Hart & Boot by Tim Pratt
Jan. 20th, 2010 03:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
essentialsaltesIt was tough work mustering up the courage to review a friend's book; it's almost as hard to review a FOAF's book.
Hart & Boot & Other Stories collects a baker's dozen of Pratt's fantasy short stories. I think even in the narrow date range of the stories in here, there's a welcome progression toward greater creativity. Some of the earlier ones are solid, but somewhat workmanlike, translations of myths (or other tropes) into a modern fantasy setting. Though they mostly avoid cliche, some bites definitely have that microwaved leftovers taste to them. Later stories unleash much more originality, with exotic worlds filled with a little more mystery, and less reliance on pat endings. I think "Dream Engine" and "Cup and Table" were my favorites of the lot.
Hart & Boot & Other Stories collects a baker's dozen of Pratt's fantasy short stories. I think even in the narrow date range of the stories in here, there's a welcome progression toward greater creativity. Some of the earlier ones are solid, but somewhat workmanlike, translations of myths (or other tropes) into a modern fantasy setting. Though they mostly avoid cliche, some bites definitely have that microwaved leftovers taste to them. Later stories unleash much more originality, with exotic worlds filled with a little more mystery, and less reliance on pat endings. I think "Dream Engine" and "Cup and Table" were my favorites of the lot.
