aknas22's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fun, fast paced read with characters I really liked. I'll definitely read the next book in the series.
litwrite's review against another edition
3.0
This is a fun little urban fantasy book, the start of a series about an aspiring actress named Esther Diamond who lives in New York City and ends up pulled into some otherworldly intrigue, and making friends with a 350 year old Dr. Zadok who happens to have drank a potion for immortality and is stationed in New York in a quest to defend the world from evil.
This first novel tracks the mystery of people who actually fully disappear when they are part of magical acts were they are supposed to be put in a box, disappear, then reappear again.
I loved the tongue in cheek tone the book took, dialogue was cute but borderlined on almost too cutesy at some point - I think Resnick needs to tone it down a little. Very Buffy-esque dialogue and characters, Buffy fans would definitely be more into this, it has the same sense of humor.
I like the fact that Esther has absolutely no special abilities or powers, it's refreshing in a genre filled with Very Unique Snowflakes. Worth a look-see for fans of the urban fantasy genre who want something with a little more humor.
This first novel tracks the mystery of people who actually fully disappear when they are part of magical acts were they are supposed to be put in a box, disappear, then reappear again.
I loved the tongue in cheek tone the book took, dialogue was cute but borderlined on almost too cutesy at some point - I think Resnick needs to tone it down a little. Very Buffy-esque dialogue and characters, Buffy fans would definitely be more into this, it has the same sense of humor.
I like the fact that Esther has absolutely no special abilities or powers, it's refreshing in a genre filled with Very Unique Snowflakes. Worth a look-see for fans of the urban fantasy genre who want something with a little more humor.
attytheresa's review against another edition
3.0
Esther, the understudy for the magician's assistant, is also a scantily clad nymph in the chorus in Sorcerer!, an off-Broadway production revolving around a magician's act. A mediocre D-List magician's act at that. The highlight of the show is the Disappearing Act, you know, the trick where the beautiful magician's assistant 'disappears'. Except tonight she really disappears. Poof!
What follows is a romp, a silly, highly entertaining, mystery romp involving various D-list magician acts whose beautiful assistants have suddenly really disappeared during the act, including Dolly the Dancing Cowgirl, the nearly naked Samson (different acts but equally outrageous), Alice the white Siberian tiger and oh, yes, the beautiful female assistant in that act. Enter Dr. Zadok and a motley but highly original crew that together with Esther ultimately finds the evil villain, counters his evil magic, and rescues all. Oh, and let's not forget the oh so attractive Connor Lopez, Detective, NYPD, who is skeptical at best but together with Esther gives us one of the funniest 'having coffee together' scenes I've read in a long time.
Yes, I really enjoyed this romp even though it took me days to read - that had more to do with work and pandemic exhaustion than the book. I knew who the evil villain was and why he was causing magician assistants -- beautiful magician assistants -- to disappear practically from the beginning, but it really didn't matter because you were reading this for the characters and settings.
What follows is a romp, a silly, highly entertaining, mystery romp involving various D-list magician acts whose beautiful assistants have suddenly really disappeared during the act, including Dolly the Dancing Cowgirl, the nearly naked Samson (different acts but equally outrageous), Alice the white Siberian tiger and oh, yes, the beautiful female assistant in that act. Enter Dr. Zadok and a motley but highly original crew that together with Esther ultimately finds the evil villain, counters his evil magic, and rescues all. Oh, and let's not forget the oh so attractive Connor Lopez, Detective, NYPD, who is skeptical at best but together with Esther gives us one of the funniest 'having coffee together' scenes I've read in a long time.
Yes, I really enjoyed this romp even though it took me days to read - that had more to do with work and pandemic exhaustion than the book. I knew who the evil villain was and why he was causing magician assistants -- beautiful magician assistants -- to disappear practically from the beginning, but it really didn't matter because you were reading this for the characters and settings.
madz2023's review against another edition
5.0
Loved!! Just finished this book while in Tanzania, Africa!!! Its a very funny read and I love Esther the main character!! She and Lopez together are the BEST couple!!!! There is soooo much humor to the story with Esther who's fluent in sarcasm, Lopez and his stories and assumptions, and Max... well he's a mage.. who happens to be 350 years old! The thing is: he hasn't totally caught up with the modern time and is therefore freaked out of any form of modern, motorized transportation. Max has also blown up his computer.. but so far the home phone has made it! Anyway, I totally give this book a 4-1/2 outa 5 stars!! There were only a slight few issues to be had, but overall its a great start to a series!!! :) <3 LOPEZ!
grayreader's review
2.0
Bit of dark humor at the end that did not work for me, seemed in poor taste, which lowered this book by a star for me. However, this series as a whole is very enjoyable.
dlmoldovan's review
4.0
i picked up this book to read on a road trip, and it definetely provided a few hours of entartainment while riding in the back seat of a car (while you are trying to distract yourself from the fact that you have car sickness). the story line is easy to follow, the characters are hilarious, and i couldn't wait to get to the end. i think it might be the first one in the series, and it is definetely a good start.
greeneyedreads's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
evieshka's review against another edition
2.0
It was an all right book. I'm never thrilled with the use of rape as a plot device, and certainly not in a semi-humorous, they-deserved-it fashion. The rest of the story was fun, though, and Resnick did a fair enough job of representing the drag community.
I'll probably read the next book and see how the author has improved. Never judge a series by the first book, right?
I'll probably read the next book and see how the author has improved. Never judge a series by the first book, right?
heyt's review against another edition
3.0
I did myself and this book a slight disservice by reading [b:Dopplegangster] first. The prologue of that book summed this one's entire plot in four pages so the big who dunnit wasn't as surprising as it should have been. However, there was still a lot in this book I found entertaining like how Esther meets Max and Lopez. There was also a lot of wonderfully zany side characters that made this a good, fast read.
jbrooxd's review
4.0
I picked this up in my ongoing quest to find another sci-fi/fantasy series that I love as much as Gini Koch's Kitty Katt-Martini series. Sadly, this didn't live up to Koch's work, but it was an enjoyable enough read that I will try book 2.
I liked the main character in this and the quest to find out what is happening to the vanished people. The mystery side of it was good - I enjoyed the twists as the story went on. But the middle had a lot of dragging spots where there were a lot of details that didn't feel essential to the quest the team was on. There were a few funny moments in the last quarter of the book that I really enjoyed. I'm looking forward to seeing which characters come back for book 2 and see if the pacing and humor pick up.
I liked the main character in this and the quest to find out what is happening to the vanished people. The mystery side of it was good - I enjoyed the twists as the story went on. But the middle had a lot of dragging spots where there were a lot of details that didn't feel essential to the quest the team was on. There were a few funny moments in the last quarter of the book that I really enjoyed. I'm looking forward to seeing which characters come back for book 2 and see if the pacing and humor pick up.