The Very Best of Kate Elliott Paperback – 26 Feb. 2015

Really loved the stories in this one. Made me pick up some of her novels.

I'm not familiar with all of Kate Elliott's worlds, but this collection makes me want to remedy that. Containing stories that touch on each of the Crown of Stars, Jaran, Crossroads and Spiritwalker series, this is an excellent primer for anybody who wants to explore fantasy from a modern, inclusive and diverse perspective. In fact the collection itself could well be called Perspectives, since one of Elliott's strengths lies in showing us that heroes and protagonists in genre fiction don't have to conform to musclebound white-bread stereotypes. The four essays at the end of the collection are hardly filler material either - they highlight the need for fresh, diverse perspectives, and complement the stories perfectly.

Short story collections by authors renowned for their novels can be hit or miss (I've been hurt), but this collection was excellent. Several of the stories feature worlds and characters from Elliot's longer novels, but you don't need to have read the novels to follow, and there are also several stories from completely new worlds.I think this is an excellent "taster" for Kate Elliott's writing and would recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy and science fiction. Especially if you prefer an unconventional approach to the genre. I was certainly inspired to pick up the older series I haven't gotten to yet.

This was the first book I've read by Kate Elliot and I have no complaints. The stories were interesting and I enjoyed the essays at the end. Nothing jumped up and grabbed my attention like I'd hoped, but all in all a decent read.

The Very Best of Kate Elliott (2015) is a standalone SF/Fantasy collection. This volume contains two introductions, twelve stories and four essays. - "Introduction" (original) explains her early love of science fiction and fantasy and her efforts to write in those genres. She gradually learned that the SFF of that time was about the worldview of men, with women portrayed only as helpmates and accessories. - "Riding the Shore of the River of Death" (A Fantasy Medley, 2009) is a  Crown of Stars  tale. Kereha has ridden out with her brother to avoid becoming a wife of Prince Vayek. - "Leaf and Branch and Grass and Vine" (Fearsome Journeys, 2013) follows a hunted widow trying to get a message to the King's sister. - "The Queen's Garden" (Unexpected Journeys, 2013) compels two princesses to counter the moves of their father. - "On the Dying Winds of the Old Year and the Birthing Winds of the New" (original) is a  Crossroads  tale. It concerns a spy in Bronze Hall. - "The Gates of Jorlun" (Tarot Fantastic, 1997) involves three magicians in a civil war. - "The Memory of Peace" (Enchanted Forests, 1995) concerns two siblings in a besieged city. - "With God to Guard Her" (Return to Avalon, 1996) brings Merofled to the attention of the Duke. - "My Voice Is in My Sword" (Weird Tales from Shakespeare, 1994) is a  Jaran  tale, It divulges the experiences of a theatrical company on the Squat home world. - "Sunseeker" (30th Anniversary DAW Science Fiction, 2002) is a Jaran tale. It describes a group of sunbathers. - "A Simple Act of Kindness" (Shimmering Door, 1996) is a Crown of Stars tale. It takes Daniella out into a freak storm. - "To Be a Man" (kateelliott,com, 2011) is a  Spiritwalker  tale. It delivers a saber-tooth tiger to the garden. - "Making the World Live Again" (Zodiac Fantastic, 1997) puts Eili through the rites of becoming a woman.Four Essays - "Introduction" (original) explains the purpose of these online essays. - "The Omniscient Breasts: The Male Gaze through Female Eyes" (SFSignal, 2012) asserts that the male gaze is the unconscious default in American -- and other -- society. - "The Narrative of Women in Fear and Pain" (kateelliott.com, 2012) says that generally such stories are told from the omniscient point of view rather than from their own. - "And Pharaoh's Heart Hardened" (kateelliott.livejournal.com, 2010) talks about the sociopathy of racism and other prejudices. - "The Status Quo Does Not Need World-Building" (kateelliott.com, 2013) ponders the importance of cultural diversity in SFF.These tales seem to be the only short stories published in print form by the author. Wikipedia only lists nine stories and does not include "The Queen's Garden". ISFDB lists all the stories, but also lists this volume, so the stories cited with 2015 dates may be from this collection.The essays are interesting views of a female writer during the golden age of SF. Several women were contributing stories to the magazines back then, but Elliott found them grounded in the male viewpoint. Interestingly, several male authors began including female viewpoints in their stories about that time.The next installment in this sequence has not yet been announced on Amazon.The author had been publishing science fiction and fantasy for over two decades. Her first novel --  The Labyrinth Gate  -- was SF and published in 1988 under her real name of Alis A. Rasmussen. She followed that with  The Highroad Trilogy .When these novels were not bestsellers, she adopted her current pseudonym and published the  Jaran  SF series. These sold very well and so did  The Golden Key , a fantasy novel written in collaboration with Melanie Rawn and Jennifer Roberson. Her latest fantasy series are  Court of Fives  and  Black Wolves .Highly recommended for Elliott fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of other cultures, frustrated women, and a bit of action. Read and enjoy!-Arthur W. Jordin Crown of StarsCrossroadsJaranSpiritwalkerThe Labyrinth GateThe Highroad TrilogyJaranThe Golden KeyCourt of FivesBlack Wolves

This is a good collection of short short stories, but not Kate Elliot's best, due to the mixed quality of the writing. If you want her best, read Cold Magic or Court of Fives. That said, this is a nice collection of stories very much worth reading, although some of the stories are a much higher quality than others. (A few are just muddled, imo.) Most of the stories have a decidedly feminist vein and this is strengthened by the excellent, thought-provoking essays at the end of the collection.I will definitely be recommending this collection of stories about strong women to my daughter, who also loves Kate Elliot's books

Fans of Elliott's work won't be dissapointed. About half the stories were set in the world of already existing book series, while the rest are original. I wish there were more original series, as I felt at times that I was missing the context necessary to appreciate some stories - even though I've read all of Elliott's series, some were years ago, and some details were long forgotten.

I really enjoy Kate's books. But this was like reading chapters she didn't deem worthy of inclusion in her complete works. Disjointed and inconclusive, seems like some editor's attempt to generate some income from the cutting room scraps. Her fans deserve better.

Haven't read it yet.Haven't finished reading it yet.

ok

great book... great series .