Customer Reviews

Witch Way to the Mall

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The is the first in apparently a series. "Strip Mauled" is the follow on and is excellent as well. The stories in this anthology are humorous and whimsical by and large. But a number of them leave me going OK so what happens next and all are outstanding to truly excellent. I am not usually a big fan of shorts as they are very hard to write well and often vary widely; from pretty good to real bad.. These 2 books are outstanding exceptions as there are no bad stories.

Excellent read.

A quick and enjoyable read of excellent short stories set in the suburbs. Creative idea. My favorite, so far, is Vierling's "Neighborhood Witch" - love the characters, story line, and the surprise ending. Well worth it.

Great read, good for when you want to read something but don't want to spend hours reading. Really liked "Neighborhood Witch" and actually wished there was more time to develop the people and situation but considering it's a short story I feel the author did a great job with the time they had.

Witch Way to the Mall (2009) is the first fantasy anthology in a series of supernatural stories about suburbia. It contains an Introduction and twenty-one short stories (with author information).

The Introduction by Esther M. Friesner provides background on the myths about the suburbs and examples of how witches could change things.

Birdwitching by Harry Turtledove concerns the trials of neighborhood bird watching clubs in an annual contest for the highest bird count in a single day. Tension is high, but then the spells start to fly.

Witch Warrior by Steven Piziks concerns a man witch and Celtic warrior left alone when Baba Yaga comes to take his adopted children.

Nimue and the Mall Nymphs by Lee Martindale involves a seasoned witch who finds three wannabes in the mall trying to hex an ex-boyfriend.

Tacos for Tezcathpoca by Kevin Andrew Murphy describes some unusual events in the life of a teenager who buys a manticore at a yard sale.

The Darren by Hildy Silverman speaks of prejudice and two youngsters who learn tolerance.

The Incident of the Inferno Grill by Sarah A. Hoyt tells of an unemployed woman who finds a job as an assistant to a psychic investigator.

Soot by Dave Freer considers the actions of an ancient Egyptian cat, a Grecian prophetess, a werewolf, and a troll in the warding of a portal from the Fey world.

The House of Lost Dreams by Storm Christopher examines the dreams of a salesman.

Queen of Suburbia by Selina Rosen is about chain emails and the risks of passing them on to friends.

Twice a Year by Esther M. Friesner shows the reaction of a neighborhood witch to an interloper. It involves valentines.

Neighborhood Witch by David Vierling exposes suburban cliques and related violence.

Hex Education by K. D. Wentworth also examines neighborhood hierarchies and appropriate countermeasures.

The Importance of Communication by Jan and S. M. Stirling reveals the hazards of teenage cliques.

Midnight at the Center Court by David D. Levine portrays the power of certain friendships.

The Price of Beauty by Robin Wayne Bailey illustrates the possible effects of advertising hype.

Making Love by Brenda W. Clough discloses the power of sympathetic magic and empathy.

Yo Moms a Dragon by Ellie Tupper displays the power of witchcraft and the hazards of misinformation.

Witch's Brew by Berry Kercheval is a tale of a witch's apprentice who accidentally summons an imp.

The Fair Witch Project by Daniel M. Hoyt considers ways that teenage boy witches might rebel against their parents and the consequences of such pranks.

Valley Witch by Julia S. Mandala presents the woes of a young noble removed from his preparatory school and transported to this dimension. Even worse than attending public highschool, he also has his mother in most of his classes.

There's No "I" in "Coven" by Jody Lynn Nye relates a tale of a jock mom and her two athletic kids at a sporting event involving magic.

These stories cover the gambit of suburban witchery, including one set in a London suburb. In most cases, the witch is the hero/heroine, but two have BAD witches as the antagonists. Do any of these villains remind you of anyone in your neighborhood?

This anthology is not much like the Chick in Chainmail series, but has the same sense of fun and weirdness. The next volume in the series -- Strip Mauled -- has werewolves as the theme. Read and enjoy!

Recommended for Friesner fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of witchcraft, suburban living, and human relationships.

-Arthur W. Jordin

These stories are about modern witches, who live in the real world. They have kids, and cars, and husbands, who are either able to use magic, or not. I found them entertaining and some were downright funny. Some were just stories. Like any anthology, some are good and some are not. But overall this is worth the time and money. I did enjoy it.

Esther Friesner continues her life's work of bringing laughter to the world with this collection of sub-urban fantasy, for why should city-dwellers get all the good stories, as well as all the good restaurants? Here are 22 stories of magic, witch wannabes, sentient minivans, stolen power, grimoires, dank energy vortices that need dispelling, perilous soccer games, dating without parental approval, and trying to fly below the radar. From Harry Turtledove's story of rival bird-watchers who start conjuring extinct species to win the Yule count, to "There's No `I' in Coven" by Jody Lynn Nye, there is a lot of talented story-telling contained in these pages.
Several of these offerings are retro, either in setting or in the slang. "The Darren" by Hildy Silverman is about the dating misadventures of two teen witches at a mundane school, with lots of references to Bewitched. Julia S. Mandala's "Valley Witch" has a semi-villainous mom reliving her glory days at a California high school, to the untellable embarrassment of her son, who only wants to go back to Evil Academy. "Midnight at the Center Court" by David Levine is set in the seventies when open air strip malls were being converted to enclosed showcases. This story also hints at the difficulties faced by kids who don't fit the prevailing gender stereotypes. The 1980s are the setting for "Making Love," by Brenda Clough, about an elderly woman who knits healing spells into the gifts she makes. For readers who remember these decades, the setting cues are very evocative.
Protagonists come in all ages, races, and sizes, so if you come across one that just doesn't appeal to you, skip a few pages - you'll find one to your liking.
One of my favorite stories was "Witch Warrior" by Steven Piziks, because Baba Yaga shows up. I liked the showdown between the mother of all witches and a father fighting for the lives of his two terrified adopted Ukrainian children.
"The House of Lost Dreams" by Storm Christopher is very like "Wong's Lost and Found Emporium," but that motif - a mysterious shop that appears and gives you a chance to find what's missing in your life - needs retelling in and by and for every generation. This story has some moving - and chilling - scenes of dreams uncovered.
What about the rest? Find out for yourself! This ranks as one of the best buys for your money.

Loved every minute of this enjoyable anthology and discovered a number of new (for me) writers that I`ll be looking for in the future. Pretty much every item is a gem and no real clunkers.

The book starts out with the amusing "Birdwitching" by veteran Harry Turtledove about competitive suburban witches. Lee Martindale`s "Nimue and the Mall Nymphs" gives a nod to Buffy (which might appeal to fans of the character Willow) and "The Darren" with its pop culture reference to Bewitched is more about teen angst and ethnic identity. Punny references abound. "Neighbourhood Witch" is really just a shaggy dog story, but a fun one, and in "Soot" told from a familiar cat's POV we meet a "Neandertroll" and learn that Neanderthals and Trolls are the same thing. I especially enjoyed "Witch (which) Warrior" by Steve Piziks, "Queen of Suburbia" for its takes on chain letters and politics, and the poignant "Twice a Year" by anthology editor Esther Freisner.

The humour would also appeal to fans of Terry Pratchet, Neil Gaiman, Piers Anthony or Larry Niven's The Magic Goes Away Collection. I was not familiar with Esther Freisner and I will certainly look up more of her work.

This was a library read but I enjoyed it so much that I`ll be adding it to my purchases next time I need a topper to get free shipping. A book this strong makes it a keeper. Excellent stocking stuffer or small gift to a teenager given that just over half the stories are teen oriented or involve children, suitable for ages 13 and up; some parents might object because sexual references.

Well done. I can't wait to read more by the authors included in "Witch Way to the Mall." Keep up the great work.

Kris Caraher, Point of Rocks, MD

Witch Way to the Mall The stories contained within this book range from purely funny to disturbing. Disturbing in a good way. Each story is unique and some such as Neighborhood Witch by David Vierling have suprising twists. Well worth buying and a perfect pick me up for a bad day.

I enjoyed reading this anthology. I especially enjoyed the story by David Vierling that was a twist on a fairy tale. Very clever and humorous - I did not guess where it was going until the story ended. I hope to see more written by him in the future.