Anthologies are the best way to find new to you authors and to introduce you to stories outside your favorite authors series. I've found new authors who became favorites and new series that I binged and shared with everyone who would listen. In fewer words than many chapters, these authors build a fantasy or take you into sci fi worlds, leaving you hungry for more. As in any book of short stories, some are better than others, but there are no bad stories here. Read them gift them and share the wonders.

I requested this book in a whim. Because Myth and fantasy and enigmas and puzzles. Yep. Totally me. If I got what I was looking for? I didn't know what exactly my expectations where, but it was a entertaining read, and I enjoyed it a lot. And that's what I always want in a book.

For those who don't have the time to read an entire fantasy series this anthology is perfect. Some stories are better than others but there is something for everyone. The world of these stories are reminiscent of mythological cities like El Dorado and Shangri la and the visuals described are absolutely riveting.

As with all anthologies thee will be stories that captivates the reader's attention and others that just cruise on by. But for this anthology I think that there are enough good and inventive stories to satisfy.

As with all short story collections, some will be better than others. I quite enjoyed the themes explored.

I thoroughly enjoyed this short story collection. The concept for this collection captivated me: lost lands, whether mythical or from more recent stories, with characters interacting with the legend in some way. Each author created a compelling short about the collision of the ordinary with the legendary, and what that could entail.

The stories deal with exploration, climate change, family connections and/or inheritance, and tourism, among other things, and were in some cases amazing journeys, in other cases, horrifying, and in a few cases, amusing.

I liked all of the stories, but the ones I loved like crazy were:
-Comfort Lodge, Enigma Valley by Charles Yu
-Endosymbiosis by Darcie Little Badger
-The Orpheus Gate by Jonathan Maberry
-The Tomb Ship by Becky Chambers
-Pellargonia: A Letter to the Journal of Imaginary Anthropology by Theodora Goss

Thank you to Netgalley and to Grim Oak Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

with all anthologies comprised of multiple contributors, this is a mixed bag. will say i probably most enjoyed the entries by theodora goss, e lily yu and genevieve valentine

Because of problems with my computer and e-reader my I didn't read the book and my copy has expired.

Thank you NetGalley for this ebook. I was very curious for this collection because of 2 authors mentioned there: Becky Chambers and Seanan McGuire. I really wanted to read their stories and as I was expecting already, loved them.

This collection feels very unique in idea - I felt like I was discovering new worlds as I was reading it and I loved the concept. As in all short stories collections, not all of them were my favourite, but I think they all brought something unique to the theme of this book.

All in all, I highly recommend this book.

I read the first few stories in this anthology and I think I should give up. I don't think there's anything really wrong with any of them. I just think adult fantasy short stories aren't for me. It was difficult to stay focused on anything happening because I was bored and didn't care.

As with most collections of short-stories I've read, there were some great ones and some more indifferent ones.
I didn't get the feeling for the Lost Worlds the title indicated in some of these stories, but if you enjoy some of the authors listed give this a read!
I am sure you'll find something to enjoy.

I have learnt to take a chance on short stories that do not fit my usual mould. I love being surprised the way I was with this one.

The Light Long Lost at Sea by An Owomoyela 

This was not a very exciting way to begin but was very immersive. We have one character meeting up with an ex, as the latter is doing her a favour. They are to investigate something at the corner of almost nowhere to figure out the authenticity of what people have seen there. On the journey, we get a feel for how 'magic' is treated and the wars that were fought in the land. There is nothing elaborately described, but given the way things were written, I think I could build my own story from that point on (something I have found myself often doing with short story anthologies with no complaints). - 3 Stars

The Cleft of Bones by Kate Elliott

The class system and slavery are quite prevalent in this remote location that we find ourselves visiting. Having a benefactor (of sorts) has helped one of the slaves learn to read. She also has faith and reads the signs of an upcoming change which will reorganize the world as they know it. - 3 stars

The Voyage of Brenya by Carrie Vaughn

This story almost feels like the continuation of the first plot. Here too, a character with faith in her heart and desperation sets off to find their gods. The faithful have been praying, but she wants to talk to them and bring back prosperity to her world. On this journey and at the end, she learns how cyclic the nature of living is. - 3 stars

Comfort Lodge, Enigma Valley by Charles Yu

I am a fan of such stories, which are pieced together from different narratives. This is a collection of reviews over years of a particular lodging. In this futuristic age, we see what the random requirements of people are and the strange occurrences that disrupt routine living. Not all the reviews were equally entertaining, but the format appeals to me, and I actually had fun with this one. - 4 stars

The Expedition Stops for the Evening at the Foot of the Mountain Pass by Genevieve Valentine 

This story reminded me a lot of a Korean book on a very similar topic. I did not enjoy it as much as I had hoped because I was not able to completely absorb the ending. - 2 stars

Down in the Dim Kingdoms by Tobias S. Buckell 

This plot manages to combine a lot of conversational topics. Its prominent point of discussion is the concept of colonialism. One of the original colonizers of the world of the ant people is visiting with his family. Our narrator is one of that family. Usually, I do not enjoy such thriller-like twists, but there was something about the narrative style that appealed to me. - 4 stars

Those Who Have Gone by C.C. Finlay

Our narrator is a girl/woman who has figured out that her relationship is doomed but that her partner intends to propose. Their surroundings and the venom in the other's actions are a starting point for her own self-discovery. 3 stars

An Account, by Dr. Inge Kühn, of the Summer Expedition and Its Discoveries by E. Lily Yu

This was a more standard sci-fi kind of book set in a world where climate change has already overtaken life as we know it, and we have people exploring the newly revealed melted spaces. The adventure by the doctors and the final ending were also set in a style that felt very familiar. - 3 stars

Out of the Dark by James L. Cambias 

Two men are part of an advanced race that goes to other planets to figure out if civilizations still exist, and they have rules as to the kinds they have to suppress. Choices have to be made several times during the course of the narrative. 3 stars

Endosymbiosis by Darcie Little Badger 

The story was more like a fable. I am not usually fond of such endings, but they fit the horror theme that the plot suddenly jumps into. The changes in the tone of the story and the writing helped me like it. 3 stars

The Orpheus Gate by Jonathan Maberry

The granddaughter of a famous scientist who was a contemporary of Arthur Conan Doyle is approached by a mysterious lady who leads her down a path that she previously was not even sure existed. The chain reaction was interesting. 3 stars

Hotel Motel Holiday Inn by Dexter Palmer

A salesman talks of his travelling life. It is a way to describe the world he lives in, with some things that are things we would expect and others not. The ending is what makes the story stick, and I had to reread it before writing this review just to ensure I got it right! 4 stars

On the Cold Hill Side by Seanan McGuire 

An island off the coast of mainland USA keeps reappearing every hundred years, and a team is sent to make contact this time around. The interactions and the past are shrouded in mystery, and we will get the complete picture but not the whys of the magic. 4 stars

The Return of Grace Malfrey by Jeffrey Ford

A girl disappeared and reappeared after a traumatic journey. It was hard to follow the purpose of the images we are shown but it did have an ominous atmosphere throughout. 3 stars

The Tomb Ship by Becky Chambers

There are battles in space that are ongoing. We only know the partial truth of why they have reached the point that they are in. A lone traveller chances upon a floating ship and stumbles into the seat of power. I found it interesting how the world-building was narrated through the conversations the traveller has with an AI. 4 stars

Pellargonia: A Letter to the Journal of Imaginary Anthropology by Theodora Goss 

This was such a complex story. The writing was fun and light-hearted but it mixes up reality and imagination to such an extent that I was left wondering if this was actually possible in real life! Children are the primary narrators but they provide enough of background to imagine them and their actions quite vividly. 4 stars

There, She Didn’t Need Air to Fill Her Lungs by Cadwell Turnbull 

The story had a very languid pace, and I kept waiting for something to change. There was no purpose mentioned for the ending other than the presence of magic in the world. It is not as strong as the others but it was quite immersive. 3 stars

Usually, when I provide individual ratings for the stories within a book, I tend to add them all and take an average for the book rating. As I wrote the individual reviews (took longer than I care to admit), I found myself ready to read all the pieces again and see if I missed anything. I very rarely feel that the sum of the whole should rank much higher than the individual chapters, but for once, I think I will stick with my gut reaction.

This collection is definitely for people who are used to short stories and looking to try something new.

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but my review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

some excellent stories gathered in this collection particularly from Jonathan Maberry a great way to spend a rainy afternoon !

Short story anthologies are a great way to discover new authors, and Lost Worlds was no exception. I was initially drawn to this book by social media alerts and because it contained stories by two of my favourite authors, Kate Elliot and Seanan McGuire.
The anthology contains 17 stories, most of which fit the brief, though some have a tenuous connection. As is often the case, some of the stories resonated with me as a reader while others did not, particularly those that felt like an excerpt from a longer work rather than a complete story.
The Cleft of Bones by Kate Elliott, Endosymbiosis by Darcie Little Badger, The Orpheus Gate by Jonathan Maberry, and Hotel

As a huge fantasy and mythology fiction fan this book was very satisfying to read. It hit all the marks; great stories, diverse selection. The characters in the stories were well developed and I often got lost in the scenes and settings. The layout shows the care the authors have for their readers. Looking forward to more from these authors.

I read this for the Becky Chambers story which I adored! Chambers can do no wrong and I will read absolutely anything they write including a grocery list. Three stars for the story!

Lost Worlds and Mythological Kingdoms, I struggled getting into this book, and it just didnt live up to its appeal for me. I do think others will enjoy. Thank you for giving me a chance with this book.

“Lost Worlds and Mythological Kingdoms” is a compilation of short stories in the fantasy and sci-fi genre. The underlying premise of these stories is unique – a focus on a lost world or mythological kingdom. In the introduction, Adams describes the challenge this way. “In the present day, of course, there’s very little of our world that can be said to be unexplored. To discover a lost world or mythological kingdom today would be a truly stunning event. And so, is it even possible to tell such stories in the modern era?” The answer to that question is most certainly, yes! Seventeen authors accepted the challenge, each approaching the task in a completely different way. Each story leaving the reader wanting to know more about the place and the characters that inhabit it!

After two unremarkable stories, this anthology finds its footing with “The Voyage of Brenya,” “Comfort Lodge, Enigma Valley,” “The Expedition Stops for the Evening at the Foot of the Mountain Pass,” and “Down in the Dim Kingdoms.” Then it enters a seven-story slump before perking up for Seanan McGuire, Becky Chambers, and Theodora Goss (with an interruption from Jeffrey Ford that’s more horror than anything else in this book) only to end on an (ironically) anticlimactic magical realism story about summiting a mountain. I did not find much that was memorable in ten of the stories, but to be honest, finding seven stories in the same anthology that I liked as well as I liked these is pretty unusual. I think I would purchase this book in paperback if I could find it used (which is about as good as it gets for anthologies for me).

Short story anthologies are a great way to introduce yourself to new authors and Lost Worlds proved to be no exception. Initally attracted to this book from social media alerts and because it had stories from my favourite authors - Kate Elliot and Seanan McGuire.
The anthology has 17 stories which mostly fit the brief though for some the link is tenuous. As is often the case some of the stories hit the mark for me as a reader whilst others just didn't resonate - particularly the ones which felt like an excerpt from a longer work rather than a complete story.
The standout stories for me were The Cleft of Bones by Kate Elliott, Endosymbiosis by Darcie Little Badger, The Orpheus Gate by Johnathan Maberry, Hotel Motel Holiday Inn by Dexter Palmer, On the Cold Hill Side by Seanan McGuire and The Tomb Ship by Becky Chambers. Darcie Little Badger, Johnathan Maberry and Dexter Palmer are all new authors to me and I shall definitely be tracking down more of their works.
This is a collection that is definitely worth exploring and my thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for access to the ARC.