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A Seeming Glass: A Collection of Reflected Tales
'How can I read the futures if I cannot see your skin?'
Six mysterious swans glide on a holographic pond in a totalitarian capital city. A terrified girl awaits her part in a ritual that could change the future... and the past. A dancer in ancient Jerusalem mourns her maimed sister and prepares for the performance of her life. A sword of legend sends its wielder back through the fiercest battles in history. A freshly qualified vampire hunter experiences the practical side of his vocation. Fourteen intriguing, dramatic, humorous and unsettling tales, inspired by existing stories and reflecting the breadth of storytelling from Greek myth to Hammer Horror, via fairy tales and Arthurian legend.
Six mysterious swans glide on a holographic pond in a totalitarian capital city. A terrified girl awaits her part in a ritual that could change the future... and the past. A dancer in ancient Jerusalem mourns her maimed sister and prepares for the performance of her life. A sword of legend sends its wielder back through the fiercest battles in history. A freshly qualified vampire hunter experiences the practical side of his vocation. Fourteen intriguing, dramatic, humorous and unsettling tales, inspired by existing stories and reflecting the breadth of storytelling from Greek myth to Hammer Horror, via fairy tales and Arthurian legend.
264 pages, Paperback
First published August 5, 2014
About the author
J.A. Ironside
60 books362 followersUrban fantasy and historical fiction author J.A. Ironside masquerades by day as member of the county library service, which strangely enough has less to do with books than you would think.
Jules grew up in Dorset in a house full of books, which probably explains a lot about how her mind works. You might think that folklore, fringe science, history, physics, magic and supernatural mystery wouldn’t go all that well together, but she’s hell bent on proving they do. Her urban fantasy series Harker & Blackthorn is now ten books long and counting. It features a sentient museum because someone needs to keep track of what’s going on. Unveiled – another UF series set in the same universe – is now complete.
Jules is also determined to show that historical fiction can be both factually correct and funny. The King’s Knight series is set during the tumultuous reign of Richard II, while the sweeping Oath and Crown Duology – co-authored with Matthew Willis – follows the events leading up to and around the Battle of Hastings.
When pried her away from her books, Jules enthusiastically engages in martial arts and playing the piano, although never at the same time. At least not yet. She lives on the edge of the Cotswold way with her boyfriend creature and two hell’s kittens. Find out more at www.jaironside.com
Jules grew up in Dorset in a house full of books, which probably explains a lot about how her mind works. You might think that folklore, fringe science, history, physics, magic and supernatural mystery wouldn’t go all that well together, but she’s hell bent on proving they do. Her urban fantasy series Harker & Blackthorn is now ten books long and counting. It features a sentient museum because someone needs to keep track of what’s going on. Unveiled – another UF series set in the same universe – is now complete.
Jules is also determined to show that historical fiction can be both factually correct and funny. The King’s Knight series is set during the tumultuous reign of Richard II, while the sweeping Oath and Crown Duology – co-authored with Matthew Willis – follows the events leading up to and around the Battle of Hastings.
When pried her away from her books, Jules enthusiastically engages in martial arts and playing the piano, although never at the same time. At least not yet. She lives on the edge of the Cotswold way with her boyfriend creature and two hell’s kittens. Find out more at www.jaironside.com
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 25, 2014
I have to declare an interest here. I wrote two of the stories in this book. That said, I am not rating my own stories but those of my fellow Random Writers. This is a fabulous mixture of tales from various sources - Arthurian legend, Greek myth, fairy tales, Celtic myth, biblical stories, gothic horror, romantic poetry...It's a broad range. These stories have not merely been retold but subtly distorted, reflected back at the reader as if glimpsed from a mirror. I'll throw my hat in the ring and say (ignoring my contributions) that this is one of the best collections of short stories I've read for a long time. If you like your fairy tales dark, your horror humorous, your myths turned on their heads then this is a collection of stories you'll enjoy. Best of all, each story enhances and compliments the others rather than detracting from them. Check out The Random Writers website http://jaironside79.wix.com/rasssa for teaser stories set in the same worlds, updates and freebies.
July 28, 2014
Declaring an interest; I'm one of the authors featured in this anthology.
However, I'm setting aside my own bias, because I was lucky enough to proofread this book last week - the first time I'd read all the stories together. It's a fabulous collection of reflected tales where each author has taken a story - be it mythical, biblical, gothic or fairytale - that I thought I was familiar with, and turned it into something to surprise the reader.
There's such a mix of styles and genres, there's bound to be something in here that you'll love reading. Each story is well crafted, and not a single one is at odds with its neighbours; they all sit happily cheek-by-jowl, in spite of their differences.
If you like short stories, then you'll get your money's worth with this one. Truly a case of the sum being greater than the individual parts.
However, I'm setting aside my own bias, because I was lucky enough to proofread this book last week - the first time I'd read all the stories together. It's a fabulous collection of reflected tales where each author has taken a story - be it mythical, biblical, gothic or fairytale - that I thought I was familiar with, and turned it into something to surprise the reader.
There's such a mix of styles and genres, there's bound to be something in here that you'll love reading. Each story is well crafted, and not a single one is at odds with its neighbours; they all sit happily cheek-by-jowl, in spite of their differences.
If you like short stories, then you'll get your money's worth with this one. Truly a case of the sum being greater than the individual parts.
August 17, 2014
*recieved this book for a fair and honest review*
I really enjoyed this book. Sometimes short stories make me worried because I am afraid that with so little time, I won't be able to connect to the characters but this was not the case. I found I was able to connect with the characters in each story, which as a reader makes me very happy. Each story was vastly different from the last which made finishing each story a joy because I was excited to see what was in store next. Not only that, but each story was very different from anything I have ever read. I was captivated with each individual story from start to finish. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants something fresh and entertaining. In short, READ THIS BOOK!
I really enjoyed this book. Sometimes short stories make me worried because I am afraid that with so little time, I won't be able to connect to the characters but this was not the case. I found I was able to connect with the characters in each story, which as a reader makes me very happy. Each story was vastly different from the last which made finishing each story a joy because I was excited to see what was in store next. Not only that, but each story was very different from anything I have ever read. I was captivated with each individual story from start to finish. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants something fresh and entertaining. In short, READ THIS BOOK!
May 9, 2018
I was given a free copy of this anthology in exchange for an honest review.
I was very impressed by this collection. All the stories were well-written and a wide range of styles and genres were covered. The 'seeming glass' theme of this anthology worked well, and I loved how each of the stories put a new twist on existing legends or beliefs.
My favourite stories were 'Rising Tide' by L. Wilson, 'Samsara' by Karen Ginnane, 'A Lamentation of Swans' by J A Ironside, 'Thread' by Katherine Hetzel and 'The Bronze Sword' by Matthew William. For me, these were the stories that really made an impression and were engaging on so many levels.
Perhaps my favourite story was 'A Lamentation Of Swans' as I loved how a more futuristic side of existing legends had been explored in a dystopian landscape. I believe this story was one of the longest in the collection, and narratively, it had an excellent structure, drawing me and giving just the right amount of backstory.
Of the stories I've already mentioned, I also enjoyed 'Samsara' greatly. The twist on the Samson and Delilah story worked beautifully, and I loved how the main characters' genders had been reversed, so that Samsara was the one with the power. Because I already knew the biblical story, a good sense of anticipation was already building up within me, regarding the ending, but the author was clever and put a twist on it that I wasn't expecting.
Altogether, this collection had a rather diverse and timeless feel to it; so many legends and folk tales had been taken and rewritten into unique, refreshing stories.
The editing was good too, though I did spot two typos which (given that I myself am a writer) I did find myself drawn to. But these didn't take away from the stories themselves.
Overall, I enjoyed each of the stories and would recommend this collection to speculative fiction readers. There's a wide range of writing styles and subject matters in this book, so there's likely a story to suit everyone.
I was very impressed by this collection. All the stories were well-written and a wide range of styles and genres were covered. The 'seeming glass' theme of this anthology worked well, and I loved how each of the stories put a new twist on existing legends or beliefs.
My favourite stories were 'Rising Tide' by L. Wilson, 'Samsara' by Karen Ginnane, 'A Lamentation of Swans' by J A Ironside, 'Thread' by Katherine Hetzel and 'The Bronze Sword' by Matthew William. For me, these were the stories that really made an impression and were engaging on so many levels.
Perhaps my favourite story was 'A Lamentation Of Swans' as I loved how a more futuristic side of existing legends had been explored in a dystopian landscape. I believe this story was one of the longest in the collection, and narratively, it had an excellent structure, drawing me and giving just the right amount of backstory.
Of the stories I've already mentioned, I also enjoyed 'Samsara' greatly. The twist on the Samson and Delilah story worked beautifully, and I loved how the main characters' genders had been reversed, so that Samsara was the one with the power. Because I already knew the biblical story, a good sense of anticipation was already building up within me, regarding the ending, but the author was clever and put a twist on it that I wasn't expecting.
Altogether, this collection had a rather diverse and timeless feel to it; so many legends and folk tales had been taken and rewritten into unique, refreshing stories.
The editing was good too, though I did spot two typos which (given that I myself am a writer) I did find myself drawn to. But these didn't take away from the stories themselves.
Overall, I enjoyed each of the stories and would recommend this collection to speculative fiction readers. There's a wide range of writing styles and subject matters in this book, so there's likely a story to suit everyone.
July 25, 2014
I have to declare an interest here. I wrote two of the stories in this book. That said, I am not rating my own stories but those of my fellow Random Writers. This is a fabulous mixture of tales from various sources - Arthurian legend, Greek myth, fairy tales, Celtic myth, biblical stories, gothic horror, romantic poetry...It's a broad range. These stories have not merely been retold but subtly distorted, reflected back at the reader as if glimpsed from a mirror. I'll throw my hat in the ring and say (ignoring my contributions) that this is one of the best collections of short stories I've read for a long time. If you like your fairy tales dark, your horror humorous, your myths turned on their heads then this is a collection of stories you'll enjoy. Best of all, each story enhances and compliments the others rather than detracting from them. Check out The Random Writers website http://jaironside79.wix.com/rasssa for teaser stories set in the same worlds, updates and freebies.
May 9, 2018
I was given a free copy of this anthology in exchange for an honest review.
I was very impressed by this collection. All the stories were well-written and a wide range of styles and genres were covered. The 'seeming glass' theme of this anthology worked well, and I loved how each of the stories put a new twist on existing legends or beliefs.
My favourite stories were 'Rising Tide' by L. Wilson, 'Samsara' by Karen Ginnane, 'A Lamentation of Swans' by J A Ironside, 'Thread' by Katherine Hetzel and 'The Bronze Sword' by Matthew William. For me, these were the stories that really made an impression and were engaging on so many levels.
Perhaps my favourite story was 'A Lamentation Of Swans' as I loved how a more futuristic side of existing legends had been explored in a dystopian landscape. I believe this story was one of the longest in the collection, and narratively, it had an excellent structure, drawing me and giving just the right amount of backstory.
Of the stories I've already mentioned, I also enjoyed 'Samsara' greatly. The twist on the Samson and Delilah story worked beautifully, and I loved how the main characters' genders had been reversed, so that Samsara was the one with the power. Because I already knew the biblical story, a good sense of anticipation was already building up within me, regarding the ending, but the author was clever and put a twist on it that I wasn't expecting.
Altogether, this collection had a rather diverse and timeless feel to it; so many legends and folk tales had been taken and rewritten into unique, refreshing stories.
The editing was good too, though I did spot two typos which (given that I myself am a writer) I did find myself drawn to. But these didn't take away from the stories themselves.
Overall, I enjoyed each of the stories and would recommend this collection to speculative fiction readers. There's a wide range of writing styles and subject matters in this book, so there's likely a story to suit everyone.
I was very impressed by this collection. All the stories were well-written and a wide range of styles and genres were covered. The 'seeming glass' theme of this anthology worked well, and I loved how each of the stories put a new twist on existing legends or beliefs.
My favourite stories were 'Rising Tide' by L. Wilson, 'Samsara' by Karen Ginnane, 'A Lamentation of Swans' by J A Ironside, 'Thread' by Katherine Hetzel and 'The Bronze Sword' by Matthew William. For me, these were the stories that really made an impression and were engaging on so many levels.
Perhaps my favourite story was 'A Lamentation Of Swans' as I loved how a more futuristic side of existing legends had been explored in a dystopian landscape. I believe this story was one of the longest in the collection, and narratively, it had an excellent structure, drawing me and giving just the right amount of backstory.
Of the stories I've already mentioned, I also enjoyed 'Samsara' greatly. The twist on the Samson and Delilah story worked beautifully, and I loved how the main characters' genders had been reversed, so that Samsara was the one with the power. Because I already knew the biblical story, a good sense of anticipation was already building up within me, regarding the ending, but the author was clever and put a twist on it that I wasn't expecting.
Altogether, this collection had a rather diverse and timeless feel to it; so many legends and folk tales had been taken and rewritten into unique, refreshing stories.
The editing was good too, though I did spot two typos which (given that I myself am a writer) I did find myself drawn to. But these didn't take away from the stories themselves.
Overall, I enjoyed each of the stories and would recommend this collection to speculative fiction readers. There's a wide range of writing styles and subject matters in this book, so there's likely a story to suit everyone.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews