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raven_morgan's review against another edition
4.0
eARC provided in return for a fair review via Netgalley (but I also nabbed my own copy subsequently)
Alan Baxter begins a new urban fantasy series with Bound, the first of the Alex Caine books.
Alex Caine is a professional fighter who has some odd talents - a kind of magical intuition is one of them, which he uses at the opening of this book to win a fight. This win, and the use of his talents, bring him to the attention of Webley, and Englishman who shows Alex that his talents are part of a bigger magical world.
Cue a fast-paced trip around the world, with Alex discovering more and more about the world that is hidden beneath the mundane world. This is no pleasure cruise for Alex - tough as he is, even he finds it difficult to deal with some of the darkness that he finds.
It's really quite refreshing to see urban fantasy/dark horror written very much in the style of a thriller - this works especially well with Baxter's writing, which often evokes a very cinematic feel (and I am so with reviewer Sean the Bookonaut in that I could so see Jason Statham playing Alex). It's also very clear that Baxter has spent a lot of time building up this world - of which we only skim the surface (and of which I hope we delve deeper in the two subsequent books in the trilogy).
Some readers should be warned that there is a decent amount of sex (consensual) in this book, as well as lashings of violence. Especial note needs to be made of how damn good Baxter's fight scenes are - quite frequently fight scenes are something that I'll skip over as a reader, but I found myself sunk into each one in Bound (see the cinematic comment above).
Alex is always a very human character - he really struggles with the powers that he acquires, even as he takes a fighter's joy in them (which is a really refreshing change to a lot of urban fantasy). Even the minor characters live and breathe on the page, and always seem to act in a fashion that makes sense (even if it is sometimes a warped kind of sense!).
Hat tip to the naming of the characters Hood and Sparks (references to friends of the author and prominent people in the Aussie SF field), which I think just reflects the absolute joy that Baxter takes in his writing and his community.
An extremely promising start to a new urban fantasy series, which is highly recommended. I'm looking forward to the next two books. And dammit, someone make a movie out of this, please, because it is begging for it.
Alan Baxter begins a new urban fantasy series with Bound, the first of the Alex Caine books.
Alex Caine is a professional fighter who has some odd talents - a kind of magical intuition is one of them, which he uses at the opening of this book to win a fight. This win, and the use of his talents, bring him to the attention of Webley, and Englishman who shows Alex that his talents are part of a bigger magical world.
Cue a fast-paced trip around the world, with Alex discovering more and more about the world that is hidden beneath the mundane world. This is no pleasure cruise for Alex - tough as he is, even he finds it difficult to deal with some of the darkness that he finds.
It's really quite refreshing to see urban fantasy/dark horror written very much in the style of a thriller - this works especially well with Baxter's writing, which often evokes a very cinematic feel (and I am so with reviewer Sean the Bookonaut in that I could so see Jason Statham playing Alex). It's also very clear that Baxter has spent a lot of time building up this world - of which we only skim the surface (and of which I hope we delve deeper in the two subsequent books in the trilogy).
Some readers should be warned that there is a decent amount of sex (consensual) in this book, as well as lashings of violence. Especial note needs to be made of how damn good Baxter's fight scenes are - quite frequently fight scenes are something that I'll skip over as a reader, but I found myself sunk into each one in Bound (see the cinematic comment above).
Alex is always a very human character - he really struggles with the powers that he acquires, even as he takes a fighter's joy in them (which is a really refreshing change to a lot of urban fantasy). Even the minor characters live and breathe on the page, and always seem to act in a fashion that makes sense (even if it is sometimes a warped kind of sense!).
Hat tip to the naming of the characters Hood and Sparks (references to friends of the author and prominent people in the Aussie SF field), which I think just reflects the absolute joy that Baxter takes in his writing and his community.
An extremely promising start to a new urban fantasy series, which is highly recommended. I'm looking forward to the next two books. And dammit, someone make a movie out of this, please, because it is begging for it.
fictionalkate's review against another edition
4.0
Alex Caine makes his living as a very successful cage fighter. The people in his industry may be slightly shady but Alex is a man who knows how to handle himself. When the mysterious Patrick Welby approaches Alex and helps him out of a spot of bother, it starts a chain of events which turns Alex's life upside down. The precognition Alex has always used to help him fight is just the beginning of Alex's abilities. When a powerful book beaming with magic takes hold of Alex, he starts a quest to find a way to free himself from the dark urges it creates within him. With the enigmatic Silhouette, a powerful Kin, by his side Alex sets out to try to find ancient stones which may have the power to free him before those searching for him stop him or his own new-found powers turn on himself.
The first thing I noticed about this book was just how cinematic it was. This is a novel which reads like an action movie filled with plenty of death-defying scenes and interesting plot turns. Bound is also a book which is a lot darker and grittier than the books I normally read - which works to its advantage. Alex Caine's martial arts lead him to living in the dark underbelly of society associating with people who would sooner take a swing at you with a baseball bat than shake your hand. Mixed with the supernatural aspect, this book adds something new and exciting to the Urban Fantasy scene.
Fey, Kin, Godlings - there are a lot of powerful and interesting creatures which make an appearance in Bound and they are deliciously dark and twisted. Not to mention the cursed grimoire. The dangers Alex and Silhouette face chapter to chapter are very real within the contexts of the world in which they live. Alex himself is just as dark as the creatures he faces after he finds himself bound to a mysterious book. I liked how Alex found himself involved with the world. From his first meeting with Patrick Welby right to the end, Alex is a great mix of closed and confused with regards to his new situation whilst at the same tie open to the magical changes in his life because he can't refute they are happening. Silhouette was slightly two-dimensional in certain aspects but as far as facilitating Alex's story, she was fundamental. This book was slightly violent at times and darkly twisted. In a story like this death is to be expected as dark beings rarely hold back. But there were parts which some readers might find a little confronting. That said - had the author held back I'm not sure this novel would have had the same impact.
There is always something going on in Bound. The action is constant with danger around every corner. With the Darak leading Alex on a scavenger hunt of sorts across Europe, it was an interesting journey following him and Silhouette. Into vampire dens and escaping villains like Hood and Sparks, the pacing was fast and exciting. I can't imagine where Alan Baxter is going to take this series but I'm excited to see what is install for Alex Caine next.
Thanks to Harper Voyager AU for the review copy
The first thing I noticed about this book was just how cinematic it was. This is a novel which reads like an action movie filled with plenty of death-defying scenes and interesting plot turns. Bound is also a book which is a lot darker and grittier than the books I normally read - which works to its advantage. Alex Caine's martial arts lead him to living in the dark underbelly of society associating with people who would sooner take a swing at you with a baseball bat than shake your hand. Mixed with the supernatural aspect, this book adds something new and exciting to the Urban Fantasy scene.
Fey, Kin, Godlings - there are a lot of powerful and interesting creatures which make an appearance in Bound and they are deliciously dark and twisted. Not to mention the cursed grimoire. The dangers Alex and Silhouette face chapter to chapter are very real within the contexts of the world in which they live. Alex himself is just as dark as the creatures he faces after he finds himself bound to a mysterious book. I liked how Alex found himself involved with the world. From his first meeting with Patrick Welby right to the end, Alex is a great mix of closed and confused with regards to his new situation whilst at the same tie open to the magical changes in his life because he can't refute they are happening. Silhouette was slightly two-dimensional in certain aspects but as far as facilitating Alex's story, she was fundamental. This book was slightly violent at times and darkly twisted. In a story like this death is to be expected as dark beings rarely hold back. But there were parts which some readers might find a little confronting. That said - had the author held back I'm not sure this novel would have had the same impact.
There is always something going on in Bound. The action is constant with danger around every corner. With the Darak leading Alex on a scavenger hunt of sorts across Europe, it was an interesting journey following him and Silhouette. Into vampire dens and escaping villains like Hood and Sparks, the pacing was fast and exciting. I can't imagine where Alan Baxter is going to take this series but I'm excited to see what is install for Alex Caine next.
Thanks to Harper Voyager AU for the review copy
gossiekoe's review
1.0
A poor writing style and awkwardly inserted sex scenes had me struggling to finish this book.
nixwhittaker's review
4.0
Super action packed, well written story. Easy to read but a little darker than I like my books. Not just that but the swearing and other stuff though realistic to the character's situation is not my thing.
The story is of Alex Caine a street fighter who can see more than meets the eye. A stranger arrives at one of his fights and we basically fall into a quest/the one trope. I like these kinds of tropes so I thought I would enjoy the story more, especially since it was beautifully written. Unfortunately, I also like my stereotypical completely obvious stories to be peppered with more comedy. Also I like a story that leans more to being able to pass the Bechdel test. I did like Silhouette. She was fun and witty. I'd recommend this book for male readers though and I admit I like my books geared towards either women or at least gender neutral. This reminded me of Ian Fleming. On the outside the main character looks bad ass and cool but the more you delve into the character you realise that he is shallow. I believe the author was aware of this issue and did try to alleviate this as Alex really doesn't want to be that stereotypical bad ass.
I loved the world building. A rich canvas that is revealed to us slowly and with confidence. With characters that multidimensional and interesting. I loved the play with the idea of evil and good and where the line is drawn.
The story is of Alex Caine a street fighter who can see more than meets the eye. A stranger arrives at one of his fights and we basically fall into a quest/the one trope. I like these kinds of tropes so I thought I would enjoy the story more, especially since it was beautifully written. Unfortunately, I also like my stereotypical completely obvious stories to be peppered with more comedy. Also I like a story that leans more to being able to pass the Bechdel test. I did like Silhouette. She was fun and witty. I'd recommend this book for male readers though and I admit I like my books geared towards either women or at least gender neutral. This reminded me of Ian Fleming. On the outside the main character looks bad ass and cool but the more you delve into the character you realise that he is shallow. I believe the author was aware of this issue and did try to alleviate this as Alex really doesn't want to be that stereotypical bad ass.
I loved the world building. A rich canvas that is revealed to us slowly and with confidence. With characters that multidimensional and interesting. I loved the play with the idea of evil and good and where the line is drawn.
prisoner_of_books's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
thiefofcamorr's review
Katharine is a judge for the Sara Douglass 'Book Series' Award. This entry is the personal opinion of Katharine herself, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any judging panel, the judging coordinator or the Aurealis Awards management team.
I won't be recording my thoughts (if I choose to) here until after the AA are over.
I won't be recording my thoughts (if I choose to) here until after the AA are over.
wordmouse's review
4.0
"Beware a dangerous book" indeed!!
I've had a copy of this book patiently waiting for me to make time to pick it up...and I'm so glad I did. Now I just need to rustle up a copy of the rest of the series.
I've had a copy of this book patiently waiting for me to make time to pick it up...and I'm so glad I did. Now I just need to rustle up a copy of the rest of the series.
tamarareads's review
5.0
Holy crap on a cracker, this is GOOD. Like, really good. I'm not sure if comparing authors to other authors is a good thing, but something about Alan Baxter's writing reminds me of American Gods. And I fucking LOVE Neil Gaiman, so that's no small praise for me. What I love about this book? Kick arse fight scenes which make me want to get back into martial arts. Descriptions of books and libraries which make this little book nerd all tingly in her happy places. And discovering a new fantasy realm right along with the central character. It's pretty fab. What I love the most though? The next book is out already, and I don't have to wait to read it. Hell yeah!! Thanks Alan, way better than anything I could get from a boy band. :-)
errantdreams's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
This is the first Alan Baxter book I’ve thought was less than perfect, but I’m still giving it a 4, so it certainly did something right! Since Bound (Alex Caine) (Volume 1) is listed on Amazon as a third edition, I have to wonder if the difference is in how long ago this was written and how much he’s skilled up since then?
Alex Caine is a cage fighter. He sees people’s intentions and purposes before they do things, so he can read what his opponent will do and react accordingly. He’s always attributed this to empathy, but one day an older man named Patrick Welby hunts him down and offers to show him all about magic. Caine isn’t interested until some bad guys make it dangerous for him to stick around, so he travels with Welby even though he still doesn’t really believe magic exists. As events around him heat up, he makes new friends and enemies and sets out on a mission that could result in his death–or it could make him monumentally powerful.
At first the narrative feels a little rough. It’s as though the author hasn’t quite sunk into his “voice” yet. As things heat up and the book gets underway, this gradually improves until it’s chugging along quite nicely. Also at first, it seemed like the author was struggling a bit to give the women personality (there’s actually a scene where a woman perches on the corner of a desk and files her nails–which, I’m telling you, this woman would damn well get her nails done for her). This, however, is another thing that improves as the book goes on. Ms. Sparks, one of the villains, develops more than just “sleeps with her boss” as a personality. Silhouette, someone Alex takes up with, develops more than “hot dangerous chick” as a style. At first both Ms. Sparks and her boss, Mr. Hood, are fairly cartoonish, but that, too, gives way to more interesting personalities. I wasn’t happy to see that one bit part character was described, in every appearance, as obese. It would be nice if this wasn’t seen as a defining characteristic.
I love the fact that even as Alex’s power grows, he still tends to fall back on his physical combat abilities (even without his supernatural edge, he’s trained for years) even as he learns to do new things with his talents. It makes sense that in an emergency he’d fall back on what he knows best, and he won’t always pick the right tool for the job. He also tends to lose control, which has a fascinating story to it.
I think the part I liked best was the collection of various creatures Alex encounters. There are leathery, mysterious black “birds” that follow him around. There’s a trio called the Dark Sisters who turn out to be quite a bit of dangerous fun. There are the half-Fey “Kin” that are behind legends of various supernaturals. This is an excellent world-spanning dark adventure, and I can’t wait to read the next two books!
Content note: sex, and child death.
Alex Caine is a cage fighter. He sees people’s intentions and purposes before they do things, so he can read what his opponent will do and react accordingly. He’s always attributed this to empathy, but one day an older man named Patrick Welby hunts him down and offers to show him all about magic. Caine isn’t interested until some bad guys make it dangerous for him to stick around, so he travels with Welby even though he still doesn’t really believe magic exists. As events around him heat up, he makes new friends and enemies and sets out on a mission that could result in his death–or it could make him monumentally powerful.
At first the narrative feels a little rough. It’s as though the author hasn’t quite sunk into his “voice” yet. As things heat up and the book gets underway, this gradually improves until it’s chugging along quite nicely. Also at first, it seemed like the author was struggling a bit to give the women personality (there’s actually a scene where a woman perches on the corner of a desk and files her nails–which, I’m telling you, this woman would damn well get her nails done for her). This, however, is another thing that improves as the book goes on. Ms. Sparks, one of the villains, develops more than just “sleeps with her boss” as a personality. Silhouette, someone Alex takes up with, develops more than “hot dangerous chick” as a style. At first both Ms. Sparks and her boss, Mr. Hood, are fairly cartoonish, but that, too, gives way to more interesting personalities. I wasn’t happy to see that one bit part character was described, in every appearance, as obese. It would be nice if this wasn’t seen as a defining characteristic.
I love the fact that even as Alex’s power grows, he still tends to fall back on his physical combat abilities (even without his supernatural edge, he’s trained for years) even as he learns to do new things with his talents. It makes sense that in an emergency he’d fall back on what he knows best, and he won’t always pick the right tool for the job. He also tends to lose control, which has a fascinating story to it.
I think the part I liked best was the collection of various creatures Alex encounters. There are leathery, mysterious black “birds” that follow him around. There’s a trio called the Dark Sisters who turn out to be quite a bit of dangerous fun. There are the half-Fey “Kin” that are behind legends of various supernaturals. This is an excellent world-spanning dark adventure, and I can’t wait to read the next two books!
Content note: sex, and child death.
shambolick's review against another edition
4.0
This book hooked me from the beginning. Exactly what I was looking for and kept me wanting to turn the pages. A fun read and definitely want to see more of this world and Alex Caine.