Sigil: Volume I [Paperback]

The most enjoyable reads were "Wizard's Moon," and "Candleglow" with definite reread potential on the latter. I don't think it's a coincidence that these two stories were written by the editors who put together the anthology. They seemed the most professional, the characters the most engaging.

Honorable mention to "Midnight Confession" because it felt real (if I had to hazard a guess, pen names aside, I'd say this was the only male author among the crew) and touched on issues that took it to a higher level than simple pleasure reading.

I had a hard time wrapping myself around the novel-sized cast presented in "Persephone Ascending" but the setting was fun, if a little reminiscent of Final Fantasy.

"Centauri" and "In the Dark" needed a little more development to feel like complete stories.

"Messenger" on the other hand was longer than it needed to be, and I didn't find the narrator a memorable character. Still, the concept of the fox-god lover was fun.

"Once Upon a Time" started out slow but picked up once Alex was introduced. A decent, casual read, though some of the humor felt forced at times.

I'm not big on contemporary fiction, but "Temporary Gifts" was a well done piece, that acknowledges that monsters in the woods aren't what horror is really about.

As I said, all in all, I would recommend this anthology, but I'm not going to give it a five stars for two reasons. First because the majority of the male characters didn't ring true to me as a male reader, and I realize that oddly enough I may not be the target audience, but most of these guys honestly didn't feel very manly. Second because most of the stories glossed over the fact that being gay means being different and not quite fitting in... always a powerful theme that deserves exploring.

That said, I try to avoid anthologies, since the level of quality changes for however many stories are anthologized. That's the case with 'Sigil.' Not every story is a winner. And, of course, another bias of mine leans away from the short story format. I tend to like novels a lot better, since there's more room for development in every facet of the story. Still, that doesn't mean this book isn't worth a gander. My favorite story was 'Messenger.' It had atmosphere, delicious prose, and a straightforward, uncomplicated plot that left little room for underdevelopment or loose ends. And the sex. Let's not forget about the sex. One of my least favorites was 'Persephone Ascending,' for reasons that were the exact opposite of what made 'Messenger' so good -- a non-straightforward plot that left LOTS of room for underdevelopment (like the one-shot villian) and loose ends (what about this 'new world' the crew is supposedly sending people to? Did they succeed in their quest? etc.)

Overall, these aren't the most astounding stories I've ever read, but I do feel that this book is a landmark in publishing. If you're a drooling fangirl like me, then buy this book knowing that behind the scenes (or in front of the word processor) are a few kindred spirits who started off just like you. Buy it knowing that it's probably the only thing of its kind. And who knows? Maybe there's a second, even better volume of 'Sigil' in our future.