''Magical Beginnings'' is an
anthology of
fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and drama ...
short stories
A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...
edited by
Steven H. Silver
Steven H Silver (born April 19, 1967) is an American science fiction fan and bibliographer, publisher, author, and editor. He has been nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer twelve times and Best Fanzine seven times without winning ...
and
Martin H. Greenberg
Martin Harry Greenberg (March 1, 1941 – June 25, 2011) was an American academic and anthologist in many genres, including mysteries and horror, but especially in speculative fiction. In all, he compiled 1,298 anthologies and commissioned ...
, first published in paperback by
DAW Books in February 2003. It is a compilation of the first published stories of sixteen prominent authors in the genre, and features introductions to the stories provided (in most instances) by the authors of those stories.
''Magical Beginnings '' was the second of three similarly-themed anthologies, its companions being ''
Wondrous Beginnings'' and ''
Horrible Beginnings
''Horrible Beginnings'' is an anthology of horror short stories edited by Steven H. Silver and Martin H. Greenberg, first published in paperback by DAW Books in March 2003. The cover art is based on Children of Bodom's debut album, ''Something W ...
'', compiling the first published stories of authors writing in the
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imagination, imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, Paral ...
and
horror
Horror may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Genres
*Horror fiction, a genre of fiction
**Japanese horror, Japanese horror fiction
** Korean horror, Korean horror fiction
*Horror film, a film genre
*Horror comics, comic books focusing on ...
genres, respectively.
The series follows the example of the earlier ''
First Flight: Maiden Voyages in Space and Time'', edited by
Damon Knight
Damon Francis Knight (September 19, 1922 – April 15, 2002) was an American science fiction author, editor, and critic. He is the author of "To Serve Man", a 1950 short story adapted for ''The Twilight Zone''.Stanyard, ''Dimensions Behind t ...
(
Lancer Books
Lancer Books was a publisher of paperback books founded by Irwin Stein and Walter Zacharius that operated from 1961 through 1973. While it published stories of a number of genres, it was noted most for its science fiction and fantasy, particularly ...
, 1963)
and ''
First Voyages'', edited by Damon Knight, Martin H. Greenberg and
Joseph D. Olander
Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the m ...
(
Avon Books
Avon Publications is one of the leading publishers of romance fiction. At Avon's initial stages, it was an American paperback book and comic book publisher. The shift in content occurred in the early 1970s with multiple Avon romance titles rea ...
, 1981),
which focused on science fiction authors only and did not include individual introductions.
Contents
*"Introduction" (
Steven H Silver
Steven H Silver (born April 19, 1967) is an American science fiction fan and bibliographer, publisher, author, and editor. He has been nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer twelve times and Best Fanzine seven times without winni ...
)
*"Introduction to 'People of the Crater'" (
Andre Norton
Andre Alice Norton (born Alice Mary Norton, February 17, 1912 – March 17, 2005) was an American writer of science fiction and fantasy, who also wrote works of historical and contemporary fiction. She wrote primarily under the pen nam ...
)
*"The People of the Crater" (1947) (
Andre Norton
Andre Alice Norton (born Alice Mary Norton, February 17, 1912 – March 17, 2005) was an American writer of science fiction and fantasy, who also wrote works of historical and contemporary fiction. She wrote primarily under the pen nam ...
)
*"Introduction to 'My Daughter's Name Is Sarah'" (
Peter S. Beagle)
*"My Daughter's Name Is Sarah" (1959) (
Peter S. Beagle)
*"Introduction to 'April in Paris'" (
Ursula K. Le Guin
Ursula Kroeber Le Guin (; October 21, 1929 – January 22, 2018) was an American author best known for her works of speculative fiction, including science fiction works set in her Hainish universe, and the '' Earthsea'' fantasy series. She was ...
)
*"April in Paris" (1962) (
Ursula K. Le Guin
Ursula Kroeber Le Guin (; October 21, 1929 – January 22, 2018) was an American author best known for her works of speculative fiction, including science fiction works set in her Hainish universe, and the '' Earthsea'' fantasy series. She was ...
)
*"To Light a Fire" (
Susan Shwartz
Susan Shwartz (born December 31, 1949) is an American author.King, T. Jackson. "SFC Interview: Susan Shwartz". ''Science Fiction Chronicle'' 16(7): 5, (pp. 30-33). June/July 1995.
Education and career
She received her B.A. in English from Mo ...
)
*"The Fires of Her Vengeance" (1980) (
Susan M. Shwartz)
*"Introduction to 'The Fane of the Grey Rose'" (
Charles de Lint
Charles de Lint (born December 22, 1951) is a Canadian writer of Dutch, Spanish, and Japanese ancestry. He is married to, and plays music with, MaryAnn Harris.
Primarily a writer of fantasy fiction, he has composed works of urban fantasy, co ...
)
*"The Fane of the Grey Rose" (1979) (
Charles de Lint
Charles de Lint (born December 22, 1951) is a Canadian writer of Dutch, Spanish, and Japanese ancestry. He is married to, and plays music with, MaryAnn Harris.
Primarily a writer of fantasy fiction, he has composed works of urban fantasy, co ...
)
*"Introduction to 'Bones for Dulath'" (
Megan Lindholm
Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden (born March 5, 1952), known by her pen names Robin Hobb and Megan Lindholm, is an American writer of speculative fiction. As Hobb, she is best known for her fantasy novels set in the ''Realm of the Elderlings'', ...
)
*"Bones for Dulath" (1979) (
Megan Lindholm
Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden (born March 5, 1952), known by her pen names Robin Hobb and Megan Lindholm, is an American writer of speculative fiction. As Hobb, she is best known for her fantasy novels set in the ''Realm of the Elderlings'', ...
)
*"Introduction to 'The Unicorn Masque'" (
Ellen Kushner
Ellen Kushner (born October 6, 1955) is an American writer of fantasy novels. From 1996 until 2010, she was the host of the radio program '' Sound & Spirit'', produced by WGBH in Boston and distributed by Public Radio International.
Backgro ...
)
*"The Unicorn Masque" (1981) (
Ellen Kushner
Ellen Kushner (born October 6, 1955) is an American writer of fantasy novels. From 1996 until 2010, she was the host of the radio program '' Sound & Spirit'', produced by WGBH in Boston and distributed by Public Radio International.
Backgro ...
)
*"Introduction to 'The Stuff of Heroes'" (
Esther Friesner
Esther Mona Friesner-Stutzman, née Friesner (born July 16, 1951) is an American science fiction and fantasy author. She is also a poet and playwright. She is best known for her humorous style of writing, both in the titles and the works themsel ...
)
*"The Stuff of Heroes" (1982) (
Esther Friesner
Esther Mona Friesner-Stutzman, née Friesner (born July 16, 1951) is an American science fiction and fantasy author. She is also a poet and playwright. She is best known for her humorous style of writing, both in the titles and the works themsel ...
)
*"Introduction to 'The Ulfjarl's Stone'" (
Mickey Zucker Reichert)
*"The Ulfjarl's Stone" (1989) (
Mickey Zucker Reichert)
*"Introduction to 'Rending Dark'" (
Emma Bull
Emma Bull (born December 13, 1954) is an American science fiction and fantasy author. Her novels include the Hugo- and Nebula-nominated '' Bone Dance'' and the urban fantasy '' War for the Oaks''. She is also known for a series of anthologie ...
)
*"The Rending Dark" (1984) (
Emma Bull
Emma Bull (born December 13, 1954) is an American science fiction and fantasy author. Her novels include the Hugo- and Nebula-nominated '' Bone Dance'' and the urban fantasy '' War for the Oaks''. She is also known for a series of anthologie ...
)
*"Introduction to 'A Different Kind of Courage'" (
Mercedes R. Lackey
Mercedes Ritchie Lackey (born June 24, 1950) is an American writer of fantasy novels. Many of her novels and trilogies are interlinked and set in the world of Velgarth, mostly in and around the country of Valdemar. Her Valdemar novels include ...
)
*"A Different Kind of Courage" (1985) (
Mercedes Lackey
Mercedes Ritchie Lackey (born June 24, 1950) is an American writer of fantasy novels. Many of her novels and trilogies are interlinked and set in the world of Velgarth, mostly in and around the country of Valdemar. Her Valdemar novels include ...
)
*"Introduction to 'Third Time Lucky'" (
Tanya Huff)
*"Third Time Lucky" (1986) (
Tanya Huff)
*"On "Sing'" (
Kristine Kathryn Rusch)
*"Sing" (1987) (
Kristine Kathryn Rusch)
*"Introduction to 'Birthnight'" (
Michelle West
Michelle Michiko Sagara (born May 5, 1963) is a Japanese-Canadian author of fantasy literature, active since the early 1990s. She has published as Michelle Sagara, as Michelle West (using her husband's surname) and as Michelle Sagara West. Sagar ...
)
*"Birthnight" (1992) (
Michelle West
Michelle Michiko Sagara (born May 5, 1963) is a Japanese-Canadian author of fantasy literature, active since the early 1990s. She has published as Michelle Sagara, as Michelle West (using her husband's surname) and as Michelle Sagara West. Sagar ...
)
*"Introduction to 'The Jewel and the Demon'" (
Lisanne Norman
Lisanne Norman (born 15 February 1951 in Glasgow, Scotland) is a science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such ...
)
*"The Jewel and the Demon" (1998) (
Lisanne Norman
Lisanne Norman (born 15 February 1951 in Glasgow, Scotland) is a science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such ...
)
*"Introduction to 'The Raven's Quest'" (
Fiona Patton)
*"The Raven's Quest" (1998) (
Fiona Patton)
*"About the Authors"
References
{{reflist
2003 anthologies
Fantasy anthologies
Martin H. Greenberg anthologies
DAW Books books