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Rating: 
Summary: About guys, but by girls, and not bad
Review: "The Sigil", according to the preface, is an online community for writers interested in alternative sexuality in speculative fiction. However, the resulting stories in the anthology are all male-on-male, and most seem to have been written by women (a few using male pennames), so that makes this the ideal work for fans of "slash" or "yaoi".On first reading I was struck by the quality of the stories; they were mostly written by amateurs, but few of them *felt* like the works of amateurs. I've read many commercially published stories that were far worse. Some in particular stood out to me, like: -Colin Dunne's "Wizard's Moon." This surprisingly elaborate tale starts the anthology on a high note, with a traditional-fantasy tale of a warrior playing a dangerous game, and the boy he buys and uses as bait. Yummy sex scene to counteract the icky torture scene further on. -Bet Lorysse's "Messenger." This story has a marvelously ancient-Japanese feel, taking place in a world ruled by harvest gods, quiet temples, and fox spirits. One young boy, raised in a temple to serve the god Ynnda, discovers just how pleasurable serving a god can be. -Jan Kafka's "Candleglow". Another elaborate tale, this one a Renaissance-era fantasy that's hard to summarize. Somewhere between Ellen Kushner's "Swordspoint," Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and a Woody Allen movie. -Ronda Searls' "Persephone Ascending". Handsome-but-weird Captain Nemo type, leading a swashbuckling ship of weird magic assassins, finds and recruits a beautiful-but-also-weird youth named Vole. Did I mention it's weird? But that's a *good* thing. Felt very original to me. There are other stories in the book, and like any anthology some are hits and some are misses---more of the former than the latter, fortunately. The book is a very professional-looking paperback published "print on demand" by iUniverse. Self-published, but it's hard to tell by the quality, in all ways.
Rating:
Summary: Once upon a time...
Review: "I wish to buy a boy," the stranger said. And these beguiling words lead readers into the vaguely forbidden, yet enchanting realm of alternative sexuality in fantasy and science fiction. This anthology, compiled from a gathering of writers in the online community, tell stories of fairy tales, mythology, dark horror, war, conspiracy, and fantasy/science-fiction adventure. Each plot is unique, interspersed with intriguing characters and events, such as revenge, assassins, chivalrous duels, and flying ships. All are linked together with the theme of love between men...mortal or immortal. The nine stories display distinct difference in stylistic writing, a few more light-hearted than dark--and vice versa. Some hold shocking twists in their endings, others traditional happy endings, while another leaves the reader in wonder, though quite a few whisper with the possibility of more stories to come. "Wizard's Moon" was one such piece. Some readers may hope that the authors would write more of their intriguing worlds in another anthology, if not expound upon their creations later. Another enjoyment to read in these stories was the interplay between the characters. The teasing suitor in "Once Upon a Time" was quite a delightful charmer that was an easy favorite. Subtle exchanges between the two main characters were charged with lively tension. It was an unconventional take on accomplishing impossible feats in classic fairy tales. I would be partial to reading more pieces from this authoress. Originality of world creation in each was rather surprising. "Persephone Ascending" was a shining place of bejeweled colors. There was just the right amount of vivid imagery within that story to picture the events and actors playing across the stage of imagination. Though some pieces in the anthology were too short, only lasting transiently in memory, most of the stories were easily gratifying. There is hardly anything terribly philosophical in the stories, but they are not necessarily "fluff" reads either. My only valid complaint was that some stories were not long enough for a reader to receive a clear impression of the characters and their motivations. Understandably, that is more difficult to accomplish within a short story. An idea to consider might be that some stories are written more for fleeting outcomes and style than for a full, developing story effect. If there were a second anthology to arrive soon in the near future, I would sincerely consider looking into buying it. These entertaining pieces are short enough to be read in a brief sitting, and used as a pleasant break. I would hope that the editors might consider future anthologies to include original sketches or images, as well. Alternative sexuality fiction and art are products of a veiled culture within the internet that is gaining in popularity and acknowledgement. With a bit of luck, the increased recognition of more books in this genre will cause it to appear in more conventional bookstores.
Rating:
Summary: Yum! I could eat with a spoon...or my hands...
Review: Being of an alternative bent myself, I was looking forward to this anthology. I was pleased to find homosexual fiction that was not only the usual pornography without plot, but combined with my favorite genre, fantasy.
My faves, in ascending order:
Once Upon A Time. A charming fairy tale with a bit of wit and wry humor that reminded me of Shrek.
Candleglow. A Jane Austen tale if told by Oscar Wilde. Delightfully Regency.
Persephone Ascending. This should indeed be a full-length novel. Ms. Searls writing style is that of a cheerfully demented Jules Verne. That's a good thing.
Rating:
Summary: Well-written anthology featuring strong new voices
Review: I found Sigil to be a good anthology, although it wasn't completely suited to my tastes. I didn't honestly realize when I began reading it that all of the protagonists would be male, and while I'm no man-hater, I generally find myself gravitating towards works which feature women. This book was a change of pace for me. Not bad at all, but not necessarily what I expected or would usually have chosen to read. Most of the stories were fairly well-written, and some were very engaging. I'd love to know, for instance, what happens next with the characters featured in Colin Dunne's story "Wizard's Moon." And "Persephone Ascending" by Ronda Searls felt like the beginning of a novel come on, don't stop there! It certainly works as a short story, but I wanted more. If either of those authors ever expand on those stories, I certainly hope to read their efforts. Robert A. Sloan's "Midnight Confession" was a little more sexually explicit than I usually prefer, but the content was entirely appropriate to the story. It brought an interesting view of vampirism, and I think those who miss Tanya Huff's Victoria Nelson stories might want to keep an eye out for more work from Sloan. "Once Upon a Time" by Olympia provides an interesting twist on the fairy tale convention of a suitor who must prove himself worthy of a royal partner. I found "Temporary Gifts" by Randall Ivey to be very disturbing just as, I think, the author intended. And Bet Lorysse's "Messenger" was completely different from anything else I've read. I came away from the book glad I'd read it, and having enjoyed the new (to me, at least) voices of the various authors. I definitely recommend it to others and in fact, I have two friends waiting to borrow my own copy.
Rating:
Summary: Fewer hits than misses, but okay
Review: I gotta say that when I first found out about 'Sigil,' I squealed like a little girl and danced an Irish jig. And why not? This is the first publication of original work produced in the West (that I know of, at least) that caters directly to the tastes of that ever-marginalized group, us fans of shounen ai/yaoi and slash. (Quick, extremely condensed definition -- romanticized depictions of intimate relationships between two male characters, usually for female readers, usually written by female writers. If that ain't your cup'a'tea, then you better ease on down the road, jack.) That said, I try to avoid anthologies, since the level of quality changes for however many stories are anthologized. That's the case with 'Sigil.' Not every story is a winner. And, of course, another bias of mine leans away from the short story format. I tend to like novels a lot better, since there's more room for development in every facet of the story. Still, that doesn't mean this book isn't worth a gander. My favorite story was 'Messenger.' It had atmosphere, delicious prose, and a straightforward, uncomplicated plot that left little room for underdevelopment or loose ends. And the sex. Let's not forget about the sex. One of my least favorites was 'Persephone Ascending,' for reasons that were the exact opposite of what made 'Messenger' so good -- a non-straightforward plot that left LOTS of room for underdevelopment (like the one-shot villian) and loose ends (what about this 'new world' the crew is supposedly sending people to? Did they succeed in their quest? etc.) Overall, these aren't the most astounding stories I've ever read, but I do feel that this book is a landmark in publishing. If you're a drooling fangirl like me, then buy this book knowing that behind the scenes (or in front of the word processor) are a few kindred spirits who started off just like you. Buy it knowing that it's probably the only thing of its kind. And who knows? Maybe there's a second, even better volume of 'Sigil' in our future.
Rating: 
Summary: Skip it
Review: I had high hopes for this book, since I often read yaoi and slash fanfiction online. However, I couldn't even get through this anthology due to cliched plots that have been done much better online (slaves, fantasy, etc), and just overall low-quality writing. Some of the short stories even disgusted me, and I don't usually consider myself squeamish when it comes to yaoi/slash. This was a good idea and a noble attempt, but it only brings out the worst in slash fanfiction :(.
Rating:
Summary: Skip it
Review: I had high hopes for this book, since I often read yaoi and slash fanfiction online. However, I couldn't even get through this anthology due to cliched plots that have been done much better online (slaves, fantasy, etc), and just overall low-quality writing. Some of the short stories even disgusted me, and I don't usually consider myself squeamish when it comes to yaoi/slash. This was a good idea and a noble attempt, but it only brings out the worst in slash fanfiction :(.
Rating:
Summary: Good stuff, more please.
Review: I'm not usually a fan of anthologies, but I had this one thrust on me by a writer friend who knew that I enjoyed fantasy/sci-fi, and that the subject matter of the stories was of personal interest to me. Overall, I would recommend this, though some stories clicked more than others, as I suppose is true with most things of this nature. The most enjoyable reads were "Wizard's Moon," and "Candleglow" with definite reread potential on the latter. I don't think it's a coincidence that these two stories were written by the editors who put together the anthology. They seemed the most professional, the characters the most engaging. Honorable mention to "Midnight Confession" because it felt real (if I had to hazard a guess, pen names aside, I'd say this was the only male author among the crew) and touched on issues that took it to a higher level than simple pleasure reading. I had a hard time wrapping myself around the novel-sized cast presented in "Persephone Ascending" but the setting was fun, if a little reminiscent of Final Fantasy. "Centauri" and "In the Dark" needed a little more development to feel like complete stories. "Messenger" on the other hand was longer than it needed to be, and I didn't find the narrator a memorable character. Still, the concept of the fox-god lover was fun. "Once Upon a Time" started out slow but picked up once Alex was introduced. A decent, casual read, though some of the humor felt forced at times. I'm not big on contemporary fiction, but "Temporary Gifts" was a well done piece, that acknowledges that monsters in the woods aren't what horror is really about. As I said, all in all, I would recommend this anthology, but I'm not going to give it a five stars for two reasons. First because the majority of the male characters didn't ring true to me as a male reader, and I realize that oddly enough I may not be the target audience, but most of these guys honestly didn't feel very manly. Second because most of the stories glossed over the fact that being gay means being different and not quite fitting in... always a powerful theme that deserves exploring.
Rating:
Summary: Good stuff, more please.
Review: This was refreshingly amateur in the best sense of the word: it had a real energy, and a fascinatingly uneven tone (skill levels fluctuating from story to story) that you just don't get in today's over-edited, over-processed fantasy anthologies. The unifying theme is romanticized sexual relationships between two male characters expressed in fantasy and horror settings. I don't think this has ever been done before. The first story, "Wizard's Moon" just draws you right in from its opening line which I read at my bookstore job and had a hard time tearing myself away from. (I ended up buying the book.) The boy who is the main character is very appealing, and the story (while of a generic sword-and-sorcery type) is well-shaped through a real beginning, story arc, and end. A very strong opener to the anthology. The next story "Temporary Gifts" verged on horror, and didn't appeal as much to me since I'm not much for that genre. Then "Once Upon A Time" I found to be a witty and very engaging male+male take on the traditional folk tale. The next offering "In The Dark" just left me clueless. At only two pages, it wasn't clear to me what was going on. The next story "Messenger" was absolutely gorgeous. For me, it was easily the best in the book. It reminded me of feudal Japan but also of pagan harvest beliefs which made the gay theme all the more remarkable. Usually pagan beliefs center on the life force that arises from heterosexual union and procreation, but I found this relationship between god and priest to be absolutely believable. I would love to see more writing by Bet Lorysse. "Centauri" I found very well-done, as short as it was. It certainly set a mood. "Candleglow" was complicated and impressively packed with historical detail: for the Shakespeare fan, especially the fan who likes "A Midsummer Night's Dream." I have to admit that I liked "Midnight Confession" least in the anthology, but that's my bias again: I'm not a horror fan. "Persephone Ascending" I found original and intriguing. I think a novel or even a series could be drawn from this material. In all, I found this anthology to be very entertaining. It covered a LOT of ground, and it broke a lot of ground! I hope this becomes a successful series of anthologies in the future, and I certainly plan to look for the next one.
Rating:
Summary: Well done and a "first" of its kind
Review: This was refreshingly amateur in the best sense of the word: it had a real energy, and a fascinatingly uneven tone (skill levels fluctuating from story to story) that you just don't get in today's over-edited, over-processed fantasy anthologies. The unifying theme is romanticized sexual relationships between two male characters expressed in fantasy and horror settings. I don't think this has ever been done before. The first story, "Wizard's Moon" just draws you right in from its opening line which I read at my bookstore job and had a hard time tearing myself away from. (I ended up buying the book.) The boy who is the main character is very appealing, and the story (while of a generic sword-and-sorcery type) is well-shaped through a real beginning, story arc, and end. A very strong opener to the anthology. The next story "Temporary Gifts" verged on horror, and didn't appeal as much to me since I'm not much for that genre. Then "Once Upon A Time" I found to be a witty and very engaging male+male take on the traditional folk tale. The next offering "In The Dark" just left me clueless. At only two pages, it wasn't clear to me what was going on. The next story "Messenger" was absolutely gorgeous. For me, it was easily the best in the book. It reminded me of feudal Japan but also of pagan harvest beliefs which made the gay theme all the more remarkable. Usually pagan beliefs center on the life force that arises from heterosexual union and procreation, but I found this relationship between god and priest to be absolutely believable. I would love to see more writing by Bet Lorysse. "Centauri" I found very well-done, as short as it was. It certainly set a mood. "Candleglow" was complicated and impressively packed with historical detail: for the Shakespeare fan, especially the fan who likes "A Midsummer Night's Dream." I have to admit that I liked "Midnight Confession" least in the anthology, but that's my bias again: I'm not a horror fan. "Persephone Ascending" I found original and intriguing. I think a novel or even a series could be drawn from this material. In all, I found this anthology to be very entertaining. It covered a LOT of ground, and it broke a lot of ground! I hope this becomes a successful series of anthologies in the future, and I certainly plan to look for the next one.
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