Review copy was provided by the editor in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5 stars
Grimdark fantasy fans, this anthology is the perfect place for you Review copy was provided by the editor in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5 stars
Grimdark fantasy fans, this anthology is the perfect place for you to find a new hidden gem in the genre.
Let me start off by saying that this anthology has one of the best production values you can find in a book; stunning cover, nineteen short stories. Not only most of the stories are quite excellent, if you're reading this from the physical book, each story even has their mini-cover done by Jason Deem.
Picture: The Syldoon Sun mini cover (Interior artworks can only be found in the physical book.)
[image]
Evil is a Matter of Perspective: An Anthology of Antagonists, like the title implied, is a collection to show you that most of the times, ‘evil' really only depends on the side to which you belong. Right from the start, the book began with a beautifully written introduction and concept on what grimdark fantasy is all about by R. Scott Baker and the editor, Adrian Collins.
“To write grimdark, to pursue complicated moralities in fantastic settings, is to risk the universal instincts of one's fellows in a manner no other genre can."
Almost all of the short stories here took place in each author's respective main series from a villain's POV. The only related series I've read before this collection is Manifest Delusions by Michael R. Fletcher and Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne by Brian Staveley and because of that, both stories felt more comfortable to read for me. The rest is completely uncharted territory, most of them I never even heard about, and that's okay because, in my opinion, the purpose of this anthology is for you to find which author's work suited you most so you can try the main series you think you'll like.
I don't want you to think of me as being lazy here with my review, but I won't be doing a mini review on any of the stories here. Almost all of them are way too short and take just five to twenty minutes to complete and as such relating any of it will just spoil some aspect of the tale; it is better to just read them for yourself.
Like all anthology I've read, some of the stories are amazing, some are not; no single story can work for everyone after all. I'll list which ones were the most memorable and the least for me.
Most memorable:
The Broken Dead (Manifest Delusions) by Michael R. Fletcher The Syldoon Sun (Bloodsounder’s Arc) by Jeff Salyards The Darkness within the Light (The Annwyn Cycles) by Shawn Speakman The Greater of Two Evils (Chronicles of the Exile) by Marc Turner Better Than Breath (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne) by Brian Staveley
Least memorable:
The Divine Death of Jirella Martigore (Crimson Empire) by Alex Marshall A Royal Gift (Banners of Blood) by Mark Alder A Storm Unbound (Glyph War World) - E.V. Morrigan
Outside of the ones I listed above, the rest are either decent or great in quality. One minor con I had with the overall book is that from my perspective, almost all the POV featured a wholly evil character with virtually no redeeming factor. However, that may be just me, as the title said, it's a matter of perspective, and it doesn't change the fact that the majority of the stories here are enjoyable, some even poignant.
It wouldn't be fair for me to rate this book based on the cumulative score of each short story, it's better for me to rate it by the whole package. The most important thing you should be aware of you're reading this book is not to expect epic tales —most of the stories are too short to get that kind of experience— but to potentially discover new authors who have been producing quality at work in the genre. At least that's how it was for me. For example, I've never heard about Chronicles of the Exile, but after this, I'm interested in its tale and will probably read it in the future.
Overall, this is one of the greatest anthologies I've read after Arcanum Unbounded by Brandon Sanderson. If you're a fan of grimdark fantasy, you should get this; it's pretty much a literary treasure hunt.
You can find this and the rest of my Adult Epic/High Fantasy & Sci-Fi reviews at BookNest
Merged review:
Review copy was provided by the editor in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5 stars
Grimdark fantasy fans, this anthology is the perfect place for you to find a new hidden gem in the genre.
Let me start off by saying that this anthology has one of the best production values you can find in a book; stunning cover, nineteen short stories. Not only most of the stories are quite excellent, if you're reading this from the physical book, each story even has their mini-cover done by Jason Deem.
Picture: The Syldoon Sun mini cover (Interior artworks can only be found in the physical book.)
[image]
Evil is a Matter of Perspective: An Anthology of Antagonists, like the title implied, is a collection to show you that most of the times, ‘evil' really only depends on the side to which you belong. Right from the start, the book began with a beautifully written introduction and concept on what grimdark fantasy is all about by R. Scott Baker and the editor, Adrian Collins.
“To write grimdark, to pursue complicated moralities in fantastic settings, is to risk the universal instincts of one's fellows in a manner no other genre can."
Almost all of the short stories here took place in each author's respective main series from a villain's POV. The only related series I've read before this collection is Manifest Delusions by Michael R. Fletcher and Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne by Brian Staveley and because of that, both stories felt more comfortable to read for me. The rest is completely uncharted territory, most of them I never even heard about, and that's okay because, in my opinion, the purpose of this anthology is for you to find which author's work suited you most so you can try the main series you think you'll like.
I don't want you to think of me as being lazy here with my review, but I won't be doing a mini review on any of the stories here. Almost all of them are way too short and take just five to twenty minutes to complete and as such relating any of it will just spoil some aspect of the tale; it is better to just read them for yourself.
Like all anthology I've read, some of the stories are amazing, some are not; no single story can work for everyone after all. I'll list which ones were the most memorable and the least for me.
Most memorable:
The Broken Dead (Manifest Delusions) by Michael R. Fletcher The Syldoon Sun (Bloodsounder’s Arc) by Jeff Salyards The Darkness within the Light (The Annwyn Cycles) by Shawn Speakman The Greater of Two Evils (Chronicles of the Exile) by Marc Turner Better Than Breath (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne) by Brian Staveley
Least memorable:
The Divine Death of Jirella Martigore (Crimson Empire) by Alex Marshall A Royal Gift (Banners of Blood) by Mark Alder A Storm Unbound (Glyph War World) - E.V. Morrigan
Outside of the ones I listed above, the rest are either decent or great in quality. One minor con I had with the overall book is that from my perspective, almost all the POV featured a wholly evil character with virtually no redeeming factor. However, that may be just me, as the title said, it's a matter of perspective, and it doesn't change the fact that the majority of the stories here are enjoyable, some even poignant.
It wouldn't be fair for me to rate this book based on the cumulative score of each short story, it's better for me to rate it by the whole package. The most important thing you should be aware of you're reading this book is not to expect epic tales —most of the stories are too short to get that kind of experience— but to potentially discover new authors who have been producing quality at work in the genre. At least that's how it was for me. For example, I've never heard about Chronicles of the Exile, but after this, I'm interested in its tale and will probably read it in the future.
Overall, this is one of the greatest anthologies I've read after Arcanum Unbounded by Brandon Sanderson. If you're a fan of grimdark fantasy, you should get this; it's pretty much a literary treasure hunt.
You can find this and the rest of my Adult Epic/High Fantasy & Sci-Fi reviews at BookNest...more
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