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misterjay's review against another edition
4.0
A Questionable Client by Ilona Andrews
Interesting new take on the vampire hunter trope. Lots of fun. I hadn't heard (read) any stories featuring Kate Daniels but I'm very interested in checking a few out after hearing this one. 4/5
Even Hand by Jim Butcher
This is a look into one of my favorite baddies from the Dresden books, John Marcone. We find out just a little bit more about the Gentleman, and his particular code. And what he'll do to keep it. Fun and easy to listen to. 4/5
The Beacon by Shannon K. Butcher
Like all the best anti-heroes, Ryder Ward is both hard to like and hard to dislike. And like most anti-heroes, he often does the wrong thing for the right reasons, like failing to shoot a little girl no matter how many die as a consequence. 3/5
Even a Rabbit Will Bite by Rachel Caine
Although it took a bit longer than I felt was really necessary to get going, I liked where the story ended up. There have been a lot of stories about dragons and dragon slayers, but I've not read any like this. 4/5
Dark Lady by P.N. Elrod
It's been at least 20 years since I read a Jack Fleming novel; this story has made me want to go right back to the beginning and devour them all. This story has gangsters, money gone missing, nightclubs, and a helpful ghost. Fun. 5/5
Beknighted by Deidre Knight
I liked the idea here, about an artist who finds herself in the middle of a battle between a knight and the Devil all the while trying to use her talents to help, but the writing was a little too florid for me. 3/5
Shifting Star by Vicki Pettersson
This is one of those stories that I think I would have liked a lot more if it had been novel length, with enough time to go into who, exactly, everyone is and why their motivations are what they are. Interesting idea, but not enough for me to really get into. 2/5
Rookwood and Mrs. King by Lilith Saintcrow
The vampire detective thing has been done a bit by now, but this is a nice take on the idea all the same. Rookwood is a good character and I'd happily read more if he shows up in his own series sometime. 4/5
God's Creatures by Carrie Vaughn
I've got no idea who this Cormac guy is, but I want to start reading the books about him. I really enjoyed this wolf hunter story. 4/5
Interesting new take on the vampire hunter trope. Lots of fun. I hadn't heard (read) any stories featuring Kate Daniels but I'm very interested in checking a few out after hearing this one. 4/5
Even Hand by Jim Butcher
This is a look into one of my favorite baddies from the Dresden books, John Marcone. We find out just a little bit more about the Gentleman, and his particular code. And what he'll do to keep it. Fun and easy to listen to. 4/5
The Beacon by Shannon K. Butcher
Like all the best anti-heroes, Ryder Ward is both hard to like and hard to dislike. And like most anti-heroes, he often does the wrong thing for the right reasons, like failing to shoot a little girl no matter how many die as a consequence. 3/5
Even a Rabbit Will Bite by Rachel Caine
Although it took a bit longer than I felt was really necessary to get going, I liked where the story ended up. There have been a lot of stories about dragons and dragon slayers, but I've not read any like this. 4/5
Dark Lady by P.N. Elrod
It's been at least 20 years since I read a Jack Fleming novel; this story has made me want to go right back to the beginning and devour them all. This story has gangsters, money gone missing, nightclubs, and a helpful ghost. Fun. 5/5
Beknighted by Deidre Knight
I liked the idea here, about an artist who finds herself in the middle of a battle between a knight and the Devil all the while trying to use her talents to help, but the writing was a little too florid for me. 3/5
Shifting Star by Vicki Pettersson
This is one of those stories that I think I would have liked a lot more if it had been novel length, with enough time to go into who, exactly, everyone is and why their motivations are what they are. Interesting idea, but not enough for me to really get into. 2/5
Rookwood and Mrs. King by Lilith Saintcrow
The vampire detective thing has been done a bit by now, but this is a nice take on the idea all the same. Rookwood is a good character and I'd happily read more if he shows up in his own series sometime. 4/5
God's Creatures by Carrie Vaughn
I've got no idea who this Cormac guy is, but I want to start reading the books about him. I really enjoyed this wolf hunter story. 4/5
barbtrek's review against another edition
4.0
A nice variety of stories. No duds in the group, though I liked some more than others.
trueperception's review against another edition
4.0
A Questionable Client - 4/5. Interesting world and main character. I'll have to check out the first book.
Even Hand - 4/5
The Beacon - 3/5. She copies her husbands writing style really well, but the story was boring.
Even A Rabbit Will Bite - 3/5
Dark Lady - 4/5. Well written period piece, with nice, traditional vampire mythology, and some interesting intuited elements (healing in gas form, wood as a general weakness).
Beknighted - 2/5. Not interested.
Shifting Star - 2/5. Has potential, but it's destroyed by overarching romance plot.
Rookwood and Mrs. King - 4/5
God's Creatures - 4/5. Worth checking out the author's other works.
Merged review:
It had potential, but it had a good deal of flaws. And, I don't buy the "you monster, our women are meek and helpless!" angle.
Even Hand - 4/5
The Beacon - 3/5. She copies her husbands writing style really well, but the story was boring.
Even A Rabbit Will Bite - 3/5
Dark Lady - 4/5. Well written period piece, with nice, traditional vampire mythology, and some interesting intuited elements (healing in gas form, wood as a general weakness).
Beknighted - 2/5. Not interested.
Shifting Star - 2/5. Has potential, but it's destroyed by overarching romance plot.
Rookwood and Mrs. King - 4/5
God's Creatures - 4/5. Worth checking out the author's other works.
Merged review:
It had potential, but it had a good deal of flaws. And, I don't buy the "you monster, our women are meek and helpless!" angle.
eastofthesunwestofthemoon's review against another edition
3.0
As is usual with story collections, there are some good and some less interesting tales in this volume.
_snowy_m's review against another edition
5.0
Marcone...one of my favorite characters in the series...so much more to learn about him
git_r_read's review against another edition
4.0
As with almost all anthologies I read (or partially read), there are shiny awesome novellas and there are the middling good, then the *whaaaat*. Some of this might have been due to the time of night and the night of the week I was reading each one. I will hold onto this one and try again as I know the auhors are all favorites of mine, so it must have been timing that had me thinking other than most favorable thoughts.
glitterbomb47's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyed the stories by Andrews, both Butchers, Elrod, Caine, and Vaughn. The Pettersson one was pretty good too. The Knight story was truly awful. I don't know how that one got stuck in here. I would have given this collection four stars if that story hadn't been included.
pamwinkler's review against another edition
3.0
A Questionable Client by Ilona Andrews is good. I like reading the Kate Daniels; it's one of my favorite series. There's not much more to it than that.
Even Hand by Jim Butcher is also good; it's Dresden Files.
The Beacon by Shannon K. Butcher was good, but a bit predictable.
Even a Rabbit will Bite by Rachel Caine is really good. I've read it before and it's very good.
Dark Lady by P.N.Elrod is a Jack Fleming story, and I love those too.
Beknighted by Deidre Knight might have been good the first time I read it, but that this point it's predictable.
Shifting Star by Vicki Pettersson was pretty good. I'm pretty sure I didn't like it last time but this time I liked it.
Rookwood & Mrs. King by Lilith Saintcrow was pretty good. I seem to like her stories better than her books, but it's been a while.
God's Creatures by Carrie Vaugh was good.
Even Hand by Jim Butcher is also good; it's Dresden Files.
The Beacon by Shannon K. Butcher was good, but a bit predictable.
Even a Rabbit will Bite by Rachel Caine is really good. I've read it before and it's very good.
Dark Lady by P.N.Elrod is a Jack Fleming story, and I love those too.
Beknighted by Deidre Knight might have been good the first time I read it, but that this point it's predictable.
Shifting Star by Vicki Pettersson was pretty good. I'm pretty sure I didn't like it last time but this time I liked it.
Rookwood & Mrs. King by Lilith Saintcrow was pretty good. I seem to like her stories better than her books, but it's been a while.
God's Creatures by Carrie Vaugh was good.