RogerBW's Blog

Small Magics, Ilona Andrews 30 July 2019

2015 modern fantasy anthology, short stories in the Kate Daniels universe.

This is a convenient ebook collection of five short stories – two of which I've already reviewed, A Questionable Client and Magic Tests. The other three are:

Retribution Clause shows us Adam, a frost giant and insurance adjuster (because of course he is, it's that kind of world), making good on an insurance policy by assassinating the person who murdered the policyholder. Except it's more complicated than that, because it always is. I'd like to read more about these people, but I don't think they return. (Originally in the anthology Hex Appeal. Incidentally, Bombay Sapphire is not a "bright blue liquid".)

Of Swine and Roses has the daughter of a fading family encouraged to go on a date with the thuggish son of a less-fading one, to try to sort out a bank loan… but really, was she expected just to stand by while he and his friends tried to chase down and kill a wild pig? (Originally a stand-alone etext.)

Grace of Small Magics is the most blatantly romance-tropey of these three stories, but does benefit vastly from having a hero who realises that "your family is at my family's beck and call" is not an appropriate place from which to start a relationship. (Originally in The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance.)

All of them have some decent action, but as always with Andrews it's about the people first. Drop any of her protagonists into another's situation, and they'd do different things to get a different result.

Also, praise to the Andrews collective for saying in the blurb that all these stories have previously been published, and not throwing in one new one just to encourage the completists to buy this collection.

[Buy this at Amazon] and help support the blog. ["As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases."]

See also:
A Questionable Client, Ilona Andrews
Magic Tests, Ilona Andrews

Previous in series: Gunmetal Magic | Series: Kate Daniels | Next in series: Magic Rises

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