Book Review – Fell Beasts and Fair

Book: Fell Beasts and Fair: A Noblebright Fantasy Anthology. Edited by C.J. Brightley
Release Date: March 20th 2018
Tags: Anthology / Fantasy / High Fantasy / Shapeshifters / Mummies / Dragons / Leprechaun / Mythical Creatures

Thank you to author Intisar Khanani for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis

 In this exciting collection of noblebright fantasy, fresh new fantasy voices and award-winning authors explore grief and hope, sacrifice and heroism. Rediscover the best aspect of classic fantasy – the noblebright ideals that made heroes heroic, even when the world grew dark around them.
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Thieves, dragons, nightmares, fairy warriors, pookas, enchanted bear-men, and other magical creatures will delight you in these unique tales of possibility, courage, and hope.
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This anthology features stories from:
Leslie J. Anderson, C.A. Barrett, Terri Bruce, Aaron DaMommio, M.C. Dwyer, Anthony Eichenlaub, Francesca Forrest, Chloe Garner, W.R. Gingell, Lora Gray, Kelly A. Harmon, Tom Howard, Rollin Jewett, Tom Jolly, Samuel Marzioli, Amanda Nargi, Aimee Ogden, Beth Powers, Darrell J. Pursiful, Charles D. Shell, April Steenburgh, Alena Sullivan, and Troy Tang. Edited by Robert McCowen and C. J. Brightley

Review

Fell Beasts and Fair is a Noblebright fantasy anthology. What is noblebright fantasy you might ask. As the editor of this anthology describes it on her own website: noblebright fantasy has at least one flawed character with noble motives who ends up doing the right thing. Looking back on this anthology that certainly fits the bill for all of the main characters in the stories that were featured.

Overall I enjoyed this anthology. I thought it was off to a very good start with the first few stories that tickled my imagination in creativity and diving into worlds. There were quite a few that I would loved to have read more of like the arrangement in Cloudy with a Chance of Dropbears with a very funny leprechaun. Or the librarian that is also taking care of a mummy that can heal the people living in the town in Bordeleau, WI. But I was very taken in by Blanche, Bear Wife. While this romance type of story is not usually something that I am drawn to I was very drawn to the main character who felt like she could be me. She resonated with me in such a way that I could settle easily into her thoughts and motivations.

Unfortunately this raised my expectations for the rest of the stories. Expectations that could not be met. I thought especially in the middle some of the stories lost some strength in capturing my attention with the characters. I even lost interest in dragon story when that became too close to a Christian type of story for my liking.

Having said that though, all the stories were well written. And what didn’t tickle my fancy could easily be a great read to somebody else. I think there is something to find for every fantasy fan in this anthology for sure.

Stories Rating

5 stars
Blanche, Bear-Wife

4 stars
Cloudy with a Chance of Dropbears / Don’t Wake the Dragon / Love and Room for Monsters / Bordeleau, WI / The Pooka’s Day / Roadtrip / The Unanswered Riddle

3,5 stars
Siphoning the Flames of Life

3 stars
Inheritance of Monsters / Everything Mimsy / The Gallows Maiden / The Boy Who Didn’t Believe in Halloween / Nessecary Threads / Pinecones / The Dove Assisi / Like Sand in Your Teeth / When Gracie’s Father Fought

2 stars
A Midsummer Night’s Bedtime Story / Angus McCarn and the Tale of Two Tales / Winter Horses and Other Unknownables / Last Knight and the Burning Sands / The Lady and the Unicorn