Customer Reviews

Civil War Fantastic (Daw Book Collectors)

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CIVIL WAR FANTASTIC is a medley of 18 short tales of the supernatural or alternative history, told by various authors in the context of the War Between the States. However, the book might just as well be a collection of (rejected) scripts for the old TV series "Twilight Zone" and/or "Outer Limits".

A small minority of the stories are marginally inventive, or at least barely entertaining. In the "be careful what you wish for" category, a Confederate soldier of the 15th Alabama meets his aged future self immediately prior to the assault on Little Round Top at Gettysburg, and, at the persuasion of the latter, fires a shot that alters history. In a bit of blarney, a Southerner of Irish heritage in the Vicksburg trenches calls upon the leprechauns of the Old Country to help win the battle. And, during Lee's last retreat to Petersburg, a wounded Rebel soldier is aided by his descendent fighting in the Vietnam debacle.

While I admit that all of the fables are at least a little silly, most, unfortunately, are pure drivel and/or totally pointless. "Martial" is probably the worst: the first person account of a hapless nag mired in Gettysburg's present-day tourist attraction, who encounters the proud spirit of a Union cavalry remount. Then, there's the small boy saved by General Lee before the Gettysburg battle, when the latter will not accept a demon's help as it would require the ritual blood sacrifice of the former. Even President Lincoln becomes part of a farce as, unable to come up with words suitable for the Gettysburg Address, he is inspired by the ghosts of two of that field's combatants. Oh, and let's not forget the totally ludicrous "The Three Cigars", wherein the American Civil War is nothing more than a staged entertainment event, produced and directed by the future's First Rumanian Science Fiction Commando for the benefit of its national TV audience. (Huh?!)

If you're a serious student of the Blue-Gray conflict, don't bother with this piece of trash - not even if you're overrun by an attack of whimsy. However, if you're a moron in search of some serious mental stimulation ... buy it.

The first story, told from a horse's point of view, wasn't all that great, and started me wondering about the rest of the book. Good thing I didn't give early. The William Keith story about the Alabama man who changes the outcome of the Battle of Gettysburg, and in turn the war, based upon a meeting with himself from the future was execellent. And _Hex'em John_ would make an awesome Twilight Zone episode.

I really appreciate the fact that all of the stories were written this year, probably for this book, and not a repacking of older stories that I have already read in other collections. Mr. Greenberg keep 'em comin'!

The Civil War is the bloodiest conflict to ever rage over American soil, and was waged in a time that invokes a certain sad romance. Perhaps that is why it still burns to brightly in our minds, and stirs so many emotions.

Those emotions are pulled into strands and woven into a beautiful tapestry of the supernatural in this volume masterfully edited by Martin Greenberg. Though not all stories take place during the Civil War, some involve recreations, all capture the essence of the conflict, the pride, pain, and hope that made it so tragic. A complete list of the stories is:

*** Martial by Nancy Springer, *** A Place to Stand by kWilliam H. Keith, Jr., *** Hex'em John by James H. Cobb, *** Gettysburg Dreams by Brendan Du Bois, *** Images by Josepha Sherman, *** Ghosts of Honor by Denise Little, *** Boot Hill by Asaro and Resnick, ***The Three Cigars by Robert Sheckley, *** The General's Bane by Mike and Shiela Gilbert, *** The Federal Spy and Mix Julia by Karen Haber, ***Stew by Donald J. Bingle, *** Loose Upon the Earth a Daemon by Tim Waggoner, *** Surviving the Elephant by Lisa Silverthorne, *** The Pluck of O' Reilly by Gary Alan Ruse, *** Across Hickman's Bridge to Home by R. Davis, *** News From the Long Mountain by Braunbeck and Snyder, ***The Last Full Measure by Davis Bischoff and *** Burial Detail by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

This is a solid anthology, a haunting combination of horror and fantasy mixed with history. If you're looking for something well written but unusual, you could do far worse than this anthology.

Highly recommended.