I would like to thank Space Cat Press for an advance copy of this anthology in exchange for fair and honest review

Publisher – Space Cat Press

Published – 27/10 ebook 25/11 paperback

Price - £4.00 ebook £12.00 paperback

Forest-themed, 'Bark & Bone' is a thicket of enchantment with dark twisty paths through various genres from fairytale to weird fiction with coverts of mild horror. It is the first in Space Cat Press' WILDING WORLDS series of anthologies rooted in world-building and wildernesses. Edited by Siobhan Logan and Darragh Logan-Davies, 'Bark & Bone' includes stories, poetry, flash fiction and creative non-fiction from 33 writers across the UK and the world. The deliciously spooky cover art is by Sally Barnett who evokes the plants, creatures and transformed humans that lurk everywhere in these woods.

In Bark & Bone, thirty-three writers venture into the woods in search of refuge, enchantment and buried secrets. They find the forest a site of mutation, throwing up a continual translation between the human and the arboreal. While some travellers thrive in the backwoods, others lose themselves entirely. Mushroom pickers, witches and eco-activists stalk the undergrowth, alongside all manner of creatures. But whether spellbound, synthetic or alien, these trees call to the wilderness within us all. Light your lamp before you enter.

The forest is an endlessly fascinating part of SF&F. In fairy tales we are warned of being lost in it; as get older it is where we may meet Robin Hood, ents and elves and even in science fiction we get alien worlds where forest can be used for all kinds of aliens including of course Ewoks. In the very interesting anthology Bark & Bone – Wilding Worlds 1: Forest edited by Siobhan Logan and Darragh Logan-Davies we have a mixture of prose and poetry crossing genres.

Among the stories I enjoyed were: -

Grounding Exercise by Cormack Baldwin – A really eerie opening tale that sounds like a meditation exercise and yet the images we are being told to hold in our minds are slightly overpowering and go in a smart unexpected direction.

Icewood by J K Fulton – An impressive piece of SF focusing on that lesser-known issue of rubbish removal – but on an untouched alien moon and radioactive spaceship debris. Our main character provides a great working class narration saying how they’re just doing their job but actually delivering a really unusual but compelling tale.

When The Moon Gives Way by JP Relph – An unusual short tale of a couple who discover a wolf that turns into a child. Very poetic imagery and despite the subject a tale of love and kindness. Very refreshing.

Toadstools by Bitter Karella – a fascinating slice of weird fiction as our lost hiker tries to navigate a strange Wilderness Preserve. One filled with strange sights and constant dangers and interspersed with some sort of catalogue explaining the strange and valuable fungi you may find; make money from or be changed forever. One of my favourites.

Odd Eden by Alex Harwood – A space mission hits a huge problem and one of the frozen crew is released to try and resolve things. Harwood delivers a fascinating image of a spaceship turning into a forest for some unknown reason and the fact of how isolated and daunting such a problem is. The end result is both unexpected and yet makes a great deal of sense.

Moon Forest by Terry Grimwood – A really fascinating tale of a US and Chinese space force both charged with stopping anyone else get hold of a forest on the moon. A tale that both makes us see the humanity of the characters and the bleak futility of major powers taking their rivalries out into space.

Of Brittle Heart and Bleeding Bone by RJ Howell – a spell is described and its haunting, weird and as things finally become clear to us rather devastating as spells have always a cost. Impressive storytelling!

Bear #178 by Holly Schofield – A smart and unsettling piece of SF as we are taken into the mind of an enhanced bear in a tourist park. Its response to human ignorance and fear escalates and the finale scene is very powerfully delivered.

Wolfskin by Matthew Pegg – A very refreshing take on one of the classic tales as we watch a wolf slowly find themselves absorbed into human life. The way Red Rising Hood is turned into a far more adult tale with people showing their true colours. Very interesting and another favourite.

Treez ™ - an unusual tale of the guardian of an artificial forest meets a naturalist. Clever mix of world-building and battling of perspectives with some interesting ideas on what a ruined future may try to do to keep life going.

Emillia Who Talks With Trees by Rod Duncan – a rather beautiful modern fable of a young girl who make a friend in the forest and what that experience means for her through the years. Her relationship with her family and the forest on the edge of her life goes through ups and down and it is filled with moments of humanity and a love of nature that really pulls the reader in.

A really interesting anthology. There are also poems but as a primarily fiction reviewer I can only really say I enjoyed them but not got the skills to explain why. But it’s a very well-balanced collection filled with unusual tales and a host of writers to keep an eye out for. Highly recommended!