I have to admit that I think that I admire him for that. Yet, he seems to shy away from the epic, instead concentrating on individual stories–mano a mano with the wood. The mythago idea is a powerful one, and provides plenty of material that Holdstock could work through for years. This reminded me of Jonathan Carroll–what his writing would be like if he allowed himself to lose himself within the fantasy rather than playing on the dividing line between fantasy and “reality” (I read recently that Vladimir Nabokov recommends always enclosing the word “reality” in quote marks). “The Bone Forest”–This is a prequel novella to Holdstock’s Mythago Wood and Lavondyss, I believe. Mostly worth it for the title novella and “Thorn,” but no outright clunkers. Very good collection, mostly fantasy, yet treading the dark edge of horror, rather than adventure or whimsey.
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