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| 1982166207
| 9781982166205
| B09RX4Q7BP
| 3.48
| 5,409
| Nov 15, 2022
| Nov 15, 2022
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liked it
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3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2022/12/13/... While I didn’t love Tread of Angels, it was definitely better than I thoug 3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2022/12/13/... While I didn’t love Tread of Angels, it was definitely better than I thought it would be. Having come to this from Rebecca Roanhorse’s novels and her more epic works, I obviously wasn’t expecting something on the same level or scale from this bite-sized novella, but for its purposes—providing a quick and entertaining tale of mystery set in a Western-inspired fantasy world of angels and demons—it was enough. Our story begins in Goetia, a once quiet mountain town which has seen a boom of visitors traveling in from far and wide ever since word has spread that its mines are filled with Divinity, a powerful element used as fuel for the latest technologies. But because the source of Divinity is the body of a fallen angel who fell to Earth during the Heaven’s War, only those descended from his rebels, called the Fallen, have the ability to detect the precious element. For this reason, the Fallen find themselves tolerated in society but they occupy the lowest rungs of socioeconomic ladder which is dominated by the ruling class made up of Virtues (from the powerful Order of the Archangels) and the Elect (those of angelic descent). Our protagonist Celeste is a Fallen. As children though, she and her blood sister Mariel were raised apart in two very different worlds. While Celeste was raised by her father among the Elect, Mariel remained with their mother and grew up in the slums of Goetia. They reunited as adults, working at a local gaming house where Celeste deals cards at the tables and Mariel headlines as a singer bringing in the customers with her beautiful voice. But one day, the two women’s lives are turned upside down when Mariel is accused of murdering a Virtue. Determined to prove her sister’s innocence, Celeste must take on the role of Advocatus Dioboli (Devil’s Advocate) to gather the evidence required to clear Mariel’s name and save her from execution. There’s so much to love here, not least of it being the world-building. The novella format doesn’t do it justice. You’re meant to soak in this setting, immerse yourself in it, savor all its descriptions and details. But because Tread of Angels is so story-driven, story developments and character interactions set the pace, leaving readers inadequate time to fully appreciate the sheer scope of the world Roanhorse has created. Still, I can never resist a fantasy Western setting. The references to the goldrush and the ye olde frontier town are obvious, but I also enjoyed the dash of steampunk which breathed some fresh air into the world. That said, Goetia can also be grim place, especially if you’re a Fallen. No matter how or where you’re raised, the burden of your ancestry stays with wherever you go, as Celeste learns once she sets out on her mission to defend her sister and witnesses the class disparity and discrimination for herself. Then there’s the mystery plot. While it’s a fairly standard one, I was still surprised around midway through when things took an unexpected turn towards an ending I hadn’t predicted. But since it’s such a short book, Celeste’s investigation is rather quick, involving some digging around for clues and interviewing people here and there. We also take a few detours to visit Abraxas, a former general for the rebels in the Heaven’s War and also Celeste’s ex-lover whom I still have mixed feelings about because I’m not entirely sure his character was all that good or necessary. In a longer novel I think he would feel less out of place, but right now I just get the sense Roanhorse might have just thrown Abraxas in for the sake of having some sexy times. And then we come to Celeste herself, who isn’t the easiest protagonist to sympathize with, but I also understand that it’s likely by design. Of course, it’s possible to get past her brashness, her impulsiveness, and her stubbornness to enjoy the story, but again, I have a feeling it would be a lot easier if this hadn’t been so short. Bottom line, Roanhorse absolutely does her best work when she’s given more room to develop her characters, and honestly, I think the same can also be said of her storytelling and worldbuilding. Tread of Angels was a good read, but I can’t help but wonder how much better it could have been as a longer book. Audiobook Comments: I very much enjoyed the narration by Dion Graham, who really nailed Celeste’s personality with her reading style and voice. The length also meant it wasn’t a huge time commitment, and the audiobook made for quick and easy listen. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Dec 03, 2022
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Dec 03, 2022
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Feb 15, 2022
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Kindle Edition
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| 0765387417
| 9780765387417
| 3.80
| 5,645
| Jun 23, 2020
| Jun 23, 2020
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liked it
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3.5 of 5 stars at The BibliboSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2020/06/21/... Sherlock Holmes with angels—which is pretty much The Angel of the Crows i 3.5 of 5 stars at The BibliboSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2020/06/21/... Sherlock Holmes with angels—which is pretty much The Angel of the Crows in a nutshell. It certainly wasn’t the book I thought it was going to be, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially since it was so very obvious a pet project for Katherine Addison, who explained in her author’s note the concept of “wingfic” and the impetus behind this novel. Its unique provenance resulted in some hiccups, it’s true; but on the flip side, there’s no denying the author’s passion for her work behind every word. Opening in an 1880s alternate London, our story is told through the eyes of Doyle, our “Watson” in this retelling. He’s also a hellhound, recently come home after sustaining an injury from a fallen angel in the war, where he served as a military doctor. The search for a new roommate leads him to 221B Baker Street, where he meets the inimitable Crow, the declared Angel of London. The rest readers can probably work out for themselves. As London is his domain, Crows feels obligated to lend his services to the police whenever they need help cracking a tough case. At the moment, a ruthless killer known as Jack the Ripper stalks the streets, taunting Scotland Yard with the butchered bodies of his victims. It’s up to Crow and Doyle to solve the mystery of his identity and stop his reign of terror on the city. Meanwhile, fans of the original Sherlock stories will also be able to enjoy re-imaginings of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic tales, including A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of the Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles and other such favorites—all seen through an inventive, supernatural lens. While the concept of Sherlock Holmes as an outcast angel is a fascinating one, a fantasy twist on the original source material certainly isn’t new. I think that’s why I finished this novel feeling like I wanted more. In recent years, I’ve read a number of Sherlock retellings, and in particular, G.S. Denning’s Warlock Holmes and The Affair of the Mysterious Letter by Alexis Hall came to mind frequently as I was reading The Angel of the Crows. There are many shared elements between the three works, and while each featured their individual and unique qualities, I couldn’t help but wish Addison had done more to break away from the pack. Undoubtedly, it would have helped this novel stand out more, as we’re currently still seeing this trend where retellings are all the rage. Still, it’s hard to say anything negative about the world-building, especially the little details. Like the fact there are vampires, werewolves, angels and demons, and a whole host of other supernatural creatures populating these pages. Or the fact that angels are portrayed a little like the fae, like how Crow can’t lie and true names have power. And also hemophages, which are DEFINITELY not the same as vampires. In fact, I only wish the book had gone a little further into clarifying some of the questions readers will inevitably have, considering all these intricate details of the world. Among angels, for example, there are the Fallen and the Nameless, just to name a couple, and the explanations into their origins and traits, etc. simply aren’t sufficiently enough as it stands. In sum, much of the world-building is fantastic, but just feels incomplete. The characters are also great, and I enjoyed every moment of the dynamic friendship between Crow and Doyle. Truly, there are some incredibly wonderful and heartwarming moments to be found there. Again though, I just wished there had been more. In part, some of the limitations could have been due to the format of the novel, which, as I mentioned before, retells a series of Sherlock Holmes stories. This led to many shifts in focus and lots of zipping around, which had a pesky way of getting in the way of developing relationships or at times interrupting interesting plot threads. All told, I can understand a lot of the middling ratings I’ve been seeing for The Angel of the Crows, mainly because so many of my own thoughts echo these reviews. But of course, I also had fun with the book and found absolutely nothing disagreeable at all about it. I’ll simply say it one final time: I just wish it had been more. Still, it’s a decent read for any fan of Sherlock Holmes looking for fantasy retelling, and the wingfic angle definitely gave it an interesting spin. Worth checking out, if the premise appeals to you. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 12, 2020
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Jun 15, 2020
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Sep 15, 2019
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ebook
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| 0062683225
| 9780062683229
| 0062683225
| 3.63
| 4,847
| Sep 30, 2019
| Oct 01, 2019
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liked it
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3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/10/20/... Since this was my first time reading Garth Nix, I really had no idea what 3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/10/20/... Since this was my first time reading Garth Nix, I really had no idea what to expect. With the exception of his Old Kingdom series, his books have always given me the impression of being skewed towards younger, Middle Grade readers, which was why I was surprised at the maturity and richness of Angel Mage. I’m not just talking thematically, or the world-building either; even the writing style was very lush and complex, closely resembling the tone of literary classics. And no wonder. For this novel, Nix was clearly inspired by Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers. However, the incredible world in which the story takes place feels highly original and unique, filled with a vast trove of magical lore to die for. After more than a hundred years of dormancy, an angelic mage named Liliath emerges from her resting place with the goal of being reunited with her archangel lover once again. In her day, she was a powerful icon maker, and was responsible for the Ash Blood plague which wiped out most of Ystara and transformed many of its victims into horrific monsters called beastlings. The cursed survivors were led to the neighboring capital of Sarance by Liliath where they thrived, but now their descendants are called the Refusers, unable to be touched by magic and shunned by the angels. As Liliath builds support among the downtrodden Refusers, she also casts her influence outward to four angel-touched young people, all newly arrived in the city: Agnez is a skilled swordswoman and a cadet in the Queen’s Musketeers; Simeon is a promising doctor recently cast out by his institute; Henri is a Cardinal’s clerk who fell into the role by a stroke of fortune; and finally, Dorotea is a scholar and an icon maker of extraordinary talent. The four of them are the key to getting Liliath what she wants, even though they are unaware of their roles in her grand scheme. But as all of them become fast friends, drawn to each other by the hidden threads of fate, eventually they realize Liliath must be stopped and only they can prevent the chaos and destruction which would result from the angel mage’s obsessive quest. In this fantasy world based on angelic magic and iconography, there’s a lot of background information and detail to get across, making this a very tricky and dense book. I’m not surprised to hear Nix is known for being a master at world building, as evidenced by the amount of thought and effort which must have gone into creating the setting for Angel Mage. In fact, he might have even gotten carried away with it—forgetting that while a complex and rich world is all fine and good, the story needs to be interesting too—because there were sections where I found my attention flagging as I struggled with the information deluge. I hate to say it, but I had to push myself through most of the first hundred pages, because the bulk of it was so tedious. Thankfully, things improved as our four protagonists were introduced, as the writing style loosened up with their interactions and dialogue, making the story immensely more readable. Although I really enjoyed the idea of icon making and magic from the angels, it was the character development that won me over. Agnez, Henri, Simeon, and Dorotea were all so different, but together their personalities clicked perfectly, and it was convincing and realistic how quickly they became friends. I loved Simeon, a gentle giant who is passionate about healing, as well as flighty Henri who has big dreams but little know-how on how to reach them. And yet, the women were the ones who really stole the show here, with the assertive and hotheaded Agnez offering a counterpoint to the quiet and even-tempered Dorotea. Even Liliath was a powerhouse villainess—ruthless, determined, and uncompromising in her desire to be with her love again. She’s the most frightening sort of antagonist, and while I did not enjoy her POV nearly as much as the other four, it did add a fair amount of excitement and intensity to the overall narrative. Still, Angel Mage is the kind of book that really demands your full attention, even if it’s not always that successful at keeping it. This can make following the story a little confusing, and there’s also a lot of filler. In general, I think the plot could have used a bit more energy and more even pacing, but that’s really the extent of my complaints. All in all, I really enjoyed my first book by Garth Nix and would definitely be open to reading more by him in the future. Fans of his will probably eat this one up and fall in love with the characters and this gorgeously crafted world richly threaded with the undertones of a Dumas classic. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 13, 2019
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Oct 15, 2019
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Feb 12, 2019
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Hardcover
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| 1503905438
| 9781503905436
| 1503905438
| 3.88
| 14,514
| Feb 01, 2019
| Feb 01, 2019
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liked it
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3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/02/12/... Smoke & Summons by Charlie N. Holmberg first caught my attention with its sy 3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/02/12/... Smoke & Summons by Charlie N. Holmberg first caught my attention with its synopsis, but I became even more intrigued once I realized what I was looking at on the cover was the head of a fiery demon-like horse. The reason for this striking motif was soon revealed, as the story introduces readers to Sandis, who is no ordinary young woman. For one, she is a vessel, whose body is trained and primed to hold demon-like spirits called forth from the netherworld. She is also a slave of sorts, kept under lock and key by a cruel summoner named Kazen, who has captured a number of kids like Sandis for his nefarious purposes. And because what Kazen does is highly illegal, he operates underground in a top secret facility where he can hide his activities as well as keep his charges isolated and unaware of what’s going on in the outside world. This in essence is Sandis’ life, where all she does each day is keep her head down and obey the rules, as not to anger Kazen. After all, it’s painful enough what happens to her whenever he calls forth “her” demon, the fire horse Ireth, into her body. But then one night, Sandis witnesses something at the facility that frightens her to her core, prompting her to leave immediately, escaping into the unfamiliar city. Her only hope is a name of an unknown relative she chanced to glimpse in Kazen’s records, perhaps a distant uncle who would recognize their kinship and protect her. Instead, Sandis finds Rone, a caddish thief who thought the poor lost girl would be easy prey to his charms. But to his surprise, it is actually Sandis who catches him off guard and ends up making off with something valuable of his: an extremely rare and powerful artifact called amarinth which grants its bearer immortality for one minute every day. To get it back, Rone tracks down Sandis, but then winds up getting swept along in her desperate attempt to escape Kazen and his minions. Understanding that the two of them need each other to survive, Sandis and Rone strike up a reluctant partnership. She needs to lie low until she can find her mysterious relative, and he’s hoping that the reward for helping her will earn him the money to free his mother from jail. I’ll be honest, I think I would have enjoyed this book more had I not disliked the characters right off the bat. On the whole, Sandis was all right, even if her meekness sometimes bothered me—though at least this was in keeping with her background and history. Rone, on the other hand, was infinitely punchable and irritating. I despised his smugness and arrogance the moment he showed up on the page. He is also impulsive and shows an astounding lack of foresight and awareness of potential consequences. He has little consideration for others and barely ever thinks beyond his own self interests. It’s hard to feel bad for him when you know his own bad decisions are the cause of all his troubles. The reason he gets tangled up with Sandis is because he thought he could take advantage of her. The reason his mother is arrested is because she wound up being blamed for a crime he himself had committed. This guy thinks he has all these problems when, really, he is the problem, but of course, he’s too self-centered to realize it. And the worst part? I don’t think Rone changed all that much. It would be one thing for an unlikeable character to redeem themselves throughout the course of a story, and though Rone did show some signs of turning around, when the moment of truth arrived in the second half of the novel, he completely blew the chance to prove himself and made me angry at him all over again. I’m glad I didn’t waste my sympathies on him, though I did feel bad for Sandis. There were times where I felt the author might have been hinting at an eventual romance for her two characters, but I was never really able to feel much of anything, let alone a spark of chemistry, between them. One reason for this is the power and knowledge imbalance where it seemed Rone always held all the cards despite Sandis being the one with the ability to channel a demon horse. He went freely about the world while she remained stashed away in some hidey hole as she always was, the naïve and innocent girl. The relationship had all the ingredients of one heading straight for trouble, but even when it turned out I was right, the confirmation brought little satisfaction. But now, for the things I did like: without a doubt, the whole premise of summoning demons into human vessels was the most intriguing and memorable aspect of the book. There is an entire system involved in the process, from the blood sacrifices it requires to the permanent scars carved into a vessel’s flesh. Each individual vessel also has a power level associated with him or her, determining the strength of the demon that can be summoned. And then, there was Rone’s amarinth. As magical trinkets go, it doesn’t get much cooler or more imaginative than that, and reading about its effects immediately made me curious to know more about the object and others like it. Suffice it to say, a lot of hard work was put into developing the magic of this universe, given its layers upon layers of rich detail, and as a fantasy fan, I always delight discovering new and unique world-building. Still, at the end of the day, I’m a “characters first” kind of reader, and admittedly, my loathing for one of the key characters most likely impacted my overall enjoyment of this novel. Still, I didn’t think Smoke & Summons was a bad book, despite having to put up with Rone, and I actually find myself curious to see how he and Sandis can move forward in the wake of the choices he made. Both are now changed from the experience, which should make the next book interesting. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 2019
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Feb 03, 2019
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Jan 16, 2019
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Hardcover
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| 0316434655
| 9780316434652
| 0316434655
| 4.14
| 4,566
| Sep 24, 2019
| Sep 24, 2019
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really liked it
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4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/09/28/... I realize the Dr. Greta Helsing series might be a bit of an acquired taste, 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/09/28/... I realize the Dr. Greta Helsing series might be a bit of an acquired taste, but if you’ve stayed with it for this long, then you’ll know the kind of strange and wonderful treat you’re in for in Grave Importance. A mix of the new and old, the modern and the classic, the funny and the dark, this novel delivered everything I loved about the first two books and featured an ending that capped the trilogy off nicely. Once more, readers return to the world of Greta Helsing, doctor of the supernatural specializing in providing healthcare to London’s population of undead creatures. When the story begins, Greta has just received an offer to serve as interim medical director at Oasis Natrun, one of the world’s most exclusive health spas catering to pampered and wealthy mummies. Nestled in the picturesque hills above Marseille, the opportunity is a dream come true—until reports of a strange illness ravaging through the mummy community becomes her problem. Baffled by the cause of this unknown malady, which causes weaknesses and fainting spells, Greta is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery. Meanwhile, Ruthven and Grisaille are vacationing in Italy when the former is suddenly struck down by a malicious curse. In fact, it is a curse so destructive that Ruthven must receive specialized treatment in order to get any relief. And together with Samael, Fastitocalon is trying to figure out what the angels are up to and the reason for the curious instability recently observed between the planes of Heaven, Earth, and Hell. As if that wasn’t enough, while all this is going on, the story also takes Greta’s ongoing romance with the vampyre Sir Francis Varney to a whole new level. As you can probably tell, it falls to Grave Importance to tie up all the loose ends and bring this trilogy to its finale, so it is no surprise so much takes place within its pages. We have a mainly a mystery, spiced up with a fair bit of romantic tension. Greta is charged with putting out multiple fires, inundated as she is with medical conundrums. I really liked how we got to really see her in her element here—more so than in either of the previous books. The story highlights both her superb talents as a doctor as well as her intense passion for her work; this is a woman who truly cares about saving un-lives, and, in spite of herself, can’t help but perceive losing a patient as a personal failure. And that’s what I love most about Vivian Shaw’s characters. Despite more than half the cast being undead or demons, they all just feel so damn human. Every character is an interesting individual with genuine personalities, backgrounds, and motivations. Even those taken from literary classics are given their own dispositions, so while they remain recognizable from the sources they’re drawn from, they have their own unique qualities and quirks. In terms of the story, admittedly it felt a bit scattered, what with so much going on. The focus jumps from mummies and Egyptology to mysterious curses and special intensive care units in Hell. Everything culminates in a spectacular climax of epic proportions involving the fabric of reality and the fate of our mortal realm itself. And somehow, Shaw still manages to work in several romantic arcs. But of course, it’s Greta and Varney’s that I was most interested in following, and it was a little insane how so much of the progress on that front was crammed into the last quarter or the book so, competing with the major events of the ending. That said, while it’s true that the action could have been better balanced, there was no negative impact on overall pacing, and I can live with feeling a bit flustered here and there, if it means having no lulls. And at the end of the day, all that matters is that I am very satisfied with the ending. From the beginning, this series has captured my attention with its irresistible charms and mighty big heart. Over time, I’ve come to know and love so many things about these books, including Greta and her enthusiasm for her work, the fascinating company she keeps, as well as the magical and imaginative world they inhabit. It must have been no easy feat pulling everything together for this finale volume, but Vivian Shaw managed it well, and most importantly, she struck the perfect note for the conclusion. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 19, 2019
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Sep 22, 2019
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Oct 16, 2018
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Paperback
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| 1473212960
| 9781473212961
| 1473212960
| 3.21
| 497
| Jan 21, 2016
| Jan 21, 2016
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liked it
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3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/11/05/... Occupy Me was probably one of the chanciest books I have ever attempted to 3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/11/05/... Occupy Me was probably one of the chanciest books I have ever attempted to read, knowing full well from the blurb and countless reviews how strange and bizarre it would be. I’ve made it no secret that I don’t always do well with “weird” books. But still, I decided to give it a try because I was in the mood for something a little outside of the box, and I was also curious to see what the science fiction literary awards circuit had been raving about. And wow, what a trip this was. I’m not even sure how to describe the story, so I’m going to let the publisher description do most of the talking: “A woman with wings that exist in another dimension. A man trapped in his own body by a killer. A briefcase that is a door to hell. A conspiracy that reaches beyond our world.” Pearl is the woman with wings in question, an “angel” who works for a nebulous organization known as the Resistance. Posing undercover as a flight attendant, improving the world a little bit at a time with small incremental acts of kindness, she secretly hides an uncanny past and is determined to track down a killer responsible for pulling her out of her dimension and trapping her here on this earthly realm. However, the killer is actually her prey wearing another man’s body. Dr. Sorle is not Dr. Sorle, for he has someone else living inside him. He is also in possession of an ordinary looking briefcase that is in fact an interdimensional gateway defying all the rules of time and space—an item which Pearl is in desperate need to get a hold of, for only then will she be able to unlock the mystery of herself and find her way home. But the briefcase isn’t going to yield its secrets freely, nor is Sorle willing to relinquish it that easily. Released from the Resistance, Pearl is forced to embark on her quest alone, chasing down this unpredictable madman and his freaky briefcase that can open into any number of dimensions, allowing all kinds of creatures to escape. Obviously, if you’re looking for a coherent and straightforward story, you’re not really going to get that here. Occupy Me is mind-bendingly weird, there’s no doubt about that. Thing is, it’s not exactly weird in the “I’ve eaten a bunch of mushrooms and I’m all tripped out” kind of sense. I would say it’s more weird in the way that a lot of people find anime “weird”. The book is certainly contained in its own eccentric, quirky little world, and like all unfamiliar and odd things, it takes getting used to. The plot itself is actually quite easy to follow, and I enjoyed it immensely once I fell into the rhythm of not expecting anything to conform to reality. For me, I think that happened around the time a fucking pterosaur flew out of the briefcase. Still, I’m not going to lie and say it was smooth sailing from there. I struggled plenty to wrap my head around a lot of the ideas and crazy concepts to spring forth from the hyper-imaginative mind of Tricia Sullivan, but I will say, it wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be. While everything about the book was unusual, I also thought it was highly entertaining and even humorous in many places. Pearl is a hoot to follow with her unique personality and background, not to mention her forthright way with words. Never knowing what to expect around the next corner meant at no time did I find myself caught in a dull moment, and I always felt on guard trying to prepare myself for whatever strange surprise might pop up next. Needless to say, it’s very difficult to recommend books like Occupy Me. Because they are so different and unusual, they may only appeal to a thin slice of the speculative fiction audience. All the same though, I feel that they also demand a certain level of admiration, if nothing else for being so boldly imaginative and fearless in defying genre expectations and convention. This novel is most certainly not for everyone, but if you’re looking to shake up your reading with something outside your comfort zone—something that might twist your mind and kick your imagination into high gear—then it might be worth a look. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 23, 2018
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Oct 28, 2018
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Sep 26, 2018
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Paperback
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| 1633884961
| 9781633884960
| 1633884961
| 3.90
| 61
| unknown
| Oct 09, 2018
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really liked it
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4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/10/09/... The apocalypse has finally arrived in this third Dru Jasper novel starring t 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/10/09/... The apocalypse has finally arrived in this third Dru Jasper novel starring the crystal sorceress and her ragtag group of friends as they continue in their fight against the Harbingers. No Sleep Till Doomsday opens with a brazen attack on The Crystal Connection, perpetrated by a mysterious red-headed enchantress who breaks into the store’s vault to steal an object of unimaginable power. This artifact, called the Amulet of Decimus the Accursed, can be used to activate the sixth seal of the apocalypse scroll, bringing about the end of the world. To stop that from happening, Dru and her friends will either have to track down the sorceress, or locate the apocalypse scroll itself. But doing so won’t be easy. Dru’s boyfriend Greyson is still under a curse binding him to his demon-possessed muscle car Hellbringer, and the old Dodge Charger senses something else going on that his human handlers do not. Meanwhile, Dru’s friend Rane gets mixed up with a gang of protean sorcerers who use magic to shapeshift into animals, and her on-again-off-again boyfriend Salem also has his amulet of power stolen by a bat-man, which can’t possibly be a coincidence. A carefully planned and coordinated war is being waged upon the world by demonic forces, but to turn the tides, our characters must first learn to sort out their differences and gain each other’s trust. One in their circle is wary of Greyson and his influence on Dru, a rift that might not be mended in time before doomsday comes. If you enjoyed the first two books, you’ll be sure to find plenty to love in No Sleep Till Doomsday as well. In this fast-paced and action-packed installment, Dru and her colorful band of allies are thrust into another situation where they have save the world. It helps that our protagonist has come a long way in her journey, embracing her status as a full-fledged sorcerer, no longer trying to hide her power behind a mask of normalcy. So what if her boyfriend is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse? Own it, Dru! I was so proud of her character for sticking by her guy, despite some of the doubts expressed by her friends. That said though, Dru still wants to help Greyson, and she hasn’t yet given up on trying to find a way to break the curse. I also liked how this book, to a greater degree than the previous volumes, expanded the scope to include more of the supporting cast. It makes sense—ever since A Kiss Before Doomsday, Greyson, Rane, Opal, and Salem have become a more integral part of this series. They each have been given their own mini plot arcs in this one, and the narrative alternates between each group, giving the the book a well-balanced perspective. Even Hellbringer gets an opportunity to chime in once in a while, delighting fans with a glimpse into the “mind” of a demonic muscle car. Because there was so much going on, admittedly the plot structure of this book did feel a little bit crowded and messy, at times even repetitive. For example, Rane and Salem would have their tussle with the shapeshifting protean sorcerers, only to have their foes escape to do it all over again with Dru and Opal, and then this process would repeat itself for the final showdown. Notwithstanding the fate of the whole world on the line, the actual conflicts of the book also lacked weight. One reason is that the possibility of doomsday has already been hanging over the characters’ heads for so long, readers have become desensitized to the threat. Another reason is simply the nature of these books, intended to be a quirky urban fantasy series, delivered in a fun and lighthearted manner. By the way, nothing wrong with that at all—the first two Dru Jasper books were great popcorn reads, and I was happy that No Sleep Till Doomsday followed in their footsteps. Written with plenty of wit and humor, this one featured even more wild shenanigans and funny banter with our cast of eccentric characters. The multiple storylines following their antics were also entertaining, and I was compelled to see how everything would fit together. Curious to find out more, the energy behind plot kept me turning the pages. All in all, No Sleep Till Doomsday was another fine installment to the Dru Jasper series. If you’re looking for a different kind of urban fantasy that doesn’t feature the usual paranormal and magical tropes, especially if you enjoy quirky humor and action-packed fun, then this one’s for you. (P.S. This book had the feel of a conclusion, but after I wrote this review I found out that apparently there will be one more book out to wrap up the series next year, so it’s good to know the fun ain’t over…) ...more |
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2
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Sep 28, 2018
not set
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Oct 03, 2018
not set
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Jun 27, 2018
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Paperback
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| 1662501986
| 9781662501982
| B01FVEZ6G2
| 3.85
| 843
| Jun 11, 2016
| Jul 05, 2016
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liked it
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None
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Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 10, 2018
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Jan 16, 2018
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Jan 05, 2018
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Kindle Edition
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| 0316434639
| 9780316434638
| 0316434639
| 4.15
| 6,327
| Jul 31, 2018
| Jul 31, 2018
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liked it
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3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/08/13/... Despite the mixed reviews for Strange Practice, I ended up enjoying it a l 3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/08/13/... Despite the mixed reviews for Strange Practice, I ended up enjoying it a lot and was very excited for Dreadful Company. Ironically though, it’s now this sequel that’s making me feel a bit conflicted. It was a fairly good book, though perhaps not great. And I definitely thought the first book was better. Dreadful Company picks up shortly after Strange Practice ended, once again following protagonist Greta Helsing, London’s monster expert and doctor to the city’s population of paranormal creatures. This time though, she has been called to Paris, where she is scheduled to speak at a supernatural medical conference. Just your typical travel for work, and nothing out of the ordinary—or at least that’s what Greta thought, as she prepares for a night out at the opera with the vampire Edmund Ruthven, her best friend who has accompanied her on this trip. Unbeknownst to them though, Paris’s labyrinthine underground is infested with a coven of unruly vampires, and they have been planning something nefarious for Greta’s arrival. But first, Greta encounters a small gremlin-like creature called a wellmonster in her hotel bathroom, its appearance intriguing her because wellmonsters aren’t typically seen unless they are summoned. Soon though, there are more sightings. Deciding that they warrant further investigation, Greta opts to stay behind while Ruthven returns home to England. But before she can get too far with her inquiries, Greta is kidnapped by the vampires, who are led by a real nasty piece of work named Corvin. Meanwhile, back in London, Greta’s disappearance has been noticed by Ruthven and Francis Varney, the vampyre who has been sweet on the doctor ever since she saved him in the first book. Setting off to find her, the two begin scouring Paris for clues while a parallel mission is also being carried out a pair of psychopomps who are investigating a worrisome influx of phantoms around the area. Dreadful Company and I did not exactly start off on the right foot. Compared to Strange Practice, the beginning here lacked the kind of urgency that pulled me immediately into the first book. While Paris was a nice change of setting and the wellmonsters were adorable and all, I thought this sequel took too long to take off and that on the whole its introduction was pretty uneventful. It wasn’t until Greta was kidnapped that I thought the plot started to pick up. Once the ball got rolling, however, I have to admit things become a lot more interesting. I was impressed at how engaging Greta’s sections managed to be, considering how she spends most of the early parts of the book imprisoned in a cell. The vampires who kidnapped her are given individual backstories and substance, and their presence proves that even in the supernatural world, things are not so simple or black and white. Greta also once again demonstrates why she is a credit to her profession, showing compassion and providing healing to whoever needs it. The worldbuilding was also one of my favorite elements from Strange Practice, and I love it here still. The riveting mix of old and new is alive and well in Dreadful Company, where we’re treated to an eclectic mashup of literary monsters in a modern-day setting. The city of Paris simply adds to this charm, as Vivian Shaw also throws in a few references and deferential nods to several French classics. She’s also expanded the world this time with new characters, and I especially enjoyed meeting Crepusculus Dammerung and Gervase Brightside, our spiritual guides to lost souls. That said, it’s possible that a bit of the novelty and magic has faded since the first book. Part of this is understandable, as there’s a sense that this sequel is more about reinforcing the ideas and themes that have already been established, settling readers comfortably into the world. There’s nothing terribly new or surprising, even a couple reused plot points. And because the characters were all split up, the narrative sometimes had to offer multiple perspectives on the same event, leading to repetition that wasn’t always necessary. Still, my fixed feelings and quibbles notwithstanding, I wasn’t really disappointed. While I didn’t think Dreadful Company was as good as Strange Practice, it retains that special kind of charm which made me fall in love with the first book. It’s what makes Dr. Greta Helsing such a unique urban fantasy series, and plan on sticking with it. ...more |
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1
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Jul 31, 2018
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Aug 2018
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Oct 29, 2017
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Paperback
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| 194552846X
| 9781945528460
| 194552846X
| 4.34
| 192
| unknown
| Nov 01, 2017
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really liked it
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4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/02/17/... Redemptor is another fantastic addition to the Valducan series, becoming the 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/02/17/... Redemptor is another fantastic addition to the Valducan series, becoming the fourth book to be published in the sequence, though I think any of the novels can be enjoyed as a standalone. That said, while each of the first three books have featured a different protagonist, this one breaks the pattern by swinging the focus back to Matt Hollis, the demon hunter whom we first met in Dämoren. Prospective readers who wish to get the full picture may want to tackle that one first, since Redemptor contains quite a few characters and references from book one. Our story begins approximately three years after the events of Dämoren, which saw the defeat of Tiamat’s Cult at Matt Hollis’s hands. Matt is now married to Luiza, a fellow Valducan Knight, and they even have a daughter. But still, the war on demonkind continues, as does the hunt for more sacred weapons to add to the Valducan arsenal. These sentient weapons are the only things capable of destroying a demon, and the knights who wield them are also bonded to them for life, their minds, bodies, and souls becoming one with the angelic spirit within. Understandably, everyone is concerned when grave news emerges from South America that someone has been trying to steal holy weapons from museums across the continent. An evil buried long ago has suddenly awakened, leaving a trial of death and destruction in its wake. Now even the paladins of the Catholic Church have stepped in to join the fight, offering to put aside their differences with the Valducans in order to help stop their common foe. So far, each book in the series has expanded upon the world-building and mythology of holy weapons, and Redemptor was no exception. We also get to find out more about the inner workings of the Valducan. In the years since Dämoren, Matt has become an important member of the order, hunting demons with a team instead of being the lone wolf he once was. A bigger cast of characters opens up the book to multiple perspectives, giving the reader a fuller and more detailed picture of the relationships between the various knights, as well as the roles they play. I especially enjoyed the sections featuring Mei and her training sessions with her master, highlighting the importance of trust and friendship among the ranks. No matter who they are or where they come from, the members of the Valducan are like one big family. But unlike the earlier books like Dämoren or Hounacier, which mainly followed a single hunter, we don’t get to know any one character as intimately in Redemptor. It’s also a very fast-paced and action-oriented novel, so there’s not as many opportunities for in depth characterization—another reason why it might be best to start this series from the beginning if you are a newcomer, so that you can get the foundation for Matt’s character from the first book. Existing fans, however, will most likely find this one to be the most exciting and action-packed installment yet. Matt and his friends are up against the most powerful and dangerous enemy they’ve ever faced, and once this plot gets going, it doesn’t stop. This book also introduced Felisa, a formidable female paladin of the Vatican, and she was probably my favorite character. Religion tends to be a contentious subject in sci-fi and fantasy, and often, I find that the Church or religious figures in many of these stories are set up to be scapegoats or strawmen, which to me is just lazy writing, and then there are the blatant stereotypes of the zealot. In contrast, it was a breath of fresh air to meet someone like Felisa, who is a strong, positive force—merciless when dealing with demons, but who also has boundless compassion and support to give to people like Luiza’s mother, whose faith is a beautiful and integral part of her life. I hope this won’t be the last we see of Felisa, especially since I’m very interested to see how the partnership between her people and the Valducan will play out, now that the Catholic Church is an ally. I’m sure I sound like a broken record by now, but simply put, this is a fantastic series and perfect for readers who enjoy their urban fantasy with some darkness and grit. Redemptor was another action-packed sequel featuring compelling characters and topnotch world-building. I can’t wait to read more Valducan. Audiobook Comments: Certain narrators who make books a better listen than a read, and R.C. Bray is definitely one of them. I’ve been an admirer of his work ever since I listened to him read The Martian, and I love that he is also the voice of the Valducan series. He’s the kind of narrator who can adapt to anything he’s reading, and once again he was excellent with Redemptor, capturing the atmosphere and mood of the story, delivering a pitch-perfect performance. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 08, 2018
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Feb 11, 2018
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Aug 09, 2017
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0765383195
| 9780765383198
| 0765383195
| 3.65
| 686
| Jan 30, 2018
| Jan 30, 2018
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liked it
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3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/02/08/... The year is 1939, and aboard a ship bound for North America on the eve of Wo 3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/02/08/... The year is 1939, and aboard a ship bound for North America on the eve of World War Two, a young Oxford student named Cade Martin watches in horror as a sea monster drags his parents to their watery grave right before his eyes. Alone and stranded at sea, Cade is eventually rescued by a mysterious cabal of sorcerers led by a charming old Scotsman named Adair MacRae. With the Soviets on the Eastern Front and England on the Western Front, Adair claims that he and his associates represent a lesser known third theater of war clandestinely referred to as the Midnight Front. He further explains that the Nazis have their own dark magicians working on behalf of Hitler, and that they were the ones behind the monster attack that killed Cade’s family. As the Allies’ secret weapon, the Midnight Front is dedicated to waging the magical war from behind the scenes, and now they are looking to recruit Cade to their ranks. Swearing vengeance upon those responsible for his parents’ deaths, Cade readily accepts the offer and immediately begins his training with Adair and his three adepts Stefan, Anja, and Niko. Thanks to his magical heritage, Cade masters years of skill and knowledge in just a few months, and before long, he and the other members of the Midnight Front are getting ready to depart on their individual assignments for the war effort. While the focus of the book remains on Cade as the central character, the story also allows us a good look through the eyes of the other members of the group as they travel through different parts of Europe bringing back their personal experiences and perspectives. Without a doubt, the novel’s greatest strength is the world-building. David Mack has created a very robust system of magic that involves the summoning and harnessing of demons. Called karcists, sorcerers who deal in this type of magic can hold up to eleven demon servants at a time, giving them the power to fuel their abilities. However, this can be very taxing on the karcist, and even those who are well-versed in the art can succumb to the chaos of their demons, developing self-destructive habits like unconsciously scratching their skin to shreds or tearing out their own hair. At the age of 357, Adair MacRae is one of the oldest and most experienced karcists, but his arch nemesis Kein Engel who is working for the Germans has proven to be just as dangerous and cunning. Occasionally, the story’s perspective even shifts to the villains’ side so that we can get a glimpse of what’s going on behind enemy lines. Speaking of which, Mack pulls no punches when it comes to depicting the horrors of war, the fantasy elements of his novel notwithstanding. Readers familiar with the history of WW2 may recognize a lot of the places and events mentioned in this book, as well as the tragedies and atrocities associated with them. The story takes you into the thick of things, and doesn’t hold back when it comes to the darkness and violence. And yet, even with the phenomenal world-building and historical aspect, something held me back from enjoying this book fully. If I had to hazard a guess, it would be the plot, which I thought was weakened by a few overused tropes. The “Chosen One” cliché was especially heavy-handed and impossible to ignore given the way our protagonist breezed through that obligatory training montage (because don’t you know he’s “special”?) as well as the constant reminders that “Without Cade, the war is lost!” In truth, I found Cade to be a lot less interesting than some of his fellow sorcerers, and frequently caught myself wishing the narrative had instead focused more on Anja, whose background, story line, and personality were all more compelling. For pulp-ish entertainment, I suppose this novel would do just fine, but I can’t say the story really resonated with me, and I have my doubts that I’ll remember any of the plot details six months from now. That said, don’t let anything keep you from reading The Midnight Front if the premise strikes your fancy; there’s a lot here to like for fans of alternate history, especially if the idea of a secret magical war being fought alongside the real Second World War interests you. Sure, it’s nothing too deep, but at the end of the day this was a novel I had fun reading. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 2018
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Feb 05, 2018
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May 17, 2017
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Paperback
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| 3.85
| 14,002
| Jul 25, 2017
| Jul 25, 2017
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really liked it
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4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/10/05/... Admittedly, I was both excited and a little nervous about starting Strange P 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/10/05/... Admittedly, I was both excited and a little nervous about starting Strange Practice because of the mixed reviews, but as it turned out, I ended up really enjoying it. Swiftly paced at times, but also slow-moving at others, I can see how some readers would be put off by the story’s hodgepodge construction and eccentric writing style. Fortunately though, the book’s mix of humor, mystery, urban fantasy, and gothic horror ultimately struck all the right chords with me. Our protagonist is Dr. Greta Helsing, a woman who hails from a long and illustrious line of monster experts, though her family has long dropped the “van” from their name. Following in the footsteps of her father, Greta is a doctor for the supernatural, specializing in providing care for London’s underground population of undead creatures, with patients ranging from vampires to mummies. One day, Greta receives a request for help from her vampire friend Ruthven, who brings to her a special case. Another vampire has been gravely injured, and the patient is none other than Sir Francis Varney himself, from the famed Victorian era gothic horror tale. Varney had been stabbed by a mysterious cross-shaped blade, following an ambush in his home by an intruder with glowing blue eyes dressed in monk robes. At once, Greta can sense something wrong, and not least because the vampire is unable to heal from his wound. After stabilizing her patient, Greta and her friends set their sights on figuring out the culprit behind the heinous attack. Meanwhile, there’s also a Jack the Ripper-like serial killer on the loose, targeting prostitutes and leaving plastic rosaries in their mouths as a calling card. Although the methodologies are different, our protagonist is concerned that the recent string of killings and the attack on Varney may be connected, and all too soon those fears are realized as Greta becomes a victim of blue-eyed monk herself. I was completely charmed by this novel from the very first page. Greta is such a great character, with her selfless mission to carry on her father’s work in serving the paranormal community of London. Of course, her specialized clinic keeps her pretty busy, and as a result she keeps mostly to herself, both out of necessity (it’s hard explaining what she does for a living to any new people she meets) as well as from the amount of work she gets from trying to help anyone who comes to her for care. Fortunately, she has some very good friends around to support her, and we are lucky to meet several of them here as well, including Edmund Ruthven, the wealthy vampire whom she treats for chronic depression (and who has the distinction of being one of the first vampires in literature), as well as Fastitocalon, a demon who has been a friend of the Helsings for generations (known as “Fass” to his friends, he quickly became a personal favorite). At first, Greta may seem aloof, but over time we start to see her compassionate personality come through, and even a little bit of her wry sense of humor. To be honest, I was surprised at how often the jokes in the dialogue made me chuckle. In some ways this reminds of Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London, another series I love because of its dry, subtle, very British humor. As other reviews have noted, the language in Strange Practice is quite formal, despite the novel being an urban fantasy story set in the present day. The result is both strange and alluring, frequently transporting my mind back to the Victorian era, and the Ripper storyline simply added to this effect, even though the text is peppered with references to modern day amenities and technology. However, I can easily see how this anachronistic writing style can be a deterrent for some readers. The prose got clunky at times, causing disruptions to the flow of the story, and unfortunately Greta’s medical jargon did little to help. Pacing was also slightly uneven, but certainly I’ve seen worse in a lot of other debuts, not to mention whenever things slowed down, I found that it was often due to character or relationship development and world-building, so I didn’t mind too much. Overall, I was pretty happy with my time with Strange Practice. It read like an urban fantasy but with a very cool twist, and I took to the story’s unique blend of genre elements instead of being turned off by them like I had feared. That said, this probably won’t be a book for everyone, but for me it was quick read and I found it hard to put down. I’m already looking forward to the next one. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 17, 2017
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Sep 19, 2017
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Oct 11, 2016
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Kindle Edition
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| 1250117054
| 9781250117052
| 1250117054
| 3.42
| 8,420
| Apr 18, 2017
| Apr 18, 2017
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liked it
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3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/05/12/... Adam and Meryam are a newly engaged couple from very different backgrounds 3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/05/12/... Adam and Meryam are a newly engaged couple from very different backgrounds, but they have always bonded over their love of adventure. In recent years, they have even achieved moderate fame for their series of videos taken from their travels around the world. Now they are eyeing their next great challenge, an expedition to climb Turkey’s Mount Ararat after an avalanche has reportedly revealed a massive cave up high in the side of the mountain. Wasting no time, Adam and Meryam call upon an old friend to be their mountaineering guide, and together they begin a harrowing race up Ararat in order to be the first ones to discover its secrets. However, what they end up finding in the cavern goes even beyond their wildest dreams. Within its depths, the couple discover the remains of a large ancient ship, which immediately raises the question: could this be Noah’s Ark, the great vessel that weathered the Biblical flood in the Book of Genesis? To answer this question, a full team is quickly assembled to excavate and study the find, with Meryam at its head as project manager. Included among the scientists and other experts is also a documentary crew, which is how, when a mysterious coffin is unearthed among the ruins, everything that happens next is captured on film. Throwing caution to the wind, the coffin is pried open, revealing an ugly, desiccated corpse. It is immediately apparent to everyone present that this could not be Noah—for the body is twisted and misshapen, and the top of the creature’s skull is adorned with a pair of horns. The remains of the demon—for it is impossible not to think of it as such—puts everyone on edge, regardless of their religious beliefs. Soon, the tensions start taking their toll, with project members acting erratically and others going missing. Worse, there’s no escape, for a blizzard has swept in, leaving them all trapped on Mount Ararat with an evil force. This is my first Christopher Golden novel, and I was not disappointed. Of course, it didn’t hurt that I’m a big fan of “snowbound horror”, which I truly believe is starting to become a bonafide subgenre of its own. The most effective stories of this type can make you shiver even while reading in the sweltering heat of summer or indoors beside a warm and cozy fire, if the author can convey the right type of atmosphere. There’s just something I find so creepy and oppressive about the isolation of wintry, sub-zero temperature settings, and happily, Ararat was no exception. Golden was able to capture the forbidding environment of the mountains, making it clear that, whatever may happen to our hapless characters, they are on their own. I also enjoyed the novel’s premise. I think most people are familiar with the story of Noah’s Ark, but probably far fewer of us would expect it to be the topic of a horror novel. It made for a strange but suspenseful read, with just enough ambiguity to keep one guessing. Contrary to what one might think, the story is also very light on the religious themes, focusing instead on the human drama. Even without the threat of a demonic presence, trap a large group of strangers together in an inaccessible cave on the side of a mountain and inevitably you’ll see the fur start to fly. I was motivated to turn the pages simply because I wanted to see how everything would resolve, and in a way, the tensions and mistrust between the project members reminded me a lot of John Carpenter’s The Thing—all it takes is a bit of doubt and suspicion thrown into the mix, and even the strongest relationships can begin to fall apart. Yet I do have one major complaint about this book, and that is the story’s pacing. From browsing reviews of Golden’s other works, it seems like a rather common issue among readers, and I couldn’t help but notice a lot of a similar pacing problems in Ararat. Namely, the author blew through things so fast that I barely had a chance to connect to any of the characters, and therefore many of their ultimate fates left me feeling unaffected. Character depth was also pretty much non-existent, with heavy reliance on telling rather than showing, and sometimes the difference between a good book and a great one is the effort and time it takes to develop these little details. Still, Ararat was a solidly fun read, despite not meeting its full potential. It’s certainly no Dan Simmon’s The Terror, but these kinds of books are also satisfying in their own way, and not least because they are often guaranteed entertainment. If you’re simply in the mood to pass the time with a creepy thriller-horror novel complete with gore, violence, and a staggering body count, this book will get the job done well. ...more |
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1
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Apr 06, 2017
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Apr 25, 2017
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Aug 25, 2016
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 1633882675
| 9781633882676
| 1633882675
| 3.97
| 131
| Jul 11, 2017
| Jul 11, 2017
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really liked it
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4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/07/06/... A Kiss Before Doomsday is the second novel in an urban fantasy series starri 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/07/06/... A Kiss Before Doomsday is the second novel in an urban fantasy series starring Dru Jasper, a bookish sorceress whose power allows her to unleash the magical properties of precious stones and crystals. Pretty cool, right? Now Dru and the whole gang are back in another madcap adventure to prevent the end of the world, and once again the results are as entertaining and fun as you would expect. Since the story begins in the immediate aftermath of the first book, I would highly recommend reading It Happened One Doomsday before tackling this one if you haven’t yet. I won’t spoil any of the details, but suffice it to say that our protagonist did not exactly come out of the previous ordeal unscathed. Dru’s store The Crystal Connection has been left completely destroyed, and her new boyfriend Greyson is missing after he and his demonic muscle car Hellbringer were blown up in the Netherworld. Dru doesn’t know what’s worse: the idea that Greyson is dead, or that he is still alive but still afflicted by the curse that transformed him into one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. In the meantime though, the city of Denver is facing other problems. Despite our characters’ efforts in the previous book, the world is still heading towards Doomsday, with signs that someone is still trying to fulfill the prophecy of the apocalypse scroll. The latest disaster is a plague of undead, and for some reason, they seem to be targeting all of the area’s magic users, including Dru and her friends. If you’ve read my review of It Happened One Doomsday, then you’re probably aware already that I’m all over this fantastic series. With a flood of new urban fantasy titles coming out every year, it’s always refreshing to come across something that immediately leaps out at me, even if it’s because of seemingly minor things like a twist in the usual story formula or a really cool magic system. Little details like that are just as likely to catch my attention, and that’s exactly what happened when I read the first book last year and fell in love with the idea of crystal magic. Laurence MacNaughton did a great job taking off with the concept, allowing Dru to harness a crystal’s power depending on its properties (and there’s just something so charming about the idea of our main character running around with an arsenal of different crystals stuffed in her purse, so that she’ll be ready for any situation). The best part is, now that Dru’s magic is even stronger in this sequel, we get to see even more of her in action. Then there are the characters. I love them all so much! Rane, my favorite Amazonian metal woman from the first book is back, and this time around she even has a mini-side plot involving her and a former flame, a jerkwad sorcerer named Salem. Opal also returns with a bigger role in this novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the three friends working together to figure out why the dead are rising from the grave to attack sorcerers. On the other hand, there was not as much of Greyson. This also meant less of Hellbringer, which was a shame since I am a big fan of that demon car. Still, Greyson and his hot rod taking a step back also meant the story got to really focus on our three ladies and their mission to kick some ass and rescue the guy for a change, so this was definitely a silver lining. That said, a part of me still wishes we could have seen more development into Dru’s relationship with Greyson, because while theirs was a whirlwind romance from the start, I wasn’t quite convinced that our protagonist would be the kind of girl to turn into a weeping mess over someone she’s only known for a couple weeks. Apart from those minor quibbles though, I really have no complaints. With this solidly written sequel, Laurence MacNaughton really seems to be hitting his stride, giving readers more of his quirky characters and their action-packed adventures. Indeed, if the series continues in this exciting and lighthearted vein, it is sure to become smashing hit and be warmly welcomed by myself and other urban fantasy fans. A Kiss Before Doomsday was another excellent, fun-filled read, and I can’t wait for more. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 20, 2017
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Jun 24, 2017
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Aug 15, 2016
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Paperback
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| 1941987664
| 9781941987667
| 1941987664
| 4.21
| 308
| unknown
| Sep 13, 2016
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it was amazing
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4.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/09/23/... For those who have not yet been initiated into the strange, scary and wond 4.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/09/23/... For those who have not yet been initiated into the strange, scary and wonderful world of the Valducan series, better strap in, because you’re in for one hell of a ride. Here you will find monsters and demons and the secret international network of warriors who hunt them, and at the center of it all is the most important tool in their arsenal—holy weapons. These are imbued with the spirits of angels, forming a deep and reverent bond with their wielders to grant them amazing supernatural powers. Hands down, Ibenus is my favorite book in this series yet. There are so many reasons why, but most of all, thank you Seth Skorkowsky for giving me something I’ve wanted since the beginning: a Valducan story centered on a female knight! Victoria Martin is our protagonist, a former London police officer whose life falls apart following a vicious demon attack which leaves her traumatized and her partner dead. Her employers subsequently let her go, dismissing her report and claiming that the impossible things she saw was due to stress and psychological damage. Unwilling to accept this, Victoria decides to take matters into her own hands. This is how she winds up tracking down and fighting alongside the Valducans, after one of their most experienced knights saw potential in her and agrees to take her on as his student. Allan Havlock, protector of the holy blade Ibenus, didn’t know why but agreeing to train Victoria simply felt right, like the angel in his weapon was showing him his path. Little did he know though, his new apprentice had been in contact with an internet conspiracy group led by a man named Tommy D, an amateur filmmaker who shares her desire to expose the world to the truth of monsters. On her part, Victoria thought she was doing the right thing, infiltrating the Valducans with the goal of blowing their cover wide open. However, this was before she got to know her fellow demon hunters, before she got to sympathize with their mission…and before she started to fall in love with Allan. By the time she realizes she might have made a mistake though, it may already be too late. Ibenus is the third installment in the series, but like the previous novels it can be read as a standalone. In fact, I would even say it’s a great place to start, since it does a fine job introducing the Valducans and laying out the nitty-gritty of what they do. Unlike the previous two books, Ibenus also features a lot more team action, whereas both Dämoren and Hounacier focused mostly on their respective main characters. I think this gives the book an edge, showing the ins and outs of how a new recruit like Victoria is initiated and integrated into the complex Valducan network, as well as how this shadowy group functions like a well-oiled machine. It’s this level of detail in the world-building that makes Ibenus a wonderful jumping-on point. That being said, the stars from the earlier books also make cameo appearances, so if what you read of Matt Hollis or Malcolm Romero sounds interesting here, I strongly urge you to go back and read their backstories. This book also offered up just the right blend of different genre elements. I am a big fan of urban fantasy tinged with horror, and the Valducan series has always scratched that itch for me. In this world there are everything from werewolves to wendigos, but these are the no-holds-barred kinds of monsters—brutal and terrifying. In Ibenus, the creatures the knights are going after are even worse. Called Mantismeres, they are giant insectoid demons that spawn doll-faced carapaced minions, which in turn lure in their unwitting victims by emitting sounds that imitate crying or giggling babies. Imagine meeting something like that in the dark. There’s also a great plot here, involving more than just action and thrills. Skorkowsky takes the storytelling to another level in in this book, developing character relationships and using their different motivations to create tension. There’s everything from love and betrayal to hidden agendas and conflicts of interest. A new light is shone on the will of holy weapons like Ibenus, emphasizing the fact that they are fundamentally sentient beings and can be considered characters in their own right. The enmity between the Valducan and Tommy D’s gang also becomes a focal point, for while they may both fight on the same side against the demons, the two groups are driven by different forces. Yet it’s easy to understand where the “bad guys” are coming from, even if you disagree with their methods. Likewise, despite the Valducans being the “heroes” of this series, what happens in this story will lead to many questions about their motives. I really appreciated how things were never simply black and white. All told, Ibenus is another amazing demon-gore-splattered sequel in the highly entertaining Valducan series. The author has come a long way since the first book, and the series itself has also grown from stories about lone heroes to a bigger, fuller, more epic experience involving greater consequences and higher stakes. I love it. Highly recommended. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Sep 14, 2016
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Sep 15, 2016
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Jun 07, 2016
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Paperback
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| 0451477391
| 9780451477392
| 0451477391
| 3.89
| 1,413
| Apr 04, 2017
| Apr 04, 2017
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liked it
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2.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/05/25/... Ultimately, my second foray into the Dominion of the Fallen did not turn o 2.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/05/25/... Ultimately, my second foray into the Dominion of the Fallen did not turn out the way I’d hoped, though to be fair, I did have a lot riding on this sequel. It’s true that the first book left me with mixed feelings, but I found the premise intriguing enough that I wanted to see where things would lead, and maybe give this series a another chance to sweep me off my feet. Regrettably, this did not quite happen—despite The House of Binding Thorns being a pretty decent follow-up. At the end of the day though, I simply found myself tripping over a lot of same hurdles as book one. First of all, in spite of the suggestions that this can be read as a standalone, I would highly recommend against it. Definitely read The House of Shattered Wings first if you can; you will find the background information absolutely indispensable, especially in anchoring you to the setting. In the aftermath of the war between angels, the proud city of Paris is now only a ghost of what it once was, and the Fallen are now divided in several houses all vying for power among the crumbling ruins. Most of the characters here were originally introduced in the first book, including Madeleine, an alchemist suffering from an addiction to angel essence. Upon her return to House Hawthorn, their leader Asmodeus mercilessly purges that addiction from her, with the intention of sending her on a diplomatic mission to the dragon kingdom under the Seine. Meanwhile, Philippe is also back, now mourning the loss of Isabelle, the fallen angel with whom he had shared a mental link. While searching for a way to resurrect her, he comes across Berith, another Fallen who claims to be Asmodeus’ sister. The exiled angel is currently keeping a low profile, hiding herself and her pregnant human lover Françoise from the chaos and poison of the clashing Houses. However, due to their familial connections, Berith may not be as well hidden from Asmodeus as she has led Françoise to believe, and in the escalating conflict between all the factions involved, it is becoming increasingly clear that no one will be safe from the violence. Right away, I was struck by how little I remembered from the first book. I had to go back to my review of The House of Shattered Wings to remind myself who was who, and in doing so, I also noticed what I had written about the characters and how I’d struggled to engage with any of them. Unfortunately, this is a problem that persists; there are too many characters and not enough personality between them to justify so many, and the result is just a jumble of names and descriptions that I tried to but could not connect with on a deeper, emotional level. For this simple reason alone, the rest of the book fell apart for me, even though I admit from a technical standpoint, The House of Binding Thorns is probably a better book than its predecessor. However, I need to care about the characters to care about the story; without that foundation, it’s hard to get on board with everything else. Furthermore, though I was impressed with the allegorical themes of post-colonialism, I’m not sure they came through well enough amidst all the noise. Paradoxically, the plot felt simultaneously too complicated and too superficial, overly simplistic. At times, The House of Binding Thorns felt very much like a “middle book”, in the sense that it is neither here nor there, striving to expand the story and characters beyond the first novel but ultimately falling short of achieving the desired result. Again, all the ingredients seem to be there—the history, mythology, philosophical discourse and world-building, etc.—and in many cases they even surpass their scope from the first book, but for the reasons I touched upon above, the story simply failed to “speak” to me. In the end, I have a feeling that this might just be another classic case of “Good book, but not for me”. Still, despite not winning me over, I’m glad I gave this series another shot. Chances are I’ll probably sit out for the third book of Dominion of the Fallen, but I’m definitely not closing any doors to trying more of Aliette de Bodard’s other work in the future. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 11, 2017
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May 13, 2017
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Jun 07, 2016
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Hardcover
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| 150110411X
| 9781501104114
| 150110411X
| 3.62
| 647
| 1996
| Mar 15, 2016
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really liked it
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4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2016/04/03/b... Several weeks ago I received a book that I was unfamiliar with, a gorgeous h 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2016/04/03/b... Several weeks ago I received a book that I was unfamiliar with, a gorgeous hardcover with its page edges stained an ominous red. The title was Dark Debts by Karen Hall, which I quickly looked up to find out more. Turns out, what I held in my hands was a revised, new edition of an old cult classic theological horror/thriller, published again now by Simon & Schuster for its 20th anniversary. According to an article I read though, this is not just a simple reissue, as some of the changes are pretty significant and extensive. Among them are a new major character as well as a reworked ending. The reason for these rewrites, the author explained, had much to do with how she has changed as a person in the last two decades, as well as updates to her knowledge on the Catholic faith. Since I’ve not read the original, there’s no way for me to compare the two editions, but knowing all this new information did make me even more curious. It’s a rare opportunity whenever an author gets to rework a previously published novel, and I was drawn to the themes and subjects of this book. Gothic horror. Theological questions. Demon possession and exorcism. Mystery. Romance. Dark Debts is all of this and more. The story begins with a Jesuit priest named Father Michael Kinney testifying as a witness to a horrific crime involving a teenage boy and his two parents, appearing in court against the wishes of the church. In response, Father Michael’s superiors transfer him to rural Georgia immediately after the trial, forcing him to leave his old parish in Manhattan. Believing his exile to be a result of church politics, Father Michael is stricken when he discovers the truth about the dark, terrible secrets in his family’s past and that his transfer might in fact be no accident at all. Meanwhile, a journalist in California receives some shocking news. Randa is informed that her friend and former lover Cam Landry, a man she had always known to be a kind and mild-mannered pacifist, is dead by suicide after robbing a liquor store and killing an employee. After promising to return Cam’s belongings to his brother in Georgia, Randa ends up meeting Jack Landry, the last surviving member of their notorious family. Everyone in town is familiar with the name Landry—the father Will was an abusive alcoholic who took out his awful anger on his wife and sons; youngest brother Ethan’s death was a suicide, though rumor has it that his father killed him; oldest brother Tallen went on a murder spree at a church during Christmas services and was then convicted and executed by the state; and their mother took her own life one year later. Now Cam is gone too, and friends close to him told Randa that he was acting strange and having bad dreams before he snapped. Jack is the only one left, and he is terrified of growing close to anyone, convinced that the Landry curse will claim him next and make him lose control. If you enjoy experiencing the disturbing feelings of unease or creeping dread brought on by the atmosphere of old-school horror movies, then Dark Debts is for you. It is a very subtle novel, and those looking for more of the in-your-face horror elements will probably have to look elsewhere. There is a supernatural aspect to the story involving satanic cults and demonic possession, but at its heart this book reads a lot more like a slow-burn mystery-suspense rather than a straight up horror novel. There’s also a thread of romance woven in as a spark ignites between Randa and Jack, despite the latter’s reticence and fear to let anyone new into his life. In particular, I really liked reading about the characters in this book. They are all wonderfully flawed and complicated, as evidenced by the prime example of Father Michael Kinney, a Catholic priest whose devotion to his faith often clashes with his progressive views. He has even broken his vow of chastity and is secretly carrying on a relationship with a woman in New York, and every day he fights an internal battle that challenges his relationship with God. This undoubtedly is the cause of some conflict as he is called upon to perform an exorcism, for how is he to vanquish others’ demons when he is still clearly dealing with his own? If I had any complaints about this book at all, it would have to do with the story’s pacing. I gave a nod to the slow-burn effect, but I still felt the narrative took an inordinate amount of time to establish the two storylines (one featuring Father Michael, the other focusing on Randa and Jack) and the question of how they are related was not answered until much later. Also, I’d expected this book to be a lot more chilling and disturbing from its cover and the blurbs. While I certainly don’t mind that Dark Debts turned out to be more of a supernatural mystery with a greater emphasis on suspense than actual horror, I still can’t help the twinge of disappointment that this was not as scary as I had hoped. I spent a lot of time thinking about this book after I was finished though, and realized that even in light of the pacing issues, Dark Debts kept me engaged from cover to cover. The research that went into it must have been tremendous. I didn’t even know until later that the downtown Atlanta fire at the Winecoff Hotel, which was central to Father Michael’s story, was in fact a real event, the deadliest hotel fire in US history claiming 119 victims back in 1946. I looked it up after finishing Dark Debts, and reading the details of the disaster sent shivers up my spine. It makes me wonder what else I might have missed. Whether you’re new to this book, an old fan interested in seeing some of the updated changes, or just an avid reader of horror/mystery/suspense in general, I definitely recommend checking out this edition of Dark Debts if the story intrigues you. An impressive novel featuring great atmosphere, multilayered characters, and a number of complex themes surrounding the conflict of good versus evil. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 19, 2016
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Mar 20, 2016
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Feb 27, 2016
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 1633881873
| 9781633881877
| 1633881873
| 3.63
| 343
| Jul 12, 2016
| Jul 12, 2016
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really liked it
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4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/08/16/... I knew I was going to have fun with this book, but I ended up liking it even 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/08/16/... I knew I was going to have fun with this book, but I ended up liking it even more than I expected. I’ve reached the point in my reading where I already have several go-to authors or series I seek out whenever I want my routine Urban Fantasy fix, so for me to jump into a new UF, something has to be unique or special about it to catch my interest. I’m happy to say that It Happened One Doomsday was just that—fresh, original, and extremely entertaining. It’s not every day you come across a magic system based on crystals, minerals and gems, or a version of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse who herald in the end of the world driving fast classic cars. Our protagonist is also not your typical sorceress. In fact, by her own admission, Dru Jasper is barely a sorceress at all. She knows her own magical potential is weak, but she tells herself she’s fine with that. Most folks in the magical community aren’t the most stable, anyway. All Dru wants now is to be a “normal” person, to settle down with her “normal” successful dentist boyfriend Nate, and start a “normal” life together with him. In the meantime, she’s happy enough supporting other more talented sorcerers with her store, The Crystal Connection, supplying them with powerful potions and magical crystals. Every once in a while, a regular customer will also come in asking for some relaxation incense or crystal healing. Then one day, a hunky mechanic named Greyson rolls up to her store in a black muscle car and walks in with complaints of nightmares keeping him awake. Right away, Dru feels a connection with him. Just being near him seems to amplify her powers, so that she can achieve more magical healing with her crystals than she’s ever managed before. However, despite Dru’s best efforts, Greyson’s symptoms don’t seem to be getting any better. Her worst fears are confirmed when horns start sprouting from his head and his eyes start glowing red: Greyson is turning into a demon. Turns out, an order called the Harbingers are bent on bringing about doomsday and for some reason Greyson has been targeted to be one of their Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. To stop the end of the world, Dru and her friends must recover an artifact known as the Apocalypse Scroll, but first they’ll have to survive long enough to find a way to reverse Greyson’s terrible transformation. I had a wonderful time with this fast-paced and entertaining story. Laurence MacNaughton’s writing is very engaging and readable, and he has a great touch with dialogue, especially when it comes to snappy back-and-forth interplay between characters. However, for this review, I want to focus on what I thought were the book’s main standout features. To start things off, Dru’s use of crystal magic is something I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. The author recently wrote a guest post for The BiblioSanctum which talked about the magic system in It Happened One Doomsday and it is clear he knows a lot about the history and properties of crystals and gems. The main focus of the post was on galena, which Dru uses in the book to fight demons, but there are so many more types of rocks, minerals, and even metals that are featured in this story. Our protagonist’s touch can activate the magical potential in the crystals, which she can then use or channel to so some pretty amazing things. It’s a simple idea, but the possibilities are virtually limitless. Second, the characters are what makes this book shine. Dru is headstrong and isn’t afraid to step up to do what needs doing, but she’s also far from being the perfect heroine archetype. MacNaughton paints her as something closer to an underdog, someone who doubts her own powers and worth. She’s reluctant to reach for what she really wants, fearing failure and disappointment, so she decides to settle for what she thinks is good enough. Fortunately for Dru, she has good friends who provide her with a daily dose of reality check. Enter Rane, a six-foot-tall Amazonian sorceress who can turn her body into whatever substance she is in contact with, which makes Dru and her extensive inventory of metal and rock jewelry a good ally for her to have. Rane is proof that sometimes you can like a supporting character even more than the main protagonist; I just loved her and her friendship with Dru, and I was happy that she had a big role in this story. Third, I liked the idea of possessed cars. While I’m not a fan of muscles cars or hot rods, the concept of demons riding them seemed like an apropos, modern-day equivalent of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Greyson’s car, dubbed Hellbringer, was a delight, and much credit goes to MacNaughton for giving an inanimate object such a convincing personality and for making it seem so alive. The ending ties things up nicely, but also sets the stage for more. Bottom line, even though I’m following way too many urban fantasy series these days, I’ll never say no to entertaining stories and great characters. It Happened One Doomsday definitely sold me, and I know I’ll be waiting on pins and needles until the sequel. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 02, 2016
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Aug 07, 2016
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Dec 09, 2015
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0451473523
| 9780451473523
| 0451473523
| 3.63
| 404
| Apr 05, 2016
| Apr 05, 2016
|
liked it
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3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2016/04/06/b... Lots of interesting things are happening in the horror genre lately, as ev 3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2016/04/06/b... Lots of interesting things are happening in the horror genre lately, as evidenced by my latest venture into Thomas E. Sniegoski’s new novel The Demonists. Imagine The Exorcist, urban fantasy style! This is also my first book by the author, and it certainly won’t be the last—not if there’s more like this coming my way. The story follows the husband-and-wife team of John Fogg and Theodora Knight, who are the world’s foremost experts on paranormal investigation. They’re even the stars of their own show called Spirit Chasers, a reality TV series that probes into supposedly haunted locations. But on Halloween night, the show producers decide to do a special episode as a publicity stunt, filming live as John and Theo investigate an old house reported to be filled with dark energy. Things should have unfolded like any other show, but then the hosts go into the basement and everything goes terribly wrong. The whole world watches in horror as the crew are massacred live on screen. John manages to survive, but not without sustaining serious injury. And Theo… Something much worse has happened to John’s wife, who is a powerful psychic medium in her own right. Though afterwards everyone was made to believe it was a gas explosion, what really happened at the house was the unleashing of a host of malevolent spirits which has possessed Theodora’s body and left her catatonic. John desperately searches for a way to save his wife, even traveling overseas to investigate rumors of an excavation site containing an ancient library and books which may hold the key to exorcising Theo’s demons. Meanwhile, about half a dozen children have vanished since Halloween, snatched in the middle of the night from their homes, and a determined FBI agent is doing everything she can to find the missing kids before time runs out. Urban-fantasy-meets-horror seems to be a burgeoning trend these days, and I find myself really enjoying the recent offerings that blend paranormal and fantasy elements with the gruesome, dreadful, and nightmarish. The Demonists delivers its monstrous demons in spades, and does not spare any of the gory, grisly details. This was a book that truly creeped me out, which is a rare occurrence; in general I consider myself quite immune to the usual trappings of the horror genre and don’t tend to scare or get grossed out easily, but I think ever since I became a parent, disturbing tales involving kids will now always have this way of making me feel unsettled. Sniegoski is a skilled storytelling with a talent for creating a foreboding atmosphere and cranking up the dread. In fact, I think the author could have taken it even further had he chose to; at just over 300 pages though, I thought this book was a little too short for the story it was trying to tell. On the one hand, the breakneck speed of the narrative ensures that there is never a dull moment, but on the other, neither the rigorous pacing nor the frequent point-of-view switches allow enough room for the horror to build. Timing is everything in this genre, and I wouldn’t have minded more of an opportunity for the terror to linger and seep under my skin. It would have given us a chance to know the characters better as well, because I don’t know if I connected to John or Theo as well as I could have, not did I feel the full strength of their marriage and bond. But then there were the characters who were written very well, like Agent Brenna Isabel whose backstory nearly broke my heart. And of course, who could forget the antagonist Barrett Winfield, who later became known as “The Teacher”? There couldn’t have been a more sadistic and twisted villain. Just wait until you see what he does to his own mother. If the description of The Demonists sounds like something you’ll like to read though, I definitely recommend giving it a shot. But fair warning: it’s not for the faint of heart! While outwardly the book may look like an urban fantasy, it is definitely no innocuous romp through the usual paranormal milieus, so don’t expect to find lighthearted supernatural adventuring or any underlying romantic arcs in here. Still, I do love this subgenre. Even though The Demonists is not without its flaws, I found the book intriguing and entertaining. It’s a damn good start to what looks to be a promising new urban-horror series featuring a fascinating fusion of the two genres, and I look forward to more. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 22, 2016
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Mar 26, 2016
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Nov 02, 2015
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Paperback
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| 085766512X
| 9780857665126
| 085766512X
| 3.77
| 862
| Jan 07, 2016
| Jan 05, 2016
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liked it
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3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2016/02/04/a... Drake is a darkly humorous urban fantasy about the unfortunate misadventur 3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2016/02/04/a... Drake is a darkly humorous urban fantasy about the unfortunate misadventures of a hieromancer hitman named Don Drake, though I must say, labeling him a “hitman” is greatly simplifying the kind of work he does. With the help of a nine-inch tall animated idol representing the earthly form of a bound archdemon—which he calls “The Burned Man”—Drake is able to summon forth demonic creatures from hell to sic on his victims, killing them without having to dirty his own physical hands. Be that as it may, Drake is still consumed with grief and guilt when his latest job goes awry, resulting in the tragic death of an innocent child who was merely in the wrong place at the wrong time. Traumatized and remorseful, Drake makes the decision to leave his line of work behind. However, word of his horrible deed has gotten out, and now Drake has a trio of vengeful Furies on his tail. To make matters worse, his former employer Wormwood turns out to be an archdemon himself, and he most assuredly does not accept Drake’s resignation, pulling our hapless protagonist back into the hitman game. Drake’s only hope now lies with Trixie, an angel with a questionable history who has come to aid him in his time of need, but can she be trusted? This is seriously a great story, full of hairpin twists and turns. While the plot could have used a bit of tightening up, the speed at which it moved was a thrill and a delight. What’s even better is that despite the modern atmosphere, certain elements in Drake reminded me of the old-style classic noir mysteries, complete with femme fatales and over-the-top diabolical villains. The dialogue is also frequently laugh-out-loud hilarious, loaded up with profanity and British slang to great effect. I’m sure I’ll have to thank my dad, who spent his college years I won’t lie though, I think I would have liked this more if it weren’t for the protagonist. I’m not one who usually has trouble accepting or even embracing unpleasant characters, anti-heroes, flawed souls, or any of those morally contentious types. But when I found myself yelling “NO NO NO DON’T DO IT!” at the audiobook every five minutes (pretty much every time Drake does or says something stupid) I had to admit to myself that maybe, just maybe, the main character and I have some issues to work out. Thing is, Drake really isn’t a bad man, but he does have this tendency to make some earth-shatteringly dumb decisions and—to my great chagrin—not learn from his mistakes. I can tolerate the occasional lapse in judgement, but I can’t abide a fool. There’s a scene in the book where the Burned Man is mercilessly laying into Drake for being a pathetic, pitiful bastard as well as a sorry excuse for a human being, and all I could think in my head in response was “Yeeeeah…I kind of agree.” Drake is for the most part a cowardly, unambitious and weak-willed magician who even admits as much, being under no illusions when it comes to his powers–he knows he is nothing without the Burned Man. Drake has good intentions, making him slightly loveable, but unfortunately he rarely sees his plans through, preferring to always take the easy way out, which was the root of most of my frustrations with his character. I have to say though, the audiobook production of Drake is fabulous, with narrator Mark Meadows nailing the voice and attitude of our protagonist. I mentioned the excellent dialogue, which is written the way it’s meant to be spoken, and that might explain why it comes across so perfectly in the audio format. Meadows’ accents and inflections are great, so that all the characters come to life and become very real to me when he speaks their lines. All in all, I had a good time with this book, and given the promising way it ended, I might just be willing to give Don Drake another shot in a sequel. I love edgy and gritty urban fantasy, and with so much potential in Drake, it would be a damn shame to let my feelings for the character get in the way of enjoying more, especially after this outrageously entertaining first installment. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 16, 2016
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Jan 18, 2016
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Oct 26, 2015
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Kindle Edition
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my rating |
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| 3.48
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liked it
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Dec 03, 2022
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Feb 15, 2022
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| 3.80
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liked it
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Jun 15, 2020
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Sep 15, 2019
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| 3.63
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liked it
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Oct 15, 2019
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Feb 12, 2019
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| 3.88
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liked it
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Feb 03, 2019
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Jan 16, 2019
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| 4.14
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really liked it
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Sep 22, 2019
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Oct 16, 2018
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| 3.21
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liked it
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Oct 28, 2018
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Sep 26, 2018
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| 3.90
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really liked it
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Oct 03, 2018
not set
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Jun 27, 2018
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| 3.85
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liked it
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Jan 16, 2018
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Jan 05, 2018
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| 4.15
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liked it
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Aug 2018
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Oct 29, 2017
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| 4.34
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really liked it
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Feb 11, 2018
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Aug 09, 2017
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| 3.65
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liked it
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Feb 05, 2018
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May 17, 2017
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| 3.85
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really liked it
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Sep 19, 2017
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Oct 11, 2016
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| 3.42
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liked it
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Apr 25, 2017
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Aug 25, 2016
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| 3.97
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really liked it
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Jun 24, 2017
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Aug 15, 2016
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| 4.21
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it was amazing
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Sep 15, 2016
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Jun 07, 2016
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| 3.89
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liked it
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May 13, 2017
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Jun 07, 2016
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| 3.62
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really liked it
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Mar 20, 2016
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Feb 27, 2016
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| 3.63
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really liked it
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Aug 07, 2016
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Dec 09, 2015
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| 3.63
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liked it
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Mar 26, 2016
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Nov 02, 2015
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| 3.77
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liked it
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Jan 18, 2016
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Oct 26, 2015
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