Every now and then I like to read a collection of science fiction and fantasy short stories and when I received Touched by Wonder edited by Jackie Gamber I was not disappointed. These are the kind of stories that introduced me to the genre in my teens. The stories are the kind that remind me of old Twilight Zone episodes (the ones I still watch whenever Scifi Channel runs them). In the introduction, Gamber says that the stories are arranged in a specific order to create a "symphony of fantastic tales."
Each section is named after a movement of a symphony and the stories are supposed to reflect the traits of that section. I have to admit I didn't really get how the stories tied into this idea. But I also have to say this did not take anything away from my enjoyment of the stories.

As with any short story collection I read, some of the stories are going to strike me as better than the others, certain ones will speak to me more. And in Touched by Wonder there are several I really liked. "Banshee's Tattoo" by Michelle R Rasey is perhaps my favorite in the collection. When Lorena goes to get a tattoo she notices an attractive man already covered in tattoos getting another one. When she talks to him she's not sure if he's crazy or not. After all normal people don't think tattoos protect them from monsters. Then she spends the night with him and learns it is the truth.

My Recommendation
Touched by Wonder is a wonderful science fiction and fantasy anthology edited by Jackie Gamber. The best thing about this collection is that not only do you get to read some wonderful stories in the vein of The Twilight Zone or Amazing Stories, but a portion of the sales goes to breast cancer research.

Buy Touched by Wonder from Meadowhawk Press

I received a free review copy of Touched By Wonder