Book Review: Inside Realms by Gather Member A. F. Stewart

If you love fantasy fiction, but lack the attention span to read the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy, then A. F. Stewart's Inside Realms is the perfect book for you.  There are seven tales in this thin volume, none of which go much beyond 10 pages.  Like perfect snacks, they satisfy without overwhelming.  They also provide a handy introduction to Stewart's fantasy realms.

The first three stories ("Song Rise," "Advent," and "Kinsharra") take place in the universe of Stewart's novel Song of the Sea and Wind.  The characters in these stories practice an intriguing and unique form of magic, the magic of song.  Stewart's descriptions in these chapters are vivid, lyrical, and startling.  They'll make you long for a film version, though it would take an extraordinary composer to imitate what Stewart accomplishes with words.  

"Legendary Debts" and "Nimue" are Stewart's takes on Arthurian legend.  Like Marion Zimmer Bradley in Mists of Avalon, Stewart chooses to focus on the female characters in the legends.  (A wise choice.)  "Debts" is set in modern times, while "Nimue" presents a unique take on the death of King Arthur.  "Nimue" covers some difficult emotional ground, making for a tale that is both heartbreaking and somehow comforting.  I slightly preferred "Debts," though, perhaps because I'm a fan of the "ancient myth transplanted into modern times" genre (as in Frank Beddor's Wonderland novels, or Anne Ursu's Cronus Chronicles series). 

 "The Elite of the Blood" changes directions once again, presenting us with a tale of modern vampires.  What seems at first to be a simple tale of hunter and hunted becomes something more complicated-- and bloody.  This tale is not for the faint of heart. 

The last entry in the book is more of a tidbit than a tale, a brief, tantalizing excerpt from Chronicles of the Undead.   After reading it, I will certainly look for Stewart's name again.

This book is available in both print and .pdf forms from lulu.com.  I chose the .pdf form, and found that at 97 pages, Inside Realms was ideally suited to the computer.  It's brief enough to be read in a few sittings. 

A. F. Stewart's website is http://www.afallon.bravehost.com/