Thursday, November 18, 2010

Songs of Love and Death Blog Tour

Songs of Love and Death: All-Original Tales of Star-Crossed LoveFrom Goodreads:

In this star-studded cross-genre anthology, seventeen of the greatest modern authors of fantasy, science fiction, and romance explore the borderlands of their genres with brand-new tales of ill-fated love. From zombie-infested woods in a postapocalyptic America to faery-haunted rural fields in eighteenth- century England, from the kingdoms of high fantasy to the alien world of a galaxy-spanning empire, these are stories of lovers who must struggle against the forces of magic and fate.
Award-winning, bestselling author Neil Gaiman demonstrates why he’s one of the hottest stars in literature today with “The Thing About Cassandra,” a subtle but chilling story of a man who meets an old girlfriend he had never expected to see.
International blockbuster bestselling author Diana Gabaldon sends a World War II RAF pilot through a stone circle to the time of her Outlander series in “A Leaf on the Winds of All Hallows.” Torn from all he knows, Jerry MacKenzie determinedly survives hardship and danger, intent on his goal of returning home to his wife and baby—no matter the cost.
New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher presents “Love Hurts,” in which Harry Dresden takes on one of his deadliest adversaries and in the process is forced to confront the secret desires of his own heart.
Just the smallest sampling promises unearthly delights, but look also for stories by New York Times bestselling romance authors Jo Beverley and Mary Jo Putney, and by such legends of the fantasy genre as Peter S. Beagle and Tanith Lee, as well as many other popular and beloved writers, including Marjorie M. Liu, Jacqueline Carey, Carrie Vaughn, and Robin Hobb. This exquisite anthology, crafted by the peerless editing team of George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, is sure to leave you under its spell.
Discover the many realms of the heart with this extraordinary cast of acclaimed authors:
Peter S. Beagle
Jo Beverley
Jim Butcher
Jacqueine Carey
Diana Gabaldon
Neil Gaiman
Yasmine Galenorn
M.L.N. Hanover
Robin Hobb
Cecelia Holland
Tanith Lee
Marjorie M. Liu
Mary Jo Putney
Linnea Sinclair 
Melinda Snodgrass
Lisa Tuttle 
Carrie Vaughn
These are a collection of stories by some very famous authors. Most of these stories are new. Some of these stories, like the one Jim Butcher gives us we read about familiar characters we have met before. All of them revolve around love and/or death. And although you would suspect a collection of lovely PNR stories, you actually get a bit of that and a lot of sci-fi with a bit of historical romance/death thrown in for good measure. Not all end on a happy note, nor on an expected one either, but all leave you thinking or at least considering what transpired within the short story. Some might even leave you scratching your head. However, it is written in such a way that I did not mind.

I will not go into each story separately, but will say that as a whole, this book gets 4 stars. I really enjoyed the stories. Some I absolutely loved. Some I liked less, but I disliked none. I think if you like anthologies, sci-fi, and endings that leave you wondering,  you will enjoy this book.

8 comments:

  1. A lot of peeps in there. But a 4 in overall sounds good, since there are some stories I end up liking while some are just bad

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  2. Tanith Lee!!! I seriously have a huge crush on her!

    Wow! very impressive list of authors. I will definitely have to check it out.

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  3. What a stellar cast - sure to have something to please everyone. Gaiman and Lee never disappoint.

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  4. I hadn't heard about this one until I saw it prefaced in Jim Butcher's short story anthology, Side Jobs. Loved that story and I think I'm going to have to check this one out! Love the cast! :)

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  5. @Blodeuedd... I really didn't say that about this one, but I can see that maybe some would be surprised with the amount of sci-fi in the book.

    @Missie... I think you would like it.

    @StephanieD... I think you'd love Gaiman's story. It was one of my favorites.

    @Corrine... Butcher's follows the characters in his series. It is a great cast of authors!

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  6. From your review this title sounds like a little bit of everything. Perhaps, a book to place on the night stand for those nights I would love to have a nice short read.

    The list of authors are impressive and from that alone I can see the eclectic value of this title. I recently purchased a book by Jo Beverley that I'm hoping to read!!=)

    Love the short and sweet review!!

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  7. Ohhh, I'm jealous! You got this book! I'm wanting it. But it sounds like a winner. :) Thanks!

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  8. Neener neener neener... ;) Hee hee.. j/k. You can borrow it if you like. :D

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