A Yuletide Universe: Sixteen Fantastical Tales [Paperback]

Brian M. Thomsen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2003

The contributors to this Christmas anthology include well-known writers with strong fan followings such as Bram Stoker and Hugo Award-winning author of "American Gods" Neil Gaiman, Hugo Award winner Connie Willis, Anne McCaffrey, Harlan Ellison, Clive Barker, and many others.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Anticipating pop singers, genre (i.e., "pop") fiction writers have put out "Christmas albums" ever since Dickens--the prototypical pop novelist, after all--"sang" A Christmas Carol. This fine anthology demonstrates that, on the whole, this has been a good thing. Editor Thomsen re-presents Christmas tales by sf and fantasy hands, mostly, although yarns by two mystery scribes, Donald E. Westlake and James Powell (obscurer than the delicious "Plot against Santa Claus" entitles him to be); Oz-inventor L. Frank Baum; and ur-western writer Bret Harte (in fine form in "How Santa Claus Came to Simpson's Bar") appear, too. Short-shorts by Neil Gaiman, William Gibson, and Richard Christian Matheson open the collection, and four Santa-substitute stories follow (points of interest: Gaiman's "Nicholas Was . . ." began as a greeting card, and Harlan Ellison's "Santa Claus vs. S.P.I.D.E.R." is as nasty as its date, 1968). Then come five first-raters, of which Clive Barker's "The Yattering and Jack" is probably the best known, but Connie Willis' "Miracle," a fantasia based on two classic Christmas movies, is the best. Maureen F. McHugh's pensive "A Foreigner's Christmas in China" and, in the section with "classic" authors Harte and Baum, Anne McCaffrey's philosophical "A Proper Santa Claus" tie for next best. Regard this as your one-stop source of great "new" readings for Christmas story hours. Ray Olson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Brian M. Thomsen is an editor of science fiction who has worked at Warner Books and TSR, Inc. A Hugo award nominee and the author of two novels Once Around the Realms and The Mage in the Iron Mask and over 40 short stories, Brian has also edited several anthologies including Oceans of Space, Oceans of Magic, and The Repentant. He has just published a critical anthology titled The American Fantasy Tradition. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife Donna and two cats.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Aspect (November 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446691879
• ISBN-13: 978-0446691871
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.8 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,111,961 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Includes fine fantasy, science fiction and horror tales, November 6, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Yuletide Universe: Sixteen Fantastical Tales (Paperback)

This sixteen story collection runs the gamut of speculative fiction from fantasy to science fiction to horror. The tales are broken into four major categories with several entries in each one. The sections are Santa Shorts (this reviewer's personal favorite grouping), Santa Substitutes, Variations on Holiday Theme, and Classic Tales of Christmas Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Whimsy. With one exception, the stories are all reprints from various publications ranging as far back as 1964. In fact two are from the first half of the twentieth century; two from the 1960s; two from the 1970s; five from the 1980s; and four from the 1999s. The contributors are some of the best writers of fantasy, horror or science fiction around past and present.

A YULETIDE UNIVERSE is a strong anthology that will elate readers that enjoy a wide gamut of well written stories from the three genres or just appreciate holiday tales. Whether it is Baum, Harte, Gaiman, Ellison, or Barker etc. this is a sure shot stocking stuffer for those appreciate solid seasonal speculative stories.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars a mixed bag, but definately worth the read, December 31, 2008

By 

Kelsey May Dangelo (Vermont) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Yuletide Universe: Sixteen Fantastical Tales (Paperback)

A collection of holiday-theme science fiction/fantasy stories from well-known authors. Interesting spins on old themes and classics, though some are much better and more interesting than others. Grade: B+