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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The book opens with Adam at a bar playing pool, and it showcases that he is able to 'sense' magic, and he's currently trying to find the warlock, who he suspects is his father, who made the pool cue a man he's playing pool against is currently using. I thought this set up things well and made for an intriguing first chapter, unfortunately I do not think the rest of the book was similarly intriguing, which was disappointing as I really wanted to enjoy this book as someone who's originally from Oklahoma.
The actual magic of the world and magical different races are not really explained or gone into in any detail. Adam has the 'sense', meaning he can feel magic and see some magical things as well as crossover into the more magical world, and that's kind of it. Which was fairly disappointing for me because I like the idea of a character who is magically weaker and has to rely more on cunning than raw power.
The characters also lacked depth for me, with Bobby really being the only one who had any sort of character arc. While Bobby's and Adam's relationship was genuinely interesting to me, sadly it wasn't ever really explored deeply. Even something interesting that was revealed,being that the warlock Adam was looking for could not be his father because Bobby actually killed him when they were kids, was not actually explored. It is just kind of mentioned at the end of the book that Adam was told this information so we don't get to see how this conversation went or how Adam responded to it in the moment. Annie, Bobby's wife who supposedly everyone wants to save, felt more like a prop than an actual character, which left me caring about whether or not she got saved about as much as Adam did, so not a lot.
Though by far my least favorite part of this book was the romance. While I can admit that I am definitely biased against this romance as Vic is a cop and I do not like cops. I especially do not like cop characters when the book defends cops by talking about them as 'brave protectors', like having Vic's mom say, "That's his job, to serve and protect", or "It is not easy to be a cop these days, it's dangerous". But, even if I ignored the fact that Vic was a cop, he's still an uninteresting, blank page of a character. He never has any conflict with Adam or really reacts to anything, even though he just learned that magic is an actual real thing that exists, he's incredibly chill about the whole thing. Vic is also Mexican and while it didn't feel horribly offensively written or anything, it also didn't feel super well done. The romance is very insta-lovey and the attempt(?) at a love triangle felt wholly unnecessary, though honestly the whole romance felt entirely unnecessary in this book.
Overall the resolution of the plot and the reveal of the big bad felt fairly disappointing and rushed, the characters and world were underdeveloped, and the romance fell flat. Though it was a fairly easy read and didn't feel like too much of a slog to get through, I can't say I'd ever reread or recommend it to a friend.
The actual magic of the world and magical different races are not really explained or gone into in any detail. Adam has the 'sense', meaning he can feel magic and see some magical things as well as crossover into the more magical world, and that's kind of it. Which was fairly disappointing for me because I like the idea of a character who is magically weaker and has to rely more on cunning than raw power.
The characters also lacked depth for me, with Bobby really being the only one who had any sort of character arc. While Bobby's and Adam's relationship was genuinely interesting to me, sadly it wasn't ever really explored deeply. Even something interesting that was revealed,
Though by far my least favorite part of this book was the romance. While I can admit that I am definitely biased against this romance as Vic is a cop and I do not like cops. I especially do not like cop characters when the book defends cops by talking about them as 'brave protectors', like having Vic's mom say, "That's his job, to serve and protect", or "It is not easy to be a cop these days, it's dangerous". But, even if I ignored the fact that Vic was a cop, he's still an uninteresting, blank page of a character. He never has any conflict with Adam or really reacts to anything, even though he just learned that magic is an actual real thing that exists, he's incredibly chill about the whole thing. Vic is also Mexican and while it didn't feel horribly offensively written or anything, it also didn't feel super well done. The romance is very insta-lovey and the attempt(?) at a love triangle felt wholly unnecessary, though honestly the whole romance felt entirely unnecessary in this book.
Overall the resolution of the plot and the reveal of the big bad felt fairly disappointing and rushed, the characters and world were underdeveloped, and the romance fell flat. Though it was a fairly easy read and didn't feel like too much of a slog to get through, I can't say I'd ever reread or recommend it to a friend.
I've given this a B+ for narration and an A- for story at AAR
David R. Slayton’s White Trash Warlock was recommended to me a while back (by Gregory Ashe, no less) so when I saw it in the Audible Plus catalogue**, I pounced on it – and I’m so glad I did, because I was completely glued to it for the entire nine-and-a-bit hours of its run-time. The story is inventive, the central character is flawed, complex and captivating (just how I like ‘em!) and the narration is really good, so it was a win all round.
**It's no longer in the Plus catalogue (Jan 2022) - but it's more than good enough to use a credit for!!
Adam Binder has low-level psychic and magical abilities that are often more of a burden than a gift. Aged just twenty, he lives with his Great-Aunt Sue in Guthrie, Oklahoma and is estranged from the rest of his family; his father left when he was young, his mother doesn’t seem to care and he hasn’t seen his brother Robert (now a doctor in Denver) since Robert had him committed to an institution at thirteen because Adam was hearing voices. Adam got out as soon as he turned eighteen and now spends much of his time tracking down and destroying dangerous magical artefacts and trying to find their creator, a warlock he suspects may be his father.
Given their estrangement, Robert is the last person Adam expects to hear from – even less does he expect a request for help. Robert’s wife Annie has begun behaving extremely erratically and Robert has seen things in her behaviour that suggest to him that whatever is wrong with her may be something supernatural. He asks Adam to come to Denver to do what he can to help; Adam is reluctant but he goes. Whatever is wrong, Annie doesn’t deserve it – and also, he has a lead that points to the artefacts he’s been searching for originating from somewhere in Denver.
The reunion between the brothers – and Adam and their mother – is uneasy at best, but when Adam sees Annie, he realises she’s possessed by some sort of spirit entity. A visit to the hospital where Robert works reveals a connection between it and the spirit – while he’s looking around, the spirit tries to kill Adam, and when a couple of cops inadvertently get in the way and one of them is killed, Adam manages to save the life of the other by giving him a strand of his own life-force, making it impossible for the Reaper to claim him and unwittingly creating a bond between himself and the young police officer.
It doesn’t take Adam long to discover that whatever is going on, it’s affecting more than just Annie – the entire magical community in Denver has been affected and its magicians are all dead. As Adam investigates further, he finds some unexpected allies, learns more about his past and finds himself at the centre of a long-game being played by immortals – who want the spirit dealt with but want someone else to do their dirty work.
White Trask Warlock is a superb piece of storytelling featuring an intriguing and well-constructed mystery plot, strong worldbuilding, a burgeoning romance and a compelling, engaging and relatable protagonist. When he was young, Adam was wronged by the very people who should have been looking out for him and he feels like he’s broken – but somehow, he has retained his kindness and compassion, and the fact that he’s ‘ordinary’ – he isn’t well-educated, doesn’t have a real job, and his magic isn’t particularly powerful – is quite refreshing. The bulk of the story is told from his perspective, although there are a handful of chapters told from Robert’s PoV; I thought that was an odd decision when I first looked at the list of contents, but then realised that it was a good way of integrating elements of Adam’s backstory as there were things Robert knew that Adam didn’t or couldn’t know.
There’s a romance in the story although it’s not the main focus – and that works perfectly well in context. This is a series featuring the same characters, so there’s time for it to develop and I’m quite looking forward to seeing where the author goes with it.
Mr. Slayton skilfully integrates his fantastical world with the ‘real’ one, has devised an interesting magic system and paces the story extremely well, gradually ramping up the tension and the stakes until we’re racing towards a thrilling and exciting climax.
Michael David Axtell – a new-to-me narrator – delivers an excellent performance all round, assigning distinct, recognisable character voices to a fairly large cast, and he differentiates effectively between all of them by using a variety of tone, timbre and accent. I enjoyed his interpretation of the elven princess Argent, her posh accent, slight drawl and haughty demeanour perfectly conveying her confidence and status, and I liked the way he voices Adam’s love interest, Vic Martinez , who is sweet, grounded and fun. Mr Axtell’s portrayal of Adam is the real high point though; he perfectly captures every aspect of his personality – his kindness, his humour, his insecurities – and brings him vividly to life.
Full of magic, supernatural creatures and likeable characters, White Trash Warlock is an enthralling mix of mystery and fantasy with a slight horror vibe that gets this inventive urban fantasy series off to an exciting start. I already have book two, Trailer Park Trickster, in my Audible library, but I gather it ends on a big cliffhanger so I’m waiting for news of book three before I listen to it! (Patience has never been my strong suit, however.) In the meantime, White Trash Warlock earns a strong recommendation and a place on my keeper shelf.
David R. Slayton’s White Trash Warlock was recommended to me a while back (by Gregory Ashe, no less) so when I saw it in the Audible Plus catalogue**, I pounced on it – and I’m so glad I did, because I was completely glued to it for the entire nine-and-a-bit hours of its run-time. The story is inventive, the central character is flawed, complex and captivating (just how I like ‘em!) and the narration is really good, so it was a win all round.
**It's no longer in the Plus catalogue (Jan 2022) - but it's more than good enough to use a credit for!!
Adam Binder has low-level psychic and magical abilities that are often more of a burden than a gift. Aged just twenty, he lives with his Great-Aunt Sue in Guthrie, Oklahoma and is estranged from the rest of his family; his father left when he was young, his mother doesn’t seem to care and he hasn’t seen his brother Robert (now a doctor in Denver) since Robert had him committed to an institution at thirteen because Adam was hearing voices. Adam got out as soon as he turned eighteen and now spends much of his time tracking down and destroying dangerous magical artefacts and trying to find their creator, a warlock he suspects may be his father.
Given their estrangement, Robert is the last person Adam expects to hear from – even less does he expect a request for help. Robert’s wife Annie has begun behaving extremely erratically and Robert has seen things in her behaviour that suggest to him that whatever is wrong with her may be something supernatural. He asks Adam to come to Denver to do what he can to help; Adam is reluctant but he goes. Whatever is wrong, Annie doesn’t deserve it – and also, he has a lead that points to the artefacts he’s been searching for originating from somewhere in Denver.
The reunion between the brothers – and Adam and their mother – is uneasy at best, but when Adam sees Annie, he realises she’s possessed by some sort of spirit entity. A visit to the hospital where Robert works reveals a connection between it and the spirit – while he’s looking around, the spirit tries to kill Adam, and when a couple of cops inadvertently get in the way and one of them is killed, Adam manages to save the life of the other by giving him a strand of his own life-force, making it impossible for the Reaper to claim him and unwittingly creating a bond between himself and the young police officer.
It doesn’t take Adam long to discover that whatever is going on, it’s affecting more than just Annie – the entire magical community in Denver has been affected and its magicians are all dead. As Adam investigates further, he finds some unexpected allies, learns more about his past and finds himself at the centre of a long-game being played by immortals – who want the spirit dealt with but want someone else to do their dirty work.
White Trask Warlock is a superb piece of storytelling featuring an intriguing and well-constructed mystery plot, strong worldbuilding, a burgeoning romance and a compelling, engaging and relatable protagonist. When he was young, Adam was wronged by the very people who should have been looking out for him and he feels like he’s broken – but somehow, he has retained his kindness and compassion, and the fact that he’s ‘ordinary’ – he isn’t well-educated, doesn’t have a real job, and his magic isn’t particularly powerful – is quite refreshing. The bulk of the story is told from his perspective, although there are a handful of chapters told from Robert’s PoV; I thought that was an odd decision when I first looked at the list of contents, but then realised that it was a good way of integrating elements of Adam’s backstory as there were things Robert knew that Adam didn’t or couldn’t know.
There’s a romance in the story although it’s not the main focus – and that works perfectly well in context. This is a series featuring the same characters, so there’s time for it to develop and I’m quite looking forward to seeing where the author goes with it.
Mr. Slayton skilfully integrates his fantastical world with the ‘real’ one, has devised an interesting magic system and paces the story extremely well, gradually ramping up the tension and the stakes until we’re racing towards a thrilling and exciting climax.
Michael David Axtell – a new-to-me narrator – delivers an excellent performance all round, assigning distinct, recognisable character voices to a fairly large cast, and he differentiates effectively between all of them by using a variety of tone, timbre and accent. I enjoyed his interpretation of the elven princess Argent, her posh accent, slight drawl and haughty demeanour perfectly conveying her confidence and status, and I liked the way he voices Adam’s love interest, Vic Martinez , who is sweet, grounded and fun. Mr Axtell’s portrayal of Adam is the real high point though; he perfectly captures every aspect of his personality – his kindness, his humour, his insecurities – and brings him vividly to life.
Full of magic, supernatural creatures and likeable characters, White Trash Warlock is an enthralling mix of mystery and fantasy with a slight horror vibe that gets this inventive urban fantasy series off to an exciting start. I already have book two, Trailer Park Trickster, in my Audible library, but I gather it ends on a big cliffhanger so I’m waiting for news of book three before I listen to it! (Patience has never been my strong suit, however.) In the meantime, White Trash Warlock earns a strong recommendation and a place on my keeper shelf.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was surprised by this one. As a free option with an Audiable subscription, I really wasn't expecting much, and I was expecting even less as it was my very first "freebie" of my shiny new Audiable subscription. Having been a Kindle Unlimited member for several years, I knew what kind of digging was required to find those gems in the ruff, and I definitely expected to sift through a lot of gravel before I found an author that clicked with me.
So color me shocked when White Trash Warlock actually ended up sucking me in the very first chapter, AND kept me engrossed through out. I keep expecting it to go weird, or overly kitchy/less serious like the quirky title implied, or the writing quality would peeter out... but it kept right on being good and well-written and engrossing and not at all what I expected. There are some small editing blubs - names being switched on accident, a misplaced word or poorly restructure sentence here and there, but honestly? The thing was still pretty damn solid despite those little errors.
It *does* have a number of sappy bits, but I can get past those if it keeps giving me loads of action and twisty plots and roller-coaster emotions and weirdly wholesome background family dynamics made more unique for the stark contrast to the main family dynamics. The underlying Big Bad is creepy and unsettling and just horrifying enough without going overboard with violence and gore; the Other is beautiful and complicated and terrifying without feeling contrived and fake; the characters are multidimensional and full of shades of grey. It reminded me of a mildly dark impressionist painting with just a tiny dash of gothinc horror for flavor, and I am definitely going to be continuing the series. Here's hoping book 2 and 3 live up to their potential.
So color me shocked when White Trash Warlock actually ended up sucking me in the very first chapter, AND kept me engrossed through out. I keep expecting it to go weird, or overly kitchy/less serious like the quirky title implied, or the writing quality would peeter out... but it kept right on being good and well-written and engrossing and not at all what I expected. There are some small editing blubs - names being switched on accident, a misplaced word or poorly restructure sentence here and there, but honestly? The thing was still pretty damn solid despite those little errors.
It *does* have a number of sappy bits, but I can get past those if it keeps giving me loads of action and twisty plots and roller-coaster emotions and weirdly wholesome background family dynamics made more unique for the stark contrast to the main family dynamics. The underlying Big Bad is creepy and unsettling and just horrifying enough without going overboard with violence and gore; the Other is beautiful and complicated and terrifying without feeling contrived and fake; the characters are multidimensional and full of shades of grey. It reminded me of a mildly dark impressionist painting with just a tiny dash of gothinc horror for flavor, and I am definitely going to be continuing the series. Here's hoping book 2 and 3 live up to their potential.
adventurous
funny
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I thought this was a delightful fantasy story that is a quick and easy read. I liked the characters, particularly Vic and Adam and I thought the story was well done.
My only major criticism is that I think there was more opportunity to delve into Adam’s martyr complex.
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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