Urban Green Man

This thoughtful collection of 31 stories and poems—with an introduction by acclaimed fantasist Charles de Lint—updates the Green Man myth for a far less green world. Here the legendary spirit of raw life force and protector of the forest takes on diverse roles, from nurturer to avenger and from lover to nemesis. In Susan J. MacGregor’s “Evergreen” and dvsduncan’s “The Green Square,” those who defy the Green Man’s needs are swiftly and painfully punished. In “Sap and Blood” by Martin Rose and “Breath Stirs in the Husk” by Eileen Wiedbrauk, desperate souls call on the forest spirit for help, with mixed results. Goldeen Ogawa’s “Abandon All” and Sarina Dorie’s “The Forest Lord” force human characters to come to terms with the power of nature itself, while the Green Man finds ways to adapt to us in Gary Budgen’s “Mr. Green” and Michael J. Martineck’s “Greener Pastures.” Most of the stories are short, more thought and image than plot. Pagan readers and urban fantasy fans, especially young adults, will enjoy this look at timeless themes of balance and wildness. (Mar.)