Sleight of Hand
Peter S. Beagle
Tachyon, Mar 1 2011, $14.99
www.tachyonpublications.com
ISBN: 9781616960049
This anthology contains thirteen fascinating “family” fantasies in which three have not been published before; one was released as a podcast; and the remaining released in the last four years. The collection is terrific though my personal favorite is “The Rock In The Park” from (the Green Man Review podcast) as Montefiore, Gun Hill Road, Jerome Avenue (with the el) and Van Cortland remind me of growing up in a more mundane household in the 1950sand 1960s in the Bronx. I suggest reading back to back the whimsical title tale in which nurturing love is the strongest magical bond and its counterweight of smothering magical love is its only equal in "What Tune the Enchantress Plays". Other super strong entries include the dark crime thriller “The Bridge Partner", the aftermath of Jack’s homicide in “Up The Down Beanstalk” and “The Rabbi's Hobby” as a child and his Rabbi notice a woman appearing magazine photos from decades ago. Whether it is New York, Hawaii (“The Children Of The Shark God”) or “Oakland Dagon Blues (in which Mr. Beagle co-stars), these are all winners; topped off by the opening act of Schmendrick prior to The Last Unicorn in “The Woman Who Married The Man In The Moon”.
Harriet Klausner
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