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author, Bane Chronicles, book, book reviews, books, characters, Downworlders, fantasy, fiction, literature, Magnus, Magnus Bane, mortal instruments, novel, plot, read, reader, review, Shadow Hunters, stories, story, write, writer, writing, YA, young adult
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Demons, Magic
Other Authors: Maureen Johnson, Sarah Rees Brennan, & Cassandra Jean
Pages: 528 (11 short stories)
Point of View: Third (Magnus Bane)
Released: November 11, 2014
Predictability: 4 out of 5 Stars (Where 1 is George RR Martin (If the characters make a plan or think about the future I know it isn’t going to go that way.) And 5 is Cinder (where I guessed what was going to happen long before it did, but it was still a great book.)
My Summary:
Magnus Bane is a warlock, meaning his father was a demon, so he processes magical powers and doesn’t age. His true age is a mystery, because he always lies about it. He’s the best character in the Shadow Hunter universe (Not opinion, fact) and we finally get to discover more of his history in this collection of short stories.
My Review:
These stories had such potential, the world of Mortal Instruments, and one of the best characters, Magnus Bane. A bisexual warlock with crazy fashion sense, what’s not to like? I feel these stories would’ve been more successful as a novel, with a part at the beginning dedicated to his early life.
Because they’re shorts I’m rating them out of five stars where 3 is just okay, four is good, and 5 is made me giggle repeatedly.
Book 1: What Really Happened in Peru (***)
In the latest Mortal Instruments books we’ve been teased with the story of why Magnus was kicked out of Peru. This short story is actually a series of short stories. It would’ve been better as one story and mentioning some of the other events, because as it was none of the stories were very good. I chuckled a couple of times and I enjoyed Magnus’ warlock friends, but it was disappointing overall. (And in the end we never find out why he was kicked out of Peru!)
Book 2: The Runaway Queen (***)
The problem with tales based on history, like the Titanic or in this case Marie Antoinette, is I know how it’s going to end. It feels like one of Magnus’ stories, “That time I was in a hot air balloon with Marie Antoinette.” Sounds like it would be a fun story, no? Surprisingly it wasn’t. Too much time was spent on the set up and culture of the time, which had little to do with the actual story. There weren’t any interesting side characters aside from Axel and we don’t get to see much of him.
Book 3: Vampires, Scones, and Edmund Herondale (****)
Set in London for the first meeting of the accords, (or one of the first) we meet Camille and Edmund Herondale. (This story really needed to be told from Edmund’s point of view as well, so it wouldn’t feel like he fell in love so quickly and his personality changed so drastically.) The characters were the best part of this story. Even the people we barely meet were great, like the mermaid in her tank who liked scones. On a very annoying side note, every instance of “fl” was replaced by “noindent” in the original eBook… (I’m so glad they fixed that)
Book 4: The Midnight Heir (****)
Tessa, Will and Jem return for this short story, set 25 years after Magnus last saw them. We first meet James Herondale, who is 17, drunk, and seemingly suicidal. It was good, but it felt more like a set up or a teaser for a book than a short story. I want to know what happens next! (Why would you leave Magnus, it was just getting good?!) Apparently the fourth series in the Mortal Instruments will feature some of these characters.
Book 5: The Rise of the Hotel Dumort (***)
Set in the late 1920s in New York where Magnus owns a speakeasy. No chuckles or good characters, but this was the first short story in this collection that felt like a proper complete story. (The best part was the tease about Magnus’ father. I wish one of these stories explored that further.)
Book 6: Saving Raphael Santiago (****)
Magnus decides to become a private detective and his first case is to find the missing son of Mrs. Santiago. Anyone who’s read Mortal Instruments knows what happened, but it was fun to see a younger Raphael.
Book 7: The Fall of the Hotel Dumort (***)
Magnus has been away from New York for two years. When he returns he finds a group of vampires in his apartment, but they look strange, almost sick. It turns out it isn’t just that small group but almost all of the Vampires in New York and they aren’t only sick they’re feeding often and leaving the bodies out in the street. We meet a couple of Magnus’ werewolf friends who are trying to keep things under wraps, but they’ve about had it. Predictable story and nothing special, easily skipped. (I hated the end.)
Book 8: What to Buy the Shadowhunter Who Has Everything: (And Who You’re Not Officially Dating Anyway) (*****)
Alec is turning eighteen and Magnus wonders if and what he should get him for a birthday present. This story feels like the first Mortal Instruments books, witty, funny and just plain fun. I enjoyed seeing Magnus and Isabelle becoming friends. Also, I loved the slime demon.
Book 9: The Last Stand of the New York Institute (****)
Set in the 1980s when the circle is starting out, and the clave still believes them when they say they’re only killing downworlders who have broken the accords. When the circle comes to New York, Magnus vows to protect his friends and his city. We meet the young members of the circle Lucian, Stephan Herondale, and the Lightwoods. It’s nice to see another part of the history of the Mortal Instruments. I wish it had included more about the Uprising, but there’s only so much time in a short story. I enjoyed the ending with Jocelyn bringing a young Clary to Magnus and Tessa.
Book 10: The Course of True Love (and First Dates) (****)
This is the story of Magnus’ first date with Alec. I chuckled several times, it was fun watching the two meet and interact in all their awkwardness. Alec is a mysterious character in the main Mortal Instruments books, and it was nice to get to know him better, especially through Magnus’ eyes. I liked Magnus’ friend Catarina, a female warlock and nurse. She’s not in these stories nearly enough.
Bonus 11: The Voicemail of Magnus Bane (only available in omnibus of all shorts) (***)
This story is all of the voicemails left for Magnus after City of Lost Souls. It was amusing but all of the characters acted like they were drunk dialing. Many of them said things which seemed out of character or things they’d only think. Isabelle’s were the best, because she doesn’t really ever have a filter.
Verdict: I needed a quick fun read and these stories were just that. Nothing special, but still entertaining. The best part was definitely the cameos from other characters in the series, before this I never really understood what Magnus saw in Alec.
I realize I just did a short story review last week, but my reading slump continues. I’m not 81% into the book I started 10 days ago…
What’s your opinion on an expanded universe? Clare keeps writing more and more Shadow Hunter books, but she’s getting quite a bit of negativity saying she’s just doing it for the money.
I’d say as long as the books are good there’s no reason not to continue a series, though it seems like there’s always a point when a long series goes down hill. At least she’s using different main characters. I feel that the second half of Mortal Instruments wasn’t as good, but I loved the Infernal devices. I’m not sure how I feel about the short stories. I liked them, but I wouldn’t have paid $3 a piece for them. (I hear she’s writing another set of short stories this year about training to become a shadow hunter.)
Woven Magic Books 
Some bad, some ok, some good then 😉 Well ok none bad but 😉
More like some less good. 🙂
I actually dd a post a couple weeks ago about how long series should really go on for; with things like Mortal Instruments I agree with you, if there’s more to be written than why not? The author created this awesome world of Shadowhunters she shouldn’t have to abandoned it just because her first trilogy ended. However, I felt Mortal Instruments went down hill with the continuation… And I didn’t love Infernal Devices(which I haven’t finished) simply because I don’t like things set in the past.
But some books should just end already!
I do really want to read this though because.. Malec. =)
Yeah so many series seem to hit a point and it’s all down hill after that, but if the writing stays good I’ll stick with a series forever. Discworld has forty books so far. 🙂 I agree the last three books of Mortal Instruments weren’t as good. I thought Infernal Devices was even better though. I don’t mind time period at all.
Malec are the best parts of this book (and I didn’t ship them before this) but I liked the Infernal Devices tie in a lot too.
I agree, I just love Magnus and he was just as fabulous in the Internal Devices trilogy as well.
I thought he was great too! I hope he’s in all of her future books as well. I was so afraid she was going to kill him!
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I’m pretty much ONLY going to read this for the Alec and Magnus moments. Out of ALL of the Mortal Instruments couples they were my favorite. Their relationship was just…asdfgjkl. I loved them to pieces.
I definitely don’t think Cassandra Clare is just writing for money. I hate that she receives SO much negativity because she’s writing more books set in the Shadowhunter world. If she has stories and ideas for the world bouncing around in her head WHY NOT? I don’t think it’s okay to stump someone’s creativity simply because you don’t like them.
Here’s the thing: Suzanne Collins wrote The Hunger Games and has written NOTHING since the books + movies. I think SHE is more money hungry than Cassandra Clare. Sorry not sorry. (I do love THG, don’t get me wrong on that one!)
I might pick this one up. Or rent it. Or something. *shrug*
I actually didn’t understand what Magnus saw in Alec before this book, but now I’m on the ship. 🙂 They were the BEST part of this book, especially that one story, I even giggled! There are a few other good ones too, like the Infernal Devices tie ins.
Some authors seem to get a lot of hate, but even if I don’t like an author I don’t understand being nasty about it. I love the shadow hunter world and it’s really popular, so I don’t understand why she wouldn’t want to keep it going. I totally agree with you.
The authors like JK Rowling and Suzanne Collins who stop writing after creating such a good world makes me sad, because if it’s good I ALWAYS want more.
Yes, it’s definitely worth borrowing, but I think I’ll wait until it’s at my used book store to buy it.
I haven’t read the Mortal Instrument series, but this set of short stories sounds like it has something to offer those who enjoy the series and want more. I liked hearing your thoughts on each of the short stories. I think authors should keep writing books if the characters still have more to say. 🙂
Thank you. I agree, I always prefer long series. I didn’t read Mortal Instruments until this year, because it didn’t sound like me, but I really like her characters and world building.
I would love to learn more about Magnus, but I don’t like the collection of shorts. hmmm.
I’m not typically a big fan of short stories either. I’d say borrow it from the library first and see if you like it. 🙂
If I really enjoy a world, I love reading any and all stories the author chooses to write in that world. It’s a great way to get to know the world better as well as some of the characters. I also think of it as a nice way for the author to get to know their world better, make it seem a little more “real.” Got to admit to doing this myself, but haven’t published anything so happy to say it’s not for the money!
I’m with you, I usually prefer long series. I know what you mean, it’s interesting how the world evolves with the books and they establish a history. I have so many ideas for the characters in my novel I don’t think I’d ever run out of adventures for them.
I saw the cover on the few blogs but I didn’t realize that it was an anthology. It’s nice for a series we enjoy like that. I haven’t tried any books but I saw the movie. I wasn’t really impressed by it in fact but I should try the books to see how they are. thanks for the review!
I really wish it was a novel instead of an anthology. I’m glad we got a book staring Magnus though. I saw the movie first too and I thought it was just okay too, but so many people raved about the books I finally gave them a try and they are much better. The movie doesn’t explain things well. Thank you! 🙂
I mean, I agree with you, if the author still feels like writing about it, then by all means, have at it! If people still want to read them, even better for her. I don’t even really care what her motivation is, I mean, she does have to pay her bills too, so if it is money, so be it.
That being said… I am so beyond over Shadowhunters that if I never hear the term again it’ll be too soon. I kind of only read the last two TMI books because I felt bad giving up on them. And now, since the world is literally not ever going to end, I have to allow myself to stop caring.
But I am glad that this was a decent bunch of stories!
Good for you! I have a hard time stopping a series. I didn’t like the last three Mortal Instruments books as well, but I still really liked Infernal Devices. I needed something light and fun and so I enjoyed these shorts, but some of them were definitely better than others.
Some series it’s like the author runs out of steam, but others are still good after forty books (no I wasn’t talking about Discworld 😉 ) I say as long as they can keep the writing up there’s no reason to stop.
I love short stories (or a collection of not so short ones)
I’ll surely read this one (atleast once as I’m really getting pulled towards it by the authors involved!)
Great Review Molly!
I have a love / hate relationship with short stories. Sometimes I really love them and other times not so much, but this was a fun light read, which was just what I wanted. I hope you enjoy it. Some of them are definitely better than others.
Thank you! 🙂
I only sincerly read book 8 and 10 but 10 was actually my favorite! I chuckled too and found it so so so cute ^^ I truly had been waiting for it since I knew it was going to be released and when I got to read it, it felt like it couldn’t be more perfect. I know it wasn’t as swoon-worthy as expected because there was this thing with the werewolves and other little things happening but it’s mostly how Magnus and Alec protected each other and the little attentions that made this such a good read for me. So glad you enjoyed too! ❤
You picked the two best ones! 🙂 I agree, it was great! I wasn’t really expecting anything, because I wasn’t a big Malec fan before these shorts, so I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed them. A few of the other stories were good too, not as good as those two, but still worth reading for fabulous Magnus. 🙂
I must say the the guy on the cover has creepy eyes. 🙂
Warlocks all have one aspect from their demon parent. Magnus has cat slit pupil eyes. 😉
I’m a little bit scared by this book’s page count even though I realize that it is broken down into 11 short stories, plus the cover is freaking horrible. I haven’t read the Mortal Instruments series yet, so I’ll probably start there if I do decide to give this world a go.
Carmel @ Rabid Reads
Yeah, when I saw the entire page count I was shocked, because it didn’t feel that long. I agree, the cover doesn’t look much like I pictured Magnus. I think to appreciate the shorts you have to have read at least one book in Mortal Instruments. I hope you enjoy them. 🙂
😀 Still reading Mortal Instruments, Cassandra Clare is worryingly productive author 😀
These shorts she wrote with other authors, but I still don’t know how she does it all. Especially considering the length of the latest Mortal Instruments books. I hope she continues to write quickly I want the Last Hours!
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So i always loved Magnus Bane as a character in the Mortal Instruments as well as the Infernal Devices. I never want the shadowhunter world to end realy. I started reading the Bane Chronicles because Magnus has always been my favourite character as he is so hilarious. However, i was disappointed to read and find out they are just short stories. I feel like the book just starts and immediately ends. Theres a twist and then not an end. It all just feels like one book to me really . I wish they were novels instead, with more featuring of characters like Tessa, Will and Jem. I haven’t finished the series yet but hope there’s much better to come. i did not seem to enjoy the first book of the Infernal Devices as much as i enjoyed every book of the Mortal Instruments but then it got better and better to Clockwork Princess being the best as everything was clearer 🙂
I completely agree! Magnus deserved his own novel!