With this new anthology of Borderlands/Bordertown stories, the source-point for modern American urban fantasy steps into a new era. At least - I sure hope so!
I first found Bordertown a looong time ago. I was reading Charles de Lint like a starving waif, and I didn't know where else to turn for stories of myth and magic and REAL PEOPLE. Then he mentioned Terri Windling, and that was that.
I firmly believe that a whole generation of authors, artists, and dreamers-in-general owe a great debt to this lovely lady and her delightful world that she shared so generously with everyone - readers and authors alike. It was like a splendid playbox where each person built on another's foundation, or riffed off of a tune that another just casually tossed out as ornamentation. It was beautiful, and then the 80s ended, urban fantasy got passed on to another (still excellent) generation, and Bordertown quietly faded into the background inspiration pile.
Now, we're back! The way has opened again, familiar faces are still right there, new people are pouring in, elves are stuck-up as usual, but i-pods and laptops are taking over, and I can't wait to see what happens when the haughty Truebloods encounter dubstep!
Welcome to Bordertown has a visitor's guide, stories, songs (including one rap), poems (including a jump-rope rhyme), and a black&white comic by all of the following fantastic people: Ellen Kushner, Terri Windling, Cory Doctorow, Patricia McKillip, Catherynne Valente, Amal El-Mohtar, Emma Bull, Steven Brust, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Will Shetterly, Jane Yolen, Janni Lee Simner, Sara Ryan, Dylan Meconis, Tim Pratt, Annette Curtis Klause, Nalo Hopkinson, Delia Sherman, Christopher Barzak, Holly Black, Cassandra Clare, Neil Gaiman, and Charles de Lint.
If you haven't already, go and read all of their other (non Borderlands) work. Yes, I mean all of it. Seriously. You will be a better, mostly happier person if you do.
In the meantime, Bordertown LIVES!
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