"Powerful witch's brew anthology"

Based on the most unscientific survey, most readers within a mean plus or minus three standard deviations will state unequivocally that a familiar is a magical cat that is a companion to a witch. Obviously tales like Bell, Book, and Candle conjure up felines as companions to the Kim Novaks of the world. However, the fifteen contributors to this anthology demonstrate a wider girth of sidekicks to include the expected cats (including former White House resident Socks), dogs (feels at first like heresy, but it works), people (not just husbands), and insects (don't ask). Each tale as far as this reviewer understands is new, but what this reader knows is that each contribution is well written, remains within the theme, and provides fans with a powerful witch's brew anthology. Now let me take a closer look at my menagerie (dogs and cats not my spouse, silly) who obviously have bewitched me as they can do no wrong (that's how one perceives exclusion of the husband).

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted June 24, 2002

Summary

Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Jody Lynn Nye, P. N. Elrod, Andre Norton, Gary A. Braunbeck, Josepha Sherman, Michelle West and other tale-spinners stir up a witch's brew of original new stories that prove that cats aren't the only suitable familiars. There are dogs, and humans, and even insects that can handle the job!