Flying Sorcerers [Paperback]

Peter Haining (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1998

Read and loved by millions, these masters of wit entertain readers with hilarious stories that explore the fantasy of flying under your own steam. Contributors include Terry Pratchett, Roald Dahl, Arthur C. Clarke, Piers Anthony, Angela C. Carter, C.S. Lewis, P.G. Wodehouse, and Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Fantasy fiction has a long and honorable history of parodying its own traditions and, in The Flying Sorcerers, Peter Haining has collected a wide range of comic fiction from the genres of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. The 24 stories span the century, from P.G. Wodehouse's hilarious "A Slice of Life," about the inventor Wilfred Mulliner and the dastardly baronet Sir Jasper ffinch-ffarrowmere, through the likes of C.S. Lewis, Kurt Vonnegut, and Mervyn Peake to stories by more recent favorites such as Roald Dahl and, of course, Terry Pratchett, whose story "Turntables of the Night," featuring DEATH, opens the collection.

The stories range from Michael Moorcock's hilarious spoof of heroic fantasy, "The Stone Thing," to more considered twists on conventional themes, as in Angela Carter's story of a reluctant vampire, "The Lady of the House of Love." Arthur C. Clarke even manages to find humor in the end of the world with the closing story "No Morning After."

Haining introduces each story with a brief but informative biography of the writer. This makes the collection an excellent introduction to the wide range of comic fantasy and science fiction writing produced this century. --Elizabeth Sourbut

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Ace (November 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441005772
• ISBN-13: 978-0441005772
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 3.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,878,307 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Comic fantasy? I don't think so., April 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Flying Sorcerers (Paperback)

This is a truly excellent collection of short stories, by top-notch authors.

So why only 3 stars? Well, it certainly isn't an anthology of comic fantasy as the cover claims. (Fantasy here is used in its broadest sense, including sci-fi, horror and supernatural stories rather than just swords-and-sorcery.)

The stories range from hilarious (Michael Moorcock's), through amusing, to not in the least bit funny (Angela Carter's). This is my main complaint about the collection - why are serious (even tragic) stories included?

A minor point - I thought the cover art on the copy I have, to be unsuitable. Josh Kirby's work is so much associated with Terry Practhet's work, I think something more neutral would have been better. The fact that it illustrates Pratchett's story didn't help either. Perhaps it was a marketing decision :P

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A stellar collection from some extraordinary talents, November 12, 1998

By 

Edward Alexander Gerster "miamibooks" (South Miami, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Flying Sorcerers (Paperback)

Anthologies are usually difficult to review, as they tend to contain varying levels of talent, however; this collection is an exception -- as it is superb from the first tale to the last. The stories are filled with wit, humor and intelligence and bring together writers you never thought you would see in the same volume. P.G. Wodehouse and Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. with Thomas Disch, Angela Carter, and Terry Pratchett! Amazing and wonderful. Highly recommended.

3.0 out of 5 stars Like all anthologies, a mixed bag, March 1, 2002

By 

jrmspnc (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Flying Sorcerers (Paperback)

The good thing about short story anthologies is that the bad stories aren't very long. But, then, neither are the good ones!

As other reviewers have noted, the packaging is misleading. Like it's predecessor, Wizards of Odd, the stories as a whole do not live up to the hype on the covers. There are, however, some fine tales to be had. "Danse Macabre" by Mervyn Peake is evocative, although not in the least bit funny. Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron," again singularly lacking in hilarity, is a worthy tale of a true egalitarian society. "The Roaches" by Thomas M. Disch is eerily disgusting, and after reading it you will never look at cockroaches in the same way again.

Really, one can't help but wonder who is responsible for the packaging.