kblincoln's review against another edition
4.0
Goodreads tells me I've never read anything by Keri Arthur before...which...after reading City of Light I completely regret. There's a maturity to the world created here, and an imagination, quite outside of your usual run-of-the-mill vampire book or even post-apocalyptic book. When multiple characters have the sense of entire novels of backstory, then I get intrigued.
We are plopped down into Tiger's life of ghosts and loneliness, huddled away in an abandoned bunker that used to create and house dechets-- the genetically modified humans with supernatural powers humans created out of desperation in a war against shifters. Humans lost that war. Dechets paid the cost and now Tiger believes she's the only one left. She ventures out of the bunker at times, avoiding night and the mindless insatiability of the vampires, to scrounge food and parts from the lawless shanty town of Chaos attached to a more regimented city of walled Central.
Tiger is accompanied by two young dechet ghosts who died in her arms. She has a thing about protecting children. So when she hears the voice of a girl nearby at night, she risks her life to resuce the girl and becomes embroiled in a plot involving children, the mysterious rifts in time/space that haunt the outside world as a result of devastating bombs from the war, and rivals from her past.
Tiger spends a lot of the book arming herself with ghosts and guns, sneaking into various places, and performing reconnaissance on the inhabitants, battling ghosts, and marinating herself in grief for the past.
But the thing that is cool about this book is that the sneaking around bits, the use of flares and guns and ghosts that can sometimes manipulate the physical world are really cool. Like the fun you get playing a great role player game or watching adventure movies. And there's nothing hackneyed or boring about these versions of shifters and vampires.
There are some quite steamy scenes in this, and usually I appreciate them, but one of my complaints about this book is that while Tiger is great as a spy, she's completely unconvincing as a lover. I was not drawn into those scenes or her emotions related to those scenes as I was in her grief or guilt about the children. In fact, they felt distanced, and part of it was probably because the lover in this book is not the one she's most attracted to (a shifter named Jonas who is part of a group trying to figure out the missing children and definitely has secrets of his own).
I will definitely go on to the next book because the characters are all really cool, there's lots of secrets unexposed, and while the main question of what's being done with the children is answered...everyone isn't safe yet.
We are plopped down into Tiger's life of ghosts and loneliness, huddled away in an abandoned bunker that used to create and house dechets-- the genetically modified humans with supernatural powers humans created out of desperation in a war against shifters. Humans lost that war. Dechets paid the cost and now Tiger believes she's the only one left. She ventures out of the bunker at times, avoiding night and the mindless insatiability of the vampires, to scrounge food and parts from the lawless shanty town of Chaos attached to a more regimented city of walled Central.
Tiger is accompanied by two young dechet ghosts who died in her arms. She has a thing about protecting children. So when she hears the voice of a girl nearby at night, she risks her life to resuce the girl and becomes embroiled in a plot involving children, the mysterious rifts in time/space that haunt the outside world as a result of devastating bombs from the war, and rivals from her past.
Tiger spends a lot of the book arming herself with ghosts and guns, sneaking into various places, and performing reconnaissance on the inhabitants, battling ghosts, and marinating herself in grief for the past.
But the thing that is cool about this book is that the sneaking around bits, the use of flares and guns and ghosts that can sometimes manipulate the physical world are really cool. Like the fun you get playing a great role player game or watching adventure movies. And there's nothing hackneyed or boring about these versions of shifters and vampires.
There are some quite steamy scenes in this, and usually I appreciate them, but one of my complaints about this book is that while Tiger is great as a spy, she's completely unconvincing as a lover. I was not drawn into those scenes or her emotions related to those scenes as I was in her grief or guilt about the children. In fact, they felt distanced, and part of it was probably because the lover in this book is not the one she's most attracted to (a shifter named Jonas who is part of a group trying to figure out the missing children and definitely has secrets of his own).
I will definitely go on to the next book because the characters are all really cool, there's lots of secrets unexposed, and while the main question of what's being done with the children is answered...everyone isn't safe yet.
wetdryvac's review against another edition
5.0
I'm enjoying the world building, but staying for the character building.
chllybrd's review against another edition
5.0
What a unique new series by Keri Arthur. No urban fantasy fan should pass it up!
We find out immediately upon reading THE CITY OF LIGHT that the main character, Tiger aka Tig, is a déchet and that she is in hiding. Right after that she saves a little girl —and the hurt shifter with her that she would rather leave for dead—right before the vampires can get their hands on her. That decision changes the quite life she has built for herself and sends her into danger to investigate why children are going missing. Tig as a character really intrigued me. She was bred and programmed to be killer, but she is extremely compassionate and loyal. Every time I thought I knew her, another part of her was revealed.
I usually get overwhelmed when there are a ton of different creatures and characters introduced in one book, but I found that Arthur did a great job with THE CITY OF LIGHT. The world building was easy to follow and the introduction to new things were spread out instead of dumped on the reader at once. Arthur described the world really well in every circumstance and made it easy for me to fall right into it.
THE CITY OF LIGHT is an urban fantasy, but there is some romance involved. On one side there is Jonas. He hates the déchet with a passion, but he's drawn to Tig and totally resents it. There is a ton of sexual chemistry and tension between the two and you can't help wanting Jonas to get over himself and his prejudice so they can start something. I have high hopes for book two. Then there is an old friend who Tig thought was dead that I don't want to go into too much detail about. Neither has an issue acting on their attraction for each other–which is very strong–, but they are both very different from who they were.
THE CITY OF LIGHTS unfortunately ends on a pretty big cliffhanger, which is never fun, but I will definitely be reading more and look forward to WINTER HALO in December 2016.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
We find out immediately upon reading THE CITY OF LIGHT that the main character, Tiger aka Tig, is a déchet and that she is in hiding. Right after that she saves a little girl —and the hurt shifter with her that she would rather leave for dead—right before the vampires can get their hands on her. That decision changes the quite life she has built for herself and sends her into danger to investigate why children are going missing. Tig as a character really intrigued me. She was bred and programmed to be killer, but she is extremely compassionate and loyal. Every time I thought I knew her, another part of her was revealed.
I usually get overwhelmed when there are a ton of different creatures and characters introduced in one book, but I found that Arthur did a great job with THE CITY OF LIGHT. The world building was easy to follow and the introduction to new things were spread out instead of dumped on the reader at once. Arthur described the world really well in every circumstance and made it easy for me to fall right into it.
THE CITY OF LIGHT is an urban fantasy, but there is some romance involved. On one side there is Jonas. He hates the déchet with a passion, but he's drawn to Tig and totally resents it. There is a ton of sexual chemistry and tension between the two and you can't help wanting Jonas to get over himself and his prejudice so they can start something. I have high hopes for book two. Then there is an old friend who Tig thought was dead that I don't want to go into too much detail about. Neither has an issue acting on their attraction for each other–which is very strong–, but they are both very different from who they were.
THE CITY OF LIGHTS unfortunately ends on a pretty big cliffhanger, which is never fun, but I will definitely be reading more and look forward to WINTER HALO in December 2016.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
ufcasey's review against another edition
4.0
The plot, action, and characters were all great but the world building confused me. That’s the only thing keeping me from reading this higher. But I definitely will be reading the next book in this series quickly.
Spoiler
I’m still a little lost on who or what exactly are: the Others, the wraiths, and the rifts/false rifts.joie881's review against another edition
3.0
** 2.5 stars **
So much good and yet so sloppy.
Great plot, not so great execution.
Full review here.
So much good and yet so sloppy.
Great plot, not so great execution.
Full review here.
berls's review against another edition
4.0
If I were rating this only on the second half of the book it would be a clear 5 stars for me. It was intense and captivating - but before that point, it dragged for me. The world building was just a bit too front loaded and I kind of felt Tiger had a bit too many abilities - learning all she could do weighed down the front of the book too. BUT all that paid off in the end and I can't wait for the next book. More complete review to follow on the blog.
doodlewinger's review against another edition
3.0
I thought the story was good and I liked Tiger. I read this because I enjoyed the Riley Jenson series she wrote. I was especially happy when I finished and saw that the next book is supposed to be out in November so I won't have to wait an entire year to find out what happens next.
kstep1805's review against another edition
3.0
This new series intrigues me more than her previous series, a totally different take on vampires, aliens, and shifters. It took some to really get into and I'm regretting trying to read Minion and this book concurrently, I probably would have liked both better if I hadn't.
mactammonty's review against another edition
3.0
This definitely ticks some boxes for me: strong female MC, fantasy mixed with future earth, mystery.
The world is very intriguing. It is dark and dangerous.
I want to know more.
The world is very intriguing. It is dark and dangerous.
I want to know more.
delaneybull's review against another edition
3.0
Good, but I needed a little more time spent talking about the past before jumping into the deeply political world of the future. Also, talk about an abrupt ending. Overall, I just wanted more depth and space to settle into the world.