sminetos's review
5.0
In the fall of 2019, I found an absolute gem of a book called "Midnight Agency" at Barnes and Noble. Signed by the author, no less!
The Soul Stealers is an exemplary sequel. It expands on the universe in new and interesting ways, introduces new elements of the world, and is every bit as gripping as the first installment of this series. Driskill and the agency set out to defeat a witch who is stealing the souls of innocents on the edge of the badlands, and encounter no shortage of dangers along the way.
As a fellow New Mexican, perhaps I'm biased, but Ken Hoover *gets it*. In the acknowledgements, he mentions that the natural beauty of our state inspired the setting of the Midnight Agency series, and it's the perfect backdrop for a gritty adventure story. It can be bleak, it can be brutal and unforgiving, but at the same time, it's almost unspeakably beautiful. Hoover uses the setting to thicken the adventure, and the characters interact with it in incredibly interesting ways. The world of Midnight Agency is one of the richest worlds I've had the pleasure of stumbling across in the fantasy I've read in the past several years.
Hoover's characters have a vibrancy that I don't find often enough in speculative fiction. They feel real enough to jump off the page, and their bonds are so visceral, you find yourself wishing you could befriend them. Driskill gets most of the spotlight in this installment. He's a wonderfully fascinating character, but Kory and Carlos remain my favorites. I can't wait for the continuation of Kory's arc. She's a hotheaded spitfire and I love her for it, and her dynamic with Carlos (who is sweet and funny and absolutely wonderful; I love him for all the reasons I love Hoban Washburne) is just... *chef's kiss*. Fingers-crossed for more of the Kory/Carlos romance in the next book.
That being said, I missed Clara, Etta, and Silas. I enjoyed the new cast members, Goyan in particular, but I'm hopeful that the others will have a weightier presence in book 3.
Can't wait to see what's in store for the third adventure!
The Soul Stealers is an exemplary sequel. It expands on the universe in new and interesting ways, introduces new elements of the world, and is every bit as gripping as the first installment of this series. Driskill and the agency set out to defeat a witch who is stealing the souls of innocents on the edge of the badlands, and encounter no shortage of dangers along the way.
As a fellow New Mexican, perhaps I'm biased, but Ken Hoover *gets it*. In the acknowledgements, he mentions that the natural beauty of our state inspired the setting of the Midnight Agency series, and it's the perfect backdrop for a gritty adventure story. It can be bleak, it can be brutal and unforgiving, but at the same time, it's almost unspeakably beautiful. Hoover uses the setting to thicken the adventure, and the characters interact with it in incredibly interesting ways. The world of Midnight Agency is one of the richest worlds I've had the pleasure of stumbling across in the fantasy I've read in the past several years.
Hoover's characters have a vibrancy that I don't find often enough in speculative fiction. They feel real enough to jump off the page, and their bonds are so visceral, you find yourself wishing you could befriend them. Driskill gets most of the spotlight in this installment. He's a wonderfully fascinating character, but Kory and Carlos remain my favorites. I can't wait for the continuation of Kory's arc. She's a hotheaded spitfire and I love her for it, and her dynamic with Carlos (who is sweet and funny and absolutely wonderful; I love him for all the reasons I love Hoban Washburne) is just... *chef's kiss*. Fingers-crossed for more of the Kory/Carlos romance in the next book.
That being said, I missed Clara, Etta, and Silas. I enjoyed the new cast members, Goyan in particular, but I'm hopeful that the others will have a weightier presence in book 3.
Can't wait to see what's in store for the third adventure!
More...