Under the Rose

The quality of the 27 original short stories in this fantasy anthology is wildly inconsistent, but there are a handful of real gems, including Mel Sterling's “Perambulations,” a horror-nuanced tale of carny Mister Strange and his enticing clockwork creations; Justin Stanchfield's “A Distant Scent of Rain,” which chronicles the revelatory ceremonial first contact between humankind and an alien delegate; and “Sagekites' Land” by Ekaterina Sedia, a poignant story about a boy's struggle to come to grips with his father's looming death and the loss of his family's homestead. Readers who get past Pauline E. Dungate's clunky “Plant Hunter,” Tim Lieder's self-satisfied “Office Job” and William John Watkins's tell-don't-show “Five Hundred Vinnies”—all far too weak for their cushy opening spots—will find enough good stories to make the effort worthwhile. (Oct.)