Ana Grilo

A very eclectic collection, to say the least. The editors had a looser definition of "superhero" than I had expected, given that one of the stories featured a praying mantis hero, another a failed savior, and another a not very heroic super soldier.

My favorite of the bunch were the two more traditional superhero tales: “Kid Dark Against the Machine” by Tansy Rayner Roberts and “Superior” by Jessica Lack. I was particularly excited to read Kid Dark because I loved "Cookie Cutter Superhero" and really want to see more in this world, and this story did not disappoint. "Superior" focused on the sidekicks and was a sweet Romeo-Juliet type story of a hero's intern starting a relationship with a villain's intern.

“The Indigo Mantis” by E. Catherine Tobler was... weird. That's really the only word to describe it. It wasn't quite my cup of tea, but it was interesting to see such a unique take on superhero.

“How to Piss Off A Failed Super-Soldier” by John Chu was good. It is definitely more Dark Angel than Justice League, and had a gritty edge that I liked.

“The Life and Times of Angel Evans” by Meredith Debonnaire was perhaps my least favorite of the bunch. First, I had a hard time seeing the superhero connection since I wouldn't have considered Angel one. Second, the feel of the story was just off. It was depressing, and noir-like almost, and full of ennui. It really was more a character study than a story with a plot.… (mais)

The Indigo Mantis - 4/5 - A literal bug superhero. So that's a thing. Startling and unexpected, and surprisingly good.

Kid Dark Against the Machine - 5/5 - This one is AWESOME.

How to Piss Off A Failed Super-Soldier - 2/5 - Underwhelming, with weird writing style.

Superior - 5/5 - This is so fun. Reminds me of Kid Dark in the best possible way. A little short - I would love to read more about this world.

The Life and Times of Angel Evans -5/5 - A rambly look at a Chosen One after their Destiny is done. Can be a little confusing.

This anthology was pretty awesome. Even Super-Soldier story in its own weird way.
What is it they say? Small but feisty? Sounds about right.

FINAL VERDICT : TRY… (mais)

An amazing collection of six subverted fairy tales, with an essay by each author about what influenced the story, and an author interview. The story by S.L. Huang (who is eligible for a 2015 Campbell) made me want to pick up her novels.

My favorite story was "In Her Head, In Her Eyes" by Yukimi Ogawa--it was eerie, terrifying, and the writing leaped off the page. I give this story five stars and might well nominate it for a Hugo.

All the stories are available to read for free on the Book Smugglers website.… (mais)