Do you like collections of short stories? What if they have multiple authors? Okay, there will also be famous names. Ok, so you can take a look! I invite you, you will be pleased and surprised.
The editor is the key
The anthology of short stories should collect authors that are important for the topic or genre, and the texts that are characteristic of them (or simply very good). The choice is on the editor’s shoulders, and the reader may or may not agree with him, but should be given a sort of mini-guide to the possibilities of literature. The Book of Magic may not be the most diverse fantasy collection in the world, but it does have a wide range of styles, some really interesting authors, and a distinct “Don’t panic!” on the reverse.
Dozois gave us a choice, but also an elegant introduction in which he writes about the eternal presence of magic in the history of our species. Or maybe even the entire hominid family. In my opinion, this is one of the best texts in this anthology: it has momentum but does not overwhelm with scientific facts, such a pleasant, sometimes very poetic story from nerd to nerds. It has a completely different character than the authors’ presentations that precede each story – these are ironic and downright mate.
What do we have in this bundle?
Diversity, but also a few constant topics. Famous names? Oh how! Few popular geniuses? At least one.
First of all, I recommend this collection to everyone associated with universities. Several short stories focus on political games between great magicians gathered at recognized or provincial universities. My friends, this is pure realism. A mirror strolling around courtyards and corridors, looking into offices and auditoriums, often under the slogan “competition is fierce because the stakes are low”. This motif already uses the text, The Return of the Pig , which opens the Book of Magic .
For fans of Robin Hobb, there is a small urban fantasy of this author under her real name Megan Lindhorn. For the Anglo- or Irishophile, there is something from John Crowley. This story seems to contain traces of magic, but that’s what the plot is based on. Here you will find the story of a provincial mage from Garth Nix. I have not forgotten the name on the cover – there is George RR Martin! His text presents a very dark world. If you know other stories from the creator of Game of Thrones , you know that he can create a wide, credible, magic and emotional universe with a few sentences containing a few words that do not exist in our reality. Finally, at the very end of this volume you will come across something reminiscent of Fairy Tales of Robots .
The highlight of this anthology for me was the amazing story by Lavi Tidhar, whom I love. We don’t have many translations of his books, but they are really worth reading. Huge talent, suggestive pen, onirism, playing with time and space – these are his trademarks. My attention was also drawn to: the linguistic inventiveness straight from Willingham’s Fairy Tales Biography of the Bouncing Boy’s Terror (Ysabeau S. Wince), the emancipatory Bloom (Kate Elliot) or the Wolf and Manticore (Greg van Eekhout), which has the features of a spy crime and science fiction story .
Fantasy and the Polish case
The Anthology of Profit is a translation of the collection published in 2018. Apparently only two years, but during this time it has changed a bit – unfortunately, in The Book of Magic you will not find any notes or additions from the translator or the editor that would be useful for notes about the authors. Some of them have managed to publish more books or win awards. And that’s actually my only comment, besides, the work of translators is flawless, and some of them had quite a challenge ahead of them. I am thinking here of the Bouncing Boy and the Devil’s Nothing , saturated with American folklore (translated by Mariusz Warda), a short story by Martin (translated by Michał Jakuszewski). Warda and Jakuszewski also coped well with the other texts, without losing the differentiation in style, mood and melody.
I read a lot, stories are an option for me for too busy weeks, but also a quick survey of the area – who to reach for when I feel like a particular species. The Book of Magic , apart from the guide, is an intriguing item in itself. After all, as Dozios writes, magic and charms have been with us since the dawn of mankind – and probably from the very beginning they were told about them in various ways around campfires. Dramatically or ironically. With scientific meticulousness or political distance. With love for the hero or fear of witches.
