The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2017 edited by Paula Guran, part 3
The Jaws That Bite, The Claws That Catch
By Seanan McGuire. A follow up to ‘Alice In Wonderland’ that hints at the unignorbale changes Alice left in Wonderland and how the pervasiveness of her impact reaches even the monsters. This was excellent and heartfelt.
Best Lines:
“Shun the wood.”
“Sometimes the Rabbit punished those who broke their oaths. More often, the Rabbit punished those who caused those oaths to broken.”
“The Rabbit had teeth, even if most chose to forget them.”
The Rime Of The Cosmic Mariner
A tale of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, drugs and Lovecraftian horrors. This is a hectoring deleterious passé tale.
Fairy Tales Are For White People
An aggressive conflict kicks off when the price for a wish comes due. This hasn’t any level of credibility.
Lullaby For A Lost World
An excellent post-apoc tale of a victim of those who will do anything to survive, no matter the terrible damage done.
The Finest, Fullest Flowering
An island paradise of wild abandon gets a new resident. Is the ending supposed to be agitating? Because it isn’t. This is a waster.
Spinning Silver
By Naomi Novik. This is a variation on The Miller’s Daughter tale. She is drawn into a deal with elves and her wit and wiles make her rich. This was very good.
Grave Goods
I’ve no idea what this was about.
Braids Of Days and Wake Of Nights
A woman looks for a unicorn. This was not nuanced or measured or a significant achievement.
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The Invitation by Diane Hoh
Terrible 90s YA horror full of venal and unscrupulous teens.
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Fear Street Cheerleaders: The First Evil by R.L. Stine
Dramatic cover but full of contrivances.
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Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Blooded by Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder
Forgettable.
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Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Power Of Persuasion by Elizabeth Massie
Forgettable as in I literally forgot this lazy book existed.
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The Boyfriend by R.L. Stine
Dumb 90s YA horror that is sheer incompetence.