Mischief, Magic, Love and War.
It is the Year of Our Lord 1601. The Tuscan War rages across the world,
and every lord from Navarre to Illyria is embroiled in the fray. Cannon
roar, pikemen clash, and witches stalk the night; even the fairy courts
stand on the verge of chaos.
Five stories come together at the end of the war: that of bold Miranda
and sly Puck; of wise Pomona and her prisoner Vertumnus; of gentle Lucia
and the shade of Prospero; of noble Don Pedro and powerful Helena; and
of Anne, a glovemaker's wife. On these lovers and heroes the world
itself may depend.
These are the stories Shakespeare never told. Five of the most exciting
names in genre fiction today - Jonathan Barnes, Adrian
Tchaikovsky, Emma Newman, Foz Meadows and Kate
Heartfield - delve into the world the poet created to weave together a
story of courage, transformation and magic.
Including an afterword by Dr. John Lavagnino, The London Shakespeare
Centre, King's College London.