Mini-Review: The Difference a Day Makes by Simon R. Green

The Difference a Day Makes

by Simon R. Green 

from Mean Streets

Roc, 2009

 

While I have heard of Simon R. Green’s Nightside series I have never actually read any of the novels.  The Difference A Day Makes is much better at introducing a new reader to the Nightside than Butcher’s The Warrior was at introducing new readers to Harry Dresden.  While I’m sure there is some spoiler material in the story I was genuinely pleased at Green’s attempt to introduce you to his world at a very deliberate pace.

Mini-Review: The Warrior by Jim Butcher (from Mean Streets)

The Warrior

Jim Butcher

from Mean Streets

Roc, 2009

 

**Spoilers Ahead!  If you have yet to read Small Favor then stop now!  The Warrior spins directly out of that story. **  

That being said The Warrior is the best Dresden story I’ve read in ages.  I don’t know if it is the shorter format but it felt like Butcher had to really drill down into what makes Dresden such a fun character to read.  The melodrama and angst that had bothered me in some of the later Dresden novels is completely absent here and we get a perfectly realized snarky, sarcastic, down-on-his-luck Harry Dresden.  The story is taught and tense and plays out like a good episode of your favorite television show everything wrapped up in the 45 minutes to hour it takes you to read.  More spoilery stuff after the jump