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Salon Fantastique: Thirty Original Tales Of Fantasy edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling
01/03/2007 . Source: Simon Cooper 
pub: Thunder's Mouth Press. 394 page enlarged paperback. Price: $16.95 (US). ISBN: 1-56025-833-0. Buy Salon Fantastique in the USA - or Buy Salon Fantastique in the UK  check out website: www.avalonpub.com www.avalonpub.com and www.thundersmouth.com www.thundersmouth.com
'Salon Fantastique' is a collection of fifteen original fantasy stories. There is no set theme to the book and in its introduction, Datlow and Windling are clear about why. Their collection is inspired by the Literary Salons which originated in 17th century France. In these salons, basically gatherings of writers, artists, gentry and other interested parties, ideas were the currency and variety appreciated. So it is with these stories. You are invited to learn something new, read something different from its neighbour.
However, if there is a similarity among the stories it would be that most are anchored in our own world. The fantasy here is of the unique, the far-out, the hidden truth that sits alongside reality.
Another trait these stories have in common is that each is concerned more with creating memorable characters and situations rather than straightforward plot. Of course, this might not appeal to everyone, which is why I mention it.
It's difficult to summarise this collection. There were both hits and misses for me. There may be different ones for you. One I particularly enjoyed was 'The Night Whisky' by Jeffrey Ford. This tells of a small town where an intoxicating drink is made from a berry native to it. The liquor causes those who drink it to have conversations with dead relatives. This piece is excellently evoked. Place, character and idea combining to create memorable drama.
Other highlights were 'The Lepidopterist' by Lucius Shepard. This is told in heavy dialect, something I usually don't like, but the narrator, telling of a childhood incident, draws you into the magic of the situation and on towards the chilling arrival of the butterfly people. It is the way the narrator draws the innocence of his childhood self that is most successful I feel.
Then there is 'To Measure The Earth' by Jedediah Berry, where the characters seem to be in a trance at times, under the spell of ancients forces alive by their side.
I also enjoyed 'A Gray And Soundless Tide' by Catherynne M. Valente. It tells of a selkie, a woman who turns into a seal when in the sea. A human takes pity and learns her tragic history. A very emotional story.
In the spirit of the Literary Salons that inspired this collection there are some pieces which use experimental or unconventional writing styles. 'My Travels With A-Qaeda' by Lavie Tidhar and 'Down the Wall' by Greer Gilman for example.
Lavie Tidhar's piece is told in a non-linear fashion and revolves around a couple's coincidental connections to terrorist bombings. I have to admit defeat with this story. I couldn't work out just what it wanted to say.
Greer Gilman's work similarly left me confused. Its central characters are two children and the world they see is shown in the literary equivalent of 3D vision with bells on. Images are thrust upon the reader in often fragmentary prose, creating a sometimes giddy experience. At first, I enjoyed this. I had a sense of experiencing the children's world in close up. However, for me, this became too much. I needed anchoring to a more conventional plot.
If I had an overall criticism of this book it would be that for me a number of these stories felt too long. In saying that, there is a lot to enjoy in 'Salon Fantastique'. I very much suggest appreciating it as a collection based on difference.
Simon Cooper
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