The Firebird and Other Extracts from Strange Matters

Ekaterina wants to be taken seriously by the men of her village, so she sets out to hunt the greatest prey of all, the legendary Firebird. On the way she encounters three strangers who give her the gifts she needs- for a price. This short novella, inspired by Slavic folklore, also includes the short stories British Gods and Saturday's Child.This book features three complete stories and one poem from Strange Matters, a collection of short fantasy stories by Bret Allen.About the Firebird:Ekaterina wants to be taken seriously by the men of her village, so she sets out to hunt the greatest prey of all, the legendary Firebird. On the way she encounters three strangers who give her the gifts she needs- for a price.This short novella, inspired by Slavic folklore, is a symbolic fable about the importance of choosing wisely and keeping sight of the things that truly matter.About British Gods:Two strange figures watch the violence of the London riots unfold and do what they can to help, as only forgotten gods can.A humble nod to my favourite author, Neil Gaiman. This short story is based on British folklore in the modern-day style of American Gods.About Thornback:A poem about the humble hedgehog, seen through my eyes.About Saturday’s Child:Henri discovers that his afterlife is going to be even more dangerous than his first life, when he meets a predatory and beautiful stranger.This very short story is set in the world of ‘Sleepwalkers’, a setting of my own creation. In this case, I give a glimpse of the plight of a newly deceased spirit.Feel free to read these stories before checking out the full collection- Strange Matters- 20 stories and poems of fantasy, myth and magic!These stories contain some mature themes.