Writing about writing.

Here are a couple of mass-market fantasy books for the first person who emails me. First, Michael Moorcock’s The Dreamthief’s Daughter: A Tale of the Albino is an interesting twist on his series of books involving Elric of Melnibone. I’ve always enjoyed Moorcock’s work because of the way he treats fantasy in a realistic manner. Sometimes, heroes in sword and sorcery books are a little too omnipotent. The wizard walks up, says abracadabra, and wastes a legion of the undead without breaking a sweat. But in Moorcock’s work, the sorcery exacts a toll and bargains must be made with forces that expect payment. He creates a fantastic world and recounts epic tales that seem like they could actually happen.

Second, I have Year’s Best Fantasy 5, which quite frankly, I never got around to reading. It is a collection of stories by Neil Gaiman, Kage Baker, Tim Powers, Richard Parks, Peter S. Beagle, Patricia A. McKillip, and others. I can’t tell you much about this one, but it’s in pristine shape (since I never opened it) and can be yours for free.

So the first person who emails me with the subject line “free fantasy novels” get them both. Good luck!