Furry!

Over 24 of the best "furry" fiction stories of the past 15 years. Winner of Furry Fandoms'' Ursus Award. Furry fiction revolves around sentient animals or characters who have animal aspects, ranging from genetically engineered creatures to aliens to werewolves. Although related to science fiction, fantasy, and horror, this branch of speculative fiction has a style all its own. This volume, in addition to the wide-variety of entertaining stories, contains non-fiction material explaining the origin and development of furry fiction. Usually taking the form of human characteristics given to animals, anthropomorphics have been with humanity from the earliest cave painting to our modern marketing icons and sports mascots. In the last several decades, the study of and fandom for anthropomorphics (commonly called the "furry" fandom) had been recognised as unique, and deserving of attentions. From Watership Down to Redwall, fantasy fans have flocked to heroic tales of furry heroes. In Furry!, "furry fiction expert" and editor Fred Patten takes readers through some of the best-loved and most memorable furry stories ever written. This anthology of furry fiction features twenty-six of the best stories from long-running literary magazines such as Anthrolations, PawPrints Fanzine, The Ever-Changing Palace, Tales of the Tai-Pan Universe, and Yarf! Included are stories by Lawrence Watt-Evans, Watts Martin, Michael H. Payne, Gene Breshears, Brock Hoagland, Mel. White, Phil Geusz, and many others. The collection also features informative introductions and bibliographies detailing the origins and history of the sub-genre. Editor Fred Patten has a long and illustrious career in fandom, being on of the founders of the first American fan club for Japanese animation, as well as being active in science fiction and comic book conventions since the 1960s.