Book Review: Bad-Ass Faeries

Bad-Ass Faeries
Just Plain Bad

By:  Edited by Danielle Ackley-McPhail, and written by numerous authors

Publisher:  Mundania Press

Publish Date:  May 2008

Format:  Paperback, Trade size 281pgs

Genre:  Urban Fantasy, Fae

Series:  2nd in Bad-Ass Faeries anthology collection

Recommendation:  Oh yes!  Amazing faery tales that could be considered dark fables.

Book Synopsis:
Don't worry about things that go bump in the night; count yourself lucky if these fae give you that much warning.  In the finest tradition of the original Bad-Ass Faeries, this collection delves into the darkest corners, exploring every tough and terrifying aspect the legends of faeries ever claimed...and then some.

Lose yourself in twisted tales of homicidal faerie clowns.  Read on in fascinated horror as a faerwolf is born, and unwise parties-of-the-second-part come to rue deals made with a different kind of devil.  Here is where you discover just how many faerie tales never even get a glimpse of Happily Ever After...

My Thoughts and Summary:
Normally I review each story in an anthology individually to give you a feel of what's in the book and what to look forward to.  This one is hard to do that with as there are so many stories here.  AND what makes it even harder, is I found I enjoyed just about all of them!

These tales gave me a feel of the dark faery tales of old, some set in more recent time frame, that have not been sugar coated for children.  They are wonderful!

The book has four sections: Rebel Fae, Rogue Fae, Shadow Fae, and Enforcer Fae.

I liked the Rebel Fae section, but found I really enjoyed one story particularly. 
Party Crashers  by Trisha Wooldridge & Christy Tohara
A crew are working as a special unit going in for a Sidhe bank robber, one who has the ability to control minds and does so in his game with humans to make the transfer money to his accounts along with collecting artifacts from museums.

I enjoyed the Seelie/Unseelie feel and the surprise in the end about Cameron.  I wondered in the end of this story if there are more short stories with this cast of characters, or at least with Cameron and Monica and their secrets.

I found Rogue Fae was the section to really catch my eye, with several of the stories.  These stories where darker, mysterious, and more fighting.
A Clear-Cut Case  by Elaine Corvidae
Adaira visits detective Sorcha Barrow and Dr. Elizabeth DaTarn (both fae) curious about the strange circumstances of her husbands murder, the why he was murdered and some innards where missing.

I really liked how the world was drawn through the words of action in the story.  And there is a mystery! Unseelie style. :)

Whisky Sour  by Skyla Dawn Cameron
Juliette smells him, the one regret, coming but ignores her instincts.  The one voice she'll never forget orders a Whiskey Sour and repeatedly asks to talk to her in private.  Finally Juliette agrees to talk to Toby, to get rid of him.  Toby needs her help to retrieve something.

Okay, so I'll admit, this story is the reason for me picking up this anthology, along with a few other new authors I wanted to sample.  But I found I loved Jules!  Her character grew into her powers in this short story.  She's a smart woman, and knows how to take charge.  Jules is fae, with a little extra something else now mixed in, no thanks to the history with Toby.  I enjoyed the quick action and hope to meet Jules again in the future.

Zwischenzug  by Lorne Dixon
Vassili plays chess with a little fairy friend, Penni, in his funeral home, when his nephew shows up with Vassilli's deceased brother and a rather large man responsible in the trunk.  When things go bad for Vassilli, Penni goes to ask Zwischenzug for help.

This story created a whole new creature for me, Zwischenzug.  This story has a mafia feel to it.  There is also lots of fighting and blood but in the end I found it touching and sad.  I have to say this story was very well written to draw me in like this.

Pixie Dust  by Steven Earl Yoder
Aysa goes to a voodoo master for help.  Here in Louisiana she is tormented and now harmed by the mean local rogue fae, she is looking for protection and Bosun helps her.

Aaaa, now this one.  This one has a feel of the dark old fairy tales.  One that has a moral and a tale that could become one to pass on to your children, when they are older.  See this one does not have the shiny endings we have grown accustom to in our fairy tales.  Wonderful!

Shadow Fae
Do You Believe?   by C.J. Henderson
men of supernatural dealings meet at Narkane, a neutral place for all demensional beings to met and do business, to chat it up of happenings and tell each other stories.

In this one, one of the men tells a story of how there is a faery cockroach.  Yes, sounds gross, but I loved this tale.  The story teller weaves it so good, the man believes it, and I could see why.  I could have believed the whole creation too.  lol.

Within the Guardian Bell  by Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Lance had to leave Suzanne's side to do club business and now speeding home on his motorcycle.  The close call from a passing car jingles the magic bell Suzanna gave him for protection.  Smear a road gremlin doesn't like Lance, or his little bell, and decides to go after the two, to crush them.

Oh, I know I'm not suppose to like Smear, but I just love the little single minded gremlin. lol.  And he tries his best.  I also found I wanted more of Lance and Suzanne.  I really liked the feel around them.  Another story I will have to see if I can find more stories about.

The Seelie Seven  by Lee C. Hillman
Robin and Spike are thieving fey who have been caught and only chance to live freely is to become part of a military special mission, in retrieving a stolen item from the Unseelie.

I want to see the Seelie Seven again!  Where this story ended it could be possible to have another story out there as well.  I loved the mix of the guilty party with their last chance to make good for a free life again.  The mission is dangerous and they might not make it.  This story was full of action, and deceiving.  I liked it!

Enforcer Fae
Shadowcutting  by Steven Mangold & Jason Franks
After getting cut, literally, on his latest job Theo wakes in the hospital with a new card from DB Armory in his wallet.  going to check this 'person' out, with his broken Glaive, he finds he likes the Shadowcutter sword.

I liked the story with this sword.  It's a special fae sword that cuts to kill your enemies through their shadow.  But something is going on with Theo, every time he uses this sword.  Theo is growing to like the power he has with the sword, but not realizes what it's doing to him in the process.  Interesting tale.  Again one not with an ending we are so accustom to, but I loved it.

Twilight Crossing  by John Passarella
Ray, a talented bouncer at a local tavern, senses trouble when a new young visitor arrives, sitting at his own table peacefully.  Shortly after the young mans arrival three trouble makers come in and they begin a fight.  Ray ends up learns more about himself that he had forgotten about.

Oh I like the mystery behind the unknown, forgotten past.  The way Ray 'knows' things about the knife used and slowly remembers a life he didn't know he had.  I enjoyed the tavern atmosphere, fighting, and the writing style of the author in this one.

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All in all I really enjoyed these stories.  There were 20 stories in total here, and all are very good reads.  I tried to not to over do it, but I ended up mentioning 10 of the 20 stories.  And there where others I wanted to tell you about as well.


I purchased this book for my own enjoyment.