A refreshing and concise anthology--I enjoy "variety" in both life and literature, and I enjoy anthologies such as this one because of the diversity offered.

I'm familiar with the work of some of the writers featured in this anthology. It's so nice to see versatility and a love for writing (and respect for the craft) being given the priority over homogeneity (which is what the mainstream commercial traditional publishing industry encourages, fosters, and promotes, in the name of reaping profit$ from book$ with built-in audience$).

This anthology features tight writing and each author's style is given the freedom to shine. One of the things I liked most about all the stories is that they all show a genuine care for character development, which is refreshing (a lot of commercial fiction tends to be heavily plot-driven, with less emphasis on depth and insight). This is partly why I now spend more time reading classic books and indie works [more so than the formulaic fluff the commercial publishing industry has mostly (90% of the time) settled to offering].

I understand my review sways more towards a personal than objective tone (at points)--for me, reading is a rather "personal affair." I have a low tolerance for creative work that isn't somehow original and/or innovative, that doesn't bring anything new or of value to me as a reader, so I appreciate it greatly when I do find something that's non-cookie-cutter ;)

P.S. Be sure to also check out .