“Shadowed Souls” edited by Jim Butcher & Kerrie L. Hughes

“Shadowed Souls”
edited by Jim Butcher & Kerrie L. Hughes
Narrated by: Jim Butcher, Julia Whelan, Various
Series: The Dresden Files, Book 14.5
Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins
Release date: 11-01-16
Publisher: Penguin Audio

I just love to read anthologies. Several Short stories with a related theme. It’s like getting a view of the world from different perspectives. I was raised on the Asimov’s Science Fiction anthology magazine and others like it. Then I discovered the same idea but in hardback books or even paperback, and these were usually collections of horror stories. It was how I discovered many of my favorite sci-fi and horror authors, including Jim Butcher.

This time around Jim Butcher edits (and contributes a story to) this collection, “Shadowed Souls.” This collection contains another favorite of mine, anti-heroes. All the heroes in these stories have something dark about them but they work on the side of right, most of the time.

The various authors and various narrators in this audiobook keep the excitement rolling. I couldn’t point out a bad story in the lot. My favorite stories are the the first one, “Cold Case” by Jim Butcher, in which we follow the new Winter Lady, Molly Carpenter as she rescues children from the colds of the north but then is forced to realize her reality as a “Shadowed Soul.”

The last story in the collection was a great way to end the book. “Impossible Monsters,” by Rob Thurman tells of an anti-hero that seeks revenge that is long overdue and at the same time, requires the long time to boil over with revenge. (I’m going to have to look for more from Rob Thurman)

Publisher’s Summary
In this dark and gritty collection – featuring short stories from Jim Butcher, Seanan McGuire, Kevin J. Anderson, and Rob Thurman – nothing is as simple as black and white, light and dark, good and evil….

Unfortunately, that’s exactly what makes it so easy to cross the line.

In number-one New York Times best-selling author Jim Butcher’s “Cold Case”, Molly Carpenter – Harry Dresden’s apprentice-turned-Winter Lady – must collect a tribute from a remote Fae colony and discovers that even if you’re a good girl, sometimes you have to be bad.

New York Times best-selling author Seanan McGuire’s “Sleepover” finds half-succubus Elsie Harrington kidnapped by a group of desperate teenage boys. Not for anything weird. They just need her to rescue a little girl from the boogeyman. No biggie.

In New York Times best-selling Kevin J. Anderson’s “Eye of Newt”, Zombie PI Dan Shamble’s latest client is a panicky lizard missing an eye who thinks someone wants him dead. But the truth is that someone only wants him for a very special dinner….

And New York Times best-selling author Rob Thurman’s infernally heroic Caliban Leandros takes a trip down memory lane as he deals with some overdue – and nightmarish – vengeance involving some quite nasty “Impossible Monsters”.

Also includes stories by Tanya Huff, Kat Richardson, Jim C. Hines, Anton Strout, Lucy A. Snyder, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, and Erik Scott de Bie.

Full cast of narrators includes Jon Lindstrom, Sumalee Montano, Mozhan Marno, Karissa Vacker, and Macleod Andrews.

©2016 Jim Butcher and Kerrie L. Hughes (P)2016 Penguin Audio

“Cold Days” by Jim Butcher

“Cold Days” (Dresden files book 14)
by Jim Butcher
Read by James Marsters
published by Penguin Audio
Approx. 16 hours

It was so awesome getting this audiobook in the mail. I’m a huge fan of Jim Butcher’s writing and have been waiting anxiously for this latest installment of “The Dresden Files,” featuring my favorite wizard and all around protector of humanity. I think even if Chuck Norris were a wizard Harry Dresden would still give him a beat down. Dresden is just that awesome. I mean really he’s taken on werewolves, vampires, demons, gods and the three billy goats gruff and manages to keep on for the next day.

Okay there has been an exception to this, and I’d better approach that before carrying on with this book. If you haven’t read up to book twelve, “Changes,” you may want to skip ahead in this review because this paragraph will contain some spoilers for you. Basically at the end of “Changes” Harry Dresden dies, but what is it like when a wizard dies? In book thirteen “Ghost Story,” Dresden comes back to his hometown of Chicago as a ghost and helps fight of an evil while going all Patrick Swayze on his friends. Then at the end of that book Harry is brought back by the faery Queen of Winter, Mab, because at the end of “Changes” he agreed to serve her as her Winter Knight in order to save his daughter. So he has died but he is so awesome that he comes back to life.

So now we are at this book, the 14th in the series, “Cold Days.” As per the usual run of any “Dresden Files” book, Harry is faced with many dangers that to any normal person, this includes you, Chuck Norris, would lead to death and the possible end of the world. Harry is now the Winter Knight and as part of his rehab, yeah after being dead he has to go through some intense life-threatening physical therapy, his life is threatened daily by Mab via poisonous spiders, fire, and just about any evil she can come up with for him to fend off. Picture Cato Fong, from the Pink Panther series always surprising Clouseau by attacking, only now make Fong a nearly evil Queen of Winter and Darkness, with unlimited power, and that’s what Harry has to contend with.

After Harry’s physical rehab, he is assigned a couple of assistant’s of sorts. One is the Cat Sith, no he doesn’t have a red light saber, who is a powerful faerie who is dangerous, and a woman who seems to be Mab’s BFF, but may also have an ulterior motive. Harry is then invited to his own Birthday party to announce the him as the new Winter Knight. There are two simple rules at this party and other than those anything goes. The two rules are 1. No one speaks to Mab unless she says otherwise and 2. No blood is spilled. In Harry’s world, you know one of the rules is going to be broken.

At the party Mab’s daughter Maeve tries to seduce Harry and pull him to her side, after that fails a Red Cap powry tries to get Harry angry and spill blood, but Harry manages to maintain his cool and receives his first order from Mab; Kill Maeve. So to start things out Harry has to kill an immortal (one who can’t be killed).

Harry then is allowed to return home to Chicago and in order to find a way to kill Maeve he retrieves his wizard’s equivalent of a computer, Bob. Once he’s on the trail to find out how to kill that which cannot be killed Harry figures out he’s going to need his friends not because of Maeve but because his island, Demonreach, is about to explode and take Chicago with it. So with the help of his apprentice, Molly, his half-brother the vampire, Thomas, the faery general, Toot-toot, and more Harry has to stop a mystical island from exploding, save Chicago, avoid being killed by the Earlking and his hunt and kill an immortal. Oh yeah, and he’s only got 1 day to do it.

As a side note and a bit of a spoiler, Harry gets to meet Santa Claus and even kicks Santa’s butt in a battle. Funny stuff and great adventure in this latest adventure from Jim Butcher. If you haven’t launched yourself into the Dresden Files yet, get on it.

As a final note I have to talk about the reader of this audiobook, James Marsters. Actually reader doesn’t do it justice, Marsters is the performer of this audiobook. James Marsters has become a fan favorite as reader of the Dresden Files books and when he was busy with an acting gig and couldn’t do the “Ghost Story” novel, many fans were upset, including me. Marsters, is best known for his role in the television series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel” as the vampire, Spike. His performance in the Dresden books is way above par. He captures the character of Harry Dresden perfectly by being able to vocalize all of the between the lines stuff, such as emotion, history and even the awesome use of sarcasm and snarkiness. Not only does he portray a great version of Harry Dresden, but there are times that while listening to the book it almost sounds like a multi-cast performance with Marsters doing some great vocal gymnastics to represent each character. Thanks to Marsters, the faery General Toot-toot comes to life in full 3-D representation. He definitely adds one more plus to these already great books.

“Ghost Story” The Dresden Files, Book 13 by Jim Butcher

“Ghost Story”
The Dresden Files, Book 13
by Jim Butcher
read by John Glover
Produced by Penguin Audiobooks
Approx. 18 hours.

Whew! I just finished the latest novel in the Dresden Files series from Jim Butcher, and let me tell you I’m relieved.  In the last book, “Changes,” Harry Dresden died, worse yet, he was assassinated.  I, along with many other Dresden fans, were left hanging.  I mean, c’mon, it can’t end this way…Harry can’t die!  Okay, he’s not immortal, but really, it IS called the “DRESDEN Files.”  I had to wait about a whole year to find out what happened.  I know in comic books they sometimes bring back heroes from the dead, but I really didn’t know how Jim Butcher was going to get by with this one.  Sure he’s written a novel about Spider-Man and knows the tricks, but with the Wizard Harry Dresden, that’s not the same.

Finally I got to put the audiobook on and sit back and listen.  But wait, the publishers threw another curve at us fans.  Really it wasn’t the publisher’s fault but, Wow! it was a big problem.  James Marsters, who has become the voice of Harry Dresden in the audio books, was not available for the production.  If you don’t know, all these novels are told in first person, and Marsters made Dresden POP!  Marsters became Dresden and vice versa.  So who do we get now?  John Glover.  To give Glover some cred, he did portray Lionel Luther in the TV series of Smallville, and he knew the kind of superhero attitude that lives within Harry Dresden.  Okay, I’ll give him that.  I can’t say that he did a bad job of this, because he didn’t, in fact when voicing the other characters in the story, Glover shined, but it just wasn’t Marsters voice behind Harry.  It seemed more of an inconvenience but as the story progressed, Glover did a great job, I just have a thing for Marsters’ voice as Harry.  Had I never heard the Marsters version I would say Glover was awesome, but for right now Marsters is my favorite, just like Tom Baker is my favorite Doctor from the Doctor Who series.   Sure other actors do a great job, but I will always hold my favorite.  Maybe I can look back later and say Marsters was a great Harry Dresden and Glover was a great Harry Dresden’s Ghost.

We start out this story with Chicago’s resident wizard, Harry Dresden, contemplating his death.  He sees the light down the tunnel, but lo’ and behold, the light is a train.  Harry is ready to take this head on when he is whisked away from the tracks from Carmichael, a former Chicago Police Officer that specialized in paranormal type of crimes.  Harry saw Carmichael ripped to shreds by a loup garou years ago, so he knew he was still dead, the problem is what is going on.  Carmichael takes Harry to the police station in the “In Between” Chicago, where Harry is told that before he moves on he must find out who killed him.  If Harry doesn’t do this 3 people in Harry’s life will be hurt.

Harry had just recently found out he had a daughter and was assassinated just after he saved her by wiping out the entire race of Red Court Vampires.  This genocidal act was done by pulling some favors from some unsavory characters and created a void in the supernatural power struggle of the world.  When Harry is sent back to Chicago (as a ghost) 6 months have passed since his death and the world has changed reflecting that void trying to be filled.  His first stop is at the home of Morty the Ectomancer (one who can communicate with spirits).  He finds Morty’s home under attack by wraiths and being guarded by ghosts of Morty’s ancestors.

After a very cool battle Harry learns some of the secrets of being a ghost.  First off ghosts’ power comes from memories, and in order to fight one must expend that memory energy, but the cost is that with each expended memory the ghost loses a little of itself until it becomes a murderous wraith.  Harry’s magic as a wizard is no longer effective against the living and he becomes a beginner in relearning the magicks of the ghost world.

Harry then learns what has happened to his old friends, Karrin Murphy, a former Chicago cop who now fight against the supernatural threat with a team of werewolves, vikings (courtesy of the mob boss Gentleman John Marcone) and Waldo Butters, former coroner now the owner of Bob, the spirit form of a former wizard now the supernatural equivalent of the internet.  Occasionally they get the help of Harry’s former apprentice, Molly, who seems to have lost a bit of her mind in the battle against the Red Court and now goes by the name of “The Rag Lady.”

Helping his former friends now becomes a priority and Harry seems to have forgotten his task of solving his murder.  But leave it to Harry (via the great writing of Jim Butcher) to manage to work the two into the same task.    Throughout the story Harry gets hints as to who his murderer is but can’t seem to grasp the answer.  Here’s where I was a bit miffed, because I had it figured out at the first hint.  But through the twists and turns that make the Dresden Files stories so great we find out why Harry doesn’t get it.  (Thank you Jim Butcher for the awesome storytelling.)

Another thing that grabbed me at first was why wasn’t Harry’s Brother, Thomas, not involved? What Happened!?!?  But alas Butcher had that figured out as well.  Yep, this is one of those books that you have to get to the very end before it all soaks in.  Great Stuff.

But what happens next?  I think I’ve got it figured out, and yes it looks like Butcher will be releasing a new book in the series, “Cold Days,” so it looks like we’ll get more.  Again, I say, “Whew!”

“The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle” Graphic Novel by Jim Butcher

“The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle”
Graphic Novel
by Jim Butcher
Illustrated by Ardian Syaf
Published by Del Rey (2008)

Jim Butcher confesses in the preface to this collected edition, that when he writes a Harry Dresden story he pictures the action in comic book form and I found it interesting that as I read each new novel my mind immediately interprets into a comic book /animation format.  Jim says it’s because he collected Marvel comics for a large part of his life, maybe that’s my reason also.  I find it amazing that he and I shared the same passion, if only I had turned that passion into great writing like he did.

Anyway, these stories were originally published in comic book form in four issues.  This edition collects those comics into one graphic novel and includes a section with extra artwork representing the covers and character development sketches.  Reading this story in comic book form allows the reader to enjoy the action with some great artwork.

This story is a prequel to the Dresden files taking place just before the first book , “Storm Front.”  A side note here “Storm Front” has since been adapted to graphic novel form.

After a security guard at the Lincoln Park Zoo is found dead at the zoo, the police immediately think that a gorilla named Moe is to blame.  Special Investigations Lt. Karrin Murphy, doesn’t think it fits that the gorilla escaped, killed the guard and locked himself back in the cage.  So she calls in the only guy capable of handling the world of the weird, Chicago’s own wizard, Harry Dresden.  Harry has to find what actually happened and present it to Murphy so the officials can somewhat swallow the story.  Harry is soon attacked by  several jungle cats, a black dog and a hag.   With some help from Bob the skull, Harry finds out what is killing but now he has to figure out how to stop them or more than just the zoo will be in trouble.

With excellent Jim Butcher storytelling and beautiful artwork “Welcome to the Jungle” is a great introduction to the Dresden files series.

“Strange Brew” Edited by P.N. Elrod

“Strange Brew”
Edited by P.N. Elrod
Multiple readers
produced by Audible Frontiers (2009)
approx 12 hours.

In continuing my search for more Jim Butcher’s “Dresden Files” stories I find another collection of short stories that have a few of my other favorite supernatural authors and I may have found a few more.  This book features 9 stories all dealing with the supernatural, in particular witches, wizards and potions.  There is no Professor Snape to let this lot know if they are doing it right or wrong, but for the most part they all get it right.  The nice thing is that for most of the authors in this book, they have a running series and these short stories take place within the realm of that same series and for the die-hard fans, here’s one more source for some quick pleasure while waiting for that next book.

Each story has their own reader thus giving this collection in audiobook form a better sound of being different stories from different authors.  Now let’s talk about each story one by one.

“Seeing Eye” by Patricia Briggs:  Patricia Briggs returns to the world of Mercy Thompson, but follows an entirely new character – the witch (Wendy) Moira Keller. Tom Franklin, werewolf and second in the Emerald City pack, shows up on Moira’s doorstep asking for her help in finding his kidnapped brother Jon, Moira cannot refuse him, even though it could mean her death. For Moira is no ordinary witch, and she has a dark past connected to those who have taken Jon – the Samhain Coven, led by the cruel and power-hungry Kouros. Together, Moira and Tom set out on Jon’s trail, using her magic and Tom’s strength to discover Jon’s fate, and to face Samhain once and for all.

“Last Call” by Jim Butcher:  Harry takes on the darkest of dark powers–the ones who dare to mess with his favorite beer. All Harry wants to do after a long hard day of wizarding and private investigating is have one of Mac’s famous home brews and possibly a steak sandwich, but when Harry, walks into Macanally’s, he finds the place in disarray, not the normal planned disarray but one which finds several tables turned over, customers and Mac,himself, unconscious.  Harry then finds that the home brew has been tampered with and a deeper darker mystery unveils in which an ancient being wishes to take over Chicago.  This story takes place between Small Favor and Turn Coat.

“Death Warmed Over” by Rachel Caine: This story takes place in a world where witches moonlight in extremely specialized fields. Holly Caldwell is one such witch with a rare affinity for resurrecting the dead, working at her day job when she receives a last minute email from her other boss, Sam – a request for a “disposable,” or a long-term resurrection from the local police department. Holly has sworn off disposables ever since her first and last job – because of the pain her impossible relationship with the resurrected caused her. Now, Sam and the police want Holly to raise the same man from her past, a powerful witch named Andrew Toland who died in 1875 fighting an army of resurrected dead gone violent (or more commonly, zombies). Though it pains her to reopen a relationship that is in all ways impossible, Holly breathes life back into Andrew. Unfortunately for them both, only later do they learn that someone has been killing resurrection witches, and Holly is next on the list.  This turns out to be kind of a creepy love story of sorts that has a twist in the mystery unfolding.

“Vegas Odds” by Karen Chance: The longest story in “Strange Brew” is Karen Chance’s “Vegas Odds.”  The story bursts with excitement from start.  Half-Were Lia and her boyfriend Were Cyrus destroy her house while under attack from a group of War Mages.  From there the listener is thrwon into a world full of magic and a strong instantly likeable heroine while never letting up on the non-stop action.

“Hecate’s Golden Eye” by P.N. Elrod:  Yes even the editor gets into the action with a story from her Vampire Mysteries series featuring the Vampire Noir, Jack Fleming and his partner Escott from 1930’s Chicago.  Fleming and Escott are asked to recover a stolen heirloom–a rare yellow diamond with a curse. Any man who touches it DIES. Of course, since Jack’s already dead he should be immune, right? Maybe, maybe not.  Mix in some con artists and a homicidally violent mad Irishman and see what happens!  Just picture the old film noir detectives, but picture one as a vampire and you have this fun tale.

“Bacon” by Charlaine Harris:  A beautiful vampire joins forces with a witch from an ancient line to find out who killed her beloved husband.  This story has the funniest ending and is worth the purchase of this book alone.  This story takes place in the world of Sookie Stackhouse (you know, from “True Blood” fame) featuring the vampire Dahlia.  There was a previous Dahlia story in the anthology “My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding,” and Dahlia does appear in “All Together Dead.”

“Signatures of the Dead” by Faith Hunter:  The story is told from the perspective of Molly, a witch who is asked by the police to track down a group of killer vampires. The star of the story is actually Jane Yellowrock, skinwalker and vampire hunter, who has the job of actually finding and exterminating the vampires. This story is an introduction for the Jane Yellowrock character, who is going to be the protagonist of her own series of books.

“Ginger: A Nocturne City” by Caitlin Kittredge:  This is the story of werewolf detective Luna Wilder’s witch cousin Sunny Swan. This thriller is a morality tale of sorts showing how doing the right thing can get you into more trouble then you can imagine, and that in everyone is the will to get done what needs doing. Who knew that the small task of supporting her cousin by visiting the trial she is testifying in will lead her into the dark depths of Nocturne’s City underworld?

“Dark Sins By” Jenna Maclaine: Recently turned vampire, witch Cin Craven may be the strongest witch in existence if she knew how to use her magic. This small fact allows for the imprisonment of Cin and her companions The Righteous a group of vampires that act as judge, jury, and executioner of their own kind.

So if witches are your cup of tea, check out “Strange Brew.”

“Changes” Book 12 of “The Dresden Files” by Jim Butcher

“Changes”
Book 12 of “The Dresden Files”
by Jim Butcher
Read by James Marsters
Produced by Penguin Audio, 2010

As I eagerly began this book, yeah, I was pretty much salivating at the promise of a new Harry Dresden, wizard for hire, novel, I was not aware that the title would speak volumes as to what is in this book.  I have to warn you, while I’m not one for spoilers, ther may be one or two that slips in this review, it’s hard keeping it to myself.  Harry Dresden’s life and the lives of those around him are going to go through major changes in this book.

First let’s sum up what’s up with these books.  Harry Dresden is a wizard of the White Council.  The White Council is the world’s wizards that police the world’s population’s use of magic.  They do all they can to prevent black magic from occurring.  The White Council is at war against the Red Court of Vampires.  Vampires are represented by 3 courts, Black, the ones closest to the Nosferatu image of vampires, White, the ones that don’t drink blood but live off the energy of a human, and the Red, these are the ones that look bat-like but can create a flesh mask to hide their true selves.  The Red Court want to rule the world.  Harry’s ex-girlfriend Susan was halfway converted to a Red Court vampire, all she needs is to take human blood to become a full-fledged vampire.  To avoid this she ran off to South America to find a group that is fighting off the urge to become full fledged vampires and to battle from within the Red Court.

Harry Dresden is a black sheep when it comes to the family of wizards, when his mother died he was raised by his uncle who turned Harry to the “Dark Side,” but Harry was too young to realize there was another choice.  Harry managed to be turned over and trained by Ebenezer a White Council member and the only wizard capable of bearing the Black Staff.  The Black Staff gives the wizard the ability to break any laws of magic to protect the laws of magic.   Harry also has a Fairy Godmother, a real godmother who is a powerful Fairy.  Serious Magic there with the Faery and Fae.  The Queen of Winter of the Faery court has been trying to recruit Harry to become her Knight, basically the Queen’s body guard and errand boy, but with killer intentions.

Wizard Dresden also has help from an odd collection of assistants, Harry’s half-brother is a Vampire of the White Court, Harry’s Apprentice Molly is being taught how to become a wizard after nearly slipping to the “Dark Side.”  She is also the daughter of Michael Carpenter a Knight of the Cross (yes THE CROSS).  Harry’s best friend is a Chicago cop working in the strange crimes division, Karrin Murphy, Harry’s computer of sorts, Bob, a wizard spirit kept in a human skull that knows pretty much everything in the history of magic,  and finally Harry’s 2 pets  Mister, a huge fat cat, and Mouse a huge Chinese Temple Dog.

So that’s where we stand with some great magical fights and some great team work through all the Dresden files books, until we get to this one.  Here’s where it all “Changes.”

At the beginning of the book Harry gets a call from his former girlfriend, Susan, saying that the Red Court has kidnapped their daughter.  Harry has a daughter? Yep, that’s news to him also.  Now it’s personal, with some emotional moments Harry decides he’s going to do everything he can to get back his daughter.  But first Him and Susan and Martin, here protoge in the Red Court underground go to the building where Harry has his private investigator/wizard for hire office.  Red Court attacks Harry’s office building is blown up…no more office and that is only change #2 in a long series of changes.

His first choice is to see if he can get help from the White Council of Wizards, after all they are at war against the Red Court.  Talk about bad timing the Duchess of the Red Court is making an appearance before the White Council at the same time Harry arrives.  What a chance Harry has now to demand his daughter back, except in order to protect his daughter he does not reveal to anyone that she is his daughter only a little girl kidnapped by the Red Court.  It seems the Duchess is there to promote peace and a cease fire in the war.  There goes the White Council’s help.

Harry then turns to “Gentleman” Johnny Marcone, Chicago mob boss.  Marcone cannot help but steers him to a security firm that can help.  After a trip to Europe, Harry is presented to an extremely powerful being, could it be?….Thor’s father, Odin?  He cannot help but does provide some tools.

Harry eventually gather’s what forces he can and heads to the Mayan temples in Mexico.  It seems the Red Court is using Harry’s daughter to perform a blood curse ritual.  Using the girl as a sacrifice, this will kill all in her bloodline.  Harry is the target.  So with the final Knight of the Cross, a cop, a white court vampire, an apprentice, a temple dog, and his fairy godmother Harry is off to Mexico.

At the end is a huge battle that features some serious magicks, and gunplay that would make John Woo proud.  The big event is what Harry has to sacrifice in order to go to Mexico.

Okay…I’m not sure how to say this but the end of the book left me flabbergasted.  After the huge battle the world of Harry Dresden changes.  I’m doing everything I can to keep from telling you the end so I think I will stop here.

Great book…get it.