Outside of a Dog: Kate Nepveu's Book Log

Patricia C. Wrede's Book of Enchantments is a collection of short stories; I picked it up a while ago as before-bed re-reading. Neither of Wrede's "adult" series is represented in this collection (the Lyra series and the alternate-Regency books), but there are several stories set in her popular Enchanted Forest YA universe (Dealing with Dragons, etc.). These are among the stronger (and sillier) stories in the collection, particularly "Utensile Strength", which features The Frying Pan of Doom. Another enjoyably humorous story is "Rikiki and the Wizard," a folktale written for the second Liavek shared-world anthology. Less successful, in my opinion, was "The Sword-Seller," which was written for a Witch World anthology; to me, it lacks some subtle spark. Overall, the stories range from classic fairy-tale format to fantasy in modern settings. The best story by far is "Stronger than Time," but it's generally a strong collection and well worth picking up if you like any of Wrede's work.