Product Description
A collection of short graphic narrative adaptions of Scottish, English, and Irish ballads written by respected authors in the fantasy and mystery book field and drawn by award winning artist Charles Vess. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

There's never enough Vess
In this book, Vess has taken a number of classical and modern ballads, and filled in the visual story around them. The drawn narrative is a varied as the stories. Some pictures, like the whole-page birth scene, are entire stories in themselves. Not many people can put as much into black and white a Vess, as this book demonstrates.

I wish I could give this book five stars, but this isn't the greatest presentation of his work. His best work has a very delicate line. Maybe it was just the printing process, but this book came through in a coarser style. His black and white work is outstanding, but I like his color work too - this book was not able to show any of Vess' skill as a colorist.

These short stories fit nicely with Vess' renderings of operas and other long pieces. I recommend this book to anyone who already like his art. If you're a newcomer, though, other books give a better idea of why his work is so special.

This should be a series, not a single volume!
Songs, obviously, have a musical component. Ballads, specifically, have more than just words; they have stories to tell as well. Now, thanks to Charles Vess, they have their visual side, too.

In his book Ballads, collected from earlier issues of his Book of Ballads and Sagas, Vess gives a new aspect to folk songs passed down through the ages. Visually stunning, his black and white illustrations expose the true faces of the heroes and villains of song.

Vess drew on the writing talents of writers Neil Gaiman, Jane Yolen, Charles de Lint, Midori Snyder, Sharyn McCrumb, Delia Sherman and Jeff Smith to give focus to the words, tightening the ballads into short story-length vignettes. Combined, their work is a wonderful way to re-expose yourself to the ballads. Anyone new to the folk song milieu will likely be inspired to track down some of the recordings listed in Ken Roseman's accompanying discography.

Ballads is a delightful collection, both for the text and the art which helps tell the story.

wish I had it!
I have loved Charles Vess' work since I first saw him do a Spider-Man/Wendigo story for Marvel in the 80's.Elegant lineworkaccentuates the fantastical nature of these "ballads and sagas". This is a labor of love for the artist and it shows in every panel.I ownthe individual issues and wait with bated breath for further work by thisextremely talented individual.

Charles Vess' "Ballads" is compelling and exquisite.
"Ballads" is the trade paperback collection of Vess' four-issue "Book of Ballads and Sagas" comic book. Writers include Neil Gaiman, Charles deLint, Jane Yolen, and Sharyn Crumb. The stories areall based upon songs such as "Twa Corbies," "BarbaraAllen," and "Tam Lin." They are all exceptionallywell-written, and the illustrations are beautiful, sensitively drawn penand ink work by one of today's finest proponents of fantasy art. Mr. Vess'work has been compared to Arthur Rackham's, and believe me, he certainlydoesn't suffer by the comparison.This book will be loved and treasurednot just by afficionados of fantasy, but also by fans of folk music, and byall those who appreciate truly fine artwork. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Average SF Tale
This is a fantasy/sci fi story of a future where the earth is used up and only a handful of survivors exist, and they no longer can copulate. But they can clone a woman from cells to breed with a man who has been entombed throughout history called The Clock King. And the cloned woman is the Queen of the Hourglass. The story tells of her upbringing until she is menstruating and able to reproduce. The story takes a turn and doesn't end the way the last humans had planed, but it all works out in the end. This was a light fantasy story that was an ok read, nothing more. ... Read more

Product Description
Ancient magic and the Internet weave a spell in the latest Newford novel from urban fantasy master Charles de Lint.

Charles de Lint's "Newford" novels, loosely-linked tales with overlapping characters set in an imaginery modern North American city, are the gold standard of modern urban fantasy.

De Lint tells tales of magic and myth afoot on today's city streets, but at the center of every de Lint story is the miracle of the human heart. And at the heart of Spirits in the Wires are Saskia Madding and Christiana Tree, both of whom are tied to a perennial Newford character, the writer Christy Riddell.

Are either Saskia or Christiana real? Christy's girlfriend, Saskia, believes she was born in a Web site, while Christiana is Christy's "shadow-self" -- all the parts of him that he cast out when he was seven years old.

At a popular Newford online research and library Web site called the Wordwood, a mysterious "crash" occurs. Everyone visiting the site at the moment of the crash vanishes from where they were sitting in front of their computers. Saskia disappears right before Christy's eyes, along with countless others.

Now Christy and his companions must journey into Newford's otherworld, where the Wordwood, it transpires, has a physical presence of its own -- to rescue their missing friends and loved ones and to set this viral spirit right before it causes further harm.

This audiobook is delivered as an MP3-CD disc containing MP3 files. In order to play this title you must have either a computer that is capable of playing MP3 audio though an application like Apple's iTunes or Real Network's RealPlayer or an MP3 device like an Apple iPod, Creative Labs NOMAD MuVo TX FM 256 MB MP3 Player (DAP-TD0004) or a Compact Disc player that is capable of playing MP3 audio like the Sony D-EJ100PS Psyc Walkman Portable CD Player (Black) or Panasonic SL-SX430 Portable CD/MP3 Player with D-Sound.This audiobook cannot be played on most Compact Disc players that are more than 2 years old.If your computer has a CD Burner (CD recording drive) you can make standard Compact Discs that are playable in almost all CD players.Please see the User Manual for your MP3 player application software for instructions. ... Read more

Product Description
The editor of Spirits of Christmas collects new works from Gene Wolfe, Alan Dean Foster, Patricia A. McKillip, Charles de Lint, and others, including stories of strange virgin births and high-tech holidays on other planets. ... Read more

Product Description
Every great writer has to start somewhere. Here in one volume are the magical debuts of today's greatest fantasy legends-with new introductions and insight from the esteemed editors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

One of the 'beginnings' anthologies: 16 fantasy(ish) stories
Each of these stories is a 'first' story (in 3rd person limited unless otherwise specified), and is accompanied by a short essay by the author describing how the story came to be written and published.

The essays are often worth reading - "Third Time Lucky", for example, was indeed accepted for publication by the third outfit to which it was submitted, and wouldn't have existed if Tanya Huff had favoured snow-skiing, for example, over ogling the men at Caribbean resorts.

Apart from the entertainment value, the essays also provide some interesting information on the writers' development, as writers in general and of these stories in particular.

Beagle, Peter S.: "My Daughter's Name Is Sarah" is narrated by her father, a professor who can only watch the 11-year-old's first crush, hoping she doesn't get hurt. Rather than F/SF, this is Beagle's first 'attempt at dealing believably with believable human beings'.

Bull, Emma: "The Rending Dark" (from SWORD AND SORCERY 1) Written partially to supply things missing from Conan stories: friendship and chatty dialogue (one of the two ladies is a Songsmith, the other can hold her own) - as well as being a lost colony world rather than magical.

de Lint, Charles: "The Fane of the Grey Rose" (from SWORDS AGAINST DARKNESS VI, later expanded to the novel THE HARP OF THE GREY ROSE) Cerin (the narrator), a 20-year-old farm labourer and self-taught harper, meets a maid in market one day he nicknames for the flower in her hair. Rather than his lover, she becomes his dearest friend. But somebody else is pursuing her down the years...

Friesner, Esther: "The Stuff of Heroes" Margaret came up with the ultimate gimmick for a romance writer (even though she's really a tech designer with delusions of literary grandeur). Unfortunately, she's hitting the brandy this evening because now that other authors can use the gimmick, her own work won't sell.

Hobb, Robin (as Lindholm, Megan): "Bones for Dulath" (from AMAZONS!) The first Ki and Vandien story, which led to the novel HARPY'S FLIGHT. (Both are swordfighters, just in different styles, rapier and broadsword.) After her partner is poisoned in a pit trap, Ki must find an antidote. The only trouble is, the antidote requires seeking the monster that *created* the trap...

Huff, Tanya: "Third Time Lucky" What if the most powerful wizard in the world were also the laziest, and only wanted to loaf at home on a tropical island? Unfortunately, although Magdalene feels no need to show off - she's had centuries to learn self-confidence - other wizards can be slow learners.

I enjoy Magdalene's casual style. A bad rider (and *atrocious* singer of bawdy songs), she's apt to grumble over the conditions of travel, as well as haggling over passage (and collecting her share of the resulting savings). Any sensible monster recognizes her, shuts up, and leaves IMMEDIATELY. The supporting cast - her demon housekeeper who rarely loses arguments in the marketplace, the villagers who find her a useful neighbour, and the rather nervous guards sent to deliver another wizard's challenge to her - are also entertaining.

Kushner, Ellen: "The Unicorn Masque" (from Windling's ELSEWHERE 1) was composed by Lazarus to please the queen - who does not know that Lazarus' patrons have created *him* to please her, for plans of their own that even he knows little of.

Lackey, Mercedes: "A Different Kind of Courage" - see FREE AMAZONS OF DARKOVER.

LeGuin, Ursula K.: "April in Paris" (from THE WIND'S TWELVE QUARTERS) A frustrated alchemist in the Spider King's reign attempts to invoke a demon, but nets a 20th century mediaeval scholar instead, each depressed over a life's work spent producing a book nobody else will ever care about - and *still* not KNOWING the truth of their subjects of study.

Norman, Lisanne: "The Jewel and the Demon" (from BATTLE MAGIC) is actually a Sholan Alliance story set on the low-tech world of Jalna. The magic system involves psychic abilities with a minimum of wand-waving, so any 'magic' tends to have a more 'scientific' explanation. As for the demon, he sees a way to cut a deal with a reasonable thief rather than the unreasonable mage he's enslaved to...

Norton, Andre: "People of the Crater" - see Norton's GARAN THE ETERNAL.

Patton, Fiona: "The Raven's Quest" - see CAMELOT FANTASTIC. Merlin's raven companion runs afoul of Nimue - but his habit of speaking only in questions saves his life only to condemn him to ask one particular question of everyone he meets.

Reichert, Mickey Zucker: The chieftain's young son has been sent to find "The Ulfjarl's Stone" to save his father's life - and prove himself.

Rusch, Kristine Kathryn: "Sing" The narrator remembers the Earth-human who came among her people years ago to study something he couldn't find words for in their language: music.

Shwartz, Susan: "The Fires of Her Vengeance" (from THE KEEPER'S PRICE) Marelie Hastur, Keeper of Arilinn, returns to her Tower after being raped by bandits (which occurs before the story opens), who left her alive in the mistaken belief that a Keeper no longer a virgin is no longer a threat. Strong points: victim's reaction to rape. Weak points: unexplained situation leading up to the ambush. Also, the story would be hard to follow outside the context of the Way of Arilinn and the strictures placed upon its practitioners (see Bradley's THE FORBIDDEN TOWER).

West, Michelle: "Birthnight" (from Greenberg's CHRISTMAS BESTIARY) How each of the firstborn and endless creatures of magic - including the dragon, the phoenix, the unicorn, and the Queen of Faerie - follow a star across a desert to seek a child that will be born of magic, and yet the end of magic's reign.

Less than Magical
Wondrous Beginnings, the science fiction companion volume was much better.

The best thing about this book would be the introductions by each author telling a bit about themselves and the story and how it came to be.

The stories, as one would expect from first published stories, are not of the world-changing variety. Perhaps the best is Peter Beagle's story, and that one isn't fantasy at all, nor science fiction.

The stories aren't bad mind you, some of them are reasonably good. The majority though are middle of the road pieces that are somewhat predictable showing the authors before they developed their voices.

This review may be coloured by the fact I had just finished both Wondrous Beginnings, and Assassin Fantastic. Both DAW anthologies also. This caused me to notice the line-up of the authors was virtually the same in this collection as in Assassin Fantastic. Thus, not really a great overview of the field, but a showcase for the current DAW workhorses(excepting a few). It would have been nice if they could have licensed short stories from authors currently under contract to other publishers for their novels. The collection would have been stronger had they gone farther afield rather than just showing off their own authors.

This was a good idea, but the roster of authors wasn't representative of the stars of the field in my opinion. Of course that does mean you may be exposed to new authors, which is always a good thing. Unfortunately, too many collections of the same authors has caused me a familiarity that has bred not yet contempt, but a bit of apathy.

fun fantasy anthology
This fantasy anthology provides fans with the introductory story that sixteen fan favorites started their illustrious respective career.The contributions are fun to read though the quality varies with none being atrocious, but not all sixteen being incredibly fantastic.With each tale, the author of that story furnishes an interesting introduction that includes insight and understanding into their career.Clearly not for the casual genre reader, the fascination is not just with each tale, albeit as engaging they are, but also to compare the MAGICAL BEGINNINGS with recent releases from a virtual who's who.

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Product Description
Fantastical stories to spur the imagination.

What if? It’s a question that is the beginning ofendless possibilities. When science fiction writer Monica Hughes posed this question to a group ofscience fiction and fantasy writers, the result wasthis incredible collection of stories.

Covering the galaxy in setting and every possible emotion, these tales pose some interesting questions. What if the moon was haunted by a beautiful maiden? What if noise was forbidden and music was a crime? What if famous people were cloned over and over again? What if only you could save the world and you don’t know how?

List of contributors for What If…?
Alison Baird, Edo van Belkom, Lesley Choyce, Joan Clark, Charles de Lint, Sarah Ellis,Marcel Gagné, Priscilla Galloway, James Alan Gardner, Monica Hughes, Jason Kapalka,Eileen Kernaghan, Alice Major, Robert Priest,Jean-Louis Trudel, Tim Wynne-Jones ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not very trippy what-ifs
A what-if book should have really intriguing what-ifs for the writers in the book to work from (or should at least collect intriguing tales of the sort).It's not good enough to get decent writers...the what-ifs have to be ultimately compelling as well.They, more often than not, are the root of the reasoning behind readers picking up such collections.Sadly, this book doesn't give us too many chair-gripping scenarios: "What if the last snow leopard on Earth were threatened?""What if the animals grew huge and took over?""What if you could breathe life into paper?"

Yeah, what if.Big deal.These examples aren't even true what-if scenarios (alternate realities, twisted moments of decision in time, etc.)...just fantasy or horror tossed into a what-if pot.Asking "What if you could breathe life into paper?" isn't a question of leaping logic or missed opportunity or the world gone mad, it's fantasy, and when I want to read that, I go to the fantasy end of the bookcase.

Good idea gone bad.

A Different Approach to Science Fiction
Do you like science fiction? This book could be a combination of science fiction and short stories. There are 2 big poems in it and many stories talk about a different type of the end of the world-one with a six-year-old girl ruling all ('Muffin Explains Teleology to the World at Large') and two siblings that never expected the end to go on forever ('The Book of Days'). Many stories are just potporri. There are lots of different types of stories to satisfy lots of different tastes. The weakest story is that of Monica Hughes herself ('The Stranger')- but you could hardly say it was bad. My personal favorite was 'A Wish Named Arnold' in which a girl named Margurite finds a "wish" in a brass unscrewable egg. They develop a close relationship, as Margurite is able to 'talk' to Arnold. They get so close that Margurite soon forgets he is a wish-and leaves him in a resturaunt. To find out the end, buy this awesome 5 star book-or check it out at your librairy. It is an awesome book that will satisfy your every desire for knowledge and a good book. ... Read more

Product Description
Here is the eagerly anticipated follow-up to the award-winninganthology Firebirds! Firebirds Rising takes readers from deepspace to Faerie to just around the corner. It is full of magic, humor,adventure, and—best of all—the unexpected. The one thingreaders can count on is marvelous writing. Firebirds Rising provesonce again that Firebird is a gathering place for writers and readersof speculative fiction from teenage to adult, from the UnitedStates to Europe, Asia, and beyond. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Ok for someone who loves fantasy AND sci fi
I liked half of this book, to be honest I didn't read the whole thing. I am a huge science fiction fan and this book has both science fiction and fantasy stories. I don't really like fantasy all that much so I did not enjoy some of the fantasy stories, but that is my preference. Overall, this book is a good read and I would recommend it to any science fiction or fantasy fan. It is a good compilation of great authors. All of the science fiction stories from the book that I read drew me in from the first or second page and by the end of the story I was left wanting more. I would definitely consider buying books from the authors featured in the book. This book is a great buy for any science fiction or fantasy fan looking for a new fix when they run out of books to read.

A Good Collection
I read the first collection, The Firebird, and feel in love all over again with Megan W. Turner and for this book, in addition to my already favorite authors, it introduced me to more of authors whose styles I like very much.

First of all is Ellen Klages, with 'In The House of the Seven Librarians'. I love her prose and all the words make a nice song in my head. It was almost like a poetry.

Second is Tanith Lee. I haven't had the chance to read her books but I like her story 'The House on The Planet'. The title reminds me of Laura Ingalls' :) It has the taste of pioneering adventure in it but of course, with a surprise at the ending. ... Read more

Product Description
Welcome to Newford. . . .

Welcome to the music clubs, the waterfront, the alleyways where ancient myths and magic spill into the modern world. Come meet Jilly, painting wonders in the rough city streets; and Geordie, playing fiddle while he dreams of a ghost; and the Angel of Grasso Street gathering the fey and the wild and the poor and the lost. Gemmins live in abandoned cars and skells traverse the tunnels below, while mermaids swim in the grey harbor waters and fill the cold night with their song.

Like Mark Helprin's A Winter's Tale and John Crowley's Little, Big, Dreams Underfoot is a must-read book not only for fans of urban fantasy but for all who seek magic in everyday life.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

another favorite
Charles de Lint creates some of the most beautiful prose I've ever read...

In literature, there are many places to visit while one breathes in the scent of ink and paper, but how often can we find a place that we wish were real? And because it seems so very real and solid, naturally there should be a way to find it. I want to visit Newford. I want to see the Tombs from Gracie Street, and talk with Jilly, Geordie, and Christy.

Newford sucks me into the vast history of itself, and doesn't let go.

It makes for gorgeous reading, curled up in the sunlight from the picture window with a cup of very sweet tea.

Right now I'm re-reading Dreams Underfoot, which is the book I originally discovered Newford through. I'd read Jack the Giant Killer when I was reading all of the Fairy Tale series that Terri Windling organized and edited (which also introduced me to the astounding art of Thomas Canty), and I couldn't resist reading more of his books. Uncle Dobbin's Parrot Fair, the first story in this collection, imprinted itself in my memory with indelible ink, and suddenly... I wasn't just reading fantasy because it was re-told fairy tales (and I do so love Grimm's)- I was reading fantasy for the magic in the words.

And at that point I replaced the Star Trek books I was addicted to with this new, strange world of fantasy. With elves and slippery magic that is almost invisible...

One thing led to another, and now I'm a well-rounded geek- well read in classics and fantasy, science fiction and children's lit. This round-about path is what brought me to Dungeons & Dragons, which led to attending GenCon...

Which is where I met my future husband.

Funny how life works, isn't it?

Superb Collection of Intertwined Short Stories
Having only read de Lint's novels, I was slightly skeptical about a book of short stories at first.However, I've always been a fan of both de Lint's work and the medium, so I gave it a try and was definitely not disappointed.The Dreams Underfoot collection is no new subject matter for de Lint.It focuses on urban fantasy just as the overwhelming majority of his work does.

The gripes I had with the book are small in comparison to the pleasure I got out of reading it.First is the prevalence of the theme.It is a rare thing to find a short story collection where a given theme is clearly present in every single piece.In Dreams Underfoot, the theme that reality is made of what we make of it, can be found throughout the stories.Most of the time it blends in fairly seamlessly with the story.However, there were definitely several moments where I felt like the characters were beating me over the head with it.We get it.I can only listen to Jilly, the most common Newford character, explain her fantastical beliefs so many times before it gets old.My only other gripe with the work is that of a common trend I have found in most of de Lint's work, and that is the glorification of bohemian, city life at the expense of other lifestyles.But that is a fairly nitpicky sort of detail that de Lint's storytelling and talent generally drowns out.

I dearly loved most of the stories in this collection.A couple of them were eerie and had a horrific touch to them that I hadn't personally encountered in de Lint's work before, and the sinister thrill of "Uncle Dobbin's Parrot Fair" and "Timeskip" were quite delicious."The Sacred Fire" is another darker piece that really grabs the reader and pulls you in.One of the most captivating stories for me was the final one, "Tallulah."For those of you looking for a glimpse of the author in his stories, this might be as close as you'll ever get.

Overall, I unreservedly recommend this book.Both to long time de Lint fans, and to those who have never picked up a single one of his books.For you newcomers, this is a particularly could place to step in and get to know Charles de Lint's fantastical city of Newford and all its unique denizens.

A beautiful compilation
Short stories that move in and around eachother, interweaving with beautiful complexity; that is what Dreams Underfoot is. It's classic de Lint style and not to bemissed for anybody who is a fan!

Great urban story telling
I am not normaly into urban fiction, but this book was recommended to me by a good friend. This book is a collection of short stories all taking place in and around a fictional NE/S Canadian town. The lore that is woven in this book is equally fantastic and beleivable. The characters come to life in a way that makes it seem more a biographical account than a work of fiction, which makes the extraordinary themes in the book not only plausable but seem a matter of fact. If you feel you are missing a little bit of magic in your life then this book (or any other de Lint book for that matter) is what you are looking for.

Disappointingly average
This book was recommended to me after I enjoyed Susanna Clarke's 'Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell', and I thought the premise of 'Dreams Underfoot' sounded brilliant.

And it is. Where the book runs into a wall is this: In order to pull off a convincing mesh of plain old reality and amazing fantasy, you first have to make 'plain old reality' seem REAL.

There is nothing 'real' about the book's 'real world'. Ordinary people in Newford are ordinary in the same way that people on TV are ordinary: everyone's just varying degrees of acceptable and attractive. They speak about as convincingly as they look... dialogue is sometimes stilted to the point of being embarrassing. No one in a modern urban setting actually says "he's soooo dreamy!", and you don't make a convincing Latino character by having him address his "Anglo" (why not 'gabacho' if you want an accurate pejorative?) friend as "Bobby-o". For crying out loud.

I want to love the characters, but they are so predictable and/or unrealistic. Jilly, the one who knows about magic, is an amazing talented artist (of course) who somehow grew up on the streets (yet has no issues at all) and loves everyone, managing to be best buddies with every single person in the city from socialites to hobos (she's just the only person who /understands/). De Lint pretends she's plain by giving her unruly hair and baggy clothes, but then goes on to make a point of how charming and petite she looks.

The socialite girl is fashionable, wants to go do inane things, and doesn't 'get' the Pogues. Of course. The cop is a tough guy with a cigar named Lou who acts hard but really has a soft spot for Jilly. Of course. Street people are never alcoholics and meth addicts, they're just fey and misunderstood. Of course.

I was unable to maintain a suspension of disbelief, no matter how I wanted to. By the time fantasy things happened, I'd already been rolling my eyes at the 'reality setting', and the impact was lost.

This book is not completely bad. The fantasy is undermined by the ridiculous reality, but there are some intriguing and unique concepts presented here and there. My disappointment is heightened by how much I'd been looking forward to reading this and how much I wanted it to be amazing, but overall 'Dreams Underfoot' comes across as simply average... you could do a lot worse, but you could also do a lot better. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Well researched and excellently written!
I purchased this book a while back, read the first chapter, then promptly misplaced it.A few months later, I did a lot of research into the Romany culture.Then a couple of months ago, I found my copy again - joy!I re-read the first chapter, now understanding more as I knew quite a bit more about Romany.This is a more difficult read in some ways than other de Lint works, but worth the effort.You can tell he did a lot of research, although I found some of the aspects of Rom culture he used to be a bit stereotypical - people who don't know about Rom probably wouldn't notice.In the afterward he comments about the book having been written during a time when "culture borrowing" wasn't as politically incorrect as it is these days - and to those people who have a problem with a non-Rom writing a book incorporating the culture... hmmph!I see nothing wrong with it in small doses, so don't worry about it, Charles!Overall, an excellent read!

Exceptional work and a compulsive read.
Mulengro like all of Charles De Lint's novels speaks to the enigmatic, mysterious and magical in an utterly believable way. But perhaps more than any other of his books, the magic in Mulengro is dark and disturbing. Horror fans would not be disappointed but it is far more sophisticated thaneven the finest horror story. There are even elements that would appeal tolovers of Crime and Thriller books. More accurately, however, Mulengro is atale of two opposing cultures, peoples, moralities and ways of life thatare forced by circumstances to face the unthinkable together. Mulengro is ajourney of the soul into the dark, the light and the nether world between.I would be surprised if the reader remained untouched by the experience ofreading Mulengro. I thoroughly recommend it.

Good book about the Rom (if you're a DeLint fan)
Charles DeLint's 1985 novel, Mulengro, is worth reading for one of two reasons:it allows a DeLint fan to compare his older writings to his current works and it offers a (somewhat simplified) insight into thecontemporary life of "gypsies" in North America.Unfortunately,the book also suffers from a villain-driven plot (an all-too-common deviceof DeLint's), too many characters to allow full or almost any characterdevelopment, blatant manipulation of emotions (having a man ripped apart byrabid dogs in front of his wife and child reminded me of Corman at hisworst)and, finally, there were far too many trite expressions.When areader compares this work to DeLint's three brilliant short storyselections or two of his latest works such as "Trader" or "Someplace to Be Flying" he or she can be confident that theauthor has certainly honed his craft since the last decade.

Extremely well written and researched and RIVETTING
One of the very best 'stories' I have ever read. Haunting, remembered after only one reading.It is available again through an English press.Look for it, find it and BUY It.Worth every penny.

Well Researched on the subject of the Rom!!!
I was pleased & delighted to read a novel dealing with the Rom Spiritual point of view, without either making them out to be criminals or a people to be pitied. ... Read more