Side Jobs (Dresden Files)

It was nice to see the new short story that takes place right after Harry gets shot and goes missing. I was expecting more. As a stand alone story about Murphy, it worked and was OK. The old stories, re printed are all ok as well. I want more about his old partner. What ever happen to him? Am I glad I own it, yes. It is always fun and an enjoyable read.

It's always a good move by the publisher and author to pull together the myriad short story releases that were published elsewhere and put them into a nicely bound, hardcover edition! I loved the opportuntity to see Harry and Murphy outside their normal "shells" and experience Mr. Butcher's introducions to each item.

A fun read that flies by. Not only are the stories entertaining, but they also offer more insight into some of the supporting cast of the Dresen books, and some of them flesh out some details from the regular material and fill in a few gaps as well.

This collect of short stories is humorous at times and a simply great look at the Dresden characters between earth shattering quests. The story in my opinion that makes this a must read for Dresden fans and non-Dresden fans alike is "The Warrior"

If you are a fan of the series and haven't read these stories, you need to. Most simply feature Harry kicking monster tail and taking names, but two (Backup and Aftermath) are of special note. They both show the world through the eyes of others (Thomas and Murphy respectively), which makes for a very interesting read for long time fans.

Can't say enough about Jim Butcher's books. Fantastic reads from beginning to end. Only complaint is that there will never be enough of them. Codex Alera and Dresden Files are a special class of fantasy with lots of depth, rich color and superb mix of wit and intellect. Thanks Jim.

These Books make my days better! they keep me wanting more, Love Dresden Files Intense with funny come backs.Grew up reading The Dragon Riders of Pern. Anne Will be missed dearly May she finally ride her dragon of Gold.

I haven't finished all the stories but the ones I have read and reread have been a nice addition to the already fantastic novels in this series. They add a kind of insider look at things you may have wondered about the characters, side characters and things in the novel you may have imagined happening but didn't.

That is what I would call this collection, a gap filler. It adds additional details to fill in the lost time in-between some of other books in the series. If you have read the series, then pick this up to flush it out a bit more.

There were some stories in here you could tell Butcher had a lot of fun with. It was also nice to see from another character's perspective (i.e. Thomas, Murphy). The last story is a direct follow up to Changes and worth reading.

What I like best about this short story collection is that it places the stories within the Dresden Files chronology. I like to read the series in order, so this book makes a perfect guide! Can't wait for the next one.

Explores Harry's friends and family in more detail as well as lesser known character backgrounds definitely worth a look for the follow up story on the series previous cliffhanger alone, combined with the other short stories a must have in my opinion.

I like watching the progression of Jim Butcher through the stories that span years. I also really enjoy the way each story comes with a notation about where in the Harry Dresden series each story takes place.

I have high expectations for any of Jim Butcher's work, and was not disappointed. The new short story at the end was as amazing as the last book in his series. This comes highly recommended by not just myself, but all the Dresden fans that have borrowed my copy. ENJOY!

To start, I love Dresden and can't wait to read this one. I just got the book, however, and wanted to point out that the publisher has lost their mind and has printed this "paperback" as a hardcover-sized HUGE softcover book instead of standard paperback size. It won't fit in any of my regular-paperback filled bookshelves and I wanted to warn everyone that this is not a regular paperback. I wondered why this one cost so much more than usual paperbacks, and I guess this is just the next way they're trying to rip us off. Buyer beware, if you expect this to fit in with the rest of your Dresden collection, you may want to wait for a re-release. But if you love Dresden, buy it anyway!

I've been a fan for years, since the first couple were out. These smaller stories still carry a punch, and feature many of Dresden's lesser known characters. A perfect lead in for the future Ghost Story.

I bought this mainly for "Aftermath," since I had read the other stories in their respective anthologies but I also got it for the fact that almost all the vignettes are together in one book, including "Backup". The only one it doesn't have is the new story from "Dark and Stormy Knights" from Johnny Marcone's POV.

That said, these are a fantastic collection of books that give you a little more of a peek between novels at what Dresden has to deal with on his "off time" and you can FINALLY read about some of the events that are mentioned in the novels, like Billy and Georgia's wedding and how Dresden became a PI in the first place. "Aftermath," while not resolving what happens after Changes, was still a great peek at what the next Dresden books will be like and an insight into Murphy's head on how she really feels about Harry. It didn't make me feel any better about that damn ending, but Murphy's quirky personality and poignant memories of Dresden really make you want the next book to come that much faster.

Jim Butcher works best at the scale of novels. For most of the stories contained in this compendium, there just isn't enough there. Also, some of them appear to have been written earlier in Mr. Butcher's career, as they show considerably less polish than he has led me to expect.

While we all know that Changes is not the end of Harry Dresden or the Dresden Files (I believe Mr. Butcher is on record saying he is only half way done with the series), the end of Changes would make a very unsatisfying end to the series.

Aftermath fixes that.

Aftermath is like literary salt - it deadens the bitter notes, and brightens the sweet ones, and in combination with The Warrior - a philosophical look at the law of unintended consequences - reminds us, that Harry's influence in Dresdenverse will live on long after he does. Time and again, he has fought the good fight, and had a positive impact on those around him that he can only guess at.

The Warrior and Aftermath (the two best stories, in my opinion) make Wizards of us all - reminding us that even 'vanilla' mortals can make the world a better place, can fight the dark back for one more night.

If there is any author I like more than Jim Butcher... I can't remember their name while his books are in my hands. This collection of stories is just awesome. As a Senior Editor for Resilient Publishing's Grey Ink Books, I would love to get an author half this talented to work with. Jim, I hate loving your work so much!

Most of this is stories already published. Most buyers will know that. I like having the collection in one book. Most, will be buying this for the short story "Aftermath". Don't look for a resolution for the cliff hanger in "Changes". Heorot and Warrior are really the only stories I liked in this collection.
MINOR SPOILER!

Harry isn't in "Aftermath". It's The Dresden Files without Dresden. It was OK, but I was somewhat disappointed.
Going to have to wait until April.

over all it was a good read, and it gave you insight into the characters that you didn't have before... but
it doesn't leave you any incentive to buy the next one unless you are already an avid reader or fan of Dresdon

The book arrived on time and in the correct condition, but the edition was wrong. I'm guessing this is the British publication because it's only about 8 inches tall, as opposed to the 9.3 inches advertised like the rest of the series.

Just got the book today and while I have only completed 1/3 of it. The stories bring the DF world back to life and fill in a few voids.

I am very happy to have more to read from JIM and any fans of the HD world would best enjoy the work to the fullest.

I wrote an earlier review that Jim Butcher did this for the money because all the stories were in other anthologies and he only wrote one new story for this book. After reviewing Jim Butcher's response, I thought he hit an essential point I had not considered. This was that many in his audience would not go to the time, expense and trouble of buying the other anthologies just to read his single short story. I did. Thus my frustration with this book (I had read everything and paid a lot). Also, in fairness, I did not consider he was contract bound to not release the stories anywhere else for a set time period. A valid point. So my frustration at not seeing a lot of new material was not one necessarily shared by others, and Jim Butcher had legitimate reasons beyond money to put this out (though, as he replied, money is important as this is his living).

I overreacted with my opinion, which I have now taken down to replace with this comment. The initial one was borne out of the frustration of having expected more new material in the book.

Of course, I also put in an opinion that the Dresden series is great and his Codex series is not. I stand by this. There are a lot of Butcher fans that share my opinion. But Codex is now over, though Jim Butcher is adamant that does not mean he will publish more than 1 Dresden novel a year. If Butcher could put out two full length novels a year between Codex and Dresden, I am sure he can write 2 Dresden novels a year. But he won't. I suspect it has to do with the economics of the traditional hard cover/e-book initial higher price, followed by lower price paperback release schedule -- more than it has to do with his ability to do it. I am equally sure it has to do with being too much of a slave to one series and having the mental freedom to challenge himself with other projects. But his success is why more authors are pursuing contemporary fiction in the same or similar genre.

Oh well. I look forward to reading the next Dresden Files release on July 26, 2011.

The stories in this one were mostly published somewhere else. Other anthologies, oftentimes. So if you've read them already, you're not going to find much new. I felt ripped off for all the skipping I had to do to find stories I hadn't already good. I like the series but not enough to buy the same stories more than once.

I have read all 12 of the Dresden books published. I almost passed on 'Changes' due to the pricing of the ebook. I will be passing on 'Side Jobs' for that reason. Publishers need to realize that ebooks are going to be the method of distribution and price accordingly. The cost of publication of ebooks is the same whether it is 1 copy or 10 million copies, and several pricing studies have shown the sweet spot is far less than what is currently being charged.

This is an anthology of short stories, that take place throughout the Dresden Files series (in between novels). The writing and tone are on par with the rest of the series, and make up a good read for Dresden fans waiting for the next full novel to come out.

While the stories in this collection are not directly related to the arcs, they do happen in between major events and thus make more sense when you know the background. Conversely, there some references in the main novels that refer to events from the short stories - though in the novels these are passing references, and do not detract from the reading experience.

I read this after binge reading the series. It's as good a way to read the shorts as any, but if you chose to read them while reading the main novels there's a note at the beginning of each story when it takes place (between which novels). Make sure you read in the right order, coming back to the shorts only after the main novels. Otherwise expect some accidental spoilers.

Two of the stories aren't from Dresden POV, but told (still in first-person) from the view points of Thomas and Murphy. It's cool to see things from this different perspective.

*** Summary
This is a great collection to while the time away until the next main novel comes along - just don't take it as a sample to introduce you to Harry Dresden. Like the rest of the series, Butcher draws great characters, fast-paced action, and balances darkness and humour.

--
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.

not kindle unlimited, roommate has all these on kindle, paperback, hardback, and/or audio, most multiple ways, usually list all books from writer at least in series but Butcher and this being collection by itself, needed to list all those each, and it's easy enough to look up this series/others, this one also on audio for me

Here, together for the first time, are the shorter from Jim Butcher's DRESDEN FILES series — a compendium of cases that Harry and his cadre of allies managed to close in record time. The tales range from the deadly serious to the absurdly hilarious. Also included is a new, never-before-published novella that takes place after the cliff-hanger ending of the new April 2010 hardcover, Changes.

Contains:
+ "Restoration of Faith"
+ "Vignette"
+ "Something Borrowed" -- from My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding
+ "It's My Birthday Too" -- from Many Bloody Returns
+ "Heorot" -- from My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon
+ "Day Off" -- from Blood Lite
+ "Backup" -- novelette from Thomas' point of view, originally published by Subterranean Press
+ "The Warrior" -- novelette from Mean Streets
+ "Last Call" -- from Strange Brew
+ "Love Hurts" -- from Songs of Love and Death
+ Aftermath -- all-new novella from Murphy's point of view, set forty-five minutes after the end of Changes

Meh. This was one of the harder books in the series to slog through. These short stories focus on my least favorite part of the books--the action and fight scenes. The first few books in the series were like that, and they were by far my least favorite. The sleuthing and butt-kicking are just not the most interesting part of the books for me, and these stories were almost exclusively about that. In fact, most were mentioned at some point in the main series, so reading through the story was even more ho-hum because they weren't giving me anything new.

I would give this 2 stars, but there were a couple stories that were great. We're given a story from Thomas's POV, which was interesting to see things from his eyes. It gave me a better understanding of the character. There was one from Murphy's POV, but I don't think it did it as well. Plus, the story including Michael was wonderful. I've been dying to find out what's going on with him since he retired. The books don't really say much other than he didn't die, which is a bit of a letdown. He was a major character was nearly killed in a spectacular fashion and then is only mentioned in passing afterwards?! Load of crap. So, getting some closure was great.

Mostly, I didn't enjoy it, but there were a few moments that made up for it.

I've been with Harry from the beginning. Love the series but I was disappointed by the short story, WARRIOR, in SIDE JOBS. A stalker catholic priest, tried to kill Harry and eventually kidnapped Michael's daughter, tied a bomb to her and was quite prepared to blow her to bits. All of this, of course, was done in god's name. When they finally caught him, was the man turned over to the police to receive his day in court? Of course not, he was given back to the church, just like all the rapist priests in real life were. Apparently, rapist, kidnaping, murderous priests are above the law in fiction, as well as in real life. They are given special treatment and spend no time at all in a jail cell, answering for their crimes. Punishment seems to be just for the rest of us. Really hated that story. So many people/children suffer at the hands of priests and yet...they are above the law. How truly pathetic is that. Even Harry didn't do the right thing. Kind of ruined the book for me.

This is Dresden book 12.5. At least, that's usually how it's listed. It falls in between Changes (book 12) and Ghost Story (book 13), but, as suggested by the ".5" designation, it is not a novel. It is, in fact, a collection of short stories that fall within the series as a whole with only the final story falling in between books 12 and 13.

This book is a good reason why I don't generally tend to care for short stories and why I don't generally care to like first person very much.

So let's have a writing lesson (yeah, I know it's a book review, but I can't talk about this issue without the writing lesson):

First person is seductive, especially to the beginning writer. It's easy and it feels natural. But, see, it's a trap. When you're writing in first person, the author isn't writing from his/her voice, s/he's writing from the character's voice. The problem, then, is that most authors can't differentiate between their own voice and their characters'. And, you know, that's fine as long as you only ever write the one character in first person. But that's not what usually happens, and it's not what happened here.

Butcher's been writing Dresden a long time. Dresden's voice is distinct. But, see, it's that seduction of the young writer to write in first person, and Dresden's voice is really Butcher's (which is why we get the occasional preachy episode in the Dresden books). It hadn't occurred to me nor would I have ever noticed if Butcher hadn't decided to write from some other characters' POVs in these short stories.

There's a story from the POV of Thomas and, other than that Thomas reminds us that it's him, the story reads just like it's from the POV of Harry. Sure, it's an interesting story with all of the Oblivion War stuff in it, but Butcher should have switched to third person so that it didn't feel like Harry talking.

And there's a story from the POV of Murphy which is only differentiated by the fact that she spends a lot of time talking about Harry and that there are sections describing her hand-to-hand fighting. However, those sections have the exact same feel as Harry describing how he uses magic, essentially making it the same voice. The only other thing is the reference to men speaking Martian, but it's not enough to set the piece apart from all of the Dresden pieces.

A first person character voice should be as distinctive as listening to someone speak in person. Butcher doesn't pull that off, which was more than a little disappointing.

Then, there is the issue that the stories are of vastly variable quality with only a few feeling like they actually added anything to the Dresden world. And when the heck did Georgia become Butcher's Lois Lane? Really, we had to have two different stories about her getting kidnapped? I get that Will and Georgia are the only characters that Butcher has allowed to have any kind of long term relationship and they have to be the default for that kind of story, but, sheesh, damsel in distress much?

All of that said, if you're a fan of The Dresden Files, you'll want to read the book. "Day Off" and "The Warrior" were both very good and, actually, so is "Something Borrowed" (despite the Georgia kidnapping). And, then, "Aftermath" is almost essential reading. Almost. You could get by without it, but it's worth the read to fill in some space between books 12 and 13. And, of course, you get rescue Georgia again.

I've only read the first story in it so far, but SUPPOSEDLY, according to Butcher, A Restoration Of Faith was the very first story related to the Dresden Files, and only his third or fourth attempt at writing since grade school. He claims it was half-hearted, that the publishers thought it wasn't worthy of publishing, and that he agreed. If this story was half-hearted, then he clearly doesn't grasp the magnitude of his gift as a writer. I think this was the perfect introduction to the series (it takes place before Storm Front), laying out how he started as an investigator and how he first met Murphy. Granted, I've only read the first story in the book so far, so I'll update this once I'm finished, though I seriously doubt I'll be disappointed.

*Book source ~ Local library

This anthology contains 11 short stories from before Storm Front to just after Changes.

While everyone agreed that it was nice to have a bunch of short stories in one volume, when I mentioned that they aren’t *all* in here the consensus was that there should be a one-stop read (or listen) for all the shorts. At least up to a certain point and then start a new one for any more that follow. Because, you know, the series isn’t over yet.

I’m not sure if my title numbering system is correct because I can’t seem to find more than one list with matching numbers, so don’t take the numbers as gospel. And someone needs to clean that shizzle up. Seriously. It’s annoying to fans to not have books/shorts numbered properly.

Restoration of Faith, #0.5 ~ Everyone enjoyed seeing how Harry and Murphy met.

Vignette, #5.5 ~ Short and meh. Least favorite.

Something Borrowed, #7.5 ~ Jenny Greenteeth. lol

It’s My Birthday, #9.2 ~ That teaches Harry to leave home without his wizarding toys. Liked seeing the cobbler elves. Cobbler not Keebler. hehe

Heorot, #9.5 ~ A story with Gard. Nice!

Day Off, #10.3 ~ Very funny! A favorite with everyone.

Backup, #10.4 ~ Thomas tells this story. A & T prefer Harry’s POV though K & I liked this one.

The Warrior, #10.5 ~ A’s favorite since she loves Michael, but everyone else really liked it, too.

Last Call, #10.6 ~ Third least favorite, but at least Mac is in it.

Love Hurts, #11.5 ~ Second least favorite.

Aftermath, #12.6 ~ Told from Murphy’s POV immediately following Changes, T didn’t like it because Harry’s not in it at all. Everyone else enjoyed it.

I'm 43 years old and my sons are 18 and 15 -- what I love most about Jim Butcher's books (all of the Harry Dresden series) (we haven't read anything else yet) is that all three of us enjoyed reading the series and are we are currently re-reading the whole series and we quote lines or scenes that have all three of us giggling to the extant that my hardworking husband (who doesn't have time to read) feels left out. our current favorite is just randomly turning to each other and saying, "the door is ajar." Jim Butcher gave our family the most wonderful gift -- a character we admire and enjoy; a character we empathize with and a character we are cheering for in each new adventure.
if you enjoy magic and (according to my highly critical 15 year old) a system of magics which makes "sense" and you enjoy humor with your murder mystery and you want a series to enjoy as a family I strongly recommend Jim Butcher and his hero Harry Dresden.

For those unfamiliar with Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files", he has mixed elements of detective noir with the supernatural to create Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard. This isn't Harry Potter - think more Philip Marlowe with the ability to use magic. The series (Storm Front (Dresden Files),Fool Moon: Book two of The Dresden Files) are fun (if light) reading. In _Side Jobs_, Butcher presents a series of short stories featuring characters from the novels, all the stories set between the longer stories.

Some ("A Restoration of Faith" and "Aftermath") have never previously been published - all the stories have a brief preface by Butcher detailing when in the series each story takes place, a bit about why the story was written (or for whom), and what Butcher was thinking when the story was written. I loved the stories - the story behind the stories was a special treat, as it is so rare that readers get a glimpse behind the curtain. As with any collection of writing, some stories resonated with me more than others. "Herorot" (taking place between White Night (The Dresden Files, Book 9) and Small Favor (The Dresden Files, Book 10)) - a tale that connected Beowulf to the ancient concept of a "honeymoon" with a dash of Valkyrie, was particularly entertaining. "Love Hurts" (set between Turn Coat (The Dresden Files, Book 11) and Changes: A Novel of the Dresden Files) gave readers a glimpse of what a relationship between Dresden and Murphy might be like - a bit syrupy, but a fun distraction. "Aftermath" (two hours after _Changes_ ends) was another winner - a story told exclusively from the perspective of Det. Sgt. Murphy gives one a sense of what lies ahead in the series.

Taken as a body, it was also enjoyable to see Butcher's evolution as a writer ("A Restoration of Faith" was a story written while he was a student at the University of Oklahoma's Professional Writing Program), and to have stories told from the perspectives of others (Harry's half-brother, and Mac all get a chance to show what their lives are like outside of the broader story line.) For fans of the author, this is an easy sell. For those unfamiliar with the author or the series, the books are a fun distraction and purely escapist reading in all the best ways. I recommended.

Like most successful urban fantasy authors, Jim Butcher has written a number of short stories and novellas over the years. And at long last, they're collected in "Side Jobs: Stories From the Dresden Files" -- all the short stories and novellas that Butcher has penned about his wisecracking wizard, plus some new material.

The stories include "A Restoration of Faith," a prequel story in which Harry tries to rescue a little girl (named Faith -- get it?); "Vignette," which is basically a conversation between Harry and Bob the Skull; "Something Borrowed," in which Billy and Georgia's true-love wedding is turned upside-down by a malevolent fairy; and "It's My Birthday Too," in which Harry follows his brother Thomas to a rather unusual gathering, and immediately runs into vampiric trouble.

"Heorot": a young woman is abducted right before her honeymoon, and Harry has to join forces with Miss Gard to find her. "Day Off": Harry's attempts to relax are thwarted by Slytherin wannabes, supernatural fleas and other problems. "Last Call": Beer starts inexplicably causing riots, and Harry suspects a supernatural cause. "Love Hurts": people are dying after falling madly, passionately in love/lust, which sends Harry and Murphy to a state fair. And "The Warrior," in which Harry confronts some of the religiously-based problems in his life -- including a certain archangel.

Additionally, there's Butcher's brilliant novella from Thomas Raith's point of view, "Backup," which was previously published by Subterranean Press. Basically Thomas is called on to do some heroic behind-the-scenes stuff against an old enemy, hopefully without his little brother knowing about it.

And then... there's the new, previously unpublished story. "Aftermath" is from Murphy's perspective just after the end of "Changes," as she grapples with the loss of Harry Dresden and a supernatural threat attacking the Alphas. No, we don't really get answers about what happened.

I've honestly been waiting years for Jim Butcher to put together a collection of his short stories, some of which were put straight on his website and never included in a book. These stories are like the icing on the cake -- if you've read and enjoyed Butcher's full-length novels, then these mini-adventures will really entertain you.

And most of them have the well-rounded Dresden formula: grotesque supernatural baddies, snappy writing ("The Dim Lord tried for his dramatic dialogue again"), slam-bang magic, and lots of fun genre-savvy jokes (Thomas has "some awfully nerdy hobbies"). But Butcher also inserts some darker stories into the mix -- "Aftermath" is bittersweet and a little painful, and "Backup" has some darker parts when Thomas wrestles with his inner demon.

Butcher also contributes a new foreword to each story, which explains a little about why he wrote it ("Vignette" was something he knocked out for promotion) and for what. F'rinstance, Charlaine Harris is so nice that "I can't even bring myself to be jealous. She's that nice."

Collecting all of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files novellas and short stories (including those not formally published), "Side Jobs: Stories From the Dresden Files" is a must-have for anyone who adores the Chicago wizard.

Side Jobs (2010) is a collection of Fantasy stories in the Dresden Files series. It contains eight short stories, two novelettes and an original novella. Each story has a prologue explaining the origin and background.

- "A Restoration of Faith" (2002) was the first Dresden story and has not been previously published. It precedes Storm Front. Jim is trying to get his PI license by working for Ragged Angel Investigations. They are looking for a runaway girl and Harry has just found her. He calls Nick while avoiding her kicks.

- "Vignette" (2002) was written for a promotional booklet to give away at conventions. It takes place between Death Masks and Blood Rites. Jim and Bob the Skull argue about Harry's ad in the yellow pages.

- "Something Borrowed" (2006) was previously published in My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding. It takes place between Dead Beat and Proved Guilty. Billy is getting married to Georgia and Harry is the best man. Then the female werewolf vanishes.

- "It's My Birthday, Too" (2007) was previously published in Many Bloody Returns. It takes place between White Night and Small Favor. Molly figures out that Thomas is Harry's brother.

- "Heorot" (2007) was previously published in My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon. It takes place between White Night and Small Favor. Mac needs the help of an investigator to find a wife abducted at the Night of the Living Brew.

- "Day Off" (2008) was first published in Blood Lite. It takes place between Small Favor and Turn Coat. Harry has nothing to do before his date with Anastasia that evening, but things keep coming up.

- Backup (2008) was first published as a chapbook from Subterranean Press. It takes place between Small Favor and Turn Coat. Thomas learns that the Ladies of the Dark River are after Harry, but he can't tell Harry anything about the opposition. So he tells Bob instead.

- The Warrior (2009) was first published as a novelette in Mean Streets. It takes place between Small Favor and Turn Coat, but before "Last Call". Harry receives some photos of Michael and believes him to be in danger. So he takes the sword Amoracchius to the retired Knight of the Cross.

- "Last Call" (2009) was first published in Strong Brew. It takes place between Small Favor and Turn Coat, but after The Warrior. Harry drops by McAnally's Pub for a beer and finds the place looking like a riot had occurred. Mac thinks it was something in the beer.

- "Love Hurts" (2010) was first published in Songs of Love and Death. It takes place between Turn Coat and Changes. Murphy is investigating a series of suicides and calls Harry into the case as a consultant.

- Aftermath (2010) is an original novella first published in this volume. It takes place an hour or two after the end of Changes. A CPD crime scene team are checking out the Water Beetle and all indications show that Harry had been shot and fell into the water. Murphy has trouble believing Harry is dead, but then Will comes to her with a problem. Georgia is missing and Harry is not there to help. So Murphy asks herself what Harry would do.

These stories flesh out the series. They show Harry in all moods, from happy to angry. They also illustrate how Harry affects the lives of those who come to know him.

These stories are a great prelude to Ghost Story, the next installment in the series. Harry is coming back as a ghost.

Highly recommended for Butcher fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of combat magic, investigative wizardry, and stubborn mages. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

A collection of Dresden-universe shorter works (one novella features Karrin Murphy and Dresden does not appear). Many of these were previously published in various theme-anthologies and periodicals, but I hadn't read any of them. It includes the very first Dresden story. In the introduction for this story, Butcher apologizes for the unpracticed writing, but the story is quite readable, and for any fan of the series, you'll be fascinated to see just how much of the Dreden mythology was there from the very beginning. Some of the writing in the early stories has spots where it could be better, but this won't detract from the enjoyment of any fan of the series, and that's who this book is for. Anyone unfamiliar with Dresden would be better starting with one of the novels, then backtracking to this later. The stories are all in continuity, and slotted specifically between (or before) books in the series. In some cases they fill holes between books, or feature characters and events of interest, but under-represented in the novels. If you're caught up in your Dresden novels and can't wait for the next book, order this one today.

I'm not really a short story guy. I like to get into the heads of characters and supporting cast, and in anything shorter than a novella, that's difficult to accomplish. However, if you're already familiar with the characters, a short story collection is like an omakase meal where the chef/author can take you in all sorts of directions in a single sitting. Jim Butcher is in fine form here with early tales of Harry Dresden, Wizard PI. If you like the earlier books, this one will suit you just fine. If you've no idea who Dresden is, this book will confuse you, especially the final novella, which was pretty darned sweet, even if Karrin Murphy has crossed the line into super-powered (she did that in the last book, so this is just a continuation of her super cop ways).

This is a collection of short stories in the Dresden Files world, mostly about Harry, but we also get one from Thomas's point of view, and two from Murphy's. A couple of the stories are heading towards novellas in length. They're all just as well-written as a “normal” Harry Dresden novel, just shorter and of course less complex. There's the usual mix of humour and drama, in varying proportions. I think my favourite stories in the collection were “The Warrior”, and “Aftermath”. The central idea in The Warrior is I feel really an exceptionally strong and important one, with a seriously valuable lesson for everyone, so there's a genuine depth to it – plus it has the wonderful line “Dear God, you've just made Dickens relevant to my life.”
The story “Backup” was nice, too, in that it shows us a secret war going on behind Harry's back, and perfectly explains why he mustn't find out about it. A nice thing about the collection as a whole is how it spans pretty well the whole Dresden Files timeline to date, as well as each story having a short foreword with some nice-to-know stuff revealed by the author.
A very enjoyable collection, very satisfying, and a solid 4 stars in my opinion.

I have read some of these short stories in other anthologies before, but having just started reading the actual Dresden Files novels this year, I think I had a better appreciation and understanding of them this time around. I had a lot of fun with this book. :)

1. Restoration of Faith was written before Harry was Harry. He's still working for Nick here and investigating the "kidnapping" of a little girl. The story was interesting and it was nice to see Harry's beginnings since Nick was referenced in Ghost Story . 3 stars

2. Vignette was very, very short; basically just a quick conversation between Harry and Bob. Because of the length, I'm not going to rate this one.

3. Something Borrowed told the story of Will and Georgia's wedding. When the fae get involved, Harry has to step in to make sure the day goes as planned. I love the Alphas so I really enjoyed this story. 4 stars

4. It's My Birthday Too was Harry's attempt to give Thomas a birthday gift. He finds Thomas participating in a vampire role-playing game at the mall. A real Black Court vampire decides to take revenge on some of the players, and Thomas and Harry have to work together to save the day. I always like seeing Thomas and Harry working together and this was one of the Grasshopper's first times seeing combat. 4 stars

5. Heorot involved Ms. Gard, she who protects Marcone. I liked learning more of her background and she and Harry were good sparring partners. 3.5 stars

6. Day Off was hilarious. Harry finally has a personal day and all he wants to do is spend it with Luccio. Unfortunately, everything that could go wrong pretty much does and Harry is left to clean up the mess. This is possibly my favorite story in the novel. 5 stars

7. Backup is told from Thomas' perspective as he secretly follows Harry and tries to keep him out of danger. I liked the storyline and would love to know more about the Oblivion War. Thomas' voice was appealing and sufficiently different from Harry's. 4.5 stars

8. Warrior seems like a story about Michael, but becomes relevant to Harry in the end as well. It is one of my favorites in the anthology and has a great tone, character interactions, and underlying message. 5 stars

9. Last Call involved someone tampering with Mac's beer and causing a riot at his bar. It's up to Harry and Murphy to find the culprit and keep them from affecting anyone else. This was another fun one and I loved the use of the Dionysus myth. 3.5 stars

10. Love Hurts is Harry and Murphy trying to solve a case involving apparent suicides. They find out that someone is causing these couples to fall in love before they die. I liked seeing the possibility of a Murphy/Dresden relationship but I think valid concerns were raised. That doesn't mean I don't think they will end up together eventually though... 4 stars

11. Aftermath is told from Murphy's perspective and takes place right after the end of Changes. This one deals with Murphy and Will trying to navigate the supernatural waters without Harry. I enjoyed this story, even though there were some sad parts that I'm not going to detail because it would spoil the end of Changes. 4 stars

These stories occur between the various novels, and there's a little forward for each one saying when it occurs and how he came to write it. Often these stories were requested for anthologies, so the story behind the anthology was a little interesting as well. Anyway, the stories started from perhaps halfway through the series so far (i.e. maybe as early as book 5 or 6), all the way to one story that occurred between Changes and Ghost Story.

By and large, these were good stories, and I enjoyed them. Perhaps my biggest complaint was the short form, but I already said I'm biased against that. That stripped the tales of a lot of the wonderful character and world building that they're known for, and then just as the story really started ramping up, it was over. But what else are you going to do in 8,000 words?

Two stories in particular stood out from the rest, largely because they were not written from Harry Dresden's point of view. Now, I love Dresden's first person narrative voice, but the tales done from Thomas's and Murphy's points of view were fabulous.

Thomas's tale dealt with a subject that, by its very nature, Harry was never going to be able to narrate. It was about an effort to intentionally obscure and hide things, which tends to be the very opposite of Harry's modus operandi. Thomas, however, is well-versed in keeping secrets, and it was great to get his view of the magical world.

Murphy's tale takes place between Changes and Ghost Story. It's a time when Harry Dresden is, shall we say, indisposed. Given what the magical side of Chicago looks like at the start of Ghost Story, this story provides a powerful glimpse at the desperate resolve of his friends picking up the fight in his absence.

So, if you're a fan of Harry Dresden, definitely check this out. If you haven't read them yet, though, go pick up Storm Front and start reading.

The book goes through the small Investigations of Harry Dresden, from the small work he did with Nick Angel and his introduction to a patrol officer named Murphy prior to opening his own PI firm; to the last case that was worked for him by Det. Murphy of Chicago PD.
The first case involves a runaway child and a troll. It turns into a kidnapping because the parents can't admit that their child would run away.
The next case involves the Spring Court and the Werewolves, a pack of shapechangers that protect the university campus. Seems someone in the Court did not want a pair of them to have a happy wedding.
The next one is dedicated to fans of LARP's (Live Action Roleplaying) and other Role Playing events. After that, from the same anthology ("My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding") is a jaunt about a beer and ale contest near one of the most famous sites in Chicago, Wrigley Field.
Then comes one of the funniest Dresden stories ever written, "Day Off" which begins with Harry playing a Dungeons and Dragons like fantasy game and giving a lesson on magic when he disagrees with the rules regarding the "fireball" spell.
Then there is the vignette from his brother, a White Court Vampire, who shares his own insights on what he believes Harry knows or does not know.
Next is the story of someone looking to posess one of the magical swords that Harry is protecting so they might become one of the Knights of the Sword. It's a twisting mystery that leads to a variety of surprises, especially an ending that is truly worthy.
The last story is narrated in the voice of Karrin Murphy, who shows up to a crime scene covered in blood, sans body. Harry has disappeared from the 'Water Beetle' with little signs of a struggle, just lots of blood. Karrin (Sgt. Murphy) is contacted by the pack of werewolves that run around the University seeking help from Harry. Since she is already on suspension because of her association with Harry, and she promised to help him out, she feels it is her duty to keep her word. Murphy delves deeper into the preternatural than she ever has before, and without the assistance of Harry to back her up.
Along the old docks of Chicago Murphy discovers a supernatural person smuggling ring run by creatures she has never before encountered. The remaining werewolves assist in getting everyone released, there are losses, in different ways, but the Dresden novels have been growing in complexity of hero growth, adjustment and loss over the years adapting to new protagonists as the stories develop. With the disappearance of Harry, however, Murphy may not be enough to fill in without taking up the Sword that he left for her, making her one of the Knights of The Cross.

My husband wants to know if he'll like this one. He's enjoyed the Harry Dresden novels, but he's not so keen on the most recent two and he doesn't like short stories. So how do I answer?

Side Jobs contains a mix of short stories and novellas--are they short novels?--all set in the world of Harry Dresden. Most of them are told from Harry's point of view, just like the novels. Some are really too short to appeal to my husband. Others are easily long enough to read like half a novel--plot without subplot perhaps. But best of all are two stories written from different points of view. The vampire of the White Court has a tale of his own to tell, and his (definitely) different view of the characters around him is refreshingly scary and odd. Then Murphy gets to stand alone--yes, this story comes after Changes and before Ghost Story. Even though my husband didn't like the end of Changes, I think he'll like this tale.

It probably helps to know the characters before reading this book. But the author's introductory paragraphs might provide enough interest for aspiring writers not yet familiar with the series. How do stories get into anthologies? Where do authors get their inspiration for tales that follow set themes? And even, how does writing evolve at the same time as character?

Starting before Jim Butcher was famous with a tale set prior to the opening of the first book, ending before the opening of the most recent novel, Side Jobs is intriguing, a pleasingly quick read, and an essential addition to any Harry Dresden library.

In answer to my husband's question, you'll at least like some of it.

Disclosure: We've been planning to buy this book for a while and finally spent a coupon on it.

"Side Jobs" is a collection of short stories set in Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files" universe. Most of the stories were previously published in themed volumes (like "My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding"). Exceptions include "Backup", which was published in a standalone illustrated edition, and "Aftermath", a new novella set after the novel "Changes". Butcher introduces each story, explaining how it came to be and placing it relative to the novels, so that the events in "Backup", e.g., transpire after "Small Favor" and before "Turncoat".

The stories have the same virtues as the novels -- they're entertaining, humorous, sometimes exhilarating and often poignant. They're peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the urban fantasy reader ... almost. Like all noir-inspired works, they play on our paranoia, and though the good guy (almost) always wins, the victories are always provisional, with the bad guys put in their place only for now.

For the hungry Dresden Files reader, "Side Jobs" is a treat, but it is not essential. The only revelation of note has to do with Dresden's half-brother Thomas and his involvement in something called the "Oblivion War" (in "Backup"). It is possible that this super-secret supernatural war (so secret that Harry has no idea it's being fought) will emerge in a future Dresden Files novel -- it might even explain Thomas' odd behavior in "Changes" -- but, if so, readers can count on Butcher to write for those who haven't read the novella. Readers should be forewarned that although "Aftermath" takes place in the days immediately following the events of "Changes", it is narrated by Karrin Murphy, not Dresden, and does nothing to resolve the novel's cliffhanger conclusion.

Side Jobs by Jim Butcher is a collection of previously published short fiction set in Butcher's Dresden Files world.

If you haven't red any of the Dresden Files, it's hard boiled detective fiction meets urban fantasy. Though rather tame compared to the wonderful Horn by Peter Ball.

Harry Dresden is the wise cracking private eye, who always seems to be on the wrong side of lucky. Of course being a wizard, modern conveniences seem to take a dislike to him - his car requires cajoling and don't even think about trying to use a mobile phone around him.

Like all good Detective Fiction there's damsels that need saving(1), and sidekicks that come in the form of a spirit imprisoned in a skull and no nonsense policewoman called Murphy.

Side Jobs brings together 10 previously published short stories and one new novella set after the events that occur in the book Changes . Each story is introduced by a short note from Jim Butcher, often commenting on which anthology it originally appeared in and some thoughts on the creative process for each work.

As such the book is probably a must collect for Dresden Fans, particularly if you came late to the scene and want to collect everything published about him.

If you don't mind having some facts spoiled and missing out on the building tension between Murphy and Dresden, then the collection an excellent way to get a taste of Dresden's world and Butcher's writing for the uninitiated.

My favourites

Heorot - which features a hat tip to Beowulf and some sexual humour verging on the adolescent. I will never look at fire extinguishers the same way again.

The Warrior - A look at the Christian faith, through the character of Michael a former Knight of the Cross and the struggle experienced by those who confuse their will with that of Almighty

Aftermath - this one is told from Murphy's point of view and expands her and Dresden's relationship. This one had a tinge of HP Lovecraft, without succumbing to pastiche.

Representative of the Dresden Files series I'd recommend it for hard-core fans and those who might want to test the waters before launching into a 13 book series.

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(1). Indeed I have seen some criticism of Butcher is regards to the underlying sexism in his storylines.
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This book was a review copy provided by the publisher.

We all knew going in that the plot-bomb of Ghost Stories was coming around that corner with a slow and steady pace. Fans everywhere wondered what in the world was really going to happen to Harry Dresden because, well... we all know how Changes ended now, don't we? We knew the next book was going to be vastly differing from his other novels; Jim Butcher came out and said it - everything's gonna change. And hoo-boy....

But in the interim, we get a great collection of shorter bits of Dresden Files including the Restoration of Faith short story, the introduction of a certain short girl with a cute upturned nose. We see Backup, where Dresden receives aid from an ally but remains ignorant of the help. And of course, we get Aftermath - right off the heels where Changes dropped us.

The stories are a small roller-coaster of quality. Some are sheer genius, some are not. But even the 'not's help us see things that in retrospect, we should caught up with such things as they related to the previous books. The book itself is a good read, heavy enough to keep us occupied; the short story format makes the book easy to pick up or drop with relative ease.

The best aspect of the book is to let us see Harry as we've come to love him. Because we know his life as he knew it is over. Everything is gonna change. But as we look to the future, we get a hefty tome that reminds us what made Harry Harry for (what is up to know) 12 great books.

The Premise:

"Side Jobs" is a collection of short stories by Jim Butcher set in the universe and starring the characters of the Dresden Files book series. The Dresden Files is an urban fantasy series that takes many cues from detective noir, mystery, and high fantasy (especially in the later books). The stories follow Harry Dresden, professional wizard detective, in his efforts to make a paycheck while dealing with the challenges he faces from the seedy elements of Chicago's mystical underbelly. These stories takes place between the books throughout the series, adding an extra window into Harry's world while attempting to provide the thrills and humor fans of the series expect.

The Short of It:

Fans of The Dresden Files will find that this collection delivers exactly what they love from the main book series. They are all highly enjoyable except for one, which is still interesting in its own right. None of them are "essential" in that none of them really affect the events of the main series, but the insight into the side characters provides the emotional heft and value needed to make the collection feel just about as worthwhile as a main title entry. It is well worth a read for fans of the series.

The Long of It:
For the rest of my full review, please visit my blog here! - [...]

In this collection of short stories from Jim Butcher set within his unforgettable world with his seemingly immortal character of Harry Dresden, fans get some quick fixes after the cliffhanger of Changes, and the never ending wait of Ghost Story, coming April 5th, 2011. While this collection is not recommended for anyone not familiar with Harry Dresden, new readers can get a short taste of the characters and world that Butcher has created, and will be convinced to start the series from the beginning with Storm Front. As for longtime readers of the series, they will eat Side Jobs up like the delicious candy that it is (while they wait for that larger sweet payoff), as Butcher takes them on adventures with Harry and his friends and enemies, as well as addressing some important issues that could've used more light in the regular books.

The collection begins with "A Restoration of Faith," the first ever Harry Dresden story written very early in Butcher's career; in fact it was one of the first short stories he ever wrote, that was never published. He is to be rewarded for his pride in his character, and admits that the story feels like that of a young, novice writer. With Side Jobs, Butcher provides a description before each one, as well as revealing where it fits in the timeline of the series. After the first entertaining and shaky start, readers are taken on a fun, rollercoaster ride with Harry to all places strange and unusual. Along the way he meets up with Karin Murphy, where things certainly heat up - especially when people get drugged and are not themselves - to insights into McAnally's and his renowned beverages. In the final tale -"Aftermath" - the time is just hours after the cataclysmic events of Changes, and while readers will have to wait until Ghost Story for all the answers, this story will at least hold them over until then. As for what the story entails, Butcher puts it best with: "to quote a great man: `Nuff said."

Originally written on December 21, 2010 ©Alex C. Telander.

For over 500 book reviews, and over 40 exclusive author interviews (both audio and written), visit BookBanter: [...]

This was a great collection of stories all set in the Dresden Files world. The majority of these stories have appeared in other anthologies, that's part of the reason I got this from the library...I had read half of the stories before. Still there are some great ones I hadn't read. The last novella "Aftermath" is a definite must read for everyone who wants to know more about what happened after the cliffhanger ending of Changes (Dresden Files, Book 12).

My favorites were Aftermath (which describes events after Changes), Heorot (where Norse mythology mixes with Dresden's world), Last Call, and Love Hurts. Butcher does little intros to each story that give some interesting background that was fun to read.

All of the stories (except for A Restoration of Faith and Vignette) were very professional, well-written, and incredibly fun to read. There isn't a lot more to say about this collection.

Overall a great collection of stories; if you are a big fan you should read it. You might want to check to make sure you don't own the stories in other anthologies first before you buy the book. I am not going to talk about the timing of each story because that is listed in the book itself along with the details of each anthology the stories are pulled from. Stories were pulled from the following anthologies: Blood Lite,My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding (Paperback),My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon,Many Bloody Returns,Mean Streets,Strange Brew, and the novella Backup is included too.

See below for a brief description of the stories included.

- A Restoration of Faith: Definitely an amateur story, but Butcher says this himself. It was interesting to read the first story Butcher ever wrote about Harry.

- Vignette: Not one of the strongest stories in the book. A very short peice about Harry creating the ad for his investigation agency.

- Something Borrowed: Nice filler story about Georgia and Billy's wedding; these are the two werewolves Harry works with off and on in the series.

- It's My Birthday Too: I originally read this in Many Bloody Returns. It's a fun addition to the Dresden Files series. I enjoyed a story in which Thomas played a main role. I especially enjoyed the role-playing; being a DnD player I thought it was hilarious.

- Heorot: Very strong story with some interesting supernatural aspects too it. Ties in some Norse mythology with Harry's world.

- Day Off: Funny and cute story about what happens when Harry tries to take a day off of work.

- Backup: This is a small novella told from Thomas's point of view, Harry's brother, it takes place in the same time/place as the Dresden Files. It was an okay story.

- The Warrior: I originally read this story in Mean Streets. This story was about Michael and Harry trying to keep Michael's family safe from someone who wants to steal the two Holy Swords that Harry has been keeping hidden. Overall the story was okay, but seemed a bit tired to me. It was interesting to hear a bit more about why Harry has the holy swords. I didn't think this was the best Dresden story I've read but it was kind of interesting.

- Last Call: I originally read this in the Strange Brew anthology. This is an entertaining story about Murphy and Harry tracking down the source of some tainted beer that Mac accidentally served in his bar. Tons of action, very entertaining!

- Love Hurts: Bittersweet story where Dresden and Murphy track down rogue love spells and are caught up the spells themselves. Nice addition and further fills out the story between Dresden and Murphy.

- Aftermath: Best story of the bunch and a must read for fans for the series. Harry is presumed dead and is missing. Murphy is trying to figure out what is going on when Will comes to her for help; Georgia's been kidnapped and she is very pregnant. Now it is up to Murphy to step in to aid the paranormals in Dresden's place and what she finds is a plot bigger than she could have imagined.

Really wonderful collection of short stories. They don't really make much sense without having read the books, but they were a delightful interlude between stories and I enjoyed getting to see more side characters in these ones and see some of Harry's less intense mysteries. Definitely a must-read for fans of the series, and I was glad that Butcher collected all of the short stories in one book, as I wouldn't have gone searching for the individual stories in their respective anthologies.

Side Jobs, by Jim Butcher.
Great collection of short stories and one novella tracking the life and times between the novels of, (the currently MIA), Harry Dresden, Wizard. I like the way that the stories were organized. Not necessarily in chronological order for the main character but in the order that they were written. This not only shows both the evolution and growth of Harry as he matures into a powerful and reasoning character but also shows the maturing and growth of Jim Butcher as a writer. You can see how Butcher's writing has steadily improved over time and solidified his characters, at least in my mind, as "real" people not just 2 dimensional fillers to help make the plot move along, (meaning no insult to the author, he was pretty good to begin with).

Now having said this, I would probably not recommend this book to someone who had never heard of the Dresden Files, (Print or TV Series), without quite a bit of explanation. Way too much spackle is needed to fill in the blanks and that could discourage someone from reading the novels. I am generally not a fan of short stories for the same reason, I like a bit more depth out of my characters. These however, seem fairly well fleshed out. That may be because I've read all the other books and am familiar with the characters.

For those reviewers that are whining about your surprise and disappointment over the, "already published material", did you just wake-up and find the book on your front porch? The line up, list of stories and where they were previously published has been on the Net since before, "Changes", came out. Get a grip.

All and all a good continuation of the Dresden Cycle, quite good. A great fix for a Dresden junkie between Novels.

Spence the Elder
"Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc"
-M. Addams-

I purchased and listened to the Audible version of SIDE JOBS: STORIES FROM THE DRESDEN FILES. This collection of shorts and novellas captivated me. I didn't look to hard at where this compilation falls in the greater series, so I ended up spoiling some of the fun revelations for myself, as I'd only gotten as far as book 5 in the series when I listened to SIDE JOBS. I liked Thomas's novella as well as Murphy's story. I enjoyed seeing the tales told by them. All this fun collection did was whet my appetite for more of THE DRESDEN FILES. As always, James Marsters does a superior job narrating the tales. Highly recommended, particularly to fans of the series, but to all who enjoy fantasy fiction.

By now most Dresden fans have read many, if not all, of the Harry Dresden short stories. All of them in this collection are well-worth having, in one complete volume. [Complete until the next short story is written!:-)] And "Aftermath", being the only newly-written short, is, to me, worth the price of the whole collection. It gives me more hope for, and more insight into, the continuation of Dresden's life, friends, and perhaps love. Erstwhile Sargent Karrin Murphy hasn't seen Dresden's body so she just knows he has to be alive. That is good enough for me to hang onto until the next novel. Unlike other collections or novels re-issued as new with very little in the way of info for fans to determine that they're buying old stories under new covers, the pre-publication info clearly said that this book was a collection of previously-told short stories, excepting "Aftermath". I fuss as loudly as anyone when I think I am being tricked into buying what I think is a new book, but really isn't. In this case, Jim Butcher and his publishers let us know ahead of time of what the Side Jobs consisted. They played fairly with their readers.

So far my least favorite of the Dresden Books. I think primarily because of the discontinuity of where the stories take place within the existing series of novels. The stories themselves were generally fun stories with Harry being Harry. Butcher Writes a great Harry Dresden. At least two of the stories are told from Murphy's and Thomas's point of view. Both Murphy and Thomas are much more interesting as supporting characters for Harry and are more interesting when Harry is the story teller and they are parts of his narrative. If you're Dresden reader, then this is a nice segue from reading full Novels. If you haven't read Dresden before, this is not a good place to jump in.

Wizard Harry Dresden confronts various monsters, rescues children, trains his apprentice, and tries to make a little bit of a difference in a world where evil cannot be defeated, but where--sometimes--what one man does can save a child or a honeymoon.

SIDE JOBS is a collection of short stories written by Jim Butcher and set in the Dresden Files universe. Butcher is an excellent author, and the stories are, for the most part, well constructed and engaging. It was interesting to see the first Harry Dresden story, "A Restoration of Faith." Already, Dresden's complex and self-absorbed character is largely developed. Many of the other stories are light-weight, as Butcher combined his Dresden Files characters with the needs of a variety of fantasy anthologies in which they originally appeared. I enjoyed seeing the ever-intriguing character of Gard fighting alongside Dresden in "Heorot" (inspired by that high-school standby Beowulf), Dresden's half-brother Thomas got the protagonist role in "Backup," and I especially liked Murphy coping with a world without Dresden in "Aftermath."

For the most part, I think SIDE JOBS will appeal to fans of the Dresden Files series. You'll want to have seen Harry in action in Butcher's Dresden Files novels before grabbing this one. Fans, though, will certainly want to add SIDE JOBS to their reading list. It's solid Jim Butcher writing, plenty of Harry Dresden quips and bad Latin, and an assortment of recurring characters from Harry's world.

Side Jobs is a fun read perfect for all of us Dresden fanatics who have been waiting on pins and needles for the next novel. Yes, the final story picks up two hours after Changes, and while it didn't answer any significant questions, it was a very good read. I'm not really a fan of short stories. I much prefer a long novel, and the level of action and character depth Butcher writes really is best suited for novels. Having said that, I found each of these stories entertaining in a different way than the Dresden Files novels. They each provided a unique look at Harry that we don't usually get to see because so much is going on in the longer books.

I realize that many of these had been published before, however I had only read one, so most were brand new to me. I now feel more knowledgeable about the Dresden universe, and appreciated the author including when each story occurred in the Dresden Files timeline. I really liked the author's comments before each story explaining it's origins. They added to the experience and gave a bit of insight into the life of an author.

These stories are sometimes powerful, sometimes funny, and always interesting. They are full of Harry's trademark wit and enough magic and action to really give a good taste of a series that is still going strong after twelve books. Recommended for Dresden fanatics. Newbies best start at the beginning of the series.

Ok this is a fantastic book for someone like me. Why? I love the series, wanted to read the stories but lack the funds and time to run down every collection they've appeared in. Theres two groups of people that are likely to be disappointed. The first are people expecting it to address the ending of Changes and to you I say come off it already. Theres no way such a large cliffhanger could be neatly resolved in a short story or novella at least in a satisfying way and expecting that to happen is naive. The second is people new to the series. If you haven't read the other books you'll get lost quickly since most of these stories are connecting points between the novels. Even Restoration of the Faith isn't strong enough to stand on its own. I'd recommending reading through the rest of the series before touching on this book.

As for the stories themselves on the whole they are the solid work I've come to expect from Jim Butcher. Of them my favorite is The Warrior which is honestly my favorite piece of the entire series. For one I find Michael the most interesting of all the side characters in the series and for another its central point about how "small acts" can change the course of people's lives is a very good one. Aftermath is also a very good story addressing not what happened to Harry after being shot but how the other people in his life are going to cope now that he's gone. Its also a down right fun look into the mindset of Murphy (how can you not love her translations of Martian?).

Have you ever read a series, and wondered what happened to the main character between book? I have, especially when authors mention events that don't occur in the books.

Jim Butcher is clearly a reader as well as a writer, because he provides his readers with this information in "Side Jobs". This anthology starts with the very first Dresden short story (where Harry meets Karrin Murphy) and ends with an addendum to "Changes". In between, Butcher points out where each short story fits in the series, so if someone is starting out new to Dresden, they can read each story in "Side Jobs" in between the novels.

Butcher's writing style matures through this book. The choppy action of the first short story smooths out throughout "Side Jobs", as the characters grow into believable people. Butcher even manages to do two story from the point of view of someone not Harry - Thomas and Karrin - which I assume is not easy given they exist in the same universe as Harry.

The only caution I have would be not to read the last story until you read the novel, "Changes". As an addendum to the novel, you need to read the novel first.

Side Jobs is a collection of eleven short stories set in the Dresden Files universe, one of which is the first time in print. All but a couple are narrated in first person by Harry Dresden, just as the full length novels are. One is written from Harry's brother's point of view, as he tries to help Harry - without Harry knowing. And the final, original story is written from former Chicago cop Murphy's point of view, following last year's events in the book Changes.

There are some spoilers in the short stories, if readers aren't up-to-date in the books. But each story is certainly fun, humorous, suspenseful, and exciting with plenty of magic and adventure. From rogue vampires to tampering with Mac's beer, Harry's adventures are diverse and never dull. Each story has an intro by Butcher with a brief and interesting explanation behind the tale. I don't usually read anthologies by multiple authors, but as a Dresden fan, this gave me a chance to catch up on what I've missed. This is a fantastic collection of short stories that are a must read for any Dresden Files fan.

I really enjoyed all of these short stories.. seeing Dresden from before we 'met' him in the first book.. as well all these little adventures.. it was a great way to get back into this world again.

"The Warrior" - by far my favorite.. all about the battles.. that you do not see.. such an amazing message is placed in this on.. and honestly it so very good that I do not wish to let known anything from it. I just ask you to read it yourself.

I also enjoyed "Love Hurts" VERY much in the fact of a 'world' that is happy, but only because it is forced that way.. is it really happy?

and finally I enjoyed the last one that was written in the perspective of Murphy. It takes place about an our after "Changes" ends.. and really sets a great 'world' that could be.. with the events of "Changes" in it.. well.. what everyone else 'knows' about anyway..

All around a good and enjoyable read!

I was having Dresden Files withdrawals so I got this book from the library. You will want to read this if nothing else for the story "Aftermath" it takes place after changes and fills in some gaps. Warrior was also very good. I found some to be just average not up to the Dresden Files but at least it was Harry. Waiting for the next Harry Dresden Files.

would highly recommend that one have read all of the books in this series before taking this one on. I love the wit and humor in the Dresden Files and this book continues though it while filling in some of the blanks that I had while reading thought them. Butcher does a nice job of explaining each short story, as well as, where it falls in the series. I was pleased to see stories from Thomas, Dresden's brother, and Murphy, cop he works with and has always had feeling for. I enjoyed seeing the different styles that Butcher can write from outside of what I have seen him write in the past. I was a little disappointed when this came out as the next book in the series because it felt like it was just a filler book and that the series might die off but after reading Aftermath I think there will be more to come for Harry Dresden. It really does not give us any idea what is too come but leaves the door wide open for more.

This book is a collection of several of Butcher's short stories that have appeared in anthologies or have been published in other forms over the years. The stories span the entire series with the first story being before "Storm Front" and the last taking place just after "Changes". Some of the stories are really good and some are just okay. I had originally been excited that the novella from Thomas Raith's perspective was included since it isn't in print and sounded very interesting. However, I was underwhelmed by it. The premise sounded good, but there was something about it that just didn't ever gel.

I think the best story was The Warrior. It takes place after Small Favors and deals with Michal and the Fists of God. It was a terrific story about how sometimes the things we do that we think don't matter or are inconsequential are the things that make the biggest impacts on those around us.

This was a fantastic set of shorts involving all the regulars in the the world of Dresden. I liked seeing background bit and pieces that helped solidify that universe - especially after the crazy cliffhanger of "Changes." The novella at the end rounded that story out and hopefully set the stage for Butcher's next novel, "Ghost Story," which should be out any day now.

First person can be hard to write. Butcher does an amazing job of capturing whoever's perspective he's in, whether that's Harry, Thomas or Karrin Murphy.

I can't recommend this collection enough. You'll laugh like crazy, and you might even cry a little.

I've been a fan of Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden novels for years now, and I'm a *huge* fan of short stories, so the latest Dresdenverse offering was definitely a must for my collection. What's not to like? Harry, a diverse collection of short stories (most of which had seen prior publication in various anthologies) and little blurbs with each story where Butcher talks about the story. I devoured that thing like eating a box of truffles.

I won't go into describing the bulk of the stories, as I'm sure many people may have already read them in prior anthologies, but the last story, Aftermath, really caught my attention. The notation on it stated that it took place an hour after Changes, and when I finally got to it, I was surprised to find that it was told from Murphy's point of view. I felt that this story was worth the cover price of the book. I enjoyed that we finally got into Murphy's head. Her voice is incisive, surgically so. The tone of the story was very, very quiet, to me, reminiscent of the Buffy episode "The Body". To me, it makes the yearlong wait between Changes' cliffhanger ending and the next installment a little more bearable.

To be up front, I am a fan of the series and as such am somewhat biased. I still enjoyed the book immensely when I read it. I recently purchased it along with Ghost Story which I finished just before reading through the entire anthology (a little backwards I know). Several of the stories I have read before and enjoyed reading again, while others I had missed out on and was glad to now have in my collection.

As I have mentioned, I am a fan and have read several before, so I had a good idea what I was getting into before hand. If you are not a Dresden fan then you can for the most part pass on the book and you won't miss out. If you are a fan then it may be worthwhile. Admittedly I mainly got it for Aftermath, but finding several others I had missed (never even knew when Backup came out or where) or had to pass on because it was a bad time to buy the anthology so I had not read the story before was a thrill. It also gives some extra development to some of the supporting characters it is nice to read.

My personal favorite out of the whole set was "The Warrior." The story and of itself was decent, but the message that included was something that really touched me. "Backup" and "Aftermath" were both stories from the perspective of other characters. There are similarities, but it does feel as if Butcher managed to give a voice to the character different from Dresden, which also gives greater insight and development into the characters in how they perceive themselves, the world, and Dresden.

I say if you are a fan then it is worthwhile to get (or at least read). If not, there might be some things you enjoy but you are better off skipping it (although if you decide to read the series you could buy it then alternate to read them in full order).

I've been a fan of the Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher ever since I met Mr. Butcher at Conestoga when he was selling his brand-new paperback, "Storm Front." He described that book as "an Anita Blake rip-off with a wizard protagonist." I quickly learned that Butcher's writing, particularly his characterization, far surpassed Ms. Blake's. Since then, I've read every Dresden book and story I could get my hands on. The last Dresden novel, "Changes" left me with a lot of questions particularly regarding Harry's survival, so I had to pick up "Side Jobs" on the release day and start reading.

"Side Jobs" is a collection of ten short stories and one novella based in the Dresden universe in and around the novels. Each tale is prefaced The first story, "A Restoration of Faith" takes place before "Storm Front" and tells us how Harry got started in the private detective business. Butcher describes this story as not his finest work; however, it's fascinating to see how his prose and characterization developed through the years.

"Aftermath" the concluding novella is what dedicated Dresden fans have been waiting for. This story is told from Sgt. Karrin Murphy's point of view twenty minutes after "Changes" shattering conclusion. Readers are not going to get answers about Harry's survival from this story, but you're going to see inside Murphy's head, which is something this reader has wanted to do for a long time.

"Side Jobs" is probably not the best book to start with in the Dresden series. I'd recommend readers start with "Storm Front;" however, each of the novels is well-written enough that readers won't feel deprived. This is an excellent book if you want more Dresden and would like to know things like what Harry does on his day off, etc.

Rebecca Kyle, October 2010

I'm not normally a big fan of compilation things, but in this instance I was very happy. Contained more reading than I had expected, and like some candy bar I won't mention, it really satisfies...

I had already read the one early short that came before the first book, but all the rest were new material for me, and enjoyable for the little details that got filled in for some things in the books.

The storytelling is every bit as witty as the full novels, and give a feeling of having pulled the "action part" out of a regular novel so you could skip right to the fight without the amputation that would incur. The stories themselves are good and feel well fleshed out despite their length.

A great read for any fan who is waiting for the next novel to be available.

I'll admit right up front that I've only read the first two books of The Dresden Files (you can read my review of STORM FRONT and of FOOL MOON on this site too), and I've just started the third, GRAVE PERIL. I've really enjoyed reading about Harry Dresden, and I've admired Jim Butcher's ability to knit together magical subplots in a noir fashion. But I wondered if he could shrink the novels down to short story bites. So I picked up SIDE JOBS. And I'm happy to say that Butcher pulls it off. This is a great read for the hardcore Dresden fans, those who are curious about starting The Dresden Files, and those who are curious about writing urban fantasy.

SIDE JOBS is a collection of 11 stories. Most are reprints of anthology chapters, but one story is new. Before each story, Jim Butcher provides a little introduction. The introduction tells you where the story takes place along the timeline of The Dresden Files, and it details the inspiration behind the story to give it some context. Some introductions even include some hindsight critiques of the story by Jim Butcher.

In order to turn urban fantasy novels into urban fantasy short stories, Butcher trims a lot of the subplots. There is typically one thread per story, and Butcher races along it, pushing and shoving and torturing Harry Dresden all the while. Think of the 11 short stories as bite-sized morsels. SIDE JOBS is the Whitman's Sampler of urban fantasy. Except you won't get a stomach ache when you devour the whole thing.

For the dedicated fans of Jim Butcher and Harry Dresden, the eleven stories will expand the Harry Dresden canon. For the curious, SIDE JOBS give you just a taste of urban fantasy, Harry Dresden, his humor, and his faults. You also get a glimpse of the magical side of Chicago, and the people and creatures who inhabit it. For writers, Jim Butcher uses these stories to show off his talent, demonstrating how you can incorporate interesting themes or goals into a story-that urban fantasy can be as varied as you like. It doesn't have to be cliche. Writers will also see Jim Butcher evolve as a writer over the course of the stories, from rank amateur who can't sell a story, to bestselling author. I think this is also something fans of The Dresden Files will enjoy too.

Lastly, a bit about spoilers. With the exception of the first story (which takes place before STORM FRONT), these stories all occur several books ahead of where I am now. Did I pick up a few spoilers? Yeah, but it was bound to happen. If that bothers you, you might want to hold off on reading this until you've read through book 11 of The Dresden Files (TURN COAT). If you're like me, and you don't care about spoilers, or realize that you will forget about them by the time you get to the relevant book, don't worry about it. Read SIDE JOBS and enjoy.

this is a compilation of several short stories with notes from the author.
some stories are great and some less and there is a lot of focus on other cheretheres (Molly, Walso and even Maggie).
it is a nice read but it is not a "real" Dresden book.

Side Jobs by Jim Butcher is a book of short stories from The Dresden Files series. Most of these stories were originally published in other anthologies but Butcher pulled them all together into one book. I love having short stories by one author in a book instead of having to search for them in multiple anthologies! Butcher also gave a little introductory information for each story including some information about his inspiration, what anthology the story was originally in, and where it fits in the timeline of the books. I enjoyed every one of these stories, especially the last one because it takes place after Changes and before Ghost Story which isn't out yet. If you are a fan of the Harry Dresden books, Side Jobs is a must have for your collection.

I sometimes enjoy reading short stories and Sides Jobs is a satisfying collection of stories and this anthology is full of great stories and I'm very happy to be able to read them all in one volume.

My favorite novellas were "Aftermath", which takes place following the cliffhanger ending of Changes; "The Warrior" which focuses on Michael, "Love Hurts", "It's My Birthday Too", and "Backup" which focuses on Thomas. This book merely serves as a fill-in for the Dresden Files novels and is not recommended to readers new to the series. Side Jobs is a wonderful treat for people like me who love Harry Dresden and can't wait to see where the story arc is headed in Ghost Stories, to be released in March 2011.

You'll want to pick this book up, because it's a collection of Dresden short stories spanning from before the 1st book Stormfront, to Changes. I liked all the stories, but I particularly liked the stories from Thomas and Murphy's perspectives. I also like that the chronology of when the stories occur is shared so that you can choose to read them in between the books if you want to.

I bought the audio version of this and was not disappointed in the least. Many of these shorts appear in anthologies, which I have read, but they have also been released in audiobook format, and read by narrators who are not James Marsters. Also with stories by other authors who I had no interest in. I was strongly wishing that a project like this was in the works. Imagine my surprise when it was a featured audiobook thru Audible.com yesterday. These in-betweens give us so much more that helps clarify some of the goings on in the Dresden series. I am totally thrilled to get my hand on these glimpses into Harry's universe. It also helps lessen the sting of having to wait for the next installment of the series. Thank you Jim and thank you James.

For the Dresden Files fan:

Side Jobs contains various short stories about incidents between books 1 - 12 of the Dresden Files as well as one story before Storm Front (Book 1), and a novella that takes place immediately following Changes (Book 12). The stories are presented in the order that they occurred.

An enjoyable and light read, Side Jobs contains nudity, language, and the typical level of violence seen in any Dresden File book. I recommend reading this book after Changes and before Ghost Story. For those who haven't read a Dresden Novel yet, I recommend Storm Front (Book 1).

you've got to love all the little "filler" stories in the Dresden universe
reading them is almost like getting a glimpse into the "mundane" life of Harry, not that he ever seems to get much of a break in the action
but these are some of the smaller battles he fights in between the ones on a grander scale & as such the stories feel a bit more intimate in nature
plus, every little bit helps to tide one over until the next full-scale story comes along!

The adventures of Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard, started weird and got darker as they went. This collection of stories, which happen in and around the time of all the novels up to the time it was published, very much reflects that: the first story is a trifle, the last two are dark indeed.

However, it should be noted that none of them (with the possible exception of the last) are particularly essential to the ongoing arc or metaplot of the Dresden series. It's enjoyable, but doesn't add much to the characters or the bigger story.

Dresden fans will enjoy this collection of short stories, some from the perspective of other characters like Thomas or Murphy.
Not a fan of short stories myself but must say that I found this collection really good, written with the usual flare and wit that you'd expect from Jim Butcher, they are varied and satisfying.
There are eleven stories and each has has short blurb from Butcher explaining the situation, place in timeline and back story of each.

Good collection spanning the entire series. The first story, his first Dresden story is the least compelling, but most of the stories are very good. Butcher sets a remarkable mood, shows depth of character. There are a few stories that are a little didactic, but the characters are solid, three dimensional and show great dynamism.

If you like this, you'll probably like Lauren K. Hamilton's Anita Blake novels, Lilith St.Crow's Dante Valentine novels and David Osborne's Mammon Deception.

I just finished Side Jobs: Stories from the Dresden Files. The stories are vintage Harry Dresden.

A nice surprise was one story told from Murphy's point of view and one from Thomas's point of view. I especially enjoyed the way that, in each story, the author sketched in the broad points of the Dresden universe and characters in a different way. Not a cut-and-paste anywhere.

Even those new to the Dresden series would enjoy these stories. The tales provide a rip-roaring intro to the world of Harry Dresden and the witty tone of the series.

Although the quality of the eleven entries varies to an incredible degree, fans of Dresden will want to read the anthology that is a sort of history of the author. No question, the audience will want to read the novella "Aftermath", which occurs a few hours after the end of the stunning Changes. Many of the tales fill the gaps between the novels especially with a close look at support cast in entries like "Backup" focuses on Thomas and "Warrior" on Michael. Some like the first Dresden unpublished tale, A Restoration of Faith, displays Jim Butcher's talent, but not experience as the contribution is a bit confusing; that might be caused by knowing so much about the only wizard in the Chicago phone book. Clearly this compilation is for fans of the series; newcomers would be better off watching the TV show or starting with the novels as that is Mr. Butcher's forte.

Harriet Klausner

Several great short stories that add a lot to the characters. Best to read afterward book 12 or chronologically as these stories occur between books and depend on certain events being revealed before reading these.

Hi, If you are listening to Side Jobs as an audio book, here's the disc (D) and track (T) information for where the stories start. I got my copy from the library and this information was not on the CD case.

A Restoration of Faith...(before the first book, Storm Front) D1-T1
Vignette.................Between Death Masks (5) and Blood Rites (6) D1-T9
Something Borrowed.......Between Dead Beat (7) and Proven Guilty (8) D1-T11
It's My Birthday, Too....Between White Knight (9) and Small Favor (10) D2-T9
Heorot.......................Between White Knight (9) and Small Favor (10) D3-T13
Day Off......................Between Small Favor (10) and Turn Coat (11) D4-T16
Backup.......................Between Small Favor (10) and Turn Coat (11) D5-T9
The Warrior..................Between Small Favor (10) and Turn Coat (11) D6-T9
Last Call....................Between Small Favor (10) and Turn Coat (11) D8-T1
Love Hurts...................Between Small Favor (10) and Turn Coat (11) D8-T15
Aftermath....................After Changes D9-T12

I finally got to the point in the series that the last 3 stories in this book took place. These are great additions to the series that any Dresden fan would enjoy.

Just make sure you read these stories in order because there are some spoilers contained in the later stories!

I plan on purchasing this collection in softcover. It's not a good hardcover deal for the hardcore fan, all you are getting are four new stories that haven't appeared in other anthologies already and they total less than 80 pages combined. The story I really wanted some closure with, "Aftermath", is set after Changes (Dresden Files, Book 12), but it's from Murphy's perspective and does not settle the cliffhanger. Therefore as someone who has followed the Dresden files closely and already has the other anthologies just for Dresden, the amount of original content inside the volume of Side Jobs is disappointing. If you haven't shelled out a bunch of money to subterranean press for Backup, add another star.

A Restoration of Faith........prequel, Jim's First Dresden File, a college course project, rejected by publishing industry
Vignette......................Set between 5/6, very short story (2000 words max), previously a convention promo written by Butcher in about six hours
Something Borrowed............Set between 7/8, Appeared in My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding
It's My Birthday, Too.........Set Between 9/10, Appeared in Many Bloody Returns
Heorot........................Set Between 9/10, Appeared in My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon
Day Off.......................Set between 10/11, Appeared in Blood Lite: An Anthology of Humorous Horror Stories Presented by the Horror Writers Association (Paperback)
Backup........................Set between 10/11, published by subterranean press as a novella, Backup
The Warrior...................Set between 10/11, Appeared in Mean Streets
Last Call.....................Set between 10/11, Appears in Strange Brew
Love Hurts....................Set between 10/11, Will also appear in "Songs of Love and Death", another anthology coming in November 2010, here first though
Aftermath.....................Set between 12/13, the 'new' story of the collection, doesn't settle the cliffhanger at the end of "Changes"

I did like the stories, but I already own most of them in other forms! I was hoping for more new stuff, not for the author to hit a high enough volume of published short stories to create his own 'let's reprint' anthology. Therefore my reaction to this book was more mehish, 'that's it?' instead of 'woah, more new Dresden'.

Side Jobs, was a nice change of pace. A collections of story compilations of various other stories slotted between the main Dresden File novels. It's nice to learn more about the characters that I already enjoy following so much.

It added some nice flavour and diversity to the series having input and themes that Mr. Butcher and other writers worked on together. I really enjoyed hearing some of the other tales that happened between the main Dresden File books I have previously read.

I would really encourage Mr. Butcher to take part in these projects more in the future as it's not very often that I have seen many authours work together on a series already in motion. The genres of Sci-Fi and Fantasy have so much to offer a reader given the write story lines and characters in a talented writer's hands.

I also found the introduction to each short story and novella by Mr. Butcher a really effective way to connect with the writer and gave it some insight into the writer's frame of mind and take on the story to you were about to read. It was a nice little something extra for the reader.

I give this book a 5/5 - I would have liked to see more stories fitted into this book, but it was very interesting and a different take on a novel.

Priscilla

I've started reading the series and found this book on Overdrive so I decided to read it. In a way it's a spoiler because you learn what's going to happen in future episodes, but I enjoyed reading it anyway.

"Side Jobs" is a good introduction to Jim Butcher's Dresden Files if you've never read any of his books. Personally, I'm not into vampires and such, but I really like his writing style and characters. Mostly, these are short stories that happen between the books in the series, but can be read independently from the series. I recommend the book if you're wondering if you want to start on the series, but don't know if you want to commit yourself.

Should I "read" it? Should I wait? If I do it right away, I will have no more Dresden books to listen to until the next one comes out next year. If I don't, I won't know what happens in "Aftermath". Some decisions are so hard to make. I'm so glad I didn't wait. Kinda. I have enjoyed listening to James Marsters bring this entire series to life, so much so that I haven't had the radio on in months. I originally started listening to Book 1 when I was driving cross country. I couldn't wait to listen to the rest. I only listen when driving, which can be torture when you are stuck at work and left hanging on a scene.

All through the series, I have really enjoyed the way Marsters brings the different characters to life and builds an image in my mind. He has been able to capture the essence of each-male, female, human or not- in a way few audio books have been able to do. "Backup", told in Thomas' voice, was a wonderful showcase of how well he does reading this series. Each of the stories is brought to life the same way. Mind you, I have read all the books, but the audio just brings them to life in a wonderful way, and I found myself gleaning more out of them this way, than just reading them.

How long do I have to wait to find out what happened to Harry? I'm not a patient person. Hurry up!

Since I'm reviewing the audiobook, I'll start with James Marsters' performance as reader. Over the course of the audiobooks, Marsters' voice has simply become that of the wise-crackin' Harry Dresden and his world-weary brother Thomas Raith. While it's true that Marsters has a limited range of voices (for example, unless a female character has a European accent, the women all sound the same) he performs them all with appropriate emphasis and emotion.

If this is your first Dresden audiobook, Marsters will make it impossible for you to go back to reading the paper version of the series. He owns Harry Dresden the way Susan Ericksen owns Eve Dallas and Jim Dale owns Harry Potter: their voices enhance the story so much that simply reading the books will no longer be an option, it just wouldn't be as satisfying.

Fair warning: If "Side Jobs" is your first Harry Dresden book, set it aside until you've read "Storm Front," the first book in the series, and worked your way through "Changes." Otherwise, you'll be overwhelmed by all the characters who drop in and references to events that occurred earlier in the series.

Now for the stories.

Even though it's the weakest of the collection, getting to read Butcher's earliest Dresden short story, "Restoration of Faith" (which takes place before "Storm Front"), is a lot of fun--and you get a glimpse of Harry working as a PI for Ragged Angel Investigations.

"Vignette" (Between "Death Masks" and "Blood Rites") is an amusing glimpse of the working relationship between Harry and his familiar, Bob the Skull.

"Something Borrowed" (between "Dead Beat" & "Proven Guilty") is an action tale involving Harry and the Alphas (great name for a college band!).

"It's My Birthday Too" (between "White Knight" & "Small Favor") and "Heorot" ("Dead Beat"/"Proven Guilty") are highly entertaining.

"Day Off" ("Small Favor"/"Turn Coat") is a fun romp that had a payoff I should have seen coming but didn't.

"Backup" ("Small Favor"/"Turn Coat"), told from the viewpoint of Harry's brother Thomas, shows how it feels to be a vampire desperately trying to fight his nature. "Backup" is a great example of what makes Harry Dresden stories so enjoyable, it's dark, amusing, and exciting (sometimes all at once).

"The Warrior" and "Last Call" (both between "Small Favor" & "Turn Coat") are enjoyable, but just didn't click with me the way the other stories did. It seemed like Butcher was trying too hard to pluck the heartstrings in Warrior, and the slapstick humor in "Last Call" didn't succeed the way "Day Off" did.

I liked "Love Hurts" ("Small Favor"/"Turn Coat") nearly as much as "Backup". It's the story I thought came closest to being an X-Files episode (although Butcher's choice for that honor is "Last Call").

"Aftermath" (following "Changes"), told from Karrin Murphy's perspective, is cinematic in its action and thoroughly satisfying.

Side Jobs is 13 hours of solid entertainment! Highly recommended!

This is a great collection of the various short stories and one-off adventures of your favorite hard boiled wizard. Added bonus, if you are a new reader to the series and are just now working your way through the books, grab this collection and you can read each short story in between the full length books so the gaps are already filled in for you; rather than being out of time when you read this book after you have read all the other novels.

WARNING - IF you do decide to read these stories in order with the rest of the series, make sure you don't read the last story until AFTER you have finished Changes, or you will find yourself with a massive spoiler in your lap.

When I read this book, I was actually looking for the first book in the series, but it was through my local library and this was the only Dresden files book they had. I am very glad I took the time to read it. It is a variety of stories from the books and it give the reader a wonderful overview of the Dresden world. It draws you in, grabs a hold of you and keeps you attention through out. A very enjoyable read.

I'm not approaching this as literature, but as another installment in the tales of characters I've become emotionally invested in over the last few years. As such Side Jobs is very satisfying! Though not all of the stories are of equal quality, Jim Butcher explains that to my satisfaction in his individual introductions to each one. It is nice to see Harry Dresden in more light-hearted predicaments for a change. You also get a sense of the evolution of the characters, since the stories are arranged and explained chronologically. In addition we get some wonderful insight into characters like Gard, the Alphas, Thomas and Murphy, who are usually overshadowed by Harry. If you're already into the Dresden Files, this is a must-have to flesh out the Dresden universe. It is also a reasonable introduction to get others into the stories, though there is less exposition than in the Dresden novels, any of which could be a good jump-off point as well. The final story, "Aftermath", taking place short hours after the conclusion of "Changes" is an excellent teaser that reinvested me in the supporting characters and hightened my anticipation of "Ghost Story". Well done Mr. Butcher!

I love Dresden, Jim butcher writes his stories in such a way it keeps your attention and wanting more when you're done reading. This collection of stories is his normal exemplary writing and adds depth to his world that is the Dresden Files until his next book comes out

Overall, if you're a fan of the Dresden Files series or if you crave having one collection where all Butcher's Dresden short stories are collected, you'll really like this one. It's a keeper, and as many have pointed out on the blogosphere, Butcher has a real strength and flair for short stories, especially those involving Dresden.

And if you're looking for some resolution after <em>Changes </em>(Book 12) then "Aftermath" will provide some of that, but it wouldn't be realistic to jam-pack a complete and final sense of closure into a short story, so be prepared for that.

To read the entire review, log on to Darkeva's Blog at [...]

I am not a huge fan of anthologies or collections of writers, even though the types of collections Jim butcher has written for I like all the authors. I liked all the short stories, but they were really just stories to get me by until the next book comes out. I wouldn't buy this book if you have read the short stories in other books. I liked Backup and the final short story about Murphy the most.

This is really TWO books in one. The first are a number of short stories that fall between various Dresden Files books. They vary from OK to pretty good and one is really funny. Then there is book 12.5. These events happen after the last book and I think the story is well worth reading. WARNING - Do NOT buy this book until you have read 1 through 12. If you do, it would be confusing at best.

I'd probably buy anything written in the Dresden series, and wasn't horribly disappointed by these, but as Jim Butcher's said himself in public, short stories are not his forte. These are enjoyable enough. The chief problem is that he's slotted them (plotwise) between existing novels so we already know all the major characters will come through unscathed.

I ordered this treasure of short stories about The Dresden Files not expecting to find them intertwined with the longer books they were wonderful. They were easy to read and just hit the spot as a pre bedtime read. Lond enough to be entertaining and short enough to be put down. I hope more are coming. Purchased via the store arrived promptly and without difficulty.

I loved these stories as they gave additional info about characters and events outside of the usual one year scale of events. I tried to read them as they were meant to be read (certain stories in between certain books) and it really helped me with understanding some of the remarks or events in the subsequent books. Would definitely recommend it for all Harry Dresden fans, but not really to the ones who are just starting their trip to Dresden universe. I only wish Jim writes faster...

Loved the collection, haven't read any of these stories before. Brought back some of the fun of, well, Original Harry maybe we should call him after Changes. I didn't particularly notice any big clues in Aftermath, but I didn't really care. Bunch of fun stories to read, enjoyed them a lot.

I first heard of Jim Butcher and Harry Dresdin when I picked up a copy of this book at a local grocerry store. It was on a pile of discounted books and I have to admit to being swayed to purchase it by the cover illustration even though Harry doesn't wear a hat in the earlier stories. I've only got to book seven so far, unless I missed that he does wear that great looking western styled headcover. Any way. I didn't think too much of the collection. The stories didn't seem to have much meat to them or the characters and after finishing it, tucked it away in the garage. Several months later I saw a collection of this character by Jim Butcher in stories (books 1-6) in the library. I checked it out and enjoyed them all so this collection of short stories must have made some kind of impact. I think this book would be much more enjoyable once you get to know the character. If you're a fan already, you'll like it. But not for an introduction to the author.

This collection of short stories is a wonderful complement to the Dresden novels. It was a lot of fun to see into the heads of some of his other characters. I loved the story from Karrin Murphy's view.

This book was awesome! It was great having the blanks filled in from between Harry's cases. The final story is also an excellent lead to "Ghost Story" and helped explain some of "Changes" aftermath. One of the best stories though had to have been about Harry trying to get a day off. This story should touch everyone because we have all had that one day off that goes to hell on us and we can commiserate with Harry. I would highly recommend this book as a buy and read over and over.

Don't judge this book by the fact that it is a collection of short stories. It reads like a full novel. It has a beginning, middle and end. It fills in critical information in the Dresdenverse. Every story is great I highly recommend it. I particularly liked aftermath. You get more info about the Alphas, Thomas and the oblivion war.

More insight into some other characters, some suspense, and some light hearted topics that still have suspense. Since these are short stories, they move fast, and the author notes before each one places it in the main story timeline.

I think Harry Dresden is one of the best characters ever, i have bought and read every single Dresden novel and every single book where a story, however short, about Dresden is published... so this book was a bit of a disappointment, because it includes all those stories that were already published and i had already purchased and read... they could have just published the new 'aftemath' story as a short story on its own, just like they did with 'backup'... I miss Dresden and this book didn't do much to ease the wait for the next full length novel.

not so much for the Kindle formatting. Every story starts out with an introduction. The story starts immediately with no spaces or lines. Given the high price of the Kindle edition I expect the book to be proofread.

If you are a Dresden Files fan you will enjoy the book, the different stories, different characters getting attention, it is a lot of fun. Those that are new to the series I may suggest starting with book 1 and work your way up the line.

I was expecting a bit more from Aftermath--for whatever reason, I was under the impression that t would give more detail about what has happened since Changes.

If you were going to buy this book because you can't wait to see what will happen to Harry after the end of Changes, then don't. You will be disappointed.

That's why I'm giving it 4 stars, because I _did_ expect some more about what has happened to Harry.

However, as a fan of Mr. Butcher's writing, these stories, like his books, were a fun read--as long as you're not buying the book to see what happened next to Harry, you'll be a contented customer.

Even if you've read some of these short stories in other collections, you'll still find plenty to keep you entertained, as in "on the edge of your seat." The last story with Murphy, the new Lady Knight, Gard the Valkyrie, and Will the Werewolf grips you from the very beginning. But does Harry come back? I'll never tell...

Answered art last three questions I didn't really think about, but I'm glad I got the answers. Definitely worth the read. Shines Dresden in a different light, loved Murphy's take on him. Enjoy. :)
R.H.M. big fan.

The best thing about the Dresden Files is that, unlike other neverending series that lose their way, these books just keep on getting better. I read the whole lot one after another last month - I didn't speak to my family for 4 weeks but it was worth it. Cant wait for the next one.

..I HATE cliffhangers. On TV, in games, in books. Let me say, I hate cliffhangers that take a year or so to see the end to. There. But despite that, I loved this book. I like the series thus far and my own personal hope that he goes darker will keep me reading.

For a reader like me, nothing is better than discovering a new (old) series. I tried my first Dresden book earlier this year when Audible had a special on firsts of a series and I've been happily reading ever since. Love this series!

Don't get me wrong. I've bought and read every Dresden book there is. But I won't buy any more that are priced over $9.99 (it shouldn't be over $6.99 for a well read series like this one). If they stay this price, I'm using the library.

Paperback books should cost no more than $8.99 unless they are technical with a limited market. Ebooks should cost much less, like $5.99 or $6.99 (and at that price the author can earn the same royalty/profit as the paperback edition, as can the publisher). Ebooks aren't sold as used books and they cost nothing to print, warehouse or ship. Just the one-time cost of digitizing the book to cover. Plus ebooks usually lack the nice illustrations in a hard copy, so they are worth less.

Normally, I'm a fan of Jim Butcher but there is little bang for the buck in this purchase--especially for consumers in the Kindle version which, for the first time, costs more than the hard cover. I'm personally boycotting future Butcher works until the publisher and author get prices under control.