I always find it exciting, to open up a new anthology. To discover what stories wait inside, whether it’s a genre-specific anthology covering different themes, or a themed anthology covering different genres. Dangerous Women falls into the latter camp, with stories here ranging from fantasy to sci-fi to horror to historical.
And they’re good, though with the authors involved, you’d kind of expect that. Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice & Fire fans will enjoy Martin’s novella, a glimpse into the history of Westeros – one which, honestly, feels like it adds to Dany’s story in the TV series. Maybe they should have gone into this one a bit more, before the last few episodes.
ANYWAY!
The stories are all vastly different from one another, ensuring any fan of genre fiction will find something they enjoy in its pages. From a post-apocalyptic society where women are either mothers or nurses, to a strange forest where shades haunt the trees and kill anyone who doesn’t follow the rules, to a Russian pilot determined to kill. These women are strong and formidable, and make for compelling characters.
There was only one story in here I wasn’t really fussed on, a shame because I’ve read other stories by the same author and enjoyed them. The noir tale had a female character who, rather than feeling like her own fully fleshed, individual woman, felt more like she’d been ripped straight from the ‘femme fatale cliche’ cookie cutter. It was a tale that in an anthology titled ‘Dangerous Woman’, felt a bit jarring.
Other than that, the stories in here are really good, and it’s a book I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Would definitely recommend this one, especially to fans of SFF & horror.
Unwrapping Words 