A great collection from some amazing authors. I loved seeing stories from some of my favorite villains and am interested in a few of the others. These are always a great way to find voices you hadn't been exposed to.

I saw this book on NetGalley and eagerly requested it, since I like a lot of the authors with stories in it.

I admit to being somewhat disappointed. As others have said, the Butcher story is not new. I'd read it in another anthology, though I did like it. And while I normally love everything from Seanan McGuire, this story from the POV of a cuckoo just wasn't what I was hoping for. I'd rather have seen a story from the POV of the Covenant, but that's just me.

All in all, they were good stories, and it was interesting to see things from the other side, but I still prefer the main characters I know and love. I did get a few new to me authors to look into, and that's always great.

I have never been a huge fan of short story collections just because I like longer stories. Lately, however, I’ve been enjoying those collections just so I can discover new authors. This book more than fits that bill. I also add to reviews of story collections that I generally don’t review each individual story as I think that fools people into not getting a book if there is one story that doesn’t work that well. So, my overall thoughts on this collection are what you will get. I thought every story was at least a three star. There were a couple stories I think if I had read a book in those universes before, I wouldn’t have found them to be uninspiring, if well-written. They were good, but I didn’t quite get them. However, I do have to admit I’m intrigued enough to want to try those series which is the purpose of these collections. Most of the stories were at least a four-star read. And, every story was well-written, had great characters, and did introduce me to authors I want to try as well as delighting me with the authors I already know. Overall, this book is well-worth getting, if only to try out new authors. Recommend! Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for the e-copy of the book which I voluntarily reviewed.

Urban Enemies edited by Joseph Nassise is an anthology of short stories about the villains from several popular urban fantasy series. Most of the stories are told from the villain's point of view rather than just being about the villain. Some of them are written in such a way that you can actually feel a moment of empathy for them. Others showcase just how evil they really are.

In total there are 17 stories from the following: "Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files), Kelley Armstrong (The Cainsville and Otherworld series), Seanan McGuire (October Daye), Kevin Hearne (The Iron Druid Chronicles), Jonathan Maberry (Joe Ledger), Lilith Saintcrow (Jill Kismet), Carrie Vaughn (Kitty Norville), Joseph Nassise (Templar Chronicles), C.E. Murphy (Walker Papers), Steven Savile (Glasstown), Caitlin Kittredge (the Hellhound Chronicles and the Black London series), Jeffrey Somers (The Ustari Cycle), Sam Witt (Pitchfork County), Craig Schaefer (Daniel Faust), Jon F. Merz (Lawson Vampire), Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock), and Diana Pharaoh Francis (Horngate Witches)." (List of authors from Goodreads)

I wasn't expecting to empathize with any of the villains. And I found some of them downright scary. I was not familiar with all of the series. In fact, I was hoping to gain some idea of other urban fantasy series I might enjoy. It was a success in that regard. All of the stories were well written no matter the angle they took. I think my favorite though is the story by Jim Butcher from the Dresden Files. This was one of the authors I had not previously read, but will definitely seek to read again. In truth, I would reread this whole anthology in addition to seeking out other works by the authors. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Urban Enemies is due out August 1, 2017 from Gallery Books. If you enjoy urban fantasy, definitely check this book out.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and freely given.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

This anthology included some really excellent stories... and added quite a few series to my TBR pile. Can't wait to pick some of them up!
---
Even Hand by Jim Butcher
Villain & Series: Gentleman John Marcone, The Dresden Files
My Series Status: Devoted Follower/Obsessee
Stars: Five

Even Hand was a great little story, but way too short. I've always been intrigued by Gentleman John Marcone, and seeing inside his head for this one, getting a deeper glimpse into his psyche, just wasn't enough for me. He's in quite a few of the books in the main series, but I really wish he'd play a bigger role over all. With the "apocalyptic trilogy" ender coming up (in five books, so ok, not the near future), maybe he'll jump on the antihero train, and perhaps Dresden and Marcone won't have to have an epic final showdown where only one walks away.

Also, I really like Hendricks, and love Justine and Ms. Gard.
---

Hounded by Kelley Armstrong
Villain & Series: The Rogue Huntsman, Cainsville series
My Series Status: New to Me (on my TBR prior)
Stars: Five

So, I've been working on reading Women of the Otherworld by this author, and really am enjoying the series, but Cainsville has been on my radar for a while. I'm trying to finish up Otherworld first, as I'm in the middle of so many series already, and Otherworld is completed, so might as well knock it out... but this twisted little story with a very dark villain and an even darker ending really makes me excited to check out Cainsville!!!
---

Nigsu Ga Tesgu by Jeff Somers
Villain & Series: Mika Renar, Utsari Cycle
My Series Status: New to Me
Stars: Four

I've never heard of this series or author before, but I'm definitely putting book one on my TBR. This is one seriously creepy villain and an interesting take on magic.
---

Sixty-Six Seconds by Craig Schaefer
Villain & Series: Fontaine (Harmony Black) and The Redemption Choir (Daniel Faust)
My Series Status: I've read book one of Daniel Faust with intentions to attempt to read the rest of the two series
Stars: Three

This wasn't bad, per se, but it just wasn't as polished as the first three stories felt -- and it wasn't really dark and villainous. Fontaine was actually VERY understandable and relatable, and the "twist" at the end wasn't shocking. I don't know what it is about him, but so far, I feel like Schaefer just tries too hard. (Sorry, Sarah)
---

Kiss by Lilith Saintcrow
Villain & Series: Perry/Pericles, Jill Kismet series
My Series Status: New to Me (on my TBR prior)
Stars: Three and a half

I haven't read anything by Lilith Saintcrow before, and this one was a little confusing -- I probably would have understood more had I read some of the series before, and if work hadn't kept interrupting my reading of this one. Enjoyable, but missing something.
---

The Naughtiest Cherub by Kevin Hearne
Villain & Series: Loki, The Iron Druid Chronicles
My Series Status: Read through book 7 (currently one book behind)
Stars: One

I liked the first few books in this series, but the last few haven't been as fun or as exciting. Maybe it's just me, but I grew kinda bored of the whole series, which is a shame, because I love Oberon and Granuaile. Loki's little jaunt through the Christian Hell to have a chat with Lucifer was blasé and meh and contrived.
---

The Resurrectionist by Caitlin Kittredge
Villain & Series: Lee Grey, The Hellhound Chronicles
My Series Status: New to Me (on my TBR prior)
Stars: Three

I enjoyed this shorty, and will definitely pick up the Hellhound Chronicles... but it didn't really feel like this one was in keeping with the theme of the anthology being stories from the villain's perspective. Lee felt like one of the good guys. *shrugs*
---

Down Where the Darkness Dwells by Joseph Nassise
Villain & Series: Simon Logan and Ashereal, The Templar Chronicles
My Series Status: New to Me
Stars: Five

This little gem was tremendous fun. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (one of my favorite movies of all time) meets The Mummy (Brendan Fraser version, another of my favorite movies) and magic. I added this one to my TBR for sure. Is it bad I was rooting for this villain?
---

Bellum Romanum by Carrie Vaughn
Villain & Series: Roman/Gaius Albinus, Kitty Norville series
My Series Status:New to Me (on my TBR prior)
Stars: Four

I will definitely be picking up this series soon -- Roman seems like a really cool villain! I loved the vampire mythology in this one, and the origins of Roman as not only a vampire, but also some form of a magic user.
---

Altar Boy by Jonathan Mayberry
Villain & Series: Toys, Joe Ledger series
My Series Status:New to Me (on my TBR prior)
Stars: Four

I'm intrigued by the character of Toys... I am not a huge "zombie" fan, but I think I'll check this series out, if not just to meet and get to know Toys better, but to see what led to the events of this shorty.
---

Make it Snappy by Faith Hunter
Villain & Series: Leo, Jane Yellowrock series
My Series Status: Devoted Follower/Obsessee
Stars: Five

Absolutely LOVED this one. I adore the Jane Yellowrock world, and it was really cool to see some pre-Jane-coming-to-New-Orleans Leo, Bruiser, Katie, and Bethany... and the precursor first warning signs that the Eurovamps were going to be making their way to come after the US/Leo's territory. Good thing Jane showed up when she did. Her and Beast might just be the "tipping point" needed to tilt things in Leo's favor.
---

Chase the Fire by Jon F. Merz
Villain & Series: Shiraz Aziz, Lawson Vampires
My Series Status: New to Me
Stars: Four

Interesting... It looks like this series is a mishmash and hodgepodge of spy novels and vampires. This story was entertaining enough to check out the first book in the series and see if it's for me. I'm a little worried that Goodreads and the author's site don't really have an accurate reading order for these, but if book one is good, I'll just try to figure it out.
---

Unexpected Choices by Diana Pharaoh Francis
Villain & Series: Shoftiel, Horngate Witches
My Series Status: New to Me (on my TBR prior)
Stars: Four

Really liked Shoftiel's character -- he was showing clear potential for character growth while also exhibiting some of his defining characteristics that I would guess led him to be granted "villain" status within the series -- this one is definitely moving up my list to read sooner rather than later.
---

Reel Life by Steven Savile
Villain & Series: Seth Lockwood, Glass Town (if this is a series, only one book has been published)
My Series Status: New to Me
Stars: Two and a half

This was inexplicably both intriguing and boring to me. I needed to read the Glass Town before I picked this one up, I guess.
---

The Difference between Deceit and Delusion by Domino Finn
Villain & Series: Tunji Malu, Black Magic Outlaw series
My Series Status: New to Me
Stars: Four and a half

Cool villains! Definitely starting this series in the near future!!
---

Balance by Seanan McGuire
Villain & Series: a Cuckoo, Incryptid series
My Series Status: Devoted Follower/Obsessee
Stars: Five

Just FYI, anything Seanan McGuire writes is golden... and this is no different. Cuckoos are insanely disturbing and make for awesome villains (and, if you've read Incryptid, great characters in general).
---

Everywhere by Sam Witt
Villain & Series: The Long Man, Pitchfork County series
My Series Status: New to Me
Stars: Three

This one didn't do much for me, but the Long Man was sufficiently creepy, so I didn't dislike it either.

Villains are intriguing characters. I’ve always liked a well fleshed out villain, one that’s a little more than evil cackling and petting cats. Urban Enemies, edited by Joseph Nassise, is a book that definitely scratches that itch.

Urban Enemies is an anthology featuring villains. More specifically, it’s an anthology featuring urban fantasy villains. There are seventeen authors included in this anthology. Each story somehow fits into one of their series. There are origin stories for various villains within their series. There are standalone tales of villains. There are stories that fit well between two books in a series. Really, there’s a little bit of everything.

As wonderful as the premise is, this anthology can feel a little inaccessible in some ways. There are stories from many familiar names. This doesn’t necessarily mean I’ve read their works, of course. Even out of the authors I do read, I found I hadn’t always read the particular series whose villains were being featured. This distance which is potentially created between the story and the reader is addressed, however.

Before each short story is a small blurb, just a short paragraph introducing the world, the characters, or outlining the sort of magics used. This is incredibly helpful when you haven’t read anything else set in that universe. However, it can also be problematic that these are needed. While fans of these authors get fun additions to their favorite series it does somewhat ostracize those who are unfamiliar with them.

A good example of this is the story “The Resurrectionist” by Caitlin Kittredge which is set in the Hellhound Chronicles. The main character of this story is a monster hunter. To humans he is a hero. The characters of the Hellhound Chronicles are monsters, though, and to them he is quite the villain. This is a fascinating take on the theme of the anthology. And, despite what I feel about the story itself, I can’t help but feel like I’m not fully appreciating it. I’ve never read the Hellhound Chronicles, and so have no stake in the characters or understand what the goings-on really mean to them.

On the other hand, if you read a good number of the authors featured in this anthology, this will be a perfect book for you.

Now, one thing which I really took issue with was the headlining story “Even Hand” by Jim Butcher. The story itself is fine. I’ve always loved Marcone’s characters and always welcome a new story featuring him. The problem is that we’ve seen this before. “Even Hand” is a reprint, the story originally featured in a different anthology several years ago. I was looking forward to a new story within the Dresden Files world. Alas, there was none to be had.

I can’t help but feel that this is a bit misleading. With Butcher’s name featured so prominently on the cover I expected something new. As far as I am aware this is the only reprint within the anthology, which only serves to bother me more. I might have forgiven it if this was merely a collection of older works, or even if it was a mash up of old and new tales. Instead, it left me a little disappointed.

But don’t get me wrong. I still enjoyed this anthology. There were some good stories mixed in there, even if I was unfamiliar with the worlds they were set in. I did skim a few; not everything held my attention. But I do want to read more of the works of Jeff Somers whose story “Nigsu Ga Tesgu”, set in the Ustari Cycle, was included within the anthology. And anything by Seanan McGuire is always welcomed.

In the end, I have to give Urban Enemies a solid three stars. I think that this anthology would be best for those extremely familiar with the included authors and their works. This might sound a little obvious, but I really do feel like there was a certain distance that I couldn’t cross with some of these stories, not fully appreciating characters or their stories. If you are a fan of evil characters or urban fantasy, this is probably something you want to check out. If you don’t like reading about evil characters or you are unfamiliar with the majority of the authors this might be a book you want to skip.

Everybody has a story and their own point of view, even the bad guys. In this fantastic anthology we get to hear from some bad guys that occupy the very best of the Urban Fantasy world. In these sixteen stories we struggle with the reality that good and evil are two sides of the same coin. These sixteen fabulous authors get to play on the dark side for a change. If you haven’t read these authors this anthology is a great way to get your toes wet as there isn’t a bad story in the lot.

I got to stop requesting short stories and samplers... hate reading them because they just get good and its over!

Loved the short stories. Another great way to introduce fans of the genres to other authors.

Who doesn't love a good villain? I mean come on, we all love to hate them and even sometimes, hate to love them. When I found out some of the top authors in the urban fantasy genre were going to be writing not only short stories set in some of the best series out there, but also in the point of view of their villains, I was so all over it. And even though some of these series I have yet to try, it didn't stop me from diving right in and seeing what their writing and bad guys were all about.

While all of these stories were good, like most anthologies, some stuck out to me more than others.

I loved Even Hand by Jim Butcher. In fact I liked it so much so that I plan on starting the Harry Dresden Files because of it. I mean who doesn't love witches and all things that go bump in the night?

Kelley Armstrong's Hounded from her Cainville Series was every bit as I expected it to be and I loved getting inside the Huntsman's head and seeing what makes him tick. It was a great bonus addition to the series and I'm so glad I read it.

Kiss by Saintcrow made me also want to start her series. Her villain was creepy and like the author has mentioned before, being inside his head makes you want to take a shower and scrub yourself clean afterward.

I already knew I liked the Iron Druid series by Kearne and seeing Loki and Lucifer featured in his short The Naughtiest Cherub, was just so much fun. It reminded me all over again, why I love his books. The humor is like no other and it's super hard to resist and UF series all set from the male POV.

Truly I could go on, all of these stories were great and while I liked some more than others, there weren't any that I hated, which was a nice change for me. Usually with these type of books you always get that odd ball story that doesn't seem to fit and you would rather have not wasted time on. Overall this was a fun filled, villainous read that I'm glad I took a chance on.

Urban Enemies
5 Stars for the book as a whole.

This is a collection of some of the most bad guys you will ever meet. I wasn't sure what to expect from this collection since it is about the bad guys of books we've read where we've rooted for the good guy. But I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading about them. I wrote several reviews on individual books but it looked to be getting too long of a review so I also want to say for to others and overall, this was a delight to read. Even if there's one or two you don't care for as much as the others, there's enough great ones to make it worth the purchase.

The Naughtiest Cherub by Kevin Hearne
5 Stars
I haven't read any of this author's work, but I do have him on my TBR list. After reading this story, I will be sure to bump him to the top. This is my favorite kind of book. I loved the part about the ice blade the Yetis made and I can't wait to read the story it referred to. Even though the character in this book is a villain, he was so very interesting!

Even Hand by Jim Butcher
5 Stars
This is another author I've heard so much about and I'm ashamed to say that I still haven't tried his work until now. I couldn't help but like John Marcone. He risked so much for saving a young lady and child. Even lost a lot. I got such a great taste for this world. I love how it has vampires, a Valkyrie, and my favorite the Fae. I really liked Gard and hope she is in all his books. This author is great at packing in such an intense world in a short story and still having great quality. I loved it!

Hounded by Kelly Armstrong
3 Stars
This story was ok. I liked the concept but I think I found the characters so annoying that I was just glad when it was over. I felt so sorry for the poor dog.

Nigsu Ga Tesgu by Jeff Somers
3 Stars
This wasn't really my cup of tea. I would probably like a full book that has this villain in it. The writing was beautiful and almost poetic. The villain was so bad and terrible. But very clever.

A good villain should be as complex a character as a good hero. This book was a fun read and introduced me to a lot of new stories from different authors. I was originally drawn to this book because I enjoy Seanan McGuire, Jim Butcher, Lilith St Crow, and Kim Armstrong. Most of the others I had not heard of, so it was nice to expand my range a bit. This anthology let me know a little about author's writing styles and worlds. I figured if I read about their antagonists, I would know whether or not I would like to read the main stories.
I enjoyed a number of the stories, especially the ones which showed that the villains were fleshed out characters with their own motivations rather than simply existing in opposition to the hero. Some of the stories introduced me to characters who went so completely against my moral and philosophical grain it made me uncomfortable to read. Others assumed that I would have knowledge of the story they related to and were so convoluted I couldn't easily follow the plot, and some of the origin stories would have made more sense if I knew more about the main story as well.
Overall, I would recommend this book to people who are either already fans of the contributing authors and looking for a new perspective on their favourite villains and anti-heroes, or to people who want a taste of a story without the emotional commitment to the main character.

A great selection of fantasy authors. Something for everyone. Some I really enjoyed others were okay. I would just get into them and then it would be the end and of course just went it was getting good.

This Urban Fantasy anthology has an interesting twist as the protagonists of the stories are, shall we say, less than upright moral people or supernaturals as the case may be. These bad guys and gals get to have their say from sixteen very well know authors including Faith Hunter, Jim Butcher, Seanan McGuire and Kelley Armstrong.

I am most familiar with Faith Hunter and her vampire Master of the City of New Orleans, Leo Pellissier whom we see with his heir, Katie. Fans of the series will enjoy being in his devious head in this story set before Jane Yellowrock comes on the scene. Leo has been quite an enigma throughout in the JY world where many readers often wonder about his behavior and motivations so here is a chance to get a glimpse of life in Leoworld.

Jim Butcher’s contribution from the world of Harry Dresden is another standout. His story focusing on John Marcone shows that bad guys are not all one dimensionally evil even though their behavior at times might suggest otherwise.

I imagine it was quite a challenge for the authors to so fully inhabit the heads of their baddies as well as making the stories interesting to readers who may be a bit skeptical of wanting to see inside some really dark folks. The best part of anthologies besides getting extra insight into characters from favorite series is meeting new authors and finding more works to enjoy. These stories are very well done so now I have a whole new list of series to add to my TBR pile.

I did like this book, although I feel that I missed a lot of the nuances in most of the stories. I am familiar with Butcher's, Hearne;s, Armstrong's, McGuire's, and Vaughn's worlds, so enjoyed their stories more. All of the stories are well-written, but without a knowledge of the world that they inhabit, again, a lot (if not all) of the nuance is lost.

That said, this is still well worth a read. It is interesting to have stories from the villain's perspective and doing so opens up a different view to some well-loved universes.

What I really like about these books is because I get a taste of some authors who I might never have read.

The stories like with all anthologies have weak and strong points

Collections of short stories by multiple authors are similar to a box of chocolates, you do not know what you will get until your start reading. Theme anthologies are even more problematic, but Urban Enemies has an interesting premise, provide a short story that stars one of the villains in an author's series. For example, the book opens with Jim Butcher's John Marcone facing off with a fae foe. Kevin Herne has Loki trying for a deal with the Devil. And Seanan McGuire almost makes you feel sorry for a cuckoo cryptids. Plus there are stories set in many series that I have not explored before, but tweak interest for future reading. And that is the fun of anthologies, a taste of the familiar and of the unknown!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!

I got a free copy of this from NetGalley. I was mostly excited for a new Dresden Files short story, and after all, they do put Butcher's name first and biggest on the cover. Except as I read it, it seemed awfully familiar. Guess what, it's a reprint of a several-years-old short story from a different anthology.

Guys, you can't have your headliner story be a reprint that most fans who'd be drawn by it have already read. Especially when none of the blurbs/promo material make clear it's a reprint of a story we've already read, and when those don't have a list of the titles of the story so we can check for ourselves. This struck me as intentionally misleading.

Also, since this is called "Urban Enemies", I hoped it would be a follow-up to "Urban Allies", which was where well-known urban fantasy authors got together and wrote new stories as collaborations between two authors, so you got fun team-ups of UF characters. This wasn't that at all, so I was further disappointed.

Overall, I feel that this book misrepresents what it is in order to sell itself to unwitting readers who are being led to expect something much cooler than what it is.

As a whole, I quite enjoyed this anthology. I liked more of the stories in it than I disliked, and I read a few that I REALLY loved and am going to have to find the original series from which they originated so that I can read more of them in the future. All in all, I was pleased with it.

Jim Butcher story - 4.5. Love Gentleman Johnny Marcone in all the Dresden Files novels, and reading a story told from his point of view was quite satisfying. The action was great and fast-paced, and the ending was superb. No complaints at all.

"Hounded" - 4.0 - Very good indeed. At first, I forgot I was reading from the villain's POV, and I was very sympathetic to the character. Then, as the story progressed, I couldn't help but think, "WTH??? Is this guy serious?!" Then I remembered BAD GUY and it all fell into place for me. I might one day check out this author's books for myself.

The funky named Usgardi or something story - 1.0 stars. I didn't understand it. I didn't like it. And I almost didn't finish it. Meh. Definitely not my cup of tea.

"Sixty six Seconds" - 3 stars. It was alright. it felt a little rushed and sometimes I wasn't sure exactly what was going on. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the source material.

"The Kiss" - 0 stars. I could not get into this story AT ALL. I tried 3 times to start it.over and re-read it to try to get something out of it. All to no avail. I finally gave up and didn't bother finishing it.

"The Naughtiest Cherub" - 5 stars. I have never read these books before, but I am going to have to now. I am a sucker for all things Loki anyway, and this one was actually well-written. I can't wait to get these books and read them.

"The Resurrectionist" - 3.0 stars. This was okay. It felt a little rushed in places, but the plot held together and the characters were interesting.

"Down Where the Darkness Dwells" - 3.0 stars. The beginning was a little slow, but the ending was awesome.

"Romanum" story - 2.5 stars. A neat little story. It is possible I would like to read more in the future.

"Altar Boy" - 4.0 stars. This one I really, really, REALLY liked. It was very enjoyable. I love the trope of the villain -- or former villain -- who knows he is damned, but he is still trying desperately to do the right thing and be a better person, despite, as I have already said, knowing that nothing he can do will ever make up for the awful deeds that he has performed in his past. I also really liked the ending. The plot and action were well-written. Overall, it was a very good read.

"Make it Snappy" - 3.0 stars. A decent read. It held my interest, and the ending was a nice touch. It did not, however, inspire me to read the original series.

"Chase the Fire" - 3.5 stars. Not bad at all. I enjoyed the strong, badass woman taking charge. The plot and action were both satisfactory. The length was good. Not bad at all.

"Unexpected Choices (Decisions?)" - 3.5 stars. A nice read. Well developed story and characters. It had a little more detail than was needed, I felt, which lengthened a bit more than necessary, but all in all, I enjoyed it.

"Reel Life" - 1 star. I just couldn't get into this one. It seemed like one of those short stories you really have to know the backstory on before you read it. You can't just jump into it like the others and enjoy it still.

"Deceit and Delusion"- 3.0 stars. Not bad at all. The plot wasn't as developed as I would have liked, but the action was super intense and made up for it. A good, quick read.

"Balance" - 5.0 stars. This one was very, very good. I love the idea of the cuckoo... a humanoid monster who slips into humans' lives and makes them love and care for them. The story was short, a very quick read, but it was definitely one of the best in the book.

The last one about the "Long Man" - 1.0 star. It took me ages to read through this one. I just could not get through it. Well, that is not true; I DID finally get through it, but I did not enjoy it. It was something about the style in which it was written. I just could not get into it.

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"He stank of formaldehyde and bad decisions."
- Craig Schaefer, Sixty-Six Seconds
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What a GREAT collection this was!! It is an exceedingly rare occurrence to have almost every story in an anthology be written by a well-known, established author... Add that to a great premise - tales from the point of view of established series' villains - and you have a definite recipe for success. I will admit, I couldn't read all of them - I wasn't familiar with a few of the series, so it was difficult to understand why the villains were so villainous, or what their relationship was to the other characters/events in the stories. BUT, the upside of that, is that I gathered a handful of new series onto my To Be Read list, and that's always a good thing!

My particular favorites:
- Even Hand, Jim Butcher (I've been jonesing for my Dresden Files fix, and even though Harry didn't make an appearance, the focus on Gentleman John Marcone should tide me over handily...)
- Sixty-Six Seconds, Craig Schaefer
- The Naughtiest Cherub, Kevin Hearne
- Down Where the Darkness Dwells, Joseph Nassise
- Altar Boy, Jonathan Maberry
- Unexpected Choices, Diana Pharaoh Francis

I like when series shift their perspective to give you a glimpse of a well-known world from an alternative point of view. I think it gives depth to the series, and its universe, and helps round out the stories and characters by making them multi-dimensional. In the stories that covered series that I know extremely well (e.g., Dresden Files, Harmony Black/Daniel Faust world), I found myself wanting to reread the novels with the added knowledge about the characters and their individual stories (back and otherwise). It's a great concept, and I will definitely be returning to this collection after I've had a chance to dig into a few of the series that were new(er) to me!