Release Date: 1 December 2013

Available for pre-order on Amazon Kindle

***ARC provided by San Francisco Book Review in exchange for an honest review***

Synopsis

Joy to the Worlds brings together four talented authors and eight phenomenally written short stories. Centered around a holiday theme, each author takes the reader on an imaginative ride into the ‘what-if’.

Wild Hunt – Tyson Wallenstein, newest member of the Wild Hunt sets out to track down a supernatural murderer whose weapon of choice is mistletoe.

Escape From Old Yorktown – A hijacked president’s son, old-time Victorian carolers, and Independent minded rebels should make for an interesting holiday.

Odysseus Flax and the Krampus – Not all legends are fat and jolly; some are hairy and frightening. Misbehave in this story and you might get more than just a lump of coal in your stocking.

Ol’ St. Nick – Someone killed Santa! With an ode to Agatha Christie, Browncoats and Trekkies alike will enjoy this holiday murder mystery.

Bevel and Turn – Time travel and a cursed Christmas whirligig will have you never looking at family holiday traditions the same again.

Death Node – Is it possible to change the future by changing the past or is history doomed to repeat itself, no matter what you do?  Or when you do it?

The Ringers – What if the ringing of Yuletide bells didn’t bring merriment and cheer, but death and fear? A young girl, full of magic and questions may be the only hope for a town living under a powerful Yuletide curse.

Mr. and Mrs. Mistletoe – 1950’s mentality meets the Jetsons; where being the perfect married couple is the quintessential pinnacle of achievement. Unless you happen to be the town’s spinster librarian.

My Take

This anthology is a great cross-genera mix of mystery, alternate history, and speculative fiction. Drawing from traditional mythology and lore as well as time-travel and science fiction, each author presents a unique perspective on the traditional holiday tale.  I had my personal favorites among the different stories, but they are all entertaining.  Each story includes a foreword from another author as well as a postscript describing where they got the idea for the story; a great personal touch which adds a special something to the story – almost as if each story is a small gift from the author to the reader.

Happy holidays.