A very mixed collection of stories, though most are roughly nineteenth century in setting --though by no means our nineteenth century. Just the fact that it includes one uncollected Dr. Esterhazy story ("The Odd Old Bird') would make it worthwhile for me. Davidson was an extraordinary writer with a great gift for language, though some stories are too sad for my taste. ( )

Fascinating collection from a too-little known author of genre-crossing works. As one of the editors states, "Davidson's works were often deeper than they were long" and this collection is a pretty good example of that. The longest story probably tops out at 30+ pages, but in those brief passages Davidson manages to create entire worlds, alternate histories, fiendish conspiracies, and strange magicks.

Some of the stories are fascinatingly obtuse. They appear to be going nowhere and suddenly, in the last few paragraphs everything gels in a way that makes you wonder what you missed in your cluelessness. (Or as I described elsewhere, the feeling is as of being handed a jigsaw puzzle piece by piece and then being allowed a glimpse at the picture on the front of the box.)

Others play like delightful shaggy dog stories, odd meanderings while Davidson has fun with language, literary or historical figures, or genre conventions.

On the whole, a delightful collection of stories from a fascinatingly original writer. ( )

An eccentric collection by an exceedingly eccentric author. It's an excellent volume to pair with The Avram Davidson Treasury. Most of these stories are weirdly skewed peeks at a recent past that never quite was or just might have been. In the Davidson tradition, some stories are impenetrable, and you put the book down shaking your head. Others (like Twenty Three, The Peninsula, and Dragon Skin Drum) are just brilliant. Davidson fans will certainly want to own this. Newcomers might want to start with the Treasury (or might I suggest The Phoenix and the Mirror?). ( )

A strange, delightful collection of stories, most straddling the line between fantasy and science fiction. ( )