaos to words and lyrics.
I'm really just waiting for them all to catch up onto that fact, than let the fun begin as those "book bloggers" types who read mainly teen paranormal and urban fantasy find out what everyone in science fiction already knows and likes and loves what they call "fan fiction".
If they try to shut it out by plugging up their ears and pull the wool over their eyes, go ahead. Whine away, and wonder and rant. But don't dare dismiss it and stick up your nose while you try to shut it down for the sake of "originality of literature"; or by god we'll sic the inner Trekkies of us all on 'em and let 'em wallow in that.
As for any author who says "not with my world/characters you don't!", I'll laugh as that's the pot calling the kettle black; and fine, because fandom doesn't need that sort of author anyway, and there are plenty of better books out there.
"Small Print" is amusing, for those that think to beat the devil and demons in deals.
"Last Rights" is also sarcastic and ironic, as animal rights fanatics/activists try to "liberate" dinosaurs. It would so happen too.
"Dumb Feast" is just the right amount of creepy, and a "Christmas Ghost" story.
"Dance Track" this to me is something new, reading about racing, and previous to this, I hadn't heard of Isadora Duncan (I have very little interest in dance) but I had known a little more of James Dean "Jimmy".
"Jihad" while I don't recall having heard of Lawrence of Arabia, I find I like him - I think I'll keep this name in mind and do a little digging.
"Balance"/"Dragon's Teeth" wow, Mercedes Lackey, where oh where is this book? Gods, I want to read so much more of this; full of a sorceress and her sword-man lover.
"The Cup and the Caldron" I like this little tale of Grail Maidens and the Cup-that-isn't and the Lord-Lady-Being that holds it, despite it being a little odd in reminding me of "The Mists of Avalon".
"Once and Future" mhahaha, oh, oh this, this was delightful fun - what would you do, really, if you found the sword that meant all you were Arthur and all your mortal enemies would likely be looking for you very soon if you used it; it goes to the pawn shop for some other poor sot to find.
"Fiddler Fair" is true to it's original roots from Magic of Ithkar books and Rune's story which came to be a part of her "Free Bard" books.
"The Enemy of My Enemy" it is odd, isn't it, that for all that blogs are going on about fanfiction being the evil teen bane of all good literary works and a cheap way publishing companies are profiting by abusing it, that here is a bit of fan-fiction, published, by a very prolific writer right here, based on the Horseclans series by Robert Adams.
Ought to tell you something, that "fan-fiction" isn't a new thing at all; there are anthologies printed based on the works of published authors - sometimes edited by those very authors - that can be purchased still, and most who write it put out their published names. Science fiction has quite a few of them; and filk just ought to confound the chaos to words and lyrics.
I'm really just waiting for them all to catch up onto that fact, than let the fun begin as those "book bloggers" types who read mainly teen paranormal and urban fantasy find out what everyone in science fiction already knows and likes and loves what they call "fan fiction".
If they try to shut it out by plugging up their ears and pull the wool over their eyes, go ahead. Whine away, and wonder and rant. But don't dare dismiss it and stick up your nose while you try to shut it down for the sake of "originality of literature"; or by god we'll sic the inner Trekkies of us all on 'em and let 'em wallow in that.
As for any author who says "not with my world/characters you don't!", I'll laugh as that's the pot calling the kettle black; and fine, because fandom doesn't need that sort of author anyway, and there are plenty of better books out there.
September 26, 2015
A collection of short stories that were mostly published elsewhere before. On the whole, it was an okay read, but most of them are probably forgettable.
Individual stories:
Aliens Ate My Pickup - 2/5 - Weird story, weird point of view. I went "Meh", when I finished it.
Small Print - 4/5 - I liked this one quite a bit. Shows you that a sinful action is still a sinful action, no matter that you're planning on repenting your sinful actions down the line.
Last Rights - 3/5 - Sort of liked this kinda tongue-in-cheek story. It has its funny moments.
Dumb Feast - 3/5 - It's a summoning-a-dead-loved-one story, with a funny twist.
Dance Track - 1/5 - The context of this alternate history is totally lost on me, so it ended up pretty boring.
Jihad - 2/5 - Another meh for me. It didn't particularly engage me in any way.
Balance - 4/5 - Features a powerful mage and her bodyguard. I kind of liked the setting that this story was painting me. Could be an interesting world. The character interactions were fun to read.
Dragon's Teeth - 3/5 - A sort of follow-up to Balance. This was more cringe-worthy, particularly at the start, but it redeemed it self towards the end. Like I said, I think having this world more fleshed out would be a good thing.
The Cup and the Cauldron - 2/5 - A grail story, with a twist, bringing together two perspectives of the same thing. It was okay, like some of the others. Not very interesting.
Once and Future - 1/5 - Yet another with-a-twist short story. The author's commentary for this story sort of gave the plot away. I found myself being to predict it and found it boring, although I can see the twist was meant to be a little funny.
Fiddler Fair - 3/5 - From the author's commentary, this was supposed to be part of her "Free Bards" books (though I've not heard of them and should probably look them up). Characterisation was really good. By the end of it, I was rooting for the Rune.
The Enemy of My Enemy - 2/5 - Again from the commentary, this was supposed to be based on the Horseclans series by Robert Adams, which I passed over because I didn't like the plot synopsis at all. This cements my decision. I didn't like the post-apocalyptic world this story painted at all, what with telepathic animals and all. The dialects took a bit of getting used to as well, but the portrayal of the various characters/animals fine - I just didn't quite like this hodge-podge mixture of gypsy, medieval, tribal feel.
Individual stories:
Aliens Ate My Pickup - 2/5 - Weird story, weird point of view. I went "Meh", when I finished it.
Small Print - 4/5 - I liked this one quite a bit. Shows you that a sinful action is still a sinful action, no matter that you're planning on repenting your sinful actions down the line.
Last Rights - 3/5 - Sort of liked this kinda tongue-in-cheek story. It has its funny moments.
Dumb Feast - 3/5 - It's a summoning-a-dead-loved-one story, with a funny twist.
Dance Track - 1/5 - The context of this alternate history is totally lost on me, so it ended up pretty boring.
Jihad - 2/5 - Another meh for me. It didn't particularly engage me in any way.
Balance - 4/5 - Features a powerful mage and her bodyguard. I kind of liked the setting that this story was painting me. Could be an interesting world. The character interactions were fun to read.
Dragon's Teeth - 3/5 - A sort of follow-up to Balance. This was more cringe-worthy, particularly at the start, but it redeemed it self towards the end. Like I said, I think having this world more fleshed out would be a good thing.
The Cup and the Cauldron - 2/5 - A grail story, with a twist, bringing together two perspectives of the same thing. It was okay, like some of the others. Not very interesting.
Once and Future - 1/5 - Yet another with-a-twist short story. The author's commentary for this story sort of gave the plot away. I found myself being to predict it and found it boring, although I can see the twist was meant to be a little funny.
Fiddler Fair - 3/5 - From the author's commentary, this was supposed to be part of her "Free Bards" books (though I've not heard of them and should probably look them up). Characterisation was really good. By the end of it, I was rooting for the Rune.
The Enemy of My Enemy - 2/5 - Again from the commentary, this was supposed to be based on the Horseclans series by Robert Adams, which I passed over because I didn't like the plot synopsis at all. This cements my decision. I didn't like the post-apocalyptic world this story painted at all, what with telepathic animals and all. The dialects took a bit of getting used to as well, but the portrayal of the various characters/animals fine - I just didn't quite like this hodge-podge mixture of gypsy, medieval, tribal feel.
January 6, 2012
Well, I started this book on October 24, 2011 and finished January 1st, 2012. And I am a speed reader. The stories were not coherent- which made it easy to leave it. It sort of reminded me of Montell Williams- when you hit the commercial, it's time to jet. I liked some of the stories a lot though. My favorite was the one about Excalibur. It's not heroic, but damn- it's sensible. I also liked the one that built on the Horseclan's world. I have never read that series, but this story made me want to (when the backs of the books themselves NEVER seemed that interesting). I found the beginning stories kind of boring- which is why it took me so long to read them. However, in the middle- she found her groove and I liked all of the stories after that. It's not a must-read, but it's great for waiting in line and at doctor's offices.
November 1, 2021
This is a collection of short stories that are filled with magic and all sorts of fantasy beasts. I enjoyed reading a little bit about each but which some where longer and go into a full story. This is one of the things I don't like about short story collections. I always want more but for the author, it's a tight capsule which once released will most likely not be expanded upon.
December 4, 2022
re-read Jan 27, 2014 - "Aliens Ate My Pickup"
"Small Print"
"Last Rites"
"Dumb Feast"
"Dance Track"
"Jihad"
"Balance"
"Dragon's Teeth"
"The Cup and the Cauldron"
"Once and Future"
"Fiddler Fair"
"The Enemy of My Enemy" re-read 8/17/2015
"Small Print"
"Last Rites"
"Dumb Feast"
"Dance Track"
"Jihad"
"Balance"
"Dragon's Teeth"
"The Cup and the Cauldron"
"Once and Future"
"Fiddler Fair"
"The Enemy of My Enemy" re-read 8/17/2015
September 23, 2013
Many anthologies leave me thinking that someone needed to earn a quick buck. But...this one is great. Each story has that signature Mercedes Lackey/Larry Dixon wit and easy way with characters. A nice way to spend the weekend.
December 20, 2016
This is a series of short stories. It was good for someone who, like me, doesn't read a lot of Fantasy and SciFi. The stories are all well written, however I gave it a four because they were so out of my comfort zone, I really have nothing to compare them.
August 3, 2008
Another great book from Lackey. It has a strong female character and a great storyline. Death will follow you no matter what.
Read
August 22, 2008Fiddler Fair by Mercedes Lackey (2000)
February 10, 2010
This is a great collection of short stories. Fav stories... Small Print and Fiddler Fair.
Read
January 9, 2010baen ebook
July 13, 2010
This book is a complilation of many short and unrelated stories. I was glad to have waded through reading the first few stories for the gems at the end.
May 15, 2011
Never did finish this book of short stories. They just weren't that interesting.
February 17, 2014
I cried both times I read this...
April 11, 2011
a book of short stories. I have a hard time reading these - I want the story to continue on longer as a rule!
April 17, 2011
A nice collection. Mercedes Lackey has a very easy, readable style, with a consistent world vision that draws you in almost despite yourself.
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