Book Review: Legends II

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Legends II     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Robert Silverberg
Class/Genre:   Fantasy   [Short Stories]
Del Ray, Jan 2004, $28.95, 656 pp.

LEGENDS II contains eleven novellas written by fantasy authors in the realms they created that in turn made them famous as these authors are instantly recognizable by the worlds they have fashioned. These include Robert Silverberg’s Majipoor, A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin, OTHERLAND by Tad Williams, Raymond E. Feist’s Riftwar, Orson Scott Card’s Alvin Maker and the American Gods by cult favorite Neil Gaiman. Toss in orbs by Robin Hobbs, Elizabeth Hayden, and other sub-genre who’s who in a wonderful buffet and one can feast for a long time.

For instance, Diana Gabaldon takes a minor character from her renowned Outlander series and makes him a star in his own mysteries as Lord John investigates murder by a succubus in the middle of war with the enemy surrounding him. No anthology about other realms would be complete without a story about Pern and Anne McCaffrey obliges with a plague sweeping Pern with the dragonriders teleporting from place to place and between times to inoculate everyone. Moreta, riding one of her weyr’s queens and her dragon are lost between times and must find a way to come home. Readers will be delighted with the last story “Indomitable” a Shannara story in which Jair Ohnsford learns that his adventures are still happening though he thought he could retires once he burned the book of the Ildoch at Greymard. Unfortunately, he failed to destroy a page.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner