Clockwork Phoenix: Tales of Beauty and Strangeness [Paperback]

Mike Allen (Editor), C.S. MacCath (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2008

You hold in your hands a cornucopia of modern cutting-edge fantasy. The first volume of this extraordinary new annual anthology series of fantastic literature explodes on the scene with works that sidestep expectations in beautiful and unsettling ways, that surprise with their settings and startle with the manner in which they cross genre boundaries, that aren't afraid to experiment with storytelling techniques, and yet seamlessly blend form with meaningful function. The delectable offerings found within these pages come from some of today's most distinguished contemporary fantasists and brilliant rising newcomers.

Whether it's a touch of literary erudition, playful whimsy, extravagant style, or mind-blowing philosophical speculation and insight, the reader will be led into unfamiliar territory, there to find shock and delight.

Introducing CLOCKWORK PHOENIX.

"Author and editor Allen (Mythic) has compiled a neatly packaged set of short stories that flow cleverly and seamlessly from one inspiration to another.... Lush descriptions and exotic imagery startle, engross, chill and electrify the reader, and all 19 stories have a strong and delicious taste of weird."
-- Publishers Weekly

Includes stories by Catherynne M. Valente, David Sandner, John Grant, Cat Rambo, Leah Bobet, Michael J. DeLuca, Laird Barron, Ekaterina Sedia, Cat Sparks, Tanith Lee, Marie Brennan, Jennifer Crow, Vandana Singh, John C. Wright, C.S. MacCath, Joanna Galbraith, Deborah Biancotti and Erin Hoffman.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Author and editor Allen (Mythic) has compiled a neatly packaged set of short stories that flow cleverly and seamlessly from one inspiration to another. In The City of Blind Delight by Catherynne M. Valente, a man inadvertently ends up on a train that takes him to an inescapable city of extraordinary wonders. In All the Little Gods We Are, Hugo winner John Grant takes a mind trip to possible parallel universes. Modern topics make an appearance among the whimsy and strangeness: Ekaterina Sedia delves into the misunderstandings that occur between cultures and languages in There Is a Monster Under Helen's Bed, while Tanith Lee gleefully skewers gender politics with The Woman, giving the reader a glimpse of what might happen if there was only one fertile woman left in a world of men. Lush descriptions and exotic imagery startle, engross, chill and electrify the reader, and all 19 stories have a strong and delicious taste of weird. (July)
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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Norilana Books; 1 edition (July 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934169986
• ISBN-13: 978-1934169988
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,369,319 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing collection, November 19, 2008

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Clockwork Phoenix: Tales of Beauty and Strangeness (Paperback)

These stories stuck in my mind for weeks after I read them. Better than Kelly Link's "Magic for Beginners," which was my favorite short story collection before I read this one. I found myself searching out other stories by the authors, some of whom I'd never heard of before but are now my favorites. Looking forward to Clockwork Phoenix 2.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Aptly named, May 27, 2009

By 

Anastasia (Staten Island, NY) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Clockwork Phoenix: Tales of Beauty and Strangeness (Paperback)

Tales of beauty and strangeness indeed. Mix of fantasy and science fiction, all of them quite accomplished and lovely. Two that stand out the most in my mind are "The Woman" by Tanith Lee, a melancholy tale of how it would feel to be the last woman left on earth, and "All the Little Gods We Are" by John Grant - completely unexpected, a memorable, moving story about a boy meeting his soul-twin.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Anthology of strange and excellent stories, November 6, 2009

By 

A. D. MacFarlane (England, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Clockwork Phoenix: Tales of Beauty and Strangeness (Paperback)

This is one of the better anthologies I've read. The stories are imaginative and often quite thoughtful. My favourites were:

Leah Bobet's "Bell, Book and Candle", about three people who are tied into a rite, and who do not particularly enjoy this;
Vandana Singh's "Oblivion: A Journey", about a person pursuing revenge across a future heavily informed by Indian mythology, mapping their journey to that of Ram in the Ramayan;
Joanna Galbraith's "The Moon-Keeper's Friend", about a café owner who protects the moon;
Michael J DeLuca's "The Tarrying Messenger", which is about what it means to tarry, and to deliver a message;
and Cat Rambo's "The Dew Drop Coffee Lounge" and Catherynne M Valente's "The City of Blind Delight". I rather liked most of the others, such as those by David Sandner, Marie Brennan, Deborah Biancotti, Ekaterina Sedia and Jennifer Crow.

Very few anthologies have a success rate this high.

One thing I particularly liked about it is the diversity of influences. These stories are not all about North America and Western Europe, and the anthology is considerably strengthened by this fact.

There were some stories I liked less. Rape as a plot device pretty much immediately turns me off a story, and the instance in this anthology was no exception. Tanith Lee's had some distractingly hilarious sexual euphemisms, and the rest of the story didn't particularly engage. Two others were just boring. But I think most of my complaints lie closer to personal preference than indicating weakness with the story; overall, I really enjoyed this anthology, and I recommend it to readers of unusual fantasy.