Powers of Detection: Stories of Mystery and Fantasy

by Dana Stabenow | Science Fiction & Fantasy |
ISBN: 0441011977 Global Overview for this book
Registered by CheriePie of Campbell, California USA on 11/2/2004
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3 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by CheriePie from Campbell, California USA on Tuesday, November 2, 2004
Conjured from the minds of today's most innovative authors, Powers of Detection features a dozen tales of mystery and fantasy, set in worlds where sleuths may wield wands instead of firearms--and criminals may be as inhuman as the crimes they commit.

From a magical boarding school murder to a courtroom where a witch stands trial, from ancient legends of Alaska and Egypt to stories featuring such familiar faces as Sookie Stackhouse and such familiar places as the Nightside, these paranormal procedurals reveal the mysterious behind the mystery...

Includes stories by:
Donna Andrews, Michael Armstrong, Anne Bishop, Jay Caselberg, Mike Doogan, Laura Anne Gilman, Simon R. Green, Charlaine Harris, Anne Perry, Sharon Shinn, Dana Stabenow, and John Straley.

Journal Entry 2 by CheriePie from Campbell, California USA on Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Some of the stories in this book were really good, while others I didn't really like at all.

Cold Spell by Donna Andrews
A cute and interesting story involving wizards, mages, and magic. And the quest to discover a strange murder. Like Donna Andrews other books, I enjoyed this story a lot.

The Nightside, Needless to Say by Simon R. Green
Green has penned an entire series involving the Nightside, and I'm anxious to read it after reading this short story. This story involves a P.I. named Larry Oblivion whose been murdered, but due to a magic wand obtained from the Unseelie Court, is able to stop time, and thus, take a time out before passing on to try to find out who murdered him.

Lovely by John Straley
A strange story about a raven named Gunk looking for a "dead thing" to eat. A strange story, but amusing nonetheless.

The Price by Anne Bishop
A great story by Anne Bishop set in the same stage as her Blood Trilogy, where women represent power and men are meant to serve them. Unfortunately, an angry witch full of hatred has her own ideas...

Fairy Dust by Charlaine Harris
A little bit weaker than the previous stories but a good read nonetheless. Sookie Stackhouse, of Harris' Southern Vampire fame, uses her telepathic gift to discern the true killer of Claudine's twin sister, part of a fairy triplet.

The Judgement by Anne Perry
A strange story... I didn't really get it. It was still interesting, but I'm sure I would've gotten a lot more out of it if I understood the deeper meaning which escaped me. I also didn't care for the bible-thumping piousness of some of the characters who tried to accuse of Witchcraft.

The Sorcerer's Assassin by Sharon Shinn
Another story that takes place in a school with mages and wizards. Someone is killing off the 6 most powerful, one-by-one, and the remaining are fighting time to discover who's the guilty party before they're next.

The Boy Who Chased Seagulls by Michael Armstrong
Stupid story... I didn't like this one at all. It was about an old man who had a story about... you guessed it, a boy who chased seagulls, and he used this story to scare a little boy. So what?

Palimpsest by Laura Anne Gilman
I hadn't yet read anything by this author at the time I read this story, though I do have two of her books, Staying Dead and Curse the Dark, on my TBR pile. I had mixed feelings about this story. I felt it had a lot of potential, but it fell flat in some areas and left me wanting more. So now I'm looking forward to seeing what she can do with a full-length book, where the characters and story can be a bit more fleshed out.

The Death of Clickclickwhistle by Mike Doogan
Stupid story... I didn't like it at all. It was more of a sci-fi story than a mystery, although there supposedly was a murder they were trying to solve. But I thought all the characters were idiots and the story bored me to tears.

Cairene Dawn by Jay Caselberg
Another story that I believe had a deeper meaning than I could grasp. Sure, I got the whole reference to the Egyptian pantheon, Isis, Osiris, his brother Set, and son Horus, but I believe there was something else going on here, eluded to by the last paragraph of the story which is "Do you know what a jackal sounds like in the fog of a Cairo dawn?" I was like... huh??

Justice is a Two-Edged Sword by Dana Stabenow
This story started off kind of slow and I wasn't sure whether or not I'd like it. But things picked up and got interesting about half way through and I found I enjoyed this story as much as some of my other favorites from this book.

Journal Entry 3 by CheriePie at on Friday, December 16, 2005

Released 18 yrs ago (12/17/2005 UTC) at

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Sending to ladiibbug in California cuz she wants to read it. :) May ask her send it on to NeedSun after, or else maybe release as bookring/ray because I feel it's a good candidate for that and feel the need to share it far and wide. *grin*

Sent via Media Mail on 17-Dec-2005. Delivery Confirmation # 9102010521297970453401.

Journal Entry 4 by ladiibbug from Paradise, California USA on Wednesday, January 4, 2006
1/4/06 Arrived into welcoming hands! Thanks *so much* for the generous loan of this book. As agreed, I'll check with you after reading to see what you decided to do as far as forwarding this on, or returning to you.

I'll be diving into these stories in the next couple of days. Hmmm, is that the Grim Reaper on the cover?!

Marking RSVD, as this is not a tradeable TBR

Journal Entry 5 by ladiibbug from Paradise, California USA on Tuesday, February 7, 2006
2/8/06 Mailed this *loaned* book back to CheriePie. Many thanks :)

* Counts in 2006 Keep Them Moving Challenge *

I read most of the stories three times over the last six weeks. This collection is great for sampling the writing of a wide variety of fantasy/sci fi authors, two genres I'm just now getting into.

Here were my favorites, all of whom are now on my TBR list (ha! like I needed more 'must read' authors :):

Simon R. Green: I'm anxious to read his Nightside & Deathstalker series (series-es?). He is a new to me name - LOVED the story!

Anne Bishop: A new to me author name. Cool, her Black Jewels books give me something to get into when I soon catch up with Kim Harrison.

Sharon Shinn: Definitely now on my Read Soon list!

Mike Doogan: LOL, I loved his "The Death of Clickclickwhistle" (deceitful border collies, life forms resembling large talking corn stalks).

Jay Caselberg: Intriguing tale of the Egyptian wife looking for her missing husband, who had previously been killed by his brother ... before the DH returned.

Journal Entry 6 by CheriePie from Campbell, California USA on Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Thanks ladiibug, this arrived back home with me today. I'm psyched because now I've got a second book to release at the Toronto BC Convention in April. I'm hoping to build up a few more before then but you know how it is with all your rings and rays coming in at once...)

I'm glad you enjoyed it though. And lemme know if you want to read any of my Anne Bishop or Simon R. Green books, all of which are still on my TBR.

Journal Entry 7 by CheriePie at Bookcrossing Convention 2006 in Toronto, Ontario Canada on Sunday, April 23, 2006

Released 17 yrs ago (4/20/2006 UTC) at Bookcrossing Convention 2006 in Toronto, Ontario Canada

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Was going to be up for grabs, but NeedSun grabbed it. :)

Journal Entry 8 by NeedSun from Perth Road, Ontario Canada on Monday, April 24, 2006
I did grab this before ChariePie had a chance to offer it up to anyone else. It looks great and hopefully, I can get to it before too long.

Thanks again Cherie for the intro to this genre.

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