To Hold the Bridge

Not everyone wants to embark on a multi-paged saga involving strange worlds, mythical beasts or magic. Maybe, the young reader is unfamiliar with the range of themes and backgrounds to which the term ‘fantasy’ can be applied. The answer might lie in a collection of short stories; To Hold the Bridge might be such a collection. None of the stories in this anthology have been written for the occasion and have appeared in magazines and other collections individually. Here, for Nix fans they are together. And a very enjoyable collection it is. Nix is a good storyteller ranging from the world of the Old Kingdom imbued with magic to the dystopian future that is the setting for Shade’s Children and more. There are few surprises, the stories falling neatly into the conventions of the science fiction genre. Some stories are more successful than others – I particularly enjoyed The Quiet Knight – while placing them within lightly themed groups ensures readers can home in on favourite features. Solid without setting the world alight.