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An all-new volume featuring another of humankind's most enchanting companions--the horse. Among the hit parade of authors who have crafted original stories for this volume are Anne McCaffrey, Jennifer Roberson, Mercedes Lackey, Mike Resnick, and more.

Table of Contents:

• ix - Introduction: Equus Fantasticus (Horse Fantastic) - essay by Jennifer Roberson
• 9 - Stolen Silver - [Heralds Of Valdemar Prequels] - shortstory by Mercedes Lackey
• 26 - Love at First Ride - novelette by Mickey Zucker Reichert
• 49 - Dancer's Fire - shortstory by Josepha Sherman
• 59 - The Phantom Watch - novelette by Rhondi A. Vilott Salsitz [as by Charles Ingrid ]
• 81 - The Czechoslovakian Pigeon Farmer and the Pony that Wasn't a Paint - shortstory by Mary Stanton
• 87 - Riding the Nightmare - (1991) - novelette by Jennifer Roberson
• 108 - When Lightning Strikes - shortstory by Lee Barwood
• 127 - Classical Horses - novelette by Judith Tarr
• 153 - One Ten Three - shortstory by Barry N. Malzberg
• 162 - No Room for the Unicorn - shortstory by Laura Resnick
• 171 - The Horse Boy - novelette by Mary Stanton
• 193 - The Power of Young Girls - shortstory by Constance Ash
• 214 - Malish - (1991) - shortstory by Mike Resnick
• 219 - Wings - shortstory by Barbara Delaplace
• 234 - The Most Magical Thing About Rachel - novelette by Nancy Springer
• 256 - Dream's Quarry - shortstory by Elizabeth Moon
• 273 - Silverdown's Gold - (1991) - novelette by Janny Wurts

A collection of dragon tales offers new perspectives on the legends of these fierce fantastical creatures, as well as a healthy dose of classic dragon lore.

Table of Contents:

• 7 - Introduction (Dragon Fantastic) - essay by Tad Williams
• 15 - Lethal Perspective - short story by Alan Dean Foster
• 25 - The Champion of Dragons - short story by Mickey Zucker Reichert
• 41 - Phobiac - short story by Lawrence Schimel
• 45 - Home Security - novelette by Karen Haber
• 70 - The Stolen Dragon - short story by Kimberly Gunderson
• 82 - Cold Stone Barrow - novelette by Charles Ingrid [as by Elizabeth Forrest]
• 112 - Fluff the Tragic Dragon - novelette by Laura Resnick
• 135 - The Hidden Dragon - short story by Barbara Delaplace
• 156 - Take Me Out to the Ball Game - novelette by Esther M. Friesner
• 187 - The Dragon's Skin - short story by Ruth Berman
• 205 - Shing Li-ung - novelette by Tanya Huff
• 243 - Concerto Accademico - short story by Barry N. Malzberg
• 253 - Dragon's Destiny - novelette by Josepha Sherman
• 275 - Between Tomatoes and Snapdragons - short story by Jane Lindskold
• 285 - The Trials and Tribulations of Myron Blumberg, Dragon - short story by Mike Resnick
• 295 - Straw Into Gold: Part II - short story by Mark Kreighbaum and Dennis L. McKiernan

A collection of fantastic tales starring dinosaurs features the writing of Robert Sheckley, Pat Cadigan, Frank M. Robinson, Judith Tarr, Mercedes Lackey, Larry Dixon, Bill Fawcett, and others.

Table of Contents:

• 11 - Introduction (Dinosaur Fantastic) - essay by Mike Resnick
• 13 - Just Like Old Times - (1993) - short story by Robert J. Sawyer
• 27 - Disquisitions on the Dinosaur - short story by Robert Sheckley
• 45 - Dino Trend - (1993) - short story by Pat Cadigan
• 54 - The Greatest Dying - (1993) - short story by Frank M. Robinson
• 67 - Revenants - (1993) - short story by Judith Tarr
• 78 - One Giant Step - (1993) - short story by John E. Stith
• 85 - Last Rights - (1993) - short story by Larry Dixon and Mercedes Lackey
• 95 - After the Comet - (1993) - short story by Bill Fawcett
• 113 - Rex Tremandae Majestatis - (1993) - short story by Kathe Koja and Barry N. Malzberg
• 124 - The Skull's Tale - (1993) - short story by Katharine Kerr
• 132 - Cutting Down Fred - [Buckey the Space Pirate] - short story by Dean Wesley Smith
• 145 - Shadow of a Change - short story by Michelle West [as by Michelle M. Sagara]
• 160 - Wise One's Tale - short story by Josepha Sherman
• 167 - Curren's Song - short story by Laura Resnick
• 182 - Whilst Slept the Sauropod - short story by Nicholas A. DiChario
• 195 - Rex - (1993) - short story by David Gerrold
• 212 - The Pangaean Principle - (1993) - short story by Jack Nimersheim
• 228 - On Tiptoe - short story by Beth Meacham
• 242 - Betrayal - (1993) - short story by Susan Casper
• 249 - 'Saur Spot - short story by Kevin O'Donnell, Jr.
• 263 - Pteri - short story by Lea Hernandez
• 271 - Chameleon - short story by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• 282 - Fellow Passengers - short story by Barbara Delaplace
• 295 - Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Dinosaur - (1993) - short story by Gregory Feeley
• 313 - Evolving Conspiracy - short story by Roger MacBride Allen

A unique brew of 32 spellbinding stories about both legendary and modern-day witches.

Table of Contents:

• 9 - Introduction (Witch Fantastic) - essay by Mike Resnick
• 11 - Clotilde La Bruja - short story by James A. Stevens
• 24 - Our Lady of the Toads - short story by Deborah J. Ross [as by Deborah Wheeler]
• 33 - Dealing in Futures - short story by Judith Tarr
• 46 - Circles - short story by Jane Yolen
• 52 - In a Yellow Dress - short story by Jo Clayton
• 64 - The Witch's Cat - short story by Byron Tetrick
• 76 - The Swineherd - short story by Lois Tilton
• 83 - Miracle at Devil's Crick - short story by Jeffry Dwight
• 95 - Giant Trouble - short story by Katharine Kerr
• 101 - Spell Check - short story by Terry McGarry
• 113 - Birds of a Feather - short story by Charles Von Rospach
• 123 - Lose Weight Like Magic - short story by Linda J. Dunn
• 130 - Witch Doctor - short story by Kate Daniel
• 141 - The Trouble with Big Brothers - [Haunted House & Nathan the Ghost] - short story by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• 145 - Witch-Horse - short story by Josepha Sherman
• 152 - Glamour Profession - short story by Beth Meacham
• 157 - Witch War - short story by L. Emerson Wolfe
• 168 - Till Death Do Us Part - short story by P M F Johnson and Sandra Rector
• 178 - Threefold to You - short story by Deborah Millitello
• 187 - Taking Back the Night - short story by ElizaBeth Gilligan
• 196 - Witch Garden - short story by Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald
• 203 - An Eye for Acquisitions - short story by Bruce Holland Rogers
• 217 - Diddling with Grandmother's Iron Maiden - short story by Nicholas A. DiChario
• 224 - The Three Tears - short story by Byron Tetrick
• 240 - That Old Black Magic - short story by Deborah J. Wunder
• 249 - The Journal of #3 Honeysuckle Lane - short story by Lea Hernandez
• 260 - Wooden Characters - short story by Roland J. Green
• 270 - The Witches of Delight - novelette by Kathe Koja and Barry N. Malzberg
• 298 - Stock Answer - short story by Leah A. Zeldes
• 307 - The Hidden Grove - short story by Michelle West [as by Michelle Sagara]
• 320 - An Un-Familiar Magic - short story by Mel. White
• 335 - The Spell - short story by David Gerrold

Sixteen short stories that take place within legendary castles include the writings of such popular authors as Roger Zelazny, Charles de Lint, Jane Yolen, David Bischoff, and Nancy Springer.

Table of Contents:

• 9 - Introduction (Castle Fantastic) - essay by John DeChancie
• 11 - Hall of Mirrors - [Amber Stories] - novelette by Roger Zelazny
• 33 - The Garrison - novelette by Lawrence Watt-Evans
• 54 - Castle Collapse - short story by Jane Yolen
• 56 - Broomworms and Nosewigs - novelette by John DeChancie
• 77 - Concrete Example - novelette by Nancy Springer
• 102 - Death Swatch - novelette by Esther M. Friesner
• 131 - Brigbuffoon - novelette by David Bischoff
• 160 - Gie Me Somethin' Ta Eat Afore I Dee - short story by John Alfred Taylor
• 178 - Gwythurn the Slayer - short story by Lawrence C. Connolly
• 182 - Collectors - novelette by Pamela Sargent
• 214 - Getting Real - short story by John DeChancie
• 226 - Merdinus - novelette by Linda J. Dunn and Mike Resnick
• 247 - Knight Squadron - short story by Sharon N. Farber
• 260 - Swimming the Moat - short story by Barbara Paul
• 279 - The Soft Terrible Music - short story by George Zebrowski
• 296 - Held Safe by Moonlight and Vines - [Newford] - short story by Charles de Lint

Sixteen spellbinding tales of those who dared to learn their futures through the magic of the cards...

Table of Contents:

• 11 - Shuffling Through History: A Brief Introduction - essay by Lawrence Schimel
• 16 - Song of the Cards - poem by Jane Yolen
• 18 - Symbols Are a Percussion Instrument - novelette by Tanya Huff
• 47 - The Court of the Invisible - short story by Billie Sue Mosiman
• 65 - New Beginner's Luck - short story by Mark Garland
• 80 - House of Cards - short story by Don Webb
• 91 - Articles of Faith - short story by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• 106 - Wild Horses - [Newford] - novelette by Charles de Lint
• 135 - The Intersection of Anastasia Yeoman and Light - short story by Rosemary Edghill
• 150 - Chattel - short story by Lucy Taylor
• 162 - Elvis Lives - short story by Nancy Springer
• 179 - In the Cards - short story by Barbara Delaplace
• 197 - Turn of the Card - novelette by Michelle West
• 227 - Solo in the Spotlight - short story by George Alec Effinger
• 246 - The Gates of Joriun - novelette by Kate Elliott
• 270 - Tower of Brass - novelette by Teresa Edgerton
• 293 - The Sixteenth Card - novelette by Susan Wade

Let yourself be spellbound - They are beings of legend from a realm just beyond our own, a kingdom where time holds little power, where beauty casts its aura over the natural world and where magic can transform anything - or anyone.

From high elves holding court in the heart of Faerie... to mischievous wood sprites ready to have their fun with mere mortals... to dark lords working magic against all mankind... to those struggling to survive as the World of Iron spreads its rule - the whole of the elvish lands are explored in stories that may lead the unsuspecting into the fairy hills only to emerge into a world far different from the one they left behind.

So let such authors as Craig Shaw Gardner, Andre Norton, Dennis McKiernan, and Mickey Zucker Reichert reveal the perils and promises of elvish magic in the tales included in Elf Fantastic.

Table of Contents:

• ix - Introduction (Elf Fantastic) - essay by Martin H. Greenberg
• 11 - Bard's Crown - (1997) - short story by Andre Norton
• 24 - The Law of Man - (1997) - novelette by Michelle West
• 49 - I Sing the Dark Riders - (1997) - short story by Dennis L. McKiernan
• 58 - A Midsummer Night's Dream Team - (1997) - short story by Tanya Huff
• 68 - Home Key - (1997) - novelette by Barbara Delaplace
• 92 - Elfarama - (1997) - short story by Craig Shaw Gardner
• 104 - Jerlayne - (1997) - novelette by Lynn Abbey
• 132 - Spinning Webs and Telling Lies - (1997) - short story by David Niall Wilson
• 140 - The Dancing Ring - (1997) - short story by Jody Lynn Nye
• 160 - Sun and Hawk - (1997) - short story by Jane Lindskold [as by Jane M. Lindskold]
• 179 - Eine Kleine Elfmusik - (1997) - short story by Karen Haber
• 199 - By the Oaks - (1997) - short story by Janni Lee Simner
• 206 - All That Glitters - (1997) - short story by C. J. Henderson
• 219 - Jingles the Elf - (1997) - short story by Richard Gilliam
• 228 - Images of Smoke - (1997) - short story by John Goodnow
• 248 - Mercenary of Dreams - short story by Lawrence C. Connolly
• 258 - The Legend of Slewfoot - (1997) - short story by Mark Garland and Lawrence Schimel
• 271 - The Girl Who Was Taken Into the Hill - (1997) - short story by Diana L. Paxson
• 287 - Changeling - (1997) - novelette by Mickey Zucker Reichert

Ranging from humorous to compelling to cautionary, fourteen fantasy stories feature characters whose lives are ruled by the stars and who come face to face with the living embodiments of the signs themselves.

Table of Contents:

• 9 - Introduction (Zodiac Fantastic) - essay by A. R. Morlan
• 13 - The Billion-Year Boys' Club - (1997) - novelette by Jody Lynn Nye
• 44 - Making the World Live Again - (1997) - novelette by Kate Elliott
• 66 - Ram in Wolf's Clothing - (1997) - short story by Jayge Carr
• 88 - April in Aries - (1997) - novelette by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
• 111 - Cezanne Was a Capricorn - (1997) - novelette by Karen Haber
• 138 - Lion at the Gate - (1997) - novelette by Diana L. Paxson
• 163 - I Told You So - (1997) - short story by Darrell Schweitzer
• 181 - Open Eyes - (1997) - novelette by Bryan Lindenberger
• 204 - Sagittarius Rising - (1997) - novelette by Ann Marston and Mike Resnick
• 227 - Capricorn Blues - (1997) - novelette by Mickey Zucker Reichert
• 260 - In Zodiac We Trust - (1997) - short story by Laura Resnick
• 276 - By the Work, One Knows - (1997) - novelette by Michelle West
• 310 - Wild Hope - (1997) - short story by Josepha Sherman
• 324 - Not in Our Stars - (1997) - novelette by Rosemary Edghill

An all-original volume offering wizards of all kinds--from sorcerers and geomancers to witchdoctors and shamans--features a collection of stories by Andre Norton, Jane Yolen, Diana Paxson, Mickey Zucker Reichert, John De Chancie, and other notable writers.

Table of Contents:

• 9 - Introduction (Wizard Fantastic) - essay by Martin H. Greenberg
• 12 - In the Service of Mages - short story by Dennis L. McKiernan
• 16 - Ilian - short story by Josepha Sherman
• 27 - Hell's Mark - [The Albuquerque Adepts] - novelette by Jane Lindskold
• 55 - The Bane of Trigeminy - short story by Mickey Zucker Reichert
• 71 - A Thing or Two About Love - short story by Richard Parks
• 84 - The Dead That Sow - novelette by Michelle West
• 109 - Frog Magic - short story by Andre Norton
• 117 - How the Wild Hunt Came to Trygvadal - short story by Diana L. Paxson
• 134 - The Yellow of the Flickering Past - short story by Dean Wesley Smith
• 145 - Soul Catcher - novelette by Linda P. Baker
• 167 - Wizard's Choice - short story by Janet Pack
• 186 - Mastery - short story by Sherwood Smith
• 202 - Bird Bones - short story by Jody Lynn Nye
• 222 - Willy Wizard's Magicland - short story by Connie Hirsch
• 236 - Visible Breath - short story by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• 256 - Familiar Territory - [Winston & Ruby] - short story by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• 268 - Spellchucker - short story by John DeChancie
• 285 - Proving Ground - short story by M. Turville Heitz
• 298 - The Wizard of the Birds - short story by Adam Stemple and Jane Yolen
• 316 - Mirror, Mirror, on the Lam - [Magdelene] - novelette by Tanya Huff
• 341 - Of Tides and Time - short story by Dennis L. McKiernan

"Castle of hope, honor, and dreams - Camelot - it was the citadel of chivalry in a land besieged by barbarian invaders, legendary home to a ruler of mythic proportions - King Arthur. He was hailed as Britain's last and brightest hope, raised from obscurity to unite a troubled land, tutored by Merlin, master of sorcery, betrayed by those dearest to him and closest to his throne.

Now, Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table live again in these original and imaginative tales set in that place of true enchantment - Camelot! Let such heirs to the bard Taliesin as Brian Stableford, Mike Ashley, Nancy Springer, Rosemary Edghill, Gregory Maguire, Ian McDowell, and Fiona Patton carry you away to this magical realm. You'll find yourself spellbound by stories ranging from the tale of a young man caught up in the power struggle between Merlin and Morgan le Fey, to that of the knight appointed to defend Lancelot when he's accused of committing adultery with the Queen."

Table of Contents:

• 11 - Introduction: The Court with a Thousand Scribes (Camelot Fantastic) - essay by Lawrence Schimel
• 14 - The Raven's Quest - novelette by Fiona Patton
• 51 - The Queen's Broidery Woman - novelette by Nancy Springer
• 72 - The Architect of Worlds - novelette by Brian Stableford
• 124 - The Bridge of Fire - novelette by Mike Ashley
• 169 - The Feasting of the Hungry Man - novelette by Ian McDowell
• 206 - Builder of Keeps - novelette by Gregory Maguire
• 244 - The Sword of the North - novelette by Rosemary Edghill

Fantasy is fueled by spells, from those cast by simple love potions to the great workings of magic that can alter the very nature of reality, destroy seemingly all-powerful foes, offer power or punishment, immortality or death. In Spell Fantastic thirteen of today's authors have crafted tales with which to enchant your imagination.

From a minor wizard running a magic shop who suddenly finds himself the prime suspect in a mysterious murder... to a girl discovering her special "gift" which can reveal who people really are... to a computer with a magic all its own... here are thirteen original tales of spells worked to change destiny for good or ill.

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction (Spell Fantastic) - essay by Larry Segriff
• 3 - Saving Face - [Winston & Ruby] - novelette by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• 38 - A Spatter of Later Stars - short story by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• 53 - The Woman Who Loved Death - short story by Robin Wayne Bailey
• 72 - Sacrifice - short fiction by Michelle West
• 99 - Spellsword - [The Albuquerque Adepts] - short fiction by Jane Lindskold
• 125 - Curse of the Dellingrs - novelette by Mickey Zucker Reichert
• 153 - For the Life of Sheila Morgan - short story by Dennis L. McKiernan
• 162 - The Sagebrush Brujo Meets the Last of the Platters or Why Do We Live in LA? - short fiction by John DeChancie
• 183 - To Catch a Thief - novelette by Lisanne Norman
• 215 - The Thronespell - short fiction by Diana L. Paxson
• 236 - And King Hereafter - [The Boscobel League] - short story by Rosemary Edghill
• 249 - The Midas Spell - short fiction by Julie E. Czerneda
• 277 - Embracing the Mystery - [Newford] - novelette by Charles de Lint

The War Between the States is synonymous with romance, tragedy, bravery, and lost causes. The only war fought by Americans against Americans, it nearly irrevocably tore the nation apart. Yet the United States of America did survive, though at terrible cost. Even today, more than 130 years after the end of the civil war, people are still fascinated by this pivotal point in American history. Writers, too, find this a fruitful period to investigate. And in Civil War Fantastic, some of science fictions finest take us back to this turbulent time with their own special visions of what might have been. So don your uniform, load your cap and ball rifle, raise the colors, and prepare to charge into Civil War Fantastic where:

- A mysterious old man shows a confederate soldier how one well-placed shot can change the course of history...

- He was only a horse used for children to ride on tours of Gettysburg, but he could see things on the battlefield that no human was aware of...

- Could General Lee bring himself to sanction a terrible sacrifice if it guaranteed that the South would win the war?

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction (Civil War Fantastic) - essay by John Helfers
• 4 - Martial - short story by Nancy Springer
• 21 - A Place to Stand - novelette by William H. Keith, Jr.
• 53 - Hex'em John - short story by James H. Cobb
• 72 - Gettysburg Dreams - short story by Brendan DuBois
• 87 - Images - short story by Josepha Sherman
• 95 - Ghosts of Honor - short story by Denise Little
• 110 - Boot Hill - novelette by Catherine Asaro and Mike Resnick
• 136 - The Three Cigars - short story by Robert Sheckley
• 152 - The General's Bane - short story by Michael Gilbert and Sheila E. Gilbert
• 159 - The Federal Spy and Miz Julia - short story by Karen Haber
• 176 - Stew - short story by Donald J. Bingle
• 190 - Loose Upon the Earth a Daemon - novelette by Tim Waggoner
• 212 - Surviving the Elephant - short story by Lisa Silverthorne
• 227 - The Pluck of O'Reilly - short story by Gary Alan Ruse
• 251 - Across Hickman's Bridge to Home - short story by Russell Davis [as by R. Davis]
• 265 - News from the Long Mountains - short story by Gary A. Braunbeck and Lucy A. Snyder
• 283 - The Last Full Measure - short story by David Bischoff
• 297 - Burial Detail - (2000) - short story by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

In the modern-day world where enemies are often nameless, faceless, and all-powerful, many people long for simpler times when the nature of good and evil was obvious - an age when great heroes and heroines arose to fight battles that could be won by skill and wit and strength. Now some of today's writers of tales take you to such times and places to share in the challenges and victories to be found in Warrior Fantastic.

From an old arms master hired by the Sheriff of Nottingham to teach him how to best Robin Hood... to a betrayal of hospitality that would see blood flowing more freely than wine... to a band of warriors who attached on four legs rather than two... here are stories of both legendary warriors and of mighty heroes drawn entirely from the imagination. Cheer for these champions as they rescue the downtrodden and mete out justice.

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction (Warrior Fantastic) - essay by John Helfers
• 5 - At Sea - short story by Alan Dean Foster
• 20 - The Walnut-Hued Man of Sutton Passeys - novelette by Jean Rabe
• 46 - A Two-Edged Blade - novelette by Diana L. Paxson
• 67 - Heritage - short story by Fiona Patton
• 87 - As Good As a Rest - short story by Tim Waggoner
• 102 - A Game of Swords - novelette by David Bischoff
• 125 - Airs Above the Ground - novelette by Janet Pack
• 147 - Demon Hunter - short story by Pauline E. Dungate
• 164 - Suspended Animation - short story by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• 176 - Spirit Warrior - novelette by Kristin Schwengel
• 200 - Conscript - novelette by Jody Lynn Nye
• 227 - Final Score - novelette by Bradley H. Sinor
• 252 - Barbarian - short story by Bill Fawcett
• 269 - Bright Be the Face - short story by Gary A. Braunbeck
• 283 - Making a Noise in This World - [Newford] - novelette by Charles de Lint

A collection of original fantasy tales follows the exploits and adventures of trained assassins and killers for hire in works by Tanya Huff, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Josepha Sherma, P. N. Elrod, Mickey Zucker Reichert, Rosemary Edghill, Jane Lindskold, and other notable authors.

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction (Assassin Fantastic) - essay by Alexander Potter [as by Alexander B. Potter]
• 5 - Death Rites - [Quarters] - novelette by Tanya Huff
• 30 - Green Stones - short story by Stephen Leigh
• 45 - Coin of the Realm - short story by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• 53 - The Svedali Foundlings - novelette by Fiona Patton
• 75 - History and Economics - short story by Anna Oster
• 94 - Never Say ... Uh ... Die? - short story by Josepha Sherman
• 106 - Dying by Inches - short story by Teresa Edgerton
• 127 - Darkness Comes Together - [Legend of Nightfall] - short story by Mickey Zucker Reichert
• 143 - Raven's Cut - [Nightrunners] - short story by Lynn Flewelling
• 160 - Myhr's Adventure in Hell - [Myhr] - novelette by P. N. Elrod
• 184 - He - short story by Leyte Jefferson
• 195 - War of the Roses - short story by Rosemary Edghill
• 213 - On My Honor - novelette by Bernie Arntzen
• 237 - A Touch of Poison - [The Firekeeper Saga] - novelette by Jane Lindskold
• 266 - Echoes - [Essalieyan / Annagar / Breodani Universe] - novelette by Michelle West

15 all-original tales of those valiant warriors sworn to serve and defend against all foes, whether mortal or magical...

Table of Contents:

• 9 - Introduction (Knight Fantastic) - essay by John Helfers
• 13 - Rodergo's Song - poem by Adam Stemple and Jane Yolen
• 19 - Red Cross, White Cross - short story by Andre Norton
• 37 - Squire Thorian's Trial - short story by Mickey Zucker Reichert
• 53 - The Cross of God - short story by Brendan DuBois
• 73 - Nights of the Round Table - short story by Tanya Huff
• 88 - Buried Treasures - short story by Jean Rabe
• 106 - Father of Shadow, Son of Light - [Kham-Ridhe] - short story by Russell Davis
• 122 - In a Lifetime - short story by Kristin Schwengel
• 140 - And the Wind Sang - novelette by Bradley H. Sinor
• 161 - Killer in the Reign - novelette by India Edghill and Rosemary Edghill
• 185 - In Days of Old - novelette by Esther M. Friesner [as by Esther Friesner]
• 207 - Knight Mare - short story by Josepha Sherman
• 218 - Faint Heart, Foul Lady - novelette by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• 250 - The Captain of the Guard - novelette by Fiona Patton
• 273 - The Knight of Hydan Athe - novelette by Michelle West

13 all-original tales of magic and mishaps that await those who seek to become masters of their crafts...

Table of Contents:

• 9 - Introduction (Apprentice Fantastic) - essay by Russell Davis
• 11 - The Augustine Painters - novelette by Michelle West
• 55 - Sign Here - [Newford] - short story by Charles de Lint
• 69 - Till Voices Drown Us - novelette by Tim Waggoner
• 95 - Homework - short story by Esther M. Friesner [as by Esther Friesner]
• 111 - The Last Garden in Time's Window - short story by Dean Wesley Smith
• 125 - Final Exam - [The Albuquerque Adepts] - novelette by Jane Lindskold
• 147 - The Sorcerer's Apprentice's Apprentice - novelette by David Bischoff
• 177 - Zauberschrift - short story by David D. Levine
• 195 - When the Student Is Ready - [The Nine Wizards] - novelette by Tanya Huff
• 223 - What Has to Be Done - novelette by Fiona Patton
• 251 - Flanking Maneuver - short story by Mickey Zucker Reichert
• 265 - The Muses' Darling - short story by Sarah A. Hoyt
• 283 - Blood and Scale - novelette by John Helfers

13 original journeys to the legendary time of the Pharaohs—revealing the treasures gained and the trials faced by those destined to rule one of the mightiest empires of the ancient world.

Table of Contents:

• 11 - Introduction (Pharaoh Fantastic) - essay by Brittiany A. Koren
• 13 - Succession - novelette by Tanya Huff
• 43 - The Voice of Authority - novelette by Jody Lynn Nye
• 67 - Beneath the Eye of the Hawk - novelette by Jane Lindskold
• 111 - A Light in the Desert - short story by Rosemary Edghill
• 119 - The Scroll of Wisdom - novelette by Josepha Sherman
• 141 - Whatever Was Forgotten - short story by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• 151 - Let Our People Go - novelette by Mickey Zucker Reichert
• 184 - To See Beyond Darkness - novelette by Bill McCay
• 205 - A Lion Let Loose Upon the World - novelette by Brendan DuBois
• 231 - Games of Fate - novelette by Fiona Patton
• 258 - The Spin Wizard - novelette by Laura Resnick
• 285 - That God Won't Hurt - short story by Susan Sizemore
• 304 - Basted - short story by Alan Dean Foster

Do we all have destinies we can't avoid? Or is each of us able to determine our own future by our actions? Are there key moments in time that offer unique opportunities to change fate?

These are just a few of the questions explored in sixteen original tales that follow the paths of fates to distant worlds, dimensions, and times. From a being trained to be something he was not... to a street vendor selling Fate dogs... to the "true" story of King Arthur... to a gambler who turns to the Kabbalah to find a sure bet... to a man whose girlfriend is one of the three Fates... to the tale of one woman's appointment with Death... here are tales of darkness and danger, and stories with a humorous twist-gripping visions of the role fate can play in anyone's life.

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Introduction (Fate Fantastic) - essay by Daniel M. Hoyt
• 4 - Ascent - short story by Julie E. Czerneda
• 23 - Approaching Sixty - short story by Barry N. Malzberg and Mike Resnick
• 31 - But World Enough - novelette by Sarah A. Hoyt
• 54 - Consigned - short story by Alan Dean Foster
• 68 - My Girlfriend Fate - novelette by Darwin A. Garrison
• 92 - A Rat's Tale - short story by Barbara Nickless
• 110 - The Bones of Mammoth Malone - novelette by Esther M. Friesner
• 131 - Death and Taxes - [Seavy County] - novelette by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• 159 - Fate Dogs - short story by Robert A. Hoyt
• 175 - The Man with One Bright Eye - short story by Jay Lake
• 188 - A Tapestry of Souls - novelette by Paul Crilley
• 211 - The Final Choice - short story by Irene Radford
• 226 - The Prophecy of Symon the Inept - short story by Rebecca Lickiss
• 238 - Choice of the Oracles - novelette by Kate Paulk
• 263 - Camelot's Greatest Hits - short story by Laura Resnick
• 282 - Jack - short story by Dave Freer
• 303 - About the Authors (Fate Fantastic) - essay by uncredited

13 new stories about TESTING the bonds of fellowship on fantastical worlds

The bonds of friendship and fellowship are key to many fine fantasy and science fiction novels, most notably Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring. Now top tale-spinners offer their own unique takes on fellowship in thirteen original stories, featuring a girl who finds her best friend through a portal to another world, an adventure on an alternate Earth where a not-quite Holmes and Watson take on a fascinating challenge, a group of urban mages playing the "True Game" for high stakes, a squire determined to help his master's ghost fulfill his final mission, and more. Together, these stories dramatically illustrate how fellowships can alter destiny and change worlds.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction - essay by Kerrie Hughes
• Almost Brothers - novelette by Paul Genesse
• The Quest - novelette by Donald J. Bingle
• Sweet Threads - shortstory by Jody Lynn Nye
• Trophy Wives - novelette by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
• The Eye of Heaven - shortstory by Chris Pierson
• Overcast - shortstory by Alan Dean Foster
• Friends of the High Hills - shortstory by Brenda Cooper
• Scars Enough - shortstory by Russell Davis
• Concerning a Gambit of Fraternity - shortstory by Steven E. Schend
• Revenge is a Dish Best Served with Beers - novelette by Fiona Patton
• The Enigma of the Serbian Scientist - novelette by S. Andrew Swann
• Cirque du Lumière - novelette by Bradley P. Beaulieu
• Friendly Advice - novelette by Alexander Potter
• About the Authors - essay by uncredited

Let the games begin!

These thirteen original stories by veterans of the fantasy realms take role-playing games and universes to a whole new level.

From a teenager who finds a better future in virtual reality; to a private investigator hired to find a dying man's grandson in the midst of a virtual reality theme park; from a person gifted with the power to pull things out of books into the real world; to a psychologist using fantasy role-playing to heal his patients; from a gaming convention where the real winners may not be who they seem to be; to a multi-layered role-playing game that leads participants from reality to reality and games within games-these imaginative and fascinating new tales will captivate both lovers of original fantasy and anyone who has ever fallen under the spell of role-playing games.

Table of Contents:

• 1 - Roll On! - essay by Margaret Weis
• 5 - Introduction (Gamer Fantastic) - essay by Kerrie Hughes
• 8 - Escapism - short fiction by Chris Pierson
• 32 - Gaming Cycle - short fiction by Donald J. Bingle
• 45 - Rescuing the Elf Princess Again - short fiction by Ed Greenwood
• 59 - Roles We Play - short fiction by Jody Lynn Nye
• 79 - Mightier Than the Sword - [Magic Ex Libris] - novelette by Jim C. Hines
• 102 - Griefer Madness - (2009) - short fiction by Richard Lee Byers
• 124 - Mission from Hel - short fiction by Bill Fawcett
• 145 - The Gods of Every Other Wednesday Night - short fiction by Stephen Leigh [as by S. L. Farrell]
• 169 - "You Forgot Whose Realm This Really Is!" - short fiction by Brian M. Thomsen
• 179 - The War on Two Fronts - short fiction by Jean Rabe
• 197 - Aggro Radius - short fiction by David D. Levine
• 219 - Being Played - short fiction by Steven E. Schend
• 251 - Game Testing - short fiction by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
• 295 - Ernest Gary Gygax (1938-2008) - essay by Ed Greenwood
• 301 - About the Authors (Gamer Fantastic) - essay by uncredited
• 308 - About the Editors (Gamer Fantastic) - essay by uncredited