Jason Waltz’s Reviews > Battle Magic > Status Update

"Warlord" is a great, great story. Tremendous character and storytelling. I feel I should keep this anthology simply to always have this at hand.

Michelle West is giving me what I sought in this anthology - a hell of a story!

Book is getting on track finally, but too late to save it. Josepha Sherman's "A Matter of Honor" was delightful, nicely rendered heroine in a great battle magic story.

Julie Czemeda's first fantasy tale is rather well-done and catchy. Unique story with unique delivery of an old premise with ok characters and good use of battle magic.

"Hell's Bane" - Oy vey.

Ah, the reason I keep reading this mess of a book. Nina Kiriki Hoffman's "Bright Streets of Air" is an elegant, excellent tale I never would have found otherwise. Absolutely outside my regular reading wheelhouse, but a terrifically told story. Again, though, a surprise to find within this anthology as it is yet another story that doesn't match the marketing. A delight to read, but not enough to save this book.

'Rite of Passage' is a God-awfully depressingly and nastily dark story that should never have been included. The selection editing on this anthology sucks. Nothing like reading a cruel and horrific tale in the midst of a bunch of tripe.

Reichert wrote an interesting take on magic and users. Some battling occurred, but mostly it was a whiny fellow's internal struggle.

Tilton's "Miracle of Salamis" definitely brings the battle magic, and it is a great rendition of Greek myth. It is also a boatload of 'tell' in an almost academic delivery.

Helfers' "Principles of Warfare" -- Finally a real story about battle magic as advertised - and delightfully reminiscent of CL Werner's Oba tales.