{"id":5152,"date":"2015-02-23T20:40:15","date_gmt":"2015-02-24T01:40:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/?p=5152"},"modified":"2026-01-21T15:35:53","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T20:35:53","slug":"tales-from-the-nightside","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/5152","title":{"rendered":"Tales from the Nightside"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tales from the Nightside<\/a><\/em> (2015) Simon R. Green<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Tales-from-the-Nightside\"<\/a>The Nightside. “Where all your dreams can come true, especially the really bad ones.<\/p>\n

This is a collection of Nightside stories, many of which I have read before, and a previously unpublished novella.<\/p>\n

If you’re a Nightside fan, then you’ll want this. If you’re not sure if the Nightside is for you, read the first few stories and you’ll probably know if you’ll like it or not.<\/p>\n

Here’s what you get, with original publication year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Nightside, Needless to Say\u201d (2004)
\n\u201cRazor Eddie\u2019s Big Night Out\u201d (2006)
\n\u201cLucy, at Christmastime\u201d (2008)
\n\u201cAppetite for Murder\u201d (2008)
\n\u201cThe Difference a Day Makes\u201d (2009)
\n\u201cSome of These Cons Go Way Back\u201d (2009)
\n\u201cThe Spirit of the Thing\u201d (2011)
\n\u201cHungry Heart\u201d (2011)
\n\u201cHow Do You Feel?\u201d (2012)
\n\u201cThe Big Game\u201d (2015)<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Nightside, Needless to Say\u201d is the first Nightside story, and it introduces us to the Nightside through Larry Oblivion. This was my introduction to the Nightside, and why I started reading the series.<\/p>\n

We found the big man sitting behind a desk in a surprisingly modest inner office. He was playing solitaire with tarot cards, and cheating.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Yes, Larry Oblivion is dead, but he’s not quite a zombie. And being a good detective, he is going to find out who killed him, and why.<\/p>\n

\u201cRazor Eddie\u2019s Big Night Out\u201d is one I hadn’t actually read before. Razor Eddie may actually be my least favorite Nightside character, so I was kinda glad this was a shorter story.<\/p>\n

Didn’t mean I didn’t enjoy parts.<\/p>\n

We passed by the Egyptian cat goddess Bast, now reduced to singing \u201cMemory\u201d out on the Street, for the tourists.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cLucy, at Christmastime\u201d is another story I hadn’t previously read, and is actually somewhat different from the usual Nightside stories.<\/p>\n

\u201cAppetite for Murder\u201d is another story I’d previously read, but still very much enjoyed re-reading. Sam Warren was the first Detective in Nightside, working for the Authorities, and getting called into cases that are more than the obvious. We also spend time with Ms Fate, who gets name-checked in other stories, but this is her only really big appearance.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Difference a Day Makes\u201d is the first John Taylor story, and we also get to spend time with Dead Boy, who I quite like.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight!\u201d said Dead Boy, brightening immediately. He kicked the door wide open and stalked forward into the impenetrable darkness beyond. His voice drifted back to us: \u201cCome on! Give me your best shot, you bastards! I can take it!\u201d
\nLiza looked at me. \u201cIs he always like this?\u201d
\n\u201cPretty much,\u201d I said. \u201cThis is why most people won\u2019t work with him. Personally, I\u2019ve always found him very useful for hiding behind when the bullets start flying.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cSome of These Cons Go Way Back\u201d is a story about Harry Fabulous, and this story is almost a little too dark for me. But it’s still good.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Spirit of the Thing\u201d is another John Taylor story, where he helps a ghost.<\/p>\n

\u201cHungry Heart\u201d is another John Taylor story where we learn that clients always get what they ask for–and often that’s precisely what they deserve.<\/p>\n

I sighed. It was hard to stay mad at her. Though probably worth the effort.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cHow Do You Feel?\u201d is a pure Dead Boy story, and one of my favorites. Dead Boy gets to discover who ordered him killed, and perhaps even why.<\/p>\n

\u201cI helped make you who you are!\u201d he said desperately. \u201cI helped make you Dead Boy!\u201d
\n\u201cLet me see,\u201d I said. \u201cHow do I feel about that?\u201d I closed my hand abruptly, and all the bones in his shoulder shattered.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

We also finally learn about Dead Boy’s car. <\/p>\n

Who is awesome.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Big Game\u201d is the new novella. It pretty much brings all John Taylor’s friends together for a finally smash-bang story.<\/p>\n

There are lots of hints dropped about events in previous books…”human. My mother turned out to be a Biblical Myth; from that part of the Old Testament where God gets really angry,” so you probably don’t want to read this unless you’ve enjoyed the earlier books.<\/p>\n

This story seems to pull in all the bits that it seems like Simon Green wanted to use previously but never got around to. So there is plenty to giggle at here.<\/p>\n

The End of the World Club, for those convinced the world really is coming to an end, anytime now, and are determined to do something practical about it. I subscribe to their monthly newsletter. Just in case.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Though nothing beats my favorite line from Paths Not Taken<\/em>:<\/p>\n

Next door to the brothel was a dark and spooky little shop selling reliquaries–the bones of saints, fragments of the True Cross, and the like. Special offer that week was apparently the skull of John the Baptist. Next to it was a smaller skull, labelled JOHN THE BAPTIST AS A CHILD.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If you’re already a fan of the Nightside, then you’ve probably already read this, unless you didn’t know about it, in which case, you should run RIGHT NOW and get it. If you haven’t read the Nightside, the first half should be a good introduction to whether you’ll like it or not, but save the second half until you’ve read at least most of the John Taylor books.
\nRating: 9.5\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n

Published by Ace<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tales from the Nightside (2015) Simon R. Green The Nightside. “Where all your dreams can come true, especially the really bad ones. This is a collection of Nightside stories, many of which I have read before, and a previously unpublished novella. If you’re a Nightside fan, then you’ll want this. If you’re not sure if […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[192,18,30,2,8,43,16],"tags":[737,79,78],"class_list":["post-5152","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-9-5-10","category-anthology","category-british","category-fantasy","category-mystery","category-private-eye","category-supernatural","tag-ghosts","tag-nightside","tag-simon-r-green"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/piQkW-1l6","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":332,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/332","url_meta":{"origin":5152,"position":0},"title":"Hell To Pay","author":"Michelle","date":"December 27, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Hell To Pay (2006) Simon R. Green I am quite fond of Simon R. Green's Nightside books, although the Nightside itself would probably be offended by the use of the word fond. John Taylor is a private investigator in the Nightside, an alternate city within London where it is always\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fantasy"","block_context":{"text":"Fantasy","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/fantasy"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/12\/Hell-to-Pay.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4653,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/4653","url_meta":{"origin":5152,"position":1},"title":"Something from the Nightside, Audio Book","author":"Michelle","date":"June 11, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Something from the Nightside (Audio Version) (2003\/2008) Simon R. Green narrated by Marc Vietor This is the first book in the Nightside series, and introduces us to both John Taylor and the Nightside. You'll probably know very quickly if this is for you or not. John \"Bloody\" Taylor is a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2005\/12\/Something-from-the-Nightside.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":559,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/559","url_meta":{"origin":5152,"position":2},"title":"Something from the Nightside","author":"Michelle","date":"April 28, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Something from the Nightside (2002) Simon R Green Decided that re-reading the Nightside was what just what I was in the mood for, so I re-read Something from the Nightside and enjoyed it even more the second time than I did the first, as I got to see that all\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fantasy"","block_context":{"text":"Fantasy","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/fantasy"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":11171,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/11171","url_meta":{"origin":5152,"position":3},"title":"Hex and the City, Audio Edition","author":"Michelle","date":"October 18, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Hex and the City, Audio Edition (2005\/2008) Simon R Green narrated by Marc Vietor The fourth Nightside book finds John Taylor taking a case to look into something he always wanted to know: the origin of The Nightside. Unfortunately, neither his enemies nor the current authorities want John looking into\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2005\/12\/Hex-and-the-City-e1511010632202.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":162,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/162","url_meta":{"origin":5152,"position":4},"title":"Something from the Nightside","author":"Michelle","date":"December 5, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Something from the Nightside (2003) Simon R. Green After The Great Book of Amber, I decided that the requirement for my next book to read, was going to be small and slight. As a 203 page paperback, this fit the bill perfectly. Something from the Nightside is fantasy written as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fantasy"","block_context":{"text":"Fantasy","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/fantasy"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2005\/12\/Something-from-the-Nightside.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":889,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/889","url_meta":{"origin":5152,"position":5},"title":"Unnatural Inquirer","author":"Michelle","date":"January 1, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Unnatural Inquirer (2007) Simon R. Green We return once again to Nightside, where John Taylor is once again on the case. On several cases actually. As he finishes a case at the HP Lovecraft Memorial Library, he's asked by Walker, who has the Voice of Authority in Nightside, to retrieve\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fantasy"","block_context":{"text":"Fantasy","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/fantasy"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/Unnatural_Inquirer.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5152","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5152"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5152\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5152"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5152"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5152"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}