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Fire: Demons, Dragons and Djinns
The ability for people to control (to some extent at least) fire has long been held as one of the major events that contributed to human evolution, but when fire eludes or escapes our control it is also one of the most destructive forces on earth. Associated with passion, power, transformation and purification, fire is a ferocious element with an unquenchable appetite.
Discover the power of Fire and the creatures that thrive on it in these twenty-one stories, including: the true inspiration behind Jim Morrison’s songs; a special weapon used in World War II; the secret in the depths of a mortuary furnace; a fantastical card game; and a necromancer out on what may be his last job.
Featuring: Blake Jessop; Kevin Cockle; Lizbeth Ashton; Dusty Thorne; V.F. LeSann; K.T. Ivanrest; Hal J. Friesen; Laura VanArendonk Baugh; Krista D. Ball; Mara Malins; Claude Lalumière; Susan MacGregor; JB Riley; Damascus Mincemeyer; Heather M. O’Connor; Gabrielle Harbowy; R. W. Hodgson; Chadwick Ginther; Wendy Nikel; Annie Neugebauer; and J.G. Formato.
Discover the power of Fire and the creatures that thrive on it in these twenty-one stories, including: the true inspiration behind Jim Morrison’s songs; a special weapon used in World War II; the secret in the depths of a mortuary furnace; a fantastical card game; and a necromancer out on what may be his last job.
Featuring: Blake Jessop; Kevin Cockle; Lizbeth Ashton; Dusty Thorne; V.F. LeSann; K.T. Ivanrest; Hal J. Friesen; Laura VanArendonk Baugh; Krista D. Ball; Mara Malins; Claude Lalumière; Susan MacGregor; JB Riley; Damascus Mincemeyer; Heather M. O’Connor; Gabrielle Harbowy; R. W. Hodgson; Chadwick Ginther; Wendy Nikel; Annie Neugebauer; and J.G. Formato.
299 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 14, 2018
14 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Rhonda Parrish
106 books243 followersRhonda Parrish has the attention span of a magpie. Not only can she not focus on a single project at a time, but she also fails at sticking to one genre or even one type of writing (she does manage to stay true to one hockey team, though – Let’s go Oilers!). Perhaps best known for her work as an anthology editor – the Ottawa Review of Books called her “Canada’s best-known and most prolific speculative fiction anthologist” – Rhonda also works as a short story writer, novelist, game writer and a poet. She has been honoured to be included in a handful of ‘Best of’ anthologies, earn a coveted starred review from Publisher’s Weekly and be shortlisted for several awards including the Rhysling Award, the Aurora Award, the Dwarf Stars Award and Alberta Book Publishing Awards.
Most of her work falls under the speculative fiction umbrella but she has also penned paranormal non-fiction and non-speculative work.
In an effort to impose some order in her chaos, these days most of her short fiction and poetry is published directly through her Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/RhondaParrish .
More information about her, updates and calls for submission are posted on her website http://www.rhondaparrish.com/home/.
Most of her work falls under the speculative fiction umbrella but she has also penned paranormal non-fiction and non-speculative work.
In an effort to impose some order in her chaos, these days most of her short fiction and poetry is published directly through her Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/RhondaParrish .
More information about her, updates and calls for submission are posted on her website http://www.rhondaparrish.com/home/.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 6, 2018
I’ve been fortunate enough to read one of editor Rhonda Parrish’s previous collections (Mrs. Claus: Not the Fairy Tale They Say), and thus looked forward to reading “Fire: Demons, Dragons, and Djinn.”
One might expect that the theme of fire might generate a similarity among the offered tales. However, the diversity of stories (as well as the different writing styles of the 21 authors) kept the book fresh from start to finish. Like anyone else, I enjoyed some stories more than others, but I am happy to report that all of the stories were of high quality.
The elegantly-written “She Alone” (Blake Jessop) was the introductory tale, a magical story fusing past and present events together. Though I enjoyed all of the stories, there are a few that became personal favorites. Krista D. Ball’s “Bait” was a humorous account featured in a memoir by the main character, documenting the meeting between the members of his party with a fire demon. “Double or Nothing” by Mara Malins features the high stakes of a magical futuristic card game (and yes, fire is involved). Special mention has to go to Susan MacGregor for her artful mix of pop culture history and fantasy in “Light My Fire.”
The book became so engrossing it was almost like reading a thriller. Once I completed one story I was on to the next, and the compilation ended way too soon for me. Fun reading, and worth all five stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Tyche Books for a complimentary copy of this book.
One might expect that the theme of fire might generate a similarity among the offered tales. However, the diversity of stories (as well as the different writing styles of the 21 authors) kept the book fresh from start to finish. Like anyone else, I enjoyed some stories more than others, but I am happy to report that all of the stories were of high quality.
The elegantly-written “She Alone” (Blake Jessop) was the introductory tale, a magical story fusing past and present events together. Though I enjoyed all of the stories, there are a few that became personal favorites. Krista D. Ball’s “Bait” was a humorous account featured in a memoir by the main character, documenting the meeting between the members of his party with a fire demon. “Double or Nothing” by Mara Malins features the high stakes of a magical futuristic card game (and yes, fire is involved). Special mention has to go to Susan MacGregor for her artful mix of pop culture history and fantasy in “Light My Fire.”
The book became so engrossing it was almost like reading a thriller. Once I completed one story I was on to the next, and the compilation ended way too soon for me. Fun reading, and worth all five stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Tyche Books for a complimentary copy of this book.
August 14, 2018
A conflagration of fiery fantasy
Rhonda Parrish's fascination with all aspects of fire and fantasy has resulted in a gift to readers: Fire: Demons, Dragons, and Djinn is an incredibly eclectic and carefully curated collection of short stories. The theme is exactly as the title says - a stunningly original array of tales involving fire. There isn't a clinker in the stack - every story focuses in some uniquely imaginative way on the mythological, religious/spiritual, historical, or fantastical attributes of fire. There is star-fire and hell-fire. There are mages and Djinn who command fire. There are gods and goddesses from all traditions who embody fire and control, or unleash, its power. There are dragons who breathe fire, demons who become fire, and in some cases, fire itself is a sentient character. The authors who have enriched this anthology are among the most imaginative storytellers I have ever read. Some flow in a cerebral vein, others are more empathetic or more visceral in their approach, but each story is a gem. I have my personal favorites, of course, but, really, the entire anthology is a treasure of incendiary delights and terrors which deserves a permanent spot on your e-reader's shelf. Sample or binge-read at your leisure - this is not to be missed. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Rhonda Parrish's fascination with all aspects of fire and fantasy has resulted in a gift to readers: Fire: Demons, Dragons, and Djinn is an incredibly eclectic and carefully curated collection of short stories. The theme is exactly as the title says - a stunningly original array of tales involving fire. There isn't a clinker in the stack - every story focuses in some uniquely imaginative way on the mythological, religious/spiritual, historical, or fantastical attributes of fire. There is star-fire and hell-fire. There are mages and Djinn who command fire. There are gods and goddesses from all traditions who embody fire and control, or unleash, its power. There are dragons who breathe fire, demons who become fire, and in some cases, fire itself is a sentient character. The authors who have enriched this anthology are among the most imaginative storytellers I have ever read. Some flow in a cerebral vein, others are more empathetic or more visceral in their approach, but each story is a gem. I have my personal favorites, of course, but, really, the entire anthology is a treasure of incendiary delights and terrors which deserves a permanent spot on your e-reader's shelf. Sample or binge-read at your leisure - this is not to be missed. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 18, 2020
I like the idea of theme anthologies and the concept of this one really appealed to me. All the stories involve some sort of creatures of fire.
I hadn't heard of any of the authors so it was a bit of a gamble, and like most anthologies with a collection of unfamiliar authors, some stories appealed to me more than others.
We had an Ifrit, a fire sprite, demons, including one who fought an Angel, dragons, gryphons, genies, an elemental magician, a tribute to Jim Morrison (though the author didn't seem aware that he didn't write Light My Fire), a host of mythological fire gods, Phoenixes and an Aitvara.
Unfortunately five and a half of the twenty-one stories were written in present tense, which I detest and find difficult to read (one kept switching between past and present tense).
Four of the stories stood out as particularly good. These were:
The Second Great Fire by Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Breath of the Caldera by Wendy Nikel, The Midwife and the Phoenix by J.G. Formato and especially Double or Nothing by Mara Malins, which involved a game of cards that brought to mind Magic the Gathering, but with real creatures. This one made the book worthwhile on its own.
While I can only give the collection as a whole three stars, these authors I'll be looking to see what else they've written.
I hadn't heard of any of the authors so it was a bit of a gamble, and like most anthologies with a collection of unfamiliar authors, some stories appealed to me more than others.
We had an Ifrit, a fire sprite, demons, including one who fought an Angel, dragons, gryphons, genies, an elemental magician, a tribute to Jim Morrison (though the author didn't seem aware that he didn't write Light My Fire), a host of mythological fire gods, Phoenixes and an Aitvara.
Unfortunately five and a half of the twenty-one stories were written in present tense, which I detest and find difficult to read (one kept switching between past and present tense).
Four of the stories stood out as particularly good. These were:
The Second Great Fire by Laura VanArendonk Baugh, Breath of the Caldera by Wendy Nikel, The Midwife and the Phoenix by J.G. Formato and especially Double or Nothing by Mara Malins, which involved a game of cards that brought to mind Magic the Gathering, but with real creatures. This one made the book worthwhile on its own.
While I can only give the collection as a whole three stars, these authors I'll be looking to see what else they've written.
Read
August 14, 2018Fire: Demons, Dragons, and Djinns is an anthology of stories about creatures that are beholden to the element of fire. Each story is unique in its characters, storyline, and creatures that the author chooses to focus on.
She Alone by Blake Jessop is a story within a story. The author starts the story with the characters themselves, and then the story shifts and becomes one being told by one of the characters. This is a bit of surprise at first. This was a shift that I was not expecting and it took me a bit to figure it out. It is an interesting story though of a steampunk/clockwork creatures, a human with Titan (machine) parts and an Ifrit named Jinn. The story has some hints of romance, but the story is focused on retelling itself to make one remember. The story is both fascinating and sad.
This is one of the many stories you can find in this anthology. They each revolve around strong and unique characters. I was fascinated by the stories and enjoyed them very much.
I am rating this anthology 4 out of 5 stars. Some stories, of course, are better than others. Some I feel that there could have been a sign of transition in the storyline so that the reader could be and would be more prepared for what is about to happen next. There aren't any major editorial issues to speak of, so I'm happy to point that out. For those who enjoy fantasy novels and hold an affinity with fire, I think that this will be a good anthology to pick up and enjoy.
She Alone by Blake Jessop is a story within a story. The author starts the story with the characters themselves, and then the story shifts and becomes one being told by one of the characters. This is a bit of surprise at first. This was a shift that I was not expecting and it took me a bit to figure it out. It is an interesting story though of a steampunk/clockwork creatures, a human with Titan (machine) parts and an Ifrit named Jinn. The story has some hints of romance, but the story is focused on retelling itself to make one remember. The story is both fascinating and sad.
This is one of the many stories you can find in this anthology. They each revolve around strong and unique characters. I was fascinated by the stories and enjoyed them very much.
I am rating this anthology 4 out of 5 stars. Some stories, of course, are better than others. Some I feel that there could have been a sign of transition in the storyline so that the reader could be and would be more prepared for what is about to happen next. There aren't any major editorial issues to speak of, so I'm happy to point that out. For those who enjoy fantasy novels and hold an affinity with fire, I think that this will be a good anthology to pick up and enjoy.
Read
August 15, 2018Loved the collection of stories in this book all connected by fire. Each so different from the other, but all grabbed me and carried me off to different places. I didn’t want to put it down till it was done and then wished for more. Definitely a very good book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 24, 2018
Superb. Fire and Fantasy make for an awesome story collections to keep your interest. Couldn’t get enough.
August 16, 2018
WOW !!!!
I truly enjoyed these stories !!
These 21 stories are amazing, fire features in every one of these tales.
They are fast paced with twists and turns that will have you second guessing yourself as you read them. Either individually or binge read whatever suits you best !!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I truly enjoyed these stories !!
These 21 stories are amazing, fire features in every one of these tales.
They are fast paced with twists and turns that will have you second guessing yourself as you read them. Either individually or binge read whatever suits you best !!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 20, 2018
It was quite good read sparks the imagination of the reader as they journey through their relationship with amorous scenes and challenging scenarios.
August 16, 2018
This is a collection of wonderful stories about fire, demons dragons and djinns. Get drawn into each story and be taken on a wonderful journey through different places.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 18, 2018
While at first i had a hard time following along with where the story was going. But as I read more I enjoyed it and the character development. It was a different read with the combo of magic, steam punk and modern. I like the writing style and the way once I got into the story that it flowed. I look forward to more in the series.
October 2, 2018
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It would have been nice to have a Table of Contents so that I can look at one page on the Kindle instead of fumbling through pressing the left and right buttons several times. (Edit: apparently the Table of Contents is at the very end of the book after the author bios).
The first story, "She Alone" by Blake Jessop, weaved past events with present, although it was relatively predictable within seconds regarding which characters were the reincarnations - the story itself was rather unique to me, so I still enjoyed it immensely. However, the author chooses to refer to the characters by their professions or what they are, so that may not be everybody's cup of tea, but for me, it wasn't too detracting.
"Magnesium Bright" by Lisbeth Ashton was the very definition of a SHORT story, but it gave me enough and evoked a since of frivolity despite the horror that occurs outside of the sprite's perspective. The fact that the entire story personifies a grenade explosion as a full-fledged being trapped inside a metal prison until its given food to grow and flourish was highly entertaining. Is it wrong I was rooting for the sprite?
I adore humourous short stories as I believe they make for a quick read. Whether it takes you fifteen minutes or two hours, the time flies by when you have a smile on your face. "Bait" by Krista D Ball reminds me of the Order of the Dragon in Dracula NBC series, a group of people chasing monsters and trying to extinguish or capture them. Not all monsters are so easily subdued, however.
Mara Malin's "Double or Nothing" I skimmed through to be honest, only because Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody still weighs heavily on me and has jaded me regarding magical card games, Other readers will most likely be intrigued by this, so please don't take this as a negative review, just a personal preference review. I'll most likely try and pick it up later when I can forget about Ace of Shades.
"Aladdin's Laugh" by Damascus Mincemeyer was one that was a little close to home, as Henry kept mentioning Mac as one of his war buddies (my grandfather's nickname was "Mac"). I was reminded heavily of my grandfather while reading the way Henry dealt with the djinn and dismissed people's "normal" wishes. And Henry's final wish seemed something my grandfather would do as well. Definitely one of the high point of the anthology.
"Cilantro" by Annie Neugebauer is one that I hypnotised into reading. The conversation started off like normal couple squabbling, but the further into the Kafka-esque story, Annie's way with words just pulled me in and I wondered how it would end.
The entire collection is really variegated in regards to genre, tone, and length - Parrish has done an excellent job finding stories for this collection.
It would have been nice to have a Table of Contents so that I can look at one page on the Kindle instead of fumbling through pressing the left and right buttons several times. (Edit: apparently the Table of Contents is at the very end of the book after the author bios).
The first story, "She Alone" by Blake Jessop, weaved past events with present, although it was relatively predictable within seconds regarding which characters were the reincarnations - the story itself was rather unique to me, so I still enjoyed it immensely. However, the author chooses to refer to the characters by their professions or what they are, so that may not be everybody's cup of tea, but for me, it wasn't too detracting.
"Magnesium Bright" by Lisbeth Ashton was the very definition of a SHORT story, but it gave me enough and evoked a since of frivolity despite the horror that occurs outside of the sprite's perspective. The fact that the entire story personifies a grenade explosion as a full-fledged being trapped inside a metal prison until its given food to grow and flourish was highly entertaining. Is it wrong I was rooting for the sprite?
I adore humourous short stories as I believe they make for a quick read. Whether it takes you fifteen minutes or two hours, the time flies by when you have a smile on your face. "Bait" by Krista D Ball reminds me of the Order of the Dragon in Dracula NBC series, a group of people chasing monsters and trying to extinguish or capture them. Not all monsters are so easily subdued, however.
Mara Malin's "Double or Nothing" I skimmed through to be honest, only because Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody still weighs heavily on me and has jaded me regarding magical card games, Other readers will most likely be intrigued by this, so please don't take this as a negative review, just a personal preference review. I'll most likely try and pick it up later when I can forget about Ace of Shades.
"Aladdin's Laugh" by Damascus Mincemeyer was one that was a little close to home, as Henry kept mentioning Mac as one of his war buddies (my grandfather's nickname was "Mac"). I was reminded heavily of my grandfather while reading the way Henry dealt with the djinn and dismissed people's "normal" wishes. And Henry's final wish seemed something my grandfather would do as well. Definitely one of the high point of the anthology.
"Cilantro" by Annie Neugebauer is one that I hypnotised into reading. The conversation started off like normal couple squabbling, but the further into the Kafka-esque story, Annie's way with words just pulled me in and I wondered how it would end.
The entire collection is really variegated in regards to genre, tone, and length - Parrish has done an excellent job finding stories for this collection.
August 30, 2021
I read this to quench my need for djinn stories. TBH I enjoyed the first half and was mostly annoyed/bored by the rest, but I managed to finish it.
Here are my ratings for the individual stories:
-She Alone by Blake Jessop ★★★★
This was an interesting tale that I would have loved to read more of.
-Strange Attractor by Kevin Cockle ★★
-Magnesium Bright by Lizbeth Ashton ★★★★
I really enjoyed this one. Interesting twist.
-Permanence by Dusty Thorne ★★
This story goes nowhere just for the "big reveal".
-Old Flames by V.F. LeSann ★★★★
It was fun and character-centered.
-The Hatchling by K.T. Ivanrest ★★★★
Wholesome story with character development.
-The Djinni and the Accountant by Hal J. Friesen ★★
I felt this one was longer than needed and still the character development felt rushed.
-The Second Great Fire by Laura VanArendonk Baugh ★★★
It's probably just that it wasn't my kind of story. I felt satisfied at the end so it got an extra star.
-Bait by Krista D. Ball ★★★★★
This was my favorite one. It was funny and I didn't want it to end. I want to read more from Lieutenant Dodd!!
-Double or Nothing by Mara Malins ★★★★
Weird Yu-Gi-Oh! style story mixing different folklore, but I found it exciting and liked the ending.
-A Girl, Ablaze with Life by Claude Lalumière ★
Fire RAPING a girl. I almost skipped this one.
-Light My Fire by Susan MacGregor ★★★
Jim Morrison-inspired story.
-Ring of Fire by JB Riley ★
Another boring story that goes nowhere and expects to be something in the end.
-Aladdin's Laugh by Damascus Mincemeyer ★
I couldn't connect to the characters.
-Phoenix Rising by Heather M. O’Connor ★
Honestly, I didn't get it. I'm sorry I'm stupid.
-Cold Comfort by Gabrielle Harbowy ★★★
Interesting story with character development. I would've liked it more if it was a full novel.
-Aitvaras by R. W. Hodgson ★★★
I liked the ending. It's based on a less-known fire creature.
-Midnight Man versus Frankie Flame by Chadwick Ginther ★★★
It was ok for a short story. I got nothing out of it, though.
-Breath of the Caldera by Wendy Nikel ★★★
Predictable, but not bad.
-Cilantro by Annie Neugebauer ★
A woman living in a bad marriage, nothing is explained. Nice horror elements.
-The Midwife and the Phoenix by J.G. Formato ★★
A little bit predictable. I guess I was just tired.
Here are my ratings for the individual stories:
-She Alone by Blake Jessop ★★★★
This was an interesting tale that I would have loved to read more of.
-Strange Attractor by Kevin Cockle ★★
"Blue eyes the colour of anti-freeze worried in the rear-view mirror."For real?
-Magnesium Bright by Lizbeth Ashton ★★★★
I really enjoyed this one. Interesting twist.
-Permanence by Dusty Thorne ★★
This story goes nowhere just for the "big reveal".
-Old Flames by V.F. LeSann ★★★★
It was fun and character-centered.
-The Hatchling by K.T. Ivanrest ★★★★
Wholesome story with character development.
-The Djinni and the Accountant by Hal J. Friesen ★★
I felt this one was longer than needed and still the character development felt rushed.
-The Second Great Fire by Laura VanArendonk Baugh ★★★
It's probably just that it wasn't my kind of story. I felt satisfied at the end so it got an extra star.
-Bait by Krista D. Ball ★★★★★
This was my favorite one. It was funny and I didn't want it to end. I want to read more from Lieutenant Dodd!!
-Double or Nothing by Mara Malins ★★★★
Weird Yu-Gi-Oh! style story mixing different folklore, but I found it exciting and liked the ending.
-A Girl, Ablaze with Life by Claude Lalumière ★
Fire RAPING a girl. I almost skipped this one.
-Light My Fire by Susan MacGregor ★★★
Jim Morrison-inspired story.
-Ring of Fire by JB Riley ★
Another boring story that goes nowhere and expects to be something in the end.
-Aladdin's Laugh by Damascus Mincemeyer ★
I couldn't connect to the characters.
-Phoenix Rising by Heather M. O’Connor ★
Honestly, I didn't get it. I'm sorry I'm stupid.
-Cold Comfort by Gabrielle Harbowy ★★★
Interesting story with character development. I would've liked it more if it was a full novel.
-Aitvaras by R. W. Hodgson ★★★
I liked the ending. It's based on a less-known fire creature.
-Midnight Man versus Frankie Flame by Chadwick Ginther ★★★
It was ok for a short story. I got nothing out of it, though.
-Breath of the Caldera by Wendy Nikel ★★★
Predictable, but not bad.
-Cilantro by Annie Neugebauer ★
A woman living in a bad marriage, nothing is explained. Nice horror elements.
-The Midwife and the Phoenix by J.G. Formato ★★
A little bit predictable. I guess I was just tired.
August 31, 2018
Rhonda Parrish has pulled together another worthwhile anthology, this one published by Tyche Books, featuring a stunning cover by Ashley Walters.
The standout story was Laura VanArendonk Baugh’s “The Second Great Fire”, which gives us a wonderful evocation of movie theatre projection rooms, WWII London, and the Blitz. It alone is worth the price of admission.
Entirely different in tone and approach is Chadwick Ginther’s “Midnight Man vs. Frankie Flame”, a sort of superhero story; and Dusty Thorne’s “Permanence”, an unassuming but entirely satisfying piece. And I confess to a soft spot for Krista Ball’s “Bait”, though I’m not sure how well it will work for someone not already familiar with her fabulous Dark Abyss series. (If you don’t already know the Dark Abyss series, stop reading this and go download The Demons We See immediately.)
I was mildly disappointed by Hal J Friesen’s “The Djinni and the Accountant”, as the premise led me to anticipate a laugh riot, when in fact the story has a quite serious point. It’s an excellent piece, just not the story I had expected, and therefore my judgment is entirely unfair. Similarly, “Light My Fire” by Susan MacGregor is an intelligently written and engaging story, but I tend to dislike fantasies that feature actual historical figures, a personal idiosyncrasy that readers of this review may safely disregard. The only story I actively disliked was “Cilantro” by Annie Neugebauer, which repulsed me partly because it is the category of horror that is supposed to be repulsive, and partly because it reminded me of a Dean R. Koontz Ace Double from my youth, of which no more need be said. In other words, none of my negative comments have any relevance to other readers, who will likely enjoy each of these stories
In between were fifteen other strong stories, covering a wide range of styles and themes. Parrish provides a nicely balanced package with something for everyone, a fascinating cross-section that provides a glimpse of where the genre stands in 2018.
Recommended.
The standout story was Laura VanArendonk Baugh’s “The Second Great Fire”, which gives us a wonderful evocation of movie theatre projection rooms, WWII London, and the Blitz. It alone is worth the price of admission.
Entirely different in tone and approach is Chadwick Ginther’s “Midnight Man vs. Frankie Flame”, a sort of superhero story; and Dusty Thorne’s “Permanence”, an unassuming but entirely satisfying piece. And I confess to a soft spot for Krista Ball’s “Bait”, though I’m not sure how well it will work for someone not already familiar with her fabulous Dark Abyss series. (If you don’t already know the Dark Abyss series, stop reading this and go download The Demons We See immediately.)
I was mildly disappointed by Hal J Friesen’s “The Djinni and the Accountant”, as the premise led me to anticipate a laugh riot, when in fact the story has a quite serious point. It’s an excellent piece, just not the story I had expected, and therefore my judgment is entirely unfair. Similarly, “Light My Fire” by Susan MacGregor is an intelligently written and engaging story, but I tend to dislike fantasies that feature actual historical figures, a personal idiosyncrasy that readers of this review may safely disregard. The only story I actively disliked was “Cilantro” by Annie Neugebauer, which repulsed me partly because it is the category of horror that is supposed to be repulsive, and partly because it reminded me of a Dean R. Koontz Ace Double from my youth, of which no more need be said. In other words, none of my negative comments have any relevance to other readers, who will likely enjoy each of these stories
In between were fifteen other strong stories, covering a wide range of styles and themes. Parrish provides a nicely balanced package with something for everyone, a fascinating cross-section that provides a glimpse of where the genre stands in 2018.
Recommended.
April 13, 2025
In her Introduction, Rhonda Parrish explains how usually she gets great stories in response to a call; in this case she got even more, and strangely, all exactly fit the brief. And then she gave me a wonderful idea for a story…
Fire is full of fiery beasts and transcendentals. The quality is top notch, even my picky heart thought they were all brilliant and worthy of inclusion. The variety is astounding, and even the several that seemed to be going a standard route, threw in a curved ball and diverted into a tangled flame. If some of the authors seem to be familiar, it’s because they regularly submit highly original on-theme stories that are a delight to read. Yes, I’m to mention Laura VanArendonk Baugh again, but at least I’ve now bought one of her stand-alone titles!
If you like short stories with great characters, wonderful imagination, and a few sparks of something different, you’ll love these.
Fire is full of fiery beasts and transcendentals. The quality is top notch, even my picky heart thought they were all brilliant and worthy of inclusion. The variety is astounding, and even the several that seemed to be going a standard route, threw in a curved ball and diverted into a tangled flame. If some of the authors seem to be familiar, it’s because they regularly submit highly original on-theme stories that are a delight to read. Yes, I’m to mention Laura VanArendonk Baugh again, but at least I’ve now bought one of her stand-alone titles!
If you like short stories with great characters, wonderful imagination, and a few sparks of something different, you’ll love these.
August 30, 2018
Fire: Demons, Dragons and Djinns is an anthology containing twenty tales of contemporary encounters with demons, djinn, a fire sprite, Phoenix birds, an angel, a fire fae, fire gods, a frightful ghost consumed by fire. The stories are short, which will appeal to some readers, and are well-written. It's an exciting read from cover to cover. The stories are quite varied -- two of them brought tears to my eyes, and one story was, well... kind of a gross-out. But they were a fun read.
The one aspect of this anthology that I didn't care for is that it contains no Table of Contents. I think a contents pages helps to remember where you left of, if you are taking your time reading the book. But it does contain a mini-biography at the end with notes about each of the story authors. Here's my list of the stories included in "Fire: Demons, Dragons and Djinns:
(1) She Alone; (2) Strange Attractor; (3) Magnesium Bright; (4) Permanence; (5) Old Flames; (6) The Hatchling; (7) The Djinni and the Accountant; (8) The Second Great Fire; (9) Bait; (10) Double or Nothing; (11) A Girl, Ablaze with Life; (12) Light My Fire; (13) Ring of Fire; (14) Aladdin's Laugh; (15) Phoenix Rising; (15) Cold Comfort; (16) Aitvaras; (17) Midnight Man vs. Frankie Flame; (18) Breath of the Caldera; (19) Cilantro, and (20) The Midwife and the Phoenix.
The one aspect of this anthology that I didn't care for is that it contains no Table of Contents. I think a contents pages helps to remember where you left of, if you are taking your time reading the book. But it does contain a mini-biography at the end with notes about each of the story authors. Here's my list of the stories included in "Fire: Demons, Dragons and Djinns:
(1) She Alone; (2) Strange Attractor; (3) Magnesium Bright; (4) Permanence; (5) Old Flames; (6) The Hatchling; (7) The Djinni and the Accountant; (8) The Second Great Fire; (9) Bait; (10) Double or Nothing; (11) A Girl, Ablaze with Life; (12) Light My Fire; (13) Ring of Fire; (14) Aladdin's Laugh; (15) Phoenix Rising; (15) Cold Comfort; (16) Aitvaras; (17) Midnight Man vs. Frankie Flame; (18) Breath of the Caldera; (19) Cilantro, and (20) The Midwife and the Phoenix.
December 3, 2020
This is a book with 21 stories dealing with fire...from djinns to dragons to necromancers. My favorite is the first dealing with a djinn. The story starts at the end and then takes you to the beginning. The reader meets The Soldier, the Djinn and learns about the Prince and his bride. Kassia Kamina is an apprentice steam engineer and she;s heading to a hill with a bare tree where she can sit and recall the story told of the heroes who stopped a queen intent on collecting magic. As she approaches her tree she sees she won;t be alone...there is a veteran there. And at this point the story she has heard is set straight by the Soldier.
Each story in the book deals with fire in some form of other and each will bring a shiver down your spine as you read.
Fantastic tales that will thrill your being.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Each story in the book deals with fire in some form of other and each will bring a shiver down your spine as you read.
Fantastic tales that will thrill your being.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 7, 2024
I received a free ARC of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.
I adore collections with a theme but I don’t see fire-based themes all that often. I think part of the reason is people seem to think there’s more variety with the other elements. You think of fire and most people go to “destruction.”
I’m so happy that this book doesn’t fall into that trap. Oh, make no mistake, the raw destruction that fire can create is given plenty of limelight here so if that’s what you want, you won’t be disappointed. But I was so pleased to find more—stories about survival, creation, protection. The “softer” sides of fire that usually get overlooked. For that reason, the collection feels more well rounded and complete!
You’ll definitely find something to your liking here!
I adore collections with a theme but I don’t see fire-based themes all that often. I think part of the reason is people seem to think there’s more variety with the other elements. You think of fire and most people go to “destruction.”
I’m so happy that this book doesn’t fall into that trap. Oh, make no mistake, the raw destruction that fire can create is given plenty of limelight here so if that’s what you want, you won’t be disappointed. But I was so pleased to find more—stories about survival, creation, protection. The “softer” sides of fire that usually get overlooked. For that reason, the collection feels more well rounded and complete!
You’ll definitely find something to your liking here!
January 18, 2024
The 22 short stories are:
- She Alone
- Strange Attactor
- Magnesium Bright
- Permanence
- Old Flames
- The Hatchling
- The Djinni and the Accountant
- The Second Great Fire
- Bait
- Double or Nothing
- A Girl, Ablaze with Life
- Light My Fire
- Ring of Fire
- Aladdin's Laugh
- Phoenix Rising
- Cold Comfort
- Aitvaras
- Midnight Man versus
- Frankie Flame
- Breath of the Caldera
- Cilantro
- The Midwife and the Phoenix
All these fantasy stories share the same theme: fire. Some of these are described, and others are visual descriptions. Some are literal such as flames and furnaces, and others are metaphorical such as glowing characters. This is a casual read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
- She Alone
- Strange Attactor
- Magnesium Bright
- Permanence
- Old Flames
- The Hatchling
- The Djinni and the Accountant
- The Second Great Fire
- Bait
- Double or Nothing
- A Girl, Ablaze with Life
- Light My Fire
- Ring of Fire
- Aladdin's Laugh
- Phoenix Rising
- Cold Comfort
- Aitvaras
- Midnight Man versus
- Frankie Flame
- Breath of the Caldera
- Cilantro
- The Midwife and the Phoenix
All these fantasy stories share the same theme: fire. Some of these are described, and others are visual descriptions. Some are literal such as flames and furnaces, and others are metaphorical such as glowing characters. This is a casual read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 3, 2018
I thought I would like having multiple stories for ease of reading but found myself wanting some longer and some I'd prefer to skip over. As long as I was enjoying the story at hand, it was a good relaxing read. If the story did not catch my attending in the first page or so, it was difficult to want to start reading it again.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 13, 2018
I haven't read any of this author's previous books , This was a good variety of stories all revolving around fire . All the authors in this book had different styles of writing so none of the stories included were similiar which was good . Some were better than others as with all collections of stories but I liked what I read and I would read more by these authors in the future .
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review .
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review .
August 11, 2018
This fine set of short stories comprises a quest for purpose and knowledge of Truth weighed against manifest destiny, mitigated by companionship and tarnished by greed, that can be read in one day. My favorite was The Djinni and the Accountant.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 29, 2022
I enjoyed reading this anthology. Each author chose a creature to focus on which made each story unique in the storyline and the characters. Each story are different from each other but are connected by fire. I enjoyed each story and didn't want to put this book down until I finished it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 15, 2018
I was quite disappointed in this collection- the title sounds awesome, but the books in the collection fell flat - only one of the stories about a djinn grabbed and held my attention
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 4, 2024
Marvelous Collection
These are wonderful stories. My favorite was by Krista D. Ball "Bait".
These are wonderful stories. My favorite was by Krista D. Ball "Bait".
April 19, 2024
Loved the mix of stories incorporate as well as the elemental themes that are and are going to be portrayed with her next books
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