Hero or Hindrance???

Title:  THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES

Anthology Edited by:  Denise Little 

Description:
These 22 all-new tales pay tribute to the true heroes-the people who enable and put up with heroes. From what it's like to be Hercules' wife )complete with an appearance by Hercules in drag) to the trials of H.P. Lovecraft's housekeeper, from the perils of being King Kong's girlfriend to the downside of dating a shapeshifter, this anthology turns heroism on its head, revealing the behind-the-scenes drama, as opposed to glorious rescues. From the Pied Piper's power trip to David acting like a giant you-know-what after slaying Goliath, these stories show heroes in all their ignominy and shine a light on the unsung faithful standing in their shadows.

Review:
I have to start off by saying that I love the idea behind this anthology.  It's kind of like watching that reality TV show that you just can't turn off, except that it's about some of our most beloved heroes and the people  who have to deal with them. Ever wonder who does the laundry and who has to deal with the day to day issues that revolve around heroes?  Or have you ever thought, do they stink when they get done fighting evil or riding on their horse?  In this collection of 22 short stories we learn about all sorts of things that heroes get themselves into and what those around them have to deal with on a regular basis.

This is a fun twist, with subjects ranging from internet dating in Kristine Grayson's Geeks Bearing Gifts, to make-overs in Laura Resnick's The Quin Quart, to housekeeping in Adrian Nikolas Phoenix's The Horror in the Living Room.  As with all anthologies there are some that are not as memorable as others, but I felt that overall it was a fun read with a little something in it for everyone.  Some of the stories were lighter and more humorous with some being more serious and of course we had some action and suspense.  I felt that each of the author's personalities and writing styles stood out wonderfully and made the reading experience very enjoyable.  Denise Little has done an excellent job as the editor of THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES as well as many other fantastic works.  I will definitely be looking into some of the authors that I read for the first time, which is one of the things that I love most about anthologies, after getting a little taste of their writing styles.

Includes Stories by the
Following Authors:
Kristine Grayson
Adrian Nikolas Phoenix
Mike Moscoe
Jean Rabe
Nina Kiriki Hoffman
Terry Hayman
Annie Reed
David H. Hendrickson
Phaedra M. Weldon
Pauline J. Alama
Robert T. Jeschonek
Laura Resnick
John Alvin Pitts
Dayle A. Dermatis
Dory Crowe
J. Steven York
Peter Orullian
Janna Silverstein
Ken Scholes
Steven Mohan, Jr.
Allan Rousselle
Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Comments

Anonymous said…
Just started reading Adrian Phoenix (shame on me for waiting this long!) and I'm liking it so far. Once I'm done with the series I think I'll look into this book.


Stephanie G
This anthology has such a fascinating concept. And I had never heard of it before you mentioned. Thanks very much for the heads-up.

You have an absorbing, fun blog, Roland
This sounds like such a fun read! I had not heard of this book until now. Thank you for sharing this one. I have to say I really enjoy reading Ken Scholes writting and I also love anthologies. I may have to get this one for the enjoyment side of it. :) Thanks!
Hell Kat said…
@Stephanie Shame on you is right! lol Adrian's writing is AWESOME!!!

@Roland Hi! Thanks for coming by and thank you about the blog! It is a really fun concept and I enjoyed a lot!

@Melissa It was a little on the unknown side to me too but I love Adrian Phoenix and she posted up in her yahoo group that she had a short story so I had to check it out and really loved it! There were several authors that I had not read yet and will be looking into more of their work!
Anonymous said…
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