| Title | : | Naked City |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0312385242 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780312385248 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 539 |
| Publication | : | First published July 5, 2011 |
In this thrilling collection of original stories, some of today’s hottest paranormal authors delight, thrill, and captivate readers with otherworldly tales of magic and mischief. In Jim Butcher’s ”Curses”, Harry Dresden investigates how to lift a curse laid by the Fair Folk on the Chicago Cubs. In Patricia Briggs’ “Fairy Gifts,”, a vampire is called home by magic to save the Fae who freed him from a dark curse. In Melissa Marr’s “Guns for the Dead”, the newly dead Frankie Lee seeks a job in the afterlife on the wrong side of the law. In Holly Black’s “Noble Rot”, a dying rock star discovers that the young woman who brings him food every day has some strange appetites of her own.
Featuring original stories from 20 authors, this dark, captivating, fabulous, and fantastical collection is not to be missed!
Contents:
Curses / by Jim Butcher --
How the pooka came to New York City / by Delia Sherman --
On the slide / by Richard Bowes --
The Duke of Riverside / by Ellen Kushner --
Oblivion by Calvin Klein / by Christopher Fowler --
Fairy gifts / by Patricia Briggs --
Picking up the pieces / by Pat Cadigan --
Underbridge / by Peter S. Beagle --
Priced to sell / by Naomi Novik --
The bricks of Gelecek / by Matthew Kressel --
Weston walks / by Kit Reed --
The projected girl/ by Lavie Tidhar --
The way station / by Nathan Ballingrud --
Guns for the dead / by Melissa Marr --
And go like this / by John Crowley --
Noble rot / by Holly Black --
Daddy longlegs of the evening / by Jeffrey Ford --
The skinny girl / by Lucius Shepard --
The Colliers' Venus (1893) / by Caitlín R. Kiernan --
King pole, gallows pole, bottle tree / by Elizabeth Bear.
Naked City Reviews
-
Just read Briggs story. Nice.
-
I couldn't wait for this book to come out, pre-ordered it, and then after it came out, even saved it and put off reading it so it would last. Silly me. I finally started it, and found myself skipping pages, trying to find something worth reading. Urban fantasy is sometimes difficult to describe, but whatever it is, this isn't it. Urban fantasy, at least in my opinion, and going by books that are generally shelved in that genre, involves characters that are usually considered to be fantastic, such as gods and goddesses, vampires, elves, fairies, trolls, etc., set in the present day world, interacting with "normal" people.
In my opinion, most of the people writing here took "urban" and "fantasy" literally without having any idea what urban fantasy actually is. Setting a fantasy story in a town or city doesn't make it urban fantasy. Urban fantasy can be dark, but it generally isn't horror. Many of these stories are what I would expect to fine in a horror anthology, others would be at home in a speculative fiction collection. In any collection of short fiction there will be clunkers, and I certainly never expect to love every start in an anthology, but sadly, this book is just awful. Maybe if I had had other expectations I wouldn't have been so disappointed, but if you, like me, expected an anthology based around the modern-day definition of urban fantasy, you will be disappointed, too. -
I think I would have been happier about this book as a whole if the subtitle had been: tales of urban fantasy and horror. Because really, that's what it is.
I did enjoy a handful of the stories (those I liked most are in bold), but there were also quite a few that didn't work for me at all. Quick synopses/impressions below:
Curses / Jim Butcher
In which Harry ogles a well-mammaried faerie, gets beat up a shocking zero times and investigates a curse placed on the Chicago Cubs in 1945.
How the Pooka Came to New York City / Delia Sherman
Features Liam, a 19th century Irish immigrant to NYC, and his traveling companion, an iron-sick pooka who owes Liam a blood debt. Smart use of mythology and beautifully detailed.
On the Slide / Richard Bowes
neo-noir pop culture with time travel. Too stylized for my taste.
The Duke of Riverside / Ellen Kushner
I'm unfamiliar with this series so it took a bit to get into, but once I did - fabulous! A reluctant heir and his swordsman lover in a high fantasy (?) slum. I need to find other books by this author.
Oblivion by Calvin Klein / Christopher Fowler
metaphors are plentiful and the heroine is vacuous beyond my ability to cope
Fairy Gifts / Patricia Briggs
Didn't work for me as a standalone and it's been too long since I've read the last Mercy Thompson book for it to work as fan service. Also, US restrictions/racism related to Chinese immigrants in the 19th century made it really hard for me to buy into the hero's backstory (which is kind of a problem, since it's half flashbacks).
Picking up the pieces / Pat Cadigan
Two American sisters in Berlin when the walls come down. Engaging, but the paranormal part was a little hard to understand.
Underbridge / Peter S. Beagle
If it hadn't been for the grossness, I might have liked this more. The anxiety of the main character, after a lifetime of living the life of an academic gypsy, seemed both true to life and something out of Gogol. But the Seattle bridge troll? Come on, that's been done to death.
Priced to Sell / Naomi Novik
Funny. Real-estate sales in paranormal NYC.
The bricks of Gelecek / Matthew Kressel
An archetype of Destruction takes human form after hearing the songs of a young girl. Contains rhyming poetry.
Weston Walks / Kit Reed
Creepy, atmospheric
The Projected Girl / Lavie Tidhar
A 13 year old boy in Haifa investigates the disappearance of a young woman decades earlier. Beautifully written, sad and funny in turn.
The Way Station / Nathan Ballingrud
A homeless alcoholic, haunted by the destruction of New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, searches for his estranged daughter. I didn't really get the haunted group therapy scene, but several other scenes were very moving.
Guns for the Dead / Melissa Marr
Gunrunners in the land of the dead, with a Western feel. Fun characters, pacing, plot. A complete story, but if this turned into a full series, I'd happily read more.
And Go Like This / John Crowley
I'm not sure if the better question is Why? or Huh?
Noble Rot / Holly Black
Wow, I really liked this one. It's hard to describe without spoiling it, but it includes elements of romance, angst and gore.
Daddy Long Legs of the Evening / Jeffrey Ford
Dear author, based on your description of the spider-creature in this story, the name "daddy long legs" seems very... well, wrong.
The Skinny Girl / Lucius Shepard
A middle-aged photographer of the dead meets Santa Muerte, incarnated in the body of a young woman who asks him to become her suitor. I'm not sure if I liked this story exactly, but it's one I'll remember.
The Colliers' Venus / Caitlin R Kiernan
A fossil monster in 19th century Colorado. Spooky fun.
King Pole, Gallows Pole, Bottle Tree / Elizabeth Bear
Las Vegas and a sorcerer who eats memories. Either it's part of series or my indifference to the whole Vegas thing means I'm ignorant of what one is generally expected to know about the city, but there were large parts of this I could tell I just wasn't getting.
I received an ARC of this book through the LTER program. -
This rating is only for the following:
"Fairy Gifts" by Patricia Briggs - 5-star
It's a wonderful story told in few words but weaved together with rich details, excellent writings and sympathetic characters that feels real. I especially like the way Briggs tells her story; it's that ability of a good author to sweep readers off their feet and carry them along with her/him. Loved it!
(Given that I only read one story in this, I've toned down the rating to 4-star for the book. But "Fairy Gifts" was 5-star all the way.)
UPDATE: Decided I should give the other stories a chance and randomly tried some based on other reviews:
"Priced to Sell" by Naomi Novick - Uh huh. It's an insight into how wretched NY real estate can be, but . Has potentials though. 2 or 3-star.
"Guns for the Dead" by Melissa Marr - ... Ok? What's the point of the story? 1-star.
"Noble Rot" by Holly Black - Not bad, but didn't grab me either. Plot feels a bit hole-y; it can't be that simple to . 2-star.
"Curses" by Jim Butcher - Finally, random reading is worthwhile sometimes. Pretty fun, no fireworks but I'll check out the main series in future. 3-star.
Perhaps I should lower the rating for the anthology now? -
I've been eagerly awaiting this book primarily for the story "The Duke of Riverside", which I've been waiting YEARS for, and it would certainly have been worth the price just for that. But there are other marvelous, amazing stories here as well. Holly Black's "Noble Rot", about a dying rock star and and his last fan, could have just tipped over sideways into being a horror story, while Elizabeth Bear's "King Pole, Gallows Pole, Bottle Tree" was a tour-de-force I can't even begin to describe - it's just, "Oh, wow. WOW.".
As for "The Duke of Riverside", it was everything I hoped it would be, providing delightful glimpses into Richard and Alec's first meeting and their early life together. The narrator's voice was engaging, full of wry humor; I can easily imagine him as one of the guards of Riverside House we meet in The Privilege of the Sword. What I particularly loved (in addition to the little details, like Richard and Alec together mourning the loss of Alec's long hair, or how Alec sold his velvet coat to buy an inlaid table to go next to the chaise) was seeing how a surprising act of compassion deepened Alec's acceptance by the Riversiders, and how their spontaneous outpouring of affection uplifted him as well (though he would never, never admit it.) -
Typical of pretty much all of these UF anthologies, there are some really good stories and then some really bad ones. As per usual when he has a story in one of them, Jim Butcher's story was the best. He has truly mastered the art of the short story. This one about who really placed the curse on the Cubs is the first in the book and the best, by far. The other good ones were Fairy Gifts by Patricia Briggs, Picking Up the Pieces by Pat Cadigan (about the fall of the Berlin Wall), Priced To Sell by Naomi Novik, Noble Rot by Holly Black & The Skinny Girl by Lucius Shepard. One of the better anthologies I've read in awhile.
-
This book took me a very long time, peppered with a lot of breaks when I had to come up for air and read other books. Either it is not a very good collection, or urban fantasy is just not my thing. I found it tedious to get through.
-
An anthology of 20 urban fantasies in a variety of cities.
Series:
"Curses" (The Dresden Files, 10.7)
"Duke of Riverside" (The World of Riverside, 1.6 before and after
Swordspoint, #1)
"Guns for the Dead" (Graveminder, 1.6)
"Fairy Gifts" (Mercyverse, 0.7)
The Stories
Jim Butcher's "Curses" is a funny tale of baseball, the Cubs, and Wrigley Field when Harry is hired to lift the curse preventing the Cubs from winning the World Series. Any World Series.
Delia Sherman's "How the Pooka Came to New York City" is cute and unexpectedly benign with a pooka involved! It's 1855 and we follow the emigration of Liam O'Casey accompanied by a pooka who believes he owes a debt.
Richard Bowes' "On the Slide" is a well-done, but sad tale of a bad economy and how a guy, himself down on his luck, is coping. Only there's more to sliding than simply slipping down the economic scale. It can also have a time element. One which could save your butt.
A good story, but rather confusing to read. I'd be curious to know if this is a series.
Ellen Kushner's "Duke of Riverside" leans heavily to the fantasy side of urban fantasy with a lord wanting to escape his destiny.
This was clever and cute, and I'm'a gonna put the Riverside series on my TBR, starting with
Swordspoint.
Christopher Fowler's "Oblivion by Calvin Klein" is an odd tale about a woman addicted to spending money.These days her clitoris was located somewhere near Harrods.
I did not understand the ending at all.
Patricia Briggs' "Fairy Gifts" combines an historical introspection in 1900 and present-day Butte, Montana about the mines with opium, vampires, and the fey thrown in to make it interesting.
Pat Cadigan's "Picking Up the Pieces" will resonate with those of you with a dysfunctional family member whom you always have to rescue as well as those who fall in love with users. Cadigan combines this with the fey and the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Peter S. Beagle's "Underbridge" is a grim tale of a professor desperate for permanence and tenure and the lengths to which he may go if provoked. Eeek!
I do wonder if he's having a poke at Kat Richardson and her
Greywalker series...hmmm...
Naomi Novik's "Priced to Sell" short story is a series of tiny tales reflecting the travails of a real estate broker in New York City when dealing with supernatural issues.
This is just too funny with its combination of human concerns and fey problems.
Matthew Kressel's "Bricks of Gelecek" is just too creepy with its foursome of destruction and eradication. And it's tiny kernel of hope.
Kit Reed's "Weston Walks" is a sad tale of conflicting desires: retain the material goods you value or chase the one you love.
Lavie Tidhar's "Projected Girl" takes place in Haifa as an episode in young Danny's life
I loved the references to favorite Hebrew authors and series as well as the incorporation of Jewish culture — especially Tidhar's creating a character who loves books! Tidhar really caught the flavor of a child's view of the world. I wish, however, that Tidhar hadn't just left us hanging at the sad end.
Nathan Ballingrud's "Way Station" is another sad tale of a homeless man's life as he considers tracking down his daughter and her family.
Melissa Marr's "Guns for the Dead" slowly seeps its reality into your head as Francis Lee Lemons undergoes an unusual job interview. After he's dead.
Sounds like this might be a prequel to a new series. Marr has created an entire world with backstory and intrigue in this short. If it is a series, it's going on my TBR!
John Crowley's "And Go Like This" is confusing and appears to be a dystopian short with the world twisting in on itself.
I think.
Holly Black's "Noble Rot" starts out so sweetly, and then she hits you with the truth behind it.
Don't eat before reading this one! Yup, it just takes that one twist...
Jeffrey Ford's "Daddy Long Legs of the Evening" is just so gross. Yuck. Ick.
Lucius Shepard's "Skinny Girl" is just weird. Maybe you need to know something about Santa Muerte to understand what Shepard is doing, but there was a very surreal quality to this one.
Caitlí R. Kiernan's "Colliers' Venus" takes a really long time to get started. When it finally did get to the point, I got lost in why she bothered with one end or the other.
Elizabeth Bear's "King Pole, Gallows Pole, Bottle Tree" does indeed fulfill the title of the story. I have to wonder if Bear just couldn't decide which one she wanted as a title, though. This one was another weird one. You are left to wonder throughout the entire story just who the main protagonists are without ever learning. The story itself is interesting, and scary as I/me/Jackie loses his memory.
The Cover and Title
The cover is sleazy in its bright blue and browns with a punkish Harry in a shrunken hat checking out a corset-clad Santa Muerte.
Ellen Datlow discusses her reason for the title in a reference to an old television series, The Naked City, which provides the theme for this anthology of urban fantasies in a variety of cities. -
I can’t tell you how excited I was to get Naked City: Tales of Urban Fantasy. It sat on my To Be Read shelf for a while, as I finished up other commitments, and it taunted me, whispered to me, enticed me the whole time. There are some great authors included in this collection and I couldn’t wait to dig in.
It certainly gets off to a good start! In “Curses” by Jim Butcher, Harry Dresden — the only Wizard listed in the Chicago Yellow Pages — is approached about removing a very old curse from a local sports team. I have a tremendous crush on Harry Dresden and I enjoyed the story immensely — it’s exactly the sort of local flavor I love in the Dresden Files stories.
My favorite story of the bunch was “Priced to Sell” by Naomi Novik, author of the Temeraire series. I was completely unfamiliar with Novik’s work, although I will certainly be adding it to my watch list. This is a story of the cut-throat Manhattan real estate market. Tough enough, in this economy, but even tougher when your clients are vampires, goblins and other magical creatures. You know it’s going to be trouble when the condo board isn’t concerned that your client’s a vampire, they’re just worried that he’s less than 100 years old.
Another favorite was “The Projected Girl” by Lavie Tidhar, an Israeli writer. In this story, Danny becomes fascinated with an old magician’s journal and seeks to solve the mystery of his vanished assistant. It’s an interesting story and Danny, just thirteen years old, is still young enough to get caught up in magic tricks.
Finally, “Noble Rot” by Holly Black, author of The Spiderwick Chronicles, was the special surprise waiting near the back of the book. Agatha is a girl with a secret, taking care of a dying rock star. I loved this story, even if it made me a little queasy.
There are other stories — good, great and fair-to-middling — and in general I really enjoyed the book. I love the way it shows a broad range of urban fantasy; there’s a huge variety of settings and fantasy figures. Editor Ellen Datlow does a great job of giving the reader just the right mix, so that no matter what you favor, there is bound to be a story that appeals to you. Even the stories I really didn’t care for (“The Way Station”, “Fairy Gifts”) were good quality, if not my particular cup of tea.
All in all, this is a great collection of stories that will be popular with any urban fantasy fan — it really lived up to my initial excitement. -
Anthology
1. Curses by Jim Butcher. Harry is hired to remove a curse and finds out how it originated. Good story. 4 stars.
2. How the Pooka Came to New York City by Delia Sherman. Enjoyable story about a Pooka trying to fulfill a debt. 4 stars
3. On the Slide by Richard Bowes. A man attempt to escape into the past. I liked it. 4 stars.
4. The Duke of Riverside by Ellen Kushner. A troubled young man finds a companion and a chance to start over. 4 stars.
5. Oblivion by Calvin Klein by Christopher Fowler. Miserable shopoholic finds something different. 4 stars.
6. Fairy Gifts by Patricia Briggs. Story of a boy who was changed and a girl who helped him. And then later they meet again. Really good story. 5 stars.
7. Picking Up the Pieces by Pat Cadigan. What was that all about? The beginning made the outcome sound so much more than it was. 2 stars.
8. Underbridge by Peter S. Beagle. I really liked the ending, especially after the crow. 4 stars.
9. Priced to Sell by Naomi Novik. Realtors for a different kind of world. Liked it. 4 stars.
10. The Bricks of Gelecek by Matthew Kressel. Some sort of plague rider meets a girl who imagines cities from his past and in the future. I'm no sure about this one. 3 stars.
11. Weston Walks by Kit Reed. A lonely man is taken advantage of. I didn't really care for this story. 2-1/2 stars.
12. The Projected Girl by Lavie Tidhar. What? I just did not understand this story. 2 stars.
13. The Way Station by Nathan Ballingrud. I think my problem is I didn't use crack before reading this or the story above. 2 stars
14. Guns for the dead by Melissa Marr. Story about Alicia and a newly dead resident looking for a job. Good story 3-1/2 stars
15. And Go Like This by John Crowley. Is this a world wide dance off? I don't know what's happening. 2 stars
16. Noble Rot by Holly Black. A little ghoulish. Good story. 4 stars.
17. Daddy Longlegs of the Evening Jeffrey Ford. A really horrible story. Gory and scary. Someone who loves this type of genre might like it but not me. 3 stars.
18. The Skinny Girl by Lucius Shepard. I'm not sure what I feel about this story. 3 stars
19. The Colliers' Venus (1893) by Caitlín R. Kiernan. A strange creature(?) is captured and then freed. 3 stars
20. King Pole, Gallows Pole, Bottle Tree by Elizabeth Bear. -
I did not expect the philosophical quality of the stories to be so intense. Many of the stories had a quite serious vibe to them. They reminded me of some classics of the speculative fiction genre form half a century ago. Most of the stories had a pensive and thought provoking agendas and challenged the reader to think about reality using some fantastical elements. Some stories were even Kafkaesque in their sombre characters and introspective aim.
There were some definite favorites among these stories and there was a one complete dud as well!
1. Curses by Jim Butcher ★★★
I liked this short insight into the world of Harry Dresden. Dresden Files book series is on my TBR for years now but I keep pushing it back and not there are so many books in the series I feel it would be a chore for me to collect them all. This short story presented me with a good feel of the authors writing but I can't seem to get into the whole baseball and sport sin general vibe. While I was reading I got flashbacks to another story with the same theme and that made my reading experience less enjoyable.
2. How the Pooka came to New York City by Delia Sherman ★★★★
Gritty story with feeling. I liked the charm and depth of the characters. Would not mind reading more of the adventures of Pooka 😊
3. On the Slide by Richard Bowes ★★
The fantasy elements were barely in this story. The feel of a PI noire drama and lives of cops were not that appealing to me. I understand the homage to the TV series that this collection was named for but I wish there could have been some more fantastical elements to the story that I could relate to.
4. The Duke of Riverside by Ellen Kushner ★★★★
Outside of a medieval feel to the timeline of the story there were not any evident fantastical elements here. Other than that the story was intriguing and the characters were interesting. This story is an excellent example of passionate characters presented trough PG rated narrative and I don't mind it one bit. It actually seemed very hot in a rather spartan way. I have some issues with the narrator choice but overall I really loved this story and would be interested to read more about the characters involved.
5. Oblivion by Calvin Klein by Christopher Fowler ★★★
This story was full of symbols that had me triggering and I was not sure what I was triggered by. I could not help but think o fit as a prelude to something bigger and just beginning to bloom. I would love to have a bit clearer insight into some questions that were put out there.
6. Fairy Gifts by Patricia Briggs ★★★★★
This was the second time I was reading this story and I loved it even more than the first time. The clarity of well made characters and narrative jumped at me from each scene. Author has a way of making it easy for me to picture and understand everything she presents on pages and is a definite favorite!
7. Picking up the Pieces by Pat Cardigan ★★★★★
It started out suspicious but turned out to be an amazing story. I loved the theme and the setting. There were some minor things I had issues with but the historical content was rather endearing. Great story!
8. Underbridge by Peter S. Beagle ★★★★
This was more an insight into human nature than fantasy. At time sit was rather unnerving and I must say the ending was not what I expected. For some reason I find the idea of the story thought provoking not for its fantastical elements but for its depiction of human condition!
9. Priced to Sell by Naomi Novik ★★★★★
Pace of this story was a bit faster and more lighthearted than those before and I loved it for that alone! This one has all the elements that I love in my urban fantasy books: wide choice of supernatural creatures, faster pace in sync with the urban setting and good dose of practical quirkiness.
10. The Bricks of Geleck by Matthew Kressel ★★★★
This story almost had an Arabian nights feel to it. I liked the melancholy approach and event he philosophical vibe it made me feel. Thoughtful and pensive.
11. Weston Walks by Kit Reed ★★★
Another philosophical and introspective story with all the urban fantasy elements. I could not help but feel detached from the characters and how they were presented. More questions were poised than were answered.
12. The Projected Girl by Lavie Tidhar ★★★★
Historical references of this story were eerie. Main character seemed innocent enough but the amount of ambiguity he was surrounded with actually scared me. There was so many unsaid lines and references between the lines that the authors ability to blend them in so effortlessly amazed me. Rich story, composed in a intriguing way.
13. The Way Station by Nathan Ballingrud ★★★
I was not prepared for the amount of drama and serious stuff in this one. The symbolism is making my head spin. My expectations were very much different and it is starting to impact my reading experience.
14. Guns for the Dead by Melissa Marr ★★★★★
I am not a fan of western theme in any form or format. That being said this story was cute and interesting. I like the idea and how it was presented. This short story peaked my interest and I would like to read more of it.
15. And go Like this by John Crowley ★
This story, if it can even be called that, reads like a train of thought of a person who makes lists for a living. I was presented with an idea, but for idea to become a story some literary finesse is required. This essay of words put together had no literary value for me. I did not enjoy it.
16. Noble Rot by Holly Black ★★★★★
Twisted in a delicious way. I found this story romantic and sweet. I keep being surprised at how much I like the writing style of this author. There is something about the way she writes strange and weird that make them terribly appealing.
17. Daddy Longlegs of the Evening by Jeffrey Ford ★★★
This was the first story with a kind of macabre feel to it. I was waiting for a story with a bit more horror elements to it and this one did not exactly rise up to my expectations. There were some scary elements for sure, but the visuals I got from the descriptions had a Burtonesque feel to them. Not enough to scare me but just enough to confuse me. The idea of the story seemed like an urban legend.
18. The Skinny Girl by Lucius Shepard ★★★
I liked the cultural references. I know nothing about the geography of Mexico City and this was a scary interlude. Interesting story and intriguing use of supernatural elements.
19. The Colliers' Venus (1893) by Caitlin R. Kiernan ★★★
I liked how this story started. Then there was a dream sequence and it all went blurry for me. It got better at the end but I don't think I understood the point of the story at all.
20. King Pole, Gallows Pole, Bottle Tree by Elizabeth Bear ★★★★
There were so many interesting characters in this story and the amount of mysteries left me intrigued. I liked the idea and the concept. The end of the story was kinda choppy but that was in the spirit of the main character and the theme I guess. -
Premise: Urban fantasy tales that focus on the importance of a particular city, making the city a vital part of each tale.
My brain is kind of fried after reading this one. It took a LONG time to finish, longer than I really anticipated. Some of the stories are a lot of description, which takes a lot longer to get through than action. It didn't help that the story that I most wanted to read, the Jim Butcher offering, was first in the book, so I had little to look forward to as I read. A lot of the stories are more serious or horror-based, which also tends to slow down the pacing a bit. The stories were good as a whole, some more than others.
Some highlights:
"Curses" by Jim Butcher. Deals with the famous billy goat curse on the Chicago Cubs. A fun tale.
"Underbridge" by Peter S. Beagle. Trolls in the big city=creepy.
"Fairy Gifts" by Patricia Briggs. Interesting tale of a vampire and a fey.
"Guns for the Dead" by Melissa Marr. Surviving the afterlife in a city of the dead.
"Noble Rot" by Holly Black. Ghouls in the city. Ew. -
I think the day I'm disappointed with an Ellen Datlow anthology will be the day I give up on short stories altogether. Once again, for me there are more hits than misses in this book. The collection starts and ends strong, beginning with a Jim Butcher tale of Harry Dresden's early days and a famous sports franchise curse and ending with a ghostly tale by Elizabeth Bear of Las Vegas featuring One-Eyed Jack and the Suicide King. In between, there are stories of ghosts, vampires, spiders (yes, spiders), faeries, and more. I've posted a story-by-story analysis in the 365shortstories community on livejournal, but for me the highlights of the book, in addition to the Butcher and Bear stories, were Ellen Kushner's "Duke of Riverside," Naomi Novik's "Priced To Sell," Lavie Tidhar's "The Projected Girl," Matthew Kressel's "The Bricks of Gelecek" and Delia Sherman's "How The Pooka Came to New York City." Stories by Kit Reed, Jeffrey Ford, Nathan Ballingrud and Christopher Fowler didn't grab me quite as much, but as I always say: your reaction may vary.
-
Only read Curses by Jim Butcher. Wish I understood more about baseball culture in the US
-
I'm not a Cubs fan, or much of a baseball fan for that matter. I was only vaguely familiar with the "Billy Goat Curse" that is the premise for this story.
As a pre
Changes story, things feel a bit more of "the old" Dresden. Dresden gets a case, and digs deeper into things. There is almost no action in this one though.
Overall it's a decent, but unremarkable story. There are several other Dredsen short stories I think are much better.
Hopefully Mr. Butcher will release a
Side Jobs 2 that will include this and several other short stories he's written since then. Otherwise I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to read this story unless you can borrow
Naked City: Tales of Urban Fantasy (Riverside Series) from somewhere easily. -
Why read: Received from LibraryThing Early Reviewers
What impressed me: Nothing.
What disappointed me: Naked City sealed the deal for me. I hate anthologies. The "urban fantasy" genre means different things to different people. Half of these stories did not fit into what I would consider urban fantasy. It's really clear the editor was way more concerned with getting big names rather than sticking to the types of stories readers would expect from a book like this.
Recommended: A thousand times, no. -
I picked up this book solely to read "Curses" by Jim Butcher.
Wizard Harry Dresden is hired to life a curse that stops the Chicago Cubs from winning the world series. Harry must figure out who made the curse and how it is still in effect after several decades.
I'm a huge fan of The Dresden Files, but I found this story just "OK". Thirty pages is way too short to really get into a good story. My rating: 3 Stars. -
This took me 3 months. Holy shit.
I won't read this again but I may check out a few specific authors. (very few)
Here are all of my reviews for each individual short story:
"Curses" by Jim Butcher - "Dresden is growing on me.
Also pretty sure he's part of the staple or something of Urban Fantasy.
A good start to the anthology"
"Delia Sherman’s How the Pooka Came to New York City was less interesting but a cute story none the less.
It’s completely self contained and very Irish."
Richard Bowes’ "On the Slide" doesn’t immediately seem like fantasy, urban or otherwise. There are vague references but they’re easily dismissed by the main character. So I dismissed them to.
It was a nice surprise to see them come true.
Subtle urban fantasy. Weird but well done."
"Duke of Riverside by Ellen Kushner is another, kinda meh but also interesting short story.
All I got is it's weird."
"Oblivion by Calvin Klein" by Christopher Fowler
did not like this one
skimmed most of it :(
"Fairy Gifts" by Patricia Briggs
I like Briggs and I've read this short story before
It's so cool to see a variety of folklore and mythical creatures together, see the similarities, differences and the confusion that follows.
"Picking Up the Pieces" by Pat Cadigan
historical and dramatic but not really my cup of tea
once again, only a hint of magic,
But that was an interesting implementation
"Underbridge" by Peter S Beagle
I have never read a troll story like this
"Priced to Sell" by Naomi Novik
bored
good concept, it's just not interested
“Bricks of Gelecek” by Matthew Kressel
Well that was sad.
"Weston Walks" by Kit Reed
skimmed most of it
bored
and how was this urban fantasy?
"The Projected Girl" by Lavie Tidhar
urban fantasy and set in Israel; cool
and very interesting story.
"The Way Station" by Nathan Ballingrud
Weird.
"Guns for the Dead" by Melissa Marr
a quick read, compared to the others.
And an odd approach to the afterlife.
When paired with the Nac Mac Feegles (Wintersmith - Discworld), it's an interesting look at the afterlife.
"And Go Like This" by John Crowley
wtf
no
I don't get it
"Noble Rot" by Holly Black
I am not down for eating rotting human flesh, ghouls or no ghouls
"Daddy Long Legs of the Evening" by Jeffrey Ford
ewewewewewewewew
I am not down for creepy, serial killing, human eatting spiderboy
NOPE
honestly skimmed most of this one due to ick factor
"The Skinny Girl" by Lucius Shepard
rather philosophical
human manifestation of death.
"The Colliers' Venus" by Caitlin R. Kiernan
At first, I was kinda bored. It's more science oriented - fossils and such
But in the end, it was more abstract than expected. A different take on anthromorphic personification (sp?)
won't explore this author but not a bad story
"King Pole, Gallows Pole, Bottle Tree" by Elizabeth Bear
genius or personifications of cities are fun. depressing sometimes, but still interesting to read.
I should find more of those. -
Curses by Jim Butcher
Harry Dresden finds himself being hired to find out who put a curse on the Chicago Cubs and how to get rid of it. It turns out, curses are not always a bad thing. 5/5
How the Pooka Came to New York City by Delia Sherman
I'm honestly not sure if I was charmed more by the story or by the lovely Irish lilt of the narrator. Either way, this was a charming, fun story that takes a different look at the great wave of immigration to 19th century New York. Really liked this one. 5/5
On the Slide by Richard Bowes
Sliding, as a term, is borrowed from the old t.v. show, a fact acknowledged in the story but which triggered my anti-meta (I know it's not really meta, but…) ire and I had a hard time relaxing into the story after that. Still, good characters and an interesting idea, just one that I would have liked better had it been a little further removed from the everyday. 3/5
The Duke of Riverside by Ellen Kushner
Of all the stories thus far, this is the one that has stuck in my head the longest. The faulty narration (in the story, not the actual, physical narrator) and sometimes unreliable eyewitness accounts to this pauper to prince story makes the read all the more enjoyable. Throw in an odd relationship or two, a well worn and reworked trope (the quiet swordsman, the loud, aggressive young man) and you have a really fun story. 5/5
Oblivion by Calvin Klein by Christopher Fowler
Well, in a collection like this, not every story is going to work for every reader and this one left me a little cold. The idea behind it, that a woman's obsession with shopping leads her to an unlikely savior was interesting, but the writing was a little too graphic for my commute. 2/5
Fairy Gifts by Patricia Briggs
Chinese-American vampires, immigrant fey under Butte, Montana, and favors repaid all boil together in a tight, interesting take on the vampire mythos that is both familiar and new in all the best ways. I really liked this one and would happily read more featuring this protagonist. 5/5
Picking Up the Pieces by Pat Cadigan
Truly contemporary urban fantasy, as in 'ripped from the headlines' is rare enough, but a small, familial story set during the fall of the Berlin Wall is the definition of unique. Having said that, the characters are so well realized, almost to the point of contempt (from familiarity) that the story seems to be mainstream fiction right up until the end, when it leaves you wanting more. 5/5
Underbridge by Peter S. Beagle
The Fremont Troll has long been a tourist attraction for Seattle, but how many of us stop to think about where it really came from? Anything by Peter S. Beagle is guaranteed to be fun and interesting and thought provoking and this is no exception. The book is worth its asking price for this story alone. 5/5
Priced to Sell by Naomi Novik
As the first non-Temeraire work I'd ever read by Naomi Novik, I was especially curious to read (hear) this one. I'm pleased to say that I found it charming and clever, much like the Temeraire series. It is also set in a wildly different era, city, and, well, it's about the real estate business. 4/5
The Bricks of Gelecek by Matthew Kressel
A very Miyazaki Hayao type world came into mind as I listened to the story. It had the same evocative benign force of destruction as well as a young girl for a heroine. It had the same sense of place that was both familiar and utterly alien at the same time. It was good. 4/5
Weston Walks by Kit Reed
There's a bit of a left turn half way through the story that caught me off guard. Other than that, I enjoyed it, especially for the romance between Weston and his girlfriend. But I'm not quite sure I got the ending either… 4/5
The Projected Girl by Lavie Tidhar
Any story that gives me a new cultural flavor is always high on my list and this is no exception. The background of the story is deeply rooted in Jewish tradition, which gives an otherwise good story a little extra edge. 4/5
The Way Station by Nathan Ballingrud
I will admit I'm not a fan of 'weird' stories. I like my fantasy to have clear explanations, whether its magic or the supernatural, or just physics gone strange. And this story, while interesting, is definitely weird, with its talk of ghosts that cause cities to sprout from a man's chest…I just couldn't get into it. 2/5
Guns for the Dead by Melissa Marr
The land of the dead is not quite what Frankie Lee ever expected. It's more like a town pulled out of the old west. And Frankie needs a job. This was great. 5/5
And Go Like This by John Crowley
Not one of my favorites out of this collection, but not bad. 3/5
Noble Rot by Holly Black
Aging rock stars and beautiful ghouls, what's not to like? In all seriousness though, there was something sad and beautiful about this story that is hard to encapsulate here. Well worth the read. 4/5
Daddy Longlegs of the Evening by Jeffrey Ford
Uh, this one creeped me out for no other reason than the main baddie is a spider person. And not in a good way. Shivers, shivers, shivers all the way through. 3/5
The Skinny Girl by Lucius Shepard
Stories set in an unfamiliar location are an easy draw and this is no exception, especially as it seems that it should be more familiar than it is. Especially to anyone who grew up reading DC Vertigo's Sandman tales and who had a fixation with the goth incarnation of Death. Interesting. 3/5
The Colliers' Venus (1893) by Caitlin R. Kiernan
Although intriguing, I lost interest about halfway through when the story stopped being about the relationship between the two main characters and became, instead, a history of a being left sleeping in the earth millennia ago. 2/5
King Pole, Gallows Pole, Bottle Tree by Elizabeth Bear
As much as I like Elizabeth Bear and as much as I like Las Vegas and as much as I enjoyed the premise, the story held nothing terribly interesting for me. I enjoyed it and forgot it. Not much else to say. 2/5 -
So I'm going to try and comment on the individual stories as I read them.
Intro: short, sweet and to the point. Datlow manages to weave in her own love and connection to urban fantasy while leaving the main platform open for the authors and the stories we will find within. After reading it, I'm looking forward to diving in.
#1 "Curses" by Jim Butcher--A great little Harry Dresden tale that doesn't depend on knowing the series to work well. Perfectly Chicago, and charming to boot.
#2 "How the Pooka Came to New York" by Delia Sherman--This is a sweet tale set early New York, with an Irish immigrant and a Pooka. My only complaint on this one is that it's back to back with Butcher's tale. And BOTH feature Fae barmaids with astonishing cleavage. It's a little thing, but still . . .
#3 "On the Slide" by Richard Bowes--Also set in NYC, this one has a very specific brand of magic intimated in an otherwise modern world. Very vividly set in the Big Apple. Not my fave, but decent.
#4 "The Duke of Riverside" by Ellen Kushner--A story from Kushner's fantasy city. The changing viewpoint is a little disorienting, and it took me a bit of time to fall into the world (I haven't read anything set in Riverside in a while) but should appeal to fans. A fun story to read nevertheless.
#5 "Oblivion by Calvin Klein" by Richard Fowles-- Okay . . . it IS set in a city, but it isn't really urban fantasy. It's a brilliantly written ride of a story. But it's more like urban surrealism rather than actual fantasy. Don't get me wrong, it's good work--but I'm a bit of a purist with themed anthologies and this doesn't quite fit the theme.
#6 "Fairy Gifts" by Patricia Briggs--now I love Patricia Briggs. And this is a nice little non-series connected story written by her. But . . . I don't really buy that it belongs in an anthology collection that is about cities. It does have a city as part of the background, but it's a small mining city, and the story focuses more on the mine than on the city. Again, the story is fine in and of itself. Classic Briggs.
#7 "Picking up the Pieces" by Pat Cadigan-- first story that either was too muddy for me to follow or went over my head completely. It's set in Berlin so it does imply it's urban. But the fantasy part never quite made sense to me and the end of the story had me going Huh? Oh well, no my story.
# 8 "underbridge" by Peter S. Beagle--nice to see Beagle in anthologies, overall. This little Seattle piece is more horrific in its way, and not at all cute or sweet. Still, a nice offering to vary the mix in the anthology.
#9 "Priced to Sell" by Naomi Novik--a fun and funny piece set in a supernaturally populated NYC where selling apartments can take a little more effort when it comes to the specialized needs of the community.
#10 "The Bricks of Gelecek" by Matthew Kressel--Hmmm, I'd really debate on whether this one fits the criteria all that well. It's an oddly philosophical fantasy set almost out of time and conjures up forgotten cities and future ones.
#11 "Weston Walks" by Kit Reed--This one left me sort of "huh?". Set in NYC, it really has less to do with the city than it does a sort of character study and transformation. Never quite won me over.
#12 "The Projected Girl" by Lavir Tidhar--set in Jerusalem, a boy follows the story of a girl gone missing to unravel a mystery. I found myself losing the threads of this at times, but it's not bad and very much set in the the heart of the city where it is told.
#13 "Way Station" by Nathan Ballingrud--Set sort of in post Katrina New Orleans it's an interesting and deeply felt tale--I think it may catch more than a few readers off guard.
#14 "Guns for the Dead" Melissa Marr--Having not read the Graveminder series, I really couldn't get into this, plus I have trouble seeing it as "urban fantasy" since it reads more like "western" fantasy. Someone who likes this series may enjoy the story more.
#15 'And Go Like This" by John Crowley--Oh what a charming little moment! A delicious tumble of words set in NYC that's fantastic in a completely human sort of way. Bradbury-esque in its way, I'd say. Something gentle, profound and heartstopping about it.
#16 "Noble Rot" by Holly Black--It's a fine little story of love . . . and rot. I can't remember now if this was a NYC setting or not, though it was definitely city-scape. No firm objections or dislikes, thought it wasn't my favorite. Stories about ghouls seldom are.
#17 "Daddy Longlegs of the Evening" by Jeffrey Ford. A very creepy disturbing story. I don't quite buy it fits this anthology extremely well, but if you don't like spiders to begin with, you'll hate them after this.
#18 The Skinny Girl by Lucias Shepherd--Didn't pull me in as much, I admit I'm not always pulled in by the more masculine style perspectives, and this just didn't sing "urban" to me either.
#20 The Colliers' Venus(1893) by Caitlin R. Kiernan--this reminds me why I should read more Kiernan. A beautifully told story about time and the nature of the world in time. I again debate whether it really fits this anthology, but I'm a little forgiving just for how fascinating a tale it was to read.
#21 "King Pole, Gallow's Pole, Bottle Tree" by Elizabeth Bear--I'm thinking this has it's roots in some earlier stories. It took me a bit to catch up with the characters, but it is certainly urban fantasy, set in the city of Las Vegas.
Overall, not a bad anthology, I feel the mix may have been balanced a little more and question the inclusion of a few authors, but I was happy enough with most of the reading and may have discovered a few new names to look up and read more of their work. -
This was fine I guess. Most the stories I forgot as soon as they were over. I wouldn't call any of them bad, just not memorable. And in audiobook form there were some very questionable choices made for narrators. The stand out stories for me were:
The Duke of Riverside, Ellen Kushner
Fairy gifts, Patricia Briggs
Picking up the pieces, Pat Cadigan
Priced to sell, Naomi Novik
King pole, gallows pole, bottle tree, Elizabeth Bear -
I just verified to myself that I am not a fan of short stories. I loved the Dresden files story and Patricia Briggs story - not a surprise, since I am a huge fan of both. Naomi Novik’s story was fun, I will definitely will read more of her books. The rest - meh. I only listened because I was on the road for 6 hours and that was better than nothing. I am about to abandon the last one, a novella, I suppose. I am done driving and not going to finish it. And that says a lot
-
'Curses' (The Dresden Files #10.5) by Jim Butcher. ✓
★★★★/5. -
Did not finish only read a few stories that were from authors I read.
-
For most of the short stories in this book I either loved them or I hated them. There were a couple in here that made me very uncomfortable and a few that made me queasy. They were all very unique and I loved that each story centered around a place.
-
An interesting selection of stories. Some excellent, some only so-so, but mostly solid.
-
Having a city be a central character in your works requires authors to walk a fine line. You have to let the urban arena become its own entity without swallowing up its residents. The stories collected in this volume offer highs and lows of this tightrope dance. Jim Butcher opens with a humorous look at the curse placed on the Chicago Cubs, followed by an Irish immigrant's tale following the shape-shifting Pooka from Delia Sherman. Richard Bowes falls flat on his Hollywood tale On the Slide, while a duelist meets the hidden Duke of Riverside in Ellen Kushner's work. The mix of money and spending collide in Chris Fowler's yarn, while the vampire gets a Chinese-American twist from Patricia Briggs. Pat Cadigan takes a closer look at the Berlin Wall's fall through its true occupants, while a massive troll attains sentience thanks to Peter S. Beagle. The tongue-in-cheek look at mystical real estate by Naomi Novik rings hollow, but Kit Reed's exploration of the tour guide who has everything and nothing feels a little fuller. Israel is the scene for the magical tricks of Lavie Tidhar, and a post-Katrina New Orleans takes center stage courtesy of Nathan Ballingrud. The dead - like Frankie Lee - are everyday folk in a metaphysical land, according to Melissa Marr; John Crowley crams the world's population into New York City for the tiwst. Holy Black introduces a cute girl (or is it ghoul?), while Jeffrey Ford generates a true spider-man that prowls a tiny hamelt. A trip to Mexico City for the dead appears from Lucius Shepard, ghost of Las Vegas forget thanks to Elizabeth Beart, while the old mining town of Chicago unearths a dusty beauty in Caitlin R. Kiernan's contribution. The true stand-out of this collection is Matthew Kressel's "The Bricks of Gelecek," where nameless beings of destruction actually erase cities and places from memory - until a young girl's songs bring their afterimages back to life. Overall, a good collection that reminds us that though Gotham and Metropolis may be better known, the fictional tales of urban areas have plenty to offer.
-
I read this anthology during an attempt to read more urban fantasy, and the readers in my
ReadingEnvy blog chose urban fantasy over paranormal romance. (I also listened to
Down These Strange Streets to fulfill this task,
see my review.)
There are some great stories here, and others that I merely skimmed. Perhaps if I articulate what I liked, I will understand my feelings about urban fantasy more.
"Picking Up the Pieces" by Pat Cadigan - about the Berlin Wall coming down. I'm still not sure I understand what happened but I still think about the story.
"The Bricks of Gelecek" by Matthew Kressel - a wind in the desert befriends a human. Loved the setting, the concept, the ending.
"The Projected Girl" by Lavie Tidhar - magic combined with the Holocaust. The writing was great too. "The bookshops of Haifa are clustered like a gaggle of elderly, generally good-natured but occasionally difficult uncles...."
"The Way Station" by Nathan Ballingrud - the ghost of the city of New Orleans lives inside Trane's body. Cool concept!
"Noble Rot" by Holly Black - there are no words. This one pushes the boundaries into horror for sure.
I have been known to say I don't read urban fantasy. But I do read some. I tend not to care much for the character-based stories that have elf detectives or vampire lovers in them. But the stories that use the urban environment as a basis for telling a unique plot are what draw me in.
