Delightful. If Volume One was truly the essential collection, the works he has been known for and that people might bring up when you say, ‘oh, yes; Peter S. Beagle’s short stories, I remember that one,’ this volume is emblematic of the skill, emotional complexity, and sheer fun he is capable of bringing to his writing. There were only a couple that were familiar to me, despite owning most of his published collections (of course, we probably have to allow for my memory, but still). Perhaps the ‘essential’ refers to the essence of a person; most of these works have some autobiographical element, whether it is childhood relationships or the explorations of a dear friend.

The introduction by Meg Elison is brilliant and appropriate; so much better than the prior collection.

Sleight of Hand: classic Beagle about a woman in the initial stages of profound loss. The main character is a little too single-noted to obtain the emotional resonance in his other stories.

Oakland Dragon Blues was just this side of corny, but I love the choice of policeman as narrator. I forgive Beagle writing himself in, because it was fun and has really great bits:

“A creature out of fairy tales, whose red eyes, streaked with pale yellow, like the eyes of very old men, were watching him almost sleepily, totally uninterested in whatever he chose to do. But watching, all the same.”

Just tell me you haven’t walked past an old man like that on his porch.

The Rock in the Park: The fall entry in the childhood series from The Green Man Review. “There are whole countries that aren’t as territorial as adolescent boys.” I adore the idea of the map, and love the nod to the visual arts.

The Rabbi’s Hobby: an unexpected standout that might stay in my favorites. It has the feel of time period fiction, centered a young man experiencing larger-than-life anxiety facing his bar mitzvah. Both he and his rabbi become distracted by series of magazine photographs: “When we were at last done for the day–approximately a hundred and twenty years later–Rabbi Tuvim went on as though I had just asked the question.” A mixture of low-stakes comedy and high-stakes memories.

The Way It Works Out and All: Beagle’s friend Avram sends him a series of unlikely postcards When he runs into him in NYC, he takes the narrator on a tour of the Overneath: “He had been born in Yonkers, but felt more at home almost anyplace else, and I couldn’t recall ever being east of the Mississippi with him, if you don’t count a lost weekend in Minneapolis.”

The Best Worst Monster is a fun little children’s type story of a monster who decides not to monster. A little less heavy-handed than most of the type.

La Lune T’Attend is a modern werewolf tale, more or less, a Creole counterpoint to Lila the werewolf and ultimately, far more satisfying. I loved the dynamic of the two old men.

The Story of Kao Yu is the story of a traveling Chinese judge, his retainers and the unicorn who occasionally visited his court: “China is one of the few countries where sadness has always been medically recognized.” Now this is how to modernize a Judge Dee tale.

Trinity County, CA: You’ll Want to Come Again and We’ll Be Glad to See You! is a modern urban fantasy setting. What if the county needed animal control for all the illegal dragons? Nice interplay of older, experienced worker and ‘new blood’ coming into the job.

Marty and the Messenger is a strange little story loosely based on Beagle and his childhood friends, but with a silly twist. “But I was great on aptitude tests, where you didn’t actually have to know anything.” Definitely captures the feel of potential at that age.

The Mantichora was written especially for this collection. Avram is a researcher who goes to talk with the last mantichora, but pushes his luck: “It went on all night, and by pale morning, A.D. was an older man.”

Mr. McCaslin: another one of the ‘back when we were kids’ stories, Mr. McCaslin was the Irish neighbor suffering from a lung ailment: “We were kids: we had all known people who had died, but never anyone actually in the process, sentence spoken, date of execution set.” When he asks him for a favor, they agree.

The Fifth Season: The last story about Peter and his three friends–he’s almost sure–about a farewell moment in the neighborhood park. Reminded me very much of Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes in every way but plot. “He made a soft sound that I can still summon up, even after so much time, and never will.”

Tarzan Swings by Barsoom: of them all, this is my least favorite. Having not been party to Tarzan nor John Carter, it isn’t particularly entertaining, turnabout or no.

The Bridge Partner: a surprising story from Beagle, who I often associate with a more fantastical, dreamy mysticism; this delves into the cat and mouse between a killer and her intended prey. Initially alarming, it was a very good read. One of the ones I recalled, which says something for staying power.

Vanishing: Beagle writes that this was a challenging, ‘kidney stone’ of a story that went through eleven drafts. It’s a curious choice to include in this collection, full as it is of childhood and transitional moments.

The final section contains ‘Abouts’ for each of the contributors: Peter S. Beagle, Meg Elison and Stephanie Law. These were short and sweet. I enjoyed reading more of what Elison is up to since Book of the Unnamed Midwife, but as an admirer of the other two, didn’t contain any new details.

My only complaint, truly, is that my Paperwhite Kindle can’t do justice to Stephanie Law’s illustrations. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a more suitable author-artist pairing, and I would love to see these in color. I guess I’ll content myself with her Instagram. Highly recommended for fans of the fantastic and short stories.

Four and a half stars, rounding up. Lovely writing, evocative moods; if each story wasn’t amazing, the collection as a whole is.



Many, many thanks to NetGalley and to Kasey Lansdale at Tachyon Publications for an advance reader copy. As always, my opinions my own. As always, quotes subject to change, but I think they give a lovely flavor of the writing.

Continuing the bumper collection of short work by one of the greats, with stories taking in everything from the eponymous dragon to centaurs on the other coast of the US, an unusual deal with a surprisingly kind devil, and Avram Davidson's discovery of the secret plumbing of the world. Not that the first volume wasn't already pretty New York Jewish, but I think this one may be more so, especially in The Rabbi's Hobby, set around the lead up to a bar mitzvah. The eponymous hobby being collecting, everything from old magazines to keys that don't have locks: "Whenever I find a lock that's lost its key I try a few of mine on it, on the chance that one of them might be the right one. God is like that for me – a lock none of my keys fit, and probably never will. But I keep at it, I keep picking up different keys and trying them out, because you never know. Could happen." In real life, probably not, but in a Peter Beagle story, well. And yes, obviously there are unicorns too, though maybe not quite like you're expecting. I didn't altogether go for Tarzan Swings By Barsoom - too much the working out of a childhood grudge, and besides, I've barely read Burroughs – and Beagle isn't kidding when he introduces the closing Vanishing as being work well outside his comfort zone; for me it was at once a little pat and a bit too grim to make best use of his gifts, though it could make a cracking Twilight Zone episode. On the whole, though, reading this is the delight of watching a master at work.

(Netgalley ARC)

This is volume 2 of a the collected short stories of Peter S. Beagle, who is arguably one of the best living fantasy writers today. The two volumes together are a sweeping collection of his genius and range.

I enjoyed The Essential Peter S Beagle Volume 2 a bit more than Volume 1. Many of the stories are grounded more in the real world with a touch of fantasy which appealed to more. Some the stories in Volume 1 were familiar to be but I hadn’t read anything in Volume 2. I enjoyed the anticipation of wondering what I would find when I finished a story and turned the page. I loved all of the stories. I especially liked Sleight Of Hand, The Rabbi’s Holiday, Marty And The Messenger, Mr McCaslin and The Fifth Season.

The Good: Short story collection of quiet, comforting magical realism
The Bad: Wide breadth of subjects; it’s best to give a little time between each piece of fiction
The Literary: Personal chapter introductions from the author

Peter S. Beagle, best known for the The Last Unicorn, is one of my favorite authors. With an ability to seamlessly move from reality to fantasy, his stories possess an authenticity of truth. In this group of stories, Beagle seems to write about people in his life, both from childhood and adulthood, and I'm surprised how well he translates them to characters on the page.

In this second volume of his essential collection, I again note the breadth of genres—from children’s to adult stories, fairy tales to urban fantasy, with dragons, unicorns, werewolves, and ghosts. There are a few more stories that fall on the scifi side of this typically fantasy-focused author. Many stories are gritty, with high stakes and action-packed fight scenes. But, in the end, there is always an elegance and grace that round out this contemplative magical realism collection.

The stories in order:

Sleight of Hand – ★★★★★ – A woman sets off in her car with no destination after the loss of her husband and daughter. She becomes fascinated with a magician in a small town diner, and although she doesn't remember him, she may have met him before. Step outside of time in this story about second chances.
Oakland Dragon Blues – ★★★★★ – A dragon appears in a busy intersection in Oakland demanding to see his maker. A self-referential story on the magic of creation.
The Rock in the Park – ★★★★★ – The first of five tall tales about Beagle's childhood with his misfit friends in 1950s Bronx. One afternoon while Peter and his friend Phil lounge on their favorite giant rock in Central Park, a family of centaurs timidly asks for directions.
The Rabbi's Hobby – ★★★★★ – While preparing for his bar mitzvah, a young boy and his Rabbi become fascinated with a young woman on an old magazine cover, who it seems upon some investigation never existed. I love the interplay between the two narratives in this one, and how they come together at the end.
The Way It Works Out And All – ★★★★★ – Beagle's friend Avram sends postcards from around the world one day after the other, too fast to have covered the distance by standard travel. Over dinner, the friend reveals his method—a special inter-dimensional mode of travel through the Overneath. Suprisingly suspenseful and terrifying.
The Best Worst Monster – ★★★★☆ – A hideous monster, created by his master to sow fear and destruction, develops a conscience. A sweet little morality tale about living with Beppo the Beggar as inspiration.
La Tune T'Attend– ★★★★★ – Two aging Cajun werewolves, who never revealed their true nature to their wives and children, must protect themselves and their families when an old enemy returns.  A real supernatural territorial battle of vengence.
The Story of Kao Yu – ★★★★☆ – A traveling judge, fair and patient and stern, respected by all, often deferred the most heinous of crimes to the judgement of chi-lin, the Chinese unicorn. But when Kao Yu falls in love with a small-time thief, he sacrifies his purity, his truth, and his relationship with chi-lin.
Trinity County, CA: You'll Want to Come Again and We'll Be Glad to See You! – ★★★★☆ – A police officer and his perky new young partner investigate small-time illegal dragon breeding operations in rural Trinity County, California. Surprisingly gruff and procedural, with the magic of extremely dangerous dragons.
Marty and The Messenger – ★★★★☆ – The second tale in this collection about young Peter and his childhood friends. Marty is the small one with the limp, a polio survior, but he'ss also the smartest kid in the group, so it's no suprise to Peter when an alien species contacts Marty through his lunch jello to ask for assistance preventing the decline of their species. Most of the childhood stories have a magical realism, but this one falls a little too far outside of the realm of possibility for me. Still, it's cute.
The Mantichora – ★★★★☆ – The second story in this collection about Beagle's friend Avram, who is the last person on Earth to speak Mountain Mantichora, mostly because he's the only known survior after speaking with a Mantichora. A Yeti also makes an appearance.
Mr. McCaslin – ★★★★★ – Another tale about Peter's childhood, with all his friends in tow, as they help a dying man finish a long letter to his estranged daughter. If only they can keep death, in the form of a dark terrier, from getting into his apartment. This may be my favorite of the whole collection.
The Fifth Season – ★★★★☆ – The last supernatural childhood tale in which one of Peter's friends' deceased father shows them a horde of waterguns, with which they spend all daying playing in the park. This one isn't as much about ghosts as it is about the make-believe of childhood battles and truces, and wishing the magic of childhood would last forever.
Tarzan Swings by Barsoom – ★★★★☆ – What if Tarzan of the Apes and John Carter of Mars got in fight?
The Bridge Partner – ★★★★★ – Mattie's new bridge partner seems normal, but at the end of every game and encounter, whispers discreetly so no one else can hear, I will kill you. I see myself in timid Mattie, and this story kept me awake at night, reading feverishly under the covers.
Vanishing – ★★★★★ – The last thing Jansen remembers is waiting for his pregnant daughter in the lobby of the doctor's office. He awakens in a place from his previous life, serving as a guard at the Berlin Wall. But upon further exploration, beyond the Wall is only emptiness. There is only Jansen, the Wall, and ghosts of his past.

And don’t forget to take a few moments to appreciate the  gorgeous illustrations from Stephanie Pui-Mun Law. Highly recommended for fans of Neil Gaiman, Ursula K. LeGuin, and Susanna Clarke!

I received an advance copy of this book via NetGalley.

I recently read the first volume in this set. I loved it. My expectations were high for this second book, and were absolutely fulfilled. Peter S. Beagle is a treasure. His stories abound with wry humor, heart, and gentle depths. I adore his fictional-autobiographical tales that use his own NYC childhood and friendships for inspiration, and the there are several such stories in this book. I also loved 'The Rabbi's Hobby" and "The Bridge Partner"--wow, breathtakingly good stuff. These stories remind me that I should read more of his books, too. What a writer.

Most of us know Peter S. Beagle from his masterpiece The Last Unicorn, and I fear that most of us have never explored the man's work further.

To my utter shame this is certainly true of myself.

I requested a copy of The Essential Peter S. Beagle Volume 2 to rectify this mistake, thinking that I would be rewarded with a few nice stories that would fill an afternoon.

Peter S. Beagle is not a writer, at least he is not the writer that so many others are. Peter S. Beagle is a magician, an alchemist of ideas, and a absolute treasure to all those who are exposed to his wonderful stories. I am thankful that I have quality copies of The Last Unicorn (and The Lost Journey), but now I realise that I need to find much more space on my shelves for the rest of the authors work.

That's okay, there are certainly many lesser authors who can be discarded in favour of Peter S. Beagle, and by that I mean almost all of them.

You know how when you are at a restaurant and the food is to die for, there's a phrase that people say: This is so good, I want to kiss the cook! Well, I want to tongue Beagle. Completely frenching it up. I guess you could say "Compliments to the Chef" but too many people have already complimented Beagle. He doesn't need the praise anymore.

I won't dock points for it, but I'm calling out the publisher. At least in the version I read which may or may not make it to the final printing, there were over three pages of praise for Beagle. This was in both volumes of the collection. I understand if you have a blurb from Neil Gaiman or George R.R. Martin on the front and back of the books. It's all marketing. I think it's a waste of ink having pages of it on the inside, followed by an introduction where a third party then goes and praises Beagle and his writing at length. Does anyone sit there and read all these quotes?

My favorite story in this collection is the one with the Rabbi. What stands out above the rest is how easily this could have turned into an awful story. Minor spoilers but I won't give away the goat: If the woman had turned out to be the lady in the photos after all and fell in love with the Rabbi, that would have killed the story. If it turned out to be her mother, and then in turn she and the Rabbi fell in love, it would have flatlined. Beagle told the perfect story by not falling into any conventions. It has the right amount of everything.

Between the two collections, I'm inclined more toward this second volume. Beagle is fantastic. I may have to read The Last Unicorn after all.

I've been a long time fan of Beagle's work and this was no exception. Beagle's name is synonymous with the greats of fantasy and does not need an elaborate introduction. I thought I would be prepared for these short stories and just would be able to sit back and enjoy them, but I was severely unprepared for the emotional journey they took me on. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of his works and look forward to adding them to our library system.

I previously reviewed Volume 1 of Tachyon’s spring publication of Peter S. Beagle’s short stories. This reissue encompasses a large span of Beagle’s career and features some of his best work as a fantasist.

I had mentioned in my review of Volume 1 that Beagle is a natural storyteller and it bears repeating here. Of particular interest to readers new and returning would be the short introductions to each story, written by Beagle himself. They provide great insight into the original inspiration and a new lens on the story.

One of my very favorite stories is “La Lune T’Attend,” Beagle’s second werewolf short story, and my favorite werewolf short story. It’s not just about shape shifting and howling at the moon, but about complicated family dynamics. The entire collection is worth purchasing. My other favorites are “Sleight of Hand,” “The Story of Kao Yu,” and “Oakland Dragon Blues.”

I know there are many more stories in Beagle’s backlist, and I hope the publication of these two collections signal future publications. Some of my favorite stories haven’t made their way into these collections, but I have hope.

Thank you to Tachyon and NetGalley for providing an electronic reading copy. I’ve also pre-ordered the hardcover for my personal library.

Summary
A collection of fantasy stories by Peter S. Beagle

Review
As the pages of this site attest, I’m a latecomer to Peter S. Beagle, running across even The Last Unicorn long after most. I’ve had mixed reactions to his other work, most recently feeling quite positive about the first volume of this series, just days ago. Unfortunately, with this volume, my reactions are back to mixed.

There’s no question that Beagle is a talented writer, but in this ‘essential’ volume, talented prose is not paired with engaging stories. There are quite a few – too many – stories of his childhood friends (all intertwined with fantastic elements), and I found fairly soon that the charm had worn off. Most of these stories, childhood or not, simply run too long. The one previously unpublished story, while better than I had grown to fear (it’s the last story in the collection) is at least twice as long as it needed to be, and perhaps more.

None of these stories really stood out, to be frank. And I’m a fan of a slow-moving, contemplative story. Still, my favorites among them were:

“The Rock in the Park” – Centaurs get off course on their regular migration, and can’t find their way out of New York.
“The Best Worst Monster”- A monster created by a mad scientist thinks maybe there’s something beyond destruction.

I’m not expert enough in Beagle’s work to decide whether these stories are essential. Based on what I have seen, however, I’d have to lean toward ‘inessential’ and ‘they’re all well written and some of them are nice. If you’re not a Beagle aficionado, I’d stick with Volume 1.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love that Beagle's work is being re-assembled and published again, and that he has written his own introductions to these works. I'm especially delighted to find stories here that I hadn't read before, and to re-read old favorites with his intro in mind. Here, Meg Elison does a somewhat better job of writing the Foreword than Jane Yolen, whose Foreword should be trashed completely, but I wonder why have these Forewards in the first place? Just read the stories with Beagle's recollections, and enjoy his worlds and words.