I love this author and her Scholomance series and loved the continuation of the world from this book. I definitely found some of the stories a lot better than others but it's natural to have favourites, right? Her world building is really fun to immerse yourself in and this book helps to flesh out the setting of the characters from her trilogy. Buried Deep has made me excited to read her other series - the Temeraire series!

To no one’s fault but my own, I did not in fact realise it was essential (more or less) to have read Naomi’s previous books to properly get involved in these short stories. I’ve been meaning to pick up her books so when I saw a collection of short stories of her son Netgally I thought what a better way to get a feel for her writing than an anthology. Well, I can certainly say that the writing is brilliant but it does not feel fair to give an in depth review when I obviously did not understand the depth of the worlds and stories due to my lack of background reading. I hope I’ll come back to this once I’ve actually read the rest of her books, for now, I can only rate this books writing style without being unfair, which is definitely a 5/5!

Whether you're a long time fan, discovered her more recently or have never read her before Naomi Novik's new anthology, Buried Deep, contains something for everyone.

Within its pages you'll find short stories encompassing various genres and series. There's the fantastic dragons of Temeraire, the short story that grew into the novel Spinning Silver and other shorts that could share the same fairy tale universe.

But the big draw for me, and I suspect many others, are the two stories that are new to this collection: After Hours, which returns us to the world of the Scholomance trilogy for a story of a mushroom witch, her roommate and other new students; and The Long Way Round, the first glimpse of Novik's new series Folly which concerns the discovery of a new and abandoned continent on the world of Abandon.

It's going to be interesting seeing how the latter relates to the actual series. Novik by her own admission only knows one way to develop a series of this scale and that's to play around in it, telling herself little stories that may or may not develop into the world, its people and history.

Like many anthologies there are a couple of stories that, for one reason ot another, don't quite work, but these are outnumbered by those that do.

Thanks to NetGalley, Del Rey and the author for an advance copy.

This fabulous collection of short stories is one of the best I've read. Novik has the gift of drawing a reader into a story and making them care about the characters very fast, which is essential for writing successful short stories. This collection has something for everyone, from Novik fans familiar with her other books, to those who are new to her as an author. There's a story set in the world of the 'Scholomance' series, and two from the world of 'Temeraire' (including a Pride and Prejudice with dragons!). There is an early version of her novel 'Spinning Silver', in short story form and with some significant differences, which is an interesting read. Plus numerous stories that aren't related to her novels, and some that aren't even fantasies, like a Sherlock Holmes story, ;Buried Deep' is a retelling of the Minotaur Greek myth, plus there's a science fiction offering that reminded me somewhat of Ann Leckie's 'Imperial Radch' novels, and a daft pirate romp as an opener. The main thing they have in common is that they are all really good.

It's hard for me to pick a favourite - I did love the Scholomance story, and Elizabeth Bennett as captain of a dragon in the Napoleonic Wars is worth buying the anthology for alone. The final story sounds like it will eventually become a new novel or a 'world' where she sets more than one book. I liked the characters, so it will be interesting to see what she does with them and how she adapts it into a bigger narrative. Having the early version of 'Spinning Silver' in this collection gives a fascinating insight into the writing process and how ideas can develop and change, because whilst it's clearly the same basic idea for a story, some of the differences are really fundamental.

I'd highly recommend this collection to anyone who enjoys fantasy, or short stories in general if they don't mind some of them being fantasy/science fiction. It's really one of the best sets I've read, and I don't usually like short stories, preferring novels. It's not essential to have read Novik's other books, although you might appreciate the stories set in the worlds of Scholomance and Termeraire more if you have. That's only three of them though. If you have read and liked any of Novik's books, then this should definitely go onto your reading list!

Her brother, her little brother, had pulled his hand out of hers and gone down into the dark to save her life, and she hadn't run down the hill shouting, begging a shepherd, a priest, a rich man for help.
So it was her lie, too. She was in the lie, and the lie was in her, and the lie couldn't go any further into the dark. ['Buried Deep': loc. 1444]
Like many collections of short stories, this selection of Novik's shorter work is interesting because of the author's introductions to each story, as well as for the stories themselves. There's a cautionary note in the Introduction, though: "only the stories themselves can tell you what I was thinking".

The stories range widely, from an after-dark adventure at an alternate Scholomance to a Pride and Prejudice-flavoured novella set in the world of Temeraire: there's a story about medieval Europe that's inspired by Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror, and the original novella which grew into Spinning Silver. 'Seven Years from Home', the most science-fictional of the tales, reminded me of Le Guin, while the title story is a dark meditation on the myth of Ariadne and the minotaur. I greatly enjoyed the piratical 'Araminta, or, the Wreck of the Amphidrake', with its Amulet of Tiresias: and 'The Long Way Round', which is set in the world of the novel she's working on now, piqued my interest.

While the mood and style varies from story to story. There are often queer characters, often women who are coping with difficult or lonely situations (very few of these stories are romances in the conventional sense), and often a sense of revolution or change. While I've read some of the stories before, it was very interesting to immerse myself in this book and appreciate the breadth of Novik's interests and of her style. Definitely worth reading, and rereading.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance review copy, in exchange for this full honest review. UK Publication Date is 17 SEP 2024.

Buried Deep by Naomi Novik is an entrancing series of short stories that explore old worlds including Temeraire and Scholomance to new worlds that Novik is currently exploring. I love the idea of Novik kitted out in explorer gear as she steps into newly undiscovered fantasy worlds.

I’m a bit mixed when it comes to anthologies and short story collections, often finding they can be a mixed delight of beautiful gems and fools gold, however, in thus case I was enthralled and truly captivated by the breadth of work, with favourites including Temeraire meets Pride and Prejudice, the Scholomance tale and the concluding tale that lifted the curtain slightly on Novik’s upcoming work.

I was intrigued by the distinction between the stories, each with its own voice, some loquacious, other fleeting in telling but, thought provoking and all intriguing. Overall a fine collection that I will ve happy to include on my shelves and read again.

Thank you Random House U.K. Cornerstone and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest and sincere review.

I recently finished reading "Buried Deep," an enthralling assortment of short stories by Naomi Novik, which are set in the same captivating worlds as her full novels.

I just completed a collection of short stories that I found truly intriguing. This book includes a variety of tales that would captivate any fan of Naomi Novik's work. I particularly enjoyed the Temeraire meets Pride and Prejudice short story, as it offered a fresh perspective on Elizabeth Bennett.

On the whole, every story was captivating. However, I did find that a couple of them seemed to end abruptly, lacking proper resolution. It would have been more satisfying if these stories were expanded upon to provide a more conclusive ending. For instance, the Tower of Couerlieu and the claymaker stories both held my interest but had somewhat weak endings. Nonetheless, I still believe that the book is well worth reading.

The final story was the standout for me. It provided a captivating glimpse into the world of Novik's forthcoming novel, featuring ships, a prodigy, a sorcerer, and an abandoned world. I am eagerly anticipating its release and looking forward to delving even deeper into that fascinating universe.

#NaomiNovik #ShortStories #LiteraryWorlds #FantasyFiction #BookLovers #CaptivatingTales #NovelTeaser #ImmersiveReading #EnchantingUniverse #MustRead

Overall a really great collection of short stories! It was exciting to have new short stories set in the Scholomance and Spinning Silver worlds, but I also really enjoyed many of the other pieces that were brand new to me, particularly Seven which was my favourite.

Definitely worth reading if you are a fan of Naomi Novik, I enjoyed most of them but some were significantly better than others.
This is a good way to experience some of her other worlds, I’ve previously loved the Scholomance books and am now really excited to delve into the Temeraire novels.
An absolutely fantastic author.

Buried Deep is a collection of thirteen incredibly wide-ranging stories with such a mix of settings. From futuristic alien civilisations, to stories set in Naomi Novik's beloved Scholomance and Temeraire worlds, to twists on well known characters like Sherlock Holmes, this collection jumps all over the place. All of them were beautifully written with great world building crammed into few words. Some of them I loved, others hooked me in less, but always there was another story in just a few pages to dive into. Favourites for me included returning to the Scholomance in After Hours, the wildly unusual Seven Years From Home set on an alien planet, and the Pride and Prejudice retelling (with dragons!) Dragons and Decorum.

For quite a few of these stories the introduction stated that they were previously in other anthologies, but all but one were new to me. It may be worth checking the list of short stories though if you're a prolific anthology reader.

I've been A Naomi Novik fan since the early days of the Temeraire series and I have loved everything she has written since then so series of short stories based or her work as well as some new ones was a great deal of fun and I loved every single story.

In this collection of short stories, Naomi Novik revisits the settings of some of her novels and sets the scene for new adventures. We are treated, among others, to a short story set after the events of the Scholomance series, an initial version of the events in Spinning Silver, a Minotaur/Ariadne retelling, and a glimpse into the universe of her upcoming book. My favourite story was her retelling of Pride and Prejudice with dragons!

A recommended read for fans of Naomi Novik and retellings with a fantasy twist.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 • 𝗡𝗮𝗼𝗺𝗶 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗸
★★★★

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗼 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁
- Fantasy anthology
- Established worlds and new worlds
- Fairytale-esque stories
- Pirates, dragons, reimagined characters, wars, the scholomance, alien civilization, & more

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
Buried Deep is a fantastical and ambitious anthology that brings into focus the reason Naomi Novik’s writing is beloved by readers so much.

Not only are readers treated to glorious glimpses of world building already established by Novik—such as the Scholomance, a magical boarding school with plucky students and hungry beasts, Temeraire (which I have not read but am now tempted to pick up), and a brief version of Spinning Silver which I am head over heels in love with. But readers are also treated to a glimpse of a new world in the short story ‘Long Way Around’ that Novik is currently building and seems to be a seafaring adventure with a trademark fierce female protagonist at its helm.

Similarly, readers are introduced to old characters of Novik’s creation (Miryem, a glimpse of Orion Lake), reimagined characters (Mark Antony, Irene Adler with Sherlock Holmes, Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy), and new characters (Lady Amarinta and Tessa being a new favourite of mine).

Its safe to say I adored many of these stories with my favourites being Spinning Silver, After Hours, Vici, Dragons & Decorum, and The Long Way Around. Whilst the alien civilization story (Seven Years From Home) wasn’t entirely my cup of tea, I could still appreciate the imagination put into it and the beauty of the writing.

I am such a huge fan of Naomi Novik, and this anthology reminds me why.

𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀
“𝘎𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘵.”

I was really disappointed by this offering of rehashed themes from both the writing of Naomi Novak and other works that appeal to her. I felt like I was either reading something I had read before or something that held no real appeal to me because they did not compare to the writings if this author. The whole thing was hard work and only made me think that the author might simply be putting something out there for the sake of it - her name will of course sell books regardless of their intrinsic value. Personally I would rather have waited for a new original work.

I both like collections of short stories and hate them. I like that I can pick it up and read an entire story in one sitting but for the really good ones, I want them to go on much longer and be a novel. I did enjoy most of these stories by Naomi Novik, my favorite being the one called Folly and I really can't wait till she finishes fleshing out that world into a full novel! I also enjoyed the shorter version of Spinning Silver though I am now going to be reading the full novel of that (such a good story!). My other two favorite stories were Seven Years (which was so intriguing and a bit sad about the war between the two races on that planet) and Araminta (who is a totally awesome character and I would love to get the full story on her adventures after she gets the freedom she desired and that ship).

The other stories which touched on her other series (Scholomance, and the dragons) were nice little forays into those worlds and also fun to read. I do admire Naomi Novik as a most excellent author and will happily read anything she writes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book to read and review! It was much enjoyed!

A collection of short stories by fantasy author Naomi Novik. If you’re a Novik super fan I think you’ll really like this. If you’re not super familiar with the author’s work you may struggle.

To me short stories are an art form. They require giving a lot of context and information in a limited form. When this is done well it’s amazing and when it’s not it’s not. In my opinion this book is a mixed bag of exactly that.

The stories I really enjoyed were: ‘Spinning Silver’, ‘Seven Years from Home’ and ‘Dragons and Decorum’. I can particularly see why ‘Spinning Silver’ emerged as a novel following this short story (and one I am very likely to read). ‘Dragons and Decorum’ was a fun take on Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ where Lizzy B is a Dragon rider. Wonderfully absurd? Yes. Did it cover all the main points of the original novel in MUCH LESS TIME? Also yes.

Other stories I struggled with. There were some where I genuinely struggled to establish what was going on. And in other cases, including ‘Dragons and Decorum’, it requires pre-knowledge of the source material on the part of the reader. If you’re fairly engaged in literature, you’ll of course know of Lizzy Bennett and Irene Adler but I don’t know how fair that is in short story form. There are some stories based on Novik’s other work too, which you need to have read the books to make sense of.

I like this author but I’m not a super fan, therefore I don’t think this was aimed at me. If you are a big fan, I think you’ll love it.

Thank you #netgalley for my #arc

This is a truly enjoyable collection of short fantasy stories. Novak sets many of her stories in worlds her fans will be familiar with, but the stories themselves are self-contained. In tone they vary from cosy to unsettling, and most centre around female protagonists of various ages. Some are mood pieces but there are also plenty of active stories.

The quality of these stories is very high - even ones that I was initially uninterested in mostly ended up grabbing me by the time I finished them. Novak evokes a great sense of place in her different worlds, and her character sketches are compelling. My favourite story is a poignant retelling of Ariadne and the Minotaur (the titular 'Buried Deep'), but it is closely followed by a brilliant standalone pirate story that confidently opens the collection. It's also nice that Novak includes a note before each story explaining its genesis or the reason for inclusion.

I have very little negative to say about this book. The only real downer is that the last story is unfinished - it is meant to be a glimpse of a work in progress, but it is polished enough that I was disappointed when the book ended without the story being resolved. I think it would make more sense to put that one earlier in the collection and finish with a strong complete story. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this collection to fantasy fans, particularly people who already enjoy Novak's work.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lots of interesting stories here - an interesting mixed bag of tales that any fan of Naomi Novik will love to read. There are some familiar worlds and characters - my favourite being the Temeraire meets Pride and Prejudice short story. Elizabeth Bennett as you have never seen her! Every story was interesting and compelling although one or two seemed to just fade away at the end without a proper resolution and I felt if they had had space to be longer we would have got a better, more satisfying ending (such as the Tower of Couerlieu and the claymaker stories - both were spellbinding but had weak endings). A minor point as this book of short stories is well worth reading!

Buried Deep is a lovely, engaging collection of short stories set in the various worlds of Naomi Novik’s full novels, and I am such a fan of those novels that I didn’t hesitate for one second before I requested this from Netgalley.

I think it definitely helped to have read Novik's other writing, I am not sure how well the stories would sit without at least a basic awareness of the background to them, but they worked perfectly for me. I particularly enjoyed the two tales set in the Temeraire world - the homage to Pride and Prejudice with a romantic-minded novel-reading dragon was my favourite overall I think, although I also really liked the Regency pirate queen... I may have a thing for books set on boats, as well as with dragons.

I loved the last story: a tantalising glimpse into the world of her next novel, with ships, a genius, a sorcerer and an abandoned world. I'm really looking forward to reading it.

Love love love Naomi and her books. This was a masterclass in her story writing and I loved it. Not all stories were for me but the really good ones were amazing! Loved it!