Operation Arcana - John Joseph Adams

Operation Arcana

John Joseph Adams

Baen, Mar 3 2015, $15.00

ISBN: 9781476780368

“Rules of Enchantment” by David Klecha and Tobias S. Buckell.  The American military battle Orcs, Trolls and others in a two-front war.

“The Damned One Hundred” by Jonathan Mayberry.  The enemy forces have much greater fire power especially witches and vampires, but they stand united expecting death.

“Blood, Ash, Braids” by Genevieve Valentine.  In WWII Russian female pilots use witchcraft.

“Mercenary’s Honor by Elizabeth Moon.  On Paksworld, two mercenary commanders seek to avoid massive deaths.

“The Guns of the Wastes” by Django Wexler.  The academy grad meets his first enemy alien.

“The Graphology of Hemorrhage” by Yoon Ha Lee.  The recipe for shadow soup starts with obtaining a shadow.

“American Golem” by Weston Ochse.  In Afghanistan, the deserter seeks the terrorist who killed his brother; unaware that his sibling became a golem searching for that same killer.

“Weapon’s in the Earth” by Myke Cole.  Their enemy captures several of the tribe’s goblins.

“Heavy Sulfur” by Ari Marmell.  In the trenches, both sides deploy sorcerers and necromancers.

“Steel Ships” by Tanya Huff.  The enemy’s ironclad armada leaves the only hope with shapeshifters.

“Sealskin” by Carrie Vaughn.  The PTSD veteran travels to Ireland, but faces a life impacting crossroad.

“Pathfinder” by T. C. McCarthy.  During the Korean Conflict, the nurse helps the dying join their ancestors.

“Bone Eaters” by Glen Cook.  The Black Company is trapped inside a village of ghosts.

“Bomber’s Moon” by Simon R. Green.  With the Devil joining the Nazis, God sends Archangel Uriel to help the allies.

“In Skeleton Leaves” by Seanan McGuire.  The Neverland conflict seems eternal, but the latest female Pan believes she can win.

“The Way Home” by Linda Nagata.  Demons trap the unit whose only chance is every death means one escapes.

Overall this is a very good military fantasy collection with no clinkers though several need a longer format.  Superior entries include “Bone Eaters” and “Bomber’s Moon”.

Harriet Klausner