I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I pretty much know I am not going to like experimental plotless pieces, and in fantasy anthologies like this there is a fair chance there will be some, as some people like 'em, so broad selecting Super Editors should pick them for those people.
Such is the case here, but there are more 4 star stories than I thought I would find, too, so good stuff. In fact, it averages 3.55, above the good line, as such. To shamelessly steal his own phraseology, there was good work here from Wolfe, Bear, Di Filippo, Gaiman, Taafe, Cadigan, Parks and Hughes, with the standout piece being Beagle's.
The editor also says not much 'Heroic' fantasy to be found in general, so not much here, and by this I presume he is using it as an umbrella term for High Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery and other such secondary world type offerings, in general.
Which is interesting, as I had been wondering if there are enough good fantasy stories in a year to fill such a volume of more mainstream fantasy adventure type stories that are more in the vein of what Lin Carter might have chosen, or Silveberg's Legends anthology, compared to what Kelly Link or her predecessors prefer.
The only annoying thing now is no electronic versio of the 2007 book, whereas there is for the 2006.
Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Pip and the Fairies - Theodora Goss
Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Comber - Gene Wolfe
Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Three Urban Folk Tales - Eric Schaller
Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Wax - Elizabeth Bear
Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : The Emperor of Gondwanaland - Paul Di Filippo
Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : CommComm - George Saunders
Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Five Ways Jane Austen Never Died - Samantha Henderson
Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Fancy Bread - Gregory Feeley
Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Sunbird - Neil Gaiman
Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : The Secret of Broken Tickers - Joe Murphy
Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : On the Blindside - Sonya Taaffe
Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Jane - Marc Laidlaw
Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Is There Life After Rehab? - Pat Cadigan
Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Two Hearts - Peter S. Beagle
Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Super-Villains - Michael Canfield
Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Empty Places - Richard Parks
Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : Invisible - Steve Rasnic Tem
Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : By the Light of Tomorrow's Sun - Holly Phillips
Fantasy Best of the Year 2006 : The Gist Hunter - Matthew Hughes
Obit teaparty flashback.
2.5 out of 5
Swiftly tilting city.
4 out of 5
Love to go postal, you rat.
2.5 out of 5
Forensic sorcery monster murder triangle.
4 out of 5
Online getaway hookup.
4 out of 5
Dead can be quite smelly.
3 out of 5
Possibly better story topics.
3 out of 5
Pommie snacks.
3.5 out of 5
"I have a presentiment of doom upon me," ..."And I fear it shall come to us with barbecue sauce."
4 out of 5
Blockhead storm.
3 out of 5
Crossover promises.
4 out of 5
One glove is all you get.
3.5 out of 5
Maybe undead again.
4 out of 5
Griffin snacking leads to senile sovereign's swan song.
4.5 out of 5
An aging hero has run out of enemies to fight, and he has always used his crusade to prevent him coming to close to the woman he desires.
An old foe of his is released from prison and said woman decides to do something about it, accompanying the villain to an exhibition where the Venus diamond is on display, a stone with reputedly magical properties.
When Ginny gets the diamond, a new super villain is born, Fevre, and the Wing again has an opponent to chase.
3.5 out of 5
"Just what is Timon the Black's arrangement with those men?"
"A simple one: They don't interfere with my business and I don't rip the flesh from their bones. You'd be surprised at how reasonable men can be, when the alternative is explained to them."
4 out of 5
Spontaneous Human Invisibility.
3 out of 5
Not a Peachy finish.
3.5 out of 5
Discriminating integration opposition intercession accomodation.
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
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