Otherworld Nights
An Anthology
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4.8 • 15 Ratings
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
Rare and never-before-published short stories featuring fan favorites from the #1 New York Times bestselling Otherworld series
It’s been more than ten years since Kelley Armstrong began the Otherworld series and drew legions of fans to a realm roamed by witches, werewolves, necromancers, vampires, and half-demons. Many of the novels have become bestselling favorites, but not all of the Otherworld adventures have been easy to find. At last, Otherworld Nights shares short stories that have previously been available only online or in obscure collections. Fans have long been clamoring for this anthology and they won’t be disappointed—they’ll find plenty of surprises are in store.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Armstrong revisits her Otherworld series with the first of three planned anthologies. This collection of six short stories and two novellas one brand-new focuses on love and family, preternatural intrigue and politics, and zigging where zags are expected. The three best entries involve werewolves. "Chivalrous" may be short, but its story of forbidden college romance between two werewolves packs a major wallop. In the novella "Hidden," Elena and Clay's attempt to provide their four-year-old twins with an old-fashioned Christmas is interrupted by the investigation of a young man's death. Telling the twins about werewolves becomes more pressing for future Pack Alpha Elena when one of them exhibits supernatural abilities. The brief "From Russia, with Love" features a visit from Pack Alpha Jeremy. His plan to relinquish authority to Elena is delightful, and the twins are so precocious it's a shame the series ended before they grew up. The unfortunately titled "Twilight" is a less interesting examination of vampires, but lycanthrophiles will be very pleased.
Customer Reviews
Chock Full of Insider Info and Backstories
I would like to thank Plume & NetGalley for granting me a copy of this e-book to read in exchange for an honest review. Though I received this e-book for free that in no way impacts my review.
Goodreads Teaser:
"This short story collection will include many brand-new tales and others only previously available on Kelley Armstrong's website. Most of the stories will feature the werewolves of the Otherworld, Elena and Clay, Jeremy, Karl and other members of the American Pack. These are some of Kelley Armstrong's best-loved and most enduring characters, from bestselling books such as 'Bitten', 'Stolen' and 'Frostbitten'.
1) 'Demonology' - Adam's mother discovers what he is
2) 'Stalked' - Clay/Elena honeymoon story from "My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon"
3) 'Hidden' - SubPress 2012 Elena/Clay novella
4) 'Twilight' - a Cass story from "Many Bloody Returns"
5) 'Chivalrous' - Reese's backstory from SubPress's long sold-out "Tales of Dark Fantasy 2" (the Dec'14 SubPress graphic novella picks up this storyline)
6) 'Lucifer's Daughter' - Hope/Karl story from "Blood Lite II: Overbite"
7) 'From Russia with Love' - Elena bonus story included with hardcover of "Thirteen"
8) 'Vanishing Act' - brand-new Savannah/Adam novella set after "Thirteen""
Containing a series of novellas about a variety of Armstrong's more popular characters, this book has something for everyone. Each story adds information to the broader set of knowledge about these supernatural beings, data that helps answer questions, or unspoken history, posed in prior books. Although this book can be read as a stand-alone, it is much, much richer and more satisfying if it is read after the full novels about these characters. In addition, if read as a stand alone, be forewarned that these novellas will contain serious spoilers for the actual novels - something to keep in mind should you be planning on reading them at a later date, or finding that the novellas draw you in and entice you into reading the books that spawned these shorter tales.
Several of these novellas weave more than one dominant character together, with the characters and tales overlapping. Since they are so brief, I'll avoid any details about the stories, as the information listed in the Goodreads blurb above lists enough to let the reader know what they'll be diving into. I will say that they are well written, and though they are novellas they still follow the traditional story arc, just on a much shorter curve. The intro gives enough background to give you an appropriate sense of setting and relation to the larger story (even if you haven't yet read it), then there is the meat of the story with the action, suspense, and emotional pull, followed by a resolution of some type. The endings don't have the normal cliffhanger style, as these stories are more looking back than leading forward, which means there is very little chance that the issues addressed will be raised again, at least as the main thread.
All said, the book was filled with a variety of stories and different supernaturals. It met all my expectations and then some. When I finished the book I was content, though I won't say that I wasn't wishing for more!