WHAT'S GOOD:
This is a good book for people wanting to branch out in the fantasy genre, as it gives a broad range of the talent and series' available to read. Hobb's 'Homecoming' is an exceptionally well written story taking you into the damp and deadly Rain River Wilds and discovering ancient ghosts. Martin, Feist and Silverberg all bring us new stories which make the best of their exceptional talents. Brooks' 'Indomitable' is effectively an epilogue to 'The Wishsong of Shannara' and, in my opinion, is better told than the novel itself. Finally, the surprise gem is Gaiman's story which involves a cult in a remote part of Scotland and blurs the line between man and monster.

WHAT'S BAD:
Most obviously, many of the first 'Legends' anthologies' authors have been replaced with what is effectively a b-list. Card's 'Yazoo Queen' seemed to be just a chance to drop in a few famous historical names, 'Beyond Between' is an awful story by McCaffrey and Diana Gabaldon's contribution, whist a good story, has no right to be in a FANTASY anthology.

The George R R Martin story again mocks the conventions of fantasy writing - a friend of mine is convinced that the moment when Dunk cuts the red widow's braid of is a direct swipe at Robert Jordan! - and constantly challenges and changes our perspective. What I like about the Song of Ice and Fire world - unlike with other much less talented fantasy writers (ahem David eddings ahem) is that it is not a fight between good and evil - morality is unclear as the backdrop of the Backfyre Rebellion proves. Who would have been the better king Daeron or Daemon Blackfyre? The warrior or the thinker? Also the plucky don't win in the face of adversity, the grioup of villagers Dunk trains up remain pitiful and never get to fight. And I really hope in a future Dunk and Egg tale we get to meet Lord Bloodraven.

Tad Williams also does well to develop his fantastic Otherwold saga further - the best science fiction saga of recent years - it was to simple to give Orlando a happy ending and he writes an interesting story of some interesting developments Orlando discovers in the Otherworld.

I also very much enjoyed the Raymond Feist story and will definately read the Riftwar novels novel - it was well written and well paced story with a character you really cared about.
Also interesting was Diana Gabaldon's Lord John story - though I have real doubts about classifying it as fantasy, and I will definately explore a writer I had never heard of before Elizabeth Haydon - though unsure about wiriting with a "rhapsody of music" Disappointing was Silverberg's entry - an interesting tale in itself - but I just do not take to the world of Majipoor. And he hints at a fantastic history of battles and intrigue but concentrates on the dull moments in its history. I would love him to actually write about the planet's conquest and if its settlers came from Earth on space ships - where has the technology gone?!

Orson Scott Card - like the idea of the maker - but don't take to the setting - alternative American history - characters speeakijg like they are in a Mark Twain novel? No thanks!

Yet to read Terry Brooks, Robin Hobb or shudder Anne McCaffrey but hopefully will enjoy those as well.

Future anthologies might consider giving David Gemmil a call - the collection could do wtih a short story about Druss the Legend - maybe at Anne McCaffrey's expense!

On the other hand, I could have happily lived without the offerings of Terry Brooks, Raymond Feist, and Robert Silverberg, which all were fairly dull [or in Brooks' case, poorly written.] Anne McCaffrey should have been passed over after her awful turn in the first anthology, and Diana Gabaldon has no place in this field, let alone with this group. At least we were spared another piece of tripe by Terry Goodkind, whose turn in the last book was dreadful.

On balance, it's a good book with moments of greatness and sheer drivel, but the greatness makes it almost worth the price.