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Mean Streets by Jim Butcher

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
Short story anthologies featuring established characters should, hopefully do two things: provide an introduction to the uninitiated and provide elements for the long term fan. I have only read one of the authors, Jim Butcher, before but have come out with distinct opinions about each work.



Butcher's The Warrior is not much of a story and I fear it wades too far into the overall metaplot of The Dresden Files for new readers. That said, it provides some great character moments, particularly at the story's conclusion, that I believe make it an intriguing story for even the unfamiliar. Read separately, I would give it three stars.



Simon R. Green's story The Difference a Day Makes is far more troublesome. Green feels the need to establish way too much of his, apparently overfull, cliche-ridden, world and has provided his character with an ability so unreasonably powerful as to question why he ever experiences any sort of challenge. Furthermore, the plot stumbles through basic steps, the tone is erratic, and the overall story is highly predictable. Read separately, I would give it one star out of pity.



Kat Richardson's story The Third Death of the Little Clay Dog, unsurprisingly the longest novella, was the real find for me in this collection. Richardson wisely abandons her protagonist's normal stomping grounds, making it highly accessible to new readers. Furthermore she carefully lays out an intricate mystery, leaves clues to decipher, and allows the reader to progress with the character throughout the story. Read alone, I would give it four stars.



Thomas E. Sniegoski's contribution, Noah's Orphans, about a fallen angel detective and the death of that Noah is somewhat entertaining, but relies heavily on its exotic characters, leaving little to be done by the average ordinary human. It feels out of place in a book titled Mean Streets, but isn't necessarily bad on its own. Read alone, I would give it three stars.


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