Jonathan Strahan is an award-winning editor that brings a stunning collection of writers to this anthology of fantasy. With some of the names attached to this project, it's no wonder that this is the first of a new series of anthologies featuring original fiction by notable names. Fans can utilize these collections to find new talents and sample works from authors they might not know otherwise. Anthologies are a great place to discover new authors. Short stories have a small amount of words to present a developed plot and conclusion, and for this reason they can be very exciting and hard-hitting. Plus, with them you are not forced to read an entire novel length work of someone you're not familiar with.

This really is a fantastic compilation of fantasy by several of today's notable writers in that genre. The stories are very diverse, yet they stick to the ground rules of fantasy with mastery. Some have action, like Glen Cook's "Shaggy Dog Bridge", some have mythological components, like Elizabeth Bear's "The Ghost Makers", which happened to be a favorite of mine. Daniel Abraham's "The High King Dreaming" was darker than most, but also provocative and insightful. Saladin Ahmed is on target with his fantastic tale, "Amethyst, Shadow, and Light". A more literary choice is Kate Elliott's "Leaf and Branch and Grass and Vine". There's much to choose from with this anthology. Fantasy fans will not be disappointed.