BookPleasures.com - http://www.bookpleasures.com/websitepublisher
Animythical Tales Reviewed By Lois Henderson Of Bookpleasures.com
http://www.bookpleasures.com/websitepublisher/articles/2467/1/Animythical-Tales--Reviewed-By-Lois-Henderson-Of-Bookpleasurescom/Page1.html
Lois C. Henderson

Reviewer Lois C. Henderson: Lois is a freelance academic editor and back-of-book indexer, who spends most of her free time compiling word search puzzles for tourism and educative purposes. Her puzzles are available HERE and HERE Her Twitter account (@LoisCHenderson) mainly focusses on the toponymy of British place names. Please feel welcome to contact her with any feedback at LoisCourtenayHenderson@gmail.com.





 
By Lois C. Henderson
Published on May 3, 2010
 

Author: Sarah Totton
Publisher: Fantastic Books
ISBN 10: 1-60459-932-4. ISBN 13: 978-1-60459-932-9

Animythical Tales contain just enough of reality to place the scenes within the broader context of the real world, so that the readers are not estranged from what transpires in the course of the stories themselves

Author: Sarah Totton
Publisher: Fantastic Books
ISBN 10: 1-60459-932-4. ISBN 13: 978-1-60459-932-9.

 Click Here To Purchase Animythical Tales

In Forrest Aguirre’s introduction to this collection of fantastical tales, he describes the reading of her stories as resembling “walking into a field of Technicolor gems”, in which “the rainbow colors” account for “the distinctive, sharp visual lines that make her word-paintings so striking”. He finds that her characterizations show a wide breadth of emotion, and are hard to categorize “because they are moving targets, capable of change and growth”. Their variable moods make them more like the rest of us than are the average melodramatic characters that frequent the pages of certain other speculative fiction.

A sense of either the celebration or loss of childhood innocence that permeates these pages speaks to one on an emotional level throughout the tales, being all the more effectively conveyed by the closeness to the animal world that the stories reflect. The androgynous nature of the tales should also appeal to a wide audience, no matter whether it is the role reversal in “A Fish Story”, in which an undesired, but exceptionally resourceful, maiden attempts to snare a disinterested young man whom she ardently admires by catching an elusive fish, or in “The Man with the Seahorse Head” (a Regional Winner for Canada and the Caribbean in the prestigious Commonwealth Short Story Competition in 2007), who nurtures progeny that ultimately swim out to sea. In writing these stories, it can clearly be seen that Totton drew from her own experiences as a wildlife biologist and veterinarian.

Most of the stories have previously been published in such magazines as Realms of Fantasy Magazine and Fantasy Magazine during the last five years, or in such collections as the Commonwealth Short Stories CD 2007-2008, and TEXT: UR–The New Book of Masks. Her tales of “The Teasewater Five”, “The Bone Fisher’s Apprentice” and “Bluecoat Jack” all received Honorable Mentions in the Year’s Best Fantasy & Horror listings for the years 2006 through 2008, respectively, while “A Sip from the Cup of Enlightenment” is due to be published in Polyphony 7. “Flatrock Sunners” won a 3rd Annual Black Quill Award (Editor’s Choice Best Dark Scribble category), awarded by Dark Scribe Magazine to honor outstanding works of dark genre literature from both mainstream and small press publishers. Two of the tales have not been published elsewhere so far, namely “Pelly Medley” and “A Little Tea and Personal Magnetism”.

Animythical Tales contain just enough of reality to place the scenes within the broader context of the real world, so that the readers are not estranged from what transpires in the course of the stories themselves. The stories are all organic entities, complete and entire within themselves. Totton’s writing has depth and is multilayered, inviting the reader to explore the deeper meaning of the issues that she covers. Such issues include both the creativity and destructiveness of those who admire and create artistic forms, as well as the darker side of sexuality that can result in both physical and spiritual corruption and decay.

If you are interested in venturing beyond the norm, you’re likely to enjoy Animythical Tales very much indeed. But beware, it is not suitable reading matter for the faint-hearted… 

Click Here To Purchase Animythical Tales