Ranking the Short Stories from “The Bane Chronicles”

By: Sarah Mirzayee (edited by: Ace.Ven)

“The Bane Chronicles” is filled with an assortment of short stories written by Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan that feature our favorite warlock in the Shadowhunter Chronicles - Magnus Bane. Which one of Magnus’s adventures was the most thrilling read and which one was not so relevant?

#1: The Course of True Love (And First Dates)

This is the story of Alec and Magnus’s first date together.  The story takes different turns with Alec being late, a few awkward moments between the two and their evening having to be cut short due to an emergency and the iconic ending of Alec falling down the stairs which really brings character into his personality. The date didn’t go as planned but overall it makes for a funny and cute story between these two.  An obvious no-brainer for the number one spot in my opinion since Alec and Magnus are loved so much by their readers.  

#2: Vampires, Scones and Edmund Herondale

Here, in this adventure we are introduced to the budding of Magnus’s relationship with the vampire, Camille Belcourt.  We also get insight into Will Herondale’s parents and how they came to meet, alongside Magnus and his connection to the Herondale family.  It was an interesting and amusing read that featured some plot connections to The Infernal Devices which made it even more special.  

#3: Saving Raphael Santiago        

A teenager by the name Raphael Santiago has gone missing and Magnus is hired to track him down.  This story is the start of the friendship built between Raphael and Magnus and it features information on how Raphael became a vampire which was a really engaging read.  In my opinion, this story was a little bit emotional but still had a good humor balance between Raphael’s sassy attitude and Magnus’s attempts to try and help him.

#4: What Really Happened In Peru

If you have read “The Mortal Instruments” then you already know that Magnus Bane was banned from Peru.  But the question of ‘why? ´ is what this story is here to answer for us.  What Really Happened In Peru follows Magnus and all the times he was found in a mess of situations in Peru.  All of these mistakes and visits then lead up to why Magnus was prohibited from entering Peru ever again.  

#5: What To Buy A Shadowhunter Who Has Everything (And Who You’re Not Officially Dating Anyways)

In this story we see Magnus rushing for an idea on what to get Alec Lightwood for his birthday.  Alec and Magnus might not be officially dating but Magnus still wants for Alec’s present to be perfect.  We get to see a glimpse of who Magnus’s father is.  We also get a moment between Isabelle Lightwood and Magnus where we can see how important Alec is to Isabelle and how she has approved of Magnus being in a relationship with her brother.  

#6: The Voicemail of Magnus Bane

This takes place after Magnus has broken up with Alec in the “City Of Lost Souls”.  

Alec repeatedly sends voicemails to Magnus in hopes of getting back together, all of which Magnus ignores .  We learn that the others like Clary, Isabelle and Simon are also trying to get through to Magnus but are failing.  Isabelle is being very protective of her brother and is trying her best to get a hold of the warlock.  We not only hear from the Shadowhunters but we get other messages from Magnus’s Voicemail that creates a balance of humor.  

#7: The Midnight Heir

Magnus is in London and while he is sitting in a bar, he runs into James Herondale - the son of Will and Tessa.  James is drunk and causes a disturbance so Magnus tries to take him back to the London Institute.  James talks about how he is unworthy of love which reminds Magnus of Will’s curse. He takes James home and the next morning he goes to see Tatiana Lightwood who wants him to kill a few Shadowhunters for her but he refuses and leaves. Some parts of this story were a little slow and hard to get through but it’s still fun to see The Infernal Devices characters again.

#8:  The Fall of The Hotel Dumort

After two years, Magnus is back in New York and has been informed of murder sprees that are happening all over Manhattan.  After arriving at his apartment he sees that vampires have taken it over. After finding out more information about the murders, Magnus is brought to the realization that vampires are behind them. After speaking with Camille Belcourt, Magnus put together that the reason why the vampires have gone mad was because they were feeding off humans that were addicted to drugs.  In my opinion this story was really interesting and it dived back into Magnus and Camille’s previous relationship which - though I personally don’t like Camille - I found an interesting read that dwells more into Magnus’s flaws and problems.  The reason why I think this one is low-rated for some people is because Camille is just an awful person which I definitely agree with.

#9: The Last Stand of The New York Institute

This is during the time when Valentine and the Circle have come to New York and are attacking Downworlders. A little werewolf boy knocks on Magnus’s door and begs him to help the rest of his family from being killed by the Circle. Magnus sends the boy to Catarina Loss and goes to stop Valentine.  An interesting part of this story is how you see most of The Mortal Instruments’ main characters’ parents and their generation.  This was more of a serious story and didn’t have the usual humor that comes with Magnus. The story starts off with a slower pace but it does end being an overall good read.

#10: The Rise of The Hotel Dumort  

Magnus is running a bar after the ban of alcohol in the U. S.  He meets a vampire named Dolly who warns him to get out of New York quickly which Magnus doesn’t take seriously. After, Magnus is warned by Aldous Nix, the high warlock, about the end of the mundane world.  

Magnus tells the Shadowhunters about these warnings but he is dismissed.  Later that year Magnus is walking when he sees a light coming from Aldous’s Hotel Dumont.  He finds bodies in the hotel and Aldous tells him he wants to open a demon dimension.  

He is killed by a Shadowhunter but activates the portal before dying. Magnus uses his own blood to close the portal. He runs into Dolly again but this time he follows her and finds out that she was working for Camille Belcourt.  This story was heavy paced and not much of a thrilling read.

#11: The Runaway Queen

Magnus is in France when he is approached by Axel von Fersen, who requests Magnus to help him save the Royal French Family.  Magnus is mesmerized by Axel and accepts.  The next day they discuss the plan and how Magnus must glamour the queen.  The plan is pushed back to the same day as a party that Magnus must attend.  It was hosted by Saint Cloud, the leader of a powerful vampire clan.  Magnus glamours the queen, leaving for the party right after.  A vampire finds the queen and Magnus lies, saying that it is a client of his who wanted to look like the queen.  Cloud wants to buy her and lets him complete the glamour in another room where the queen and Magnus escape using Magnus’s magic.  After leaving Paris, Magnus finds out that the royal family was caught and imprisoned.  This story is the least liked because of how irrelevant it was to the other series.  It didn’t fit with like the rest of the stories did and because of that it was less of an exciting read.