Fantasy anthology has broad appeal

LEGENDS II: NEW SHORT NOVELS BY THE MASTERS OF MODERN FANTASY, edited by Robert Silverberg, Ballantine, 656 pages, $28.95.

In most bookstores, fantasy and science fiction are lumped together in what many consider "the geek section."

Sci-fi is technically a sub-category of fantasy, and many readers share an interest in both. But to those who read such things, there is a big difference: Fantasy tells a story without the restrictions of the real world, while sci-fi tends to adhere to physical laws and then expand them with speculative science.

"Legends II" is a collection of fantasy -- pure, genuine fantasy - - by the "masters of modern fantasy," and that title is no empty boast. The use of modern masters compares the list not to Homer, J.R.R. Tolkien, Frank L. Baum and Lewis Carroll, but to such living authors with living worlds of their creation as George R. R.. Martin, Orson Scott Card, Anne McCaffrey, Ted Williams and editor Robert Silverberg. All return from the first "Legends" volume published in 1998 and are joined by Robin Hobb, Elizabeth Haydon, Diana Gabaldon, Neil Gaiman and Terry Brooks.

The lineup is solid, and so are the tales, refreshing because they aren't epics demanding excessive time, but compact stories that fit nicely into already created realms. A page or two of expository text before each helps those unfamiliar with the writer's works understand the world they are preparing to explore. Although some readers would rather discover all of this on their own, the facts outlined are, for the most part, broad and general.

The concept of the book gives each of the writers a chance to tell a story from his or her own fantasy realm in short-novel form. The result is a great collection of stories for a reader and an equally great opportunity for each of the writers to reach new readers. Good sales for the book are probably a safe bet due to the devotion readers have for these authors.

Martin's second tale of "Dunk and Egg" (the first in the original Legends) is probably the best of the lot, but there are no weak links. Card and Gaiman are also at the top of their respective games, and Gabaldon turns in a tale likely to widen her growing audience. Brooks and McCaffrey will bring with them legions of loyalists, and those die-hards will feel rewarded as well.

The consistent quality under the the label of "fantasy" is what unites the collection -- but the imagined worlds are vastly different, making this book definitely worth having. While it might be a marketing ploy to sell more books by marketable authors, consumers who enjoy the fantasy genre will nonetheless get full value with this collection.

E-mail: lc@desnews.com

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