THE GHOSTS short stories
Occasionally I get asked the proper chronology for reading THE GHOSTS short stories alongside the novels. I always answer with the list at the end of the post (which I include here because I frequently get Google searches for it), but I did design the GHOSTS short stories to be read stand-alone, if necessary.
So which GHOSTS short stories to do I think make the best stand-alone adventures? A writer’s perspective on his own work is entirely subjective and often inaccurate, but I think these GHOSTS short stories make for the best stand-alone tales:
GHOST ARIA – A sixteen-year-old Caina Amalas has to solve a murder at the Grand Imperial Opera.
GHOST CLAWS – Caina’s mentor Halfdan decides whether or not he is going to kill Caina’s lover for the good of the Ghosts. I like this one for all the different contradictory stories Halfdan tells about his background.
GHOST THORNS – The son of a powerful magus comes to Caina for help. This would be the first time, but not the last, that a poet gets Caina into trouble.
BLOOD ARTISTS – A tale of Morgant the Razor, legendary assassin.
GHOST PRICE – Caina rents a room from a widow in Istarinmul and gets involved in the hunt for a lost treasure.
GHOST RELICS – Caina helps her friend Nerina the locksmith deal with a suspicious customer, and finds herself in the sights of a dangerous group of thieves.
GHOST NAILS – Someone tries to murder a noble at Damla’s coffee house, and she turns to her friend Caina to help save her livelihood.
I think GHOST ARIA, GHOST THORNS, GHOST RELICS, and GHOST NAILS would be my favorite of the stories, all told.
-JM
COMPLETE ORDER OF GHOSTS NOVELS & SHORT STORIES
Child of the Ghosts
Ghost Aria
Ghost in the Flames
Ghost Dagger
Ghost Light
Ghost in the Blood
The Fall of Kyrace
Ghost in the Storm
Ghost in the Stone
Ghost in the Forge
Ghost Claws
Ghost Omens
Ghost in the Ashes
Ghost in the Mask
Ghost Thorns
Ghost Undying
Ghost in the Surge
Ghost in the Cowl
Ghost Sword
Ghost in the Maze
Ghost Price
Ghost Relics
Ghost in the Hunt
Ghost Keeper
Ghost Nails
Blood Artists
Bound To The Eye
Ghost in the Razor
Ghost Lock
Ghost in the Inferno