This story is my favorite. No, this
one! No… Argh! I like them all!
I always get excited when the
Phoenix Fiction Writers come out with something new, whether it be an anthology
or a book by an individual author. The only problem is, they often come out
with stuff so fast that I can’t keep up! Which means there’s plenty to read of
course, and my TBR will never be sad.
Of the authors who are a part of
PFW, I am most familiar with the works of Hannah Heath, Kyle Robert Shultz, and
Nate Philbrick. Anthologies like this one keep introducing me to new authors
with their wonderful stories. Last year, they came out with Strange Waters (5/5
stars), and this year, they recently released Of Myth and Monster.
I received an ARC in exchange for my
honest review. All opinions are my own.
Book:
Of Myth and Monster by Hannah Heath, Kyle Robert Shultz, Beth Wangler,
E. B. Dawson, C. Scott Frank, Grace Crandall, Deck Matthews, Nate Philbrick,
and J. E. Purrazzi
Genre:
Fantasy, Science-Fiction, Short Stories
My
rating: 5/5 stars
Year
published: 2020
Short
description: magic-filled and meaningful
“Mistakes
Were Made” by Hannah Heath
The
first story in the anthology features a fantasy adventure of a college student
who accidentally loses her friend’s homework to a mythological creature. I
particularly like how the story is a prequel to her series on Wattpad, So I Accidentally Killed the Chosen One. Readers get a glimpse at some of
the characters before their main adventure begins.
Though
I sometimes struggle to imagine the settings of Heath’s stories, I always enjoy
the characters. Guillerma and Mundo make quite the contrast, and now I’m curious
to see if Mundo will have a large role in the rest of the series as well.
Then
there’s gems like this one that describes the stress of college finals
perfectly:
“I
pull myself together and scramble to my feet only to be jostled by a guy
wrapped in what looks like coffee-stained bed sheets.
“‘No
sleep, no time, gotta study,’ he mutters as he stumbles down the hallway, an
art project tucked under one arm and VR goggles tucked beneath the other.”
Overall
thoughts: funny
and relatable
“The
Boy Who Listened” by Kyle Robert Shultz
“I
just can’t fully express them in a way that everyone else can understand. If I
tried, I’d probably just make it harder for people to listen to me. So I keep
those feelings inside, and people think that’s brave, but it’s not. Not always,
at least. Sometimes I don’t want to be brave.”
Of
all Shultz’s stories and books that I’ve read, this one is probably my favorite
so far. While he typically writes humorous stories, this one is a little more
series, and the themes were excellent! I actually found myself empathizing with
the main character, Noah. At first, I thought he perceives things one way, but
as the story went on, I realized it was much deeper. He just wants people to be
able to understand him, even though he has difficulty communicating.
Then
the Greek deities as teachers tied in with a magical academy provided a
familiar basis for a fantasy story. I particularly like how Athena turns into a
sleepy owl during the day and a librarian at night.
Overall
thoughts:
relatable and heartfelt
“H.E.R.O.”
by Beth Wangler
“‘Fear
devours,’ she could almost hear her mom saying. ‘Tell it you’re not on the menu
and keep living.’”
The
first sci-fi/fantasy story in the collection! This one jumps right into the
action, providing a report about events before the beginning of the story, then
gradually builds up the main action. Which is amazing!
I
particularly like the way it intersperses reports and news clippings with the
main narrative, which progresses rather quickly but not at a rushed pace. I
particularly enjoyed how the story incorporates various fantasy species into a
futuristic society, especially seeing a civilian minotaur on a train, a pygmy
phoenix as a pet, and a siren on Hestia’s team.
The
themes were excellent too, and I just love Hestia’s perspective. Though I’m
curious to see how her life would play out afterward.
Overall
thoughts: stunning
“The
Gods of Troy” by E. B. Dawson
Yet
another story that combines sci-fi and fantasy elements. Though this one
actually takes place in space with the interdimensional gods of Troy determined
to destroy Odysseus. An interesting approach on The Odyssey, what with
the crew sailing a wooden ship through space and wielding swords. The story
itself only covers the mouth of Scylla, though it hints at a later quest of
destroying Hades. I’m curious to see how Dawson writes more of this fictional
universe.
Overall
thoughts: complex
world-building
“The
Unicorn Tamer” by C. Scott Frank
“Wub-Nub
contemplated this. And then contemplated harder. After giving himself a very
minor headache somewhere between his left eye and his right shoulder blade, he
decided he should probably stop contemplating it before he inflicted permanent
damage.”
I’ve
never read anything by Frank before, but I heard he joined the Phoenix Fiction
Writers not too long ago. This particular sci-fi-fantasy story hints at a certain
story that shall-not-be-named but is pretty obvious from furry creatures that
live on a moon and slightly resemble but are not Ewoks. At first, I found it a
little annoying as I am not a fan of Star Wars nor Ewoks, but
I ultimately liked the way Frank developed his world with a grumpy protagonist,
Wub-Nub, the island he lives on, and the fantastical creatures there. There’s
even a point where the characters break the fourth wall.
The
only thing I can’t stand is the ending. HOW DARE IT END LIKE THAT!!! I’m still
mad, thank you very much.
Overall
thoughts: humorous
yet infuriating
“Lamp
of Silver” by Grace Crandall
“How could any life not be something to rejoice over? Another set of ears to share the sounds of the world with, another pair of eyes to drink in the light?”
This
story is beautiful. The writing style simply drew me in, and the themes
concerning life and death were excellent! Another story set aboard a ship, but
this one takes a more traditional, sea-faring approach. Oh, yeah, and it’s
about pirates. Yasser, the protagonist, first encounters magic on an island
when he meets a not a genie but a memento, who is insistent on telling him an
important fact of life.
Overall
thoughts: meaningful
“The
Staff of Callewhyr” by Deck Matthews
The
story of Renlyn, a monk on a journey he didn’t ask for, with Arnak, a protector
who lost his uncle. Or did he? From a tiresome ride on horseback to a boat ride
across a subterranean lake, this fantasy story features complex characters as
well as a complex world. At first, I was concerned that the ending would be too
easy, and I wondered how Renlyn of all people would manage to get out a scrape,
but Matthews sets up the story rather well. Like many of the other stories in
the collection, the ending is complete but rather open ended, and I’m curious
to read more about Renlyn and Arnak.
Overall
thoughts: more
intricate world-building
“Aura”
by Nate Philbrick
“…
the hillside settled into a palpable silence. Trees rose through the fog like
the dark masts of a hundred ships lost at sea. The trail beneath our feet
swiftly faded and vanished without a hint of what lay ahead.”
A
story about loss, love, and loyalty. Oliver just wanted to study journalism
when he got recruited for a war. Months later, he’s on a journey to help find a
doctor who will heal Mónica of her tuberculosis. Not only does the story have
great characters, but it also has a great setting. Up in the Pyrenees
Mountains, the Oli and Món encounter a touch of magic and a group of orphans.
This story almost made me cry. Seriously so heartbreaking and yet so, so good!
Overall
thoughts: heartfelt
“The
Eyes of the Barghest” by J. E. Purrazzi
The
perfect conclusion to a collection of epic sci-fi-fantasy stories. This one is
pure fantasy, though, and it’s set amid the snow-filled woods as Eyva and her
sister Brit are heading to a fjord to escape the plague that has taken their
family from them. This story had me shivering. It didn’t help that the AC in my
house is on high. Then the whole mythical element of the barghest was so
well-executed and heartbreaking.
Overall
thoughts: memorable
I
still don’t have a favorite among these stories. They’re all good!
Of
Myth and Monster just released yesterday, which is super exciting!
Interested
in the book? Have you read it
yet? You might also enjoy these books: Strange Waters by the
Phoenix Fiction Writers (Dawson, Frank, Garrett, Heath, Phibrick, Pierce,
Purrazzi and Shultz), The Beast of Talesend by Kyle Robert Shutlz, and The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater.
Let’s
chat! Has Of Myth and Monster made it
to your to-be-read list yet? Have you read it yet? Have any monstrous
fantasy/sci-fi recommendations?
***
Similar
book reviews: The
Light at the Bottom of the World to The Art of Feeling, Strange Waters, and Fawkes
