Such a good anthology book, never stop writing!!

You won’t want the stories to end. Can’t wait for the upcoming series.

Burried Deep and Other Stories is a fun and fantastical return to the work of Naomi Novick that drew me in with a familiar name and kept me captured with its captivating prose.

What I loved
1. The author has gifted me as a reader with a short return to multiple worlds that I have been desperately missing.
2. Scholmance content in a self-contained short story was particularly unexpected.
3. The brief glimpse into the world of an upcoming work was so enticing.

What didn't work as well for me

1. by the nature of short stories every time I got comfortable in one world it was time to jump to the next and as such this is not a one-sitting read despite its short length.
2. The short stories while self-contained as stories do rely on existing knowledge of the world and I can not as such recommend this collection for my friends just getting into Novick's works.

Who do I Recommend this title for

Fantasy readers who have enjoyed Novick's previous works will be in for a treat with this small tour through her worlds with all new content for so many favorites.

I will read anything this author writes. Short stories are not usually my favorite but she still makes them interesting. I preferred her spinning Silver remix to the actual book! Seven was fascinating and I wanted The Long Way Around to be a full book. There is something for everything in this collection of short stories.

So good! I love Naomi Novik's writing style and world building so much! It's normally difficult for me to get into a collection of short stories, but these were really fun to get into. Most of them had appeared in previous anthologies, but there are two new ones I believe and they are excellent!

Thank you to NetGalley and to Random House for my digital ARC!

I'm a big fan of Naomi Novik and her writing. I do find most of her books to be slower burns for me; the more I read the more I'm sucked in and moved by the story. I think for this reason I found her shorter stories included here to be less compelling, and just too short to be as impactful as the longer ones. But I really really enjoyed some of the more lengthy stories. So over all a bit of a mixed bag, but with a very high standard of quality of writing. It was also exciting to get a quick peek into the world of her upcoming series!

A collection of previously published short stories by Naomi Novik, plus a sneak peak of the world-building for her upcoming book/series. There was a good mix of independent tales and ones based on her previous books (2 from Temeraire, 1 Scholomance, 1 Spinning Silver). I hadn't read most of these stories before and those I had were worth rereading, but individuals' milage may vary on that account. Overall, I highly recommend this collection to anyone who enjoys magical folktales and historical fantasy!

My favorite stories were:
- Vici (Marc Antony meets dragon in the Temeraire verse)
- Buried Deep (Ariadne & the Minotaur retelling)
- Seven Years From Home (Lawrence of Arabia but scifi)
- Dragons & Decorum (Pride & Prejudice in the Temeraire verse)
- Castle Coeurlieu (magical realism in a medieval French setting; it reminds me strongly of <i>The West Passage</i> by Jared Pechaček, although of course it predates that novel by nearly a decade)

Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing an advance copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

An absolute fantastic collection of short stories. I was surprised to see that so many of the stories had been published elsewhere or were even available to read online though. If I was the type of Novik fan to have already hunted down everything she's ever published, I'd probably feel this book wasn't worth buying. But since I hadn't read any Novik short stories before, I really enjoyed this book. Seven and The Long Way Round were the standouts for me, but I genuinely had fun reading every single one.

This is the second time I've tried reading a Naomi Novik book, and just couldn't get into it. I'm sure it's a personal thing, because I hear great things about this author. Unfortunately tho, I wasn't pulled in and found no interest to continue.

Some of these are definitely better than others, but the good ones are, so, so good. Words words words. Words for review.

From a Netgalley ARC.

Good strong collection wavering on great. And nice intros, they suck you in but don't give you too much information.

Araminta: A pirate story - a good length and a good first story and definitely a bit of a surprise

After Hours: It was nice to have a Scholomance follow-up (as in my friends will read this the moment it comes out just for this story). This had a bit of a different tone to it, partially because it wasn't El ranting. This would still be good even if you hadn't read Scholomance but there are definitely spoiler hints.

Vici: Temeraire in Rome - didn't depend on knowing Temeraire and again a good early story for the book and a bit of a surprise.

Buried Deep: A revisit of Theseus and the Minotaur. Not my favorite ending. But an interesting setup.

Spinning Silver: An early shorter version of the book. A bit different but fun.

Commonplaces: Irene Adler and Sherlock Holmes. I had just read a bit of this character in Theodora Goss's series - so it was nice to see another view. This was a bit meandering but fine.

Seven: A cool setup. A bunch of pottery. Kind of a weak ending.

Blessings: A bit simple setup. A minimal ending. But fun.

Lord Dunsany's Teapot: This didn't really work for me. But bits of this were fine. And it wasn't long.

Seven Years from Home: This is purported to be inspired by Seven Pillars of Wisdom. It is kind of a slow burn story. It starts being kind of irritating and long winded but eventually becomes fascinating. It feels like a story that would be better on the second read.

Dragons & Decorum: There was a Pride and Prejudice/Temeraire cross-over. This did not seem to depend on having read Temeraire. I barely remember Termeraire and didn't feel like I missed anything. It probably works better if you like Pride and Prejudice (which I do).

Castle Coeurlieu: A little bit of horror. Didn't quite work for me

The Long Way Round: There is an early bit of what is supposed to be a new book/series called Folly. There's no real hint at what part of this will become the new project. But the world feels real. There is quite a bit of sailing - but there could have been more.

All in all a great book. And worth reading for even a couple of the stories. Probably will be a five star for some less harsh graders.

overall, I enjoyed this collection. there are definitely some very fun and interesting stories in this, and some that I almost skipped over. I’m not a huge short story collection reader, so your mileage may vary. I definitely got some whiplash in the transition from story to story, though I enjoyed NN’s anecdote intros to each one. the scholomance follow-up and the original version of spinning silver were both quite good, and I think in general the longer stories were stronger. some really interesting worlds, plot tidbits, and character ruminations. however, some of these felt severely underdeveloped due to the length.

I will update this review with links to other postings- I intend to post this on my Instagram in coming weeks.

Absolutely masterful.

This collection of thirteen short stories was such a delightful reminder of why Naomi Novik is one of my favorite fantasy writers. All of the stories were new to me, although many been previously published in various anthologies. Some were set in the worlds of her books: a Scholomance story, two Temeraire stories, etc - while others were new. All were full of Novik's trademark wit, wisdom, and elegant storytelling, and I was equal parts sad to come to the end of each and excited to begin the next. Some particular favorites: the Pride and Prejudice x Temeraire Mashup, the gorgeous and painful spin on Ariadne and the Minotaur, the sea voyage full of magic, sibling love, and strange new worlds.

If I had to define a single thread that runs through the collection, it would perhaps be a sense of curiosity, of discovery and subsequent wonder - a thoughtful, imaginative series of "what ifs".

Summary:
This is a collection of thirteen short stories from the various worlds (Scholomance, Temeraire, Spinning Silver, and more!) of Naomi Novik’s books.

Final Thoughts:
I LOVE Naomi Novik’s writing and worlds so you can bet your butt I jumped on the chance to get access to this collection early. Not only do you get to visit some of the worlds that I have had a chance to visit before from new and exciting perspectives, but you ALSO get to read new little snippets of fascinating characters and worlds that are all brand new. The setting variety was fantastic; Regency, World War II, icy tundra, and the high seas (to name a few). My absolute favorite was “Dragons & Decorum” but I am horribly biased as it combines my love of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” with Naomi Novik’s awesome world from the Temeraire series. If you are a “Pride and Prejudice” fan, I recommend this book based on that short story alone. Read it, you won't be disappointed.

A brilliant anthology full of odd, little stories, some of which are set in the same worlds are her previous series - The Scholomance and Temeraire. Along with the original Spinning Silver tale, but I have to admit I prefer her version. Looking forward to reading more about her next fantasy series as that last story was an excellent sampler of the world.

Like all short stories, some of these I really enjoyed and some I didn't. I chose it because I love Naomi Novik and am eagerly awaiting her next work. This sample of short stories was great but only made me miss her longer form stuff. Highlights for me were the Scholomance story and Spinning Silver.

This is one of the best anthology books I have ever read. I am not usually a huge fan of this type of book as I would rather read an entire story than stop and start a bunch of short stories. However, I decided to make an exception because Naomi Novik has written some of my favorite books. The first couple of stories were my favorite. There was one that involved pirates and a goddess, another set during Roman times, and ancient Greece. I absolutely love those time periods and these short stories infused with fantasy were quick, fantastic reads. I just wanted them to be longer. There was another story set in the Scholomance world which showed what happened after the last book in the trilogy. There was also my favorite which was the short version of Spinning Silver. All of the stories included fantasy with excellent writing. My only complaint was that many of them ended abruptly and I just wanted to read more. Overall, I don't think you will find a better fantasy anthology.

Thank you to Del Ray/Random House for the ARC.

"Buried Deep and Other Stories" by Naomi Novik presents a delightful collection of 13 diverse short stories showcasing the author's storytelling prowess. With strong characterizations, vivid settings, and a touch of humor, Novik weaves engaging tales that will captivate both fans and newcomers alike. While some stories may stand out more than others, the overall quality and creativity make this anthology a solid 4-star read, offering a taste of Novik's exceptional writing in various themes and settings.

Naomi Novik is one of my favorite authors. I have read most of her books, except for the Temeraire series, which I hope to read someday (too many books, not enough time). I'm not usually a fan of short stories, but I make an exception for my favorite authors.

This is a delightful collection of 13 short stories by the master tale spinner, Naomi Novik. Each story stands alone, some with more of a bite than others. Each tale is accompanied by the author’s note giving us background on the tales, which I loved. A couple of the stories were previously published, and I had read them already. The stories are:

1. Araminta, or, The Wreck of the Amphidrake - A pirate story set during Regency times. Young lady Araminta is sent abroad to marry a young noble due to her un-womanlike behavior and gets more than she bargained for when pirates attack her ship.

2. After Hours (Scholomance) – A story that takes place shortly after the events of the Scholomance trilogy (a series that I loved). A young mushroom witch is sent to the Scholomance for her safety and finds it isn't as safe as she thought.

3. Vici (Temeraire, 2010) - (2008): Roman Empire and dragons! It is based on the Temeraire series and follows the life of a young Roman, Mark Antony, after he hatches a dragon’s egg.

4. Buried Deep (2019) – A retelling of the Labyrinth and the Minotaur. A child with the head of a bull and the body of a man is born to King Minos and his wife, Pasiphae, as a punishment for keeping a snow-white bull sent to him by Poseidon for sacrifice. The story is told from the POV of the Minotaur's sister.

5. Spinning Silver (2016) – An earlier and shorter version of the full-length novel loosely based on the tale of Rumpelstiltskin. A young Jewish girl outsmarts an elf-like Staryk. I have read the full-length story and loved it more.

6. Commonplaces – The author's version of Irene Adler and Sherlock Holmes story from Irene's POV. Irene is married and lives peacefully with her solid husband. After reading about the death of Sherlock Holmes in the papers, Irene tries to find out if it is true.

7. Seven (2019) –A story about art and clay-shapers. An artist is charged with fixing a statue using a deathly white clay.

8. Blessings (2019) – A fairy story about fairy godmothers and their blessings. It somewhat reminds one of the Sleeping Beauty tale with a twist. Drunken fairies bless a child, but some blessings are worse than others.

9. Lord Dunsany's Teapot (2011) –A war story revolving around two soldiers and a magical teapot. Two soldiers find comfort in tea and believe in the teapot's protective powers. A somewhat depressing tale.

10. Seven Years From Home (2010) – A colonialism tale that takes place on an alien planet. The heroine is a female version of Lawrence of Arabia. I didn't connect to the tale and found it a bit dull.

11. Dragons & Decorum (~Temeraire?, 2017) – A retelling of Pride and Prejudice with Dragons! Elizabeth is a Captain, and a dragon is her companion in this version where England is at war with France (Bonaparte times). I love Pride and Prejudice and enjoyed this version.

12. Castle Coeurlieu (2016) – The story of a young bride in the Middle Ages during the Black Plague, including some fairy tales.

13. The Long Way Round – The sea-travel adventures of a brother and sister who set forward to find a new continent.

I enjoyed the collection, and although I liked most of the stories, there are four that are my favorites: Dragons & Decorum (I hope the author will make it a full-length novel), After Hours, Blessings, and Castle Coeurlieu. Some of the stories were open-ended, and the endings were too vague for my taste. Even though I loved the full-length novel "Spinning Silver", I thought including its short version was unnecessary and made for dull reading for those familiar with the tale.

In summary, all of these stories have four things in common: good writing, interesting storylines, strong heroines/solid characters, and vivid settings. The theme of destiny and free will runs through them like the red thread of fate. As the stories were uneven in their level, I rate the book 4 out of 5 stars. Fans of the author will surely enjoy the tales. If you haven't read her work before, this collection will give you a taste of her writing.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

In a word: delightful. I loved the range of stories included in this collection and the introduction guiding me into each one. Getting to see one more story in the Scholomance was an amazing little epilogue! I really enjoyed the takes on different works (Pride and Prejudice + Dragons is something I would read a series of) and I think Novik's humor shone through in many of the stories. "The Long Way Round" was a standout for me- I adored the relationship between the siblings and the world she started to build in it. I can't wait to see what happens as she develops "Folly" further!

This was absolutely fabulous! Most of these stories had been previously published, but I’d only read two of them, despite being a huge Novik fan. It was wonderful to read such a well-curated collection. There were two stories I liked rather than loved, both due entirely to personal taste, and even so they were excellently written; I just didn’t love them as much as I loved all the rest.

The stories range hugely in tone and style, and each includes an author’s note with a little bit of context about the origin of the story. The worlds of Temeraire, the Scholomance, and Spinning Silver are all featured, as are familiar literary characters, including Sherlock Holmes and Elizabeth Bennet. There are a wide array of standalone stories, several of which I’d be delighted to read as expanded novel-length versions.

Most of these stories were originally published in themed anthologies, and it was very fun to see the different influences and genres Novik was playing with in each story. I was the most surprised by the stories that seemed to stray the farthest from Novik’s other work, including “Seven,” a mesmerizing story about an master clay-shaper, “Lord Dunsany’s Teapot,” a moving examination of war, and “Seven Years from Home,” an anthropological story that has strong hints of Ursula K. LeGuin’s Hainish cycle but with Novik’s own spin. I’m hard-pressed to limit my favorites; almost everything in this book was a winner for me. I can’t wait to buy my copy when it comes out.

Highlights:
- Araminta, or, The Wreck of the Ammphidrake
- Spinning Silver
- Seven
- Lord Dunsay’s Teapot
- Seven Years from Home

Huge thank you to Naomi Novik, Del Ray, and NetGalley for generously providing me with an ARC for review!