Tapping the Dream Tree

Tapping the Dream Tree (2002) Charles de Lint

Tapping the Dream Tree is the fourth collection of Charle de Lint’s short stories based in Newford. It’s also my favorite collection so far.

Several stories where Jilly makes an appearence, as well as several other favorite characters, and several new characters, or characters who made a brief appearences in other stories, and return in Tapping the Dream Tree with their own stories.

The opening story, “Ten for the Devil” is one of these. We met Staley in passing in Moonlight and Vines, in the story “Seven for a Secret.” In “Ten for the Devil,” Staley accidentally calls up some unsavory characters with her spirit fiddle, and needs assistance in putting things right. I really like Staley, and I love the idea of the character Robert Lonnie. The insinuation of who he was and what he was doing, may be my favorite part of a what is a very good story.

In fact, there are very few stories in this collection that I don’t love: “Granny Weather,” “Big City Littles,” “The Buffalo Man,” “Pixel Pixes,” “The Words that Remain,” “Embracing the Mystery,” “Forest of Stone,” “Second Chance”–all of them were excellent.

In “The Buffalo Man,” we get to visit with Meran and Cerin, who have been missing from the last two volumes. “Pixel Pixies” is a very interesting idea, that pixies have gotten into the Internet. I know that sometimes I’m convinced that sometimes my computer knows precisely the wrong time to crash, taking out hours of work. “Granny Weather” is another story of Sophie Etiole’s serial dreaming, and she must visit Granny Weather, who advised her when she rescued the moon.

“The Witching Hour” is an interesting story that gives us another hint into the past of Geordie and Christie. It’s a horror story, but it’s more dark than scary.

I particularly like “Sign Here.” It’s very different from the other stories in the collection; it’s completely dialog. No descriptors or anything else. Additionally, I find the story very amusing.

I also liked the further development of the Wordwood. Made me want to go and read Spirits in the Wires next. Except that The Onion Girl comes next chronologically, so if I don’t got back further, The Onion Girl is next for me to read.

This is an excellent collection. All my favorite characters are here, and the writing and and storytelling are fantastic as usual. If you have not read any Charles de Lint before, this would be an excellent book to start.
Rating: 10/10

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