Only read The Warrior by Jim Butcher. Amazing story. ( )

Listened to the audiobook.
The Butcher story has completely faded from my memory, so I guess I didn't care much for it. 1 star

Simon Green's story was very strange and unsettling. 3 stars

Kat Richardson's story was great, I loved the day of the dead and the animal feel. 5 stars

Thomas Sniegoski's story was pretty good, although not good enough to make me want to look up any of his other work. 3 stars ( )

Okay collection of four urban fantasy novellas. ( )

Mean Streets

• The Warrior, by Jim Butcher
This story takes place after "Proven Guilty" as Michael Carpenter recovers from the wounds that inspire him to renounce holy-sword-wielding. Typical Dresden, but without the monsters.

• The Difference a Day Makes, by Simon R. Green
This is a nice story that makes me want to look into the protagonist a little deeper. He's not Harry Dresden, but he is powerful enough (and highly respected by the worst of the worst) to live in that part of the world that is for sure creepy/scary.

• The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog, by Kat Richardson
This is rather a cute story, with some pretty prosaic magic…but altogether convincing (real close to being believable) and entertaining. This is another story that inspires me to want to read the precursor story(s).

• Noah's Orphans, by Thomas E. Sniegoski
This is the one story that bothered me most; I just can't find it in me to accept the premise of one of the original warrior angels—created by GOD the Almighty to punish the renegade angels just after the Fall—who now wants to live as a human, rather than serving the Almighty in whatever way instructed. Would you want to give up your powers as an adult human to run around as a 2-year old? My understanding is that the difference between us and angels is much greater than the difference between a dog and us.

OK, allowing for the basic concept, the particular plot is not so bad…some of the creatures that Noah couldn't fit in his arc have been found and Noah (several thousand years older now) is killed trying to protect them.

The plot line is reasonable, it's just the premise that I can't buy.

Altogether, I give the book 4 stars because of the good stories...and the promise they provide for the future. ( )

I'd just finished Book #10 (of 15) in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series. It always seems to take forever for the next in the series to arrive at my beloved library - audiobooks are less traumatic for my aging neck and my library doesn't carry all fifteen of the series in audiobook format. Bottom line, I often wait a week (sometimes two) between books. Well, this week, I hit the motherlode and it was totally unplanned.

I was perusing the North Olympic Library System's OneClickDigital (audiobook) library - blessings to NOLS for subscribing! - and what should I find but Mean Streets. . four paranormal mystery novellas - written by Jim Butcher, Simon R. Green, Kat Richardson, and Thomas E. Sniegoski. Jim Butcher's contribution to the novella line-up was The Dresden Files Book #10.5 . . . honestly, I was flabbergasted (and grateful!) . . I had no idea Book #10.5 existed and it answered a gazillion "cliff-hanging" questions that had been keeping me awake at night!! SCORE!

I know, in my heart-of-hearts that I'll mourn when the final page of The Dresden Files, Book #15 is turned . . nevertheless, it's going to happen and it was time to start exploring other paranormal/urban fantasy avenues in preparation for that sad day. That having been said, this book (which, I repeat) I happened upon while browsing . . was a pleasant surprise.

The four novellas were terrific - in their own unique ways - and I enjoyed each and every one! So, once done with the current Dresden series . . I won't have to look very far afield to find others of that genre to keep me on the edge of my seat! 4.5 rock solid stars .. definitely recommended. ( )