Westward Weird
Edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Kerrie Hughes

Daw Books, Inc
February 2012 / 978-0756407186
Science Fiction / Fantasy / Western
Amazon

Reviewed by Jan Fields

This story collection is a mash-up of Western and Speculative Fiction -- think Firefly or even Wild Wild West and you're on the right track. I am a huge fan of short story collection anytime, and this is one of the most enjoyable collections I've read in years. The stories linger well after you've finished the tale, and I found myself marveling at the creativity of each mash-up. The stories vary from a very folktale-like meeting between a cowboy and the devil to very science fiction oriented frontier tales set on other worlds.

Among my favorites were the story of a cryptozoologist who finds more than weird creatures on one very special mission and the tale of frontier town in the sky, held up by columns of steam -- and the still stranger things that have taken over that town. Altogether there are thirteen stories that give the old west a very new twist. If you love short stories and you love weird, don't miss this one. I promise it delivers.