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Ethereal Earth #3.5
Short Changed: Stories from Ethereal Earth
How does a con man survive with no one around to fool but himself?
Who does a Knight battle when the demons in the dark begin to pale next to his own?
And what, exactly, does a minotaur do when he finally gets a vacation day?
These are stories from the world of Ethereal Earth, a place where legends and myths hide among us in plain sight, and occasionally just need to get some laundry done. Here you’ll find scenes that didn’t have a place in the main series, with new events that fall between the first three books to expand the lore and give fresh insight into some of your favorite characters—all with the same snarky and sinister mix you know and love. And maybe a few secrets too, if that’s your kind of thing.
Short Changed is the first story collection in the Ethereal Earth series, an ongoing tale of adventure and excitement and intrigue...and a group of people who didn’t ask for any of it.
- GenresFantasyUrban Fantasy
233 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 29, 2021
15 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Josh Erikson
9 books179 followersJosh Erikson doesn't have any fancy credentials to tell you about here. He lives in rural Nebraska (US) with his wife and two children, where he mostly reads, writes, and reads about writing. His many awards and accolades include some beautiful photoshopped certificates he printed at home and a yo-yo trick contest he once won at a fun fair in a grocery store parking lot.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 30, 2022
What fun!! review to follow...
September 3, 2022
Review copy of the audiobook received from the author in exchange for an honest review.
As an urban fantasy series, Ethereal Earth is not short on action scenes, but it's never at the expense of character development, especially in the case of Gabriel Delling (or Gabe). This collection of short stories clearly evidences how much care Erikson takes to develop the characters in his head before he puts them down onto paper, which is why the characterisations are all so good.
The stories here fleshed out the characters even more, there's even a chapter with Heather's PoV and several on Leopold Deminov, a Knight of Solomon, who's written to be an antagonist in the series. I've always appreciate being able to be given insights to the motivations. The best kind of antagonists are not the evil moustache-twirling villains, but those whose motivations are simply in opposition to the protagonists in the story. While Leopold may not be the big bad of the series, the agenda of the Knights of Solomon will definitely be problematic to Gabe and his friends/allies.
One thing to note is that these stories do not stand on their own - if you've not had any prior experience with the earlier stories or known the characters, it wouldn't work. In the author's own words, these are more like "Director's Cut" material of scenes that occur in-between the main storyline. Their primary purpose is to provide more details and context on the characters and not as stand-alone short stories. For me, it was a great addition especially since it's been a while since I've read the third book, Blight Marked, which was the best book of the series so far.
As an urban fantasy series, Ethereal Earth is not short on action scenes, but it's never at the expense of character development, especially in the case of Gabriel Delling (or Gabe). This collection of short stories clearly evidences how much care Erikson takes to develop the characters in his head before he puts them down onto paper, which is why the characterisations are all so good.
The stories here fleshed out the characters even more, there's even a chapter with Heather's PoV and several on Leopold Deminov, a Knight of Solomon, who's written to be an antagonist in the series. I've always appreciate being able to be given insights to the motivations. The best kind of antagonists are not the evil moustache-twirling villains, but those whose motivations are simply in opposition to the protagonists in the story. While Leopold may not be the big bad of the series, the agenda of the Knights of Solomon will definitely be problematic to Gabe and his friends/allies.
One thing to note is that these stories do not stand on their own - if you've not had any prior experience with the earlier stories or known the characters, it wouldn't work. In the author's own words, these are more like "Director's Cut" material of scenes that occur in-between the main storyline. Their primary purpose is to provide more details and context on the characters and not as stand-alone short stories. For me, it was a great addition especially since it's been a while since I've read the third book, Blight Marked, which was the best book of the series so far.
December 7, 2022
Took me about 11 months to finish this one, lol. I'm not hood with short stories(collection) and only read this one on the bus when I had nothing else to read. The stories were all fun and entertaining though.
February 10, 2022
The review of Josh Erikson's Short Changed was originally published over at my blog, The Grimoire Reliquary.
Short story anthologies are a difficult sell right now, especially ones based on existing properties. It’s no surprise Josh Erikson describes Short Changed: Stories from Ethereal Earth as a passion project, one he doesn’t expect will be widely read or reviewed. He is likely right; all the more shame, really, as the stories within this 233-page volume are an absolute delight. They deserve to be picked up by those who have read any and all the Ethereal Earth novels; and in case you haven’t, get a kindle or paperback copy and get started asap. It’s my favourite urban fantasy series, bar none. No, not even The Dresden Files can take away Ethereal Earth‘s cake, it’s that good. From this point onwards, I’ll talk a little bit about some of my favourite stories; discussions might hold mild spoilers about the mainline novels. Beware…
The stand-out story for me is told from the perspective of disgruntled kingpin James as he sees his empire crumble and is forced to run for his life. What starts out as a predictable story about this fall from power turns into an unexpected, powerful tale of hope lost and identity reclaimed.
Another highlight was a story told from Heather’s perspective; the succubus has been half the heart of the novels since Hero Forged but always at a distance, her thoughts hidden from the reader. Not so in “New Deals,” which follows Heather’s difficulties following Fate Lashed‘s finale. There’s tension there, and humour, and even a spice of subterfuge.
The remnant of the stories follow either beloved protagonist Gabe or a Templar Knight whose stories I enjoyed more than I thought I would. Slipping into Gabe’s point of view is like putting on your favourite pair of socks–it whispers comfort in your mind, especially as these stories show down-time, those quiet moments in-between the bombastic misadventures of the former conman and his team of fantastic beasts and pals. The KNIGHT SHIFT stories are five in number, fragmentary in nature but captivating for their revealing a wholly different perspective than Gabe’s. Told from the perspective of a minor character Gabe has crossed paths with countless times by now, it shows well how lack of information can paint even the most heroic into the monstrous; I wonder if this particular character will sink into villainy in wholly horrific ways, or if he will become the unlikeliest of allies to Gabe’s reality-saving gang. Time will tell.
Josh Erikson, as always, narrates the audiobook version of this one. There’s a reason audiobook is my preferred format for the Ethereal Earth works – Erikson is that good. The different character voices are just as I remember, and I’m a sucker for consistency. Excellent work all around.
I recommend this one—but more importantly, I want to reiterate the following: Ethereal Earth is excellent urban fantasy and you should read it.
Short story anthologies are a difficult sell right now, especially ones based on existing properties. It’s no surprise Josh Erikson describes Short Changed: Stories from Ethereal Earth as a passion project, one he doesn’t expect will be widely read or reviewed. He is likely right; all the more shame, really, as the stories within this 233-page volume are an absolute delight. They deserve to be picked up by those who have read any and all the Ethereal Earth novels; and in case you haven’t, get a kindle or paperback copy and get started asap. It’s my favourite urban fantasy series, bar none. No, not even The Dresden Files can take away Ethereal Earth‘s cake, it’s that good. From this point onwards, I’ll talk a little bit about some of my favourite stories; discussions might hold mild spoilers about the mainline novels. Beware…
The stand-out story for me is told from the perspective of disgruntled kingpin James as he sees his empire crumble and is forced to run for his life. What starts out as a predictable story about this fall from power turns into an unexpected, powerful tale of hope lost and identity reclaimed.
Another highlight was a story told from Heather’s perspective; the succubus has been half the heart of the novels since Hero Forged but always at a distance, her thoughts hidden from the reader. Not so in “New Deals,” which follows Heather’s difficulties following Fate Lashed‘s finale. There’s tension there, and humour, and even a spice of subterfuge.
The remnant of the stories follow either beloved protagonist Gabe or a Templar Knight whose stories I enjoyed more than I thought I would. Slipping into Gabe’s point of view is like putting on your favourite pair of socks–it whispers comfort in your mind, especially as these stories show down-time, those quiet moments in-between the bombastic misadventures of the former conman and his team of fantastic beasts and pals. The KNIGHT SHIFT stories are five in number, fragmentary in nature but captivating for their revealing a wholly different perspective than Gabe’s. Told from the perspective of a minor character Gabe has crossed paths with countless times by now, it shows well how lack of information can paint even the most heroic into the monstrous; I wonder if this particular character will sink into villainy in wholly horrific ways, or if he will become the unlikeliest of allies to Gabe’s reality-saving gang. Time will tell.
Josh Erikson, as always, narrates the audiobook version of this one. There’s a reason audiobook is my preferred format for the Ethereal Earth works – Erikson is that good. The different character voices are just as I remember, and I’m a sucker for consistency. Excellent work all around.
I recommend this one—but more importantly, I want to reiterate the following: Ethereal Earth is excellent urban fantasy and you should read it.
April 20, 2023
*I proof-read this novel and received a free ARC of the final book, with no obligation to review at all. This review is unbiased and represents my own personal opinions.*
These are short stories from the Ethereal Earth series, and I strongly urge you to read the first three books in the series – Hero Forged, Fate Lashed and Blight Marked – before you dive in here as a) there are definitely going to be spoilers and b) these stories function as bonus material to the main series, so if you don’t already know the characters and main story arc then you are likely to be lost here.
Oh, and bonus answer c) the whole series is utterly awesome so you’d be missing out on a treat!
If you picture these as ‘deleted scenes’ in the added extra section of a film DVD then you won’t go far wrong. As a fan, these add awesome world-building and character-enhancing details that I devoured with great enthusiasm. It is like getting a sneak peak behind the scenes at some of Gabe, Heather and co’s quieter, less plot-driven moments – a glimpse into James’ background; an opportunity to understand what drives zealot Knight of Solomon Leopold Deminov and more.
So, extra content, not stand-alone stories. But exceedingly well-written and entertaining extra content, so well worth the time and money to complete your Ethereal Earth collection ready for books 4, Dawn Razed (already released at the time of writing, and review coming soon!).
If you love anti-heroes, found family, and lots of snarky banter with your action-and-magic-packed urban fantasy (and who doesn’t?), then you need to read this series immediately!
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
These are short stories from the Ethereal Earth series, and I strongly urge you to read the first three books in the series – Hero Forged, Fate Lashed and Blight Marked – before you dive in here as a) there are definitely going to be spoilers and b) these stories function as bonus material to the main series, so if you don’t already know the characters and main story arc then you are likely to be lost here.
Oh, and bonus answer c) the whole series is utterly awesome so you’d be missing out on a treat!
If you picture these as ‘deleted scenes’ in the added extra section of a film DVD then you won’t go far wrong. As a fan, these add awesome world-building and character-enhancing details that I devoured with great enthusiasm. It is like getting a sneak peak behind the scenes at some of Gabe, Heather and co’s quieter, less plot-driven moments – a glimpse into James’ background; an opportunity to understand what drives zealot Knight of Solomon Leopold Deminov and more.
So, extra content, not stand-alone stories. But exceedingly well-written and entertaining extra content, so well worth the time and money to complete your Ethereal Earth collection ready for books 4, Dawn Razed (already released at the time of writing, and review coming soon!).
If you love anti-heroes, found family, and lots of snarky banter with your action-and-magic-packed urban fantasy (and who doesn’t?), then you need to read this series immediately!
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
February 13, 2022
This is a group of stories from The Ethereal Earth series, and inside there are stories that fall between Hero Forged and Fate Lashed, and stories that fall between Fate Lashed and Blight Marked. So, read those first, if possible!
Many of the stories follow Gabe and Heather, who are the main protagonists throughout the series, however there are a bunch of stories that follow the Knight, Leopold, and the minotaur, Dante. I really enjoyed seeing some things from the point of view of Leopold, as I've always thought that he's an interesting character.
Josh Erikson narrates this little book of short stories, just as he has narrated all of the Ethereal Earth series, and he's consistently done a great job with it! His narration has only gotten better and better in my opinion as the series has gone on.
So, all told, if you've enjoyed the Ethereal Earth series, you'll very likely enjoy Short Changed! You should definitely give it a read (or a listen, if that's your jam!)
superstardrifter.com
Many of the stories follow Gabe and Heather, who are the main protagonists throughout the series, however there are a bunch of stories that follow the Knight, Leopold, and the minotaur, Dante. I really enjoyed seeing some things from the point of view of Leopold, as I've always thought that he's an interesting character.
Josh Erikson narrates this little book of short stories, just as he has narrated all of the Ethereal Earth series, and he's consistently done a great job with it! His narration has only gotten better and better in my opinion as the series has gone on.
So, all told, if you've enjoyed the Ethereal Earth series, you'll very likely enjoy Short Changed! You should definitely give it a read (or a listen, if that's your jam!)
superstardrifter.com
January 29, 2022
So i wasnt originally going to buy this because I'm not much one for short stories or novellas. However as it happened I ended up with time off work, needed a bit of a pallet cleanser annnd I genuinly missed this author's writing, so I decided to give it a shot.
The author's still on top form with the banter and you stay in a each story just long enough to stay interested as they dont have the usual world ending consequences to keep things moving.
Overall if you enjoy the series and have the time its a fun little book to pick up.
The author's still on top form with the banter and you stay in a each story just long enough to stay interested as they dont have the usual world ending consequences to keep things moving.
Overall if you enjoy the series and have the time its a fun little book to pick up.
January 2, 2023
This is great for fans of the series, more behind the scenes of other characters that really gives even more depth to the story overall. I’d recommend reading the first 3 books in The Ethereal Earth series before this book otherwise it’s references won’t make sense. (Basically a lot of the stuff cut from the series to make the books shorter but still great material).
January 20, 2022
excellent as always.
This is a great collection of stories from a spectacular series. The writing, as always is top notch, and thoroughly enjoyable. I can’t wait for the next book.
This is a great collection of stories from a spectacular series. The writing, as always is top notch, and thoroughly enjoyable. I can’t wait for the next book.
November 17, 2023
A Welcome Respite
Thos collection is almost exactly what I had been wanting. A glimpse of Gabe & Co. between crises. The pacing in the main books so frantic that we get few chances to watch them in their day to day lives. I greatly enjoyed it here.
Thos collection is almost exactly what I had been wanting. A glimpse of Gabe & Co. between crises. The pacing in the main books so frantic that we get few chances to watch them in their day to day lives. I greatly enjoyed it here.
June 16, 2022
There are some nice stories here. Others not so much. Curious to see to where this story will go.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews