Book Review: Grails - Visitations of the Night
(By Reynard d'Avignon as appeared in the May 1995 Bolt)

Grails - Visitations in the Night

Edited by Richard Gilliam, Martin Greenburg and Edward Kramer,
August 1994, Penguin Books, New  York, New York

This book is a collection of thirty original short stories of the quest for the ultimate fountain of magic, The Holy Grail. The authors range from Tanith Lee to John Farris. If you are a fan of the Arthurian tales of the quest, and which of us isn't, this book will surprise you. the tales of the quest range from the middle ages to the distant future. It is sought by teenagers out joy riding and knights errant in a landfill.

The grail is depicted as everything from a Dixie Cup of Truth to a silver chalice that purifies everything it touches. It is seen as the ultimate source of good, evil and the rally point for the feminist cause. The majority of the interpretations is aimed more at the science fiction fan but all of them are quite entertaining. I'd recommend this book as a light read for anyone with an interest in the Grail.

Reynard

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