valerie_sam's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
a_ab's review
DNF at chapter 4. Too many repetitive boring hurdles for the character to get over and not enough characters to root for or care about. I skipped to the end and things don't get any better by that point either, so I couldn't be bothered with the rest of it. The ending explained the non-stop obstacles and problems, but not in a way that would have made any of it any better or compensate for a never-ending bothersome chore that is the experience of reading this book.
bloggingwithdragons's review
4.0
Whenever I’m feeling down or under the weather, Rachel Aaron’s books are a magically fun pick me up. So when I was sick yet again, I turned to her latest novel, Minimum Wage Magic, a standalone based in the same world as The Heartstrikers series. I was more than happy to revisit the DFZ, or the Detroit Free Zone, a place where everything is legal, people have cyber upgrades and AI, the city constantly moves due to the quixotic Spirit controlling it, death Gods walk among the common people, and a Peacekeeper Dragon oversees all the constant magical chaos.
Opal Young-ae, a magic-wielding Cleaner, or a person who buys abandoned apartments in order to turn a profit on all their junk and well, cleans, it, is the heroine of the story. Equipped with goggles that allow her to communicate with her smart-talking AI, Sybil, she stumbles upon a corpse in one of her latest cleaning endeavors. In dire straits due to the fact that she has a massive debt to pay off to a deadly person, she’s determined to make a profit off the apartment, and takes the corpse’s research--setting her on an even deadlier path that will take her to not only the seedy Underground of the DFZ, but the dangerous, ever-shifting magical labyrinth below the city, known as the Gnarls.
I immediately liked Opal. Unlike Marci, the ridiculously capable and talented mage we first met in Nice Dragons Finish Last, Opal is not “good” at magic. Despite having a ridiculous amount of magical education, she has to use pre-made magical scripts and brute force in order to wield her magic. I found it endearing that she was able to make the best of the ability she had. I also liked that despite her prodigious education, Opal was happy being a Cleaner, and determined not to take any other positions, no matter how well-paying, or more prestigious. I liked that she wasn’t willing to be corralled into a position she didn’t want, and continually stuck to her guns, despite pressure from her parents, friends, and AI. I was also thrilled when she refused to accept money to get herself out of debt at the expense of innocents again at the end of the novel.
I absolutely adored Sybil, Opal’s AI, who cracked me up constantly. The sense of humor I come to expect from author Aaron shone through Sybil. I wasn’t as crazy about Nik, the cyber-enhanced co-worker that ends up saving Opal’s life and becoming her business partner. There’s definitely some romance brewing between the two, but the author is going the slow-burn route, which I always love. I reserved judgement on Nik, as he wasn’t a bad character at all. I think maybe the strong, silent type, with a dark past willing to do questionably moral things to make money, but with a secret heart of gold--just isn’t my type. Despite not being Nik’s biggest fan, the dynamic between the two Cleaners is complex and I’m excited to read how their new partnership works in future installments.
Minimum Wage Magic is extremely fast-paced and a fun-filled ride. The world-building is amazing and I loved the seamless and unique blend of science fiction and fantasy. The author does very well at explaining the complex world of the DFZ--spirits, dragons, death gods, Mana Crashes, a thriving Underground, for any newcomers that haven’t read The Heartstrikers series. She also deftly sneaks in several references to characters from the aforementioned series and it was really delightful to see glimpses of their lives after Last Dragon Standing. It is a testament to Aaron’s writing that my dragon-obsessed self didn’t even miss the dragons being the center of attention in this novel!
If you’re looking for a one of a kind, quirky science fiction/fantasy novel, with well-developed characters with interesting pasts, great world-building, and fast-paced adventure, look no further than Minimum Wage Magic. I’m certainly ready for the next entry in the series.
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“My name is Opal Yong-ae, and I’m a Cleaner: a freelance mage with an art history degree who’s employed by the DFZ to sort through the mountains of magical junk people leave behind. It’s not a pretty job, or a safe one—there’s a reason I wear bite-proof gloves—but when you’re deep in debt in a lawless city where gods are real, dragons are traffic hazards, and buildings move around on their own, you don’t get to be picky about where your money comes from.”
Opal Young-ae, a magic-wielding Cleaner, or a person who buys abandoned apartments in order to turn a profit on all their junk and well, cleans, it, is the heroine of the story. Equipped with goggles that allow her to communicate with her smart-talking AI, Sybil, she stumbles upon a corpse in one of her latest cleaning endeavors. In dire straits due to the fact that she has a massive debt to pay off to a deadly person,
Spoiler
it's her father and he's the super-powerful and esteemed Dragon running all of Korea“‘Welcome to the DFZ,” I said, shaking my head. “Criminals all the way down.’
‘It is called the ‘City of Commerce,’ Sibyl whispered in my ear. ‘The place where anything is possible.’
‘And everything is sticky.’”
I immediately liked Opal. Unlike Marci, the ridiculously capable and talented mage we first met in Nice Dragons Finish Last, Opal is not “good” at magic. Despite having a ridiculous amount of magical education, she has to use pre-made magical scripts and brute force in order to wield her magic. I found it endearing that she was able to make the best of the ability she had. I also liked that despite her prodigious education, Opal was happy being a Cleaner, and determined not to take any other positions, no matter how well-paying, or more prestigious. I liked that she wasn’t willing to be corralled into a position she didn’t want, and continually stuck to her guns, despite pressure from her parents, friends, and AI. I was also thrilled when she refused to accept money to get herself out of debt at the expense of innocents again at the end of the novel.
“As a social support AI, it’s my job to assist in your mental health, and these fits of wild optimism that crumble into crushing despair when they run into reality are not good for you.
I absolutely adored Sybil, Opal’s AI, who cracked me up constantly. The sense of humor I come to expect from author Aaron shone through Sybil. I wasn’t as crazy about Nik, the cyber-enhanced co-worker that ends up saving Opal’s life and becoming her business partner. There’s definitely some romance brewing between the two, but the author is going the slow-burn route, which I always love. I reserved judgement on Nik, as he wasn’t a bad character at all. I think maybe the strong, silent type, with a dark past willing to do questionably moral things to make money, but with a secret heart of gold--just isn’t my type. Despite not being Nik’s biggest fan, the dynamic between the two Cleaners is complex and I’m excited to read how their new partnership works in future installments.
Minimum Wage Magic is extremely fast-paced and a fun-filled ride. The world-building is amazing and I loved the seamless and unique blend of science fiction and fantasy. The author does very well at explaining the complex world of the DFZ--spirits, dragons, death gods, Mana Crashes, a thriving Underground, for any newcomers that haven’t read The Heartstrikers series. She also deftly sneaks in several references to characters from the aforementioned series and it was really delightful to see glimpses of their lives after Last Dragon Standing. It is a testament to Aaron’s writing that my dragon-obsessed self didn’t even miss the dragons being the center of attention in this novel!
If you’re looking for a one of a kind, quirky science fiction/fantasy novel, with well-developed characters with interesting pasts, great world-building, and fast-paced adventure, look no further than Minimum Wage Magic. I’m certainly ready for the next entry in the series.
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auntblh's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this story but not as much as the Heartstriker series. I don't think I will actively seek out others in this series but I might listen to them if they come my way.
altruest's review against another edition
4.0
I liked it, the main character was scrappy and I was rooting for her. The world is SUPER interesting, having the gods wake up sometime in the 21st century and dealing with the consequences of that, I really liked learning about the city and the new world.
4/5 stars, I'll probably pick up the sequel some day, and there's another series in the world? I'll find that one too.
4/5 stars, I'll probably pick up the sequel some day, and there's another series in the world? I'll find that one too.
soursock's review against another edition
4.0
The characters are pretty bland. But the writing and story saves it
garbutch's review against another edition
4.0
Cameos from Heartstrikers, since that's mostly all I care about tbh.
- Julius is mentioned in the terms "The Peacemaker" and "the dragon of the DFZ" and that he has edicts and stuff. Marci is mentioned as his wife and her being friends with a spirit that's not been mentioned before. Julius isn't shown. I don't think his name is mentioned.
- an unnamed young Heartstriker with green eyes is in there near the end. I don't know who she is, but she has a general dragon personality and likes human grovelling, but she works for Julius. She is not fond of the work she's doing. She buys into the humans belonging to dragons thing. She did mention a thing to Opal that would have been benevolent if it weren't a political measure.
Actual review:
Honestly this book wasn't remotely as much My Thing as the Heartstrikers was. It's still good and I'm sure I would really have enjoyed it but I'm reading them all back to back after I did the Heartstrikers books. I'm so desperate to cling to the vague hope of seeing characters I'm experiencing withdrawal from.
I also don't like Nik that much? He's not that interesting. He just has this coldness, except via some minor deeds toward Opal, and that's pretty much his whole character. I hate Sybil, just in general. I feel like in the Heartstrikers books there were just genuinely interesting characters that had pinache and I felt drawn to them! This fell short of that by quite a bit. Honestly I know very intimately how cold and lonely shitty situations can be but that's never stopped me from being a flamboyant bitch with a sense of cunning humour.
I do like Opal, but I don't LOVE her. Yet, anyway. She is endearing and I liked learning she liked history and all that.
I'm going to read the rest of the trilogy because there are more cameos apparently and I need something, anything, to help me wean off this good Julius and Marci juice.
Also: there's similar Problematic™️ stuff in this as there was to the other books, largely with worldbuilding, and idk if the author got sensitivity readers before making a Korean protagonist.
- Julius is mentioned in the terms "The Peacemaker" and "the dragon of the DFZ" and that he has edicts and stuff. Marci is mentioned as his wife and her being friends with a spirit that's not been mentioned before. Julius isn't shown. I don't think his name is mentioned.
- an unnamed young Heartstriker with green eyes is in there near the end. I don't know who she is, but she has a general dragon personality and likes human grovelling, but she works for Julius. She is not fond of the work she's doing. She buys into the humans belonging to dragons thing. She did mention a thing to Opal that would have been benevolent if it weren't a political measure.
Actual review:
Honestly this book wasn't remotely as much My Thing as the Heartstrikers was. It's still good and I'm sure I would really have enjoyed it but I'm reading them all back to back after I did the Heartstrikers books. I'm so desperate to cling to the vague hope of seeing characters I'm experiencing withdrawal from.
I also don't like Nik that much? He's not that interesting. He just has this coldness, except via some minor deeds toward Opal, and that's pretty much his whole character. I hate Sybil, just in general. I feel like in the Heartstrikers books there were just genuinely interesting characters that had pinache and I felt drawn to them! This fell short of that by quite a bit. Honestly I know very intimately how cold and lonely shitty situations can be but that's never stopped me from being a flamboyant bitch with a sense of cunning humour.
I do like Opal, but I don't LOVE her. Yet, anyway. She is endearing and I liked learning she liked history and all that.
I'm going to read the rest of the trilogy because there are more cameos apparently and I need something, anything, to help me wean off this good Julius and Marci juice.
Also: there's similar Problematic™️ stuff in this as there was to the other books, largely with worldbuilding, and idk if the author got sensitivity readers before making a Korean protagonist.
thistlechaser's review against another edition
5.0
[Usually I review one book before I move on to the next, but I loved this trilogy so much, I read it straight through without stopping to review each one. My bad! No spoilers below.]
I keep saying I don't like urban fantasy, then I read it and love it, so I really need to stop saying I don't like it.
The core of this trilogy is a relationship between a young woman and her father. Her father (a dragon) adopted her (a human), and the tension in their relationship is because of inter-species miscommunication. He calls her his treasure, and names her Opal -- a gem, most beloved of dragons. To him, that shows how much he values her. To her, it makes her feel owned, like an object instead of a person.
That would be interesting enough, but the trilogy's setting is what really made me unable to put these books down. Magic has returned to Earth, and about half of babies are born with magical power. Gods have returned as well, some old ones and some newly created by peoples' beliefs.
One of those gods is the DFZ (Detroit Free Zone) -- the city this whole trilogy is set in. The city's god is a new, young god. The DFZ (the city) is the richest, most free city on the planet. No longer a part of the US, "anything goes" there -- the DFZ's (the god's) only rule is freedom: Anyone is free to do anything.
I enjoyed this whole series so much. I stayed up late multiple nights to keep reading. The world was so interesting, I loved the magic systems, and even the minor characters were great.
One big heads up about the ebook versions though: More than 25% of the first two were advertisements for her other book series. I had an hour and a half of reading left in each, when the story ended and the advertisements started. The final book had "only" 13% as advertising. This was such a pain because I keep an eye on how much reading I have left, so I can be emotionally ready for the story to end. The first two books ended "too early", it was such a shock! The third one I was ready for that though, so it was less jarring to "lose" so much reading.
With that heads up, I can strongly recommend this trilogy. I bought the second book before I had finished the first, and the third before I finished the second. I got a few other books by her to start next.
I keep saying I don't like urban fantasy, then I read it and love it, so I really need to stop saying I don't like it.
The core of this trilogy is a relationship between a young woman and her father. Her father (a dragon) adopted her (a human), and the tension in their relationship is because of inter-species miscommunication. He calls her his treasure, and names her Opal -- a gem, most beloved of dragons. To him, that shows how much he values her. To her, it makes her feel owned, like an object instead of a person.
That would be interesting enough, but the trilogy's setting is what really made me unable to put these books down. Magic has returned to Earth, and about half of babies are born with magical power. Gods have returned as well, some old ones and some newly created by peoples' beliefs.
One of those gods is the DFZ (Detroit Free Zone) -- the city this whole trilogy is set in. The city's god is a new, young god. The DFZ (the city) is the richest, most free city on the planet. No longer a part of the US, "anything goes" there -- the DFZ's (the god's) only rule is freedom: Anyone is free to do anything.
I enjoyed this whole series so much. I stayed up late multiple nights to keep reading. The world was so interesting, I loved the magic systems, and even the minor characters were great.
One big heads up about the ebook versions though: More than 25% of the first two were advertisements for her other book series. I had an hour and a half of reading left in each, when the story ended and the advertisements started. The final book had "only" 13% as advertising. This was such a pain because I keep an eye on how much reading I have left, so I can be emotionally ready for the story to end. The first two books ended "too early", it was such a shock! The third one I was ready for that though, so it was less jarring to "lose" so much reading.
With that heads up, I can strongly recommend this trilogy. I bought the second book before I had finished the first, and the third before I finished the second. I got a few other books by her to start next.
chaosrayne's review against another edition
5.0
Great start to a new series set in the DFZ
I was sad when Heartstrikers ended and I’m happy we get to go back to the DFZ and see it from another angle.
I was sad when Heartstrikers ended and I’m happy we get to go back to the DFZ and see it from another angle.