This is a collection of fantasy stories. Since there's only a limited amount of Donaldson work that isn't part of the Covenant series, this is different, and quite interesting. ( )

This is an ambitious collection from Donaldson, with most of the tales being variations on the theme that folks have to take personal responsibility to fight injustice and those who would do them harm. The stories are fairly long, mostly novelette length (averaging about 60 pages each in the paperback). I don't see how anyone could dispute that Donaldson is an accomplished storyteller, and most of these are very well constructed. Characters are strongly drawn, although not always sympathetic. The closing story, "By Any Other Name," at times seemed to very clearly emulate the language and style of Edgar Allen Poe. The opening and closing stories, "Reave the Just" and "By Any Other Name," have many parallels, each telling the story of a mysterious outsider who arrives to mete out justice to the evil and the good alike (although they are set in very different fantasy worlds). "The Killing Stroke," "The Woman Who Loved Pigs," and "Penance" were ambitious and compelling tells, that didn't quite achieve their full potential. To my taste, the weakest entries were "The Kings of Tarshish Shall Bring Gifts" and "What Makes Us Human" (the sole science fiction tale in the bunch).

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Donaldson includes a fair amount of sex, and that very little of it is of a consensual, loving nature. I must say that I had a hard time with the arbiter of justice in the title story telling a serial rape victim that she didn't deserve help if she wasn't trying her hardest to kill her rapist. ( )

Slightly less dark tales from a master. Different worlds and different times but do you have the courage to stand fast in adversity?

After re-read:
A range of tales on different topics and in different styles, all bar one are darkish fantasy, the exception is an unusual science fiction story relating colonists first contact with a Borg-like entity. the fantasy stories range though the blessing of a vampire to the power of dreams and ideas, and three tales looking at good and evil magicians, power honour, compulsion and responsability.

Written over 14 years the styles don't change very much. Donaldson's erudite prose and dark imagery is enough to put many readers off, but he also manages to capture characters and scenes with amazing clarity of idea. They aren't particularly short stories, I don't think Donaldson could write succinctly with a gun to his head, but they are gripping and leave you thinking about what it means to be human. ( )

It's a good time to curl up with a book of short stories what with currently having the attention span of a retarded peanut. This collection of eight short stories has a classic vampire tale, some swashbuckling, a science fiction adventure, a bit of martial arts and the odd pointy hat. I loved them all, Donaldson has a twisted dark side and tends to write really interesting characters with complex morals. The vampire tale in particular reminded me of Nosferatu, all stark and emotional. I also really liked the ending to The Woman Who Loved Pigs, the story of a half-wit who is adopted by a pig.