Tag Archives: Naked City

Weston Walks by Kit Reed

Book Review, , ,
Overview
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Title: Weston Walks
Author: Kit Reed
In: Naked City (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Urban fantasy
Dates read: 18th October 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: She’ll have to pack up her stuff and move into his handsome house and settle down in his daytime life, because he is probably in love with her.

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Synopsis

Weston is rich and alone. But, that’s just the way he likes it. Until he goes underground and meets Wings. Now his life is filled with a lover. When he realises that she has begun to steal from him… he must make a choice, a woman who fills his life, or the objects that have always been there.

Thoughts

I loved the reflective style of this writing. It kind of foreshadowed the fact that something untoward was going to happen. But it didn’t give anything away. Just left you with an intensely curious and vaguely uncomfortable feeling as the story unfolded.

The description of Weston was brilliant – within the first few paragraphs you feel as if you intimately know the character. You feel tied to him in a way that doesn’t often happen (at least for me) and want him to gain happiness. All the while knowing that that’s not going to occur, again, something about the style of writing just hints at it.

I’m still not sure what kind of mythical creature Wings was based on. I’m thinking some kind of fae creature. But it was kind of nice to spend the entire story trying to guess… and still not be 100% sure at the end of the tale. it makes Weston’s experiences a little more vague and a lot more intriguing. It’s also going to leave me up late at night thinking…

 <- The Bricks of Gelecek ReviewThe Projected Girl Review ->
Image source: Patricia Briggs

The Bricks of Gelecek by Matthew Kressel

Book Review, , ,
Overview
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Title: The Bricks of Gelecek
Author: Matthew Kressel
In: Naked City (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Music, Urban fantasy
Dates read: 15th October 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: But you have.

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Synopsis

He is an annihilator. One who destroys cities, and then doesn’t remember them. Until he meets a young girl with a gift for songs… and he realises that maybe he shouldn’t forget what he’s destroyed.

Thoughts

Many mythologies have a creature of destruction woven into their stories somewhere… but I’ve never read a short story in which one such creature felt regret. Of any kind. Which made this incredibly enjoyable. I love when a story takes a slightly different spin. Instead of being the antagonist, the brother of destruction was simply doing what he’d been born to do. Until he found a conscience…

The power of music is something that has always fascinated me. And filled my life with happiness. Which meant that the use of music to bring a conscience to an annihilator hit a great chord with me. After all, music is often about memories. And love. All of which are eventually realised, and the course of one beings life changed for ever.

Cities come and go. That’s a part of history, and it’s not entirely ridiculous. Yet, this story really helps to drive home that when your city disappears, eventually no one will remember it… ever. It’s a little bit sad, a little bit nostalgic. But mostly, it’s a great reality check and reminder of reality.

 <- Priced to Sell ReviewWeston Walks Review ->
Image source: Patricia Briggs

Priced to Sell by Naomi Novik

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
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Title: Priced to Sell
Author: Naomi Novik
In: Naked City (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fae, Urban fantasy, Vampires
Dates read: 25th September 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: To make the day complete, after she’d gotten off the phone with the vampire, Jennifer’s phone went off with another all-caps CALL ME!!

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Synopsis

Real estate is a tough enough gig. But what happens when you are trying to find the paranormal beings that go bump in the night a home? When the homes are cursed? And your latest customer just happens to be Jekyll and Hyde…? Everything must be priced to sell.

Thoughts

We’ve just been through the process of trying to sell a house. So reading a short story about the difficulties of real estate felt a lot more real and hilarious than it probably would have previously. Especially the trying to sell your house in a way that matches your perspective buyers’ desires… the fact that there is a paranormal element added to this mix just made it all the more entertaining.

I had the pleasure of reading my first Naomi Novik story earlier in the month, and I absolutely adored it. However, I did wonder whether or not it was a once off, or all of her work had that same beautiful flavour. I’m pleased to announce that it wasn’t a fluke. She’s amazing. I need more of her. She takes me to many a happy place…

There were so many little threads running through this story. It wasn’t just a tale about one house and one client, but a number of them. There was a vampire, Jekyll & Hyde… and, my personal favourite, a cursed wall of bugs. All in all they combined to make the rigors of attempting to sell a house with paranormal influences downright hilarious. Impossible to forget, and an industry that I really, really want to read more about!

 <- Underbridge ReviewThe Bricks of Gelecek Review ->
Image source: Patricia Briggs

Underbridge by Peter S. Beagle

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
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Title: Underbridge
Author: Peter S. Beagle
In: Naked City (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Fae, Mental health, Urban fantasy
Dates read: 20th September 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: The months passed, and the weather turned relatively mild and notably dry.

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Synopsis

Richardson just wants tenure, or, at the very least, a stable job. But his discovery of the Troll Underbridge might just change everything…

Thoughts

As someone who is halfway through her PhD and just entering the world of academics… I can completely understand Richardsons’ incredible need to just… crack. Right down the centre. With absolutely no finesse. Alright, I don’t actually want to crack, and I definitely wouldn’t do what he did… but we’ve all had our moments of instability, and I found Beagle’s take on this in this short story incredibly entertaining and intriguing.

We’re all a little scared of the things that go bump in the night. The creatures which hide under the bed in the dark. The ghouls which hide under our bridges and in the dark, hideaway places. Which makes the troll under the bridge a perfect feature for an urban fantasy short story. After all, they’re a fixture in fairy tales and fit that idea of the things that scare us – although, they don’t seem to show up as commonly in the stories… probably because they’re just not quite sexy…

For me, this short story highlighted the question “how far will you go?” For Richardson, I think the answer was kind of too far. But it still begs the question – how far would I go to achieve my goals? To get a steady job… I think that there may be a little of Richardsons’ darkness in all of us when we truly want something…

 <- Picking Up the Pieces ReviewPriced to Sell Review ->
Image source: Patricia Briggs

Picking Up the Pieces by Pat Cadigan

Book Review, , ,
Overview
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Title: Picking Up the Pieces
Author: Pat Cadigan
In: Naked City (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Family, Historical fiction
Dates read: 5th September 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: Working my way through the crowd, I began hearing snatches of English.

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Synopsis

The youngest daughter, Quinn, has always been a little different. But in 1989, when there are happenings afoot, she might just realise that she’s not so special after all…

Thoughts

The use of the Berlin Wall coming down in this story took me somewhat by surprise. Probably mostly because I didn’t actually know in what year it came down and so couldn’t make an educated guess on what life-altering moment was about to occur… I need to brush up on my history badly.

I’ve now read a few Pat Cadigan short stories and I always find them surprisingly fun. And just plain surprising… they never quite fit into the storyline and themes of the rest of the collections I find them in. But yet, their tenuous connections work so well that I’m surprised I never thought of it myself. Picking Up the Pieces is exactly the kind of story which does that for me. It’s got the great trickster vibe to it, but in a completely contemporary and family driven set up. After all, we will all do anything for our family, even when they’re kind of difficult and definitely an avenue for chaos.

I too have a little sister that just seemed to be golden. She is just so unbelievably good. Alright, she’s not like Quinn in this story because she’s not over the top. Or a little too easily distracted. But I would still totally fly to Germany to try and help get her out of trouble… even if it was of her own making…

 <- Fairy Gifts ReviewUnderbridge Review ->
Image source: Patricia Briggs

Oblivion by Calvin Klein by Christopher Fowler

Book Review, ,
Overview
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Title: Oblivion by Calvin Klein
Author: Christopher Fowler
In: Naked City (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Urban fantasy
Dates read: 13th July 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: Helen really wanted a cigarette.

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Synopsis

Helen just wants to find the oblivion of consumerism that her marriage has led her to crave. But, when she finds out that she might not be able to get her fix, she decides to something a little bit drastic…

Thoughts

I always like to say that I’m not that materialistic. But then you walk into my house and see the walls of books, and it becomes obvious that in some ways, I am incredibly materialistic. Which meant that this story was not only a really fun read, but also a somewhat uncomfortable one. It spoke to trends in society and what we perceive as needs and how they could be our eventual downfall. As I said, very uncomfortable.

This story quickly went from kind of amusing, to kind of uncomfortable, to completely horrifying in very quick order. At the beginning, it is obvious that Helen has a bit of an issue and needs to deal with her own personal life. Quickly it becomes apparent that it’s more than a little issue and the woman is getting desperate. And then she does the desperate thing. Which makes you wonder how far we would go for our materialistic / capitalist fix…

Although this story made me kind of question many of my own motives and decisions, it was still fun. And the ending provided a glimmer of hope to the story as Helen trots off towards a new future, with a new hope and understanding of just what true happiness and need are all about.

 <- The Duke of Riverside ReviewFairy Gifts Review ->
Image source: Patricia Briggs

The Duke of Riverside by Ellen Kushner

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
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Title: The Duke of Riverside
Author: Ellen Kushner
In: Naked City (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Comedy, LGBTQI, Medieval fantasy, Urban fantasy
Dates read: 12th July 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: Why would you want to go there with me?

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Synopsis

There’s a young man whose decided to come down to Riverside and find his death. What he doesn’t realise is that no one is going to end the life of an unarmed man. But what he finds instead is much, much better.

Thoughts

The wit and dry humour in this story had me chuckling a fair bit. There was something about a strange, lanky scholar who was desperate to be killed roaming the streets and just having absolutely no luck. It got even better when you found out that he was a duke and abhorrent to the rest of his family. The beauty, humour and irony in the story had me cackling more than I should probably admit if I still wanted people to consider me sane (which I don’t, so it’s fine).

Growing up, I never seemed to read many stories which featured LGBTQI characters. But as my reading tastes have grown, I’ve noticed that it’s a theme that shows up more and more frequently. Or it may just be that it’s a theme that is written about more frequently as our society changes. Regardless, it’s something that I always love in my stories. And the unexpected coupling of two men in this story took me completely by surprise. Partly because in the beginning I thought it would be a tale about Alec just being killed in some random, heinous way. And partly because it’s a medieval fantasy-esque story, and I tend to find that that’s not a relationship that is outwardly hinted at.

The final scene of this short story is one of those that is incredibly difficult to get out of your head. The entire time I’ve been writing this review, I have that great, final image struck into my brain. But, you really must read this story yourself to have that fine enjoyment.

 <- On the Slide ReviewOblivion by Calvin Klein Review ->
Image source: Patricia Briggs

On the Slide by Richard Bowes

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
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Title: On the Slide
Author: Richard Bowes
In: Naked City (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Time travel, Urban fantasy
Dates read: 11th July 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: Grainy black-and-white detectives in suits and hats chased a gunman over the roofs of early 1960s New York.

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Synopsis

He’s trying to slide through time to fix up the mistakes of the past. But is he going to be able to do this on the set of a movie?

Thoughts

It took me a little while to understand what was happening in this story. Mostly because it’s a short story in a collection of urban fantasy tales, and it didn’t quite seem like a fantasy until about three quarters of the way through. And then I started to really pick up on the nuances and quiet storylines that I’m beginning to recognise in Richard Bowes’ short stories. It was at this point that I decided I really wanted to go back to the beginning and read it again with more awareness.

The idea of sliding through time isn’t anything new, but the dreamy and twisty way in which Bowes tells the story made it feel a little newer. There was something that made you feel like you were sliding in and out of time as you read the story anyway, so when that final transition occurred, it wasn’t so shocking. Rather, it felt… inevitable.

In a collection of tales of urban fantasy, this was a nice, contemporary spin. There wasn’t the same level of supernatural and preternatural characters and stories which I’m used to. And I really enjoyed it. Sometimes it’s good to step out of your comfort zone and try something new… especially when it takes you pleasantly by surprise.

 <- How the Pooka Came to New York City ReviewThe Duke of Riverside Review ->
Image source: Patricia Briggs

How the Pooka Came to New York City by Delia Sherman

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
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Title: How the Pooka Came to New York City
Author: Delia Sherman
In: Naked City (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Comedy, Fae, Urban fantasy
Dates read: 4thy July 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: The shoat it belonged to squealed and bolted, leaving only four and their dam for the Pooka to fight.

Synopsis

The Pooka is a trickster of marsh and bog. So he’s not entirely sure why he’s in New York City, but maybe he should just make the best of his situation…

Thoughts

Most of the fae stories I read form some mentioning of the immigration of the Fair Folk to America in some way, shape or form. There’s always a mention of the industrial revolution and a discussion of how hard it was, even for these supernatural immigrants. But I’ve never read a story that actually takes place in this time. That talks about those first moments off the boat in a whole new world that is just as convoluted and confusing to the fae as it was to the humans. Until now. And I find that I kind of love it…

As with all of the other short stories I’ve read by Delia Sherman, there is a great level of wit and humour to this story. And a slight twist to it that made it so much more fun and more difficult to put down. But, mostly I loved the nature of the trickster and the weird juxtaposition of a man who is accompanied by a fae who is supposed to save him. When the fae is so iron sick that he can barely save himself…

I loved the vivid descriptiveness of this story. I felt like I was actually standing next to the Pooka as he discovered a new world. Trudging through a new reality that I didn’t understand or quite like… but one that had so much potential.

<- CursesOn the Slide ->

Image source: Patricia Briggs

Curses by Jim Butcher

Book Review, , , , , ,
Overview
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Title: Curses
Author: Jim Butcher
Series: The Dresden Files #10.7
In: Naked City (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Crime, Paranormal fantasy, Urban fantasy, Wizards
Dates read: 28th June 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: What stories are you interested in, specifically?

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Synopsis

Harry Dresden investigates how to lift a curse laid by the Fair Folk on the Chicago Cubs.

Thoughts

Baseball isn’t really my thing. Nor is it something that I’ve ever understood. Probably has something to do with being Australian and not really having many baseball players in the vicinity. But I still know that the Cubs are quite famous for not winning and having a loyal fan base. It seems to come up a lot in American TV, movies and books…

I love that this short story takes something that is so large in popular culture and gives it a beautiful, supernatural spin. It’s a great start to a collection of urban fantasy stories which I’m sure are going to get darker, grittier and far more fun as the tales unfold. It certainly started this book off with a great bang. One that made it kind of hard to put these stories down and get back to working like a real adult.

I was expecting a story in which Harry swings in and saves the day again. In this case, helps to unravel the curse on the Cubs and help them finally win the finals (or whatever they’re called). It didn’t quite work out like that, and I loved the change from routine that this indicates. The slight change from the typical trope. Which is probably why I love the Dresden series in the first place.

 <- Naked City ReviewHow the Pooka Came to New York City Review ->
Image source: Patricia Briggs