Readable, but none of the stories really grabbed me. In addition to some stand-alones, this book includes a short story from the Emberverse, three Bolo stories (orig. Keith Laumer), a Nantucket story, a Martin Padway story (orig. L Sprage de Camp), and a Ranks of Bronze story (orig. David Drake). There's also a alternate history story with Flashman (orig. George McDonald Fraser) - basically a bit of Flashman at the Charge narrated by Robert E. Lee. Sadly, while I love Stirling's writing and I love the Flashman stories, I have not been a big fan of either of the Stirling/Flashman "mashups" that I've read (the other is a story in Drakas!).