which the prince is far from innocent. Reception In a starred review, Publishers Weekly calls the book an "excellent story collection" in which McKillip "take[s] the most common fantasy elements--dragons and bards, sorcerers and shape-shifters--and reshape[s] them in surprising and resonant ways. ... Each of these tales is a gem of story-telling, a rich treasure for both fans and those yet to discover McKillip's deceptively simple magic." Roland Green, writing in Booklist, finds the collection "a valiant rescue from out-of-print limbo of stories whose high readability demonstrates that McKillip is one of the most distinguished, if least publicized, modern fantasy writers." He notes that it "displays a variety of well-written treatments of other material [from] traditional folklore" and that "[f]antasy collections should assign the book high priority for acquisition. Jackie Cassada in Library Journal, referring to McKillip as "one of fantasy's most elegant and luminescent writers," rates the book as "highly recommended," describing it as a "lyrical volume" and "a superb choice for adult and YA fantasy collections." Sandy Freund in School Library Journal calls the collection "outstanding," stating that "McKillip's elegant prose explores the nature of love, friendship, wisdom, and change, often with a touch of humor." Francisca Goldsmith, also in School Library Journal, lists it among the year's best adult books for high school students. In her brief write-up, she echoes Freund's findings. Donna Scanlon in Kliatt highlights the volume as an exceptional book and recommends it for senior high school students and for advanced students in adults. She feels "[t]he stories amply reflect [McKillip's] range and depth as an author: some are serious, some lighter, and all express an impressive grasp of the range of human emotions and motivations." She observes that "McKillip often injects a touch of humor to relieve tension and maintain perspective. Her language is always rich and selective but not self-conscious, and her books belong in any library, not only for leisure reading but as outstanding examples of quality writing." The collection was also reviewed by Christine Mains in SFRA Review no. 274, 2005, and by Faren Miller in Locus no. 538, November 2005. Notes Short story collections by Patricia A. McKillip 2005 short story collections Fantasy short story collections