This is the twenty-first, and likely last, volume in this series, and it seems a shame to see it go, no matter whether a majority of the stories are my cup of tea or not. This is an above-average installment in terms of quality, with a few real standouts. "Spell of the Sparrow" has some interesting things to say about magic, and I couldn't help but find humor in the situation, intentional or not. "Child's Play" is strong, as one might expect from Friesner; and "Multiple Choice" is wonderfully duplicitous. "Oulu" is the best, in my opinion, with a twist that comes from nowhere (in this case, a good thing). "Love Potion #8 1/2," despite its terminally corny title, is a fitting bit of cleverness to end with. Granted, the collection has its usual share of perfunctory-seeming fragments and mood pieces that, taken by themselves, don't hold up so well, but the writing is, at worst, competent.
Chances are, you know going in whether you'll like it. It is, so to speak, more of the same, and I leave it to the individual consumer to decide whether that's good or bad. Suffice to say, I enjoyed it more than any of the other Sword and Sorceress outings I've read, and it's good to see that at least the franchise is going out on a high note.
The contents:
"Sword and Sorceress" by Jennifer G. Tifft: A poem celebrating the titular archetypes.
"Dawn and Dusk" by Dane Kramer-Rolls: Fleeing and uncaring home, a girl seeks shelter in a cottage and finds more than she bargained for.
"Spell of the Sparrow" by Jim C. Hines: If a wizard decides she wants your husband, is there anything you can do about it?
"The Woman's Place" by Susan Urbanek Linville: The matriarch of a clan of cavemen must provide for her people, but such duties require sacrifice.
"Kin" by Naomi Kritzer: A military wizard rescues an infant and finds herself remarkable suited to the ensuing responsibility.
"Child's Play" by Esther M. Friesner: Father and step-mother disagree over whether to accede to the king's interest in their unusually-talented child.
"Ursa" by Jenn Reese: A woman and her attendant bear spirit embark on a quest to save a child--but from what?
"Red Caramae" by Kit Wesler: Short mood piece about a swordswoman who seeks the instrument of her vengeance.
"Parri's Blade" by Cynthia McQuillin: A widow swipes her dead husband's dearest possession to bind his soul to earth forever.
"Necessity and the Mother" by Lee Martindale: Humorous, if unlikely, tale about the power of the free market.
"Sun Thief" by K. A. Laity: Ice people make their annual sacrifice to bring about the return of the sun; told from the sacrifice's point of view.
"Lostland" by Rosemary Edghill: Slightly confusing (purposely, no doubt) tale of a warrior searching for what she has lost, whatever it may be.
"Plowshares" by Rebecca Maines: A group of raiders aren't quite what they seem.
"Step By Step" by Catherine Soto: Story fragment about a groom who get the chance to prove herself as a swordswoman.
"Rose in Winter" by Marie M. Loughlin: A newly-minted young noble-woman must decide what sort of love will bring her true happiness.
"Kazhe's Blade" by Terry McGarry: A down-and-out warrior resists fulfilling the purpose for which she was trained.
"The Skin Trade" by Heather Rose Jones: A magical gift can be an invitation to exploitation, or a powerful bargaining chip.
"Multiple Choice" by Leslie Fish: A sorceress tries to divine the intentions of the dead wizard she's brought back.
"Oulu" by Aimee Kratts: A fortuneteller who wishes to retire may not be allowed to leave in peace. Probably the best story of the bunch.
"A Kind of Redemption" by John P. Buentello: A warrior could be at peace, if she could only remember what the wrong is that she must right.
"Journey's End" by Dorothy J. Heydt: A descent into the underworld.
"Love Potion #8 1/2" by Marilyn A. Racette: Such elixirs can be employed by the wise for other than their stated purpose.
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Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword And Sorceress XXI (Sword and Sorceress) Books In Print, Audio Books.