Robin Hobb's novels may be among the longest on my shelves (looking at you Liveship Traders trilogy), but this author also knows how to write a short story. When I bought this collection, written under both her pen names, years ago, I first only read the stories by Robin Hobb. I wasn't ready to try her work as Megan Lindholm. Maybe I feared it wouldn't feel the same. Of course it doesn't, but I find it's mostly a matter of setting and rhythm. Megan Lindholm writes fantastical or urban fantasy stories, in a more to-the-point style. And yet there are many similarities. She often features female characters at the cusp of self-discovery or self-affirmation, and will never use world-building to the detriment of her characters. She writes about people first and foremost, and whether the setting is a cottage by the sea in Buck duchy or a slightly different Seatle from the one we know, does not matter that much. I really love this collection, with strong pieces from both Hobb and Lindholm, and would highly recommend it to anyone wishing to sample her prose.