Sword and Sorceress XXVII

Sword and Sorceress #27

by Elisabeth Waters (Editor), Pauline J. Alama (Contributor), Michael H. Payne (Contributor)

Women of Strength and Magic...

For over two decades, the late Marion Zimmer Bradley, best-selling and beloved author, discovered and nurtured a new generation of authors. The roster of contributors over the years includes Mercedes Lackey, Laurell K. Hamilton, Charles de Lint, Diana L. Paxson, Emma Bull, Jennifer Roberson, and countless others.

The original stories featured here include such stellar authors as Deborah J. Ross, Leah Cypess, Dave Smeds, and exciting newcomers whose voices are sure to be heard again.

Enter a wondrous universe...

Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword and Sorceress

Volume 27 includes stories by Pauline J. Alama, Steve Chapman, Patricia B. Cirone, Nathan Crowder, Leah Cypess, Linda A. B. Davis, Layla Lawlor, Melissa Mead, Jonathan Moeller, Michael H. Payne, Deborah J. Ross, Jonathan Shipley, Dave Smeds, Catherine Soto, Michael Spence, Elisabeth Waters, and Julia H. West.

Genres: Fantasy, Short Stories, Anthologies

271 pages, Paperback

First published November 2, 2012

About the author

Elisabeth Waters sold her first short story in 1980 to Marion Zimmer Bradley for The Keeper's Price, the first of the Darkover anthologies. She then went on to sell dozens of short stories to a variety of anthologies. Her first novel, a fantasy called Changing Fate, was awarded the 1989 Gryphon Award. Its sequel is Mending Fate, published in 2016.

She currently writes short stories and has edited the Sword and Sorceress anthology series, which ended with Sword and Sorceress 34.

She has also worked as a supernumerary with the San Francisco Opera, where she appeared in La Gioconda, Manon Lescaut, Madama Butterfly, Khovanschina, Das Rheingold, Werther, and Idomeneo.

Reviews

[Jimyanni · Rating 3 out of 5]

As always, the stories in this volume are interesting, entertaining, and thought-provoking. As always, the proofreading is sloppy. That's one tradition of MZB that I wish Elisabeth waters had NOT continued. (Page 27, "she discover...". Page 29, "...with whom she had been having a mild flirtation with...". Page 34, used the word "though" when what was meant was "thought". Page 46, used "he'd" when what was meant was "she'd". Page 51, "...the bishop would never go the barrow himself." (missing the word "to"). Page 53, extraneous close quotation at the end of a sentence that was not a quote.Page 57, "...the bishop was a dry husk dressed in silken in robes." Page 75, "shown" when what was meant was "shone". Page 76, extraneous "breath." at the end of a sentence that ended with that word and period.Page 110, "of" when what was meant was "over" -- "Siri gazed at her visitor of the lip of the bowl."Page 132, "nomad's" for a plural.Page 133, "then" when what was meant was "them".Page 134, missing the word "to" -- "...were the ones to reach out the nomad khans..." Page 155, "...pushed herself into her knees..." Page 202, the word "that" when what was meant was "than".Page 237, missing the word "wonder" -- "...had begun to whether anything would be left...". Page 259, extraneous word "the" -- "Now the half the roof had fallen in..." Page 262, the word "at" when what was meant was "as". Page 264, the word "happened" when what was meant was "happen". Page 266, the word "burn" when what was meant was "burned".) I probably missed a few, but you get the idea. A couple of these in a book would be forgivable. This many is a detriment to the quality of the stories.

[Colleen Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rereading for the umpteenth time still enjoyable.

[E_bookpushers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a fan of this anthology for about 20 or so years. Ever since I first discovered one in the bookstore. I haunted my local used book stores trying to find the backlist and made it a yearly event to get the next volume. Several of the contributing authors over the years I have followed through their spin-off novels and continue to have on my autobuy list. I am very glad that Elisabeth Waters has been able to continue Marion Zimmer Bradley's tradition and provide me with a yearly enjoyable anthology.

[Sctechsorceress · Rating 4 out of 5]

After 26 previous volumes, I have to say that I got just what I expected. This was another collection of excellent short fiction.

[Lynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another excellent set of short stories for the series.

[Toni Zavadil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I currently own 1 through 25 and plan to collect the rest. Great short stories.