Terribly Twisted Tales

by Martin H. Greenberg (Editor), Jean Rabe (Editor), Kelly Swails (Contributor)

Eighteen original stories that take familiar fairy tales and shift them around to give an entirely new slant.

Fairy tales are among the earliest fantasies we are exposed to when young and impressionable. They stay with us throughout our lives, whether in their original versions or filtered thorugh cartoon retellings.

What more fun could a fantasy writer have than to take up the challenge of drawing up on this rich material and transforming it into something new? The eighteen stories in Terribly Twisted Tales do exactly that.
From the adventure of the witch in the gingerbread house and her close encounter with an oven...
To Golda Lockes, who has a special arrangement with those well-known bears...
To a murderous attack with a glass slipper...
To Jack, a successful theorectical geneticist, who discovers just how perilous research can be...
To a wolf detective who sets out to solve "Grandma's" murder...
  This volume highlights inventive stories that give a new perspective on classic tales! Includes stories
  Dennis L. McKiernan — Annie Jones — Chris Pierson
Mickey Zucker Reichert — Mary Louise Eklund — Robert E. Vardeman
Kathleen Watness — Jody Lynn Nye — Jim C. Hines
Steven D. Sullivan — Brendan DuBois — Paul Genesse
Ramsey "Tome Wyrm" Lundock — Skip & Penny Williams — Elizabeth A. Vaughan
Janet Deaver-Pack — Kelly Swails — Michael A. Stackpole

Genres: Short Stories, Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Anthologies, Fiction, Science Fiction, Humor

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 21, 2009

About the author

Martin Harry Greenberg was an American academic and speculative fiction anthologist. In all, he compiled 1,298 anthologies and commissioned over 8,200 original short stories. He founded Tekno Books, a packager of more than 2000 published books. In addition, he was a co-founder of the Sci-Fi Channel.

For the 1950s anthologist and publisher of Gnome Press, see Martin Greenberg.

Reviews

[Maria Ignacia Muñoz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Que libro por Dios, hubo muchas partes de este libro en las que quise dejarlo, y es que es super difícil leer y vivir este tipo de situaciones, lloré y reí demasiado, me sentí mal por varios días después de terminarlo, pero a la vez entendí bien el porqué de todo, de como Will tomó la decisión, de como Lou tenía que dejarlo hacer y tomar sus propias decisiones.
Durante el libro vimos no solo la evolución de Lou, sino que también del propio Will, como al principio era este hombre arisco no solo por su condición sino que como lo veía y trataba la gente por la misma condición y como evoluciona o se desenvuelve de sus capas de amargura cuando Lou le da la libertad de decisión que había perdido desde el accidente.
Hablando un poco de la "relación" entre Lou y Will, no me queda más que referirme a lo fugaz y profunda que pudo llegar a ser, una relación que creció sin mucho contacto físico, pero una conexión mental y sentimental, en la película no se llega a mostrar lo "partner" que llegaron a ser, como Will sabía hasta donde pinchar a Lou sin que se enojara, como la llevaba al borde de sus capacidades pero no la dejaba caer.
Me hubiese encantado otro final, mi frágil corazón necesitaba otro final, pero creo que aun así esto es lo mejor que pudo pasarles ya que soy una fiel creyente que no hubiesen durado juntos, que esto tenía que ser fugaz pero duradero en el corazón, como un preciado recuerdo.

[David Brawley · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with most short story collections, this one is a mixed bag. I enjoyed most of the twists on classic tales, but some were done better than others. I think the snow white story was my favorite.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

** My Great-Great-Grandma Golda Lockes by Doris Stever - Folded in "Little Red Riding Hood" with "Goldilocks and the Three Bears", but it was more taking the characters and the barest of circumstances. The story just didn't feel solid.
*** Once They Were Seven by Chris Pierson - Rather tongue-in-cheek until it gets to the end. I still feel like she should have apologized for what she did and yet didn't do. Or expressed more love for the dwarves who had done so much for her and died. That would have fit the formula the story was following more.
*** Capricious Animistic Tempter by Mickey Zucker Reichert - This didn't feel very twisted. About the only thing that was changed is how the giant dies.
** A Charming Murder by Mary Louise Eklund - I didn't find anyone in this story very likable. Eklund turns Cinderella into the monster, but failed to make the step-family real to me. I suspect this is because all she did was flip the circumstances and the telling was too distant. However, the concept of Cinderella's fairy godmother being a demon is a cool idea. I would love to read a full-length book about it and how Cinderella deals with it. Full points would be rewarded if both step-sisters are actually lovable people instead of just one.
**** Jack and the Genetic Beanstalk by Robert E. Vardeman - This was an awesomely twisted tale. Vardeman not only meets the challenge of the series but matches the original tale's details quite nicely.
** What's in a Name? by Kathleen Watness - While this added some nicely original elements to the Rumplestiltskin's tale, I didn't care about the character and therefore didn't care about the story.
**** No Good Deed by Jody Lynn Nye - I was surprised to find one of Aesop's Tales in this collection. This was a great sci-fi interpretation of "The Mouse and the Lion".
*** The Red Path by Jim C. Hines - This was an interesting take on "Little Red Riding Hood", but I've found that Hines' way of writing and I just aren't compatible.
** Lost Child by Steven D. Sullivan - Predictable use of "Peter Pan". Though not badly written, I still want my time back.
* Rapunzel Strikes Back by Brendan DuBois - Lame interpretation. Setup not believable.
* Revenge of the Little Match Girl by Paul Genesse - Such an obvious twist on the tale that it wasn't worth writing. Nor was it worth reading.
* Clockwork Heart by Ramsey "Tome Wyrm" Lundock - Definitely twisted, but if Lundock had sent this to me, I would have sent it back and likely never worked with him again. First, the story didn't need Pinocchio to be a girl. So. Gepetto is abusive. She becomes a "real girl" thinking this will please him. It doesn't and she runs away only to return in a few years having asked to be turned back into a slightly more sophisticated puppet model because she felt she didn't have a purpose. So she returns to an abusive relationship for this reason: "Now she understood, Master Gepetto didn't beat her for failing in her functions. Taking his blows was one of her functions." Then Gepetto dies of old age and she burns the house down around them while holding his body. Seriously.
Was this story interesting? Yes. Also, misogynistic given the needless sex change. Also disturbing and wrong. Never ever send a message that staying/returning to an abusive relationship is the right thing to do. Never. People in that situation should never have to run across such a thing in a story. It is hard enough to realize your circumstances are not normal and that you deserve better.
**** The Hundred-Year Nap by Skip and Penny Williams - Twisted and amusing retelling of "Sleeping Beauty". The Williams didn't even have to change the setting to a different time/place to make it original.
***** Five Goats and a Troll by Elizabeth A. Vaughan - Five pages long and this is my favorite story in the book. It is adorable.
*** Something About Mattresses by Janet Deaver-Pack - Something about this felt a little too women-are-a-prize-to-be-won-by-men. Yet this was an interesting twist on "The Princess and the Pea". I dunno. I think the story elements were a little too far from the original tale for me.
*** Three Wishes by Kelly Swails - I am honestly not sure what story this was supposed to be based on. "The Monkey's Paw" is the closest thing I can think of and yet there was no curse so...?
***** The Adventure of the Red Riding Hoods by Michael A Stockpole - Sherlock Holmes and a different world setting all to tell the story of "Little Red Riding Hood". This is definitely my second favorite and I would happily read more if Stockpole wrote it. Someday I may get un-lazy enough to look.

[Patty · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is where I like Good Reads better than Shelfari. On Good Reads, two stars are "It was okay." and that is exactly where I am with this book. The same two stars on Shelfari say I didn't like it. Short story collections are often a mixed bag with some great stories and then some not so great.

I liked the concept for this book - take a familiar tale and give it a slant that is unexpected. I would say that all 18 stories do this well. I just found some of the directions the authors chose to not fit my expectations at all. And occasionally, I wasn't sure what the author's intent really was.

I think my favorite stories were by Annie Jones about Goldilocks and Jody Lynn Nye who based her story on Androcles and the lion. (This is not really a fairy tale, but the twist was good.)

I suspect that each reader of this book will find her favorites. And that is the best part of short story collections.

[Renae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave the overall book a 4 star rating because the premise for the book was outstanding and the authors did a great job in re-writing a bit of history to fit into many different genres from fantasy to horror to just a mixture of both and more. Terribly Twisted Tales, the title says it all. If you liked fairy tales when you were younger, then you'll love the twist put on those fairy tales by some really awesome authors. As this is a short story collection, I do have my favorites and those are as follows:

Once They Were Seven by Chris Pierson
A Charming Murder by Mary Louise Eklund
What's in a Name by Kathleen Watness
Lost Child by Steven D Sullivan

As for those I didn't mention, I enjoyed reading them very much, these four just kind of stuck out to me for some reason. I truly suggest that if you read this book that you don't skip any stories, they are all great works.

[Joshua Hair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this collection. Admittedly, I am a sucker for fairy tales, both re-imagined and original. I won't spend a tremendous amount of time on this review but I will say that I wholeheartedly disagree with those who say the tales in Terribly Twisted did not satisfy the criteria. As a whole, I'd say they were quite successful and, moreso, extremely entertaining. This was my second Martin Greenberg collection in a row and I don't intend to stop any time soon. As a lover of fairy tales and fables I found Terribly Twisted Tales delectably delightful.

[Our Library Mornington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eighteen familiar fairy tales are re-imagined in this collection of short stories.

Do you like the idea of the three bears recruiting Golda Lockes to help run their moonshine still? Have you ever wondered what the tale of Hansel & Gretel would be like from the witch’s point of view? Ever wanted to know what Snow White would be like without the happy ending?

If so, then you will find these stories a real treat.

[LibraryDanielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

some of these stories were fantastic (Capricious Animistic Tempter) and some were fun, but mediocre (waifs) and some I disliked (rapunzel strikes back). the ones I disliked the most were the shorts that turned a fairy tale into a modern story. not a modern fairy tale, just a story. like the Rapunzel one. it had so little to do with a fairy tale if it hadn't been for the "let down your..." bit it wouldn't have had any relation.

[Debbie is on Storygraph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, this was a solid collection of stories based (sometimes very loosely) on fairy tales and folktales. There were of course some that I did not enjoy as much as the rest, but there were no clear misses for me. I think my favorite stories were "Once They Were Seven" by Chris Pierson, "Three Wishes" by Kelly Swails, and "Capricious Animistic Tempter" by Mickey Zucker Reichert.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book of fairy tales with a twist. Some were dark, most were humorous, but all were altogether entertaining. My favs among them: "A Charming Murder," "My Great, Great- Grandma Golda Locks," and "The Hundred Year Nap."

[Craig Leimkuehler]

This is a collection of eighteen stories told by writers of below average ability. Oh, granted a few rose to the level of mediocre but for the most part writing is a hobby for them, not a profession. If you have trouble sleeping this will help to put you asleep.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't finish reading it all the way. I only got through a few of the stories because I was just reading it to get some information for a class, but what I read I liked and I plan on reading the rest of it when I have time.

[Cissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty entertaining collection of stories here, with quality that ranged from decent to very good.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was original. I really enjoyed it!

[Natalie · Rating 1 out of 5]

didn't even finish it, it was that bad.

[Marie (UK) · Rating 4 out of 5]

snow white, red riding hood and others like you never read them before

[Jim Galford · Rating 3 out of 5]

amusing well-written alternative fairy tales. some set in modern times, some emphasizing lesser characters, all with a twist.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good stories! I'm excited to read more from several of these authors.