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Behind the Mask is a multi-author collection with stories by award-winning authors Kelly Link, Cat Rambo, Carrie Vaughn, Seanan McGuire, Lavie Tidhar, Sarah Pinsker, Keith Rosson, Kate Marshall, Chris Large and others. It is partially, a prose nod to the comic world—the bombast, the larger-than-life, the save-the-worlds and the calls-to-adventure. But it’s also a spotlight on the more intimate side of the genre. The hopes and dreams of our cape-clad heroes. The regrets and longings of our cowled villains. That poignant, solitary view of the world that can only be experienced from behind the mask.
Colorado Review | Nicholas Litchfield – “Presenting a full range of strong, articulate, varied voices, distinctive troubled characters, and thought-provoking narratives, Behind the Mask stands out as a mighty collection of supremely imaginative and innovative tales.” – Full Review
Register Guard | Brian Juenemann – “The variety of approaches to the collections theme is impressive. The characters may have amazing abilities, but their problems and challenges frequently remain in the realm of the human.” – Full Review
Publisher’s Weekly – “Reeks and Richardson have pulled together a treasure trove of 20 stories . . . exploring the lives of superheroes when they’re not saving the world. . . . There is nary a miss in this diverse and thoughtful collection, which will have readers considering what it means to be human.” – Full Review
Library Journal | Jennifer Funk – “Verdict: Fans of superhero fiction will find that these imaginative stories, with their original perspectives, make for a thoroughly worthwhile compilation.” – Full Review
Kirkus Reviews – (starred review) “A momentous, readable collection, its sole downside being that there are only 20 superhero stories.” – Full Review
San Francisco Book Review – “These stories take the tropes that we know all too well and turn them on their ears, lampooning and embracing the cliches in equal measure, humanizing larger-than-life characters with a deft hand.” – Full Review
New Pages – “Delightfully Entertaining” – Full Review
RocketStackRank – (4/5 stars) “… an exceptionally high quality anthology. …” – Full Review
Mad Scientist Journal – “Behind the Mask is a solid anthology, filled with well-written and -edited stories that fans of the super hero genre will enjoy.” – Full Review
Stitch Media Mix – “I have so many positive feelings about Behind the Mask.” – Full Review
Words on the Page – “I highly recommend tracking down a copy.” – Full Review
SuperheroNovels.com – “[Richardson] and Reeks have done a great job picking 20 stories that play to familiar strengths of the genre like transformation, self-identity, secret identities and the responsibilities that come with extraordinary power.” – Full Review
John DeNardo, SF Signal – “Short fiction readers should seek out . . . Behind the Mask: A Superhero Anthology,” 2017 Speculative Fiction Continues to Deliver – Full Article
A Dragon in Space – “. . . this anthology is a beautiful gem, with a lot of original content in the growing theme of superpowered people, whether they are superheroes or supervillains.” – Full Review
Words on the Page – “I was pleased to find the majority of these stories worked for me. . . . I highly recommend tracking down a copy.” – Full Review
Inky Reviews – (4.5/5 Stars) “Masterfully-written, this compilation lets us peek inside these people’s ordinary lives, and shows us that they may not be as different as we think. . . . Absolutely recommend it!”” – Full Review
Shomeret: The Masked Reviewer – “In this world where cynicism and noir are popular, I feel that superheroes are the antidote. I found that hopeful vision in those particular stories of Behind The Mask which makes me glad that I read them.” – Full Review
