Charmed and Dangerous

November 23, 2015
This compilation, which features several of the biggest stars in the M/M paranormal romance firmament, is a deep trove of delights for fans, but also an object lesson in why diamonds need cutters. The opener, Rhys Ford’s “Dim Sum Asylum,” which crackles with energy, packs a wallop that at times becomes a whimper. Price’s own “Everyone’s Afraid of Clowns,” from her Psycop universe, is an entertaining string of scenes that ultimately do not coalesce into a plot. K.J. Charles riffs on a quirky bit of 19th-century research (and a little Dickens too) in “A Queer Trade,” but the story draws a troubling analogy. There are uncomplicated delights too: Charlie Cochet’s shape-shifter fantasy, “The Soldati Prince,” is a fluffy, hyperbolic exploration of shifter pack clichés, and Lou Harper’s “One Hex Too Many” is full of sly fun. There are pleasures aplenty here, along with a few reminders of the value of good editing.