I read this without reading any of the original series they belong to in the hopes that I would be able to figure out which series I would want to pick up first. And I don't think that was the right approach. A lot of these stories seemed like they were trying to shove in parts if the larger series where it didnt fit in a short story. I wish they would have been more easily read on their own. I think I will revisit this when I have read some of the series and I think I will get more out of it. I did enjoy some of the stories, though and I did discover Orson Scott Card's fantasy writing which was very witty and fun.