Saturday, March 07, 2009

"My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding" A Collection of short stories edited by P.N. Elrod

"My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding"
A Collection of short stories edited by P.N. Elrod
published by St. Martins (2006)


It's been a while since I've posted a review, so let me explain, it's not due to slacking off. Quite the contrary actually, first of all I've decided to tackle the gigantic tome that which is "Team of Rivals" by Doris Kearns Goodwin. The book is 994 pages and the audiobook is 36 cds. I went for the audiobook version thinking it would be easier. I could never settle for an abridged book so I dove head first. I'm not regretting it but it does take time, but the book is worth it as you will read in a future review. I did manage to squeeze in another book in between times listening to "...Rivals." I'm glad it was a collection of short stories in retrospect.

The main reason I picked this book up to read is that it contained a short story by Jim Butcher that adds to the adventures of my favorite wizard, Chicago's own Harry Dresden. With the new book in the Dresden files series not yet released I had to absorb all the dresden I could find. So, while being treated to a very nice Dresden short story, I also got to read some pretty entertaining/interesting short stories from authors I might have missed before. And speaking of missing, as with all collections of short stories some are hits and some are misses in this book, but the misses are not really far off the mark, just not my cup of meat.

All the stories in this book, as you could guess from the title, deal with weddings and what happens when different supernatural forces come into play.

So let's break it down story by story;

"Spellbound" by L.A. Banks

Known for her vampire huntress series of books L.A. Banks writes something a little different here. I was actually a little let down not by the story but that I was expecting a vampire story. The story follows the modern day Hatfield and McCoys. The feuding still goes on but Banks throws in an extra aspect to the showdown in that they are spell casters to boot. So the feud now involves some magic, hoodoo and other charms, but 2 young college students, a representative of each family, want to get married, to do so they spells must stop. But they don't, and through a little bit of fun and a little bit of nastiness can love survive?

"Something Borrowed" by Jim Butcher

For a complete review on this story click on the following link
http://www.gilwilson.com/blog/2009/01/something-borrowed-short-story-from.html

"Dead Man's Chest" by Rachel Caine

Best known for her "Weather Warden" and "Morganville Vampires" series Rachel Caine tackles the wedding theme by adding in some dead pirates. (oops a spoiler). With some humor and even a little romance grab a bottle of rum and have fun with this story.

"All Shook Up" by P.N. Elrod

Again I was let down with the subject matter but I do have to say that this was a fun read. You see, I really like vampire stories and knowing P.N. Elrod is famous for vampire stories I expected them but what is in this story is not vampires. Okay so I got over that and read on, and had some fun. This wedding is being catered by a woman who can see the future, and the bride and groom (a famous wrestler and a famous model) have a bleak future. However the wedding singer has powers of his own. In what at first seems like an Elvis comes back from the dead story, comes the story of an Elvis impersonator...er, um tribute artist..that can change the future when love is involved. This one is fun and hey if you are prone to emotional outbursts keep the tissues handy.

"The Wedding of Wylda Serene" by Esther M. Friesner

Not knowing what to expect here, I was ready for some entertainment, but this one just didn't grab me. This is a story about a wedding that is crashed by some Greek Gods. I just could not sink myself into this one.

"Charmed by the Moon" by Lori Handeland

Like Jim Butcher, Lori Handeland writes a short story for this collection that is within the realm of one of her existing series. From Her "...Moon" series we join Jessie McQuade and Will Cadotte as they are about to get married. Jessie is a werewolf hunter of sorts and Will is a shaman. Jessie discovers someone may have enchanted them to fall in love with each other and only wanting to be married if it is TRUE love and not a spell, Jessie and Will seek the truth.

"Tacky" by Charlaine Harris

Harris is another author writing within the realm of an existing series. This story comes from the Sookie Stackhouse (Southern Vampire) Series. So finally I get a vampire story. This time a female vampire wants to marry a male werewolf. In this series the idea is that vampires have revealed themselves to the world and are treated differently by the government. But werewolves are still a secret. Also Vampires cannot marry outside their vampire race. So radicals will do everthing they can to stop this wedding to keep the human race pure. Oh and also the werewolves and vampires are supposed to hate each other. This story makes me want to go out and find the Sookie Stackhouse series and start reading it.

"A Hard Day's Night-Searcher" by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Kenyon writes this story with in the "Dark Hunter" series realm. The Dark-Hunters are immortal warriors pledged to the Greek goddess Artemis and dedicated to defending mankind against Daimons (vampires) and other assorted enemies: including a couple of rogue gods and goddesses. In this story an overprotective squire falls in love with a Dark-Hunter. This story is pretty much a novella coming in at 44 pages in length and dividen into chapters. It provides some great vampire hunting action and some interesting moments, a good read.

"...Or Forever Hold Your Peace" by Susan Krinard

This is one story I had a hard time trying to follow. It takes place in an alternate Victorian England known as Albion, where prominent families possess magicks. The somewhat detective team of Kit and Olivia have to figure out why a woman of social status has run away after her wedding was interrupted by someone that objected to the marriage but died before he could say why. Kit, Olivia and the Groom travel the countryside tracking down the woman using magic and then rescue her from an "Inquisitor." They soon find the woman may or may not be who she says she is. This story seemed to scream for a full length novel version.

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posted by Gil T. @ 3:24 PM Comments: 0

Friday, January 30, 2009

"Something Borrowed" a short story from the Dresden Files

"Something Borrowed" a short story from the Dresden Files
by Jim Butcher
From the book "My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding"
edited by P.N. Elrod
Published by St. Martin's 2006

Okay here I am waiting for the next Jim Butcher "Dresden Files" novel "Turn Coat" and I have nothing to read. So I go look on his website ( http://www.jim-butcher.com ) and find he has written a few Dresden short stories. I can't get enough of Wizard Harry Dresden's wit, wisdom and ability to kick serious supernatural butt, so I'm going to devour all the stories I can.

I picked up the book and have found it full of some fun supernatural short stories, I'll be posting a review of the book as a whole later. Here I am to tell you of this adventure of Harry Dresden. This story takes place between Dead Beat and Proven Guilty.

As you can probably tell from the title of the collection all the stories have weddings as the centerpiece. Weddings are hard enough to bear but throw in some monsters, faeries, vampires, wizards et. al. and you have a real mess on your hands. And we all know Harry Dresden is a magnet for trouble.

In the beginning of this story Harry has been "drafted" to be the best man for the wedding between the werewolves Billy and Georgia. He is being forced into the position because the original best man (another werewolf) was severely injured during a battle the night before. Harry was involved in the battle but turned out to be battered less than the wolf. So with a black eye and sore muscles, Harry is being fitted with a last minute tux. Georgia's evil stepmother (not supernaturally evil, just evil) is being a control freak in everything that could make this wedding go bad. Harry is one such thing.

After dealing with the step-mother, Billy expresses to Harry he's concerned for Georgia, she doesn't answer her phone. He asks Harry to check on her. Harry goes to her apartment to discover a scuffle had taken place, so he calls in backup, in the form of Lt. Karrin Murphy of the Chicago police, Special Investigations unit.

Harry and and Murphy track down Georgia to discover a faerie is seeking revenge on the werewolves from when they took down someone from the Winter Court of Faeries. Georgia is swapped with a faerie so Billy will marry the faerie and then Billy and Georgia will die. After Georgia is found in a spell, Harry discovers the spell can only be broken by a kiss.

With evil-stepmothers, true love and a sleeping beauty, this story carries all the fun and excitement of a Dresden Files novel but condensed down to one fun-filled short story.

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posted by Gil T. @ 1:56 AM Comments: 0