Beyond the Pale

A Fantasy Anthology

By: Jim Butcher, Saladin Ahmed, Peter Beagle, Heather Brewer, Kami Garcia, Nancy Holder, Gillian Philip, Jane Yolen, Rachel Caine

Narrated by: Jarret Lemaster

Beyond the Pale is an anthology of 12 dark fantasy and paranormal stories that skirt the border between our world and others. Was that my imagination, or did I hear something under my bed? What was that blurred movement in my darkened closet? There is but a thin veil separating the real and the fantastic and therein dwell the inhabitants of these stories.

Beyond the Pale's award-winning and The New York Times best-selling authors present:

• "Hooves and the Hovel of Abdel Jameela" by Saladin Ahmed (author of Throne of the Crescent Moon)
• "The Children of the Shark God" by Peter S. Beagle (author of The Last Unicorn series)
• "Misery" and "Shadow Children" by Heather (Zac) Brewer (author of the Vladimir Tod series)
• "Even Hand" by Jim Butcher (author of the Dresden Files series)
• "Death Warmed Over" by Rachel Caine (author of the Weather Warden series)
• "Red Run" by Kami Garcia (coauthor of Beautiful Creatures)
• "Pale Rider" and "The Adventures of Lightning Merriemouse-Jones" by Nancy Holder (author of Wicked)
• "Frost Child" and "South" by Gillian Philip (author of the Rebel Angels series)
• "A Knot of Toads" by Jane Yolen (author of Owl Moon)

The noun “pale” refers to a stake (as in, one used for impaling vampires) or pointed piece of wood (as in, a paling fence). “Pale” came to refer to an area enclosed by a paling fence. Later, it acquired the figurative meaning of an enclosed, and therefore, safe domain. Conversely, "beyond the pale" means foreign, strange, or threatening. You are about to go beyond the pale.

Cover art by Abigail Larson. Edited by Henry Herz.

©2014 Henry Herz (P)2020 Birch Tree Publishing

Enjoyed most of these

Unfortunately, I have come across a couple of these in other collections. They are still so good that I didn’t object to finding them here. Although, I would have enjoyed a new story by Jim Butcher. There was was only one story that I fast forward through because the content would have given me nightmares. Overall the range of eras and sub genres was better than in most books of this type.

This is a great and fun book

All the stories are unique, beautiful and lyrical. I really enjoyed and recommend this book and I am grateful to the authors and narrater for its creation.

Better than expected

I enjoyed this collection much more than I thought I would, especially after I started with the first story. But as things went along, I enjoyed it more and more. The only story I didn't like was the last story, "The Adventures of Lightning Merriemouse-Jones." I stopped listening after five minutes.

My favorite stories were, "The Children of the Shark God," "Even Hand," and "Red Run."

I also enjoyed "Pale Rider," "Frost Child," and "South."

Some of the stories had a narrator that used a heavy accent, but luckily I was able to get through them. :)

I would definitely listen to a second volume if there was one.

Unique collection of Fae-based stories

Overall I enjoyed this collection of stories because the subjects were far more unique than that of the usual collections. Each story revolved around creatures unknown to me (but one because who hasn't heard of a selkie before?). Although there were one or two stories that I didn't like as much each one had it's own flavor and a few were based in cultures not well-represented in this genre.

Two of the stories were a bit difficult for me to understand because of the accent used by the actor performing them but overall I enjoyed the quality of the reading.

If you're looking for a collection of stories with new and interesting themes I'd recommend this one.

What a narrator!

The stories themselves were top notch, what a great set of stories from a great set of writers, and above all, what a narrator to tell them! What range, what passion!

Narrative speakers where teerible

Stories that were good with female in this story was male TERRIBLE They should have been female change the tone would like another book