Although the corporate publishing industry continues to groan under declining store rack space and sales, the smaller, innovative presses are thriving—which brings me to start the roundup of the year with works I’d recommend tracking down from the smaller companies. Chronicle Books of San Francisco published a gorgeous, fantastical book mixing art and story called Griffin and Sabine: An Extraordinary Correspondence by Nick Bantoek. This imaginative book follows the developing relationship between a postcard artist and a mysterious island woman through illuminated correspondence. Chronicle not only managed to do a beautiful production job at a reasonable retail price, but were also able to get the book placed on national best-sellers lists, which is quite a feat given distribution networks that still greatly favor the large publishing companies.
Mercury House, also in San Francisco, published the first American edition of The Start of the End of it All, collecting Carol Emshwiller’s brilliantly quirky short fiction. Mark V. Zeising (Shingletown, CA) published The Hereafter Gang by Neal Barrett Jr., a Magic Realist story set in the Texas Panhandle, which I recommend highly. Morrigan published The Magic Spectacles by James P. Blaylock, with illustrations by Ferret—a wonderful magical coming-of-age tale. Pulphouse (Eugene, OR) published a Special Winter Holiday issue of The Hardback Magazine with good stories by Charles de Lint, Lisa Goldstein, and Kara Dalkey; and their Axolotl Press line published a new “Newford” novella by Charles de Lint, Our Lady of the Harbour. Triskell Press (Ottawa) published a lovely chapbook of de Lint's poetry titled Desert Moments. Crossing Press (Freedom, CA) published an anthology of original Magic Realist stories by women writers, titled Dreams in a Minor Key, edited by Susanna J. Sturgis. Pyx Press (Orem, UT) publishes a small magazine, Magic Realism, issued seasonally and edited by C. Daren Butler and Julie Thomas; issue #4 in the fall of 1991 interspersed new stories and poetry with old Celtic fairy tales. Street of Crocodiles (Seattle) published an odd but intriguing collection of Jessica Amanda Salmonson’s stories, Mystic Women: Their Ancient Tales and Legends. Owlswick Press (Philadelphia) published Avram Davidson’s peculiar and wonderful Adventures of Doctor Eszterhazy, as well as Keith Roberts's collected Anita stories. Johns Hopkins University Press finally (bless them) brought Thomas M. Disch and Charles Naylor’s Neighboring Lives back into print—a splendid historical novel set in nineteenth-century Chelsea, highly recommended. Donald M. Grant (RI) published a new Peter Straub novella, Mrs. God, with beautiful sepia-washed paintings by Rich Berry. Nazraeli Press (published in Germany but distributed in the U.S.) released Afternoon Nap, a small, surrealistic book of paintings and text by Fritz Scholder. I highly recommend Fables by poet Michael Hannon, previously published by Turkey Press (CA) but unseen until this year. Leonard Baskin’s Gehenna Press (MA) published an exquisite hand-printed and hand-bound book by Baskin on the history of the Grotesque. Finally, Edgewood Press (MA) published The Best of the Rest 1990: The Best SF and Fantasy from the Small Press, well edited by Steve Pasechnick and Brian Youmans.
As for the larger publishing houses: In last year’s volume of this anthology series I noted the dearth of excellent Imaginary World fantasy, and thus we reprinted primarily works of Urban Fantasy and Magic Realism instead. This year, I am happy to report, there is a resurgence of good Imaginary World fantasy in both short fiction and novel form, while the more contemporary forms of fantasy continue to make a strong showing. There were quite a number of good fantasy novels published in 1991. The following is a short list of works you should not miss, showing the diversity of styles and approaches that exists within the current fantasy field (in alphabetical order):
Hunting the Ghost Dancer by A. A. Attanasio (HarperCollins). An evocative, literary fairy tale, set in the prehistoric past.
The Last Voyage of Somebody the Sailor by John Barth (Knopf). A delightful, literary mainstream fantasy about a modern man who finds his way into the world of Sinbad and the Arabian Nights.
The Paper Grail by James P. Blaylock (Ace). Equally delightful, equally literary, this novel by one of the field’s best writers involves ancient legendary and strange conspiracies, set in Southern California.
Witch Baby by Francesca Lia Block (HarperCollins). By the author of the wonderful young adult (YA) fantasy Weetzie Bat, another fantasy tale set in a punk, surrealist vision of Los Angeles.
The End-of-Everything Man by Tom De Haven (Doubleday). It looks like generic fantasy, but don’t be put off. It’s much, much more, and will rekindle your sense of wonder.
Murther and Walking Spirits by Robertson Davies (Viking). A mainstream novel from this superlative writer, with distinct fantasy elements. The book is narrated by a character killed off on page 1.
Tam Lin by Pamela Dean (Tor). The Scottish fairy tale and folk ballad “Tam Lin” is recast among the theater majors of a midwestern college campus. A memorable contemporary retelling of the tale by a talented new voice in the field.
The Little Country by Charles de Lint (Morrow). Set in Cornwall among musicians, writers and Cornish villagers, de Lint again weaves modern magic, bringing myth into the contemporary world.
The Architecture of Desire by Mary Gentle (Bantam UK). Complex, dark fantasy set in a skewed version of Cromwell’s England. At this rate, Gentle may become the modern successor to Mervyn Peake.
Sherwood by Parke Godwin (Morrow). A thoroughly entertaining historical novel with slight fantasy elements, based on the classic Robin Hood legends—the best of the Robin Hood material to appear in the wake of the recent movies (and far better than either film).
Eight Skilled Gentlemen by Barry Hughart (Doubleday). I’ve long been a fan of Hughart’s Chinese picaresque fantasies—and this is his best so far.
Cloven Hooves by Megan Lindholm (Doubleday). Lindholm is a writer who has not yet received the attention she deserves for her serious, thoughtful and thoroughly adult fantasy works. This novel about a woman’s relationship to Pan is set in the author’s own native Alaska and Washington State.
Dangerous Spaces by Margaret Mahy (Viking). Mahy is a New Zealand writer of some of the very best young adult fantasy to be published in the last two decades. This moody ghost story shows Mahy at top form.
The Sorceress and the Cygnet by Patricia A. McKillip (Ace). McKillip tops the list of writers working in the Imaginary World area of fantasy fiction. The novel is part fairy tale, part Magic Realism, and pure poetry.