Baba Yaga's Daughter & Other Tales of the Old Races

Negotiator Trilogy/Old Races Universe #4

by C.E. Murphy

Ancient rivals, worst of friends, best of enemies: dragonlord Janx and master vampire Eliseo Daisani are the threads upon which a tapestry of lives and loves are woven across the centuries. From the coldest Russian nights to the heat of Chicago's greatest fire, nothing brings the immortal adversaries together--or tears them apart--like a woman.

And there is always a woman.

Vanessa Grey has been at Daisani's side for decades, but the secrets borne by a witch may be her undoing. Baba Yaga's daughter has plots that are decades in the hatching, but they may only succeed if Margrit Knight, named 'the Negotiator' by Daisani and Janx themselves, will work with her. And there are others: the deadliest vampire hunter mankind has ever known, and a woman for whom the Old Races are a wonder to walk away from.

Revisit C.E. Murphy's world of the Old Races with ten stories that delve into the past and future of the two most beloved characters from her urban fantasy trilogy The Negotiator!

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Short Stories, Witches, Magic, Anthologies, Collections

257 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 28, 2012

About the author

CE Murphy began writing around age six, when she submitted three poems to a school publication. The teacher producing the magazine selected (inevitably) the one she thought was by far the worst, but also told her–a six year old kid–to keep writing, which she has. She has also held the usual grab-bag of jobs usually seen in an authorial biography, including public library volunteer (at ages 9 and 10; it’s clear she was doomed to a career involving books), archival assistant, cannery worker, and web designer. Writing books is better.

She was born and raised in Alaska, and now lives with her family in her ancestral homeland of Ireland.

She also writes paranormal romance as Murphy Lawless and cozy mysteries as Catie Murphy.

Reviews

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection makes me sad and yearn for more. The Old Races is a trilogy I absolutely loved. It's my favourite series from Ms. Murphy. It is always generates pleasurable suffering for me because there are no happy endings. It's very Chinese in a way which speaks to my soul.

This collection is for the masochist because it shows us more about how friendships break and longevity strains bonds. The hypothesis has always been that when a person lives forever, they lose their ability to connect with life. Ms. Murphy shows this in a way which is painful to witness yet makes so much sense. With each story, it builds upon a previous one until the end shows us how Margrit came to be the negotiator. My heart hurts for Vanessa. I've always been enamoured of Janx and Daisani. These two men are the best of friends yet the worst of enemies. Their competition with each other is amusing. When they hurt each other, it's tragic. What Janx did to Daisani does not balance what Daisani did to him. Two wrongs in this instance does not make a right.

There are so many things to say about this world which I can not express in words clearly. To say this world and the characters touched my soul and moved me is an understatement. There is a certain magic to the male characters in this series. I think it's because they are sociopaths and probably crossing into psychopaths which draws me to them. These men are the anti-heroes which will bring the downfall of any woman they decide to fight over. Still, they are too alluring to ignore.

I loved this book and I wish I had a copy of this signed collector item. It's worth it.

[Laci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've just started the audiobook, but I immediately fell in love with the actress. :|

Update:
Anna Parker-Naples' voice acting is brilliant. The characters are easily identifiable by their voices, and baba Yaga's daughter sounds especially lovely. But there's *so* much more to it - this book does many things, and does them well.

The plot is split into chapters, each a story of its own, woven into the same colorful tapestry. There are multiple POV characters, and I liked each one.

Do you want tales based on traditional myths? Or a vampiric romance? Interactions filled with subtexts and silent threats? Fantastic races you've heard of (so they feel familiar), but with reasonable and interesting twists (so they're not boring?)

Both dialogues and narration are not only cleverly written - they also count on the reader not being totally dumb and oblivious, too. Many books do the exact opposite; The Hunger Games comes to mind from recent memory. I don't like when the narrator "insinuates" something, and then PROCEEDS TO EXPLAIN IT, in case I can't figure out that by "her head was cut off" also means that "AND THEN SHE WAS DEAD, you know."

Not here. Baba Yaga's Daughter is rife with hints and insinuations which not only aren't stupidly explained, but sometimes they're convoluted enough to actually require some thinking. (Okay, that might be because I'm slower. I wouldn't know.)

Maybe you won't like it as much as I did, but I'd still recommend it.

[Eamonn Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It pays to read the back cover of ‘Baba Yaga’s Daughter And Other Tales Of The Old Races’ before delving into the book. The information there about dragonlord Janx and master vampire Eliseo Daisani as ‘ancient rivals, best of friends, best of enemies’ is most helpful. They are two members of the Old Races who have been around since before humankind. Mankind’s prolific breeding and expansion mean that they and the other Old Races, gargoyles, djinn, selkies, etc, find it wiser to stay hidden now for they are not numerous and would be in danger if we became aware of them. They prefer to be thought of as myths and legends of bygone days.

‘From Russia With Love’ is about a daughter of Baba-Yaga, an ancient and powerful witch. Dragonlord Janx and Eliseo Daisani compete for her favours. They do the same for another daughter in ‘Baba Yaga’s Daughter’ later in the book. This lady is one of the Romanovs, her family slain by Bolsheviks. Both these tales are written in the first person by the women and, although they give the book its title, I didn’t enjoy them as much as the other tales. ‘Baba Yaga’s Daughter’ is the better of the two because of the historical connection and neither is terrible but something about the narrative style put me off. ‘When in Rome’ takes place after ‘Baba Yaga’s Daughter’ but comes before it in the book, which is confusing. It’s another about the witch and her increasing power. I was hoping for vampires among the Caesars. Oh well.

Happily, the other tales, more about Janx and Daisani, are terrific. Janx is a tall, bronze-skinned, red-haired, charming and charismatic dandy in human form. Eliseo is smaller, darker, not as handsome, quieter and more subtle. They both chase human ladies but the vampire Daisani caught the best one, Vanessa Grey. Despite being a mere mortal, she’s smart enough to match wits with the Old Races and even dares to gamble with them in ‘Five Card Draw.’ This takes place in a Chicago speakeasy in the roaring twenties and serves mostly as a showcase for the personalities. The conclusion is brilliant.

‘A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight’ also takes place in Chicago but at an earlier time, 1871, when it was the crossroads of the nation, prosperous and full of wealth, poverty, cheats, killers and…vampires. Usually, the bloodsuckers are circumspect but the anonymity of a big town with so many people pouring through, anonymous strangers that no one cares about, makes for the perfect feeding ground and they are getting careless. Our heroine is Susannah, an unmarried woman with an independent streak who works as a secretary at the Pinkerton Agency with the mad dream of being a real detective one day. Her chance comes when she is recruited by Serafina Durke, Chicago’s dark lady. Serafina runs brothels and protection rackets. Susannah’s new job involves dressing up as a wealthy lady and frequenting low dives in the Hairtrigger Block district of the city. She’s bait to lure vampires. Her employer is a dragon. Janx and Daisani get involved. It’s a satisfying adventure that reveals something of the politics and power balance among the Old Races and how it’s carefully maintained. I liked the Joseph Conrad-style framing of the story, too, with Janx and Daisani telling it to Vanessa Grey one quiet night in the speakeasy.

The third windy city story, ‘Chicago Bang Bang’ happens sixty years later, the classic gangster era and starts with Boss Daisani gunned down in a restaurant where he’s dining with Vanessa Grey. He’s not killed but has to fake serious injury to maintain his cover. Vanessa hires a private detective to find out who’s behind the attack.

‘The Age Of Aquarius’ shows Baba Yaga’s daughter, her daughters, Elisio Daisani and dragonlord Janx meeting up at a 1960s pop festival where thousands gather. Things happen but spoilers spoil it, so I will say nothing about the last few stories in which early developments are brought to fruition, sometimes sadly. The fate of one character left a sour taste.

I find in life and fiction that slyness, subtlety and sophistication often mask evil. Janx, Daisani, Baba-Yaga and other characters in this mythology are entertaining but best avoided by humans. Author C.E. Murphy writes well and, at the risk of being sexist, like a lady. The male point of view is slightly different: Joe Lansdale, for example. Bear in mind that these are episodes in the larger legend of her fantasy trilogy ‘The Negotiator’, so if you like the book, there’s plenty more. I liked it but trilogies aren’t my thing.

My copy of ‘Baba Yaga’s Daughter And Other Tales Of The Old Races’ is a 2012 paperback ARC (advanced review copy) of an expensive hardback edition from Subterranean Press. It’s out of print now. You can get it second hand for £35 but the book has since been released in a Kindle edition by another publisher and is therefore available to read cheaply. Worth a look.

[Sandy Schleich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Old race’s universe should definitely be read before this book. The dragon and the vampire are rivals and they’re always trying to one up each other, but in doing so one of them gets captured by Baba Yaga. There are two daughters of Baba Yaga’s in this book. Even though the vampire and the dragon are like yin and yang together, one steals from the other. The thing that the vampire stole from the dragon will start a war between the vampires and the dragons. Sometimes I had a little difficulty following along with the stories because they would kind of jump from the past to the present but overall it was decent. I listened to this book on Audible and I didn’t like the narrator very well.

[Teri B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of short stories that reach back into the 19th century to eventually arrive in the 21th took me by surprise. I found the audiobook available from my local library and jumped to the occasion as I had read the whole Walker Paper series by this author a few years back and had loved it with its bringing together of urban fantasy and a shamanistic world view. I also still am a book shy in her The Negotiator series.

And then I started to listen to this audiobook. It was a treat. Do not get me wrong, the narrator does not fit all the roles, that at least is my take, but the stories that are being told are so far reaching and amazing, and C.E. Murphy has such an interesting view on the old races, the dragons and vampires and Baba Yaga's daughter.

It was a delight to listen to this audiobook and see the bigger story unfold.

Now, I finally feel ready to face the last book in the Negotiator series and hopefully, there are more tales to come about the old races.

And just in case you are unsure, C.E. Murphy's female characters rock, they play their role and they do it with a twinkle in the eye. Strong, unfazed and empowering.

[Te-ge Bramhall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be the first collection of short stories on my Recommended Best Books list.

Short stories are okay for now and then, but they're not my favorite, because I love falling deep within a story and they seldom let you do that.

This is the exception to the rule.

The writing is so well done, the stories amazing. I almost cried when the book ended. I wanted more of the characters.

I'll definitely be looking for more books by this author.

Recommended for lovers of fantasy and fairy tales.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Filling in the gaps

These stories answer some of the questions raised by the novels, and fill in some events that bring things together. Excellent stories, and strong, interesting characters.

[Eleni Konstantine · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

[Heather Romanowski Book Realm Revisions, LLC · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Baba Yaga's daughter and seeing the series with a new perspective! All the stories were awesome but reading Chimera was a favorite since I got to revisit Margrit. Rebecca's story came in second because her mother is just such an amazing character!

[Jane Yates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audio review of Baba Yaga's Daughter and Other Stories of the Old Races
Written by: C. E. Murphy Narrated by: Anna Parker-Naples Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins Unabridged Audiobook This is an enchanted tale that has been skilfully brought to life by Anna’s colourful narration. The plot is not straight forward at all but several stories spun together in a delightful mix. Many parts to the story stretch over different continents and many generations. In it Murphy writes of truths, half-truths, folklore and legions. I liked how she wrote the female characters with strong leads and they were both brave and fearful. Not meek or in any way subservient, which is often the case in some old fashioned tales. The two main male characters, the dragonlord Janx and the dashing vampire Eliseo Daisani are both powerful in their own rights and make an uneasy friendship. However both of them are never without a woman in their lives to complete or complicate them. Being a child still at heart, I loved the witches best, Baba Yaga, and her chicken leg hut that could not cross running water and the daughter who had no name. Anna gave Russian inflections to their lines as she read them, and made them seam formidable pair, I certainly would not like to meet Baba Yaga in the dark. Anna wide range of voices forced me to stop listening at one point and to check there was indeed only one narrator. How she jumped from a Russian voice to an American in the same paragraph was mesmerising. Along with vampires, there is an interesting an skilfully written female vampire hunter. I felt a bit like I was exploring a secret world. I was transfixed by the dragons who could take on the form of humans alongside tales of gargoyles and silkies. Not only were all the magical creatures in this story beautifully written, but also humans characters, who’s lives became intertwined with the old races intriguing and fairy like way. There were interesting settings, old fashioned speakeasy’s to modern day settings. This is an enchanted tale, but I am glad I listened to it rather than reading it as its dripped though with long and tasty descriptions, and having them read out to you gives you more of a chance to absorb and admire them. This is the first time I have come across Murphy’s writing and I would really look forward to reading/listening to some more of her fantastic written work. A magical listen, Anna has a skilful reading of the wonderful characters was both relaxing and hugely enjoyable. I am looking forward to listening to other Audiobook’s that Anna has narrated. Especially looking forward to her upcoming reading of the Audiobook, ‘Garden.’

[Andrea Blythe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Janxx and Eliseo Daisani are two of the most interesting Old Race characters in Murphy's Negotiator series. One a dragon and one a vampire, they are not good guys, being cagey tricksters and criminals caught in a centuries long rivalry. But this rivalry has evolved into friendship, an intimacy that binds them together, so that even as they compete against one another, they can't really live without each other. Each of them is as likely to do they right thing for wicked reasons as they are to do evil deeds for good reasons. Ultimately, they are just a lot of fun.

This collection of stories brings Janxx and Eliseo to the forefront by weaving together a series of stories in chronological order, and filling in some of the bast stories from the trilogy. Many of them are told from the point of view of other characters, mostly women who either serve as the focus of their rivalry, most especially Baba Yaga's Daughter, who is also a key part of these stories. Though the women tend to be the "prize" that both Eliseo and Janxx hope to win, it should not be thought that these women are merely objects to be obtained. They have their own stories and their own strengths and don't fall for Janxx and Eliseo's games.

The writing is consistently good, though as with most short story collections, there were some I liked more than others. Most of them I thoroughly enjoyed. "The Knight's Tale," about how Rebecca Knight met Eliseo Daisani and was presented with an offer that could change her life, was by far my favorite. There was a bitter sweet tone to it that I adored, and the ending was lovely.

As to whether you need to read the Negotiator trilogy before reading these stories, I'd say it was kind of a toss up. I think reading the trilogy first might add to one's enjoyment, but the collection progresses to reveal a nearly complete story, almost a novel in its own right. So, I think you could read this collection and still enjoy it.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was ecstatic when I got this in the mail yesterday, after waiting for ten months from the day I ordered it for it to arrive. But being in November and therefore the middle of NaNoWriMo meant that I could use this book as a motivation tool. I couldn't start reading until I hit 35,000 words, and once I reached that goal I really didn't want to put this book down.

Unfortunately I had to because in the middle of "Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight" I started falling asleep. As soon as I woke up this morning I dove right back into this book and now it's finished and the stories were all amazing. I loved reading more about Janx and Daisani and it was fun to see more of their shared past and some of the aspects of their rather complicated relationship.

It has been so long since I have read the Negotiator trilogy that now I think I'm going to have to go back and read them, just to make sure I didn't somehow miss something in these stories.

Baba Yaga's Daughter will join my other C.E. Murphy books as some of my all-time favorite reads, and this book is made even more special by the fact that it is an autographed copy from a limited edition run, #72 of 1000. Anyone who has the opportunity to read these books or any by C.E. Murphy should, because she is absolutely brilliant. I can't wait for her next book. It doesn't matter if it is published through the traditional route, through self-published e-books, or through Kickstarter, I am a HUGE fan of her and will gladly purchase any and all of her books.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved CE Murphy's Negotiator trilogy so this book with ten stories of the Old Races was a must-buy for me. While I wasn't too thrilled with the first two stories, "Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight" drew me in and I enjoyed the rest of the stories after that. "Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight" was my favorite, though, about a dragon seeking help from a human woman to hunt vampires. I didn't really like Baba Yaga's daughter in her first story, but she grew on me in later stories. In the last story, "Chimera", the author also gives us a peek at Margrit past the events in the Negotiator trilogy.

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got the Kindle edition - but that apparently doesn't show up on Goodreads. So much has happened in the past of the Old Races but this book has not one but two daughters of Baba Yaga! I enjoyed a lot of the glimpses into both the past - the present - and future of the Old Races. I dearly hope there is yet more to come - perhaps not about the Negotiator, but in the Chimera generation. There is so much more to the Old Races yet so few books that we get hints and desserts but no meals you can yet sink your teeth in again. I hope Murphy gets back to this series...

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This collection of Old Races stories is a must for anyone who likes the Negotiator trilogy. I love how Murphy takes us so far into the past and then into the future to show how everything ties together. She beautifully fleshes out the world and the history and relationship of Daisani and Janx in particular. The original trilogy is strong enough to stand on its own, but this book just makes the trilogy so much more. I love it!

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. These are some background stories from the Negotiator series by Ms. Murphy. When I reread the series, I am going to have such a better understanding of Janx and Elieso and why the act the way they do.

This can be read as a stand alone book if you have not read Ms. Murphy's other works.


I do hope she will do another book like this for the Negotiator series.

[B. Ross Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great stories of the Old Races in here ... C.E. continues to develop new depths as a writer. Love it.

Sorry I have taken so long to get around to reading this. Lots of business got in the way. But it kept well!

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! This book is full of pretty darn great stories about Janx and Daisani. Absolutely loved it. Amazingly good pacing, engaging, diverse voices all linked with a recurring narrative to make it feel more like a cohesive novel than an anthology. Highly recommended.

[gremlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is kind of a spinoff of the Negotiator trilogy, which I really liked. The stories mainly cover dragonlord Janx and vampire Eliseo Dasaini, and were interesting background on the two. I'm not sure why, but I just couldn't get all that into any of them.

[Alison (Lady Coffin) S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful collection of stories from C.E. Murphy Negotiator and Old Races Universe. Jumped around as to who the story teller was, but many were by Baba Yaga's Daughter. Enjoyed reading this a lot.

[Darcy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I like this author's Walker Papers series, her others ones end up not working for me. I knew this book was going to be set in the other books, but wanted to check it out. I tried all of the stories, but didn't finish any of them. In the end this one wasn't for me.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable collection of interlinked short stories by C.E. Murphy. The main character in the title plays a key role, as do a centuries old dragon and his best friend/enemy, a vampire. Each story stands on its own, but their ending implies much more in the context of the book. Nice job!

[Donna Jo Atwood · Rating 2 out of 5]

The interconnected stories were interesting and had some surprising twists. What threw me off was the strange sentence structure in places. Sometimes I read the same sentence three or four times and couldn't make sense of it.
Of course, it could be that I'm reading outside my usual genre.

[Dev · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really don't like Eliseo Daisani and Janx, so I wasn't thrilled with the fact that the stories resolved around them. I liked hearing the backstory behind Vanessa Grey, though, and the tiny peak at Margrit's future. The end left me wanting to find the next book, if there is one.

[Larisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't wait to reread this, and love the cover art. ...best entry in an outstanding series.

[Sandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed C.E. Murphy's Negotiator series so I was looking forward to reading more stories set in that world. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy the short stories as much as I did the novels.

[JB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the insight and epansion to the negotiator series. Great characters, great plot, love everything about this bokk. Would love to have the author write more.

[Sumayyah]

Giving up on this one. It's just not holding my interest the way that I'd hoped. A collection of short stories, based on legends and Celtic mythologies.

[Laurla2]

from russia, with love
five card draw
hot time in the old town tonight
when in rome
baba yaga's daughter
chicago bang bang
the age of aquarius
the knight's tale
last hand
chimera