The Wizards Of Odd

featuring Terry Pratchett, Lord Dunsany, John Collier, Henry Kuttner, Eric Frank Russell, Ray Bradbury, Phillip K. Dick, Ursula K. Le Guin, Stephen Donaldson, F. Anstey, James Branch Cabell, Fredric Brown, Fritz Leiber, Robert Bloch, Brian W. Aldiss, Avram Davidson, Douglas Adams, H. G. Wells, C. S. Lewis, Reginald Bretnor, Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Larry Niven and Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

A mixed bag of short stories here, ranging from the excellent to the excrement, and for the most part the claim to 'comic tales of fantasy' is unfounded (there's not much fantasy and even less comedy!).  The real treat in this compilation is the short additions to well-established series, such as Le Guin's Earthsea, Leiber's Lankhmar and Adams' Hitch-Hiker's Guide.  Also, my personal favourite is the Discworld City Watch story which involves a hilarious, and typically Pratchett, take on the old Punch and Judy shows.  Ultimately, however, this anthology contains just too much pointless dross to be worth the money.

2 out of 5