Dark and Stormy Knights is an anthology edited by P. N. Elrod, who also has a story in the collection. Of the nine stories within, only one was truly not to my taste, though of the others I definitely had some favorites.
“Questionable Client” by Ilona Andrews will be extra special for Kate Daniels fans, as we get to learn how Kate and Saiman met. Good stuff.
“Even Hand” by Jim Butcher is set in Harry Dresden’s Chicago but is written in the POV of Gentleman Johnny Marcone. It is an enjoyable story on its own, not to mention the rare glimpse of the world from outside of Harry’s perceptions.
“The Beacon” by Shannon Butcher was a new author to me who I might have to investigate. The reluctant hero and those he is trying to save are well developed, and the story is well told. The one piece I found to be a bit on the illogical side was the very end of the fight between the monster and the knight. Other than that, a truly enjoyable story.
“Even a Rabbit Will Bite” by Rachel Caine was by far the most surprising tale. I’ve been a Rachel Caine fan for a while, but these characters were all new to me, and glad I am to have read them. Additionally, she definitely got this reader with a surprise twist that hit me right between the eyes.
“Dark Lady” by P.N. Elrod stars her well-known vampire Jack Fleming and is an enjoyable noir detective tale that covers the bases, including an attractive dame and an Irish gangster.
“Beknighted” by Deidre Knight was my least favorite. It is the story of an artist who is to save a knight that she knows nothing about via a painted puzzle. I found it odd and uninspiring – with unrealistic dialogue and uninteresting plot.
“Shifting Star” by Vicki Petersson was set in her Zodiac universe, which I am not a fan of, so of course this story would not be among my favorites. It wasn’t helped by its placement directly after “Beknighted.” Other than the moving back and forth between inhuman and human emotions and thoughts by the main character, though, it is a story worth reading.
“Rookwood & Mrs. King” by Lilith Saintcrow was very dark and very good, with two knights to highlight. Saintcrow is new to me, so I may have to look into some of her other work, as this one was well written and a good read.
“Gods Creatures” by Carrie Vaughn stars Cormac from her Kitty-verse, but I felt that it fell a little flat. Cormac acted without thought or care while hunting the werewolf – telling himself that this was bad, shouldn’t do this, and shouldn’t do that, but kept on doing them to his detriment. It was as if he was being piloted by someone else.
While most anthologies have their good and their bad, they usually separate them a little better, sprinkling the excellent among the okay for a more even reading experience. This time around the best stuff was up front and the enjoyment seemed to diminish further along. It got to the point where I was putting it down between stories on purpose, not feeling excited enough to move on. Despite that, I feel that the collection is definitely worth a read for urban fantasy fans, and those who already enjoy stories from some of the bigger names will definitely find it worthwhile.
