Many readers know Laurell K. Hamilton from her Anita Blake and Meredith Gentry Novels. She is a well-known and very prolific writer of paranormal fantasy. What many don't know is that some of her first forays into published writing were of the pure fantasy genre. In Strange Candy Hamilton shows us a side of her that is rarely seen. Her collection of short stories includes some familiar faces and some not-so-familiar.

The book opens with an early story centered on Hamilton's most well known heroine, Anita Blake. It's a very young and naive Blake that we are shown in "Those Who Seek Forgiveness". From there we move on through a varied collection. Some of the stories are completely separate and stand-alone, such as "Here Be Dragons" which centers around pure evil in the form of a beautiful child that can kill with her dreams. Others stand together in a Tolkienesque world of sword-and-sorcery. "A Token for Celandine", "Winterkill," "The Curse-maker" and "Stealing Souls" are contained within their own unique world and follow Hamilton's modus operandi of strong, independent women. Each selection is opened with a brief note from the author that gives insight into her thought process and reasoning.

To be honest with you I've never been a big fan of Hamilton. I tried the Anita Blake series but they just didn't appeal to me. I was pleasantly surprise however to find myself enjoying this book. My favorite stories were the pure fantasy pieces. I did enjoy "Here Be Dragons" as well. I would recomend this book whether you are a fan or not. It contains some nice surprises.
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Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley Trade (June 5, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN: 0425215210
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