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A review by lacrimamundi
The Advent of Winter by Dom McDermott
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This story Advent calendar contains 24 different short stories written by 24 different authors with a large variety of settings, characters, and vibes.
As it's always with me and anthologies, this has been a rather mixed bag, from 5-star stories all the way down to 2-stars.
I enjoyed most the stories well enough, although a few have been in there that have absolutely not been my cup of tea (at least not for the occasion, they might work in a different scenario for me, I will have to test that theory eventually).
The stories work not only well for any of the winter holidays you might celebrate and count down towards but rather in general for the whole winter season. So if you're not feeling up to it leading up to any kind of holidays, you could as well chose to read them afterwards, as a start into the new year, for example.
When it comes to age appropriation, I would say all stories are suitable for older kids (approx. 12-14 upwards), a few also for younger ones. None of the stories is in any way, shape, or form spicy (except for containing some spices that get added to drinks or food ;-).
My biggest gripe? The, in my opinion, strongest story this anthology has to offer was the very first one, which set incredibly high expectations. Expectations which did not get fulfilled very often throughout it.
Next year I might read the whole calender from back to front and see if that changes my perception and enjoyment of the stories. A few stories need another round of editing (I have not noted down which ones, I was lazy).
As a final verdict I can recommend this anthology, but would highly recommend to not get your expectations all hyped up by the first story.
As I rated each story individually, so I can come easier to a final rating for the whole anthology, and as I already did the work I will leave those ratings here, although I don't offer much of an explanation for many of my ratings. But perhaps some of them are helpful for some of you.
Individual ratings
1. Cal Black: The Patchskin Woman ★★★★★
Wonderful, mystical and allegorical story about a sacrifice to the Winter Queen. Featuring various talking animals and a domovoy. A magical tale, wonderfully written.
2. Jim Wilbourne: Rite of the Tundra ★★★☆☆
Well-written story that failed to really grip me, albeit it not being a bad story.
3. H. C. Newell: Innocence Lost ★★★☆☆
Well-written story that failed to really grip me, albeit it not being a bad story.
4. L. L. MacRae: Frosted Embers ★★★☆☆
Great story that read like the prologue to a full-sized novel. Made me curious and craving more, thus left me quite unsatisfied.
5. Karim Soliman: Frozen Hell ★★★☆☆
Great story that read like the prologue to a full-sized novel. I really liked the mythology aspect of it. Made me curious and craving more, thus left me rather unsatisfied.
6. Thiago Abdalla: Soulshard ★★★★☆
A good story. Demonhunter narrative meets folktale horror vibes. I liked it.
7. Palmer Pickering: Blood Fire ★★★★☆
A good story. I enjoyed it.
8. Tori Tecken: Cold Silver for Souls ★★☆☆☆
Not my cup of tea. Well-written, though.
9. A. R. Witham: Border Crossing ★★★★☆
A good story. I enjoyed it.
10. Tim Hardie: A Cold Broad River ★★★★☆
A good story. I enjoyed it.
11. Christer Lende: The Chrysmaws Case ★★★★☆
Entertain, intriguing, well-written and well-rounded, story. Although, I also would really like to know the answer to that very last question...
12. D. W. Ross: The Crypt of Ice ★★☆☆☆
Absolutely not my cup of tea. Way too much focus on fighting and not enough story or character parts for my taste in general and for an anthology like this in particular. Skimmed over the majority of the fighting parts, which was about 3/4 of the story, I think.
13. Natalie Kelda: Winter's Dance ★★★☆☆
Interesting concept, yet I often felt a bit lost when reading this. Too many things get mentioned where the reader has no idea what exactly they are and can't paint a picture of them either. I liked the atmosphere and the mythology aspects, I only wish it would make a bit more sense to me.
14. Zack Argyle: The Snowmaker's Child ★★★★☆
A great story. I enjoyed it very much.
15. H. L. Tinsley: An Act of Patience ★★★☆☆
Decent story, not exactly something I'd expect in an Advent calender, though.
16. Dom McDermott: A Fighting Chance ★★★☆☆
Was okay, not really my cup of tea but didn't feel totally out of place or concept.
17. J. D. L. Rosell: Beauty in the Void ★★★☆☆
Was okay, not exactly my cup of tea but didn't feel totally out of place or concept.
18. Andrew D. Meredith: Before the Snow Melts ★★☆☆☆
Not my cup of tea.
19. T. L. Greylock: Flurries, With a Chance of Treason ★★☆☆☆
Not my cup of tea.
20. Tatiana Obey: A Winter Marvel ★★★★☆
Quite a different kind of story. I very much enjoyed it.
21. Kerstin Espinosa Rosero: Three Bells to Midnight ★★★★☆
A great story. I enjoyed it very much.
22. Ryan Cahill: The Blood that Burns the Winter Snow ★★★★☆
A good story. I enjoyed it a lot.
23. Kian N. Ardalan: Spirit of WhiteNight ★★★★★
A wonderful, rather philosophical story about the meaning of life and about what gives life meaning. Exactly the kind of story I love and adore.
24. Quenby Olson: The Last Page ★★★★☆
A very good story. I enjoyed it. In some way it's about a book, that's always a bonus.
Average: 3,42
As it's always with me and anthologies, this has been a rather mixed bag, from 5-star stories all the way down to 2-stars.
I enjoyed most the stories well enough, although a few have been in there that have absolutely not been my cup of tea (at least not for the occasion, they might work in a different scenario for me, I will have to test that theory eventually).
The stories work not only well for any of the winter holidays you might celebrate and count down towards but rather in general for the whole winter season. So if you're not feeling up to it leading up to any kind of holidays, you could as well chose to read them afterwards, as a start into the new year, for example.
When it comes to age appropriation, I would say all stories are suitable for older kids (approx. 12-14 upwards), a few also for younger ones. None of the stories is in any way, shape, or form spicy (except for containing some spices that get added to drinks or food ;-).
My biggest gripe? The, in my opinion, strongest story this anthology has to offer was the very first one, which set incredibly high expectations. Expectations which did not get fulfilled very often throughout it.
Next year I might read the whole calender from back to front and see if that changes my perception and enjoyment of the stories. A few stories need another round of editing (I have not noted down which ones, I was lazy).
As a final verdict I can recommend this anthology, but would highly recommend to not get your expectations all hyped up by the first story.
As I rated each story individually, so I can come easier to a final rating for the whole anthology, and as I already did the work I will leave those ratings here, although I don't offer much of an explanation for many of my ratings. But perhaps some of them are helpful for some of you.
Individual ratings
1. Cal Black: The Patchskin Woman ★★★★★
Wonderful, mystical and allegorical story about a sacrifice to the Winter Queen. Featuring various talking animals and a domovoy. A magical tale, wonderfully written.
2. Jim Wilbourne: Rite of the Tundra ★★★☆☆
Well-written story that failed to really grip me, albeit it not being a bad story.
3. H. C. Newell: Innocence Lost ★★★☆☆
Well-written story that failed to really grip me, albeit it not being a bad story.
4. L. L. MacRae: Frosted Embers ★★★☆☆
Great story that read like the prologue to a full-sized novel. Made me curious and craving more, thus left me quite unsatisfied.
5. Karim Soliman: Frozen Hell ★★★☆☆
Great story that read like the prologue to a full-sized novel. I really liked the mythology aspect of it. Made me curious and craving more, thus left me rather unsatisfied.
6. Thiago Abdalla: Soulshard ★★★★☆
A good story. Demonhunter narrative meets folktale horror vibes. I liked it.
7. Palmer Pickering: Blood Fire ★★★★☆
A good story. I enjoyed it.
8. Tori Tecken: Cold Silver for Souls ★★☆☆☆
Not my cup of tea. Well-written, though.
9. A. R. Witham: Border Crossing ★★★★☆
A good story. I enjoyed it.
10. Tim Hardie: A Cold Broad River ★★★★☆
A good story. I enjoyed it.
11. Christer Lende: The Chrysmaws Case ★★★★☆
Entertain, intriguing, well-written and well-rounded, story. Although, I also would really like to know the answer to that very last question...
12. D. W. Ross: The Crypt of Ice ★★☆☆☆
Absolutely not my cup of tea. Way too much focus on fighting and not enough story or character parts for my taste in general and for an anthology like this in particular. Skimmed over the majority of the fighting parts, which was about 3/4 of the story, I think.
13. Natalie Kelda: Winter's Dance ★★★☆☆
Interesting concept, yet I often felt a bit lost when reading this. Too many things get mentioned where the reader has no idea what exactly they are and can't paint a picture of them either. I liked the atmosphere and the mythology aspects, I only wish it would make a bit more sense to me.
14. Zack Argyle: The Snowmaker's Child ★★★★☆
A great story. I enjoyed it very much.
15. H. L. Tinsley: An Act of Patience ★★★☆☆
Decent story, not exactly something I'd expect in an Advent calender, though.
16. Dom McDermott: A Fighting Chance ★★★☆☆
Was okay, not really my cup of tea but didn't feel totally out of place or concept.
17. J. D. L. Rosell: Beauty in the Void ★★★☆☆
Was okay, not exactly my cup of tea but didn't feel totally out of place or concept.
18. Andrew D. Meredith: Before the Snow Melts ★★☆☆☆
Not my cup of tea.
19. T. L. Greylock: Flurries, With a Chance of Treason ★★☆☆☆
Not my cup of tea.
20. Tatiana Obey: A Winter Marvel ★★★★☆
Quite a different kind of story. I very much enjoyed it.
21. Kerstin Espinosa Rosero: Three Bells to Midnight ★★★★☆
A great story. I enjoyed it very much.
22. Ryan Cahill: The Blood that Burns the Winter Snow ★★★★☆
A good story. I enjoyed it a lot.
23. Kian N. Ardalan: Spirit of WhiteNight ★★★★★
A wonderful, rather philosophical story about the meaning of life and about what gives life meaning. Exactly the kind of story I love and adore.
24. Quenby Olson: The Last Page ★★★★☆
A very good story. I enjoyed it. In some way it's about a book, that's always a bonus.
Average: 3,42