Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Title spotlight - "Circus: Fantasy Under the Big Top" edited by Ekaterina Sedia


I cannot honestly say that circus is something that I very much enjoy. I have my share of circus shows in my childhood days, but after that period of time my interest in the matter decreased considerably. However, the same theme in fiction brought a very pleasant surprise last year in the form of Genevieve Valentine’s novel, “Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti”. Although reluctant at first due to my little attraction for the theme I was convinced by a couple of recommendations coming from trusted sources. And the reward was more than satisfying. I am not completely won over, I still have my reservations, but I am no longer as hesitant as before. That is the reason for my interest in the upcoming reprint anthology, “Circus: Fantasy Under the Big Top”, edited by Ekaterina Sedia. Actually the main reason is the editor herself, because I do love and respect a lot the works published by Ekaterina Sedia so far. The second can be easily be the list of authors the editor put together and where I can find some very interesting names, such as the already mentioned Genevive Valentine, Felicity Dowker, Amanda Downum, the spectacular and extremely talented Cate Gardner, Andrew J. McKiernan who constantly grows in my eyes, Peter Straub and Jeff VanderMeer. With a very good cover artwork to match the interesting table of contents I am very curious to see what Ekaterina Sedia’s new anthology, “Circus: Fantasy Under the Big Top” has to offer.

“Introduction
“Something About a Death, Something About a Fire” by Peter Straub
“Smoke & Mirrors” by Amanda Downum
“Calliope: A Steam Romance” by Andrew J. McKiernan
“Welcome to the Greatest Show in the Universe” by Deborah Walker
“Vanishing Act” by E. Catherine Tobler
“Quin’s Shanghai Circus” by Jeff VanderMeer
“Scream Angel” by Douglas Smith
“The Vostrasovitch Clockwork Animal and Traveling Forest Show at the End of the World” by Jessica Reisman
“Study, for Solo Piano” by Genevieve Valentine
“Making My Entrance Again with My Usual Flair” by Ken Scholes
“The Quest” by Barry B. Longyear
“26 Monkeys, Also the Abyss” by Kij Johnson
“Courting the Queen of Sheba” by Amanda C. Davis
“Circus Circus” by Eric Witchey
“Phantasy Moste Grotesk” by Felicity Dowker
“Learning to Leave” by Christopher Barzak
“Ginny Sweethips’ Flying Circus” by Neal Barrett Jr.
“The Aarne-Thompson Classification Revue” by Holly Black
“Manipulating Paper Birds” by Cate Gardner
“Winter Quarters” by Howard Waldrop

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