Side Jobs by Jim Butcher

About the book: Side Jobs is an anthology book set in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files series, an ongoing series about wizard detective Harry Dresden. It contains the following short stories:

*Restoration of Faith and Vignette - both originally published on Jim-Butcher.com
*Something Borrowed - originally published in My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding
*It's My Birthday Too - originally from Many Bloody Returns
*Heorot - originally from My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon
*Day Off - originally from Blood Lite
*Backup: A Story of the Dresden Files
*The Warrior - originally from Mean Streets
Last Call - originally from Strange Brew
*Love Hurts - from the upcoming Songs of Love and Death: Tales of Star-Crossed Love
and a new novelette exclusive to the anthology:
*Aftermath - which takes place 45 minutes after Changes and is told from Karrin Murphy's point of view. She must help find a kidnapped werewolf.

First line: I choose to use the first line of one of the stories rather than the very first lint. This is from Heorot: I was sitting in my office, sorting through my bills, when Mac called and said, " I need your help." It was the first time I'd heard him use four whole words all together like that.

My thoughts: As a fan of the Dresden Files I could not wait to read this book of short stories. I was not disappointed, it was a great read all the way through. I don't read many short stories or buy many anthologies so all but one story were new to me. While reading any of Butcher's Dresden file books I love running upon little comedic gems of conversation or thought. Plenty of these were to be found here.

I liked that Butcher included a short commentary at the beginning of each story, so you learned what his thoughts or motivation were. You will find that he wrote several of them for themed anthologies, which made for fun reading but each story stands on its own.

If I had to choose a favorite story from this collection I guess it would be The Warrior which I feel is the most philosophical. If you are already a fan you'll love it. If not, don't start here, go get the first book in the series, Storm Front, and read it.

My Rating:






Quotes: Gard let out another banshee shriek as she went, a wordless cry of challenge to the grendelkin that declared her intent as clearly as any horde of phonemes: I am coming to kill you.

I half wished I'd woken up Molly. The kid is a natural at subtle stuff like veils. she can make you as invisible as Paris Hilton's ethical standards, and you can still see out with no more impediment than a pair of midly tinted sunglasses.

".....I've got the combination written down. Somewhere. On a napkin. I think." (Dresden)
"Does it hurt to be as suave as you, boss?" (Molly)
""It's agonizing."

Links:
Side Jobs
About the author
Author's blog
Series