Dragon’s Teeth-Mercedes Lackey

Dragon’s Teeth Mercedes Lackey Baen, Dec 3 2013, $15.00 ISBN 9781451639438 This enjoyable collection showcases Mercedes Lackey short story skills as most of the compilation is entertaining especially the author’s various fantasy series. Part I contains reprints of previously published anthologies (“Fiddler Fair” and “Werehunter”). Part II provides five new Secret World Chronicles. “Fiddler Fair” (1998). The twelve fantasy entries remain enjoyable with the best adding depth to Lackey’s worlds such as the Free Bard title tale and the Spellsingers stories ("Balance" and "Dragon's Teeth") focusing on the changing relationship between Martis and her new bodyguard Lyran. The rest of the fiction are fun entries such as the Sooner who explains "Aliens Ate My Pickup"; the alternate history of what happened to Lawrence of Arabia in “Jihad”; and the healer who sees Cerridwen's Cauldron while the nun looking at the same object proclaims the Holy Grail. The inclusion of the essay "How I Spent My Summer Vacation" seems out of place as the misleading opening act. “Werehunter” (1999). The highlights are those taking place in one of the series. The two Diana Tregarde investigations ("Satanic, Versus" and "Nightside") are superb while the Mem'sab Harton’s “Grey" and "Grey's Ghost" come across as exciting Tregarde-light. The four "SKitty" entries ("SKitty", "A Tail of Two SKitties, SCat" and "A Better Mousetrap") focus on the Brightwing agreement with the Lacu'un. There is also one intriguing Valdemar entry ("Stolen Silver") in which we learn how Alberich became the Heralds' Collegium’s weaponsmaster. The rest are engaging but feel more like filler. Secret World Chronicles. These well-written five tales include WW II prequels (“Valse Triste”, “White Bird” and “Sgian Dubh”) and two others occurring just after the first novel coauthored respectively with Dennis Lee and Cody Martin. Harriet Klausner