The Oxford Book of Fantasy Stories (Oxford Books of Prose) (Paperback)

~ Tom Shippey (Compiler)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Shippey has done an admirable job of collecting entertaining, exotic and readable tales that fairly represent the varied trends in fantasy over the last century, bringing back some long out-of-print stories. The book has a strong comic slant, beginning with Richard Garnett's "The Demon Pope" (ca. 1888), a truly amusing take on the time-honored theme of soul selling, and ending with Terry Pratchett's "Troll Bridge," in which "Cohen the Barbarian" bemoans the fading away of magic (and his own advancing decrepitude) but refuses to give up the hero biz. Strange tales by Lord Dunsany and H. P. Lovecraft share space with sword and sorcery offerings from Robert Howard and Catherine L. Moore. Though the anthology contains Peter Beagle's wonderful "Lila the Werewolf" and Theodore Sturgeon's classic "The Silken-Swift," there are several puzzling absences--notably J.R.R. Tolkien, Patricia McKillip and Ursula Le Guin. But taken in toto this collection offers insights into the breadth of the field, its historical development and its many beauties.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Shippey discusses the long tradition of fantasy and then offers stories from 1888 through 1992 to illustrate its growth in this century. Some familiar names, such as Kate Wilhelm and James Blish, aren't to be found here, and some overrated ones, such as Lord Dunsany and Robert E. Howard, are; but for the most part, Shippey avoids chestnuts and offers unusual, provocative tales. There's Phyllis Eisenstein's childlike "Subworld," about an unhappy, confused little boy who finds a secret passageway in the subway system and becomes a mouse; there's Lucius Shepard's "Night of White Bhairab," a witty parody of the spiritual search featuring a spaced-out, drunken American's fumblings as he blunders into an epic battle between good and evil. Though published in 1888, Richard Garnett's "Demon Pope" gives a fresh spin to the myth of Mephistopheles: the devil trades places with the pope, and no one can tell the difference. But the best tale here is Poul Anderson's manic "Operation Afleet," which takes the crisp, desperate quality of an army combat mission and combines it with weird magic and the powers werewolves can evoke. Vast, mythic, and wild. John Mort --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 624 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (April 17, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192803824
• ISBN-13: 978-0192803825
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.3 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,171,988 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great variety from well-known and lesser known authors, February 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Oxford Book of Fantasy Stories (Paperback)

diverse collection of fantasy short stories, including heavyweights such as H.P. Lovecraft, Ray Bradbury, and Larry Niven as well as other lesser-known but skilled writers.

Some of the stories I just couldn't get into, such as "The Erl-King" by Angela Carter, and some dragged on a bit. However, others I now consider among my favorite short stories, such as "The Nameless City", my first taste of Lovecraft. Other favorites include "The Fortress Unvanquishable, Save for Sacnoth" written in 1908 by Lord Dunsany, "The Kings of the Sea" by Sterling Lanier, "Lila the Werewolf" by Peter Beagle, "Beyond the Dead Reef" by James Tiptree, Jr. and "Troll Bridge" by Terry Pratchett.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superbly selected, November 15, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Oxford Book of Fantasy Stories (Hardcover)

Shippey has chosen a wonderful range of stories and arranged them with considerable wit and art. Even stories which might seem a bit superficial or illwritten in isolation take on new significance in this collection.

I got this book from the library originally and ever since have been trying to find a copy I can buy. Well worth the money.

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT STORIES!, September 24, 2009

By	Will Shepard "-Will Shepard" - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

I needed the book for school. The book contains a good amount of solid fantasy stories. The book is out of print now, so they're harder to find.