From Publishers Weekly
In this celebratory anthology, the 25th Golden Gryphon book from editors Turner and Halpern, the 20 talented contributors tend to avoid the conventions of genre SF and emphasize heroism, win or loss. Some authors bring back favorite settings and characters, like Kage Baker in his tale of scavenging Company time-travelers, "A Night on the Barbary Coast." Others tell new tales in familiar voices, such as Andy Duncan's folkloric fantasy, "The Haw River Trolley," or George Zebrowski's character study of a time exile, "Takes You Back." Michael Bishop pays homage to Lucius Shepard in "The Door Gunner," a story of na‹ve Americans in Vietnam finding how little they know about death and life. In "After Ildiko," Shepard himself focuses on not-so-innocent Americans bringing their own darkness abroad on a barge trip into the Guatemalan jungle. Making prejudice against "faeries" literal, Warren Rochelle's plea for understanding alternate life forms, "The Golden Boy," shows that fantasy can also comment powerfully on reality. Even when rooted in the routine tragedies of daily life (death of a parent, senility, midlife crisis), these stories clearly view the common through eyes trained to see the fantastic. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Golden Gryphon's twenty-fifth book consists of 20 new stories by 20 authors it has already published. From the annals of alternate history, R. Garcia y Robertson presents a medieval Middle East swashbuckler; Richard A. Lupoff, a goofy outcome of the 2000 U.S. election. James Patrick Kelly and Richard Paul Russo provide bleak visions of a near future in which the gaps between controllers and controlled, and between rich and poor, are yawning chasms. In Paul Di Filippo's near future, however, democracy has triumphed through technology, though his hero has to scramble to save it. George Zebrowski offers a story of lovers parted by parallel realities; Ian Watson, of lovers sundered by population control. Obscure pop-cultural figures--horror movie actor George Zucco and bluegrass precursor Charlie Poole--star in Howard Waldrop's take on senile dementia and Andy Duncan's Appalachian tall tale, respectively. Best of (a very good) show: Jeffrey Ford's rendering of a grown son observing his mother's death--a small masterpiece of affection, though it is neither fantasy nor sf. Ray Olson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Book Description
In celebration of Golden Gryphon Press's 25th book, writers who contributed to the first 24 books were asked to write a story that best defines them as writers. The result is an anthology of stories ranging from fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and horror to genres that are often a combination of all four. Warren Rochelle portrays a struggle between magical and normal humans. George Zebrowski questions how to reclaim one's life when thrust two and a half years into the past. Andy Duncan combines literary style with southern heritage in a strange tale of courtship on a ghost trolley car. Michael Bishop spins the sad tale of a dead Vietnam soldier who won't die and continues to lay down his life to help others. James Patrick Kelly paints a world where people are regulated, even in their ability to become parents, and there is no place for dissenting views. The wide range in style, tone, and content in these tales provides genre fans with a diverse spectrum of short fiction.

About the Author
Gary Turner and Marty Halpern are editors at Golden Gryphon Press. Gary Turner lives in Urbana, Illinois. Marty Halpern lives in San Jose, California.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

What makes a story engaging and entertaining? Is it one in which the author has portrayed a vibrant and living storyline, one that the reader can visualize and experience? Or perhaps the delight that arises from the work of a clever wordsmith, who dazzles and bemuses with his style? Or cutting humor, where sacred perceptions are torn asunder and revealed to be mere fluff? Or fabulous fantasy or hard science fiction or mystery or horror... Humor and pathos, optimism and despair, light and dark. This anthology, unlike most, does not have a common theme or particular focus -- rather, in celebration of Golden Gryphon Press's twenty-fifth book, we asked those who contributed to the first twenty-four to write a story that best defines them as a writer. Given such a criterion, it hardly surprises that the stories are varied. All original stories (in order of appearance) by James Patrick Kelly, Jeffrey Ford, Michael Bishop, Kage Baker, Richard A. Lupoff, Kevin J. Anderson, Howard Waldrop, Paul Di Filippo, Geoffrey A. Landis, George Zebrowski, Ian Watson, Lucius Shepard, Warren Rochelle, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Richard Paul Russo, Robert Reed, Andy Duncan, R. Garcia y Robertson, Neal Barrett, Jr., and Joe R. Lansdale.

For those of you familiar with some of these writers' other works, we hope that reading their stories in this anthology will be like reacquainting yourself with some old friends -- sitting and chatting for a spell on the porch on a nice spring afternoon, or in the drawing room as you serve herbal tea, or merlot, or even break out a few cold ones. For others we hope these stories engender new friendships and acquaintances -- writers you'll want to remain in touch with, to look up again and again. Whether by old friends or new friends, these tales provide readers with a smorgasbord of writing styles, tone, and content -- a diverse spectrum of short fiction from some of today's best writers. Read their stories, and hear their voices.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly