Way back in the 1980s, when I was a young editor in New York City, the New American Library publishing company commissioned me to create a "shared world" anthology for teenagers. (A "shared world" book, for those who don't know, is comparable to a television series: the editor/producer creates the setting, premise and initial characters, then writers are invited into the project to write stories set in this "shared" millieu.)
The setting I proposed was Bordertown: a modern city at the edge of a mysterious, magical realm—a border city where runaway children gather to create new lives for themselves . . . sometimes successfully, sometimes disastrously (reminiscent of Real Life teen meccas such as Haight-Ashbury in the 1960s).
The publisher approved the concept, and allowed me to bring another editor, Mark Alan Arnold, on board to help with the first two books. Then we opened the doors of the city to some of the best young writers in the fantasy field, including Ellen Kushner, Midori Snyder, Charles de Lint, Will Shetterly and Emma Bull. Together, they brought life, sparkle, music and magic to the streets of Bordertown.
Those initials two books, Borderland and Bordertown, turned into a series of Borderland anthologies and novels, and developed an underground cult following of young readers. Back in the '80s and early '90s, there was network of Borderland parties and raves, folk-rock bands and dance groups (based on fictional groups in the books), an Internet chat group, fan fiction, and numerous role-playing game groups. Today, although some of the original Borderland books have long been out of print, I'm continually surprised to find that young readers are still making their way to the Border.
"A dreamland of rock 'n' roll glamour, punk elves, and alienation raised to high style."
— Locus Magazine
"The combination of elf and punk is irresistible: this is what the universe ought to be like."
— Interzone Magazine
"Who wouldn't want to visit Bordertown? It's like Oz, except a lot grungier, much more dangerous, and with much better music." -- The Green Man Review
The books of the Borderland series are:
"So what's the appeal of Bordertown? It has many. It is by far one of the best shared universe collections out there. It's a superb example of the potential held by urban fantasy. It contains work by some of the genre's best writers. And it touches upon universal subjects such as the desire to find one's real self, the need to stretch and explore and grow, the love of music ... it resonates. Fifteen years after worlds collided and magic first met rock and roll, Bordertown is still going strong, having captured itself a place in our subconscious and never letting go...." -- The Green Man Review
The core group of Borderland writers:
Other Borderland links:
on the Borderzone site
links to Borderland fan pages
The Fence and the River by Claire L. Fox
"To me the Border is real. The characters are real. It's my life they're living. I may never have touched real magic but I know what it's like to be an Outsider, in trouble, lonely—I even ran away from home once (police took me back, parents beat the shit out of me for getting them in trouble)—and just like in Bordertown I know that it's only with the help of my friends (my punky Outsider friends, my Real Family) that I'm going to make it to adulthood. I hate most "teen" books—but these books saved my life, my sanity. Thank you, thank you, thank you for telling stories that may be fantasy but are the truest things I've ever read." — from Borderland fan mail
"I'm a 'halfling' myself. Not half-elf, half-human of course—in my case it's half-Chinese, half-white. But when I read the stories of 'halflings' in Bordertown I just want to cry. God, they're telling it the way it is—the way you don't fit in anywhere, always looking for someplace to belong . . . . In Bordertown there's a place where even I can belong. I wish it was real. As long as you keep writing these books, it is. See you on the Border."
— from Borderland fan mail
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Copyright information: Borderland, its landmarks and its characters are copyrighted by Terri Windling and may be used with contractual permission only. All rights to Borderland material are reserved by Windling and the authors of the Borderland books: Borderland, Bordertown, Life on the Border, The Essential Bordertown, Elsewhere, Nevernever, and Finder.
Art credits: Borderand and Bordertown cover art by Phil Hale. Life on the Border cover art by Rick Berry. Finder cover from the Magic Carpet Books edition. Elsewhere and Nevernever cover art by Dennis Nolan. The Essential Bordertown cover from the Tor Books edition. Borderland elf girl from the Magic Carpet Books edition of Nevernever. Double Feature Borderland art by Nicholas Jainschigg. Borderland "True Blood" sketches by Iain McCaig.
