Strange Brew

May 18, 2009
Anthologist Elrod (My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding
) taps into the urban fantasy craze with a mixed bag of wizardry, mystery and glamour. The best include Patricia Briggs’s wistful “Seeing Eye,” wherein blind witch Wendy Moira Keller helps werewolf Tom Franklin search for his missing brother, and Jim Butcher’s funny “Last Call,” which finds wizard Harry Dresden hot on the tail of Meditrina Bassarid, a wicked wine-loving maenad who wreaks havoc in a Chicago bar. In Rachel Caine’s romantic “Death Warmed Over,” Holly Anne Caldwell, a resurrection witch, falls in love with Andrew Toland, a corpse from 1875, while Elrod’s “Hecate’s Golden Eye” tells of a 1937 hunt for a curious family gem. Though not particularly groundbreaking, these tales will easily keep paranormal mystery fans entertained.

June 15, 2009
Elrod ("The Vampire Files") curates another urban fantasy anthology featuring a mix of marquee names and newcomers. Unlike in his previous collections ("My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding; My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon"), the themewitchesis looser, allowing the contributors freedom to expand upon their current popular series. Best-selling authors Patricia Briggs ("Bone Crossed") and Jim Butcher ("Turn Coat") open the anthology with stories set in familiar worlds. While Briggs's "Seeing Eye" is not tied to either of her current series, the themes are similar, and her weres make an appearance. Butcher's "Last Call," the highlight of the collection, finds wizard detective Harry Dresden tracing a batch of tainted beer to a Chicago Bulls game. Faith Hunter's promising new series featuring skinwalker Jane Yellowrock is launched in the surprisingly touching "Signatures of the Dead." The only misstep here is Karen Chance's ("Curse the Dawn") contribution, "Vegas Odds," which focuses on a drawn-out fight scene at the expense of character development. VERDICT Readers will pick this one up for the popular authors and be pleasantly surprised by the tyros. Highly recommended.Nanette Wargo Donohue, Champaign P.L., IL

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