Full disclosure: I have a short story in this anthology. As such, this will be a reflection on the other stories, not a review.
Ye Olde Dragon is at it again with another fairy tale. This time it’s Jack and the Beanstalk. The editors challenged the author community to contribute wild variations of the old story. The authors did a superb job. Note: This compliment is directed at the other authors.
If you’re looking for a unique re-telling, look no further than “The Swordsman and the Firebird” by Caitlin Eha. A Far East take on the tale with an incredible “golden goose,” this story breathes new life into the old fairy tale. Another fantasy that uses many of the elements of the story are “The Truth of the Beanstalk” by Robert Miller. Fantasies that follow their own plots include “Over the Wall / Under the Sky” by Jordan Campbell with a girl giant looking to get back at bullies; “The Cow, the Beans, and the Pretender Princess” by Michelle Levigne about how useful giants can be against evil magicians; “When Facing Giants” by Lindsi McIntyre which is a creative reinterpretation of giants, beanstalks, and the like in a giant-ruled fantasy story.
If you enjoy more urban fantasy, read Jessica Tanner’s “The Glowing Bean,” where a modern group of people and adults have a magic beanstalk invade their afternoon. And a little more on the practical side of urban fantasy is “The Beanpole” by Michelle LM Houston, delightfully written from a less-than-intelligent but earnest “giant.”
Perhaps horror is your thing. If so, this anthology has two exciting tales: “Little’s Shop of Terrors” by Stoney M. Setzer and “Battling Giants” by Debra Cullins Smith. In the former, a farmer is breeding plants similar to the movie and play that the title riffs on. In the latter, legendary (giant in reputation) vampires arrive in the Wild West.
Last, there are contemporary stories here, too. How do you make a contemporary out of this fairy tale? Kathleen Bird imagines a computer virus that resembles J & B in “Virus Beans and Giant Trolls.”
One last horror, which could be read as a fantasy, is “The Garden” by Rosemarie DiCristo and Pam Halter. I was shocked at how this twisted tale turned out. A remarkable effort by the two authors.
This anthology, all things “Jack and the Beanstalk,” is a variety of stories guaranteed to delight.