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malberto's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Very classic detective story. It has some (implied) queer representative. The fantasy elements are mostly standard for the typical urban fantasy mystery.
This first book is mostly setup, although it manages to tie a few knots it leaves right in the tick of it, like it should have 2 or 3 more chapters but instead it just ends.
Overall I've liked it a lot and recommend to any fan of the UF genre. For fans of PNR, you may be a little disappointed, while there is romance here it's definitely relegated to a B plot.
This first book is mostly setup, although it manages to tie a few knots it leaves right in the tick of it, like it should have 2 or 3 more chapters but instead it just ends.
Overall I've liked it a lot and recommend to any fan of the UF genre. For fans of PNR, you may be a little disappointed, while there is romance here it's definitely relegated to a B plot.
cmbohn's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Murder
Minor: Child death and Death of parent
jenn_so_far's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
uehfiwo's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
everybody's review
4.0
The first book does pretty much everything right. The things I didn't like are almost all down to a pure dislike of certain plot devices in general.
I am in a bit of trouble with the later volumes because they suffer from many of the minor nitpicks I regularly complain about in other books and which I site as reasons for being only a 3 star read, but somehow this series is engaging in a way that makes it much easier for me to look past minor problems so it doesn't seem fair to rate them "just" 3 stars as well.
I guess this is because, contrary to this series, most other series just don't have much to offer beyond a predictable plot which often is littered with clichées.
Later books keep the spirit but slip up repeatedly on mostly minor details every now and then.
Sadly as in basically every series, those become more noticeable as the series goes on. It's hard for me to tell if that's mostly because there is just so much more the author might have forgotten about but it feels like he grows a bit sloppy over time.
I enjoyed it a lot anyway just because they all avoid major problems almost all series of this kind suffer from.
Another big plus is the absence of obvious patterns over time that are just being repeated. Every book in the series has a unique and unpredictable plot mainly just by virtue of avoiding clichée plotlines that offer themselves naturally and apparently become irresistible to most authors eventually.
The final part that kept me reading was a complex political intrigue. Most books struggle with that especially over time in later books. There are many pitfalls and it takes a lot of planning and organization to pull off a convincing knot of conflicts with many parties each with their own agenda.
This series pretty much nails it.
Finally, I just didn't have this usual series fatigue I suffer from with almost all other series I've read so far. I was always engaged.
To address the problems I mentioned above, some of the rules around the magic evolved over time, aspects that were mentioned in passing sometimes vanish or others are stretched beyond their original definition. This usually is a symptom of discovery writing. In this case, it didn't bother me much as these slight rule changes are mostly brought up well in advance and in most other cases it feels more like a mistake and not like a cheap rule-change to make something happen.
I am in a bit of trouble with the later volumes because they suffer from many of the minor nitpicks I regularly complain about in other books and which I site as reasons for being only a 3 star read, but somehow this series is engaging in a way that makes it much easier for me to look past minor problems so it doesn't seem fair to rate them "just" 3 stars as well.
I guess this is because, contrary to this series, most other series just don't have much to offer beyond a predictable plot which often is littered with clichées.
Later books keep the spirit but slip up repeatedly on mostly minor details every now and then.
Sadly as in basically every series, those become more noticeable as the series goes on. It's hard for me to tell if that's mostly because there is just so much more the author might have forgotten about but it feels like he grows a bit sloppy over time.
I enjoyed it a lot anyway just because they all avoid major problems almost all series of this kind suffer from.
Another big plus is the absence of obvious patterns over time that are just being repeated. Every book in the series has a unique and unpredictable plot mainly just by virtue of avoiding clichée plotlines that offer themselves naturally and apparently become irresistible to most authors eventually.
The final part that kept me reading was a complex political intrigue. Most books struggle with that especially over time in later books. There are many pitfalls and it takes a lot of planning and organization to pull off a convincing knot of conflicts with many parties each with their own agenda.
This series pretty much nails it.
Finally, I just didn't have this usual series fatigue I suffer from with almost all other series I've read so far. I was always engaged.
To address the problems I mentioned above, some of the rules around the magic evolved over time, aspects that were mentioned in passing sometimes vanish or others are stretched beyond their original definition. This usually is a symptom of discovery writing. In this case, it didn't bother me much as these slight rule changes are mostly brought up well in advance and in most other cases it feels more like a mistake and not like a cheap rule-change to make something happen.
elzabetg's review
4.0
Yup. Still like it and there are apparently 3 more books in the series I need to get
mrose21's review
5.0
AH! Finally an adult fantasy novel written by a man that is what I wanted to read. It wasn't about romance, it wasn't about sex it was about her.
I love Amber, she is funny, she is a non weak and feeble leading lady. I can and I did get behind her, she made me want her to succeed and do the bad-ass things she does. I wasn't annoyed or disappointed if she was hurt because it had happened a billion times before because she was a strong woman who fought with her entire self and not just be the special snowflake that gets her butt kicked 90% of the time. She isn't a super duper character that fails at being super duper.
Her family life sucks and I felt bad about that but not everything can be perfect, her sister is a first class stuck up princess bitch who I thought was going to change her stance to Amber but no Kath has to be mean and not see that maybe just maybe Amber was a good person and to be honest a damn good sister in comparison to Kath. I hope that situation resolves itself but not sure I mind if it doesn't.
Really great first book, I am praying that the 2nd is even better.
I love Amber, she is funny, she is a non weak and feeble leading lady. I can and I did get behind her, she made me want her to succeed and do the bad-ass things she does. I wasn't annoyed or disappointed if she was hurt because it had happened a billion times before because she was a strong woman who fought with her entire self and not just be the special snowflake that gets her butt kicked 90% of the time. She isn't a super duper character that fails at being super duper.
Her family life sucks and I felt bad about that but not everything can be perfect, her sister is a first class stuck up princess bitch who I thought was going to change her stance to Amber but no Kath has to be mean and not see that maybe just maybe Amber was a good person and to be honest a damn good sister in comparison to Kath. I hope that situation resolves itself but not sure I mind if it doesn't.
Really great first book, I am praying that the 2nd is even better.
tacuazin's review
DNF'ed at 30%.
Those comparing this book with the Kate Daniels world, please stop, you aren't doing it any favours.
Those comparing this book with the Kate Daniels world, please stop, you aren't doing it any favours.
emmafromoz's review
5.0
I loved this book & practically inhaled it. Am always a little bit wary of male writers with female protagonists & vice versa, but Mark Henwick has created a fabulous heroine. Went straight onto book 2 (I love you kindle) with glee. Mark Henwick has definitely made it onto my must-have-immediately list of authors.