Gray's tales unfurl in a mysterious, unnamed realm teetering on the edge of enchantment and reality. This land exists in a time shrouded in the fog of ancient days, long before the advent of machines and towering cityscapes. Yet, intriguing as it is, each narrative beckons with a familiar refrain: "Once, and not so long ago." In Gray's illustrious domains, royalty reigns supreme, travelers embark on epic quests by horseback or through magical means, and simple folk tend to their flocks, wield bows as huntsmen, or serve as apprentices to powerful sorcerers. As suggested by the title, Mainly in Moonlight, the night holds equal sway as the day, casting a spellbinding allure rather than shadowed malevolence. For Gray, night is a tapestry of dark splendor and enigmatic wonder.

A World Shaped by Nature and Artistry

This world, half-dream, half-moonlit trance, pulses with untamed wildness and the whisper of its enigmatic rulers. Gray's landscapes draw inspiration from two vivid sources: the rugged elegance of his native Scottish highlands and the enchanting allure of the theatrical stage. Northern Scotland, a land of jagged peaks, ancestral woods, and serene lochs, echoes with the past's ancient narratives and legends. To this day, Highlanders weave tales of the Fair Folk, formidable giants, and legendary figures like Robert Bruce, King of Scotland. Gray's other muse, the theater, is a realm of illusion, where light and shadow dance in sudden shifts, and scenes metamorphose before an audience's gaze. In Gray's vision, his fairy-tale universe often unfolds with the grandeur of spectacular stagecraft and the drama of shifting lights.

Gray's tales unfold like vibrant tapestries, weaving together a delightful array of eccentric characters and extraordinary happenings. Binding these threads is Gray's masterful and vivid prose. In the realm of short stories, time is fleeting, yet Gray skillfully sketches each character with a striking clarity, capturing their physical essence and hinting at the depths of their personalities. While traditional fairy tales often paint with broad strokes, Gray's narratives are richly detailed, bringing fantastical landscapes into sharp focus, as tangible as a familiar street view or the scene outside one's kitchen window. Consider his depiction of a magician's sanctum door: crafted from bronze, framed with iron lintels, and secured by nine locks, each released only through the chanting of nine distinct spells. He paints a poignant image of a disheartened king, describing his white hair, eyes filled with defeat, and a visage "lined all over like a cracked mirror."

Gray's storytelling is a symphony of moods; some tales brim with laughter and levity, while others simmer with tension and foreboding. A key instrument in crafting this atmosphere is dialogue. In "A Message in a Bottle," when the long-captive princess is rescued and informed of her impending magical return home, she quips, "Not too much whisking, if you don't mind. It tangles my hair." This playful remark encapsulates the lighthearted spirit of the tale, hinting that a joyful conclusion awaits.

Suspense and surprise are Gray's trusted allies in storytelling. In "According to Tradition," he sends two brothers on a daring quest to rescue a princess ensnared in a forest "where no one dared to follow." With vivid description, he conjures a scene of twisted trees and relentless rain. As a cascade of peculiar adventures ensues, the unreliable elder prince, Blaise, stumbles deeper into trouble, while his brother Christopher scrambles to mend the chaos. The reader is ensnared in the suspense, anticipating a predictable resolution—only for Gray to deftly unveil a twist, reshaping the entire narrative with a fresh perspective.

The enchanting tales woven into Mainly in Moonlight rarely make overt...