Review: I love the story-telling and the twist Cameron delivers
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 15, 2013
Happy Valentines Slay:In this prequel, we get to meet the real Sandman (yes, the REAL one this time!) who is telling us a little on how some of our favorite people are celebrating Valentines. Well, when not working that is! Lattle has to go to work - Death doesn't really take time off you know. So when Lattle meets her target for the night, she feels sorry for him and decides he can have one night of fun.Only things never go as planned..., and now Lattle might have fulfilled an ancient prophecy without meaning to.Children of Hamlin:Ever wondered about the Mad Piper and how he came to be? Well, sit down and enjoy, because this is the story nobody told you before!This prequel is told by the Devil himself, which makes it an even better and funnier read to me. Secrets are being unraveled - I won't divulge them because it's more fun to read it yourself.  But trust me, the dots are forming and the truth will out.Tooth & Nail & Fairytale:I never thought a story about Tooth Fairy could be this scary. But then again... It IS Jack Madly telling the story, and you and I both know how many adventures and unbelievable stories Jack has. I never believed in the Tooth Fairy myself, but have always been fascinated by the tales.We get to meet Gretel, Hansel, Yakkity Tak (all teeth), Sweeny Todd and Wendy - and Jack too, of course. Seeing Wendy and knowing what kind of person BEFORE she turned into a vampire... Well, it's no surprise she is who she is, and let leave it at that.Ember in the Wind:This story has base in one of my childhood favorite authors; Hans Christian Andersen's story, The little girl with the matches. The little girl with the matches is not a "normal" fairytale. It's a sad story and not exactly a happy ending - and yet... Anyways. I loved this story when I was a child - mainly because it was so different, and Cameron has brought that into his story beautifully. I'm not going to tell you who's the story about, only this: if you think Cameron only took pieces from The little girl with the matches, you'd be so very wrong. :-)My thoughts:I loved Cameron's storytelling from the get go. From the very first prequel to this bundle. Through these prequels, you can see how he's changed and improved as a writer - I'm not saying the first prequels were bad in ANY way, but you can see improvement.In this bundle, I'll have to say that Embers in the Wind are my favorite, although Children of Hamlin comes in a close second. I never thought about the Piper all that much.I enjoyed these prequels, and I love the way Cameron can twist the old tales, give them new life and bring something in from the sidelines without us as a Reader realizes what's happening. History is filled with mysteries, horrible tales and delightful stories about courage, and Cameron is exceptionally skilled at bringing our own history into his Fairytales.I'm surprised every time I sit down with a new story from Cameron Jace, and I'm hoping with everything in me that the magic he has created in his prequels, will be brought into his books too.Cameron: Thank you for a wonderful read. Loved it and I recommend it to anyone who like their fairytales to be different and exciting. Can't wait for Snow White Sorrow!!