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kellyherself's review against another edition
3.0
Synopsis: P.N. Elrod's latest urban fantasy anthology, Dark and Stormy Knights, contains a series of tales in which the line between the bad guy and the good guy is extremely thin. The collection features short stories by the following authors:
* Ilona Andrews
* Jim Butcher
* Shannon K. Butcher
* Rachel Caine
* P.N. Elrod
* Deidre Knight
* Vicki Pettersson
* Lilith Saintcrow
* Carrie Vaughn
Review: I ♥ a good urban fantasy anthology. One generally gets a nice mix of authors, though the stories have a similar theme running through them. Generally, I use anthologies as a way of finding and checking out author that aren't on my regular reading list. I enjoyed Dark and Stormy Knights tremendously. I would definitely recommend this collection to urban fantasy fans.
* Ilona Andrews
* Jim Butcher
* Shannon K. Butcher
* Rachel Caine
* P.N. Elrod
* Deidre Knight
* Vicki Pettersson
* Lilith Saintcrow
* Carrie Vaughn
Review: I ♥ a good urban fantasy anthology. One generally gets a nice mix of authors, though the stories have a similar theme running through them. Generally, I use anthologies as a way of finding and checking out author that aren't on my regular reading list. I enjoyed Dark and Stormy Knights tremendously. I would definitely recommend this collection to urban fantasy fans.
travistravis's review against another edition
2.0
Like all compilations, I really liked some of them, and some of them were just so-so. In this case, most of them were just so-so, and the only one I kind of liked was the Dresden Files tie-in (although it was written from a different main character, which begins to destroy the world in my mind)
airaseem's review against another edition
3.0
Usually when I read this type of book is because it's a point something to a story. So I only read those stories for the series I am going to and already am series. So I read the #.5 prequel to the Kate Daniels series. It was ok. I kinda got lost a couple of times but overall it was nice prequel and I am curious about how the series will turn out to be. Hoping for the best. The series sound interesting.
roni1574's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed these short stories. I have read many of the authors previously and really enjoyed learning more about the characters. My favorite is A Questionable Client by Ilona Andrews....great to find out how Kate met Saiman. The authors I haven't read have me looking into their series to put on my TBR list.
andersenmom's review against another edition
5.0
my book of short stories for the 2015 reading challenge
kagetsukai's review against another edition
3.0
I picked up the book mostly for Jim Butcher's short story. I've read a few other stories as well, but this anthology just didn't really jump out at me. Even the Dresden Files story was sub-par. Granted, it was still pretty good, but I didn't enjoy myself as much I usually do with Jim Butcher stories. Oh well, it was just short stories, right?
jen1110's review against another edition
3.0
The collection was hit-or-miss. Overall, I'm kind of wishing I'd just checked it out from the library instead of buying it. I may look into the series that some of these stories came from, but there really wasn't anything that made me deeply glad that I own the book.
ian's review against another edition
4.0
A Questionable Client by Ilona Andrews
If you've read Ilona Andrew's Kate Daniels Series, this story shows Kate meeting Saiman the shapeshifter for the first time.
I really enjoyed this story. Fast paced action, nice dialog, and some genuinely funny sections (I love all the mercs home-brew recipes to get monster stink off Kate's shoes). The twist at the end is very fun, too.
Even Hand by Jim Butcher
I'm a big fan of the Harry Dresden series, and this story doesn't disappoint. Told from the POV of John Marcone, Harry's sometimes arch-nemesis, although in this case he gets to play the reluctant hero. Marcone must defend a woman and child from a nasty Fomor from Faerie.
This story has some very witty lines, and a clever twist ending. Just because Marcone is playing the hero doesn't mean he won't profit from it.
The Beacon by Shannon K. Butcher
A professional killer finds there is a line even he won't cross.
This story had me on the edge of my seat. Very well done. I don't envy the moral dilemma the main character is faced with during the course of the story.
Even a Rabbit Will Bite by Rachel Caine
A retiring Dragon Slayer must pass on what she knows to her predecessor, but with only one elderly dragon left in the world, the task seems pointless at first. I won't say more because I don't want to spoil this gem of a story.
I'll admit I purchased this set for Ilona Andrews and Jim Butcher, but it ended up that this is by far my favorite story in the collection.
Dark Lady by P.N. Elrod
A vampire nightclub owner attempts to help a damsel in distress, but ends up needing rescued himself - by the ghost of a former employee.
A bit slow to start, this story ends with a bang. Highly enjoyable.
Beknighted by Deidre Knight
An artist attempts to free a Knight imprisoned inside a puzzle box, but dark forces seem a bit too eager for his release.
I didn't really enjoy this story, mostly because I really had a hard time understanding what was going on. The writing was dreamlike, in a way which made it hard to follow. At the end I couldn't really bring myself to care to much what happened.
Shifting Star by Vicki Pettersson
A newly human, former Tulpa must learn what it means to be human.
Another story that had a hard time following, at least at first. This story seems to associated with a series that I haven't read. However, by the end I was really enjoying this one, and the ending left me very sad.
Rookwood & Mrs. King by Lilith Saintcrow
A vampire seeks revenge on his creators by killing their new protege, Mr. King.
Its a bit more complicated than that, but I don't want to spoil anything. This one was good, and has a bit of a twist ending that I enjoyed.
God's Creatures by Carrie Vaughn
Cormac discovers that sometimes even a killing that needs to happen can weigh on your soul.
Not bad, not great, this story keeps you reading but never really pulled me in. The hero is hunting down a werewolf that has been killing cows outside of town, and he tracks it down to the local church. There is a bit of action, and the story comes to a nice, but sad, ending.
Overall a very solid collection
If you've read Ilona Andrew's Kate Daniels Series, this story shows Kate meeting Saiman the shapeshifter for the first time.
I really enjoyed this story. Fast paced action, nice dialog, and some genuinely funny sections (I love all the mercs home-brew recipes to get monster stink off Kate's shoes). The twist at the end is very fun, too.
Even Hand by Jim Butcher
I'm a big fan of the Harry Dresden series, and this story doesn't disappoint. Told from the POV of John Marcone, Harry's sometimes arch-nemesis, although in this case he gets to play the reluctant hero. Marcone must defend a woman and child from a nasty Fomor from Faerie.
This story has some very witty lines, and a clever twist ending. Just because Marcone is playing the hero doesn't mean he won't profit from it.
The Beacon by Shannon K. Butcher
A professional killer finds there is a line even he won't cross.
This story had me on the edge of my seat. Very well done. I don't envy the moral dilemma the main character is faced with during the course of the story.
Even a Rabbit Will Bite by Rachel Caine
A retiring Dragon Slayer must pass on what she knows to her predecessor, but with only one elderly dragon left in the world, the task seems pointless at first. I won't say more because I don't want to spoil this gem of a story.
I'll admit I purchased this set for Ilona Andrews and Jim Butcher, but it ended up that this is by far my favorite story in the collection.
Dark Lady by P.N. Elrod
A vampire nightclub owner attempts to help a damsel in distress, but ends up needing rescued himself - by the ghost of a former employee.
A bit slow to start, this story ends with a bang. Highly enjoyable.
Beknighted by Deidre Knight
An artist attempts to free a Knight imprisoned inside a puzzle box, but dark forces seem a bit too eager for his release.
I didn't really enjoy this story, mostly because I really had a hard time understanding what was going on. The writing was dreamlike, in a way which made it hard to follow. At the end I couldn't really bring myself to care to much what happened.
Shifting Star by Vicki Pettersson
A newly human, former Tulpa must learn what it means to be human.
Another story that had a hard time following, at least at first. This story seems to associated with a series that I haven't read. However, by the end I was really enjoying this one, and the ending left me very sad.
Rookwood & Mrs. King by Lilith Saintcrow
A vampire seeks revenge on his creators by killing their new protege, Mr. King.
Its a bit more complicated than that, but I don't want to spoil anything. This one was good, and has a bit of a twist ending that I enjoyed.
God's Creatures by Carrie Vaughn
Cormac discovers that sometimes even a killing that needs to happen can weigh on your soul.
Not bad, not great, this story keeps you reading but never really pulled me in. The hero is hunting down a werewolf that has been killing cows outside of town, and he tracks it down to the local church. There is a bit of action, and the story comes to a nice, but sad, ending.
Overall a very solid collection
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