Published by: Tachyon Publications
ISBN: 161696202X
ISBN 13: 9781616962029
Published: September 2015
Pages: 384
Format reviewed: eVersion from NetGalley
Author Site: Publisher Site
Goodreads: Book Page
Stars: Five out of Five
In this collection titled Led Astray we have The best of Kelley Armstrong, from the author that brought us series such as Women of the Otherworld and Darkest Powers, and has over thirty books out; surely you’ve heard of her.
Overall this is a strong anthology, with a good mix of reprints from more popular publishings and those a little less so (and hence, harder to find), with a few original also. We see characters from the above mentioned series but probably half the shorts in this collection are standalone, showing exactly how strong Armstrong is in the art of the short story – introducing us to character and plot in such limited space.
As far as subject go, this anthology is much of the now with post apocalyptic and zombie shorts being the first that come to mind. As far as emotion goes, these are certainly shorts you might want to read somewhere quiet as they draw you in and wretch your heart around quiet fiercely at times, showing exactly how tightly drawn into the narrative you become so quickly.
What works best about this anthology is how assessable it is for those who aren’t entirely familiar with Armstrong’s work. As previously mentioned, there are a few original stories to this collection but most importantly, it’s the amount of stories that are standalone, which aren’t purely there for fans specifically of one of her best-selling series.
This anthology is highly recommended, and was very enjoyable to read!
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