Sirens

The siren uses voice to lure people to distraction and so to an unfortunate end. This anthology could be a siren in and of itself, as it can lure a middle-aged man away from attending to life's necessary chores such as earning a living. The topic offers fertile grounds for original storytelling because both modern and ancient literature have done so little with it. We have sirens in the sea, in outer space, and in the underground/subway system.

The book is always better, but each story in this book could be the kernel for a movie. Most tales show the siren to be evil, but some justify their harshness pointing to the pollution of the oceans - human eco-terrorism. Other sirens can act altruistic and maternal. Others are very classical in show more a very modern setting. Each story entertains intensely show less

The siren uses voice to lure people to distraction and so to an unfortunate end. This anthology could be a siren in and of itself, as it can lure a middle-aged man away from attending to life's necessary chores such as earning a living. The topic offers fertile grounds for original storytelling because both modern and ancient literature have done so little with it. We have sirens in the sea, in outer space, and in the underground/subway system.

The book is always better, but each story in this book could be the kernel for a movie. Most tales show the siren to be evil, but some justify their harshness pointing to the pollution of the oceans - human eco-terrorism. Other sirens can act altruistic and maternal. Others are very classical in show more a very modern setting. Each story entertains intensely. show less

Sirens are beautiful, dangerous, and musical, whether they come from the sea or the sky. Greek sirens were described as part-bird, part-woman, and Roman sirens more like mermaids, but both had a voice that could captivate and destroy the strongest man. The pages of this book contain the stories of the Sirens of old, but also allow for modern re-imaginings, plucking the sirens out of their natural elements and placing them at a high school football game, or in wartime London, or even into outer space.

Featuring stories by Kelly Sandoval, Amanda Kespohl, L.S. Johnson, Pat Flewwelling, Gabriel F. Cuellar, Randall G. Arnold, Micheal Leonberger, V. F. LeSann, Tamsin Showbrook, Simon Kewin, Cat McDonald, Sandra Wickham, K.T. Ivanrest, Adam L. show more Bealby, Eliza Chan, and Tabitha Lord, these siren songs will both exemplify and defy your expectations

MY THOUGHTS:

I received this book in exchange for my honest review. I seldom read a collection of stories, but I found myself ordering this book for the works of the above listed authors because I’ve heard about several of them.

This anthology is filled with wonder, magic, and magical creatures. Parrish never disappoints. The authors and their work are exquisitely different from each other and fill the pages with unforgettable characters. You’ll love spending every minute with them. You want enthralling menagerie, pick up this book. You will delve into the world of mythology, demi-gods, mermaids, obsession, lust, violence, golems, hunger, violence, kindness, human/siren interactions, artificial intelligence, feedings, seahorses, whales, science fiction, Atlantis, Goddesses, cruise ships, space, courage, battles, traps, dueling fishermen, sleazy businessmen, faithful wives and not so faithful husbands… You’ll be wanting more of these characters and possibly wanting to read a fully fleshed out novel involving some of the premises in the anthology. The bottom line, you’ll want more! show less

Poignant, diverse, and enthralling: this new volume in the Magical Menageries series evokes the majesty of sirens, from the traditional deep sea variety of Greek mythology to those that entice sailors of deep space to ones who scan modern dating sites with wistful hopes for a good match. I could not stop reading.

Like with any collection of short stories, some pull you in and some are not that engrossing. I felt that this collection was skillfully put together, with varying interpretations of what a "siren" is. There were some traditional approaches, some that took traditional elements and applied them to the modern, and some that felt very unique in all ways.
If you're looking for a variety of stories in the general theme of "sirens," I think you'll enjoy this work. If, however, you're hoping for something much more traditional, you'll probably be disappointed. Personally, I really enjoyed most of the stories, and wished that a number were expanded into their own works.

Although I liked the concept of an anthology on Sirens, I was overall disappointed. I did like all the different interpretations of a siren, but most of the stories were clumsy and unsatisfying.

I enjoyed this book overall. Some stories pull you in and could easily have been turned into novels themselves. I prefer the classic mythical view of sirens myself but the science fiction versions were quite creative and thought provoking as well. While some stories were easier for me to get into than others, anyone who is a fan of folklore will find something enjoyable in this collection.