This book was an instant buy for me since it contains novellas by three authors I read regularly: Charlaine Harris, Nalini Singh and Ilona Andrews. Overall, great stories. I really enjoyed them and it was nice to be exposed to an author I’d never tried before. More on each specific story below.

The first story in the collection is The Britlingens Go to Hell by Charlaine Harris. It involves secondary characters from (I think) the seventh book in the series Altogether Dead. It’s a great little story and Charlaine Harris explores part of the Southern Vampire series mythology that’s really only touched on in the series, so the novella’s full of wonderful little details and surprises. Clovache and Batanya make excellent protagonists and it was really fun to learn more about Britlingens.

Nalini Singh provides the second story, Angels’ Judgment. It’s part of her new Guild Hunters series, which I haven’t read, although I thoroughly enjoy her Psi-Changeling novels. The protagonist of this story is Sara Haziz, future chairman of a vampire policing organization. She’s put to the test by the vampire population but manages to find romance and extra muscle in Deacon, the man who polices the policemen. It’s a nice little story that’s accessible to people who don’t follow the series, although I’m sure there are things in there that would resonate more strongly with people who have read Angels’ Blood.

One of my most favourite authors, Ilona Andrews, has also contributed to this anthology with Magic Mourns. It’s Andrea’s story and I was really excited to read it because she’s such a great character in the Kate Daniels stories. This time, though, she’s on a solo outing, which allows us to learn all about her not-so-budding relationship with Raphael, a bouda (male werehyena) who has been courting her. I’ve been dying to find out how their story would turn out and this was great, plus the overall mystery was really interesting. Happiness!

The fourth novella was contributed by Meljean Brook, who I’ve never read. Her story, Blind Spot, is set in the world of her XXX series but I managed to follow along fairly well. It’s a tidy story and the only one that has a hellhound as a good guy, which was refreshing. He also provides a bit of comic relief, which was great. I’m quite tempted now to borrow some of her books from the library; she seems to put a lot of stuff in anthologies so it’s a bit of a tougher sell in terms of actual purchasing but Blind Spot was interesting enough that I’ll at least find the book that centres around some of the short story’s secondary characters (Demon Moon).

Originally published at http://ireadgood.wordpress.com ( )

A dumb title, but actually relevant. Deliberately cheesy, too, I think. A mixed bag this original anthology at only 3.13 The Harris story is a bit like what Leinster or Kuttner might have come up with in the 30s - and funnily enough it has a 30s character in it, so may be deliberate. She just doesn't have their talent or ability to pull it off, though.

The Singh story is cheesy in a bad way, Vampires vs Angels like they are about as different or strange as a litre of milk.

The Brook story is amusing, and a little along the Lara Croft lines without any tombs being raided, as cuh.

The pick of the bunch is the Andrews story, that features one of the minor characters from her Kate Daniels novel, the other Order Knight, Andrea - who is also not human, and a gun nut. You need a big gun, too, for 20 foot tall three headed dogs of Hades. This is very good, pretty much on a par quality-wise with the latest book, and set not too long after it.

So if you know nothing about these authors, I'd start with the second half of the book. Hard to have missed Harris, of course. Also probably the reason the poor editor nobody isn't mentioned, not being able to shift truckloads of books like the former.

Must Love Hellhounds : The Britlingens Go to Hell - Charlaine Harris
Must Love Hellhounds : Angels' Judgment - Nalini Singh
Must Love Hellhounds : Magic Mourns - Ilona Andrews
Must Love Hellhounds : Blind Spot - Meljean Brook

A Crick in Lucifer's Earhartless.

2.5 out of 5

Deacon dog.

2.5 out of 5

Hyena duos' monster dog destruction apple today doesn't keep the hydra away thanatos team-up.

4 out of 5

Good Pup. Eat demon.

3.5 out of 5

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2009/10... ( )

I loved Andrews's story, and "Blind Spot" was fun- and the only one in the book where people actually DID love a hellhound!

Harris's was fun, too, though it was a pretty straightforward fantasy with only incidental hellhounds.

I wasn't too fond of Singh's story; that sort of "erotic tension" where people can hardly keep their hands off each other after first glimpsing the other usually seems silly and overdone to me, especially when there's no time to get to know them at all. Also, totally incidental hellhound here.

So, I did favor the stories where the hellhounds were actually vital to the plot- which I honestly would have expected from all the stories in an anthology with this name. Both Harris and Singh could have easily removed the hellhounds without a trace, and that disappointed me.

I was also a bit disappointed to note that all the hellhounds were black with red eyes; I was rather hoping for at least 1 white one with red ears, since I have a white dog with pale orange ears, and call her a "heckhound." :) ( )

Overall, this wasn't bad--but I must admit I enjoyed the Ilona Andrews story in this collection much more than the others. If you've read any of her Kate Daniels series, this will really be a treat! The attraction/obsession between Raphael and Andrea has been of long interest, and is more fully explored in this story. I found it a great 'icing on the cake' treat to the series...but still very satisfying, and had me smirking throughout (that darn underwear tree! hilarious!). I found the other three stories in this anthology readable, but not as satisfying. Probably not one that I will read again, but I did enjoy it the first go round. ( )