In a marathon reading session, necessitated by a week of illness, I finished the Milton Davis and Charles Saunders edited Griots: Sisters of the Spear. My review over at Black Gate just went up. The book's a sequel to their excellent 2011 sword & soul anthology Griots. As you can tell from this one's subtitle it focuses on women, be they warriors, sorcereresses, queens or wanderers. There's some very good writing and storytelling in G: SotS. Like in the previous book, the standouts include Carole McDonnell and Milton Davis. Other notables this time around are Joe Bonadonna and P. Djeli Clark. I really need to read Dossouye: The Dancers of Mulukau to get a better understanding of Saunders' story "Kpendu." Interesting as it is, I felt like I was coming in on the end of something larger and I assume it's because of events set up in the novel. I don't think SotS is a better collection than Griots, but it is more consistent. Every writer I like in the first volume is at least as good this time around and several of the new (to me) writers are nearly as good.
I've caught up, actually gotten a little ahead, on my review reading for next week so I'm taking a little break from S&s and started the first Max Allan Collins' Nolan book last night. I'll try to read a few Laird Barron stories this week as well. Good times!
Music this week was a blast from my past. First I scoured youtube for some old West Coast hardcore from my high school/college days, particularly Agent Orange and Channel 3. Later I dug out my mid-nineties third wave ska CDs and listened to some Goldfinger and Reel Big Fish. I enjoyed all that immensely.
I echo Carole's comments sincerely. You review over at Black Gate was very thorough. But please do fix that link for Derrick Brown and point it on over my way. Seems like a great guy, but that's not DS Brown. And I can use all the help I can get. :-)
Thanks for taking the time to read and review Sisters of the Spear, Fletcher. There will be a writer/artist bio in the hard copy version. I'll forward you a copy once it is available.
You're welcome. There's some really high caliber stories in the collection so kudos to you and Charles Saunders. Thanks for the bios ahead of time. I like to put up links to everybody I review and then keep track of their new efforts.
thank you so much for your kind review.
ReplyDeleteYou're quite welcome. I really love "The Night Wife" and "Changeling."
ReplyDeleteIf you wish to review my novel, The Constant Tower, I can send you a pdf. Just shoot me an email at SCIFIWRITIR (at) GMAIL.COM
DeleteI echo Carole's comments sincerely. You review over at Black Gate was very thorough. But please do fix that link for Derrick Brown and point it on over my way. Seems like a great guy, but that's not DS Brown. And I can use all the help I can get. :-)
ReplyDeleteAw, man, I'll go do it right now. Sort of proves my point about needing author bios/links ;)
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. I really enojoyed SotS.
Lol! No worries at all! But you are right. Thanks again so much!
DeleteThanks for taking the time to read and review Sisters of the Spear, Fletcher. There will be a writer/artist bio in the hard copy version. I'll forward you a copy once it is available.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. There's some really high caliber stories in the collection so kudos to you and Charles Saunders. Thanks for the bios ahead of time. I like to put up links to everybody I review and then keep track of their new efforts.
ReplyDelete