Mythic Fantasies, an anthology Reviewed by J.Z. Sharpe At first glance, it would seem that putting together an anthology of fine erotica would be the easiest thing one could do. All you have to do is to get a bunch of people to send you stories, and you read them, pick out your favorites, and smash them all together into a book, right? Well, if it were that easy, then there would be hundreds of anthologies out there just like Mythic Fantasies, a fine collection of magical erotica assembled by Amatory Ink's editor-in-chief, Roy Larkin. However, I'm pretty sure there's only one Mythic Fantasies, and here it is. A finer collection of tales you couldn't find anywhere, I believe. These sixteen stories all center around some magical element; however, if you're just expecting a line-up of look-alike fairy tales, you won't find it here. Many of the stories do read like myths, like The Festival of the Snake, by Duana Anderson and Fire Feeder by Sandaidh. But for each conventional story, there's one that takes tradition and turns it on its ear. For example, in Meeting a Goddess, by Fletchina Archer, a woman gets a rare opportunity to see first-hand how the opposite sex lives inside their bodies, thanks to a friend who may very well be more than just human. A singles party on Valentines Day turns into a passionate encounter, in Cathy's Dream by Lynne den Hartog. In Jackie's New Life, by Jude Mason, we're even abducted by aliens! Not only is this selection of erotica top-notch, the editor has also taken care with the order of the stories, so if one does as I did, and read the anthology from cover to cover, in the order given - well, let's just say it's a wild ride. I have but one quibble with Mythic Fantasies, but it's a minor one: I would have liked brief biographies from each of the authors. I was familiar with many of them, but not all. Knowing a bit about the person who wrote a story, I think, enhances the anthology experience. But please take note - this is a minor complaint. All in all, I loved Mythic Fantasies! (By the way, rumor has it that another anthology from Amatory Ink is in the works. After reading this one, I'm hot with anticipation for the next...) | ||
 | | |