Title: Shadowed Souls
Author: Jim Butcher
First published November 1, 2016
338 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780451474995 (ISBN10: 0451474996)
Rating: 3.79
Overview
Get ready for a thrilling and thought-provoking ride with Shadowed Souls. Featuring four talented authors, Jim Butcher, Seanan McGuire, Kevin J.
Anderson, and Rob Thurman, this anthology explores the blurred lines between good and evil. In Jim Butcher’s Cold Case, Molly Carpenter, apprentice of Harry Dresden, embarks on a dangerous mission to collect a tribute from a remote Fae colony.
Meanwhile, Elsie Harrington, a half-succubus, must rescue a little girl from the boogeyman in Seanan McGuire’s Halfway Home. In Kevin J.
Anderson’s Eye of Newt, Zombie P.I. Dan Shamble solves a case for his latest client, a panicky lizard missing an eye. And finally, Rob Thurman’s Infernal Affairs takes readers on a journey down memory lane with Caliban Leandros as he seeks vengeance against some nasty demons.
With Shadowed Souls, get ready for a captivating and unforgettable reading experience.
About the Author
Meet Jim Butcher, the talented author responsible for the thrilling Dresden Files, the captivating Codex Alera, and the exciting new steampunk series, the Cinder Spires. Jim’s skill set may seem outdated, but he boasts an impressive list of old-fashioned abilities, and he even dabbles in guitar playing (although he admits he’s not very good).
When he’s not writing, Jim is an avid gamer who enjoys everything from tabletop games to video games on both PC and console. He’s also a big fan of LARPs, or live-action role-playing games, and participates whenever he can find the time.
In the online world, Jim is known as Longshot, a moniker he adopted in the early 1990s when he set his sights on becoming a published author. The odds were stacked against him, with only 3 in 1000 aspiring authors managing to make it to publication, and only 1 in 10 of those achieving enough success to call it a career.
However, Jim beat the odds with the sale of his second series, and he’s been living his dream ever since.
Despite his success, Jim remains true to his nickname, refusing to change it even as he continues to make a name for himself in the literary world.
Editoral Review
Shadowed Souls by Jim Butcher is a collection of short stories that delves into the world of supernatural beings and the battles they face on a regular basis. This book features the collaboration of several authors, including Butcher himself, and presents a unique twist on the typical urban fantasy genre.
With its imaginative approach to storytelling and attention to detail, Shadowed Souls is a must-read for fans of the supernatural. Throughout the book, the authors explore the lives of various supernatural beings, such as wizards, fae, and even angels, and the challenges they face as they navigate through their own worlds.
Each of the stories is cleverly crafted, with distinct voices and tones that complement one another. The result is a cohesive narrative that creates a sense of unity among these different stories, despite their varying plots and characters.
One of the standout features of Shadowed Souls is its strong characterization. The authors manage to create realistic and relatable characters, despite their fantastic abilities and circumstances.
The personalities are well-crafted and developed, and the dialogue is snappy and engaging, making the book an extremely enjoyable read. Additionally, the world-building in each story is impressive, with well-detailed settings that transport the reader into these supernatural worlds.
In terms of themes, Shadowed Souls deals with a number of complex issues, such as sacrifice, friendship, power, and redemption. Each story approaches these themes from a different angle, resulting in a thought-provoking and multi-layered read.
Moreover, the book touches on larger issues of morality, good vs evil, and the choices people make when faced with difficult decisions. One of the few weaknesses of the book is that some of the stories lack a clear sense of direction.
While the characters are interesting and the world-building is engaging, some of the stories meander a bit, lacking focus and structure on occasion. Nonetheless, this is a small issue and does not detract from the overall quality of the book.
Overall, Shadowed Souls is an exciting and engaging read that is sure to appeal to fans of the supernatural genre. The stories are well-crafted, the characters are interesting and relatable, and the themes are thought-provoking.
The book is a great read for anyone looking for an entertaining and memorable escape into the supernatural world. Rating: Four out of five stars.
This book is recommended for fans of urban fantasy, supernatural tales, and short stories. It offers a unique and engaging take on the genre, with well-developed characters, immersive settings, and thought-provoking themes throughout.
