Featuring short stories from Jim Butcher, Seanan McGuire, Kevin J. Anderson, and Rob Thurman, this dark and gritty “must-read anthology for UF fans”(RT Book Reviews) proves that nothing is as simple as black and white, light and dark, good and evil…In #1 New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher’s Cold Case, Molly Carpenter—Harry Dresden’s apprentice-turned-Winter Lady—must collect a … apprentice-turned-Winter Lady—must collect a tribute from a remote Fae colony and discovers that even if you’re a good girl, sometimes you have to be bad…
New York Times bestselling author Seanan McGuire’s Sleepover finds half-succubus Elsie Harrington kidnapped by a group of desperate teenage boys. Not for anything “weird.” They just need her to rescue a little girl from the boogeyman. No biggie.
In New York Times bestselling Kevin J. Anderson’s Eye of Newt, Zombie P.I. Dan Shamble’s latest client is a panicky lizard missing an eye who thinks someone wants him dead. But the truth is that someone only wants him for a very special dinner…
And New York Times bestselling author Rob Thurman’s infernally heroic Caliban Leandros takes a trip down memory lane as he deals wih some overdue—and nightmarish—vengeance involving some quite nasty Impossible Monsters.
ALSO INCLUDES STORIES BY
Tanya Huff * Kat Richardson * Jim C. Hines * Anton Strout * Lucy A. Snyder * Kristine Kathryn Rusch * Erik Scott de Bie *
more
Most excellent world building. The short stories are interesting and varied. The characters in these short stories are not all goodness and light. Most of them are complicated entities with darkness a part of their being.
The book is very entertaining and makes you thing a lot about the nature of right and wrong. Worth reading.
To be fully honest I was interested in this book mainly because it had a story by Jim Butcher and I am always happy to find a new Dresden Files story. This is an anthology that contains 10 short stories all based around the same theme. Each story is based on the idea of good and evil, two aspects of the character and how complicated it can be to live as one or the other. The rating is based on the average of all 10 stories.
Cold Case by Jim Butcher: 3.5 stars
The story is about Molly Carpenter in her capacity as the new Winter Lady. Mab has sent her to collect a tribute from a small group of Fae, the Miksani, in Unalaska. There is something odd going on in the town and it may cause trouble for what she needs to do. Carlos Ramirez also happens to be in town which makes it even more clear that there is a problem in the town that could make the Winter Ladies job even harder.
The characters are just as well drawn here as if they were simply pulled away from their lives in Chicago and the never-never. The new characters are a little hazy and their place in the Fae world are not very clear. The story is enjoyable if a little slower than expected. There is also no appearance by Harry, this is strictly about our Molly and the lesson that Mab has to teach her.
Sleepover by Seanan McGuire: 3.0 stars
Elsinora ‘Elsie’ Harrington is half human/half succubus in a world that does not really know that supernaturals live among them. Elsie is at a roller derby match rooting for her cousin when she meets a pretty girl and does something totally silly, she follows her out without telling anyone. Before she can formulate a thought she is drugged and taken away by a group of teenage boys who want her to get back the sister of one of the boys.
The characters are a little dull and boring but they still manage to keep you reading. The story has not real snap to it but you can push through and find something interesting in what the are doing. Not sure it really fits the theme.
If Wishes Were by Tanya Huff: 2 stars
Vicki Nelson is a detective who also happens to be a vampire, though this does not seem to have any bearing on anything. When a woman comes to her about a lamp she has found which contained a Jinn, she wants help to set things right. The problem is that she is tricked into doing just what the Jinn wants. Vicki makes an attempt to handle it on her own with less than satisfactory results.
Truth be told this was one of my least favorite stories. I could see potential but it never materialized. I was bored with it almost from the start and it never got better for me.
Solus by Anton Strout: 2 stars
The Department of Extraordinary Affairs-Other Division goes to investigate the claims of ghosts in a castle. They found the ghost of a lonely young woman, Agatha Sedgwick, who was haunting the castle.
I was so bored I cannot even remember anything much about this story. I actually went to sleep while reading it so draw your own conclusions.
Peacock in Hell by Kat Richardson: 3.5 stars
Emily Ann Peacock is half dead and a master thief. She is sent into Hell to rescue Lenny Red Mane for a sketchy character named Peter Fiori. What she finds is though Lenny may be the one in Hell she is working for a devil. The thing is what can she do about it.
I really liked this story and the characters. They held my attention and made me like them and the situation they found themselves in. This is a good one.
Eye of Newt, A Dan Shambles Zombie P.I. by Kevin J. Anderson: 2.5 stars
Dan Shambles has a new client, a newt named Geck who comes to him because there seems to be a hit out on him. He was attacked and one of his eyes was taken out. He needs help and Dan goes on the case.
This was a nice story with a different kind of hero and a different kind of world.
What Dwells Within by Lucy A Snyder: 3 stars
Jesse Shimmer, a magic user and his ferret familiar Pal are outlaws in the magic community. When a friend of hers is compelled to kill himself and his girlfriend is taken Jesse steps in to help. She is very good at killing devils and this one needs it more than most.
Nice short story that holds your interest and makes you want to know more about the characters.
Hunter Healer by Jim C. Hines: 4 stars
Julia Chapel ran from a life that she could not live any longer. Now she is a Healer who has an assistant who is a hearth fairy, Hob. Terrence Chapel is Julia’s father and a Hunter, he is also the reason that Julia ran away. Julia had a twin sister, who was a very good Hunter, but now her sister resides within her making Julia double souled. When a Harvester comes to her it is only to gain her attention because it also leads a rogue hunter named Shard to her, and he wants to be the only one with a double soul.
Good story that draws you in and sets up the back story in a quick and effective way. The characters are well fleshed and give you a good look at who they are and can be. I enjoyed this one a lot.
Baggage by Erik Scott de Bie: 3 stars
Vivienne Cain, aka Lady Vengeance, former demon possessed super-villain turned edgy it-girl superhero turned fugitive from vigilante justice. She is a high functioning alcoholic who uses the drinking to keep her powers under control. V has been going to a gym working through some of her frustrations for a while when she senses a demon lurking about. As V becomes friends with a girl at the gym the demon gives glimpses of itself but never fully shows itself.
I really like the character of V but she is never as fleshed out as I would like her to be. None of the other characters are very fleshed out either and the story is a little thin.But it was still a good read.
Sales.Force. by Kristine Kathryn Rusch: 3.5 stars
Kaylee loses her fiancee, Dex, in a car accident after he has sworn that they would be together forever. Kaylee had not worked very much while she and Dex were together, her job is killing evil supernaturals. Kaylee goes back to work after only a week and her boss gives her an assignment that is not exactly up her alley, she is sent to investigate, not kill. When she looks into a love potion it may be the best thing for her.
Good story premise with characters who are likeable and make me willing to see more of them in a longer version.
Impossible Monsters by Rob Thurman: 4 stars
“Infernally heroic Caliban Leandros takes a trip down memory lane as he deals with some overdue-and nightmarish vengeance involving some quite nasty Impossible Monsters”. Caliban has two lists, one that his brother made for him in order to keep him from doing something unforgivable and inhuman. The other list is one he has made for himself that has the names of people who have done things he feels are wrong but that he wants to give them a chance to change. It’s time for him to start working on that second list.
I totally like the Caliban and plan to read the books which can give me a closer and deeper look into who and what he is.
Like with most anthologies this one has good, bad, and iffy stories in it. What did not work for me might work for someone else just as what I liked might not be as good for another. I would recommend this to anyone who likes urban fantasy.