Rating: 
Summary: Charming modern folk tales--convincing and emotional
Review: A killer who reads minds, a group of young women who find pixies coming from their computers, hobs in their bookstores, and lovers in their dreams, people who sell their souls to the devil, and seven red-haired sisters who live in the forest and discover the war between the sang fairies and the bee fairies. Author Charles de Lint provides a delightful assortment of modern fairy tales. De Lint's stories are charming and fresh, dealing with authentic people rather than shallow fairy-tale heros--and with real magic. TAPPING THE DREAM TREE is a wonderful collection of stand-alone stories, connected stories about the dream tree and a dream city, and a short novel of the seven sisters. This isn't a dark cyber-punk return-of-magic story, but a modern version of folk stories where fairie creatures may be powerful and beautiful, but are frequently indifferent to humans. Most of the stories are set in the countryside rather than in the city and reflect a peaceful pacing. De Lint's writing paints pictures for his stories, compelling the reader without any sense of hurry. I found myself savoring the stories even though a part of me wanted to plunge on and find out what happens next. If you've read de Lint before, you know what to expect and you'll be delighted to find it. If you haven't, you're in for a treat. De Lint is a winner and TAPPING THE DREAM TREE is a powerful collection of stories that needs to be added to your must-read pile.
Rating:
Summary: A Former Non-Fan of De Lint
Review: After reading the reviews posted here I realize that I have missed out on quite a lot of excellent reading material over the years. The only three de Lint books I have ever come into contact with are The Onion Girl, Tapping the Dream Tree, and Spirits in the Wires. Some die-hard fans will therefore, I am sure, immediately discount my disagreement with the seemingly negative opinion of this book shown by the majority of the reviewers here. In particular, I strongly disagree with the review that states, "This one is for the fans... only" because this is the first De Lint book I ever read.
I will freely admit that I am a sucker for a good short story. I must also say that, if the first de Lint I had read was a continuous novel, I might not have gone around town recommending it to everyone I knew, as I did with Tapping the Dream Tree. This might not be as deep or as emotional or as detailed as some of de Lint's other work, but, from my reading of the stories, de Lint writes into these stories as much detail and emotional description as a short story can possibly contain.
As a short-story writer, one of the most difficult things to do well is to leave out parts that you could write in. If you choose well, these left out pieces add to your characters and stories more effectively than their inclusion. de Lint is excellent in this respect. Some of these characters are so well written that you want to step into their world and find out what they are like on a normal day and if they've ever had a normal day and what they like in their coffee or if they like coffee at all. They are characters that have deep wells of untouchably fascinating personality.
In summary... I loved this book. I loved these characters. This is the first De Lint book I ever read. This is still my favorite De Lint book. If you have never read de Lint, and if you like short stories from Bradbury (all of his shorts, not just his Martian Chronicles), and you would like to find a book of fantasy that captures the same feelings of making all things strange and, in strangeness, strangely beautiful, read de Lint's Tapping the Dream Tree. It is good enough to be worth reading.
Rating: 
Summary: People don't understand these stories are not new.....
Review: All of these stories are from previous rare Chap books and other small press printings from many many years of Mr. De Lint's body of work.
So some of the stories aren't as well told because well they were written 10-15 years ago.....also this clearly states it is full of SHORT stories..short stories can't go into the kind of detail several folks seem to be demanding from De Lint. If you want more details of some of these characters by the OTHER anthologies of Newford as well as the full length novels. Don't whine and complain because you feel like you got dropped into the middle when the books clearly says it is MORE tales from Newford..not ALL the tales from Newford....sigh.
Beautiful collection lovely lyrical quality and and engaging characters. I have only a few De lints I have not enjoyed and this certianly not one of them.
Rating: 
Summary: This one is for the fans... only.
Review: Charles de Lint has managed to do something truly rare in literature: create a cohesive universe without appearing to try. Characters flit from one book or story to another without effort, events are referred to in later books, usually with such distance and bias that they are scarcely recognizable. It's something of a joy to read his books with the hope that a favorite character may reappear. It's for this reason that I keep coming back to some of his books as "comfort reading". Unfortunately this also works against de Lint as the characters appear so much and in so many places that it is entirely possible to lose track of them, as is eminently and diappointingly demonstrated here. There is so much history for these characters and yet there is no attempt to give the reader much (if any) explanation of it. Instead we are given hints and clues that would no doubt be clear if you've read everything else, but are otherwise meaningless. Worse, some of these stories rely so heavily on the reader's knowledge of previous events that they feel lifeless for lack of explanation. There are some good stories in here, but they are the ones that don't rely on the shorthand of established characters. They take the reader to new areas of Newford in order to explore different areas of the mythos. The first story in the book, "Ten For The Devil", is a wonderful story that is at once instantly recognizable and unique. The rest? I'm sure for fans who have been reading de Lint for longer than I and who have a better memory for the characters will enjoy this book. For myself, I found it to be an extraordinarily disappointing read noteworthy only for a small handful of unique stories.
Rating:
Summary: This one is for the fans... only.
Review: Charles de Lint has managed to do something truly rare in literature: create a cohesive universe without appearing to try. Characters flit from one book or story to another without effort, events are referred to in later books, usually with such distance and bias that they are scarcely recognizable. It's something of a joy to read his books with the hope that a favorite character may reappear. It's for this reason that I keep coming back to some of his books as "comfort reading". Unfortunately this also works against de Lint as the characters appear so much and in so many places that it is entirely possible to lose track of them, as is eminently and diappointingly demonstrated here. There is so much history for these characters and yet there is no attempt to give the reader much (if any) explanation of it. Instead we are given hints and clues that would no doubt be clear if you've read everything else, but are otherwise meaningless. Worse, some of these stories rely so heavily on the reader's knowledge of previous events that they feel lifeless for lack of explanation. There are some good stories in here, but they are the ones that don't rely on the shorthand of established characters. They take the reader to new areas of Newford in order to explore different areas of the mythos. The first story in the book, "Ten For The Devil", is a wonderful story that is at once instantly recognizable and unique. The rest? I'm sure for fans who have been reading de Lint for longer than I and who have a better memory for the characters will enjoy this book. For myself, I found it to be an extraordinarily disappointing read noteworthy only for a small handful of unique stories.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Up To The Usual Standard, Sadly
Review: I am a big, giant freak when it comes to Newford, so, of course, I waited eagerly for months for this book to come out. When it finally arrived, I was vaguely disappointed. Why? -As has been previously mentioned, the last third or so of the book was "Seven Wild Sisters." SWS is a stunning story, and absolutely should be printed in a cheaper edition than the lovely but expensive Subterranean Press edition. However, though the Dillard stories are set in the same "universe" as the Newford Tales, they don't really go together. IMHO, de Lint probably should have waited for the next couple of Dillard stories (A Circle of Cats, Medicine Road) and published them--and the few short stories based on the Dillard tales--in one volume together. -All of the events of "Tapping the Dream Tree" are set BEFORE "The Onion Girl." While I do realize that it takes time to write good short stories, I (and every other rabid Newford fan) was looking forward to finding out more about Jilly's recovery and the aftermath of TOG. To find that the stories reflected none of the maelstrom of pain and wonder and hope that was "The Onion Girl" was very disappointing. -The short stories themselves are a bit lackluster. De Lint is a master storyteller, and there are a few of his stories ("The Moon is Drowning While I Sleep," "Winter Was Hard," "Wishing Well") that still give me the goosebumps. Most of Newford's usually vivid cast seems tired and out of place--and, furthermore, out of character--in this collection. De Lint is usually a master wordsmith, coaxing poetry out of the most ordinary things in our everyday life. Here, though, he just seems to be relating events that happened to some people he hardly knows. De Lint has a lot on his plate right now, given the collaborations with the fantasy art genius Charles Vess, and with the new Newford novel "Spirits in the Wires" coming out soon. However, I hope that the next Newford collection is a little more like "Dreams Underfoot" or "The Ivory and the Horn."
Rating:
Summary: Not Up To The Usual Standard, Sadly
Review: I am a big, giant freak when it comes to Newford, so, of course, I waited eagerly for months for this book to come out. When it finally arrived, I was vaguely disappointed. Why? -As has been previously mentioned, the last third or so of the book was "Seven Wild Sisters." SWS is a stunning story, and absolutely should be printed in a cheaper edition than the lovely but expensive Subterranean Press edition. However, though the Dillard stories are set in the same "universe" as the Newford Tales, they don't really go together. IMHO, de Lint probably should have waited for the next couple of Dillard stories (A Circle of Cats, Medicine Road) and published them--and the few short stories based on the Dillard tales--in one volume together. -All of the events of "Tapping the Dream Tree" are set BEFORE "The Onion Girl." While I do realize that it takes time to write good short stories, I (and every other rabid Newford fan) was looking forward to finding out more about Jilly's recovery and the aftermath of TOG. To find that the stories reflected none of the maelstrom of pain and wonder and hope that was "The Onion Girl" was very disappointing. -The short stories themselves are a bit lackluster. De Lint is a master storyteller, and there are a few of his stories ("The Moon is Drowning While I Sleep," "Winter Was Hard," "Wishing Well") that still give me the goosebumps. Most of Newford's usually vivid cast seems tired and out of place--and, furthermore, out of character--in this collection. De Lint is usually a master wordsmith, coaxing poetry out of the most ordinary things in our everyday life. Here, though, he just seems to be relating events that happened to some people he hardly knows. De Lint has a lot on his plate right now, given the collaborations with the fantasy art genius Charles Vess, and with the new Newford novel "Spirits in the Wires" coming out soon. However, I hope that the next Newford collection is a little more like "Dreams Underfoot" or "The Ivory and the Horn."
Rating:
Summary: At last--another Newford book!
Review: I was thrilled to see that de Lint has published another Newford collection--they're my favorite of all his works. With the inclusion of stories like "Freak" and "The Witching Hour", the author seems to be dipping into the horror/ghost story genre a bit more these days. The reader gets some more background on some Newford characters that have only played bit parts or been alluded to in the past, such as Holly Rue and Paddy Riddell (the brother of Geordie and Christy). This is part of what I enjoy about his work: even minor characters have their own history and substance. Granted, some of the stories are reprints; however, it's much less expensive to buy them in this collected format than it is to purchase all the chapbooks, magazines, etc. where the stories originally appeared. I do agree that the collection as whole seems to lack that special spark that "Dreams Underfoot" and "The Ivory and the Horn" so vividly conveyed. The stories work well individually, but as a whole they don't fit together quite as nicely. I know that this is a picky issue, but I'm not a big fan of the cover art for this title; too cartoony for my taste. Final verdict: hardcore de Lint fans and those who want a little more spookiness in their fantasy stories will enjoy this one.
Rating:
Summary: At last--another Newford book!
Review: I was thrilled to see that de Lint has published another Newford collection--they're my favorite of all his works. With the inclusion of stories like "Freak" and "The Witching Hour", the author seems to be dipping into the horror/ghost story genre a bit more these days. The reader gets some more background on some Newford characters that have only played bit parts or been alluded to in the past, such as Holly Rue and Paddy Riddell (the brother of Geordie and Christy). This is part of what I enjoy about his work: even minor characters have their own history and substance. Granted, some of the stories are reprints; however, it's much less expensive to buy them in this collected format than it is to purchase all the chapbooks, magazines, etc. where the stories originally appeared. I do agree that the collection as whole seems to lack that special spark that "Dreams Underfoot" and "The Ivory and the Horn" so vividly conveyed. The stories work well individually, but as a whole they don't fit together quite as nicely. I know that this is a picky issue, but I'm not a big fan of the cover art for this title; too cartoony for my taste. Final verdict: hardcore de Lint fans and those who want a little more spookiness in their fantasy stories will enjoy this one.
Rating:
Summary: A Newford fan will enjoy this book.
Review: I'm a big fan of Charles de Lint and have been breathlessly awaiting the fourth collection of his Newford-based stories, which I then read pretty much in one evening. Though none of the stories were bad, there was something about them that dissatisfied and I couldn't quite put my finger on it ... the above Publishers Weekly review clarified it for me. These stories feel rather lazy and passive compared to the previous three collections. They feel very self-referential, several of them begin by referring to and summing up some previous story from the character's "life" before moving into a new tale that isn't nearly as alive and interesting as the original appearance of the character had been. I was also disappointed that the last quarter of the book was just a reprint of "Seven Wild Sisters," which was published as its own independent book earlier this year. Perhaps Newford is becoming tired as a story device; I hate to say it, because I love de Lint's Newford and I always enjoy visiting its streets. But with a few exceptions, these stories just weren't as alive as the previous ones have been. I'll still follow de Lint wherever he takes me, though. A fan's a fan. :)
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