Buried Deep is a treat for fans of Naomi Noviks published works - a course of bite sized stories for those of us who wish we could dive into all of her worlds one after the other. But even the stories that draw from her other books are entirely accessible for new readers. New stories from new worlds, new stories from old worlds, all with Noviks characteristic wit and fancy. Each story has a satisfying conclusion while leaving you dreaming of the stories that could follow. There's something for everyone- dragons, magical schools, regency-era pirates, Greek mythology, and plenty more goodies.

Short stories have the difficult job of having only a few pages to tell a great story and make you care about it (especially in fantasy). But Novik manages to create robust worlds and captivating characters in such a short amount of time. Although Novik writes high fantasy generally, these short stories are a mix of character and story driven because of the constraints of the format. I love a collection like this to have on hand for things like waiting rooms and airports for a one-shot read.

For lovers of : Emily Wildes Encyclopedia and A River Enchanted (by Rebecca Ross)

***Novik never seems to make a misstep, and the thirteen stories here revisit favorite fictional worlds, delve into never-before-revealed adventures, and offer a glimpse into the author's newest world-building adventure--which I already love.***

I love reading Naomi Novik's books without exception--just check out the links to my many rave Bossy reviews at the end of this post to find out how much.

Naomi Novik's newest work, Buried Deep, is a collection of thirteen stories that span the worlds of her fantastic novels--and hint at new works to come.

When I read a collection of short stories, I inevitably develop favorites, and while reading Buried Deep I enjoyed all of the stories but particularly loved three.

"After Hours" allowed me to delve back into Novik's Scholomance series, which I adored. I hated for this one to end, because what I actually wanted was the impossible: to read another full-length work taking place in the world of El and Orion.

"Dragons & Decorum" is a glorious mashup of Novik's dragon stories (see my mention of the Temeraire series, below) and Pride and Prejudice, and it made me grin with glee the whole time I read it.

And "The Long Way Round" is a tantalizing peek into Novik's next world, with a savvy, gruff female captain at sea, her beloved, artistic, romantic brother, and a big adventure. I'm already obsessed with this story and can't wait to read the full-length version.

I received a prepublication copy of Buried Deep and Other Stories courtesy of NetGalley and Ballantine.

Naomi Novik is the author of richly wrought fantasy novels featuring main protagonists I love: Uprooted and Spinning Silver as well as the Scholomance series, A Deadly Education, The Last Graduate, and The Golden Enclaves.

Novik has also written a series of nine fantastic books about dragons, the Temeraire series. The dragons talk and are haughty and greedy and intensely loyal to their riders, Novik explores world politics and the intricacies of nations' relationships and airborne dragon battles within the books' alternate history, and the human protagonists are wonderfully faulted and fantastic. I've read seven of the nine installments, and I'm dreading reaching the end of the series.

I love Naomi Novik and am so happy that another one of her books is this amazing! Her short story skills are great and am so happy to have read this one. :)

The Scholomance series, Spinning Silver, and Uprooted, all get a relook with this collection of 13 short stories. Some of the stories will be brand new and some will take you back to beloved books. From the Temeraire series (a must-read dragon Book) to the brand-new world of Abandon, these are short stories perfect for any fantasy lover.

Why Jackie loves it:

These are some of my favorite books from Novik and I loved getting a glimpse back into the stories. It was also a perfect way to introduce Abandon, the new world in Novik's upcoming epic fantasy series!

As a lover of anthologies & Naomi Novik's previous work this was such a hit for me! Her ability to craft worlds and really pull readers into the setting will never fail to amaze me.

There were a few stories that missed for me, but having 3-4 out of 13 not resonate is definitely ok in my book, we can't expect to love every single piece of work even our favorite authors release.

If you're a lover of whimsy, fantasy, magic, or pirates I would definitely recommend giving this a shot. If you're already a fan of Novik, this is probably on your radar and I think it's time for you to take the plunge!

Overall, this is a fun way to read in short intervals but still be fully engrossed in the story.

I will preface this by stating that I am a Novik groupie and I will take whatever CRUMB they leave me. I am exactly the intended audience for this. And, I mean, does Naomi Novik write anything that is not an utter masterpiece?

It was nice being able to back into old worlds and read new stories. I won't lie, I got a little emotional reading about the Scholomance wold post-culling. Also Beata was just lovely and her voice is really compelling and endearing. Novik had range, each story and world was so different from each other but you could still hear their voice. God, I am a such a loser fan lol.

Love everything that Naomi Novik writes. Loved visiting some of my favorite worlds from her, like the Scholomance and Spinning Silver. loved the pride and prejudice one, and liked seeing the new world she’s working on

This collection of stores was just as good as Novik's other work but my only real complaint is that if you are not up to date with her other work you are definitely missing something.
I love her work but have not completed all of what she has out and I felt like I was missing something big.
I intend to revisit this after finishing what I have left and hopefully that will improve my outlook on this one.

This is a captivating collection of short fiction that showcases her talent for blending rich world-building with compelling characters. Each story in the anthology offers a unique flavor, from high fantasy to fairy-tale-inspired tales, all bound together by Novik’s distinctively lyrical prose.

The standout feature of this collection is the way Novik masterfully crafts immersive settings in even the shortest stories, pulling readers into enchanted worlds brimming with magic, danger, and complex moral choices. The characters, often caught between tradition and personal desire, reflect the internal struggles that make Novik’s work resonate emotionally, even in brief encounters.

While the collection is varied, “Buried Deep,” the title story, epitomizes Novik’s ability to reimagine classic folklore with a modern twist. It explores themes of sacrifice, legacy, and the weight of history in a way that feels both timeless and fresh. Other stories delve into similar explorations of power dynamics and the cost of ambition, giving the anthology a unifying thread while still providing diverse narrative experiences.

Fans of Novik’s larger works will appreciate this collection for its depth and imagination, while newcomers will find it a perfect introduction to her storytelling prowess. “Buried Deep and Other Stories” is a thought-provoking and beautifully written anthology that offers a glimpse into the many corners of Novik’s creative universe.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an ARC and allowing me to provide my honest review

I adored this book as I adore all of Novik's work. It was lovely to revisit some of the worlds that Novik has built in her novels and get glimpses into new ones. I loved having short stories, as they give a good stopping point. Even in a short length Novik builds out worlds that engross and enthrall the reader. The characters in all the stories were as well fleshed out as any in her full novels.

This is a true collection for fans of Naomi Novik.

I think what keeps this from being a five star read is that there are stories in this collection that you need to read the preexisting series in order to truly understand them. There are also reads that are proto-versions of her full works. It's more interesting to read this collection from the perspective of another writer (which I am decidedly not).

The Scholomance series was one of her works that I never had finished so the story in this collection was near incomprehensible to me as I didn't know what it was referring to in tbe beginning.

"Vici" was a truly excellent addition to the world of Temeraire and could also be understood without having read any of the series itself.

Novik whittles away these stories to their core. Creating clearer pictures out of characters both hers and not. Yet another anthology worth adding to a collection.

Buried Deep and Other Stories is a new anthology by author Naomi Novak, containing some of her older works and two new ones, one of which is set in the world of the series she is currently working on.

The Wreck of the Amphidrake (Araminta)
Sensuality: Subtle Grade: D+

On her way to get married, Lady Araminta encounters pirates and magic, forever changing the trajectory of her life. The predictably feisty Mary Sue heroine and a story far too large for the page space allotted keeps this tale from receiving a higher grade.
(Originally published in 2008 in Fast Ships, Black Sails.)

After Hours
Series: Schoolomance
Sensuality: N/A Grade: B

Beata is a witch of the Crooked forest, from a family who has always homeschooled their children in the old ways of the craft. She is surprised and reluctant when her family urges her to attend the Schoolomance and learn sorcery there.When Beata decides to break the rules and go out after dark, risking consumption by some nasty magical beasties while she does, she learns a lot about herself, her roommate Jayne and the real hero of the Schoolomance story. This quick YA read gives fans a chance to revisit the Schoolomance universe, get the briefest update on hero Orion, and see how The Calling, the major event in book two, impacted the students of the Schoolomance. Original to this anthology, it’s a good story for fans of that series.

Vici
Series: Temeraire
Sensuality: Subtle Grade: A-

Marcus Antonius introduces us to the beginning of the dragon-riding/fighting world of the Temeraire series. It’s a fun, lighthearted story that perfectly captures the temper of the original set of books.
(Initially published in 2010 in The Dragon Book: Magical Tales from the Masters of Modern Fantasy).

Buried Deep
Sensuality: N/A Grade: D-

This is an odd retelling of the Greek myth about the Minotaur. Confusing and disjointed, the tale seemed to have no purpose other than to remind us that human sacrifice is needless and cruel.

Spinning Silver
Sensuality: N/A Grade: B+

Novik would later turn this retelling of Rumpelstiltskin into a very different. full-sized novel. However, this quick, cute tale still captures the essence of a clever girl outwitting a fairy king that made the book so wonderful.
(Originally published in 2016 in the anthology The Starlit Wood.)

Dragons and Decorum
Series: Temeraire
Sensuality: Kisses Grade: A

A cute retelling of Pride and Prejudice in which Elizabeth Bennet is the captain of a Longwing Dragon (who will only accept female riders) and meets and falls in love with Mr. Darcy as she visits family. The romance is captured beautifully here, and the tale sticks to the original plot, writing style, and characterizations quite well, given its brevity and the addition of fantasy elements.
(Originally published 2017 in Golden Age and Other Stories.)

The Long Way Round
Sensuality: Subtle Grade: D

Tess and her brother Aston build and race ships when they aren’t busy ferrying goods between the islands that make up their small corner of the world. They are growing tired of paying tariffs for waterway usage, though, and Aston can’t help but wonder if sailing The Blue – that vast expanse of ocean that no one has ever crossed before – wouldn’t provide a way to avoid that. So they build a ship and make a plan to at least give it a try – then local magician Ferrantis decides to join them.

I struggled a lot with this story. One reason for that is that I’m not super fond of tax evasion. Yes, it’s a nuisance to pay the government money you worked for, but there are good reasons for laws that regulate shipping and tax goods, so I wasn’t exactly on board for the why of Aston and Tess’ desire to sail the blue. I struggled with Aston’s character, which is written as both selfish and clueless. But the worst part by far is Ferrantis. He practices a form of mental magic wherein he goes into a person’s mind to either extract information or force a compulsion to do what he wishes on them. I’ve heard this defined as rape before, and in every other instance I have ever seen this power used, it has been reserved for use against villains. Ferrantis uses it just to ensure he isn’t lied to. While he doesn’t use his power to force Tess and Aston to take him with them, the threat that he could means they very reluctantly have to agree. And he does use his power later. Between the boring storyline, an ending that hints at colonization and exploitation, and including a rapist on the roster, this tale concludes the whole collection on a sour note.

Buried Deep contains other tales – Commonplaces, Seven, Blessing, Lord Dunsany’s Teapot, Seven Years from Home and Castle Coeurlieu – all of which have appeared in previous anthologies. None of them are particularly notable. Given the lackluster quality of the new works and the fact you can find the older stuff on library shelves, I recommend everyone but die-hard fans skip this.

I love a short story collection, and Novik knows just what fans of her work wanted. She's covered her Temeraire series and the gothic magical halls of the Scholomance series as well as her other magical and mythical realms. If her stories have ever left you wanting more, this short story collection can help. There's just a little more to help you fall in love with those worlds all over again. Buried Deep also gave us a glimpse into Noviks next world Abandon, which I am very excited about! I will be re-reading this collection just to get my fix until the next series. Amazing job!

I also enjoyed the notes for each story and how Naomi Novik basically cops to not always remembering what it was she wrote in the notes and to just enjoy them as part of the stories. She is one of us.

Buried Deep, a retelling of the Minotaur myth, felt forced and laborious. I often found myself struggling to push through the narrative, as it lacked the fluidity and engagement I hoped for. The characters felt one-dimensional, and the plot didn't capture my interest as effectively as I would have liked, making the reading experience more of a chore than a pleasure.

On the other hand, Seven Years from Home, which leans more into the Sci-Fi genre, also proved challenging for me. While the narrative was difficult to follow at times, I did find the technological and magical elements introduced to be intriguing and innovative. They added a unique twist to the story, even if the overall execution left something to be desired.

I was particularly fascinated by the short version of Spinning Silver. It was enlightening to see how the story evolved from its brief inception into a full-length novel. Personally, I think I prefer the more developed ending of the full-length version, as it offers greater depth and resolution to the characters and their journeys.

Additionally, I’m intrigued by Long Way Round, which features a set of sailing siblings. This premise has the potential to be a captivating backdrop for Novik's next full-length book. The characters themselves seem interesting, but I felt that the overall story was a bit lacking in excitement. I'm curious to see how the narrative will expand and develop in the upcoming novel, much like how Spinning Silver transitioned from a short story into a more complex and fulfilling tale. It will be interesting to observe how Novik deepens the themes and character arcs, bringing more life and energy to the story.

A collection of short stories by Naomi Novik, some taking place within the worlds of her established works, others not. There is also an early short story version of her novel Spinning Silver, which was interesting to compare to the full length novel. There were a few (the one with the teapot and the one with the fairy godmothers) where I got to the end and felt like I didn’t quite understand what had happened. My favorites were, of course, the ones with the dragons, set in the world of the Temeraire series. I was especially tickled by the Austen pastiche, in which Elizabeth Bennet captains a Longwing. That one was probably my favorite in the whole collection. Four stars overall.

Buried Deep and Other Stories was a great collection from Naomi Novik. I loved the fantastical elements but also the reflection on our own world.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey for this arc.

I am not a great reader of short stories; my go-to reason being that I really like to get lost in a book and its characters. Short stories don’t really allow for that, in my mind. On the other hand, as I’ve gotten older I feel like my attention span has gotten shorter, so maybe I should revisit my prejudices. In any case, I wouldn’t miss a short story collection from Naomi Novik, especially one that touched on characters from her Scholomance series and other books that I’ve loved.

The thirteen stories revisit several of Novik’s previous books/series, including, as noted, the Scholomance series and the earlier dragon-themed Temeraire series. Also included are stories related to the stand-alone books “Uprooted” and “Spinning Silver.” I liked all of those books and series, though I did give up on Temeraire after the first five books. I’m not sure why; I thought my interest in the story had petered out, but checking my book log, I gave the fifth book an A, and none of the books were below a B+ for me. I’d love to think I might revisit the series at some point, but….so many books, so little time.

Anyway, onto this anthology:

Araminta, or, The Wreck of the Amphidrake: Araminta is a typical (for historical romance) atypical lady (for actual Regency England; though the Regency England in this story is of the alternate history variety, and includes magic and other ahistorical elements). Araminta is always one step away from total disgrace, and so her family ships her abroad to marry a foreign noble. Unfortunately, the ship is attacked by pirates and Araminta has to use ingenuity (and magic) to protect herself. The story was a cute read, but didn’t leave much of a lasting impression. I’d give it a low B.

After Hours: Ooh, the Scholomance story! It’s hard not to have a preference for Scholomance content – not only is there recency bias, but I do believe it’s Novik’s best work. This is a brief story about Beata, a young Eastern European mushroom witch, sent to the Scholomance and having difficulty getting her bearings (dealing with a hostile roommate from Chicago, Jayne, doesn’t help). Beata ventures out after dark (something that was extremely dangerous in the original Scholomance, and is still a bit iffy in the current iteration) to get much-needed supplies, and encounters some unlikely allies, and in the end, a face familiar to readers of the trilogy. The story itself was slight, but I loved being back in that world, so this will get an A-.

Vici: a charming story set in the Temeraire world, but in ancient Roman times. Mark Antony (apparently THE Mark Antony) is living a dissolute life when finally runs afoul of the law enough to be offered “an honorable death” – he is sent to go slay a dragon. Miraculously, he actually manages to do so, and walks away with a dragon egg and enough fame to give him a cushy, and ultimately boring life. When the egg hatches, though, things start to get interesting for him. I gave this a B.

Buried Deep is a retelling of the Greek myth of the Labyrinth and the Minotaur, as told by the Minotaur’s human sister, Ariadne. This was beautifully told but somehow very sad to me; it was a B/B- for me.

Spinning Silver is the original short story version of the novel published in 2018; I participated in an epic four-person review when the novel came out and gave it an A-/A. I might have given this version an A- if I’d never read the book, but it feels so much less substantial (which, yeah, duh) it’s probably a B for me. Still a very good story.

Commonplaces is one of the shorter stories in the collection; it’s told from the perspective of Irene Adler, a character from the Sherlock Holmes story “A Scandal in Bohemia.” Irene is breakfasting with her (apparently dull) husband Godfrey when he informs her of Sherlock Holmes’ death per the newspaper he’s reading. Irene is first unsettled by the news, then after some time decides that it’s not true and goes to Paris to hunt Holmes. The story is so brief that as a Sherlock Holmes neophyte I didn’t get too much out of it; it may be different for fans of the Doyle books. My grade was a B-.

Seven is another stand-alone story – in the titular city, seven “great singing statues” grace the gates of the city. The statues are created by the clay-shapers who work the city’s white clay, but clay-shaping is a deadly vocation – something in the clay seems to kill the men who work it. Kath is a clay-shaper’s widow; her husband taught her something of the craft. When it is clear that Kath is fulfilling his orders after he has died, contrary to the rules of the clay-shapers guild, a battle emerges within the guild about admitting her. She has first an enemy, then an ally, in Grovin, a senior member of the guild. This was a strangely quiet story, and didn’t make a huge impression on me the first time I read it. But I reread (most of it) for this review and it has a sneaky power – it has something to say about the nature of art and the sacrifices of artists; it’s a message I don’t entirely understand but it moved me. I’ll give this a B+.

Blessings is one of a couple of stories here with the feel of a proper fairy tale – a number of fairies are invited to an elaborate feast in honor of the birth of a daughter for a minor baron. When the fairies get drunk on fairy wine, a competition to bestow the infant with gifts from the fairy realm has unexpected consequences. This was beautifully told but lack some of the emotional punch of the longer stories. A straight B.

Lord Dunsany’s Teapot – I swear I’ve heard the title of this one before, but I don’t think I’ve ever read it? During WWI (ugh, get ready for tragedy, right?) a teapot makes its way into the trenches and builds bridges (and perhaps a bit more) between and officer and one of the men he commands. The teapot’s alleged magical properties don’t deliver as promised. It’s a pretty sad story. Maybe a B- for me?

Seven Years from Home: this one was long or felt long and honestly I ended up skimming it. It’s based on T.E. Lawrence’s Seven Pillars of Wisdom or maybe Lawrence of Arabia? Not having read the book or seen the movie I was a bit at sea. Anyway it’s set in space and features a female protagonist who, I think, gets too chummy with the locals. It felt like the basic message was colonizers bad, colonized good? But that is far too glib and again, I skimmed it. It just didn’t connect for me so I think I’ll skip a grade.

Dragons and Decorum: a Pride and Prejudice retelling with dragons (based in the Temeraire world). I always like the talking dragons – they are like articulate, bloodthirsty children and somehow that mashup works. But the basic retelling of P&P – eh. I feel like it could have been a similar-ish story without the P&P framework; there wasn’t really a slavish adherence to the plot of the original anyway. This was a cute story but I almost felt like the P&P connection held it back. Maybe a B-.

Castle Coeurlieu – the second fairytale(ish) story – Isabeau is a young bride with an older husband who immediately rides off to battle and leaves her in his castle with his son Jerome, who has been weakened by a previous battle with the plague, a disease which eventually threatens the area again. There are stories within the story and eventually Isabeau has to face an unseen monster (whether it’s metaphorical or real is unclear). This wasn’t one of the deeper stories for me but I liked Isabeau and her relationship with her stepson. I’ll give it a B.

The Long Way Round – the last and longest story, and per Novik’s note, possibly the basis for her new book or series. Tess is a sailor who sails with her brother Aston, who defers to her when they are on the water but who is an accomplished shipbuilder. Aston always comes up with outrageous ideas, and when Tess tries to shut him down he counters with, “why not?” The two are on their own, living in a region ruled by wizards. When one of the wizards noses his way into Aston’s suggestion that they venture into uncharted waters, the trio end up setting sail into a mysterious world. The mysteries are not remotely resolved, I guess because this is the beginning of a larger story. This one was frustrating at times – it took me a bit to get into it, and then when I did I was sort of resentful that there wasn’t more resolution. But I’d still give it a B.

All in all this was a fairly successful collection for me, and a solid B overall.

Unfortunately not the short story collection for me. I did not read two of the stories because they were related to other books from Novak that I have not yet read.

I believe my lack of enjoyment for this collection is a me problem. Everything about the work seems to be right up my alley, but there is something about Novak’s writing that feels detached to me. It takes me forever to get into her stories, which does not lend itself to short story format. I honestly don’t wanted to DNF this, but felt I should give Novak a good shot, as I DNFed Uprooted last year. I had plans to finish Uprooted at some point in the future, but now I’m questioning if I should give up on Novak all together.

I do believe this is a solid collection, and if you know you like Novak and are pretty familiar with her work, you will enjoy it. But it sadly just did not work for me :/

Wonderful collection of stories from Naomi Novik, both stand-alone and related to existing (and future!) works. Definitely a must for all Novik fans!

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for this ARC Copy!

I was so excited to get an ARC Copy of this book, I had just finished the Scholomance series and wanted more from the author, but was not ready to commit to a big series. These short stories were perfect for me at the time. The stories in the Scholomance world were exactly what I was looking for. I have not read any of the other series from this author so I do not think that I got as much out of the other stories as if I had read about the worlds they were set in, but it just makes me want to pick up more series soon.