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Hell on Earth #4.5 (Hell Bound)
Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives
Got vampires? Ghosts? Monsters? We can help!
Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives, is your one-stop-shop for Urban Fantasy’s finest anthology of the supernatural. 14 sleuths are gathered together for the first time in all-original tales of unusual cases which require services that go far beyond mere deduction!
Meet our detectives, from these fine agencies.
Danny Hendrickson—from Laura Anne Gilman’s Cosa Nostradamus series.
Kate Connor—from Julie Kenner’s Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series.
John Taylor—from Simon R. Green’s Nightside series.
Jill Kismet—from Lilith Saintcrow’s Jill Kismet series.
Jessi Hardin—from Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty Norville series.
Quincey Morris—from Justin Gustainis’ Morris/Chastain Investigations series.
Marla Mason—from T.A. Pratt’s Marla Mason series.
Tony Foster—from Tanya Huff’s Smoke and Shadows series.
Dawn Madison—from Chris Marie Green’s Vampire Babylon series.
Pete Caldecott—from Caitlin Kittredge’s Black London series.
Tony Giodone—from C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp’s Tales of the Sazi series.
Jezebel—from Jackie Kessler’s Hell on Earth series.
Piers Knight—from C.J. Henderson’s Brooklyn Knight series.
Cassiel—from Rachel Caine’s Outcast Season series.
Demons may lurk, werewolves may prowl, vampires may ride the wind. These are things that go “bump in the night,” but we are the ones who “bump back!”
Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives, is your one-stop-shop for Urban Fantasy’s finest anthology of the supernatural. 14 sleuths are gathered together for the first time in all-original tales of unusual cases which require services that go far beyond mere deduction!
Meet our detectives, from these fine agencies.
Danny Hendrickson—from Laura Anne Gilman’s Cosa Nostradamus series.
Kate Connor—from Julie Kenner’s Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series.
John Taylor—from Simon R. Green’s Nightside series.
Jill Kismet—from Lilith Saintcrow’s Jill Kismet series.
Jessi Hardin—from Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty Norville series.
Quincey Morris—from Justin Gustainis’ Morris/Chastain Investigations series.
Marla Mason—from T.A. Pratt’s Marla Mason series.
Tony Foster—from Tanya Huff’s Smoke and Shadows series.
Dawn Madison—from Chris Marie Green’s Vampire Babylon series.
Pete Caldecott—from Caitlin Kittredge’s Black London series.
Tony Giodone—from C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp’s Tales of the Sazi series.
Jezebel—from Jackie Kessler’s Hell on Earth series.
Piers Knight—from C.J. Henderson’s Brooklyn Knight series.
Cassiel—from Rachel Caine’s Outcast Season series.
Demons may lurk, werewolves may prowl, vampires may ride the wind. These are things that go “bump in the night,” but we are the ones who “bump back!”
221 pages, Paperback
First published April 18, 2011
54 people are currently reading
2013 people want to read
About the author
Justin Gustainis
24 books254 followersJustin Gustainis was born in Northeast Pennsylvania in 1951. He attended college at the University of Scranton, a Jesuit university that figures prominently in several of his writings.
After earning both Bachelor's and Master's degrees, he was commissioned a Lieutenant in the U. S. Army.
Mr. Gustainis currently lives in Plattsburgh, New York. He is a Professor of Communication at Plattsburgh State University.
Series:
* Quincey Morris
After earning both Bachelor's and Master's degrees, he was commissioned a Lieutenant in the U. S. Army.
Mr. Gustainis currently lives in Plattsburgh, New York. He is a Professor of Communication at Plattsburgh State University.
Series:
* Quincey Morris
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
September 19, 2021
Halloween Bingo 2021
It's fascinating in a short fiction collection like this to see the many ways that both monsters and monster hunters can be imagined. Some of the stories are written by authors I'm familiar with, Lillith Saintcrow, Rachel Caine, T.A. Pratt, Laura Anne Gilman. One, Tanya Huff, I've had on my TBR for a while and haven't got to yet.
Rachel Caine's offering fits into her Weather Warden series, which I am unfamiliar with. Based on this story, I think I would like it. Unsurprising, really, as I like several of her other series. This was easily my favourite entry in this anthology.
I'm also pleased to read something locally published. I have met representatives of Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy publishing at the writers and readers conference held each August here in Calgary. Here I am, being a booster for my city, but I was happy to hold an attractive volume with a well designed cover and appropriate artwork. Also pleased that the local public library was willing to purchase from a local source.
It's fascinating in a short fiction collection like this to see the many ways that both monsters and monster hunters can be imagined. Some of the stories are written by authors I'm familiar with, Lillith Saintcrow, Rachel Caine, T.A. Pratt, Laura Anne Gilman. One, Tanya Huff, I've had on my TBR for a while and haven't got to yet.
Rachel Caine's offering fits into her Weather Warden series, which I am unfamiliar with. Based on this story, I think I would like it. Unsurprising, really, as I like several of her other series. This was easily my favourite entry in this anthology.
I'm also pleased to read something locally published. I have met representatives of Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy publishing at the writers and readers conference held each August here in Calgary. Here I am, being a booster for my city, but I was happy to hold an attractive volume with a well designed cover and appropriate artwork. Also pleased that the local public library was willing to purchase from a local source.
February 21, 2015
Among all the anthologies available in the market that deals with the adventures of the Occult Detectives, this volume stands out because: almost all the protagonists in these stories are woman. However, that DOESN'T guarantee consistency in terms of quality, and there were several duds. But let me go about it properly.
The book begins with an introduction by the editor Justin Gustainis, titled "Down These Mean Crypts a (Wo)Man Must Walk", giving us an update on the genre. Then comes the stories.
1."Little Better than a Beast" by T.A. Pratt: Very good story, which made me decidedly curious about other adventures of Marla Mason.
2. "Dusted" by Laura Anne Gilman: Boring.
3. "The Demon You Know" by Julie Kenner: Too predictable, rather flat.
4. "The Spirit of the Thing" by Simon R. Green: Brilliant story from the 'Nightside' that elevates the level again.
5. "Holding the Line" by Lilith Saintcrow: All violence, no story.
6. "Defining Shadows" by Carrie Vaughn: Good story that had been selected for the Paula Guran anthology "Weird Detectives".
7. "Deal Breaker" by Justin Gustainis: Crisp & competent story that had found itself in the above-mentioned anthology as well.
8. "See Me" by Tanya Huff: Mediocre story, but with a poignant touch, this one had also got included in "WWeird Detectives".
9. "Soul Stains" by Chris Marie Green: Flat, with only violence to show about.
10. "Under the Hill and Far Away" by Caitlin Kittredge: Brilliant story that again lights up the reading.
11. "An Ace in the Hole" by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp: Flat story with high pretensions, this one falls flat again.
12. "Hell Bound" by Jackie Kessler: Another flash of brilliance, this story provides the perfect cocktail of sexy descriptions, superior ass-kicking, and dark humour. We need more!
13. "Impossible Love" by C.J. Henderson: Not one of his best, but not bad either.
14. "Running Wild" by Rachel Caine: Nah! Another sub-par drab offering.
To sum up: despite the presence of several good to excellent stories, if you decide to have only ONE anthology of stories featuring Occult Detectives (although why you might become miserly to that extent, stumps me), this one would NOT fit the requirement, I'm afraid.
The book begins with an introduction by the editor Justin Gustainis, titled "Down These Mean Crypts a (Wo)Man Must Walk", giving us an update on the genre. Then comes the stories.
1."Little Better than a Beast" by T.A. Pratt: Very good story, which made me decidedly curious about other adventures of Marla Mason.
2. "Dusted" by Laura Anne Gilman: Boring.
3. "The Demon You Know" by Julie Kenner: Too predictable, rather flat.
4. "The Spirit of the Thing" by Simon R. Green: Brilliant story from the 'Nightside' that elevates the level again.
5. "Holding the Line" by Lilith Saintcrow: All violence, no story.
6. "Defining Shadows" by Carrie Vaughn: Good story that had been selected for the Paula Guran anthology "Weird Detectives".
7. "Deal Breaker" by Justin Gustainis: Crisp & competent story that had found itself in the above-mentioned anthology as well.
8. "See Me" by Tanya Huff: Mediocre story, but with a poignant touch, this one had also got included in "WWeird Detectives".
9. "Soul Stains" by Chris Marie Green: Flat, with only violence to show about.
10. "Under the Hill and Far Away" by Caitlin Kittredge: Brilliant story that again lights up the reading.
11. "An Ace in the Hole" by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp: Flat story with high pretensions, this one falls flat again.
12. "Hell Bound" by Jackie Kessler: Another flash of brilliance, this story provides the perfect cocktail of sexy descriptions, superior ass-kicking, and dark humour. We need more!
13. "Impossible Love" by C.J. Henderson: Not one of his best, but not bad either.
14. "Running Wild" by Rachel Caine: Nah! Another sub-par drab offering.
To sum up: despite the presence of several good to excellent stories, if you decide to have only ONE anthology of stories featuring Occult Detectives (although why you might become miserly to that extent, stumps me), this one would NOT fit the requirement, I'm afraid.
March 1, 2011
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
Little Better than a Beast (a Marla Mason story)
by T.A. Pratt
Have you met Marla Mason, chief sorcerer of the city of Felport? She’s ‘an ass-kicking sorcerer who doesn’t wear a leather catsuit, doesn’t suffer from low self-esteem, doesn’t wallow in angst, and is almost always absolutely certain she’s right… even when she’s dead wrong. ‘ In our brief acquaintance, that description fits her to a tee. She’s a lot to take at times, but endlessly entertaining. In Little Better than a Beast, Marla has to face a time traveling Beast and the chauvinistic sorcerer who hitched a ride with it into modern day.
Sexual Content: None. Rating 3/5
Dusted (a Cosa Nostradamus story)
by Laura Anne Gilman
The Cosa Nostradamus is “the name given to the entire magical community – Human Talent and non-human ‘fatae.’ Also the all-encompassing name for the books set in the world of the Cosa Nostradamus, including the Retrievers and P.S.I series.” In Dust, we are introduced to Danny Hendrickson a half-faun PI working in New York City. If you like Harry Dresden, you’re going to love Danny. They could be brothers except for the whole horns thing. Very similar dry wit and pragmatism. Brute strength isn’t his strength, but he’s determined and willing to bend the rules to solve a case, in this story, it’s tracking down a teenager who was lured away by fairies.
Sexual Content: Some discussion of sexual awakening in regards to a minor. Rating 4/5
The Demon You Know (a Demon-Hunter Soccer Mom story)
by Julie Kenner
Chronologically, this story falls between DEJA DEMON and DEMON EX MACHINA and features grown up Buffy-like Kate Conner and, a first for this series, her teenage daughter Allie fending off a demon drop out at a college party. This was my first foray into this series and I found the mother daughter relationship to be a refreshing changeup from the normal UF relationships. A fun, smart story that manages to convey a lot of series/world building info while still delivering a satisfying story.
Sexual Content: None. Rating 4/5
The Spirit of the Thing (a Nightside story)
by Simon R. Green
John Taylor is a P.I. in the Nightshade, a “otherworldly realm in the center of London where fantasy and reality share renting space and the sun never shines.” He’s hired to investigate liquor tampering in a seedy bar and ends up helping a beautiful ghost solve her own murder. Nightshade stories are always a bittersweet treat and seem particularly suited to the short story format. A highlight for the anthology. Sexual Content: None. Rating 4/5
Holding the Line (a Jill Kismet story)
by Lilith Saintcrow
Jill Kismet is a Hunter in Santa Luz. She wages war with demons and other hellspawn on a daily basis. Holding the Line has her attempting a rescue mission when her teacher/mentor Mikhail goes missing. I can tell my enjoyment of this story suffered by my ignorance of the series overall. I found Jill too cold and hard to be sympathetic and the story itself overly detailed for this length.
Sexual Content: None. Rating 2/5
Defining Shadows (a Detective Jessi Hardin story)
by Carrie Vaughn
Set in the Kitty Norville universe (and even featuring a cameo from Cormac and a Kitty name drop) Defining Shadows was one of the most surprising stories in this collection and plays off a little know myth about a Philippino Vampire. It was creepy and reminded me of Diana Rowland’s Kara Gillian UF/Police procedure series. One of my favorites ever from Carrie Vaughn.
Sexual Content: None. Rating 4/5
Deal Breaker (a Quincey Morris story)
by Justin Gustainis
Quincy Morris--descendant of the Morris who hunted Dracula--is an Occult Investigator. Deal Breaker is a quiet, unassuming story about a desperate man who finds Quincy only hours before a demon is due to collect his soul. There’s no action, no crazy fight scenes, no magical duels, and yet this was my favorite story in the whole anthology. It’s cool and clever without having to lift a finger.
Sexual Content: None. Rating 4/5
See Me (a Smoke and Shadows story)
by Tanya Huff
I used to love Tanya Huff’s Vicki Nelson series about a visually impaired detective who ends up working with a 450 year old vampire. But I had a bad falling out with the series after book 3 specifically because of how the character Tony, who is the protagonist in this spinoff series, was treated. I wasn’t going back there and did not make it through this one.
Sexual Content: Prostitution. Homosexuality. References to sex etc... Rating N/A
Soul Stains (a Vampire Babylon story)
by Chris Marie Green
Dawn Madison, ex vampire turned hunter, and her crew are following up on reports that a dead Hollywood starlet has been haunting a club in Vegas. Dawn and her crew suspect the ghost maybe a surviving vampire from a nest they recently destroyed. I definitely felt lost in this story having not read the series. I didn’t fully understand Dawn’s state as a former vamp with a Dragon stain on her soul, nor did I have the necessary back story from the vamp nest extermination to really become invested in this story.
Sexual Content: None. Rating 2/5 Excerpt
Under the Hill and Far Away (a Black London story)
by Caitlin Kittredge
Petunia “Pete” Caldecott is a former Detective Inspector in London. In Under the Hill and Far Away, she agrees to travel into Faerie and investigate a murder in the Seelie Court. Her jaded and tough demeanor soon get her into trouble, but her keen observations and Sherlock Holmes like investigative skills solve the case in record time. Black London series fans will appreciate the cameo Jack makes at the end, and newbies like myself will find a compelling new UF series to start similar to the October Daye series by Seanan McGuire.
Sexual Content: None. Rating 4/5
An Ace in the Hole (a Sazi story)
by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp
Tony Giodone is a psychic-powered werewolf assassin. He gets attacked and abducted while on a fact finding mission for Wolven, the law enforcement branch of the shapeshifting known as the Sazi. The abductors want Tony to led them to a mystery box. Along with the psychic help of his wife Sue, Tony has to retrieve the box himself and elude Snake shifters in the process. I can see promise in the idea of this series, but this was not the best way to get introduced to the Sazi. I had to reread a few scenes before I even understood what was going on in the beginning. If you want to try the Sazi, I’d recommend starting with the first book HUNTER’S MOON.
Sexual Content: None. Rating 2/5
Hell Bound (a Hell on Earth story)
by Jackie Kessler
This is a prequel story to the Hell on Earth series following succubus Jezebel on a job to score and steal the soul of a purported magical serial killer. Easily the most sexual of the stories in this anthology with plenty of sexual dialog and steamy scenes with a demonic twist. Easy world building to slip into and a nice set up for the main series especially for fans who want to see what Jesse/Jezebel was like before she reformed.
Sexual Content: A scene of semi graphic sensuality. A brief non graphic sex scene. Rating 3/5
Impossible Love (a Piers Knight story)
by C.J. Henderson
Professor Piers Knight is a curator at the Brooklyn Museum and secretly specializes in magical history and the occult. In Impossible Love he visits an old friend with a special needs daughter and offers a supernatural explanation—and possible cure—for her condition. This is one of the more heartbreaking stories in this anthology as it explores not just the paranormal, but the harsh realities of love and betrayal. Piers was mainly the catalyst for this story about his friend, so it’s difficult to comment on his character or series as a whole.
Sexual Content: None. Rating 3/5
Running Wild (an Outcast Season story)
by Rachel Caine
Former Djinn trapped in human form Cassel and her Earth Warden partner Luis Rocha investigate a string of disappearances and savage murders in Albuquerque's Sandia Peak mountains. They run into an ancient evil that nearly takes Cassel over in the battle and forces her to examine her feelings for Luis. I haven’t read the Outcast series yet, but I did read the Weather Warden series that it is a spinoff from. Total newbies to this world probably won’t fully get the Djinn world from this story, but fans of either series will enjoy this short.
Sexual Content: References to rape. Rating 3/5
Little Better than a Beast (a Marla Mason story)
by T.A. Pratt
Have you met Marla Mason, chief sorcerer of the city of Felport? She’s ‘an ass-kicking sorcerer who doesn’t wear a leather catsuit, doesn’t suffer from low self-esteem, doesn’t wallow in angst, and is almost always absolutely certain she’s right… even when she’s dead wrong. ‘ In our brief acquaintance, that description fits her to a tee. She’s a lot to take at times, but endlessly entertaining. In Little Better than a Beast, Marla has to face a time traveling Beast and the chauvinistic sorcerer who hitched a ride with it into modern day.
Sexual Content: None. Rating 3/5
Dusted (a Cosa Nostradamus story)
by Laura Anne Gilman
The Cosa Nostradamus is “the name given to the entire magical community – Human Talent and non-human ‘fatae.’ Also the all-encompassing name for the books set in the world of the Cosa Nostradamus, including the Retrievers and P.S.I series.” In Dust, we are introduced to Danny Hendrickson a half-faun PI working in New York City. If you like Harry Dresden, you’re going to love Danny. They could be brothers except for the whole horns thing. Very similar dry wit and pragmatism. Brute strength isn’t his strength, but he’s determined and willing to bend the rules to solve a case, in this story, it’s tracking down a teenager who was lured away by fairies.
Sexual Content: Some discussion of sexual awakening in regards to a minor. Rating 4/5
The Demon You Know (a Demon-Hunter Soccer Mom story)
by Julie Kenner
Chronologically, this story falls between DEJA DEMON and DEMON EX MACHINA and features grown up Buffy-like Kate Conner and, a first for this series, her teenage daughter Allie fending off a demon drop out at a college party. This was my first foray into this series and I found the mother daughter relationship to be a refreshing changeup from the normal UF relationships. A fun, smart story that manages to convey a lot of series/world building info while still delivering a satisfying story.
Sexual Content: None. Rating 4/5
The Spirit of the Thing (a Nightside story)
by Simon R. Green
John Taylor is a P.I. in the Nightshade, a “otherworldly realm in the center of London where fantasy and reality share renting space and the sun never shines.” He’s hired to investigate liquor tampering in a seedy bar and ends up helping a beautiful ghost solve her own murder. Nightshade stories are always a bittersweet treat and seem particularly suited to the short story format. A highlight for the anthology. Sexual Content: None. Rating 4/5
Holding the Line (a Jill Kismet story)
by Lilith Saintcrow
Jill Kismet is a Hunter in Santa Luz. She wages war with demons and other hellspawn on a daily basis. Holding the Line has her attempting a rescue mission when her teacher/mentor Mikhail goes missing. I can tell my enjoyment of this story suffered by my ignorance of the series overall. I found Jill too cold and hard to be sympathetic and the story itself overly detailed for this length.
Sexual Content: None. Rating 2/5
Defining Shadows (a Detective Jessi Hardin story)
by Carrie Vaughn
Set in the Kitty Norville universe (and even featuring a cameo from Cormac and a Kitty name drop) Defining Shadows was one of the most surprising stories in this collection and plays off a little know myth about a Philippino Vampire. It was creepy and reminded me of Diana Rowland’s Kara Gillian UF/Police procedure series. One of my favorites ever from Carrie Vaughn.
Sexual Content: None. Rating 4/5
Deal Breaker (a Quincey Morris story)
by Justin Gustainis
Quincy Morris--descendant of the Morris who hunted Dracula--is an Occult Investigator. Deal Breaker is a quiet, unassuming story about a desperate man who finds Quincy only hours before a demon is due to collect his soul. There’s no action, no crazy fight scenes, no magical duels, and yet this was my favorite story in the whole anthology. It’s cool and clever without having to lift a finger.
Sexual Content: None. Rating 4/5
See Me (a Smoke and Shadows story)
by Tanya Huff
I used to love Tanya Huff’s Vicki Nelson series about a visually impaired detective who ends up working with a 450 year old vampire. But I had a bad falling out with the series after book 3 specifically because of how the character Tony, who is the protagonist in this spinoff series, was treated. I wasn’t going back there and did not make it through this one.
Sexual Content: Prostitution. Homosexuality. References to sex etc... Rating N/A
Soul Stains (a Vampire Babylon story)
by Chris Marie Green
Dawn Madison, ex vampire turned hunter, and her crew are following up on reports that a dead Hollywood starlet has been haunting a club in Vegas. Dawn and her crew suspect the ghost maybe a surviving vampire from a nest they recently destroyed. I definitely felt lost in this story having not read the series. I didn’t fully understand Dawn’s state as a former vamp with a Dragon stain on her soul, nor did I have the necessary back story from the vamp nest extermination to really become invested in this story.
Sexual Content: None. Rating 2/5 Excerpt
Under the Hill and Far Away (a Black London story)
by Caitlin Kittredge
Petunia “Pete” Caldecott is a former Detective Inspector in London. In Under the Hill and Far Away, she agrees to travel into Faerie and investigate a murder in the Seelie Court. Her jaded and tough demeanor soon get her into trouble, but her keen observations and Sherlock Holmes like investigative skills solve the case in record time. Black London series fans will appreciate the cameo Jack makes at the end, and newbies like myself will find a compelling new UF series to start similar to the October Daye series by Seanan McGuire.
Sexual Content: None. Rating 4/5
An Ace in the Hole (a Sazi story)
by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp
Tony Giodone is a psychic-powered werewolf assassin. He gets attacked and abducted while on a fact finding mission for Wolven, the law enforcement branch of the shapeshifting known as the Sazi. The abductors want Tony to led them to a mystery box. Along with the psychic help of his wife Sue, Tony has to retrieve the box himself and elude Snake shifters in the process. I can see promise in the idea of this series, but this was not the best way to get introduced to the Sazi. I had to reread a few scenes before I even understood what was going on in the beginning. If you want to try the Sazi, I’d recommend starting with the first book HUNTER’S MOON.
Sexual Content: None. Rating 2/5
Hell Bound (a Hell on Earth story)
by Jackie Kessler
This is a prequel story to the Hell on Earth series following succubus Jezebel on a job to score and steal the soul of a purported magical serial killer. Easily the most sexual of the stories in this anthology with plenty of sexual dialog and steamy scenes with a demonic twist. Easy world building to slip into and a nice set up for the main series especially for fans who want to see what Jesse/Jezebel was like before she reformed.
Sexual Content: A scene of semi graphic sensuality. A brief non graphic sex scene. Rating 3/5
Impossible Love (a Piers Knight story)
by C.J. Henderson
Professor Piers Knight is a curator at the Brooklyn Museum and secretly specializes in magical history and the occult. In Impossible Love he visits an old friend with a special needs daughter and offers a supernatural explanation—and possible cure—for her condition. This is one of the more heartbreaking stories in this anthology as it explores not just the paranormal, but the harsh realities of love and betrayal. Piers was mainly the catalyst for this story about his friend, so it’s difficult to comment on his character or series as a whole.
Sexual Content: None. Rating 3/5
Running Wild (an Outcast Season story)
by Rachel Caine
Former Djinn trapped in human form Cassel and her Earth Warden partner Luis Rocha investigate a string of disappearances and savage murders in Albuquerque's Sandia Peak mountains. They run into an ancient evil that nearly takes Cassel over in the battle and forces her to examine her feelings for Luis. I haven’t read the Outcast series yet, but I did read the Weather Warden series that it is a spinoff from. Total newbies to this world probably won’t fully get the Djinn world from this story, but fans of either series will enjoy this short.
Sexual Content: References to rape. Rating 3/5
January 29, 2013
Little better than a beast by T. A. Pratt is a time-travel story. A horrible beast is sent to Felport from the past and Marla doesn't have the time to prepare fot it. She didn't expect the guy who sent it to come too.
Dusted by Laura Anne Gilman is about missing 14-year-old girl. Danny is a private investigator in New York City and since he is a half-faun, he has more ideas than the police. I liked this story, but I admit I may be biased since I love the Paranormal Scene Investigations series. There, Danny is just a likable character who appears now and then to help Bonita.
The Demon You Know… by Julie Kenner is a YA story. It starts as a really boring story (teen problems), but it gets better. Kind of. I mean, if the rating depended on this story, it would be lower. To be fair, I still haven't read a single book from this series, so I won't rate this anthology based on this story. Maybe the series are great too.
The Spirit of the Thing by Simon R. Green has John Taylor in it. That should be enough for anyone. 5 stars
Holding the Line by Lilith Saintcrow is about Jill's search for a missing hunter. Jill left her city to help another hunter only to find him missing. It is short, fast and bloody.
Defining Shadows by Carrie Vaughn. This is a Kitty Norville world. Some of the characters from Kiitty Norville series appear (Cormac) and some are mentioned (Kitty). Jessi Hardin is a detective has to solve supernatural crimes. Here she has to solve a murder.
Deal Breaker by Justin Gustainis is about a man who sold his soul and now came to Quincey Morris to help him.
See Me by Tanya Huff is the saddest story in this anthology.
Soul Stains by Chris Marie Green: Dawn Madison and Kiko are on ghostbusting case. Or a vampire hunting one.
Under the Hill and Far Away by Caitlin Kittredge: The fay asked Pete to solve a murder.
An Ace in the Hole by C.T.Adams and Cathy Clamp takes place at a hotel in Canada. Snakes attacked Carmine in his hotel room while Tony and Lucas were there. So the point of the story was to find out why.
Hell Bound by Jackie Kessler is about a succubus Jezabel who got a task to get a magician's soul.
Impossible Love by C.J.Henderson: Albert has a daughter with a Dawn syndrome and he gets an offer to cure her.
Running Wild by Rachel Caine takes a Djin-turned-human and her partner to a mountain forest to face an ancient evil spirit.
Dusted by Laura Anne Gilman is about missing 14-year-old girl. Danny is a private investigator in New York City and since he is a half-faun, he has more ideas than the police. I liked this story, but I admit I may be biased since I love the Paranormal Scene Investigations series. There, Danny is just a likable character who appears now and then to help Bonita.
The Demon You Know… by Julie Kenner is a YA story. It starts as a really boring story (teen problems), but it gets better. Kind of. I mean, if the rating depended on this story, it would be lower. To be fair, I still haven't read a single book from this series, so I won't rate this anthology based on this story. Maybe the series are great too.
The Spirit of the Thing by Simon R. Green has John Taylor in it. That should be enough for anyone. 5 stars
Holding the Line by Lilith Saintcrow is about Jill's search for a missing hunter. Jill left her city to help another hunter only to find him missing. It is short, fast and bloody.
Defining Shadows by Carrie Vaughn. This is a Kitty Norville world. Some of the characters from Kiitty Norville series appear (Cormac) and some are mentioned (Kitty). Jessi Hardin is a detective has to solve supernatural crimes. Here she has to solve a murder.
Deal Breaker by Justin Gustainis is about a man who sold his soul and now came to Quincey Morris to help him.
See Me by Tanya Huff is the saddest story in this anthology.
Soul Stains by Chris Marie Green: Dawn Madison and Kiko are on ghostbusting case. Or a vampire hunting one.
Under the Hill and Far Away by Caitlin Kittredge: The fay asked Pete to solve a murder.
An Ace in the Hole by C.T.Adams and Cathy Clamp takes place at a hotel in Canada. Snakes attacked Carmine in his hotel room while Tony and Lucas were there. So the point of the story was to find out why.
Hell Bound by Jackie Kessler is about a succubus Jezabel who got a task to get a magician's soul.
Impossible Love by C.J.Henderson: Albert has a daughter with a Dawn syndrome and he gets an offer to cure her.
Running Wild by Rachel Caine takes a Djin-turned-human and her partner to a mountain forest to face an ancient evil spirit.
July 16, 2012
An anthology can be a tricky assemblage. A strong theme can result in stories of a similarity that wears on the reader, while a weak theme leaves disconnects from one story to the next, gaps that allow the reader's attention to leave the book entirely. Editor Justin Gustainis found a good balance with 'Those Who Fight Monsters.' All stories have a monster (or more than one) and a detective, yet each stands alone in respect to characters and plot.
The detectives cover the gamut from hard-boiled PI's giving - and getting - low blows on the mean streets to intellectuals expounding on crime in refined quiet rooms. Sleuths include the demon-fighting soccer mom trying to shepherd her daughter safely past demon-snares as well as the normal risks of adolescence, the disgruntled Security sorcerer who battles bureaucracy as well as beasts, and other detectives both amateur and professional.
The paranormal elements are equally varied. In addition to the usual vampires and werewolves, there are demons of compelling variety and more than one style of shape-shifter. Snakes, ugh. Fairy-tale creatures such as gnomes and fairies also appear. The detective isn't necessarily chasing a monster, nor is the monster always the villain. The settings are mostly urban, mostly modern, with an overlay (or underbelly) of fantasy elements.
One reservation about this collection was that some authors presumed a familiarity with their series work and left me faintly lost at first, while others seemed to be trying to fit several novels' worth of back story into the opening paragraphs and slowed the pace accordingly. Apart from that disparity, the collection was a joy to read and introduced me to several paranormal/mystery crossover authors I'd not heard of previously but will certainly follow up now.
All in all, these fourteen stories provide plenty of meat for both the detective-story aficionado and those fascinated by paranormal fiction. And, if you've ever pondered the fictional detective as a reflection of archetypes, Gustainis' introductory essay is a treat.
The detectives cover the gamut from hard-boiled PI's giving - and getting - low blows on the mean streets to intellectuals expounding on crime in refined quiet rooms. Sleuths include the demon-fighting soccer mom trying to shepherd her daughter safely past demon-snares as well as the normal risks of adolescence, the disgruntled Security sorcerer who battles bureaucracy as well as beasts, and other detectives both amateur and professional.
The paranormal elements are equally varied. In addition to the usual vampires and werewolves, there are demons of compelling variety and more than one style of shape-shifter. Snakes, ugh. Fairy-tale creatures such as gnomes and fairies also appear. The detective isn't necessarily chasing a monster, nor is the monster always the villain. The settings are mostly urban, mostly modern, with an overlay (or underbelly) of fantasy elements.
One reservation about this collection was that some authors presumed a familiarity with their series work and left me faintly lost at first, while others seemed to be trying to fit several novels' worth of back story into the opening paragraphs and slowed the pace accordingly. Apart from that disparity, the collection was a joy to read and introduced me to several paranormal/mystery crossover authors I'd not heard of previously but will certainly follow up now.
All in all, these fourteen stories provide plenty of meat for both the detective-story aficionado and those fascinated by paranormal fiction. And, if you've ever pondered the fictional detective as a reflection of archetypes, Gustainis' introductory essay is a treat.
November 22, 2019
A nice collection of contemporary Occult Detective stories. I especially enjoyed the stories featuring the following ODs:
John Taylor - from Simon R. Green’s Nightside series
Jill Kismet - from Lilith Saintcrow’s Jill Kismet series
Kate Connor - from Julie Kenner’s Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series
Tony Foster - from Tanya Huff’s Smoke and Shadows series
John Taylor - from Simon R. Green’s Nightside series
Jill Kismet - from Lilith Saintcrow’s Jill Kismet series
Kate Connor - from Julie Kenner’s Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series
Tony Foster - from Tanya Huff’s Smoke and Shadows series
October 20, 2023
Rating for “Defining Shadows: A Detective Jessi Hardin Story” by Carrie Vaughn
March 23, 2011
Tasty bites of dark, gritty Urban Fantasy.
Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives is a wonderful collection of urban fantasy short stories. This anthology takes us on numerous paranormal adventures with the intriguing, multifaceted perspective of fourteen hunters and their prey. I enjoyed the diversity of this anthology. While these short stories all share a common thread, they are also each unique. Take a journey into the bowels of nightmare cities, roam the streets with weres and fae, or pull up a stool at your favorite watering hole. No matter where you turn there be monsters...and those who dare to fight them.
Here are spoiler-free teasers to give the flavor of each short story in this delectable UF anthology.
"So, uh, what exactly is the beast of Felport? Werewolf, demon, undead mutant water buffalo? My grasp of local history is a little shaky"
-Little Better than a Beast
"Huuuuuuuman." That one came from somewhere off to my left. The shiver became an itch, the urge to follow, to find the treasure such a creature undoubtedly hid here, below ground, in its mines.
-Dusted
Besides, I didn't have the best of luck with boys. The first time I went out with a guy, he turned out to be a demon.
-The Demon You Know...
It's always half full of junk and garbage, and the only reason there aren't any bodies to step over is because the rats have eaten them all. You have to watch out for rats in the Nightside; some people say they're evolving.
-The Spirit of the Thing
When another hunter calls, you go. It's that simple. We who hold back the tide of Hell don't ask for help lightly.
-Holding the Line
What was it Kitty sometimes said? Just when you thought you were getting a handle on the supernatural, just when you thought you'd seen it all, something even more unbelievable came along.
-Defining Shadows
The once coal-black hair was shot through with streaks of gray that made him look older than his years. The black hair came from the Morris family tree. The gray was put there by the family profession, begun over a century ago by a man who died in the shadow of Castle Dracula.
-Deal Breaker
Having Henry Fitzroy, bastard of Henry VIII, romance writer, and vampire based in Vancouver was enough to bring in the fine and freaky. Since Tony had started developing his powers, the freaky vastly outnumbered the fine.
-See Me
As a former vampire who'd been turned human again with the termination of her maker, Dawn knew just what it was like to feel the darkness as it tried to drag you under.
-Soul Stains
The Lament was theoretically a neutral zone in the Black, the ebb and flow of magical London that existed out of most people's sight. No fighting, no magic and no Fae.
-Under the Hill and Far Away
Blame the werewolf in me. When I get annoyed, my mask of humanity slips a little, even with my former employer.
-An Ace in the Hole
"I'm an equal opportunity succubus," I agreed happily. Whatever the gender, whatever the form, I loved humans. To death.
-Hell Bound
He worked as a curate at the rightly famous Brooklyn Museum. As such, Knight had access to both religious and blasphemous articles of historical significance from throughout human history.
-Impossible Love
Luis didn't like to let me stray too far, claiming that I was a magnet for trouble. That might have had some credence, actually; I did seem to draw attention to myself far too much for safety.
-Running Wild
I highly recommend Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives to readers of urban fantasy, paranormal romance, paranormal suspense, and especially to fans of urban fantasy anthologies. Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives may appeal to fans of Justin Gustainis, T.A. Pratt, Laura Anne Gilman, Julie Kenner, Simon R. Green, Lilith Saintcrow, Carrie Vaughn, Tanya Huff, Chris Marie Green, Caitlin Kittredge, C.T. Adams, Cathy Clamp, Jackie Kessler, C.J. Henderson, and Rachel Caine.
Sensitive reader warning: mild violence, sexual situations. The short story 'Hell Bound' contains explicit adult material.
Source: This book was provided by the author or publisher for honest review.
**This review (and giveaway) originally posted on my blog: www.FromTheShadows.info**
Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives is a wonderful collection of urban fantasy short stories. This anthology takes us on numerous paranormal adventures with the intriguing, multifaceted perspective of fourteen hunters and their prey. I enjoyed the diversity of this anthology. While these short stories all share a common thread, they are also each unique. Take a journey into the bowels of nightmare cities, roam the streets with weres and fae, or pull up a stool at your favorite watering hole. No matter where you turn there be monsters...and those who dare to fight them.
Here are spoiler-free teasers to give the flavor of each short story in this delectable UF anthology.
"So, uh, what exactly is the beast of Felport? Werewolf, demon, undead mutant water buffalo? My grasp of local history is a little shaky"
-Little Better than a Beast
"Huuuuuuuman." That one came from somewhere off to my left. The shiver became an itch, the urge to follow, to find the treasure such a creature undoubtedly hid here, below ground, in its mines.
-Dusted
Besides, I didn't have the best of luck with boys. The first time I went out with a guy, he turned out to be a demon.
-The Demon You Know...
It's always half full of junk and garbage, and the only reason there aren't any bodies to step over is because the rats have eaten them all. You have to watch out for rats in the Nightside; some people say they're evolving.
-The Spirit of the Thing
When another hunter calls, you go. It's that simple. We who hold back the tide of Hell don't ask for help lightly.
-Holding the Line
What was it Kitty sometimes said? Just when you thought you were getting a handle on the supernatural, just when you thought you'd seen it all, something even more unbelievable came along.
-Defining Shadows
The once coal-black hair was shot through with streaks of gray that made him look older than his years. The black hair came from the Morris family tree. The gray was put there by the family profession, begun over a century ago by a man who died in the shadow of Castle Dracula.
-Deal Breaker
Having Henry Fitzroy, bastard of Henry VIII, romance writer, and vampire based in Vancouver was enough to bring in the fine and freaky. Since Tony had started developing his powers, the freaky vastly outnumbered the fine.
-See Me
As a former vampire who'd been turned human again with the termination of her maker, Dawn knew just what it was like to feel the darkness as it tried to drag you under.
-Soul Stains
The Lament was theoretically a neutral zone in the Black, the ebb and flow of magical London that existed out of most people's sight. No fighting, no magic and no Fae.
-Under the Hill and Far Away
Blame the werewolf in me. When I get annoyed, my mask of humanity slips a little, even with my former employer.
-An Ace in the Hole
"I'm an equal opportunity succubus," I agreed happily. Whatever the gender, whatever the form, I loved humans. To death.
-Hell Bound
He worked as a curate at the rightly famous Brooklyn Museum. As such, Knight had access to both religious and blasphemous articles of historical significance from throughout human history.
-Impossible Love
Luis didn't like to let me stray too far, claiming that I was a magnet for trouble. That might have had some credence, actually; I did seem to draw attention to myself far too much for safety.
-Running Wild
I highly recommend Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives to readers of urban fantasy, paranormal romance, paranormal suspense, and especially to fans of urban fantasy anthologies. Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives may appeal to fans of Justin Gustainis, T.A. Pratt, Laura Anne Gilman, Julie Kenner, Simon R. Green, Lilith Saintcrow, Carrie Vaughn, Tanya Huff, Chris Marie Green, Caitlin Kittredge, C.T. Adams, Cathy Clamp, Jackie Kessler, C.J. Henderson, and Rachel Caine.
Sensitive reader warning: mild violence, sexual situations. The short story 'Hell Bound' contains explicit adult material.
Source: This book was provided by the author or publisher for honest review.
**This review (and giveaway) originally posted on my blog: www.FromTheShadows.info**
July 1, 2011
Review originally posted at: http://supernaturalsnark.blogspot.com...
MY THOUGHTS
Those Who Fight Monsters is an entertaining collection of short stories featuring a strong combination of both male and female protagonists with a proclivity for fighting supernatural crime. As with any anthology, some stories are more intriguing than others with certain authors managing to create a complex and layered tale in just a few pages while others struggle a bit with the short length, leaving us wishing for an extra twenty pages to give us that added depth we're seeking. All of the fourteen individual tales feature characters from already-established paranormal series, and most do a beautiful job of quickly introducing us to the world should we be unfamiliar with it, giving us just enough information to be able to connect easily as we jump right into the action with little prelude.
This collection would be perfect for those on the hunt for some new urban fantasy series to try, each tale giving us a brief taste of the author's style and their characters. Some delight us with humor and wit, some shock us with paranormal twists to standard detective work, and some hint at a darkness and pain we know will affect us more profoundly should we pick up the full length novels. The only complaint would be the length of each story, on average about 15 pages–a challenge that forces us to absorb a lot of details and individuals in rapid succession and never allows us time to fully settle in. Reading this book is akin to ordering a sampler platter–a great variety of tasty morsels are presented but ultimately we find our favorites and try to savor them before moving on to nibble on the next.
MY PERSONAL FAVORITES:
Little Better Than a Beast by T.A. Pratt
Marla is a fun, take-no-nonsense chief sorcerer who approaches her monster of a problem with humor and isn't afraid to dispense some much-deserved violence on a man suffering rather impressively from sexism. Mr. Pratt gives us a complete tale that leaves us wanting numerous additional pages and much, much more time with Marla and her smart mouth.
Under the Hill and Far Away by Caitlin Kittredge
Ms. Kittredge is another on who does a spectacular job of illuminating the world from her Black London novels just enough to provide us a proper welcome and introduction to Pete Caldecott while spinning a mystery that, though easily solved, is enough of a taste of her style to spark a potential addiction.
Defining Shadows by Carrie Vaughn
Jessi Hardin is a detective in the world of Vaughn's Kitty Norville series, and she headlines perhaps the most unusual an fascinating story in the book. Focusing on an incredibly bizarre and exceedingly memorable supernatural being, Ms. Vaughn ensures her tale stands out as unique even amidst a plethora of talented writers. The case Hardin is called in to solve is grotesque but undeniably captivating, and Ms. Vaughn makes a spectacular use of every single one of her pages, making us feel like we've read a full novella instead of a short story.
Overall Rating: 3/5
MY THOUGHTS
Those Who Fight Monsters is an entertaining collection of short stories featuring a strong combination of both male and female protagonists with a proclivity for fighting supernatural crime. As with any anthology, some stories are more intriguing than others with certain authors managing to create a complex and layered tale in just a few pages while others struggle a bit with the short length, leaving us wishing for an extra twenty pages to give us that added depth we're seeking. All of the fourteen individual tales feature characters from already-established paranormal series, and most do a beautiful job of quickly introducing us to the world should we be unfamiliar with it, giving us just enough information to be able to connect easily as we jump right into the action with little prelude.
This collection would be perfect for those on the hunt for some new urban fantasy series to try, each tale giving us a brief taste of the author's style and their characters. Some delight us with humor and wit, some shock us with paranormal twists to standard detective work, and some hint at a darkness and pain we know will affect us more profoundly should we pick up the full length novels. The only complaint would be the length of each story, on average about 15 pages–a challenge that forces us to absorb a lot of details and individuals in rapid succession and never allows us time to fully settle in. Reading this book is akin to ordering a sampler platter–a great variety of tasty morsels are presented but ultimately we find our favorites and try to savor them before moving on to nibble on the next.
MY PERSONAL FAVORITES:
Little Better Than a Beast by T.A. Pratt
Marla is a fun, take-no-nonsense chief sorcerer who approaches her monster of a problem with humor and isn't afraid to dispense some much-deserved violence on a man suffering rather impressively from sexism. Mr. Pratt gives us a complete tale that leaves us wanting numerous additional pages and much, much more time with Marla and her smart mouth.
Under the Hill and Far Away by Caitlin Kittredge
Ms. Kittredge is another on who does a spectacular job of illuminating the world from her Black London novels just enough to provide us a proper welcome and introduction to Pete Caldecott while spinning a mystery that, though easily solved, is enough of a taste of her style to spark a potential addiction.
Defining Shadows by Carrie Vaughn
Jessi Hardin is a detective in the world of Vaughn's Kitty Norville series, and she headlines perhaps the most unusual an fascinating story in the book. Focusing on an incredibly bizarre and exceedingly memorable supernatural being, Ms. Vaughn ensures her tale stands out as unique even amidst a plethora of talented writers. The case Hardin is called in to solve is grotesque but undeniably captivating, and Ms. Vaughn makes a spectacular use of every single one of her pages, making us feel like we've read a full novella instead of a short story.
Overall Rating: 3/5
April 24, 2011
This is a fantastic anthology for fans of eerie urban fantasy! The collection features 14 sleuths together for the first time in all-original tales of unusual cases involving vampires, demons, succubae and other seedy beasties. There is something for every horror fan out there - you've got the twisted and sinister tales, the classic detective stories with a paranormal spin, chilling mysteries, and much more.
There are stories like Chris Marie Green’s “Soul Stains” which is a unique spin on vampires, a new mythos that I haven’t come across before. And fans of Tanya Huff’s Blood books and the Smoke and Mirrors series will be happy to find a deliciously dark story starring Tony Foster. Hurray Tony!
A few favorites in the collection were Simon R. Green’s “The Spirit of the Thing,” which is one of the best ghost stories I have read in ages. It was haunting and cryptic, just as a ghost story should be. “Dusted” by Laura Anne Gilman was another great one, any story that has gnomes, fauns and pixies in it is an automatic win for me.
Overall, I absolutely loved this book, there wasn’t a single story I didn’t enjoy, which is a rarity when it comes to anthologies. Every story was well-written, different, yet fit in with the book perfectly. I highly recommend picking up this chilling and unique collection.
There are stories like Chris Marie Green’s “Soul Stains” which is a unique spin on vampires, a new mythos that I haven’t come across before. And fans of Tanya Huff’s Blood books and the Smoke and Mirrors series will be happy to find a deliciously dark story starring Tony Foster. Hurray Tony!
A few favorites in the collection were Simon R. Green’s “The Spirit of the Thing,” which is one of the best ghost stories I have read in ages. It was haunting and cryptic, just as a ghost story should be. “Dusted” by Laura Anne Gilman was another great one, any story that has gnomes, fauns and pixies in it is an automatic win for me.
Overall, I absolutely loved this book, there wasn’t a single story I didn’t enjoy, which is a rarity when it comes to anthologies. Every story was well-written, different, yet fit in with the book perfectly. I highly recommend picking up this chilling and unique collection.
September 19, 2012
Now we all know anthology books can be extremely hard to put together and also they can be pretty hard for the reader too. I love a good detective tale so the blurb for this had intrigued me, especially when I looked down the list of detectives and spotted ones I recognised.
As I had the time I read this anthology in chapter chunks and then took a break, I've found reading a few chapters at once can still make the stories blend together and my little brain needs to stop. It was easier to read but still some of the chapters were a bit rushed and confused, trying to fit in a back story and the chapter was a bit too much. On the otherside an anthology can help you to find new writers and characters which is obviously good for both the reader and writer.
My favourites were Pete Caldecott and Marla Mason and I will definitely be looking into more of their series. The real beauty of these books is that everyone will have a different favourite story and that's what makes these really good to have on your bookshelf. Chapters are easy reading you can just pop back into on a rainy day.
I'm giving this a 4 as I didn't like all of the chapters but there was enough here to keep me reading and enough to get me researching more.
As I had the time I read this anthology in chapter chunks and then took a break, I've found reading a few chapters at once can still make the stories blend together and my little brain needs to stop. It was easier to read but still some of the chapters were a bit rushed and confused, trying to fit in a back story and the chapter was a bit too much. On the otherside an anthology can help you to find new writers and characters which is obviously good for both the reader and writer.
My favourites were Pete Caldecott and Marla Mason and I will definitely be looking into more of their series. The real beauty of these books is that everyone will have a different favourite story and that's what makes these really good to have on your bookshelf. Chapters are easy reading you can just pop back into on a rainy day.
I'm giving this a 4 as I didn't like all of the chapters but there was enough here to keep me reading and enough to get me researching more.
October 3, 2012
I admit I only bought this anthology because I'm a huge Tanya Huff fan, and had to have the newest Tony Foster story, which in my completely biased opinion is the best story in the anthology.
However, there are a few other great stories here. Since the public library has a slight lag time, I found this anthology to be a great method of discovering new authors. I especially enjoyed T.A. Pratt's Marla Mason story, and Caitlin Kittredge's Black London story.
There are a few distressing typographical issues in this anthology that probably reflect poorly on the editing process rather than on the authors, but that's true of almost every anthology I've read recently, so I don't think this is specific to the editor at hand, but probably reflects the current flaws in the process of publishing anthologies.
However, there are a few other great stories here. Since the public library has a slight lag time, I found this anthology to be a great method of discovering new authors. I especially enjoyed T.A. Pratt's Marla Mason story, and Caitlin Kittredge's Black London story.
There are a few distressing typographical issues in this anthology that probably reflect poorly on the editing process rather than on the authors, but that's true of almost every anthology I've read recently, so I don't think this is specific to the editor at hand, but probably reflects the current flaws in the process of publishing anthologies.
October 21, 2014
I tend to pick up books based on title without reading the summary, which can lead to some interesting readings, both good and bad.
I didn’t realize every story here was part of a series. It was all right, and while some of the stories were pretty good, and it was a nice mix of characters (could have been a little more varied) none of the stories stood on their own – every single one of them required reading the rest of the series. Which is good in advertising, but not impressive in literary circles.
November 11, 2016
Loved the cover and a few of the stories were okay. But for the most part, the science fiction take on what would normally be urban fantasy stories, kind of sucked the sense of adventure out of the stories for me. Which led me to not feeling really connected to any of the characters or any of the stories unfortunately.
May 31, 2019
Good anthology of short stories, quick, easy reads that introduce the reader to established characters, to see if you want to continue to follow the character. I enjoyed it and found some characters that I'm going to look into reading more about.
January 29, 2023
Some of the stories I'd give 5 stars to and I'm even going to try more titles from those authors. But there were ones I skipped or just didn't find any way to connect to, which is why I only gave it 3 stars.
July 27, 2019
A mixed bag set of tales about occult detectives. An enjoyable read with a few clinkers.
April 15, 2020
This was my introduction to Urban Fiction and Occult Detectives, and an excellent one it was!
July 20, 2013
Little Better Than A Beast (A Marla Mason Story) by T.A. Pratt
A bit lengthy. Sorcerer cheats with time travel that ultimately backfires on him. It doesn't pay to be disrespectful, heh.
Dusted (A Cosa Nostradamus Story) by Laura Anne Gilman
Half-human PI delves underground to rescue a teen girl from gnomes who have beguiled her. Worthwhile read of a world populated with various magical creatures living among humans (some with Talents of their own).
The Demon You Know (A Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom Story) by Julie Kenner
Told from both the soccer mom & her teenage daughter's POV. What you can't see under the disarming facade may kill you. Also, don't drink the spiked punch. Quick easy read but not much substance.
The Spirit Of The Thing (A Nightside Story) by Simon R. Green
I enjoy the Nightside/John Taylor half-human PI shorts. I like that character, the writing style, the dark setting that's not too dark... I like this author.
Holding The Line (A Jill Kismet Story) by Lilith Saintcrow
It easily stood on its own but seemed like a short snippet from a full-length novel. Quick but mediocre read.
Defining Shadows (A Detective Jessi Hardin Story) by Carrie Vaughn
Intriguing variation of the vampire mythology involving pregnant women & 'halved' bodies. I like this author.
Deal Breaker (A Quincey Morris Story) by Justin Gustainis
Was it a deal with the devil or just a long con? Sometimes it makes a difference what (and who) you believe. Enjoyable thought-provoking tale.
See Me (A Smoke And Shadows Story) by Tanya Huff
She comes across as a hooker but she's something supernaturally more. A 2AD of a vampire/detective TV show becomes a detective himself in attempts to protect his boyfriend from the mysterious aforementioned woman. Intriguing read, although the ending is a bit unclear.
Soul Stains (A Vampire Babylon Story) by Chris Marie Green
Is the reportedly dead actress/singer a ghost or did she fake her decapitation? Interesting yet confusing concept of re-humanized vampires with soul stains that lead to somber conclusions.
Under The Hill And Far Away (A Black London Story) by Caitlin Kittredge
Who killed the Prince? Petunia "Pete" Caldecott efficiently solves the mystery by seeing through the lies & paying close attention to the evidence.
An Ace In The Hole (A Sazi Story) by C.T. Adams & Cathy Clamp
Werewolves of the law enforcement branch of the shapeshifting community go in search of a missing box full of unique 'treasures' in this otherwise forgettable tale.
Hell Bound (A Hell on Earth Story) by Jackie Kessler
An overtly graphic telling of a succubus attempting to overtake a dark arts magician that she doesn't believe is as powerful as she's been warned. Looks can be deceiving and you know what they say about assumption.
Impossible Love (A Piers Knight Story) by C.J. Henderson
Does his daughter have Down Syndrome or is she possessed? Intriguing premise, well executed, enjoyable read.
Running Wild (An Outcast Season Story) by Rachel Caine
Cassiel (a Djinn/genie) trapped in human form (for some unexplained punishment) battles Bacchae and a supernaturally evil avatar in what feels more like a snippet from a full-length novel instead of a short story. I like this author but not this story.
A bit lengthy. Sorcerer cheats with time travel that ultimately backfires on him. It doesn't pay to be disrespectful, heh.
Dusted (A Cosa Nostradamus Story) by Laura Anne Gilman
Half-human PI delves underground to rescue a teen girl from gnomes who have beguiled her. Worthwhile read of a world populated with various magical creatures living among humans (some with Talents of their own).
The Demon You Know (A Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom Story) by Julie Kenner
Told from both the soccer mom & her teenage daughter's POV. What you can't see under the disarming facade may kill you. Also, don't drink the spiked punch. Quick easy read but not much substance.
The Spirit Of The Thing (A Nightside Story) by Simon R. Green
I enjoy the Nightside/John Taylor half-human PI shorts. I like that character, the writing style, the dark setting that's not too dark... I like this author.
Holding The Line (A Jill Kismet Story) by Lilith Saintcrow
It easily stood on its own but seemed like a short snippet from a full-length novel. Quick but mediocre read.
Defining Shadows (A Detective Jessi Hardin Story) by Carrie Vaughn
Intriguing variation of the vampire mythology involving pregnant women & 'halved' bodies. I like this author.
Deal Breaker (A Quincey Morris Story) by Justin Gustainis
Was it a deal with the devil or just a long con? Sometimes it makes a difference what (and who) you believe. Enjoyable thought-provoking tale.
See Me (A Smoke And Shadows Story) by Tanya Huff
She comes across as a hooker but she's something supernaturally more. A 2AD of a vampire/detective TV show becomes a detective himself in attempts to protect his boyfriend from the mysterious aforementioned woman. Intriguing read, although the ending is a bit unclear.
Soul Stains (A Vampire Babylon Story) by Chris Marie Green
Is the reportedly dead actress/singer a ghost or did she fake her decapitation? Interesting yet confusing concept of re-humanized vampires with soul stains that lead to somber conclusions.
Under The Hill And Far Away (A Black London Story) by Caitlin Kittredge
Who killed the Prince? Petunia "Pete" Caldecott efficiently solves the mystery by seeing through the lies & paying close attention to the evidence.
An Ace In The Hole (A Sazi Story) by C.T. Adams & Cathy Clamp
Werewolves of the law enforcement branch of the shapeshifting community go in search of a missing box full of unique 'treasures' in this otherwise forgettable tale.
Hell Bound (A Hell on Earth Story) by Jackie Kessler
An overtly graphic telling of a succubus attempting to overtake a dark arts magician that she doesn't believe is as powerful as she's been warned. Looks can be deceiving and you know what they say about assumption.
Impossible Love (A Piers Knight Story) by C.J. Henderson
Does his daughter have Down Syndrome or is she possessed? Intriguing premise, well executed, enjoyable read.
Running Wild (An Outcast Season Story) by Rachel Caine
Cassiel (a Djinn/genie) trapped in human form (for some unexplained punishment) battles Bacchae and a supernaturally evil avatar in what feels more like a snippet from a full-length novel instead of a short story. I like this author but not this story.
March 31, 2016
I'm not a big fan of short story collections, since one story out of the whole pack might appeal or stick in the mind after being read, while the others are over and easily forgotten. I find that, even though I read the whole collection, the only which will actually stick with me will most likely be the Tony Foster story "See Me" by Tanya Huff and that has more to do with the fact he's one of my favorite characters from her books. The Nightside story "The Spirit of the Thing" by Simon Green might actually stick too, since I've actually read a couple of those books.
The rest of the short stories (14 in all) in this collection are, like the two mentioned above, based in series which I haven't read, or even, in some cases, never encountered before even in just popping around looking for new urban fantasy books to read. Not that this is a bad thing. I might hunt down a book in the Jill Kismet series (Night Shift) by Lillith Saintcrow and I enjoyed the short story about Kate Connor- The Demon Hunting Soccer Mom - well, actually more her daughter's adventure than Kate's - so it's a maybe (if I can get around the paranormal romance aspect of these books; we'll see). On the other hand, I totally passed up on the story "Hell Bound" a Hell on Earth short by Jackie Kessler. Succubi have never appealed and the scan I did of the story made it clear that I really would not ejoy reading it.
I was seriously disappointed in the last story in the collection, by Rachel Caine "Running Wild" (Outcast Season). Not because it is a bad story, but because, while it's set on a trail on Sandia* Peak (the mountain which borders Albuquerque to the east), we get absolutely no sense of place or what the city looks like from the side of the crest. While I understand Caine wanting to focus on the needs of her short story (mainly telling us about the darkness residing in Mother Earth), she just says the story is set in Albuquerque. That's it, nothing else. She has the character Cassius climb up the side of the mountain and sit and stare down the mountain, but it's like a blank canvas she's looking at, painting her thoughts about the humans who live below the mountain. These photos tell you better about the description Caine failed to even try to convey. Maybe it was too much to tell in such a short story?
====
*Sandia is the Spanish word for watermelon. Quite appropriate as you'll see in the photos.
The rest of the short stories (14 in all) in this collection are, like the two mentioned above, based in series which I haven't read, or even, in some cases, never encountered before even in just popping around looking for new urban fantasy books to read. Not that this is a bad thing. I might hunt down a book in the Jill Kismet series (Night Shift) by Lillith Saintcrow and I enjoyed the short story about Kate Connor- The Demon Hunting Soccer Mom - well, actually more her daughter's adventure than Kate's - so it's a maybe (if I can get around the paranormal romance aspect of these books; we'll see). On the other hand, I totally passed up on the story "Hell Bound" a Hell on Earth short by Jackie Kessler. Succubi have never appealed and the scan I did of the story made it clear that I really would not ejoy reading it.
I was seriously disappointed in the last story in the collection, by Rachel Caine "Running Wild" (Outcast Season). Not because it is a bad story, but because, while it's set on a trail on Sandia* Peak (the mountain which borders Albuquerque to the east), we get absolutely no sense of place or what the city looks like from the side of the crest. While I understand Caine wanting to focus on the needs of her short story (mainly telling us about the darkness residing in Mother Earth), she just says the story is set in Albuquerque. That's it, nothing else. She has the character Cassius climb up the side of the mountain and sit and stare down the mountain, but it's like a blank canvas she's looking at, painting her thoughts about the humans who live below the mountain. These photos tell you better about the description Caine failed to even try to convey. Maybe it was too much to tell in such a short story?
====
*Sandia is the Spanish word for watermelon. Quite appropriate as you'll see in the photos.
January 15, 2012
I really enjoy reading urban fantasy. When I was presented the opportunity to read Those Who Fight Monsters, I was delighted. Then, with the tantalizing book in my hand, I was ecstatic to read that most of the short stories in the book are from characters of urban fantasy series that I read! Talk about a home run.
Meet the Detectives:
Danny Hendrickson - from Laura Anne Gilman's Cosa Nostradamus series.
Kate Connor - from Julie Kenner’s Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series.
John Taylor - from Simon R. Green’s Nightside series.
Jill Kismet - from Lilith Saintcrow’s Jill Kismet series.
Jessi Hardin - from Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty Norville series.
Quincey Morris - from Justin Gustainis’ Morris/Chastain Investigations series.
Marla Mason - from T. A. Pratt's Marla Mason series.
Tony Foster - from Tanya Huff’s Smoke and Shadows series.
Dawn Madison - from Chris Marie Green’s Vampire Babylon series.
Pete Caldecott - from Caitlin Kittredge’s Black London series.
Tony Giodone - from C. T. Adams and Cathy Clamp’s Tales of the Sazi series.
Jezebel - from Jackie Kessler’s Hell on Earth series.
Piers Knight - from C. J. Henderson’s Brooklyn Knight series.
Cassiel - from Rachel Caine’s Outcast Season series.
Now to be honest, of the fourteen stories, I had not read any works from a few of them. But those that I liked, I plan on going back and getting the series. Demons, werewolves, vampires and more! A sneak preview at just a few of these dark stories:
Chris Marie Green's Dawn Madison and her sidekick Kiko visit old Hollywood. Ghosts, vampires or something else? Great to revisit these characters since the series ended last year.
Jackie Kessler's Hellbound, a Hell on Earth Story, takes us on a journey with incubus and succubus. Jezebel and Daun intend to send an evil magician's soul to the Pits of Hell.
Justin Gustainis's Deal Breaker tells the story of a Quincy Morris, an occult detective, trying to help a man who sold his soul to the devil.
You'll want to leave the light on when you crack open this delectable morsel of kick-butt detectives and eccentric and quirky characters. Each author has done a spectacular job with their character development, world-building and dialogue all packed into a few pages . Plenty of action between these pages that will send chills up your spine or speed up your heart.
Meet the Detectives:
Danny Hendrickson - from Laura Anne Gilman's Cosa Nostradamus series.
Kate Connor - from Julie Kenner’s Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series.
John Taylor - from Simon R. Green’s Nightside series.
Jill Kismet - from Lilith Saintcrow’s Jill Kismet series.
Jessi Hardin - from Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty Norville series.
Quincey Morris - from Justin Gustainis’ Morris/Chastain Investigations series.
Marla Mason - from T. A. Pratt's Marla Mason series.
Tony Foster - from Tanya Huff’s Smoke and Shadows series.
Dawn Madison - from Chris Marie Green’s Vampire Babylon series.
Pete Caldecott - from Caitlin Kittredge’s Black London series.
Tony Giodone - from C. T. Adams and Cathy Clamp’s Tales of the Sazi series.
Jezebel - from Jackie Kessler’s Hell on Earth series.
Piers Knight - from C. J. Henderson’s Brooklyn Knight series.
Cassiel - from Rachel Caine’s Outcast Season series.
Now to be honest, of the fourteen stories, I had not read any works from a few of them. But those that I liked, I plan on going back and getting the series. Demons, werewolves, vampires and more! A sneak preview at just a few of these dark stories:
Chris Marie Green's Dawn Madison and her sidekick Kiko visit old Hollywood. Ghosts, vampires or something else? Great to revisit these characters since the series ended last year.
Jackie Kessler's Hellbound, a Hell on Earth Story, takes us on a journey with incubus and succubus. Jezebel and Daun intend to send an evil magician's soul to the Pits of Hell.
Justin Gustainis's Deal Breaker tells the story of a Quincy Morris, an occult detective, trying to help a man who sold his soul to the devil.
You'll want to leave the light on when you crack open this delectable morsel of kick-butt detectives and eccentric and quirky characters. Each author has done a spectacular job with their character development, world-building and dialogue all packed into a few pages . Plenty of action between these pages that will send chills up your spine or speed up your heart.
June 16, 2016
Most of these I didn't read since I don’t really care for detective stories. I only got this for the Rachel Caine ‘Outcast Season’ story, but I nibbled at the rest and read the ones that peaked my interest. The rest are not necessary bad just not interesting to me. I rated this based on the stories I read rounding down for the ones I wasn't interested in.
1."Little Better than a Beast" by T.A. Pratt. 5.6 ‘Marla Mason’ series. Didn't read.
2. "Dusted" by Laura Anne Gilman. 7.75 ‘Retrievers: Costa Nostradamus story. Didn't read.
3. "The Demon You Know" by Julie Kenner. 4.5 “Demon Hunting Soccer Mom’ series. Didn't read.
4. "The Spirit of the Thing" by Simon R. Green: 'Nightside' series. Didn't read
5. "Holding the Line" by Lilith Saintcrow. 5.5 ‘Jill Kismet’ series. 4 stars. Jill flies to New Orleans to rescue a fellow Hunter. Now this was interesting. Will put the series in my ‘to read’ list.
6. "Defining Shadows" by Carrie Vaughn. 8.5 ‘Kitty Norville’ series. 2 stars. Ordinary type murder mystery with an odd killing method.
7. "Deal Breaker" by Justin Gustainis. Quincey Morris story. Didn't read.
8. "See Me" by Tanya Huff. 3.6 ‘Tony Foster’ series. Didn't read.
9. "Soul Stains" by Chris Marie Green. 6.1 ‘Vampire Babylon series. 3 stars. I went back (June) and read this with the rest of the series. Makes sense now. Dawn and Kiko are in Las Vegas to investigate a possible vampire star from the LA Underground.
10. "Under the Hill and Far Away" by Caitlin Kittredge. 3.5 ‘Black London’ series. Got a little farther in this one until it turned steam-punk.
11. "An Ace in the Hole" by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp. 8.5 ‘A Tale of the Sazi’ series. Sorry but I kept getting confused on who was whom. Someone wants revenge, I think, but can’t leave the country is all I got.
12. "Hell Bound" by Jackie Kessler. 4.5 ‘Hell on Earth’ series. Didn't read.
13. "Impossible Love" by C.J. Henderson. ‘Piers Knight’ story. 4 stars. Different premise with demons being the cause behind mental disease. This one left me with a smile.
14. "Running Wild" by Rachel Caine. 3.5 ‘Outcast Season’ series. 4 stars. On a nighttime hike down from the Albuquerque Mountains, Cass & Luis find themselves hunted. Interestingly scary story in a way I've never come across.
1."Little Better than a Beast" by T.A. Pratt. 5.6 ‘Marla Mason’ series. Didn't read.
2. "Dusted" by Laura Anne Gilman. 7.75 ‘Retrievers: Costa Nostradamus story. Didn't read.
3. "The Demon You Know" by Julie Kenner. 4.5 “Demon Hunting Soccer Mom’ series. Didn't read.
4. "The Spirit of the Thing" by Simon R. Green: 'Nightside' series. Didn't read
5. "Holding the Line" by Lilith Saintcrow. 5.5 ‘Jill Kismet’ series. 4 stars. Jill flies to New Orleans to rescue a fellow Hunter. Now this was interesting. Will put the series in my ‘to read’ list.
6. "Defining Shadows" by Carrie Vaughn. 8.5 ‘Kitty Norville’ series. 2 stars. Ordinary type murder mystery with an odd killing method.
7. "Deal Breaker" by Justin Gustainis. Quincey Morris story. Didn't read.
8. "See Me" by Tanya Huff. 3.6 ‘Tony Foster’ series. Didn't read.
9. "Soul Stains" by Chris Marie Green. 6.1 ‘Vampire Babylon series. 3 stars. I went back (June) and read this with the rest of the series. Makes sense now. Dawn and Kiko are in Las Vegas to investigate a possible vampire star from the LA Underground.
10. "Under the Hill and Far Away" by Caitlin Kittredge. 3.5 ‘Black London’ series. Got a little farther in this one until it turned steam-punk.
11. "An Ace in the Hole" by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp. 8.5 ‘A Tale of the Sazi’ series. Sorry but I kept getting confused on who was whom. Someone wants revenge, I think, but can’t leave the country is all I got.
12. "Hell Bound" by Jackie Kessler. 4.5 ‘Hell on Earth’ series. Didn't read.
13. "Impossible Love" by C.J. Henderson. ‘Piers Knight’ story. 4 stars. Different premise with demons being the cause behind mental disease. This one left me with a smile.
14. "Running Wild" by Rachel Caine. 3.5 ‘Outcast Season’ series. 4 stars. On a nighttime hike down from the Albuquerque Mountains, Cass & Luis find themselves hunted. Interestingly scary story in a way I've never come across.
October 24, 2011
These days, urban fantasy stories are big business (in literary terms). This anthology presents new stories of demon hunters by today's most popular writers.
Kate Connor is your average suburban soccer mom, who just happens to work for a super-secret branch of the Vatican. Allie, her teenage daughter, is a demon-hunter in training, but is not yet ready to join Kate on patrol (a never-ending source of sulking and whining on Allie's part). Allie sneaks off to a fancy party in a huge mansion owned by a demon who needs human sacrifices.
Quincey Morris is an occult investigator in Austin, Texas. His latest client is a man whose dot-com went out of business. Contemplating suicide, he signed over his soul in exchange for ten years of success. The ten years are up in a few hours, and the man is terrified that he is going to Hell. Can Morris do anything about it?
Petunia "Pete" Caldecott is a former Inspector with the London Metropolitan Police. Sitting in a bar one night, wanting to be alone, she is approached by an inhabitant of the land of Faery. The prince of Faery has been murdered, which is totally foreign to Faery, and human eyes are needed to find the murderer.
Tony Giodone is a former hitman who has been turned into a werewolf. He now works for the police force of the Sazi Council (they are the good guys). His latest case involves Carmine, a mob boss, who has snuck into Calgary, Alberta, because there are people who want a certain thing very badly. They have no problem with killing anyone who gets in their way. It involves a vial of a very sophisticated virus, and what looks like a photo of a brick wall.
These stories will certainly keep the reader interested. For non-horror readers (like yours truly), the horror part is not overwhelming. Urban fantasy readers will love this book, and it is a first-rate group of stories.
Kate Connor is your average suburban soccer mom, who just happens to work for a super-secret branch of the Vatican. Allie, her teenage daughter, is a demon-hunter in training, but is not yet ready to join Kate on patrol (a never-ending source of sulking and whining on Allie's part). Allie sneaks off to a fancy party in a huge mansion owned by a demon who needs human sacrifices.
Quincey Morris is an occult investigator in Austin, Texas. His latest client is a man whose dot-com went out of business. Contemplating suicide, he signed over his soul in exchange for ten years of success. The ten years are up in a few hours, and the man is terrified that he is going to Hell. Can Morris do anything about it?
Petunia "Pete" Caldecott is a former Inspector with the London Metropolitan Police. Sitting in a bar one night, wanting to be alone, she is approached by an inhabitant of the land of Faery. The prince of Faery has been murdered, which is totally foreign to Faery, and human eyes are needed to find the murderer.
Tony Giodone is a former hitman who has been turned into a werewolf. He now works for the police force of the Sazi Council (they are the good guys). His latest case involves Carmine, a mob boss, who has snuck into Calgary, Alberta, because there are people who want a certain thing very badly. They have no problem with killing anyone who gets in their way. It involves a vial of a very sophisticated virus, and what looks like a photo of a brick wall.
These stories will certainly keep the reader interested. For non-horror readers (like yours truly), the horror part is not overwhelming. Urban fantasy readers will love this book, and it is a first-rate group of stories.
March 15, 2017
This was very good, I even enjoyed the introduction. I loved how at the end of each story after telling a bit about the author, he then told a little about the hero of the story as if they were real.
I would recommend this book mainly for people who have read most of the series referenced. I'll only rate the ones I liked.
Little Better than a Beast (Marla Mason) by T.A. Pratt - I love and miss Marla. 5 stars
Dusted (Cosa Nostradamus)by Laura Anne Gilman - This was great, I'm glad Danny is going to get his own book. 5 stars
The Demon You Know (Demon-Hunter Soccer Mom)by Julie Kenner - this was good, I may have to continue reading these books. 4 stars
The Spirit of the Thing (Nightside) by Simon R. Green - excellent, maybe nightside is better as short stories. 5 stars
Holding the Line (Jill Kismet) by Lilith Saintcrow - I haven't read any of this series and just couldn't get into it.
Defining Shadows (Detective Jessi Hardin from Kitty Norville) by Carrie Vaughn - This is from the Kitty Norville world, but Kitty wasn't in it. Cormac did have a cameo. 4 stars
Deal Breaker (Quincey Morris) by Justin Gustainis - 4 stars
See Me (Smoke and Shadows) by Tanya Huff - 3.5 stars
Soul Stains (Vampire Babylon) by Chris Marie Green - haven't read any of this series
Under the Hill and Far Away (Black London) by Caitlin Kittredge - very good, I need to start reading this series. 4 stars
An Ace in the Hole (Sazi)by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp - I haven't read any of this series and wasn't very interested.
Hell Bound (Hell on Earth) by Jackie Kessler - 3 stars
Impossible Love (Piers Knight) by C.J. Henderson
Running Wild (Outcast Season)by Rachel Caine
I would recommend this book mainly for people who have read most of the series referenced. I'll only rate the ones I liked.
Little Better than a Beast (Marla Mason) by T.A. Pratt - I love and miss Marla. 5 stars
Dusted (Cosa Nostradamus)by Laura Anne Gilman - This was great, I'm glad Danny is going to get his own book. 5 stars
The Demon You Know (Demon-Hunter Soccer Mom)by Julie Kenner - this was good, I may have to continue reading these books. 4 stars
The Spirit of the Thing (Nightside) by Simon R. Green - excellent, maybe nightside is better as short stories. 5 stars
Holding the Line (Jill Kismet) by Lilith Saintcrow - I haven't read any of this series and just couldn't get into it.
Defining Shadows (Detective Jessi Hardin from Kitty Norville) by Carrie Vaughn - This is from the Kitty Norville world, but Kitty wasn't in it. Cormac did have a cameo. 4 stars
Deal Breaker (Quincey Morris) by Justin Gustainis - 4 stars
See Me (Smoke and Shadows) by Tanya Huff - 3.5 stars
Soul Stains (Vampire Babylon) by Chris Marie Green - haven't read any of this series
Under the Hill and Far Away (Black London) by Caitlin Kittredge - very good, I need to start reading this series. 4 stars
An Ace in the Hole (Sazi)by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp - I haven't read any of this series and wasn't very interested.
Hell Bound (Hell on Earth) by Jackie Kessler - 3 stars
Impossible Love (Piers Knight) by C.J. Henderson
Running Wild (Outcast Season)by Rachel Caine
July 12, 2012
Another fun anthology, my favorite type of book for "cleansing my palate" between novels of any sort. As is usually the case, some of these short stories were much better than others, but only a couple were truly bad, so overall, I enjoyed the book.
There is a real trick to writing a good short story. An author has to introduce characters in very few words, yet let us know who we are dealing with and why we should care about them. They have to put together an interesting plot with a definite beginning, middle, and strong ending, and they only have a few pages with which make this happen. Some writers tend to treat a short story as if it is just a chapter taken from the middle of one of their full length books. That never works. The short story is a whole 'nuther art form.
My favorite stories in this book were by Rachel Caine (possibly because I love her Undone series so much), and Simon Green (any story about the Nightside is worth the read). The weakest story in the group would have to be an almost incomprehensible effort by Tanya Huff. Having never read her work before, I don't know if this is her normal writing style, if she just couldn't make this one work as a short story, or if it only made sense if you knew all the many players. (If the last thought is true, it would also indicate a failed effort. One should not be required to be familiar with an entire series in order to understand a short story.)
Again, the book was enjoyable overall, with more hits than misses, so I'm happy to add it to my Anthology shelf.
Bookin' It
There is a real trick to writing a good short story. An author has to introduce characters in very few words, yet let us know who we are dealing with and why we should care about them. They have to put together an interesting plot with a definite beginning, middle, and strong ending, and they only have a few pages with which make this happen. Some writers tend to treat a short story as if it is just a chapter taken from the middle of one of their full length books. That never works. The short story is a whole 'nuther art form.
My favorite stories in this book were by Rachel Caine (possibly because I love her Undone series so much), and Simon Green (any story about the Nightside is worth the read). The weakest story in the group would have to be an almost incomprehensible effort by Tanya Huff. Having never read her work before, I don't know if this is her normal writing style, if she just couldn't make this one work as a short story, or if it only made sense if you knew all the many players. (If the last thought is true, it would also indicate a failed effort. One should not be required to be familiar with an entire series in order to understand a short story.)
Again, the book was enjoyable overall, with more hits than misses, so I'm happy to add it to my Anthology shelf.
Bookin' It
June 3, 2011
For someone who doesn't read a lot of science fiction-style paranormal, this was a great way to sample a bunch of authors. Many stories revolved around worlds or characters that are already developed in full-length novels, so I felt a little behind the curve when being dropped into their mythology.
A couple stories stood out, though, and I may go looking for the novels that match.
The story by Justin Gustainis (the editor) was an updated Faustian tale that was just fun to read. Not any great surprises in the story, but the writing flowed wonderfully. (Sorry, I don't have the title - the book's already been passed on!)
The other that really stuck with me was the story by Tanya Huff. It centers around a gay production assistant (hope I got that right) for a film crew in Vancouver, Tony Foster. He's a wizard, to boot, and in this short, is afraid his lover may be seduced by an unknown woman. The ending was a little rushed, but there was so much more to the story than just the paranormal aspect. It was the most intriguing emotionally, I thought. I'll be looking for more Tony Foster books.
The nice thing about an anthology is that each story is a complete read. Perfect for waiting for the kids at the dentist or school - each one is a short read. If you're looking to dip your toe into occult mystery, this is definitely the book to try.
As far as I go, it was a little too much paranormal for me. Succubi, djinn, possession...it was nice to taste, but I think I'll stick to vampires and weres for now.
A couple stories stood out, though, and I may go looking for the novels that match.
The story by Justin Gustainis (the editor) was an updated Faustian tale that was just fun to read. Not any great surprises in the story, but the writing flowed wonderfully. (Sorry, I don't have the title - the book's already been passed on!)
The other that really stuck with me was the story by Tanya Huff. It centers around a gay production assistant (hope I got that right) for a film crew in Vancouver, Tony Foster. He's a wizard, to boot, and in this short, is afraid his lover may be seduced by an unknown woman. The ending was a little rushed, but there was so much more to the story than just the paranormal aspect. It was the most intriguing emotionally, I thought. I'll be looking for more Tony Foster books.
The nice thing about an anthology is that each story is a complete read. Perfect for waiting for the kids at the dentist or school - each one is a short read. If you're looking to dip your toe into occult mystery, this is definitely the book to try.
As far as I go, it was a little too much paranormal for me. Succubi, djinn, possession...it was nice to taste, but I think I'll stick to vampires and weres for now.
May 26, 2011
I bought this for the following authors contributions:
Julie Kenner--A short story about Allie & Kate and what happens when Allie encounters a demon w/out her mom present. It is a nice short story because it allows Allie to be a teen and show typical teen rebellion. It also allows Allie to learn lessons about actions/consequences (obviously this is make believe b/c that doesn't happen). Short and sweet.
Carrie Vaughn--this involves Detective Hardin (very minor character) and Cormac. The story centers around Detective Hardin solving a strange murder. She remembers to ask Cormac for advice (of course he enables her to tie the clues together). It would have been better if a little more time was given to piecing the clues together. Instead it jumped from "huh, what the heck could cause this" to "of course you did it in the library, with the candlestick, because you are having an affair with your husband's sister's nephew". After all of the details that were given throughout the story, there weren't enough to tie the ending together.
Rachel Caine--Cassie & Luis encounter unexpected predators. I enjoy Cassiel's adventures. This has enough details and plot to make a good short story.
Usually I read the other author's contributions but I'm fairly apathetic right now and couldn't bring myself to try something different.
Julie Kenner--A short story about Allie & Kate and what happens when Allie encounters a demon w/out her mom present. It is a nice short story because it allows Allie to be a teen and show typical teen rebellion. It also allows Allie to learn lessons about actions/consequences (obviously this is make believe b/c that doesn't happen). Short and sweet.
Carrie Vaughn--this involves Detective Hardin (very minor character) and Cormac. The story centers around Detective Hardin solving a strange murder. She remembers to ask Cormac for advice (of course he enables her to tie the clues together). It would have been better if a little more time was given to piecing the clues together. Instead it jumped from "huh, what the heck could cause this" to "of course you did it in the library, with the candlestick, because you are having an affair with your husband's sister's nephew". After all of the details that were given throughout the story, there weren't enough to tie the ending together.
Rachel Caine--Cassie & Luis encounter unexpected predators. I enjoy Cassiel's adventures. This has enough details and plot to make a good short story.
Usually I read the other author's contributions but I'm fairly apathetic right now and couldn't bring myself to try something different.
July 22, 2015
The thematic construct of the book was urban fantasy crime-solving. The unspoken purpose of this book was to bring together short stories set in existing urban fantasy worlds and show them off to the readership. Every short story ended with both an author bio and a character bio, for our further edification about the series from which the story came. I picked it up exactly for that reason. I read a lot of urban fantasy, and am always interested in ways to taste-test more.
I enjoyed the stories. Some were a little pat and some were a little dark, but it was comprehensively a fine anthology. After reading the book and then looking at reviews of the full-length stories, I added five new series/authors to my to-read list: Jackie Kessler, Simon Green, Justin Gustainis, Mette Ivie Harrison, and Laura Anne Gilman (I've read Staying Dead but not the Hard Magic series). I'm also thinking I might go back to TA Pratt and read more of the Marla Manson world. (I read Blood Engines back in 2013.) There is, unfortunately, no more of Huff's Smoke and... series to consume, though it was great to get another Tony story.
I picked it up for a sample pack. I recommend it to others who would like the same.
I enjoyed the stories. Some were a little pat and some were a little dark, but it was comprehensively a fine anthology. After reading the book and then looking at reviews of the full-length stories, I added five new series/authors to my to-read list: Jackie Kessler, Simon Green, Justin Gustainis, Mette Ivie Harrison, and Laura Anne Gilman (I've read Staying Dead but not the Hard Magic series). I'm also thinking I might go back to TA Pratt and read more of the Marla Manson world. (I read Blood Engines back in 2013.) There is, unfortunately, no more of Huff's Smoke and... series to consume, though it was great to get another Tony story.
I picked it up for a sample pack. I recommend it to others who would like the same.
August 23, 2014
The collection features 14 sleuths, some traditional, some not, in original tales of unusual cases involving vampires, demons, succubi, and other supernatural critters. Gustainis, the editor, defines occult detectives broadly by his own admission - "to include any fictional character who contends regularly with the supernatural." That broad definition allows for a wide range of detectives, supernatural beings and occurrences and mysteries. The stories all fit well in the given range. The authors are all well known to moderately well known in the urban fantasy field; some I had read before, many were new for me.
As is true in most anthologies, there were a few favorites in the collection: Simon R. Green's "The Spirit of the Thing," was one of the best ghost stories I have read in ages. It was haunting and cryptic, and didn't go in the direction that I expected. Jackie Kessler's "Hell Bound" made me laugh and reminded me that I need to catch up on that series (I'm several books behind).
To see more of this review, go to Bea's Book Nook: http://beasbooknook.blogspot.com/2011...
As is true in most anthologies, there were a few favorites in the collection: Simon R. Green's "The Spirit of the Thing," was one of the best ghost stories I have read in ages. It was haunting and cryptic, and didn't go in the direction that I expected. Jackie Kessler's "Hell Bound" made me laugh and reminded me that I need to catch up on that series (I'm several books behind).
To see more of this review, go to Bea's Book Nook: http://beasbooknook.blogspot.com/2011...
Want to read
September 6, 2014The detectives:
**Danny Hendrickson - from Laura Anne Gilman’s Cosa Nostradamus series.
**Cassiel - from Rachel Caine’s Outcast Season series.
**Kate Connor - from Julie Kenner’s Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series.
**John Taylor - from Simon R. Green’s Nightside series.
? Jessi Hardin - from Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty Norville series - who's this?
Jill Kismet - from Lilith Saintcrow’s Jill Kismet series.
Quincey Morris - from Justin Gustainis’ Morris/Chastain Investigations series.
Marla Mason - from T. A. Pratt’s Marla Mason series.
Tony Foster - from Tanya Huff’s Smoke and Shadows series.
Dawn Madison - from Chris Marie Green’s Vampire Babylon series.
Pete Caldecott - from Caitlin Kittredge’s Black London series.
Tony Giodone - from C. T. Adams and Cathy Clamp’s Tales of the Sazi series.
Jezebel - from Jackie Kessler’s Hell on Earth series.
Piers Knight - from C. J. Henderson’s Brooklyn Knight series.
**Danny Hendrickson - from Laura Anne Gilman’s Cosa Nostradamus series.
**Cassiel - from Rachel Caine’s Outcast Season series.
**Kate Connor - from Julie Kenner’s Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series.
**John Taylor - from Simon R. Green’s Nightside series.
? Jessi Hardin - from Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty Norville series - who's this?
Jill Kismet - from Lilith Saintcrow’s Jill Kismet series.
Quincey Morris - from Justin Gustainis’ Morris/Chastain Investigations series.
Marla Mason - from T. A. Pratt’s Marla Mason series.
Tony Foster - from Tanya Huff’s Smoke and Shadows series.
Dawn Madison - from Chris Marie Green’s Vampire Babylon series.
Pete Caldecott - from Caitlin Kittredge’s Black London series.
Tony Giodone - from C. T. Adams and Cathy Clamp’s Tales of the Sazi series.
Jezebel - from Jackie Kessler’s Hell on Earth series.
Piers Knight - from C. J. Henderson’s Brooklyn Knight series.
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