A #BookReview for @MishaBurnett 's collection Dark Fantasies. Usually every collection has a few duds, but I'm pleased to say Dark Fantasies hits every story right out of the park, mixing adventure, action, and romance together in a heady blend. https://www.amazon.com/Misha-Burnett/e/B008MQ8W4K/

A Hill of Stars takes the usual Lovecraftian setting and gives a great new action packed spin on it, showing a world where man is coming out of the shadow of the old ones. Know your enemy, even if it is a mass of jiggling, carnivorous horror.

In the Gloaming Oh My Darling was a creepy tales of sacrifice to dark creatures and the meaning of courage and fear. Two boys wait on a beach for the aquatic sirens to claim them. Very creepy, and with a terrific twist at the end.

Nox Invictus is a grand pulp adventure in the style of Robert E Howard filled with action, danger, and horrifying mystery, throwing men in a desperate battle of survival against unearthly and ancient foes. A very Odyssey kind of story in a land of night and horror.

Candlemass Night is my absolute favorite in this collection. Sad, but beautiful too, it talks about love and loss and the magic of a night for a lonely man and his love. I kept thinking the story was going to go in a more disturbing direction, but was pleasantly surprised.

Conessa's Sword is a lovely story about a man, his wife, and a sword forged to protect against the tragedies of the past and future. A great story with surprising action and lots of heart, where a simple man shows his love with acts more than words.

Through Dry Places feels like a folk tale about a simple scholar and the sorcerer he must defeat. A great story with a slow, contemplative pace that build up to a thrilling climax. Knowledge is a powerful thing, even more so than a bitter heart.

She Was So Proud and Wild is a strange tale but a heartfelt one about love and leaving home. About magic and how deep one's roots go. Literally. When a young man returns home with his girlfriend, he has to end a relationship he never knew awaited him.

The Hopeful Bodies of the Young is, as its title says, a hopeful story but sad too. Urban magic in a fantastic setting, the jobs one does, and the need of honesty. Thought short, it suggested a much broader world that I'd love to learn more about.

If Jekyll and Hyde had been a detective, it would be something like An Interrupted Scandal. Great Hercule Poirot style living room interrogation and mystery story, much more on the mystery than magic, but both interwoven seamlessly for a very entertaining tale.