There is no simple way to categorize the 18 stories in the volume. Yes, they all have animals as main characters, but that is where the similarities end. Some of the stories are about normal animals doing extraordinary things: caring for their human, dancing, plotting murder, comprehending our speech and not understanding why we do the things we do. In others the anthropomorphization is more complete. A mouse does Tai Chi. A meerkat father defends his family. A gerbil makes a deal with the devil. Star-crossed lovers reunite in a species-crossing relationship.

The other type of fantasy animal represents an original species. In one story a dragon does double duty as a living sailing ship and becomes co-conspirator with the captain's ancient Mau. In another the cobastra, looking like the combination between a cat and a bat, guards her lair.

No book of fantasy that involves animals is complete without contemplation of the mysterious veil. A beloved pet passes and maintains his faithful watch over the household. A troubled soul is made whole again in a four-legged incarnation. Lingering shades are brought together so all may heal. The animation of grief as a clinging ferret in Loren L. Coleman's "Small Sharp Claws" was both poignant and chilling.

There are other stories that I would spoil by trying to describe their parameters, so I will leave those for your own discovery.

I really enjoyed reading Furry Fantastic, even though I didn't like all of the stories. I don't believe that every story in an anthology has to make sense or be understood by the reader for the collection to be good. I really didn't get "One Dog Night" or "Further". I think they stretched my fantasy boundaries more than I was ready to accept. On the other hand, "Freedom's Toll" by Marc Tassin made me cry; I re-read it and dreamed about it. At the end of Elizabeth Vaughn's "Wan Sui Ye" I was turning the page hoping for Chapter 2. Both of these stories really got into my psyche and I will be looking for more by these authors.

I think this book would make a good gift for either the animal lover or the fantasy reader in your life. My husband, who is both, grabbed it up briefly when he saw Michael Stackpole's name on the cover and is now patiently waiting for me to finish my review. I should probably hurry before he bribes one of our dogs to steal it from my desk.