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rebecky85's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely BRILLIANT. I loved everything about this book, the characters, the story, the narrator... everything. I highly recommend on audio if you enjoy a good Scottish accent. It makes the story so much better. Cannot wait to read more by Hearne!
hypnoticsheep's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
kayla_graph21's review against another edition
3.0
Set in the Iron Druid world but not as amazing a story as Atticus and friends.
zanosgood's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
katietopp's review against another edition
4.0
Alright. So this book has Hearne’s distinct voice. The characters are lovable, and quirky just like normal. I enjoyed the plot a lot and I think it’ll be the start to a series. Has a mid way between the Dresden files and iron Druid. I hate that I have to wait for the second. I’m totally rooting for Al and his happiness.
beereading90's review against another edition
2.0
Das System mit den magischen Siegeln fand ich gut, das ist mal eine neue Idee.
Zu Beginn war alles noch recht interessant, aber mit Verlauf der Geschichte lies mein Interesse sehr nach, so dass ich die letzten 30 Seiten nur noch überflogen habe.
Die Charaktere sind sehr unterschiedlich, sehr speziell, fast schon überzeichnet und
konnten mich nicht überzeugen, die Sprache war recht vulgär und die
"Deine-Mudda-Witze" eher schlecht als lustig.
Man hätte das Buch auch um 50 Seiten kürzen können, erstmal weil mir zu Beginn 3(!) Personen erzählen, wie furchtbar Rosinen sind (Ich mag Rosinen) und dann weil die Kennenlerngeschichte von Al und Nadja sehr ausführlich beschrieben wird.
So viel erfahren wir im ganzen Buch nicht über Als tote Frau und seinen Sohn.
Dafür nimmt sich der Autor viele Seiten um von verschiedenen Gins zu schwärmen.
Ehrlich, der Alkoholanteil in dem Buch ist sehr hoch und die Zielgruppe eher jung.
Sehe da eine gewisse Verantwortung des Autors.
Das Buch wird seine Fans haben, mich konnte es leider nicht überzeugen.
Sterne vergebe ich für die Idee und die diversen Charaktere.
Zu Beginn war alles noch recht interessant, aber mit Verlauf der Geschichte lies mein Interesse sehr nach, so dass ich die letzten 30 Seiten nur noch überflogen habe.
Die Charaktere sind sehr unterschiedlich, sehr speziell, fast schon überzeichnet und
konnten mich nicht überzeugen, die Sprache war recht vulgär und die
"Deine-Mudda-Witze" eher schlecht als lustig.
Man hätte das Buch auch um 50 Seiten kürzen können, erstmal weil mir zu Beginn 3(!) Personen erzählen, wie furchtbar Rosinen sind (Ich mag Rosinen) und dann weil die Kennenlerngeschichte von Al und Nadja sehr ausführlich beschrieben wird.
So viel erfahren wir im ganzen Buch nicht über Als tote Frau und seinen Sohn.
Dafür nimmt sich der Autor viele Seiten um von verschiedenen Gins zu schwärmen.
Ehrlich, der Alkoholanteil in dem Buch ist sehr hoch und die Zielgruppe eher jung.
Sehe da eine gewisse Verantwortung des Autors.
Das Buch wird seine Fans haben, mich konnte es leider nicht überzeugen.
Sterne vergebe ich für die Idee und die diversen Charaktere.
vorpalblad's review against another edition
4.0
I'm embarrassed to say I've never heard of this author even though he's an Arizona local, but I'll definitely be going back to read The Iron Druid Chronicles after the fun that is Ink & Sigil. There is nothing serious or deep about this book. It is pure adventurous fun with plenty of off-color jokes, double entendres and drunken brawls. It's part of a growing body of work that blends noir mystery with fantasy and a fair dose of humor à la Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett.
Al MacBharrais is a sigil agent, one of a handful of humans tasked with acting as a type of border agent between the worlds of the fae and human. He has also just lost his seventh apprentice to a freak accident with a raisin scone. When he learns that that apprentice was also involved in trafficking of magical folk, Al has to clean up the mess that's left behind. Hearne leaves some big questions unanswered, so I hope the next book gets us closer to resolving some of the longer story arcs. Oh, and let me revise my previous statement, Hearne actually does provide some background on sex work and human trafficking in the real world. It's important and valuable information and in this format is less likely to leave you traumatized compared to, say, the Livia Lone series (which I highly recommend).
If you're looking for complete escapism in a book that you can easily finish in a weekend, Ink & Sigil fits the bill.
Al MacBharrais is a sigil agent, one of a handful of humans tasked with acting as a type of border agent between the worlds of the fae and human. He has also just lost his seventh apprentice to a freak accident with a raisin scone. When he learns that that apprentice was also involved in trafficking of magical folk, Al has to clean up the mess that's left behind. Hearne leaves some big questions unanswered, so I hope the next book gets us closer to resolving some of the longer story arcs. Oh, and let me revise my previous statement, Hearne actually does provide some background on sex work and human trafficking in the real world. It's important and valuable information and in this format is less likely to leave you traumatized compared to, say, the Livia Lone series (which I highly recommend).
If you're looking for complete escapism in a book that you can easily finish in a weekend, Ink & Sigil fits the bill.
philibin's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
3.75
This is a fun little book, related to the Iron Druid books. While I don't (yet) find the character as likeable as Atticus, it is still very enjoyable. And I love getting to know a whole new group of characters.
Kevin Hearne is an excellent writer who can weave stories out of history, folklore, current events, and of course, his own imagination. Unparalleled character development and exquisite world building.
If you like modern urban fantasy with loveable characters this could be the book for you.
The Narrator is great, and really helps you dive right into the book.
Kevin Hearne is an excellent writer who can weave stories out of history, folklore, current events, and of course, his own imagination. Unparalleled character development and exquisite world building.
If you like modern urban fantasy with loveable characters this could be the book for you.
The Narrator is great, and really helps you dive right into the book.
bethtabler's review against another edition
4.0
Ink & Sigil is Kevin Hearne's first book in an exciting new series called aptly Ink & Sigil. if you aren't familiar with Hearne's novels, he has a couple of interesting series, the most famous being the Iron Druid Chronicles. "Atticus O'Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound."
"A toast! Tae inks and sigils and straight razors, tae good bosses and wizards on lizards, tae outsmarting evil when ye can and kicking its arse when ye cannae do that, and tae distillers of fine spirits everywhere. Sláinte!"
In my opinion, the Iron Druid Chronicles is some of the best urban fantasy out there and has the most loyal companion dog in all of fantasy. Although, Mouse from Dresden Files is a very close second. The banter and characterization of Atticus's Wolfhound make many of his books both movers and funny. The Iron Druid series set me on a quest to find an Irish Wolfhound for myself. That is, until I found out the actual size of a said wolfhound—basically, the size of a VW Bug. And much like Mouse from the Dresden Files, a Fu dog and also the size of a VW Bug, he will have to be a dream for someday.
With all that being said, this new series has a lot of the flavor of the Iron Druid series, a wicked sense of humor, banter, and action. But, we have an entirely new type of magic to learn about and a new champion protagonist to cheer for in Al MacBharrais. Al, aside from being a slightly cantankerous sigil agent, has also been cursed. As soon as he speaks, his once melodious voice now causes the hearer to hate his guts. Instead, he is forced to talk to folks using a text-to-speech program on his phone. Problems with his various text-to-speech devices do provide a bit of comedic fun. I believe that who cursed him will be the overarching mystery of the series.
Specifically, the great mystery to this book is what is happening to his apprentices. They keep up and dying on him. Geordie, his newest apprentice, although not a nice guy in any way, did not deserve to die the way he did. Much to Al's dismay, Geordie had been living a double life and dabbling in an underground trafficking ring. Fae had been captured and sold to the highest bidder for often nefarious purposes. This ring is where we meet our sidekick of a sort in Buck Foi, a rogue and mischievous hobgoblin set to steal all he can and drink all of the whiskey. Geordie had him trapped.
This underground trafficking ring and the untimely deaths of his apprentices set Al on a quest to find out who is doing the stealing and killing.
Ink & Sigil is such a fun book. Generally, all of Hearne's books are irreverent and do not take themselves too seriously. His books have a light-heartedness peppered with action that keeps the pace rolling along but still makes you laugh out loud as a reader. However, I think that Ink & Sigil steps up the quality and intelligence of the comedy. It is a smarter comedy, although Buck Foi does throw in plenty of dick and fart level jokes to spice things up.
Also, technically Al is much, much younger than Atticus. However, Al has wisdom that Atticus does not. Maybe it is because of Al's profession; Al is a sigil master. He crafts words and symbols with special inks and seals them for different effects. Al, himself, is not magical. But he has the intelligence to do great magic. Conversely, Atticus does Earth magic and communes with Gaia. His magic is more inward, and dealing with the spirit requires less mind and more soul.
Maybe it is the type of magic he practices or because Al looks the part of a cantankerous older man. Unlike Atticus, who looks 22 but is over 2000 years old. But Al feels like he is one inch from yelling at you to get off his lawn.
These beautiful characters come together to make a fun story that is relatable and with a moving plot. Al is full of all sorts of surprises as well as his staff. Nothing is really as it seems. And like The Iron Druid, it is undoubtedly going to be a bit of a keeper. I can't wait to read more.
"A toast! Tae inks and sigils and straight razors, tae good bosses and wizards on lizards, tae outsmarting evil when ye can and kicking its arse when ye cannae do that, and tae distillers of fine spirits everywhere. Sláinte!"
In my opinion, the Iron Druid Chronicles is some of the best urban fantasy out there and has the most loyal companion dog in all of fantasy. Although, Mouse from Dresden Files is a very close second. The banter and characterization of Atticus's Wolfhound make many of his books both movers and funny. The Iron Druid series set me on a quest to find an Irish Wolfhound for myself. That is, until I found out the actual size of a said wolfhound—basically, the size of a VW Bug. And much like Mouse from the Dresden Files, a Fu dog and also the size of a VW Bug, he will have to be a dream for someday.
With all that being said, this new series has a lot of the flavor of the Iron Druid series, a wicked sense of humor, banter, and action. But, we have an entirely new type of magic to learn about and a new champion protagonist to cheer for in Al MacBharrais. Al, aside from being a slightly cantankerous sigil agent, has also been cursed. As soon as he speaks, his once melodious voice now causes the hearer to hate his guts. Instead, he is forced to talk to folks using a text-to-speech program on his phone. Problems with his various text-to-speech devices do provide a bit of comedic fun. I believe that who cursed him will be the overarching mystery of the series.
Specifically, the great mystery to this book is what is happening to his apprentices. They keep up and dying on him. Geordie, his newest apprentice, although not a nice guy in any way, did not deserve to die the way he did. Much to Al's dismay, Geordie had been living a double life and dabbling in an underground trafficking ring. Fae had been captured and sold to the highest bidder for often nefarious purposes. This ring is where we meet our sidekick of a sort in Buck Foi, a rogue and mischievous hobgoblin set to steal all he can and drink all of the whiskey. Geordie had him trapped.
This underground trafficking ring and the untimely deaths of his apprentices set Al on a quest to find out who is doing the stealing and killing.
Ink & Sigil is such a fun book. Generally, all of Hearne's books are irreverent and do not take themselves too seriously. His books have a light-heartedness peppered with action that keeps the pace rolling along but still makes you laugh out loud as a reader. However, I think that Ink & Sigil steps up the quality and intelligence of the comedy. It is a smarter comedy, although Buck Foi does throw in plenty of dick and fart level jokes to spice things up.
Also, technically Al is much, much younger than Atticus. However, Al has wisdom that Atticus does not. Maybe it is because of Al's profession; Al is a sigil master. He crafts words and symbols with special inks and seals them for different effects. Al, himself, is not magical. But he has the intelligence to do great magic. Conversely, Atticus does Earth magic and communes with Gaia. His magic is more inward, and dealing with the spirit requires less mind and more soul.
Maybe it is the type of magic he practices or because Al looks the part of a cantankerous older man. Unlike Atticus, who looks 22 but is over 2000 years old. But Al feels like he is one inch from yelling at you to get off his lawn.
These beautiful characters come together to make a fun story that is relatable and with a moving plot. Al is full of all sorts of surprises as well as his staff. Nothing is really as it seems. And like The Iron Druid, it is undoubtedly going to be a bit of a keeper. I can't wait to read more.