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Remy Chandler #1.5 - Noah's Orphans
Mean Streets
Jim Butcher delivers a hard-boiled tale in which Harry Dresden’s latest case may be his last.
Nightside dweller John Taylor is hired by a woman to find something she lost—her memory—in a noir tale from Simon R. Green.
Kat Richardson’s Greywalker finds herself in too deep when a “simple job” goes bad and Harper Blaine is enmeshed in a tangle of dark secrets and revenge from beyond the grave.
For centuries, the being that we know as Noah lived among us. Now he is dead, and fallen-angel-turned-detective Remy Chandler has been hired to find out who killed him in a whodunit by Thomas E. Sniegoski.
Nightside dweller John Taylor is hired by a woman to find something she lost—her memory—in a noir tale from Simon R. Green.
Kat Richardson’s Greywalker finds herself in too deep when a “simple job” goes bad and Harper Blaine is enmeshed in a tangle of dark secrets and revenge from beyond the grave.
For centuries, the being that we know as Noah lived among us. Now he is dead, and fallen-angel-turned-detective Remy Chandler has been hired to find out who killed him in a whodunit by Thomas E. Sniegoski.
342 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
Jim Butcher
253 books49.3k followersJim Butcher is the author of the Dresden Files, the Codex Alera, and a new steampunk series, the Cinder Spires. His resume includes a laundry list of skills which were useful a couple of centuries ago, and he plays guitar quite badly. An avid gamer, he plays tabletop games in varying systems, a variety of video games on PC and console, and LARPs whenever he can make time for it. Jim currently resides mostly inside his own head, but his head can generally be found in his home town of Independence, Missouri.
Jim goes by the moniker Longshot in a number of online locales. He came by this name in the early 1990′s when he decided he would become a published author. Usually only 3 in 1000 who make such an attempt actually manage to become published; of those, only 1 in 10 make enough money to call it a living. The sale of a second series was the breakthrough that let him beat the long odds against attaining a career as a novelist.
All the same, he refuses to change his nickname.
Jim goes by the moniker Longshot in a number of online locales. He came by this name in the early 1990′s when he decided he would become a published author. Usually only 3 in 1000 who make such an attempt actually manage to become published; of those, only 1 in 10 make enough money to call it a living. The sale of a second series was the breakthrough that let him beat the long odds against attaining a career as a novelist.
All the same, he refuses to change his nickname.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 481 reviews
January 15, 2009
Mean Streets is an anthology of four stories by four authors, all featuring urban fantasy and private eyes. For the record, I was familiar with two of the authors Jim Butcher and Simon R. Green, but not familiar with Kat Richardson or Thomas E. Sniegoski. I'm going to review each of the stories separately.
The Warrior (Jim Butcher)
I enjoyed this story. It involved the Carpenter family, some of my favorite side characters of The Dresden Files. Plus, we got some good world-building surrounding Michael Carpenter and Father Anthony Forthill's more temporal connections. It also tied up a bit of the fallout from the last book, Small Favor. And it's a solid story, with good pacing and use of characters, though from my previous experience with Butcher's short stories, I was not surprised by this.
However, I think I would have preferred this not in an anthology, as it is a poor introduction to the series. It spoils Small Favor mercilessly and relies a lot on previous knowledge, I'd say. Overall, I think it's hard to write a story about Harry after over ten books, and then write something that would make book 1 Harry accessible.
The Difference a Day Makes by Simon Green
I've read about five of the Nightside books, so I'm familiar with John Taylor. Though this story had the opposite problem as the Dresden Files one -- John was John, but there wasn't that much to catch the interest of a fan. (Which goes to show that it's tricky to write for these things.) Part of that was that this felt like a simple case. John was hired to track down the missing memories of a normal who wandered into the Nightside. He ropes a friend of his, Dead Boy, into helping him out. John's power is that he can find anything, so it pretty much becomes 'I see the path, but there's dudes in the way'. I think the first five books of the series did a better job with limiting John's powers*, but there was no mention of those limits -- perhaps he overcame them in later books.
* In the first book, John mentions that someone targets him when he uses his ability, so he has to sneak peeks. Later books elaborate on what's going on with this. Here, there's no mention on the fact that John lights up like a Christmas tree (metaphorically speaking) when he uses his power, so he has to limit it.
The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog by Kat Richardson
Funny story. Right before starting this story, I was wondering why there were no female supernatural PIs, or that the urban fantasy with female leads tended to be romance-focused. (Exception: the Marla Mason books by T. A. Pratt.) Then I read this story, with Harper Blaine... all right, at first I thought Harper was a male name, and the first-person narrative didn't enlighten me. (Considering I got to 'Miss Blaine' at some point, I changed my mind -- it was after the scene with Harper's boyfriend, which made me all 'yay, queer character', though.)
Anyway, this was one of my favorites in the anthology (I know, it was four stories, right?) -- it was well plotted and worked as an introduction to Harper's world, while giving some clues to her about her powers. I didn't see the ending coming, and it was a good mystery in that respect.
My one dislike of the book is that the Spanish felt forced -- you occasionally got the 'I speak perfect English, but I'm going to use simple words in Spanish anyway' situation. There also were some moments of info dump about Día de los Muertos and Oxacalan (Oxacan?) attitudes towards death. Most of it seemed right to my limited memories from Spanish class, it just felt off, like the author needed to emphasize 'hey, we're in Mexico, where they speak Spanish!' occasionally.
Noah's Orphans by Thomas Sniegoski
So, we get a biblical situation with angel-in-disguise Remy Chandler out to investigate the murder of Noah, who had apparently survived. Not sure how I feel about this one. I have kind of a knee-jerk attitude towards Biblical literalism thanks to being a scientist*, so a fictional world where the Fall and Noah's Flood actually happened doesn't appeal to me. I did like that the angels were examined in more detail, as well as their relationships to humans. But, overall, this story fell a bit flat to me. I can't tell you if this is a 'I didn't like it' or 'it was a bad story' (or both), though.
* When people who believe X keep telling you that you're wrong and evil about something, and keep trying to undermine your work, it's not hard to develop a knee-jerk reaction to things, even in fiction.
Also? It might have been just me, but God came off as rather an ass in this, and He wasn't even on screen. Mind you, I think there's a lot of theology that either unintentionally makes God look like an ass to the unbelievers or has to work to reconcile some of the stuff in the Bible (and in life) to make God not look like an ass. (Usually, any argument about free will or why evil exists will fall into this category.)
Overall review is that I enjoyed 'The Warrior', but think it was meant for fans of the book series, and enjoyed 'The Third Death...' and mean to pick up that series. The other two I wasn't thrilled with.
The Warrior (Jim Butcher)
I enjoyed this story. It involved the Carpenter family, some of my favorite side characters of The Dresden Files. Plus, we got some good world-building surrounding Michael Carpenter and Father Anthony Forthill's more temporal connections. It also tied up a bit of the fallout from the last book, Small Favor. And it's a solid story, with good pacing and use of characters, though from my previous experience with Butcher's short stories, I was not surprised by this.
However, I think I would have preferred this not in an anthology, as it is a poor introduction to the series. It spoils Small Favor mercilessly and relies a lot on previous knowledge, I'd say. Overall, I think it's hard to write a story about Harry after over ten books, and then write something that would make book 1 Harry accessible.
The Difference a Day Makes by Simon Green
I've read about five of the Nightside books, so I'm familiar with John Taylor. Though this story had the opposite problem as the Dresden Files one -- John was John, but there wasn't that much to catch the interest of a fan. (Which goes to show that it's tricky to write for these things.) Part of that was that this felt like a simple case. John was hired to track down the missing memories of a normal who wandered into the Nightside. He ropes a friend of his, Dead Boy, into helping him out. John's power is that he can find anything, so it pretty much becomes 'I see the path, but there's dudes in the way'. I think the first five books of the series did a better job with limiting John's powers*, but there was no mention of those limits -- perhaps he overcame them in later books.
* In the first book, John mentions that someone targets him when he uses his ability, so he has to sneak peeks. Later books elaborate on what's going on with this. Here, there's no mention on the fact that John lights up like a Christmas tree (metaphorically speaking) when he uses his power, so he has to limit it.
The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog by Kat Richardson
Funny story. Right before starting this story, I was wondering why there were no female supernatural PIs, or that the urban fantasy with female leads tended to be romance-focused. (Exception: the Marla Mason books by T. A. Pratt.) Then I read this story, with Harper Blaine... all right, at first I thought Harper was a male name, and the first-person narrative didn't enlighten me. (Considering I got to 'Miss Blaine' at some point, I changed my mind -- it was after the scene with Harper's boyfriend, which made me all 'yay, queer character', though.)
Anyway, this was one of my favorites in the anthology (I know, it was four stories, right?) -- it was well plotted and worked as an introduction to Harper's world, while giving some clues to her about her powers. I didn't see the ending coming, and it was a good mystery in that respect.
My one dislike of the book is that the Spanish felt forced -- you occasionally got the 'I speak perfect English, but I'm going to use simple words in Spanish anyway' situation. There also were some moments of info dump about Día de los Muertos and Oxacalan (Oxacan?) attitudes towards death. Most of it seemed right to my limited memories from Spanish class, it just felt off, like the author needed to emphasize 'hey, we're in Mexico, where they speak Spanish!' occasionally.
Noah's Orphans by Thomas Sniegoski
So, we get a biblical situation with angel-in-disguise Remy Chandler out to investigate the murder of Noah, who had apparently survived. Not sure how I feel about this one. I have kind of a knee-jerk attitude towards Biblical literalism thanks to being a scientist*, so a fictional world where the Fall and Noah's Flood actually happened doesn't appeal to me. I did like that the angels were examined in more detail, as well as their relationships to humans. But, overall, this story fell a bit flat to me. I can't tell you if this is a 'I didn't like it' or 'it was a bad story' (or both), though.
* When people who believe X keep telling you that you're wrong and evil about something, and keep trying to undermine your work, it's not hard to develop a knee-jerk reaction to things, even in fiction.
Also? It might have been just me, but God came off as rather an ass in this, and He wasn't even on screen. Mind you, I think there's a lot of theology that either unintentionally makes God look like an ass to the unbelievers or has to work to reconcile some of the stuff in the Bible (and in life) to make God not look like an ass. (Usually, any argument about free will or why evil exists will fall into this category.)
Overall review is that I enjoyed 'The Warrior', but think it was meant for fans of the book series, and enjoyed 'The Third Death...' and mean to pick up that series. The other two I wasn't thrilled with.
January 22, 2019
This is a collection of four longer novellas in the urban fantasy genre written by a quarter of well-regarded writers that showcases each of their characters in ongoing series. I have actually read two of these already: "The Warrior" by Jim Butcher and "What a Difference a Day Makes" by Simon R. Green. "The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog" by Kat Richardson and "Noah's Orphans" by Thomas E. Sniegoski are new reads for me. My favorites were "The Warrior" and "The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog."
"Changes" is a Harry Dresden story that heavily features Harry's friend Michael Carpenter and his family. It's also about how being a hero is not just taking up a sword. It's a culmination of many small choices one makes everyday in how they interact with people around them. The lesson was really important and the plotting flawless. Short but substantial. 5 stars
"What a Difference a Day Makes" by Simon R. Green doesn't measure up to the other stories in this volume because it doesn't have the deep character development, pathos or growth of the other stories. I say this as a big admirer of Simon R. Green. His work is very good, and it works for what its doing, but his real brilliance shows in his longer work than his shorter work. Having said that, I enjoy Green's noir style and the just plain weirdness of his imagination. This story is good but not great. 3 stars.
"The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog" by Kat Richardson is the first I've read by her and I'm a fan. I loved the intricate look into Mexican culture, specifically Dia de los Muertos. Most non-Mexicans don't really get what this is about. It's not a spooky holiday in the way we think about Halloween. It's a deeply meaningful holiday in which people remember and celebrate those they have lost to death. There are some folkloric underpinnings that may not make sense, and probably some aspects that might be a dealbreaker for some people. While the holiday is not spooky, this story is written to have some aspects of the macabre to it. Definitely a ghost story, and it's also about magic, dark and light. I really appreciated this story and I loved the narrator. She did a great job with the Spanish pronunciations and in distinguishing the different voices from one another. 5 stars.
"Noah's Orphans" by Thomas E. Sniegoski is thoughtful and sober storytelling. The concept behind it resonated with me as a Christian who grew up reading the Bible and is acquainted with the Noah's Ark tale. This book has a 'what if' aspect to it that got my mind spinning. Consistent for the rest of the series, but rather joyless. 4 stars.
Overall, a good book, and worth listening to on audiobook.
"Changes" is a Harry Dresden story that heavily features Harry's friend Michael Carpenter and his family. It's also about how being a hero is not just taking up a sword. It's a culmination of many small choices one makes everyday in how they interact with people around them. The lesson was really important and the plotting flawless. Short but substantial. 5 stars
"What a Difference a Day Makes" by Simon R. Green doesn't measure up to the other stories in this volume because it doesn't have the deep character development, pathos or growth of the other stories. I say this as a big admirer of Simon R. Green. His work is very good, and it works for what its doing, but his real brilliance shows in his longer work than his shorter work. Having said that, I enjoy Green's noir style and the just plain weirdness of his imagination. This story is good but not great. 3 stars.
"The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog" by Kat Richardson is the first I've read by her and I'm a fan. I loved the intricate look into Mexican culture, specifically Dia de los Muertos. Most non-Mexicans don't really get what this is about. It's not a spooky holiday in the way we think about Halloween. It's a deeply meaningful holiday in which people remember and celebrate those they have lost to death. There are some folkloric underpinnings that may not make sense, and probably some aspects that might be a dealbreaker for some people. While the holiday is not spooky, this story is written to have some aspects of the macabre to it. Definitely a ghost story, and it's also about magic, dark and light. I really appreciated this story and I loved the narrator. She did a great job with the Spanish pronunciations and in distinguishing the different voices from one another. 5 stars.
"Noah's Orphans" by Thomas E. Sniegoski is thoughtful and sober storytelling. The concept behind it resonated with me as a Christian who grew up reading the Bible and is acquainted with the Noah's Ark tale. This book has a 'what if' aspect to it that got my mind spinning. Consistent for the rest of the series, but rather joyless. 4 stars.
Overall, a good book, and worth listening to on audiobook.
November 7, 2018
The stories are long, more like novellas. Interesting even though I haven't followed the series they're in. All of them filled in their backgrounds well & all were well narrated, although it's really irritating that the audio files keep telling me I'm done with the CD. Shoddy rip.
Butcher's Dresden story was pretty good. 3 stars. While there was obviously a lot that lead up to it, Butcher fills in the background very well, so I never felt lost. Harry does good, as usual.
Green's Nightside story reminded me why I don't read his books any more. He has a great imagination, really interesting worlds & characters, but his execution tends to be lacking. There's a car chase/fight which made absolutely no sense at all. Whirring blades always waited too long until they could be conveniently foiled. I found the end less than satisfying, but could live with it. 2 stars for the scenery. It was good.
Richardson's Greywalker story was pretty good. I kept thinking it was a Charlaine Harris' Harper Connelly story without all the self-pity & whining. Very similar otherwise. Well done, twisty tale. 3 stars.
Sniegoski's Remy Chandler story sucked. I read the first book in this series & hoped it might have gotten better, but it hasn't. He can't keep times straight in his own story, besides being burdened by using Noah & his ark, one of the most ridiculous stories in a book filled with them. (An omniscient, omnipotent, perfect being creates man with free will & then decides he made a mistake & drowns them all - innocent kids & animals included - because they're not doing what he wants, but he loves them.) I never got a feel for Remy's powers & limitations, either. They were just convenient to the story. 1 star.
So, this collection gets 2 stars overall. It's probably worth it if you're following one of the 2 decent series.
Butcher's Dresden story was pretty good. 3 stars. While there was obviously a lot that lead up to it, Butcher fills in the background very well, so I never felt lost. Harry does good, as usual.
Green's Nightside story reminded me why I don't read his books any more. He has a great imagination, really interesting worlds & characters, but his execution tends to be lacking. There's a car chase/fight which made absolutely no sense at all. Whirring blades always waited too long until they could be conveniently foiled. I found the end less than satisfying, but could live with it. 2 stars for the scenery. It was good.
Richardson's Greywalker story was pretty good. I kept thinking it was a Charlaine Harris' Harper Connelly story without all the self-pity & whining. Very similar otherwise. Well done, twisty tale. 3 stars.
Sniegoski's Remy Chandler story sucked. I read the first book in this series & hoped it might have gotten better, but it hasn't. He can't keep times straight in his own story, besides being burdened by using Noah & his ark, one of the most ridiculous stories in a book filled with them. (An omniscient, omnipotent, perfect being creates man with free will & then decides he made a mistake & drowns them all - innocent kids & animals included - because they're not doing what he wants, but he loves them.) I never got a feel for Remy's powers & limitations, either. They were just convenient to the story. 1 star.
So, this collection gets 2 stars overall. It's probably worth it if you're following one of the 2 decent series.
March 5, 2016
An anthology of four short stories in four series of urban fantasy.
Series:
"The Warrior" (Dresden Files, 10.5)
"Difference a Day Makes" (Nightside, 9.5)
"Third Death of the Little Clay Dog" (Greywalker, 5.5)
"Noah's Orphans" (Remy Chandler, 1.5)
The Stories
Jim Butcher's "The Warrior" is a part of the Dresden Files urban fantasy series and occurs after Michael has retired leaving custody of two swords with Harry. A situation profoundly despised by someone who must be a part of the Catholic Church as whom else could possibly know of his/her existence. That someone is trying very hard to get Harry's attention as they keep sending Harry photos which appear to be stalking Michael's family. Michael, of course, believes that he's protected. A belief that is shattered when one of his daughters is kidnapped. A very typical Harry Dresden story.
Simon R. Green's "Difference a Day Makes" is part of the Nightside urban fantasy series with its overtones of Sam Spade. It provides an in-depth look at the weirdness of the Nightside as John Taylor takes on the case of a woman who has lost the past 24 hours of her life and has never heard of the Nightside. A fascinating story with a hint of kink at the end.
Kat Richardson's "Third Death of the Little Clay Dog" is part of the Greywalker urban fantasy series and explores the spiritual nature of the Mexican Day of the Dead festivities. This is the first of the series that I've read and I'm of two minds as to exploring it further: Richardson has not written Harper Blaine's character in such a way that it intrigues me to learn more of her life (death??) and yet she has written this short story with such an interesting twist that I'm curious as to how she treats a full-length story.
Thomas E. Sniegoski's "Noah's Orphans" is good; part of the Remy Chandler urban fantasy series. This short story intrigues with Noah (from Noah's ark fame) in modern day feeling guilty for having abandoned a species when he was loading his ark. Having rediscovered the species, Noah fully intends to make it up to them in direct contradiction to how the Grigori feel about it.
Series:
"The Warrior" (Dresden Files, 10.5)
"Difference a Day Makes" (Nightside, 9.5)
"Third Death of the Little Clay Dog" (Greywalker, 5.5)
"Noah's Orphans" (Remy Chandler, 1.5)
The Stories
Jim Butcher's "The Warrior" is a part of the Dresden Files urban fantasy series and occurs after Michael has retired leaving custody of two swords with Harry. A situation profoundly despised by someone who must be a part of the Catholic Church as whom else could possibly know of his/her existence. That someone is trying very hard to get Harry's attention as they keep sending Harry photos which appear to be stalking Michael's family. Michael, of course, believes that he's protected. A belief that is shattered when one of his daughters is kidnapped. A very typical Harry Dresden story.
Simon R. Green's "Difference a Day Makes" is part of the Nightside urban fantasy series with its overtones of Sam Spade. It provides an in-depth look at the weirdness of the Nightside as John Taylor takes on the case of a woman who has lost the past 24 hours of her life and has never heard of the Nightside. A fascinating story with a hint of kink at the end.
Kat Richardson's "Third Death of the Little Clay Dog" is part of the Greywalker urban fantasy series and explores the spiritual nature of the Mexican Day of the Dead festivities. This is the first of the series that I've read and I'm of two minds as to exploring it further: Richardson has not written Harper Blaine's character in such a way that it intrigues me to learn more of her life (death??) and yet she has written this short story with such an interesting twist that I'm curious as to how she treats a full-length story.
Thomas E. Sniegoski's "Noah's Orphans" is good; part of the Remy Chandler urban fantasy series. This short story intrigues with Noah (from Noah's ark fame) in modern day feeling guilty for having abandoned a species when he was loading his ark. Having rediscovered the species, Noah fully intends to make it up to them in direct contradiction to how the Grigori feel about it.
April 16, 2009
No offense to the other fine authors in this collection, but I picked "Mean Streets" up for only one reason--the new Harry Dresden story.
"The Warrior" picks up after the events of "Small Favor." If you've not read the entire Dresden Files series leading up to this one, I imagine you might be a little confused. Yes, the story is standalone, but it's still one that requires a lot of prior knowledge to fully appreciate it.
Something is targeting Michael's family. Harry steps in and the story explores the nature of Michael's gift and what he's going through following the events of "Small Favor." It's a nice, character-driven follow-up that doesn't necessarily advance the overall plot arc of the Dresden Files, but it's still an enjoyable story.
"The Warrior" picks up after the events of "Small Favor." If you've not read the entire Dresden Files series leading up to this one, I imagine you might be a little confused. Yes, the story is standalone, but it's still one that requires a lot of prior knowledge to fully appreciate it.
Something is targeting Michael's family. Harry steps in and the story explores the nature of Michael's gift and what he's going through following the events of "Small Favor." It's a nice, character-driven follow-up that doesn't necessarily advance the overall plot arc of the Dresden Files, but it's still an enjoyable story.
May 7, 2010
In general, I really like the longer stories/novellas in this trade size paperback much more than the way too brief stories in mass market paperbacks. These were enough to sink my teeth into and intrigue me about the authors' other books much more than other anthologies I've read.
Green's Nightside story:
So VERY Nightside. He has a tendency to pack every paragraph with his crazy creations, to the point where it just feels like pointless showing off. It's really too much. On the other hand, I like his creativity and the PI style of the stories. In the midst of all of the noir craziness, his guy saves the day by throwing pepper in the face of an attacker. "Condiments are our friends, never leave home without them." I was left with very mixed feelings about resuming reading his Nightside series, which I stopped after book 6. I think it's back on my mid-range list, but I'm not rushing out to get them.
Richardson's Greywalker story:
Much better than her first book, which I didn't even finish because I was bored with it. Having read half of that book was enough to make me feel comfortable with Harper and what was going on with her, but I wonder if someone new to the series would be totally confused by her abilities. I actually liked the lack of world building in this, but I think newcomers might end up scratching their heads.
I liked the mystery (and the dog!) and thought the shorter format suited the author; it forced her to focus on the plot. I liked it enough that I'll probably skim the rest of the book I started and then try her second book and see if I like it better. Marketing in action, anthologies work!
Sniegoski's Remy Chandler story:
This was the reason I wanted to read the book. How could I have forgotten how much I love Marlowe the black Lab? Sniegoski writes dogs better than anyone. The only author I can think of that has a similar flair is Spencer Quinn in his Chet & Bernie mysteries. Sniegoski's The Fallen YA series also has a great dog.
I just like Remy. The angel struggling with his humanity is hardly and original concept, but Sniegoski does it very well and I enjoy the slightly noir, PI style of the stories. I also enjoy his wild mix of Christian theology, other mythology, and his own creations. In reference to this particular story, I thought the not-terribly-subtle statements about intelligent design were interesting from an author that writes so much about angels and Christian concepts (although usually from a disappointed perspective?). For example, he mentions that the Earth has been around for hundreds of thousands of years (Remy, too) and that the slides of animals Noah had been reviewing were of the animals he'd saved and those evolved from them.
I also like the little touches of humor in this story. Noah had become a shipping magnate! And Marlowe cracks me up in almost every scene, his is definitely comic relief.
Overall, the story was a bit overly dramatic, and not as good as the novels, but quite good.
Jim Butcher's Dresden story:
Not my favorite of his short stories, but still very good. It was nice to find out what happens to Michael and his family after he got hurt so badly. But the aspects of the Dresden books dealing with Christianity aren't my favorites, and I thought this story fell a little flat. It wasn't as funny or exciting as most of Butcher's short stories. But that's a pretty high standard.
Green's Nightside story:
So VERY Nightside. He has a tendency to pack every paragraph with his crazy creations, to the point where it just feels like pointless showing off. It's really too much. On the other hand, I like his creativity and the PI style of the stories. In the midst of all of the noir craziness, his guy saves the day by throwing pepper in the face of an attacker. "Condiments are our friends, never leave home without them." I was left with very mixed feelings about resuming reading his Nightside series, which I stopped after book 6. I think it's back on my mid-range list, but I'm not rushing out to get them.
Richardson's Greywalker story:
Much better than her first book, which I didn't even finish because I was bored with it. Having read half of that book was enough to make me feel comfortable with Harper and what was going on with her, but I wonder if someone new to the series would be totally confused by her abilities. I actually liked the lack of world building in this, but I think newcomers might end up scratching their heads.
I liked the mystery (and the dog!) and thought the shorter format suited the author; it forced her to focus on the plot. I liked it enough that I'll probably skim the rest of the book I started and then try her second book and see if I like it better. Marketing in action, anthologies work!
Sniegoski's Remy Chandler story:
This was the reason I wanted to read the book. How could I have forgotten how much I love Marlowe the black Lab? Sniegoski writes dogs better than anyone. The only author I can think of that has a similar flair is Spencer Quinn in his Chet & Bernie mysteries. Sniegoski's The Fallen YA series also has a great dog.
I just like Remy. The angel struggling with his humanity is hardly and original concept, but Sniegoski does it very well and I enjoy the slightly noir, PI style of the stories. I also enjoy his wild mix of Christian theology, other mythology, and his own creations. In reference to this particular story, I thought the not-terribly-subtle statements about intelligent design were interesting from an author that writes so much about angels and Christian concepts (although usually from a disappointed perspective?). For example, he mentions that the Earth has been around for hundreds of thousands of years (Remy, too) and that the slides of animals Noah had been reviewing were of the animals he'd saved and those evolved from them.
I also like the little touches of humor in this story. Noah had become a shipping magnate! And Marlowe cracks me up in almost every scene, his is definitely comic relief.
Overall, the story was a bit overly dramatic, and not as good as the novels, but quite good.
Jim Butcher's Dresden story:
Not my favorite of his short stories, but still very good. It was nice to find out what happens to Michael and his family after he got hurt so badly. But the aspects of the Dresden books dealing with Christianity aren't my favorites, and I thought this story fell a little flat. It wasn't as funny or exciting as most of Butcher's short stories. But that's a pretty high standard.
February 26, 2016
Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden story, "The Warrior," has some good action and standard Harry smart-alecness, but--even better--a lovely, sweet, touching twist that helps put some more light back in Harry's world. One of my favourite Dresden short stories.
"The Difference a Day Makes" by Simon R. Green - The first few pages of the story reminded me of really good Neil Gaiman--especially Neverwhere--with its dark fantasy setting, wryly dark humour, and elegant writing style. As the story progressed, it turned into science-fiction, and I didn't really care for the climax of the story.
"The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog” by Kat Richardson - In terms of tone, it went well with the Dresden story. It has plenty of interesting cultural information well-presented; and I liked how the sulky Goth kid, Mickey, changed by the end. Harper Blaine, the main character, and her “Greywalking” skills intrigue me.
"Noah's Orphans" by Thomas E. Sniegoski - The story stirred up more questions with its answers. While it's not as though he's been ruined, I liked Remy Chandler better when he was grounded by his marriage.
"The Difference a Day Makes" by Simon R. Green - The first few pages of the story reminded me of really good Neil Gaiman--especially Neverwhere--with its dark fantasy setting, wryly dark humour, and elegant writing style. As the story progressed, it turned into science-fiction, and I didn't really care for the climax of the story.
"The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog” by Kat Richardson - In terms of tone, it went well with the Dresden story. It has plenty of interesting cultural information well-presented; and I liked how the sulky Goth kid, Mickey, changed by the end. Harper Blaine, the main character, and her “Greywalking” skills intrigue me.
"Noah's Orphans" by Thomas E. Sniegoski - The story stirred up more questions with its answers. While it's not as though he's been ruined, I liked Remy Chandler better when he was grounded by his marriage.
December 26, 2008
Urban fantasy fans, pay heed! "Mean Streets" is an awesome anthology with stories by four big-hitters of the genre. In one book, you can visit with Chicago wizard Harry Dresden, Nightside PI John Taylor, Greywalker Harper Blaine, and fallen angel Remy Chandler in their own worlds. Stories of murder and attempted murder most foul, but with magic added to the mayhem.
For those who are unfamiliar with the above names, they are the creations of Jim Butcher, Simon R. Green, Kat Richardson, and Thomas E. Sniegoski. This anthology gives you a chance to get a feel for each writer's style and characters and it's hard for me to believe that you won't find at least one (and likely all four) to your tastes.
For those who are unfamiliar with the above names, they are the creations of Jim Butcher, Simon R. Green, Kat Richardson, and Thomas E. Sniegoski. This anthology gives you a chance to get a feel for each writer's style and characters and it's hard for me to believe that you won't find at least one (and likely all four) to your tastes.
August 4, 2021
Only read The Warrior by Jim Butcher. Amazing story.
January 29, 2019
Basic Premise: Urban fantasy in the city.
At first, I only read the Jim Butcher story in this. I only picked it up for a quick Dresden fix, then decided I couldn't own a book I haven't read in its entirety.
Dresden Story- My biggest complaint about this story was that it was, in fact a VERY quick Dresden fix- a very short story. The story focused around Michael, former Knight of the Cross, and the whole issue of the swords that Harry is current custodian of. Harry got in some snarky comments, did shockingly little magic, got his butt kicked, and won in the end. All of the necessary Dresden elements, but he actually got to sleep in this story!
The second story in the book was odd at best. The author kept beating the same phrases about how dark his world was. It was annoying.
It's been a few weeks (I had no Internet connection around the time I finished the book, thus didn't get around to my review), so I've almost entirely forgotten the last two stories, but I do remember thinking at the end that the whole collection rated about 3 stars. If you're looking for a Dresden fix- check it out from the library, don't buy it. I don't really consider a 3-star book one to buy.
At first, I only read the Jim Butcher story in this. I only picked it up for a quick Dresden fix, then decided I couldn't own a book I haven't read in its entirety.
Dresden Story- My biggest complaint about this story was that it was, in fact a VERY quick Dresden fix- a very short story. The story focused around Michael, former Knight of the Cross, and the whole issue of the swords that Harry is current custodian of. Harry got in some snarky comments, did shockingly little magic, got his butt kicked, and won in the end. All of the necessary Dresden elements, but he actually got to sleep in this story!
The second story in the book was odd at best. The author kept beating the same phrases about how dark his world was. It was annoying.
It's been a few weeks (I had no Internet connection around the time I finished the book, thus didn't get around to my review), so I've almost entirely forgotten the last two stories, but I do remember thinking at the end that the whole collection rated about 3 stars. If you're looking for a Dresden fix- check it out from the library, don't buy it. I don't really consider a 3-star book one to buy.
June 14, 2011
1) The warrior by Butcher - 4 Stars, great story! It still continues to elude my why I don't read the dresden series. This was a good story and all the characters are likable.
2)The difference a day makes by Green - 3 stars - I've tried the nightside series before and it didn't stick. I'm still working on this story but I have some reservations. I don't mind works of fantasy but when they too silly, it starts to bother me. For example: The dancing bear at the bar, in a white jacket dancing using John Travolta's moves, or the appearance of "the incredible sleeping woman, formerly "The incredible sleeping beauty". It's not necessary to get so silly to show that strange characters frequent this bar....... Ok, I'm finished this one...this one was weird. But it doesn't put me off. I'll still try reading the series.
3)Did not read yet - I will not be reading this story right now, I will revist the story later.
4)Noah's Orphans by Snigoski - 5 starts - this story is the reason I bought the book. You can never go wrong with a Remy Chandler book! Excellent story.
2)The difference a day makes by Green - 3 stars - I've tried the nightside series before and it didn't stick. I'm still working on this story but I have some reservations. I don't mind works of fantasy but when they too silly, it starts to bother me. For example: The dancing bear at the bar, in a white jacket dancing using John Travolta's moves, or the appearance of "the incredible sleeping woman, formerly "The incredible sleeping beauty". It's not necessary to get so silly to show that strange characters frequent this bar....... Ok, I'm finished this one...this one was weird. But it doesn't put me off. I'll still try reading the series.
3)Did not read yet - I will not be reading this story right now, I will revist the story later.
4)Noah's Orphans by Snigoski - 5 starts - this story is the reason I bought the book. You can never go wrong with a Remy Chandler book! Excellent story.
February 2, 2021
Mean Streets is a collection of four novellas written by Jim Butcher, Simon R. Green, Kat Richardson, and Thomas E. Sniegoski. It features four detective protagonists from four urban fantasy series.
The four stories collected in this book are "The Warrior" from The Dresden Files (10.5) series by Jim Butcher, "The Difference a Day Makes" from the Nightside (9.5) series by Simon R. Green, "The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog" (5.5) from the Greywalker series by Kat Richardson, and "Noah's Orphans" from the Remy Chandler (1.5) series by Thomas E. Sniegoski.
"The Warrior" (★★★★☆) has private investigator/wizard Harry Dresden warning his friend Michael Carpenter that someone is spying on him. They find someone is trying to steal Carpenter's enchanted sword – Amoracchius. After an attack Dresden suspects church involvement and seeks clues from Father Forthill. The kidnapping of Carpenter's daughter leads to confrontation near Millennium Park with a rogue holy warrior named Roarke Douglas to exchange the sword for Carpenter's daughter.
"The Difference a Day Makes" (★★★★☆) has private investigator/nightsider John Taylor and his friend Dead Boy sitting in a bar called Strangefellows when a crying woman, named Liza, bursts in seeking Taylor's help. She cannot remember the past day or how she arrived in Nightside. Taylor uses his power of Sight to locate her husband, Frank. Dead Boy drives them to Rotten Row, where they find Frank at Silicon Heaven, a place for technosexuals. The host explains that Liza was there the day before, but fled after learning about what Frank wanted. As Frank is being merged with a machine, Liza storms in and rips his heart out, though the Frank-machine no longer required it to live.
"The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog" (★★★★☆) has private investigator/greywalker Harper Blaine receiving a sum of money from the will of a Mexican woman on condition she hand-deliver a small figurine of a dog to the grave of Hector Purecete in Oaxaca City on the Day of the Dead. On the way to Oaxaca she meets the dead woman's lawyer who tries to dissuade her from continuing. In Oaxaca she enlists the help of the teenage son, Mickey, of her host in helping her navigate the city and translating. While visiting a graveyard, Blaine finds another figurine just like the dog and is told that hers had been subject to witchcraft.
"Noah's Orphans" (★★★★☆) has private investigator/former angel Remy Chandler investigating the murder of Noah – the one who built the ark. A reluctant Remy is transported to an oil rig to investigate where Noah had been living to examine the murder scene. With Remy as a witness, Sariel captures a suspect and tells Remy that the suspect is a Chimerian – a species created by God prior to humans and previously thought to have been wiped out in Noah's flood.
The standout is probably Sniegoski's novella, in which angel PI Remy Chandler must solve the murder of the biblical Ark's builder, whose battered corpse is found on an abandoned oil rig. Sniegoski manages to make a far-fetched setup both plausible and moving. Butcher's novella hints at a mysterious ongoing war, while wizard detective Harry Dresden solves a case with typical dry wit. Green employs darker humor in his novella, in which PI John Taylor assists a woman who wandered into the dark world hidden within London – Nightside, while Richardson's novella neatly merges noir conventions with a fantastical plot.
All in all, Mean Streets is a wonderful collection of solid and suspenseful novellas from four popular private investigators from the urban fantasy genre that are a little more than they seem.
The four stories collected in this book are "The Warrior" from The Dresden Files (10.5) series by Jim Butcher, "The Difference a Day Makes" from the Nightside (9.5) series by Simon R. Green, "The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog" (5.5) from the Greywalker series by Kat Richardson, and "Noah's Orphans" from the Remy Chandler (1.5) series by Thomas E. Sniegoski.
"The Warrior" (★★★★☆) has private investigator/wizard Harry Dresden warning his friend Michael Carpenter that someone is spying on him. They find someone is trying to steal Carpenter's enchanted sword – Amoracchius. After an attack Dresden suspects church involvement and seeks clues from Father Forthill. The kidnapping of Carpenter's daughter leads to confrontation near Millennium Park with a rogue holy warrior named Roarke Douglas to exchange the sword for Carpenter's daughter.
"The Difference a Day Makes" (★★★★☆) has private investigator/nightsider John Taylor and his friend Dead Boy sitting in a bar called Strangefellows when a crying woman, named Liza, bursts in seeking Taylor's help. She cannot remember the past day or how she arrived in Nightside. Taylor uses his power of Sight to locate her husband, Frank. Dead Boy drives them to Rotten Row, where they find Frank at Silicon Heaven, a place for technosexuals. The host explains that Liza was there the day before, but fled after learning about what Frank wanted. As Frank is being merged with a machine, Liza storms in and rips his heart out, though the Frank-machine no longer required it to live.
"The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog" (★★★★☆) has private investigator/greywalker Harper Blaine receiving a sum of money from the will of a Mexican woman on condition she hand-deliver a small figurine of a dog to the grave of Hector Purecete in Oaxaca City on the Day of the Dead. On the way to Oaxaca she meets the dead woman's lawyer who tries to dissuade her from continuing. In Oaxaca she enlists the help of the teenage son, Mickey, of her host in helping her navigate the city and translating. While visiting a graveyard, Blaine finds another figurine just like the dog and is told that hers had been subject to witchcraft.
"Noah's Orphans" (★★★★☆) has private investigator/former angel Remy Chandler investigating the murder of Noah – the one who built the ark. A reluctant Remy is transported to an oil rig to investigate where Noah had been living to examine the murder scene. With Remy as a witness, Sariel captures a suspect and tells Remy that the suspect is a Chimerian – a species created by God prior to humans and previously thought to have been wiped out in Noah's flood.
The standout is probably Sniegoski's novella, in which angel PI Remy Chandler must solve the murder of the biblical Ark's builder, whose battered corpse is found on an abandoned oil rig. Sniegoski manages to make a far-fetched setup both plausible and moving. Butcher's novella hints at a mysterious ongoing war, while wizard detective Harry Dresden solves a case with typical dry wit. Green employs darker humor in his novella, in which PI John Taylor assists a woman who wandered into the dark world hidden within London – Nightside, while Richardson's novella neatly merges noir conventions with a fantastical plot.
All in all, Mean Streets is a wonderful collection of solid and suspenseful novellas from four popular private investigators from the urban fantasy genre that are a little more than they seem.
April 6, 2020
This was an okay collection. I loved the Dresden Files story, as expected. The second, a Nightside story was okay. I might possibly read the first installment of this series to see what it's like, but I kind of doubt it. The Greywalker story was interesting and kind of fun. I'll check the first book in this out to see what I think. Remy Chandler was just awful, not to my taste at all.
January 8, 2021
This is a collection of tales from four different authors I enjoyed a them for the short tales they are it was ok catching up with Dresden and seeing where the knight was after his horrible accident so that was a bright spot.
July 6, 2020
'The Warrior' (The Dresden Files #10.3) by Jim Butcher. ✓
Adored the last few pages. Made my day!
★★★★★/5.
Adored the last few pages. Made my day!
★★★★★/5.
April 26, 2023
Fun series of short stories, a great way to find new authors.
August 15, 2023
Loved stories one and three.
June 11, 2023
The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog (Greywalker #3.5) - Kat Richardson
A great short story in the Greywalker series set in Mexico.
I loved to read about the customs around Día de los Muertos because as a European I know nothing about them. And I liked how the ghosts were just a little different in Mexico compared to Seattle.
5 stars
A great short story in the Greywalker series set in Mexico.
I loved to read about the customs around Día de los Muertos because as a European I know nothing about them. And I liked how the ghosts were just a little different in Mexico compared to Seattle.
5 stars
August 19, 2011
If I had to describe “Mean Streets” as a sandwich, it would be one piece of baloney, with some decent pepperjack cheese accented with some avocado and mayo surrounded by two fresh, crispy pieces of Italian bread. Doesn’t sound like a half bad sandwich, except for the baloney, right? Actually, I like baloney, but in this case, it supposed to represent a poor quality cold cut.
Well, that’s how I felt about it as a whole. “Mean Streets” is a collection of four novellas by four notable urban fantasy authors: Jim Butcher, Simon Green, Kat Richardson and Thomas Sniegoski. Butcher I am well acquainted with, having read all but two installments of the Dresden Files. The others, I thought, would help me develop my urban fantasy chops.
THE FIRST SLICE OF BREAD
Butcher’s was the first installment of the four novellas and it was a tasty tale from his Dresden File series. Someone is trying to kill Michael Carpenter and steal his one-time sword Amoracchus. It’s up to Harry Dresden, Michael’s friend and Chicago’s resident wizard PI, to save the day without getting himself killed. It’s yet another fun romp with all the twists and turns and chuckles Dresden Files fans have grown to expect from Butcher. This is a story of love, friendship and self-sacrifice. One individual can make a difference. This novella was four stars.
THE BALONEY
Simon R. Green’s character John Taylor is a PI in a hidden section of London called the Nightside. His sidekick is the zombie-esque Dead Boy. This is the classic hard-boiled detective story with a sci-fi twist. A brunette tracks down Taylor at a bar to help her find a day that she has lost and in the process find her husband Frank.
For me, this story never fully grabbed my attention. It felt predictable and pedestrian. While the elements of the story seemed to be potentially interesting, the narrative lacked pizzazz. The plot seemed to be a poor imitation of a Twilight Zone or Night Gallery tale. Rod Serling is still the master.
This novella did not make me want to pickup a Nightside novel anytime soon. One and one half stars.
PEPPERJACK CHEESE, AVOCADO AND MAYO
Kat Richardson’s Harper Blaine is called upon for a simple task; to place a small, clay dog statue on the grave of a Hector Purecete in Mexico City. The fun starts when Harper discovers that this is no simple statue nor no simple task.
Harper is a Greywalker,. She died for two minutes and when she was revived she had the ability to see in the “grey”—she can see ghosts. The mystery unraveled nicely and I enjoyed learning along with Harper about the traditions of the Day of the Dead.
I might pickup a Greywalker book, but I won’t rush out to get one. Three stars.
COMPLETING THE SANDWICH
The other slice of tasty bread was Thomas Sniegoski’s “Noah’s Orphans,” starring Remy Chandler, a fallen angel that’s a private detective based in Boston. Remy is drawn into investigating the murder of Noah, as in Noah’s ark. Sniegoski does an excellent job of imbuing Remy with a soul. We feel his pain, sadness and anger as he struggles with the loss of his wife, while being further drawn into the mystery surrounding Noah’s murder.
It’s a solid story and Remy seems like a character that I wouldn’t mind following in an ongoing series. Four stars.
Well, that’s how I felt about it as a whole. “Mean Streets” is a collection of four novellas by four notable urban fantasy authors: Jim Butcher, Simon Green, Kat Richardson and Thomas Sniegoski. Butcher I am well acquainted with, having read all but two installments of the Dresden Files. The others, I thought, would help me develop my urban fantasy chops.
THE FIRST SLICE OF BREAD
Butcher’s was the first installment of the four novellas and it was a tasty tale from his Dresden File series. Someone is trying to kill Michael Carpenter and steal his one-time sword Amoracchus. It’s up to Harry Dresden, Michael’s friend and Chicago’s resident wizard PI, to save the day without getting himself killed. It’s yet another fun romp with all the twists and turns and chuckles Dresden Files fans have grown to expect from Butcher. This is a story of love, friendship and self-sacrifice. One individual can make a difference. This novella was four stars.
THE BALONEY
Simon R. Green’s character John Taylor is a PI in a hidden section of London called the Nightside. His sidekick is the zombie-esque Dead Boy. This is the classic hard-boiled detective story with a sci-fi twist. A brunette tracks down Taylor at a bar to help her find a day that she has lost and in the process find her husband Frank.
For me, this story never fully grabbed my attention. It felt predictable and pedestrian. While the elements of the story seemed to be potentially interesting, the narrative lacked pizzazz. The plot seemed to be a poor imitation of a Twilight Zone or Night Gallery tale. Rod Serling is still the master.
This novella did not make me want to pickup a Nightside novel anytime soon. One and one half stars.
PEPPERJACK CHEESE, AVOCADO AND MAYO
Kat Richardson’s Harper Blaine is called upon for a simple task; to place a small, clay dog statue on the grave of a Hector Purecete in Mexico City. The fun starts when Harper discovers that this is no simple statue nor no simple task.
Harper is a Greywalker,. She died for two minutes and when she was revived she had the ability to see in the “grey”—she can see ghosts. The mystery unraveled nicely and I enjoyed learning along with Harper about the traditions of the Day of the Dead.
I might pickup a Greywalker book, but I won’t rush out to get one. Three stars.
COMPLETING THE SANDWICH
The other slice of tasty bread was Thomas Sniegoski’s “Noah’s Orphans,” starring Remy Chandler, a fallen angel that’s a private detective based in Boston. Remy is drawn into investigating the murder of Noah, as in Noah’s ark. Sniegoski does an excellent job of imbuing Remy with a soul. We feel his pain, sadness and anger as he struggles with the loss of his wife, while being further drawn into the mystery surrounding Noah’s murder.
It’s a solid story and Remy seems like a character that I wouldn’t mind following in an ongoing series. Four stars.
December 14, 2011
(Original review: http://hill-kleerup.org/blog/2009/04/...)
I hate it when I’m successfully manipulated by Big Business. Or Big Publishing.
And, of course, that’s what’s happened with Mean Streets, a collection of four novellas by different fantasy writers about their urban fantasy noir detectives. All of whom, coincidentally, happen to have book series that Roc (Penguin) would just love me to buy.
Which, of course, I now need to.
*sigh*
“The Warrior” by Jim Butcher ****
Butcher’s highly successful Harry Dresden, seedy PI wizard of Chicago, is a natural to lead off the collection. The tale fits quite neatly into current continuity, but it’s still a bit odd to see Harry only facing a couple of Dire Menaces, rather than the usual dozen or so. Still, there’s the usual humor, pathos, philosophy, angst, and, of course, magic. Harry’s dealing with guilt over his friend Michael’s injuries — even as it looks like someone is gunning for him. Good stuff, if not quite as good as a full-length novel. It’s no surprise that it’s the headliner of the book.
“The Difference a Day Makes” by Simon R. Green **
This stars John Taylor, a PI in London’s Nightside, a dark magical realm of sin and excess. It’s Gaiman by way of Warren Ellis, with perhaps a bit of Moorcock and a very grumpy (and half-drunk) Zelazny. In this tale, Taylor decides to help a woman who’s found her way into the Nightside find the missing day from her memory, even though every indication is that it will Not End Well. Not quite my unremittingly-dark cuppa, but I don’t regret having read it, and it might be something I come back to.
“The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog” by Kat Richardson ****
Part of Richardson’s “Graywalker” series, the best analog I can think of is Mercedes Lackey’s old Diana Tregarde novels, only with a bit lower magic level and focusing more on ghosts than witchcraft. Good, entertaining stuff, and some nice use (in this issue) of Mexican folk magic and holidays. I’ve ordered the first of the series (which is going to be reissued soon).
“Noah’s Orphans” by Thomas E. Sniegoski ****
Remy Chandler is one of the Seraphim, who quit his job after the Great War in Heaven and has decided that being a Boston-based private detective is the best way to learn about (and join) humanity. Here Chandler combats (im)mortal grief while trying to find out who’s murdered Noah — and why. And, yes, I’ve ordered the first of this series, too.
I hate being manipulated — but I guess I’m being manipulated in a pleasant way (so to speak). Good stuff. All recommended.
I hate it when I’m successfully manipulated by Big Business. Or Big Publishing.
And, of course, that’s what’s happened with Mean Streets, a collection of four novellas by different fantasy writers about their urban fantasy noir detectives. All of whom, coincidentally, happen to have book series that Roc (Penguin) would just love me to buy.
Which, of course, I now need to.
*sigh*
“The Warrior” by Jim Butcher ****
Butcher’s highly successful Harry Dresden, seedy PI wizard of Chicago, is a natural to lead off the collection. The tale fits quite neatly into current continuity, but it’s still a bit odd to see Harry only facing a couple of Dire Menaces, rather than the usual dozen or so. Still, there’s the usual humor, pathos, philosophy, angst, and, of course, magic. Harry’s dealing with guilt over his friend Michael’s injuries — even as it looks like someone is gunning for him. Good stuff, if not quite as good as a full-length novel. It’s no surprise that it’s the headliner of the book.
“The Difference a Day Makes” by Simon R. Green **
This stars John Taylor, a PI in London’s Nightside, a dark magical realm of sin and excess. It’s Gaiman by way of Warren Ellis, with perhaps a bit of Moorcock and a very grumpy (and half-drunk) Zelazny. In this tale, Taylor decides to help a woman who’s found her way into the Nightside find the missing day from her memory, even though every indication is that it will Not End Well. Not quite my unremittingly-dark cuppa, but I don’t regret having read it, and it might be something I come back to.
“The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog” by Kat Richardson ****
Part of Richardson’s “Graywalker” series, the best analog I can think of is Mercedes Lackey’s old Diana Tregarde novels, only with a bit lower magic level and focusing more on ghosts than witchcraft. Good, entertaining stuff, and some nice use (in this issue) of Mexican folk magic and holidays. I’ve ordered the first of the series (which is going to be reissued soon).
“Noah’s Orphans” by Thomas E. Sniegoski ****
Remy Chandler is one of the Seraphim, who quit his job after the Great War in Heaven and has decided that being a Boston-based private detective is the best way to learn about (and join) humanity. Here Chandler combats (im)mortal grief while trying to find out who’s murdered Noah — and why. And, yes, I’ve ordered the first of this series, too.
I hate being manipulated — but I guess I’m being manipulated in a pleasant way (so to speak). Good stuff. All recommended.
May 21, 2009
If you're an urban fantasy fan, you'll want to put serious consideration into checking out the anthology Mean Streets, which brings four stories to the table, two of which are heavy hitters long familiar to my recent book buying habits.
Harry Dresden fans will first and foremost want to check out Jim Butcher's contribution, "Warrior"--as long as you're up to date on the series. This story is set between the novels Small Favor and Turn Coat, and there are definite spoilers for the former. Still, it's a solid, compact Dresden adventure, distilled down to the essence of awesome that is Jim Butcher. All the involved characters are note-perfect, and in fact, the only complaint I have about the story is the lack of Murphy.
Kat Richardson's story "The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog" is also excellent. No real spoilers for the Greywalker series, since Richardon's heroine Harper Blaine is taken out of her usual locale and goes all the way down to Mexico to carry out the last wishes of a client. There's a lot of nifty, spooky Day of the Dead mileage in this, so if that particular holiday is your thing, you'll go for this.
Simon Green's "The Difference a Day Makes" was harder for me to get into. I'm not familiar with the Nightside novels, so I didn't have the advantage of familiarity to ground me with the protagonist, and that lack of context kept bumping up against said protagonist's penchant for telling the reader in great detail about how Weird and Badassed the Nightside is. He's even called on it by another character, and yet, he keeps doing it. Sorry, Mr. Green; I have to agree with your other character. ;) Plus, the OHNOEZ Big Reveal at the end of the story fell kind of flat for me. I'll admit though that Mr. Green does have a vivid way with a description, so other readers may find this story works better for them.
Thomas Sniegoski's "Noah's Orphans" intrigued me, though. Again, I'm not familiar with the novels this story comes out of, but the concept of an angel who's been masquerading as a private detective caught my interest, and Sniegoski does good things with utilizing Biblical mythos in setting up this story. Remy Chandler, a.k.a. the angel Remiel, is a poignant character as well in his struggle to cling to humanity he's learned from a loved one he's lost. I may have to go check out the Remiel books just to learn more about him--which, I daresay, makes this story a win.
All in all this is a solid volume and worth checking out. Four stars.
Harry Dresden fans will first and foremost want to check out Jim Butcher's contribution, "Warrior"--as long as you're up to date on the series. This story is set between the novels Small Favor and Turn Coat, and there are definite spoilers for the former. Still, it's a solid, compact Dresden adventure, distilled down to the essence of awesome that is Jim Butcher. All the involved characters are note-perfect, and in fact, the only complaint I have about the story is the lack of Murphy.
Kat Richardson's story "The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog" is also excellent. No real spoilers for the Greywalker series, since Richardon's heroine Harper Blaine is taken out of her usual locale and goes all the way down to Mexico to carry out the last wishes of a client. There's a lot of nifty, spooky Day of the Dead mileage in this, so if that particular holiday is your thing, you'll go for this.
Simon Green's "The Difference a Day Makes" was harder for me to get into. I'm not familiar with the Nightside novels, so I didn't have the advantage of familiarity to ground me with the protagonist, and that lack of context kept bumping up against said protagonist's penchant for telling the reader in great detail about how Weird and Badassed the Nightside is. He's even called on it by another character, and yet, he keeps doing it. Sorry, Mr. Green; I have to agree with your other character. ;) Plus, the OHNOEZ Big Reveal at the end of the story fell kind of flat for me. I'll admit though that Mr. Green does have a vivid way with a description, so other readers may find this story works better for them.
Thomas Sniegoski's "Noah's Orphans" intrigued me, though. Again, I'm not familiar with the novels this story comes out of, but the concept of an angel who's been masquerading as a private detective caught my interest, and Sniegoski does good things with utilizing Biblical mythos in setting up this story. Remy Chandler, a.k.a. the angel Remiel, is a poignant character as well in his struggle to cling to humanity he's learned from a loved one he's lost. I may have to go check out the Remiel books just to learn more about him--which, I daresay, makes this story a win.
All in all this is a solid volume and worth checking out. Four stars.
February 15, 2009
This was a very good book. I usually don't like books of short stories but the four books in this set were all novella's that had to deal with separate series. I have read three of the four series so I was able to really get into the stories.
The Dresden Files story was great! But I'm biased since the Dresden books are on my "favorites" list. It dragged a few of the characters into the book, but by no means all of them. It was a nice little jaunt into the Dresden world.
The next was a Nightside novel. This one was as twisted as ever. I enjoy the Nightside novels and this was no different, although it was nowhere near the top of my list.
Third was from the Greywalker series. I absolutely adored this story. I was a bit iffy about the series, but after reading this one, I really want more of this. I loved the story line *and* the characters. It's hard dealing with an english speaking character in a foreign country, there are so many ways that you deal with it. I'm not sure how many (ghosts) would speak english but evidently she found all of them ::grin::. I'm just glad she had the that the ones that did speak english actually speak well enough so I didn't have to fight to understand them. Although, now I want to go out and study up on Día de los Muertos history and beliefs.
The last one was from a series that I'm not familiar with. This had a lot of Christian history/fantasy. It was an ok book but I'm not going to go out and read this series. It was ok.
The Dresden Files story was great! But I'm biased since the Dresden books are on my "favorites" list. It dragged a few of the characters into the book, but by no means all of them. It was a nice little jaunt into the Dresden world.
The next was a Nightside novel. This one was as twisted as ever. I enjoy the Nightside novels and this was no different, although it was nowhere near the top of my list.
Third was from the Greywalker series. I absolutely adored this story. I was a bit iffy about the series, but after reading this one, I really want more of this. I loved the story line *and* the characters. It's hard dealing with an english speaking character in a foreign country, there are so many ways that you deal with it. I'm not sure how many (ghosts) would speak english but evidently she found all of them ::grin::. I'm just glad she had the that the ones that did speak english actually speak well enough so I didn't have to fight to understand them. Although, now I want to go out and study up on Día de los Muertos history and beliefs.
The last one was from a series that I'm not familiar with. This had a lot of Christian history/fantasy. It was an ok book but I'm not going to go out and read this series. It was ok.
June 17, 2010
4 novellas, 4 very different opinions.
I liked "The Warrior" because I've read so much of the Dresden Files. I don't think this is a story that you can fully appreciate without the context that comes with the previous 10 novels. The Carpenters are my next to favorite side characters.
"The Difference a Day Makes" just confirms to me that I shouldn't bother even thinking of reading any more of the Nightside books. I've read the first two, and now this story just confirms my displeasure. I don't like the writing style and it always seems like John Taylor is overpowered - like there's no doubt that he's going to easily figure out the case with whatever trusty companion is along for the ride this time. 1 star.
Despite not having read anything by Kat Richardson before, I liked "The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog." It made a lot of sense out of context with an interesting storyline and characters.
The Remy Chandler story was just kind of there. It makes sense even though I've not read any of the novels, but it doesn't really inspire me to read anything else.
I liked "The Warrior" because I've read so much of the Dresden Files. I don't think this is a story that you can fully appreciate without the context that comes with the previous 10 novels. The Carpenters are my next to favorite side characters.
"The Difference a Day Makes" just confirms to me that I shouldn't bother even thinking of reading any more of the Nightside books. I've read the first two, and now this story just confirms my displeasure. I don't like the writing style and it always seems like John Taylor is overpowered - like there's no doubt that he's going to easily figure out the case with whatever trusty companion is along for the ride this time. 1 star.
Despite not having read anything by Kat Richardson before, I liked "The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog." It made a lot of sense out of context with an interesting storyline and characters.
The Remy Chandler story was just kind of there. It makes sense even though I've not read any of the novels, but it doesn't really inspire me to read anything else.
March 12, 2009
(Since I'm not supposed to be buying books right now, my excuse is that I picked this up used from Powell's last week after selling some others that I was never going to read again.) I of course got it because of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files story- which was enjoyable and nicely cheesy in the way that only stories involving Michael can be. Don't read this one until after "Small Favor," it has lots of spoilers since it is set immediately after.
All I'll say about the second story, by Simon Green, is that I'm clearly not in the target demographic, which I assume is horny teenage boys with a thing for cars and no understanding of women. It was very boring.
The other two stories, by Kat Richardson and Thomas Sniegoski, were enjoyable. I wouldn't mind reading more about Richardson's female private eye. However, I'm not sure how I feel about the way God is treated in Sniegoski's world- kind of an old testament style spoiled jerk with no mercy.
All I'll say about the second story, by Simon Green, is that I'm clearly not in the target demographic, which I assume is horny teenage boys with a thing for cars and no understanding of women. It was very boring.
The other two stories, by Kat Richardson and Thomas Sniegoski, were enjoyable. I wouldn't mind reading more about Richardson's female private eye. However, I'm not sure how I feel about the way God is treated in Sniegoski's world- kind of an old testament style spoiled jerk with no mercy.
February 9, 2010
Just out in mass media paperback, I’ve waited for Mean Streets for a long time, but it is, mostly, very worth the wait. I started, but quickly stopped Simon R. Green’s “The Difference a Day Makes.” The Harry Dresden novella by Jim Butcher, sort of isn’t, it’s really about Michael Carpenter, his family and his faith in “The Warrior.” Giving Michael a happy, contented second act is very sweet. Kat Richardson’s novella has the great title, “The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog.” Harper Blaine is a character of whose adventures I want to read more. She sees ghosts and other beasties. Thomas Sniegoski’s “Noah’s Orphans” is about a race that Noah was unable to save, his regret, and his genocidal murderers. Some don’t care for this story, but as one who reads about vampires, werewolves and other woo-woo types, a former angel who is also a Boston PI in Raymond Chandler fashion is just great with me.
November 30, 2009
Finished the first short story, a Harry Dresden story. enjoyed it quite a bit, though we didn't see much of Molly, and I love to see the Master interact with his Padawan :)
Finished the second short story. Wasn't familiar with the author or his characters, and it started out like a rather freaky mystery, but I didn't like where they went. Far to much weird at the end. Now I know not to pick up any of his other stories on this topic.
Third short story was good--again a new author for me, but in this case it was a pleasant surprise. Quite enjoyable
Fourth short story I also enjoyed. Interesting take on the ideas of angels and divine intervention. I may have to read more of his books.
Finished the second short story. Wasn't familiar with the author or his characters, and it started out like a rather freaky mystery, but I didn't like where they went. Far to much weird at the end. Now I know not to pick up any of his other stories on this topic.
Third short story was good--again a new author for me, but in this case it was a pleasant surprise. Quite enjoyable
Fourth short story I also enjoyed. Interesting take on the ideas of angels and divine intervention. I may have to read more of his books.
March 25, 2015
These are four short stories from four private investigator/paranormal detective series. Each of the four has a very different flavor.
Jim Butcher's story is an action packed story from his regular character Harry Dresden. This is by far the best short story of the four. Alone I would give it 5 stars. Unfortunately the other three stories are not quite as good. They are worth the read but they are not in the same class as Butcher's story. Use your own judgement about reading this book. If you are a Jim Butcher fan the book is worth buying for his short story alone.
Jim Butcher's story is an action packed story from his regular character Harry Dresden. This is by far the best short story of the four. Alone I would give it 5 stars. Unfortunately the other three stories are not quite as good. They are worth the read but they are not in the same class as Butcher's story. Use your own judgement about reading this book. If you are a Jim Butcher fan the book is worth buying for his short story alone.
March 29, 2010
I think angel stories are starting to give zombies/vampires a run for their genre. Butcher and Sinegoski's stories feature heavily in the angel realm, and do it well. Richardson's story is a bit rambling but original. Simon R. Green, I'm sad to say, seems to have lost his umph. I loved the first 3-4 Nightside novels, but they've grown predictable in their reliance on shock value to keep you interested in flat characters with no momentum.
April 19, 2009
I came for the Jim Butcher story, but I stayed for the Sniegoski. I'm an totally going to have to get into the Remi Chandler series. I really enjoyed this story. Butcher was good, but it makes me want to read Turn Coat and I don't have time. Ergh. Thought the other two stories were ok, but I haven't read those authors before, so it took a little time to get into their worlds.
April 1, 2015
Read the first story (the Dresden Files one) but not the rest. I might come back to them at some point if I end up getting into those other series (Nightside, Greywalker) but I really hate reading books out of order so I can't bring myself to jump into them yet.
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