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Ages of Wonder

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Nineteen stories of myth and magic through the centuries

Here are nineteen original stories of myth, magic, and the creatures of fantasy, as seen through different historical eras— from the Age of Antiquity to the Age of Sails, the Colonial Age, the Age of Pioneers, the Pre-Modern Age, and the Age to come...

1 • Introduction (Ages of Wonder) • essay by Julie E. Czerneda and Rob St. Martin
5 • The Curse Tablet • short story by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
24 • To Play the Game of Men • short story by Caitlin Sweet
35 • Mist Wraith • short story by Urania Fung
45 • Written in Smoke • short story by Karina Sumner-Smith
65 • Cloud Above Water • short story by Natalie Millman
80 • Crossing the Waters • short story by Ika Vanderkoeck
96 • Here There Be Monsters • short story by Brad Carson
113 • A Swift Changing Course • short story by Jana Paniccia
131 • Blood and Soil • short story by Ceri Young
145 • Fletcher's Ghost • short story by Liz Holliday
168 • Immigrant • short story by Sandra Tayler
185 • A Small Sacrifice • short story by Kristen Bonn
200 • Pony Up • short story by Linda Davis
213 • Gold at the End of the Railroad • short story by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
227 • The Stone Orrery • short story by Jennifer Crow
243 • Sphinx! • short story by Tony Pi
259 • A Bird in the Hand • short story by Queenie Tyrone
277 • Mars Bound • short story by K. J. Gould
289 • Angels and Moths • short story by Costi Gurgu (trans. of Îngeri și molii? 2010)

312 pages, Paperback

First published January 28, 2009

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About the author

Julie E. Czerneda

105 books767 followers
Having written 25 novels (and counting) published by DAW Books, as well as numerous short stories, and editing several anthologies, in 2022, Julie E. Czerneda was inducted in the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame. Her science fiction and fantasy combines her training and love of biology with a boundless curiosity and optimism, winning multiple awards. Julie's recent releases include the standalone novel To Each This World, her first collection Imaginings, and A Shift of Time, part of her Night's Edge fantasy series. For more visit czerneda.com Julie is represented by Sara Megibow of Megibow Literary Agency LLC.

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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Profile Image for Bogdan.
996 reviews1 follower
May 22, 2017
Ages of Wonder este o antologie riguros impartita in perioade distincte ale evolutiei societatii umane.

Povestirile antologiei ne petrec prin universuri fantastice corespunzatoare urmatoarelor epoci : Ages of Antiquity, Ages of sail, The Colonial Age , The Age of pioneers, The Pre-morden Age si The Age ahead.

Volumul de fata ne ofera nu mai putin de 19 texte, uimind densitatea detaliilor si contrastul dintre calitatea povestirilor si spatiul ocupat.

Din introducere aflam ca antologia s-a nascut din dorinta si ideile celor doi editori, respectiv Julie E. Czerneda si Rob St. Martin, de a exploata elementele specifice diferitelor culturi istorice. Un decor numai excelent pentru a putea fi adaptat unui cadru cu radacini fantasy.

Da, exact, antologia de fata abunda in texte fantasy si/sau fantastice. Se pare ca cei doi antologatori au avut un sablon de selectare foarte riguros asadar reusita lui Costi Gurgu de a se strecura printre scriitorii selectati este cu atat mai meritorie.

“Age of antiquity” debuteaza cu un text al Ninei Kiriki Hoffman ce ne introduce intr-o frintura de lume romana uimind prin acuratetea detaliilor. Zei si vrajitoare, negustori si scalvi, blesteme si binecuvantari toate se impletesc in acest text.

“To play the game of men” de Caitlin Sweet este o povestire fantastica cu mai multe subtilitati decat lasa prima impresie insa la care te-ar putea duce gandul daca ai urmari cu atentie indiiciile oferite.

“Mist Wraith” de Urunaia Fung ne poarta si pe continentul asiatic cu o poveste parca desprinsa din angoasa si filmele pline de fantasme din industria cinematografica a zonei.

Ce iti ramane de facut cind te numeri printre ultimii supravietuitori ai rasei tale?Cum iti mai poti proteja acum copilul nenascut? Cum se poate totusi scrie in fum? La toate aceste intrebari si nu numai veti afla raspuns in deliciosul text “Written in Smoke” de Karina Sumner-Smith.

“Age of sail” este o perioada ce nu putea sa lipseasca dintr-o asemenea initiativa si cred ca toata lumea este de acord.

“Cloud above water” de Natalie Millman, “Crossing the Waters” de Ika Vanderkoeck, “Here there be monsters” de Brad Carson si a “Swift changing course” de Jana Paniccia ne familiarizeaza cu personaje intalnite doar in largul marii cum ar fi: sirenele, spiritele elementale (elementals in engleza), piratii, negustorii de sclavi, ailliachi sau krakeni uriasi – despre care se spune ca sunt urmasii decazuti ai unei anumite specii fantastice. Si povestirile din aceasta zona mi s-au parut echilibrate si unele chiar transmit si mesaje.

Interesul poarta caciula in “Crossing the waters” si resursele nebanuite ce stau ascunse in interiorul fiecaruia ne pot salva deseori din situatii limita dupa cum putem observa in “A swift changing course”.

“The colonial Age” este o epoca in care miturile au cunoscut o raspandire mai mare, existand ce-i drept si o mai larga arie de acoperire si un contact mai pronuntat cu civilizatii necunoscute pina atunci.

Avem parte de idei de povestiri novatoare ce exploateaza necunoscutele si farmecul “Lumii noi” americane dupa cum am observat in “Blood and soil” de Ceri Young; drame de iubire aparute ca urmare a razboaielor dintre diversele natiuni expansioniste in “Fletcher`s ghost” de Liz Holliday; goblini fascinati de mecanisme si tehnologia (incipienta) a aburilor, gelosi in acelasi timp pe iubita stapanului, in “Immigrant” de Sandra Tayler. Textul de fata mi s-a parut si cel mai apetisant din aceasta perioada. Goblinul este foarte haios si bine creionat in incercarea sa de a-si apara “teritorul” atat in fata “dusmanilor” inchipuiti ce afecteaza programul de munca al stapanului sau, dar si a celor supranaturali ce il saboteaza cu adevarat.

“The Age of pioneers” se deschide cu povestirea, “A small Sacrifice” de Kristen Bonn, in care primeaza nevoia de a mentine tribul departe de pervertirea noii orinduieli, una dintre solutiile la care se recurge in final fiind si sacrificiul uman.

Atmosfera vestului salbatic ne inconjoara in textul “Pony up”, de Linda A.B. Davis, text cu un titlu foarte sugestiv, decorul fiind populat si cu niscaiva ponei Pegasus. Urmeaza “Gold at the end of the railroad” de Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, singurul text al antologiei care nu a reusit sa ma prinda si in consecinta l-am abandonat destul de timpuriu.

“The Pre-modern Age” este vazuta ca o epoca in care omul a alergat continuu sa-si impuna dominatia asupra naturii dar si un moment prielnic pentru miracolele stiintei si boom-ul tehnologic. Insa se intreaba antologatorii, si pe buna dreptate, mai pot acum emite sperante fortele mistice, mitologia, supranaturalul si magicul in concurenta directa cu aceste inovatii.

“The stone orrery” de Jennifer Crow pare a fi un episod desprins din deja mitul legendarei “time machine”. Destinul unei printese slave se impleteste cu cel al unui cercetator avid de afirmare si al unei femei aflate intr-o situatie delicata. Un text bine construit dar nu neaparat extraordinar.

Tony Pi, nominalizat la “The John W. Campbell Award” pentru cel mai bun scriitor debutant, a reusit sa ma prinda si pe mine cu textul sau, “Sphinx!”. Intr-o epoca in care Sfinxul si alte hibride fantastice au disparut de secole soarta le pregateste totusi o surpriza majora eroilor textului nostru. Mi s-a parut interesanta asocierea Sfinxului egiptean cu magia ghicitorilor. Un asemenea text cifrat sta la baza controlului ce poate fi exercitat asupra acestora oferind detinatorului putere nelimitata asupra destinului fiarei subjugate.

“A bird in the hand”, de Queenie Tirone, se detaseaza ca o alta incursiune in lumea fapturilor de basm, pasari pheonix, zane, magicieni detectivi si vraji puternice, sabii Excalibur si mafia chinezeasca, toate acestea populeaza lumea imaginata de scriitoare.

“The Age ahead” cuprinde doar doua istorisiri insa printre autorii lor se gaseste si scriitorul roman Costi Gurgu. “Mars Bound”, povestirea lui K.J. Gould urmareste o idee neconventionala si iesita din comun. Ea exploateaza credibil un viitor in care elfii traiesc alaturi de oameni si reusesc sa ajunga datorita ambitiei unuia dintre ei, “acolo unde nici un picior de elf nu a mai calcat vreodata”. Pe Marte. Prilej pentru autoare de a analiza radacinile provenientei magiei pe care elfii o poseda si o folosesc cu atata naturalete si gratie. O lucrare ce dovedeste ca imaginatia bate subiectele stereotipe si inca mai exista scriitori ce pot imagina abordari elfesti fara cusur. Dar nu pe la noi.

In “Angels and Moths”, Costi Gurgu trateaza debutul unui contact extraterestru ratat in prima instanta. Este un text cu substanta si vigoare literara ce aduce in discutie subiecte contoversate. Credinta in Divinitate, ispitirea constanta a sufletului, soarta implacabila, slabiciunea spiritului si a constiintei umane fiind doar cateva dintre ele.

Impresia mea este ca povestirea de fata se inscrie pe aceeasi linie cel putin, desi nu neaparat ca directie si complexitate, cu un alt text mai vechi al autorului, “Relatii Culturale”. Si acolo aveam prezenta o rasa de extraterestri inediti si bine “imbracati” literar, hipnotica prin unicitate si abordarea numerica, coordonate pe care de altfel le putem observa, in mare, si in textul de fata.

Finalul te pune un pic pe ganduri si indeamna la o re-lecturare a ultimelor evenimente pentru o mai buna decifrare, ceea ce denota atentia pentru constructia subtila si migaloasa a textului. Departe de mine dorinta de a lauda aiurea, insa scrierea mi s-a parut o prezenta solida si bine construita ce contribuie impreuna cu restul textelor reusite, la inradacinarea unei imagini generale de antologie reusita. Un punct de vedere extraterestru asupra ateismului personajului central mi-a oferit si paragraful preferat al intregii antologii :

"You have decided not to believe not because you`re convinced that there is nothing divine, but because you don`t need the divine presence in your life. You can live without it."

Ma gindeam ca spre deosebire de Best Sci-fi-urile lecturate recent, antologia “Ages of Wonder” frapeaza prin dimensiunile reduse si subtirime, textele prezente avand, marea majoritate, o intindere moderata cu o limita de cam maxim 20 de pagini in principiu.

Insa ea nu trebuie subestimata, ci dimpotriva, un cititor pretentios si iubitor de fantastic va putea descoperi mai mult de o mana de texte pe gusturile sale, in primul rand si datorita varietatii si constructiei riguroase a subiectelor abordate.

Eu am fost impresionat, si pe viitor o sa fiu sensibil mai atent la unele dintre numele prezente in paginile culegerii de texte, dar de ce nu, si la cel al antologatorilor.
Profile Image for Liviu.
2,610 reviews718 followers
April 14, 2009
It is very hard to write good genre fantasy short stories - and here I am not talking about fantastic, weird, slipstream ones, but "honest" genre, whether epic or urban ones. There are several reasons, but ultimately it boils down that genre fantasy depends a lot on characters and world building and those are difficult to do well at short length; not impossible, but just difficult.

If you need to showcase an idea, a twist, sense of wonder, weird, grotesque, atmosphere it's much easier to do it at short length.

So while I tried many fantasy anthologies, no "genre ones" managed to impress me - yes Logorrhea or Paper Cities did, but both are new weird, not traditional genre.

So I tend to avoid them, but once in a while I try the more promising ones and Ages of Wonder is one such with two really great stories to Play the Game of Men by Catlin Sweet - which starts with the striking "It's lonely, being the only horse in hell." and Angels and Moths by C. Gurgu with its superb twist ending and a bunch of good ones and quite a few I fast forwarded through.

Overall while far, far away from the magnificent sf/weird dominated anthologies I've read recently - see them in the "shorts" bookshelf - Ages of Wonder is a reasonably good anthology of genre fantasy.

But it's really tiring to have elves, faeries and such story after story

Profile Image for Yvonne Anderson.
Author 8 books46 followers
March 29, 2013
It was okay. I liked a few of the stories but not most. I should have read the blurb more carefully, as I didn't expect there to be so much magic involved. Magic stories are not my preference, so I was disappointed to find it in every one of these. For the most part, these tales gave me little to contemplate, and that's what I was looking for. However, most were well crafted and the editing was good, so I have no complaints there.
Profile Image for Sheila.
671 reviews33 followers
March 24, 2009
A great collection of stories--"The Stone Orrery" by Jennifer Crow is my favorite, but they were all great reads. The idea is that most fantasy stories are set either in medieval (ish) times or in modern times, so these stories are set anywhen else. Ancient Greece, colonial times, fantasy in space...really awesome.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
131 reviews10 followers
June 9, 2012
I'm a huge fan of short stories as long as they are written well. I guess that's a criteria most of us would use. I found the stories in this book for the most part extremely well written, very descriptive and about my favorite things: exploring and magic. For me it was a win/win.
Profile Image for Erika.
453 reviews34 followers
January 9, 2013
A neat concept, finding the ages that aren't as written about as sword-and-horse and urban fantasy.

All the stories were well-written and stood on their own, but some were "aw, I want more" because they were really cool worlds to play with.
8 reviews
Read
January 6, 2010
My story, "Mist Wraith," is in it! How can it not be a winner?
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews