J'adore. An incredible collection of short stories with viewpoints and flavors from all over the globe. I don't normally care very much for short story collections, and this one had its share of stories I absolutely loved and other that I slogged through waiting for them to be over (like most short story collections inevitably do.)

	• "The Green-Eyed Boy" It's funny because I had just recently been talking to someone about examples of the second person narrative. This is a lovely story about Schmendrick the Magician (whom you may remember from The Last Unicorn) and his origins. As a child, I loved Schmendrick in the movie of The Last Unicorn, and I'm a little ashamed to say I haven't actually read the book. Reading about Schmendrick in this short story made me resolve to read The Last Unicorn, and soon. 5 bright, shiny stars full of childhood wonder. 
	• "The Story of Kao Yu" Set in China and featuring the Chinese unicorn, the chi-lin. This short story read like some of my favorite fairy tales, and makes me wonder if this is entirely out of Beagle's head, or based on a Chinese fable? I give this story 4 imperial stars. 
	• "My Son Heydari and the Karkadann" Set in Persia, this story features the Karkadann, the Arabian unicorn that is "powerful, pitilessly aggressive, and ugly as fried sin" (or so writes Peter S. Beagle). Another second person narrative, this story is told from the point of view of the father of the (for lack of a better term) hero of the story, Heydari. I didn't care much for this story, 2 stinky Karkadann stars. 
	• "The Queen Who Could Not Walk" Loved this story, it touched my heart in a number of ways. What the heck is up with their system of governance though?! Reads like a traditional, classic fairy tale with characters known only as the beggar woman, the queen, the king, and the servant. The ending was one of those bitter sweet ones that just hit you right in the feels. 5 sweetly sad stars. 
	• "Trinity County, CA: You'll Want to Come Again and We'll Be Glad to See You!" Set in an alternate modern-day California where drug traffickers use dragons to protect their labs, as well as trafficking illegally in dragons themselves. Gruber works as a county D Patrol (dragon patrol) officer and Connie is intern on her first day on the job. I loved this story, and would happily read a full novel set in this world; preferably about Connie and Gruber, but about another set of characters as well. 5 fire-proof stars. 
	• "The Way It Works Out and All" Didn't care for this one as much, it was jumbly and confusing - Which, to be fair, I'm pretty sure it was supposed to be. 2 stars. 
	• "Kaskia" …Not sure what I just read, but I think I liked it?? 4-ish stars?
	• "Schmendrick Alone" YAY SCHMENDRICK! All the Schmendrick, all the time! I just want to hug him up and tell him it will all be okay. 5 stars with tears in their eyes. 
	• "Great-Grandmother in the Cellar" Amazing story. That's all I can say. 5 bones… I mean stars. 
	• "Underbridge" As a lover of children's books, I loved this story. Super uncomfortable, but loved it. Because trolls, man. TROLLS. 5 stone stars. 
	• "The Very Nasty Aquarium" I love the note in the preface that "This one began as an intriguing title, with absolutely no story to go with it." Way to come up with a killer story, Mr. Beagle. Just wow. Loved this, and I want to be Mrs. Bascomb when I grow up, but I will probably end up being Mrs. Lopsided. 5 sinister stars. 
	• "Music, When Soft Voices Die" Found myself skimming this one just to get to the end. Not sure if the story itself wasn't for me, of if I'm just growing tired of short stories. Angelos did remind me the teensiest bit of Schmendrick in his bumbling, well-meaning way, but I can still only give this story 1 skimming star. 
	• "Olfert Dapper's Day" Read the first couple pages of this and didn't even skim the rest. It just did not capture my attention.

What Worked and Didn't Work
The majority of stories in this anthology follow something of a theme: unicorns and other mythological friends. Three of the fourteen stories are about unicorns, whether the traditional western European version or the chi-lin of China and Indian karkadann. There is also an assortment of dragons and trolls and other shape-shifters. My favorite of the anthology was "Trinity County, CA: You'll Want to Come Again and We'll Be Glad to See You!", positing the creation of an organizational cross between the ATF and SPCA if dragons were a part of this world and possibly used by California marijuana growers for "security."

Another two  stories are about the early days of  Schmendrick the Magician, from The Last Unicorn. While always nice to have his narrative expanded, neither "The Green Eyed Boy" nor "Schmendrick Alone" come close to the pathos and complexity of "The Woman Who Married the Man in the Moon," a story from the 2011 collection Sleight of Hand. My second favorite story of the book involves a different "wizard" and gives the book its title. In "The Way it Works Out and All," a fictional Beagle and fictional Avram Davidson embark on an adventure into the Overneath, an alternate plane of sorts---navigable, if careful.

The setups for a couple of the stories where rather long and the collection might have been better if it were about one story shorter. My nomination would be  "Music, when Soft Voices Die" or "Olfert Drapper's Day," though the latter does fit the theme better.

Overall
A whimsical collection with definite high points.

Before this book, I had never heard of Peter S. Beagle. And as of right now, my only knowledge of his most famous work, The Last Unicorn, is a few snippets of the 80’s cartoon movie, and a brilliant Dan Avidan cover of its theme song.

However, once I read the blurb of The Overneath, I couldn’t resist requesting a copy over on my NetGalley account. Magical lands, mythical creatures, apprentice wizards, all captured in a collection of gripping short stories. That definitely sounded like my cup of tea.

I have to mention that this short story collection also builds upon the world of The Last Unicorn. Characters, places, or minor details about the novel’s world are expanded through these smaller stories. Since I was (and still am) a newcomer to The Last Unicorn mythos, I hoped that these short stories would be my introduction to the fantastical world Peter S. Beagle created.

And now that I have finished The Overneath, only one question remains: Did it succeed?

There is something fascinating about the way The Overneath presents its stories. You are never completely immersed in the narrative, because the narrative is often framed to keep the reader at a distance.

Whether it is an angered father recounting the misadventures of his son, an old wizard reminiscing on the past, or the re-telling of ancient history in a far away land, the reader is always prevented from seeing the story entirely through the eyes of the protagonist.

In addition, each story is prefaced with a small introduction by the author himself, explaining where his inspiration for the stories came from, or how they fit into the wider story of The Last Unicorn. This also breaks the fourth wall between the world of the story and the role of the story-teller.

While this may be distracting for some, I personally feel that this isn’t an entirely negative point about The Overneath. In fact, it actually works in its favour.

With a world that is founded on, and plays with, classic fantasy tropes, the distant narrative framing helped to wrap the collection together. Rather than being part of the battles, I was enjoying the war stories; The whole time I was reading this book, it felt like I was sitting at the village inn, hot drink in hand, listening to Peter S. Beagle introduce the next patron to take his or her turn at the hearthside.

For me, the stories that were set in the modern era – such as the titular ‘The Overneath’ story – were the weakest of the bunch. Partially because a good handful involved a lot of running around and fight scenes, which often left me feeling more puzzled than invested.

And funnily enough, the stories that were based in the world of The Last Unicorn – a book that I have never read – were my favourites. ‘Schmendrick Alone,’ a story following an incompetent wizard and later protagonist of The Last Unicorn, left the biggest impact on me. I sympathised with the protagonist from beginning to end, wanting him to succeed. When it was over, the ambiguous ending of the story made me want to pick up The Last Unicorn and see where his story would go.

So, as far as short story collections go, this is a mixed bag. Some stories were better than others, yet no story left me feeling disappointed. If you’re a fan of The Last Unicorn, this will definitely be one for you to read. If not, then I recommend this to anyone looking for a collection of entertaining, easy-to-read, cosy-by-the-fire fantasy adventures. And I can assure you, as someone who has not read The Last Unicorn, you do not need to know the plot of that novel to enjoy the tales of this book.

With that said, you may find yourself looking for a copy of the novel when you’ve finished reading The Overneath.

I know I sure did.

The Overneath is a collection of short fiction by the author of The Last Unicorn.  So, of course, there are tales of unicorns herein, both of and not of that world.  But there's also a nice variety of other tales collected in this book.  As long as you don't have an aversion to fantasy, there's a little bit of something for everyone.

The collection as a whole is a bit uneven, but the quality of the writing more than makes up for this.  There are a number of stories about unicorns (you'd think the guy had a thing for them or something *wink*) but not all are what one might expect.  There are two stories involving the world of The Last Unicorn, specifically Schmendrick the Magician, and others that are stand-alone.  My favorites of these are the ones that explore different cultural interpretations of the mythical beasts, such as the Indian Karkadann in My Son Heydari and the Karkadann or the Significant Animals of Asian lore witnessed in The Story of Kao Yu (both appearing in print for the first time).

But don't be fooled, there are plenty of stories in this collection that have nothing to do with unicorns.  In fact, many of the other stories offer a wide variety of other fantastical offerings. One of this collection's brand new offerings, The Very Nasty Aquarium, is a strange folk-influenced tale about a woman who buys an old wooden statue for her fish tank when things start to get weird.  The Queen Who Could Not Walk is another standout, being a touching take on a timeless tale.  In Kaskia a man finds star-crossed love, in more ways than one.  And in Music, When Soft Voices Die, a young inventor tries to create the telephone only to discover something else that may cause him to lose his mind.  

I also enjoyed Beagle's introductions to each story.  He does a great job of giving some insight, even if its just a little bit, to each story without dulling the experience.  They provide some nice bits of biography and make for a nice pallet cleanser between tales.  

If you like Beagle's previous work then this is a done deal.  But even if you just enjoy fantasy stories and are looking for a pretty solid collection, you can't go wrong with The Overneath.

As a long-time Beagle fan, you can imagine my excitement when I opened my email to find that I'd been approved to receive an advanced e-copy! I'll confess that I don't typically read short stories, but I'm weak when it comes to Beagle and I knew that I had to try.

Overall, this is a very solid collection. There were some misses for me, but I think that's typical of short story collections. I'm not an avid reader of paranormal or urban fantasy, so they tend to leave me unimpressed. In the case of this book, that's true of some, but Beagle managed to suck me into a few of his short stories in these genres - I particularly enjoyed "The Way It Works Out and All" (which features Beagle himself as the point-of-view character!) and "The Very Nasty Aquarium."

Beagle doesn't stay in our world; he takes us back to the world of The Last Unicorn with two short stories about Schmendrick the Magician - poor, lovely Schmendrick - and to the world of The Innkeeper's Song with "Great-Grandmother in the Cellar" (one of my absolute favourites in the collection). He brings us to a new world in "The Queen Who Could Not Walk" (another favourite) and presents us with unicorns from different cultures in "The Story of Kao Yu," "My Son Heydari and the Karkadann," and "Olfert Dapper's Day."

Beagle proves himself once again to be a master of the English language with his clever use of words and beautiful, thoughtful descriptions. There's something for everyone in this collection by Beagle and it is a must-read for fans of his works.

I’m far from an expert on the books of Peter S. Beagle. I’ve only read The Last Unicorn and A Fine and Private Place. The impression I’ve got from those two is that what he writes are not so much stories as tales. Even though they were created in the last few decades (and, like A Fine and Private Place, take place in a contemporary setting), they feel ancient, steeped in the old traditions of oral storytelling – so much so, that Polish SF writer Jacek Dukaj The Last Unicorn “the last fairy tale” in his review. In light of all this, I was very eager to read The Overneath so that I could see whether Beagle’s short stories – representing a more varied sample of his output – have the same quality.

The first four stories definitely fall into the category of “tales” – they take place long ago and far away (and, in the case of The Green-Eyed Boy, featuring Schmendrick the Magician, in the world of The Last Unicorn) and resemble folk stories the most. My favourite of the bunch is by far The Story of Kao Yu, which draws inspiration from Chinese folklore and follows a wandering judge, a wise, kind and honourable man, who becomes smitten with a beautiful thief. What in the hands of a less-skilled storyteller could become a cliché (and old man longing for a young woman), in Beagle’s telling becomes a slightly melancholic, humane tale where both characters are allowed to retain their agency.

The collection shifts somewhat after that and what follows are unmistakably stories. This in and of itself is not a judgment on their quality; Trinity County, CA, for example, is a humorous, inventive story that achieves a great effect through its juxtaposition of the mundane realities of being a ranger in remote woodland areas with the fact that the job of the main characters is tracking down people who keep contraband dragons. A similar effect is achieved is Kaskia, in which Beagle makes the realist story of a man in a disintegrating marriage who strikes up an online friendship fresh by the simple fact that his computer connects him with an alien being in a completely different part of the universe.

In fact, most of the pieces, regardless of whether they’re tales or stories, possess a mix of hope and melancholy that is, as far as I can tell, unique to Beagle alone. The characters often regard the world with a curious mixture of hope and cynicism: they are certain that nothing good can happen to them, and yet, despite that, they hope that it will – the same attitude is often displayed by the voice of the narrator as well. The best example of that may be The Green-Eyed Boy and Schmendrick Alone, because they utilise a character we already know very well from The Last Unicorn and create a powerful resonance with each other: in both Schmendrick experiences a tenuous connection with someone, a spark of warmth and companionship, but has to leave it behind when his magic gets wildly out of control. Because it happens twice, the effect compounds, making the reader acutely aware of the desperate loneliness that haunts the character.

This infusion of emotions elevates a lot of the stories in the collection, such as Music, When Soft Voices Die – Beagle’s attempt at steampunk – that reads a lot like a classic ghost story, until the poetic, achingly beautiful reveal of what it is exactly that haunts its protagonists. In fact, the collection seems to stumble precisely when the stories lack the warmth and wisdom – as in The Way It Works Out and All, which seems no more than a demonstration of a fantastical concept, or in Underbridge, which aims at a story of a man pushed to monstrosity by his obsession and alienations (it brought to my mind characters from Edgar Allan Poe’s stories), but feels mean-spirited in a way that struck me as wholly uncharacteristic of Beagle and in effect created a strong dissonance with the rest of the collection.

Unicorns are a recurring motif for Beagle (they feature, in very different versions, in three stories in this collection), so it seems fitting that one appears at the very end. Olfert Dapper’s Day starts as a story (a very good one, although a big part of that might be my predisposition to like stories about conmen) – and then, at some point, with the appearance of the unicorn, the story seems to transform into a tale of a man who, if not exactly bad, was never particularly good, and who suddenly has to use his one true talent – lying – not to serve himself but to save another person. In the end, he loses something, gains something, and I felt that he will never be the same again, although it would be hard to define how exactly was he changed.

This is one of the stories that demonstrate what I love about Beagle best: his characters are often weak and failing, yet all the more heroic when, through chance or grace, they manage to rise to the trials that stand before them. At his best, he opens your heart up and, through his writing, makes you want to speak in poetry. And that’s exactly what happens when you read The Overneath.

Peter Beagle can write anything--literally anything. He's written novels, short stories, screenplays, and songs, all many-hued in style, theme, and subject. Over his career, he's written tales about ghost cats and teenage angst (Tamsin), restless spirits and larcenous ravens (A Fine and Private Place), cranky Italian farmers and mischievous goats (In Calabria), and of course, unicorns and love-lorn princes (The Last Unicorn). 

Of all the magical creatures Beagle has written about, unicorns loom largest in the author's catalogue. The Last Unicorn is arguably one of his best-known works, thanks to the beloved animated film from the 1980s, to say nothing of the novel’s stunning prose and wonderfully well-drawn characters. In this book, Beagle captures all the magnificence of unicorns and spellbinds his audience to follow them wherever they may lead. I've often suspected he became ensnared in his own literary spell. Is it any wonder that he's often found himself writing about those mythical creatures? In Calabria involved unicorns at the heart of its plot, and Beagle's new short story collection, The Overneath, which will be published by Tachyon in November, features three very different stories about unicorns, and another two in the universe of The Last Unicorn. While there are storytellers who often retread the same subjects, Beagle is one who manages to make the experience feel new every single time. 

The stories that takes place in the world of The Last Unicorn both feature the hapless magician, Schmendrick. In “The Green-Eyed Boy,” we learn how Schmendrick came to study with the great wizard Nikos and the cost of power. The narrative picks up in “Schmendrick Alone,” where we find Schmendrick on the road, using his wits and burgeoning power to fend off bandits. At their heart, these are character pieces that enrich their story universe, but Beagle infuses both stories with heart and sorrow. It's no wonder Schmendrick is one of Beagle’s most beloved characters: he's just like us as he wanders along, hoping he’s making the right choices and persevering even when he doesn't. 

Beagle doesn't limit his examination of the unicorn myth to Europe. One of my favorite tales is “My Son Heydari and the Karkadann,” which features the karkadann, a Persian unicorn-like creature, in a story rich with voice and imagery. I also enjoyed “The Story of Kao Yu,” which takes place in China and follows a judge who meets his own judgment in the form of a unicorn. “Olfert Dapper’s Day,” is a sly nod to the inspiration for The Last Unicorn and features genuine romance and wonder within a buttoned-up Puritanical setting. 

My absolute favorite story in the collection had nothing to do with unicorns, however. I adored “The Very Nasty Aquarium,” which incorporates Caribbean folklore and genuine chills in the form of an evil pirate turned aquarium ornament. I really wish this were a longer story because I didn't want to leave any of the characters, even the aquarium figurines. I also loved the plucky older ladies that took matters into their own hands, red underpants and all. I don't often come across stories that manage to be both heartwarming and terrifying, but this one does so quite successfully. 

There's a story in this collection for everyone. Beagle may revisit similar subjects, but he never writes the same story twice. This many faceted-collection sparkles with gems old and new, all unique in their telling.

I highly recommend this collection to fans of fantastical tales. If you'd like to read more by Beagle, check out his catalogue at Tachyon. 

The Overneath's table of contents is as follows:

The Green-Eyed Boy
The Story of Kao Yu - First time in print (2017 Locus Award finalist)
My Son Heydari and the Karkadann - First time in print (appeared in a Humble Bundle limited ebook edition)
The Queen Who Could Not Walk
Trinity County, CA: You'll Want to Come Again and We'll Be Glad to See You!
The Way it Works Out and All
Kaskia
Schmendrick Alone -  First publication
Great-Grandmother in the Cellar
Underbridge
The Very Nasty Aquarium  - First publication
Music, When Soft Voices Die
Olfert Dapper’s Day

Thank you to NetGalley and Tachyon for providing an advance reading copy for review.

[Disclaimer: I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley for review purposes.]

Peter Beagle has been a favorite of mine since childhood. Admittedly, I didn't know much about him outside of The Last Unicorn until I was in my late teens. Which is a very sad sad thing. I know I had several of his books hanging around my house, but can't remember if I read them or when. (Remind me to go find them and read them, just to be safe!)

The Overneath is a collection of short stories, some of which were published elsewhere, and some of which are new. I believe both Schmendrick (!!!) stories are new, and they both made my heart skip a few beats. Reading about his life before he met the unicorn was magical! It was like a completely new depth brought to a character I've loved for years. (Peter, please write more Schmendrick! And Molly Grue! And Lir, oh bring Lir back...Yes I know he's gone...but I always want more. The Last Unicorn is one of my absolute favorite books.)

The other stories were very different from the others of his that I've read (although I can't say I've read his other short stories, I am really just talking about his books). I enjoyed the title story very much, and the very last one based on the dedication to The Last Unicorn. Both were intriguing. I still want to know what happened to the narrator's friend in The Overneath, and more more more.

Peter Beagle has always had a way of making me just want more. Can you tell?

I highly recommend this collection. His short stories are just as magical as his novels and novellas. There is so much atmosphere, such great character development in such short spaces. The stories are interesting (except that troll one - that one kind of left a bad taste in my mouth). And the unicorns! Okay, I think there was only one unicorn. But that's all right. The fantasy was there, the mood, the magic and the wonder of it all. Read this if you are a fan. Even if you're not a fan, give it a shot. You never know what you might find...

This is a collection of wonderful short stories, many of which deal with different interpretations of Unicorns which were the stories I liked the most. Not that I’m totally caught up in the pastel, iridescent unicorn trend, I like a unicorn that can do a bit of damage you know what I mean? That’s the kind of unicorn we have here.

I’ll confess I’ve never read any Peter S. Beagle before so some of the stories which link with his other work may have nuances that were lost on me, for the most part, however, you can understand what is going on.

What struck me about this collection is how Beagle can write different voices. Each story feels distinct and unique, you don’t descend into a monotonous drudge as some short story collections can do.

One of my favourite stories was that which gives the collection it’s name. The Overneath reminded me a little of the different Londons in V. A. Schwabb’s ADSOM series. I actually think you could conjure a whole novel out of the idea, but doubtless it would be phenomenally complicated so I understand why Beagle stuck to this format.

While some elements are reminiscent of classic folk tales, others smack of science fiction influences. The key element which unites these stories, for me, was the authors clear passion for them. Some ideas have been fermenting for many a year while others seem to have written themselves.

If this is an indication of the standard of Beagle’s work then sign me up to read some more! (Oh my poor TBR).

My rating: 4/5 stars

The Overneath publishes on the 7th of November so be sure to keep your eyes peeled!

By the way, I received a digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This anthology was amazing and well written. Although this is the first novel I have read but Peter S. Beagle it sure won't be my last. My favorite stories were Underbridge (amazing character development) and Trinity County CA: You'll Want to Come Again and We'll Want to See you (a plot so good you won't be able to put the story down unfinished). I didn't hate any stories but my least favorite was Olfert Dapper's Day. 

I would suggest this novel to all fantasy fans out there. 

I got this story for free from the publisher. 

The Green-Eyed Boy - 3.5/5 stars
This story is a prequel to The Last Unicorn. Although it can be read on its own (like I did) I feel like a lot is lost. Still a good story though. 

The Story of Kao-Yo - 4/5 stars
The authors version of a unicorn story. It takes place in China with a judge as the main character. There was a complexity to the story I didn't, especially at the end regarding judge and the unicorn. 

My Son Heydari and the Karkadann - 4.5/5 stars
This is another unicorn story, however instead of the unicorn being mysterious and powerful it is more territorial and maleficent. I really enjoyed this story as it gives a different twist to an old legend. 

The Queen Who Could Not Walk - 4/5 stars
A princess loses her ability to walk on her wedding night. The prince still marries her where she remains Queen till she is old and forced out to be (due to God's wishes). While begging she learns the true price of greed, revenge and vanity. 

Trinity County, CA: You'll Want to Come Again and We'll Be Glad to See you! - 5/5 stars
One of my favorite stories in this analogy. Two deputies that are part of D Patrol, they investigate dragons being bred, raised or kept illegally. I loved the plot and the amount of detail Beagle put into the dragons. 

They Way It Works Out and All - 4/5 stars
This story is the origin behind the title. There was tons of promise behind his story but the execution wasn't as well done as I was hoping. If the main character was braver the story would have gone so much farther. Still a great story though. 

Kaskia - 3.5/5 stars
Martin buys a new computer with hidden features. One of those features allows him to communicate with an unknown entity. I feel there were numerous elements to this story but the only one I got was that people can and will disguise who they are online. 

Schmendrick Alone - 4/5 stars
This story takes place in The Last Unicorn universe but it more of a standalone story then The Green-Eyed Boy. Schmendrick is finally out in the world after his 7-year apprenticeship but he has a lot to learn about life and magic. 

Great-Grandmother In the Cellar - 4/5 stars
This story is written like a classic fairytale with an enchanted daughter, a powerful but evil wizard and a resurrected grandmother. I thought the ending was perfect in this story. 

Underbridge - 5/5 stars
This story takes place in Seattle with a troll. The main character was really despicable and I was glad to see he got what he deserved. 

The Very Nasty Aquarium - 3/5/5 stars
This story follows two retired school teachers as they try to rid an aquarium of a duppy. This story was incredibly unique, the beginning was a little slow but it quickly picked up. 

Music, When Soft Voices Die - 4.5/5 stars
This is the only horror story in the novel. I wouldn't say it was scary but it was definitely unnerving. This story had me looking over my shoulder a few times before I feel asleep. 

Olfert Dapper's Day - 3/5 stars
Dr. Olfert Dapper moves to the New World and befriends an aboriginal man named Rain Coming. Together they see a unicorn. Although the story was good I was confused why he was forced out of town yet Remorse Kirtley was accepted. I also didn't understand and hated that the Unicorn liked Remorse better because she was a virgin. This story was okay, I found the concept of virginity being an outdated concept.

This is an incredibly varied book of short stories that live up to the usual high quality of Beagle's work. It has something for everyone from lovers of The Last Unicorn (Hello, Schmendrick!) to steampunk fans. There were stories that I enjoyed more than others, for sure but that is par for the course with short story collections. If you are a fan of Peter S. Beagle you should definitely pick this one up.
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Short stories by the author of <i>The Last Unicorn</i>, several of which revisit that most evocative of creatures (albeit not always in the familiar Western version - and one of the variants is a far less noble creature), and a couple more of which fill out the earlier life of that book’s erratic mage Schmendrick. The rest of the pieces tends towards urban fantasy, in its non-formulaic sense – because even when I love something like the Peter Grant books, it’s inevitable that the smart narrator and the codification of his world do gradually familiarise you with what should be marvels. Whereas in these brief glimpses, a piece of sculpture with ideas above its station, or a haunted aquarium, or a computer with a very unusual key remain as utterly strange and fabulous as they really would be. The wonderful title story is a piece in memory of Beagle’s late friend Avram Davidson which, while rather different from your standard memorial, fits the man far better - really giving a sense of his personality and his qualities, and definitely doing him due honour. The collection includes a brief note with each story, which I always appreciate – and Beagle’s notes are more honest than some writers about not loving all these children equally. For one of the longest (and for me, weakest) pieces here, for instance – a story whose alternate history setting doesn’t seem to contribute much to its core – it definitely helps to have Beagle admit that it was written for a steampunk anthology, despite his not really knowing what steampunk is.

(Netgalley ARC)

The Overneath is Peter S. Beagle's latest offering of short stories. There is definitely something for everyone in here. Do you love Schmendrick? He is in two stories! Do you love urban fantasy? What about stories set in exotic locales or times? This anthology has you covered! Each story is rich in character, action, and detail. I liked all the stories, but the real stand outs for me were "The Green-Eyed Boy," "The Queen Who Could Not Walk," and "Trinity County, CA: You'll Want to Come Again and We'll Be Glad to See You." If you already love Peter S. Beagle, you need to run to get a copy of this book. If you have never read his work, it is an excellent introduction, which will leave you longing to dig into his catalog.

I loved this book. I had never read anything by Peter Beagle before, but I will definitely look into his books now. I had heard of him, but had never sought him out before this. This was an excellent collection of stories, and a really good primer on his writing style. I found his stories to be extremely engaging, even when I was wary at first. My personal favorites were the stories involving Schmendrick, the various unicorn stories, and the story with the dragons at drug dens. Overall, a fantastic read, and one that I am glad I found!

This is an outstanding collection of fantasy author Peter S. Beagle's short stories, from those set in the Land of Far Away and Long Ago to those with a contemporary fantasy setting. Beagle, whose best-loved novel is The Last Unicorn, excels in the several unicorn tales here. I also loved his stories with a strong or brave heroine. His engaging writing leaves me with a warm feeling, even when a story is scary or sad. Beagle's writing has heart, and his characters shine.

The Overneath by Peter S. Beagle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So far, I've been enjoying Beagle's works and this is my first real taste of his short fiction. I'm sure that there will be a ton of fans going ga-ga over the fact that there are two Schmendrick shorts here!

Even so, I think I enjoyed a number of the other stories a bit more. I'm particularly fond of his Steampunk story: Music, When Soft Voices Die which had a particularly awesome horror feel. Indeed, I think I prefer all the stories that had that taste, such as these three: The Very Nasty Aquarium, Great Grandmother in the Cellar, and Underbridge. 

Even better are timeless stories like: The Queen Who Could Not Walk. There was something about this one that really got to me.

Even so, there's a little something for everyone in this collection, especially if you like unicorn tales that don't fit in Beagle's Last Unicorn universe. There's even a delightful SF about a lonely guy with an awesome computer who has a penpal across the universe. :)

I admit to liking but not loving most of these, but I can't complain about the quality of any of it! I am quite pleased with the quality of the research and the depth of the myths inside some of the tales. Magic is everywhere. :) 

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

So, the first and most important thing that lead me right into being like "YES, NETGALLEY, I WOULD LOVE TO READ THIS BOOK" is that the green-eyed boy featured in the first story "The Green-Eyed Boy" is in fact, Schmendrick the Magician, last of the red hot swamis. A young Schmendrick, who has just started his apprenticeship with Nikos, a master wizard. We see Schmendrick's clumsy attempts to work the powerful magic that he has right from the beginning. I loved it. Getting his origin story, so to speak, an outcast boy from a family that cares not a whit for him... even his name, from a Yiddish word that means something along the lines of "somebody out of his depth" as Beagle once put it, is a source of shame for him. Poor Schmendrick. I feel for him. What an amazing opener for this book of stories!

There are a few stories about unicorns in this anthology (surprise!), but they are all different kinds of unicorns.

For example, The Story of Kao Yu tells the story of a travelling judge who is occasionally helped out by a chi-lin, a Chinese unicorn. My Son Heydari and the Karkadann is a story about a wounded Persian unicorn, a karkadann - somewhat like a rhinoceros - being nursed back to health by a local boy. 

It also has a bunch of fantastic stories in it that aren't about unicorns, like The Queen Who Could Not Walk, which had a really fantastic reveal, and Trinity County, CA : You'll Want to Come Again and We'll Be Glad to See You! which is about a group of people that go in and rescue illegal exotic animals in Trinity County... only the exotic animals in this case, are dragons. Kaskia is a story about a middle aged man with a failing marriage who buys a strange laptop from his cousin and ends up instant messaging an alien with it. Music, When Soft Voices Die is a really cool story about a medical student in Victorian England who builds a machine that starts to pick up random voices, and it's a bit of a mystery finding out what they are and where they come from. Really surreal and wonderfully written stories of all different kinds.

It was awesome from start to finish. Never samey, never boring. I loved the entire collection, and I'll be honest here, I can only say that about 3 short story anthologies that I've ever read (including this one). So, there you go. :)

Many thanks to NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for the advance reader copy of this book.

This being my 400th book to review in 2017 I felt it called for something special and since the 50th anniversary of one of the most enduring classics that has impacted an untold number of children is coming up next year I knew the perfect author to choose.

Peter S. Beagle gave us The Last Unicorn in 1968 which was then made into a movie in 1982 which is currently playing on Netflix if you need a reminder. His talent to create vivid settings, enchanting characters and worlds that came straight out of our dreams and nightmares taught us about the world in a refreshingly honest way
. 
Even 60 years after he started putting pen to page what made Beagle so uplifting, fresh and enduring has not lost its luster with his latest collection of short stories.

We have over ten tales to take us away including the chance to relive that childhood magic from long ago by meeting Schmendrick once again. Diving into his illustrious work you get to walk down memory lane when life could just be full of mythic beings, hauntings to give you goosebumps and people you wish were real so they could make this world just a little easier to live in.

You will travel to China and immerse yourself in beautiful Asian folklore, to the Middle East where the sands of time are wiped away to tickle your imagination, or maybe very close to your own backyard where Dragons might just exist..

What is truly beautiful about this book is that Beagle’s writing lets you believe, if only for a little while, that magic, mythos and wonder are real. As you enter his world you become part of it and for that time the impossible is achievable.

I am not a huge fan of short stories, but when I saw this collection by Beagle, who I have loved ever since childhood, I couldn't resist. And these stories are just as charming as The Last Unicorn. Yes, there are fantastical beasts (three unicorns?!) and magic from other lands. There is the title story, about a world passageway that is just outside of sight, but has its perils. But my favorite was the story of a very uncanny aquarium and it's inhabitants, and their retired elementary school teacher owner.

I enjoyed all of the stories, and liked the bonus of two stories about our man Shmendrick. But mostly I was entranced by the style of the writing, and the ease with which Beagle makes the fantastical real. I would love to live in his world, even when it's a bit scary and off-putting.

Beagle fans, rejoice! He's back and so are some of our favorites... and new favorites. Once again, he mastered the short story collection like no one else. I adore this man.