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wizzardofxxxx's review against another edition
2.0
Man, I really was bored by this book. It took me a month to finish and I read like 4 other books during that same time bc this one just could not hold my attention.
I think part of my problem was that it seemed like the 5th book in an established series: Marla was out of her city, they kept referencing shit that had already happened, and we were just supposed to buy that Marla was terrifying without any proof.
I might pick up the rest of the series, but it'll be super low on my list.
I think part of my problem was that it seemed like the 5th book in an established series: Marla was out of her city, they kept referencing shit that had already happened, and we were just supposed to buy that Marla was terrifying without any proof.
I might pick up the rest of the series, but it'll be super low on my list.
wealhtheow's review against another edition
3.0
Marla Mason has a problem. She may be the most powerful sorcerer in her city, but she has only days until a rival deletes her from existance. She and her faithful sidekick Rondeau (actually a parasitic spirit riding a chance-met human) travel to San Francisco to use the Cornerstone, a block of incredibly powerful magic. Getting the Cornerstone will be difficult--suriving San Francisco may be impossible. Sorcerers, gods, and technomages stand in Marla's way, and a fanatical priest of Tlaltecuhtli seeks to destroy the world.
This was an odd book, because the story begins very much in media res. Marla is far from a blank slate or a new to sorcery, and she's had years to build up allies and mortal enemies. The backstories were written a little clunkily, but I was glad to see them--I love complications and contradictions. Although the story takes place exclusively in San Francisco, Marla and Rondeau's reactions to another city tell the reader a great deal about their own city, Felport. The magics are ingenious and often inventive: one sorcerer lives on a train perpetually going widdershins, another operates under the principle that reality is a computer simulation of the past. Although the writing is a little rough, the action is exciting and Marla a great protagonist. Anyone who enjoyed early Laurell K Hamilton or Kelly Armstrong should give this book a try. (Note: this is not in the least paranormal romance.)
It can be found online and free at: http://a1018.g.akamai.net/f/1018/19025/1d/randomhouse1.download.akamai.com/19025/freelibrary/bloodenginesfinalsuv.pdf
This was an odd book, because the story begins very much in media res. Marla is far from a blank slate or a new to sorcery, and she's had years to build up allies and mortal enemies. The backstories were written a little clunkily, but I was glad to see them--I love complications and contradictions. Although the story takes place exclusively in San Francisco, Marla and Rondeau's reactions to another city tell the reader a great deal about their own city, Felport. The magics are ingenious and often inventive: one sorcerer lives on a train perpetually going widdershins, another operates under the principle that reality is a computer simulation of the past. Although the writing is a little rough, the action is exciting and Marla a great protagonist. Anyone who enjoyed early Laurell K Hamilton or Kelly Armstrong should give this book a try. (Note: this is not in the least paranormal romance.)
It can be found online and free at: http://a1018.g.akamai.net/f/1018/19025/1d/randomhouse1.download.akamai.com/19025/freelibrary/bloodenginesfinalsuv.pdf
justgeekingby's review against another edition
2.0
Interesting ideas and subject matter, not too sure that I like the writing style though. Probably won't be picking up the sequel.
corar's review against another edition
4.0
Marla, head sorcerer in the city of Felport, has found out that a rival is preparing a spell that will destroy her and the city. In order to prevent that from happening, Marla and her associate Rondeau travel to San Francisco in order to find a cornerstone. The cornerstone is necessary to preparing a spell to counter her rivals. However, once they are in San Francisco, unexpected events lead them into a battle to save he world. This was a fun urban fantasy. Although she is a little rough around the edges, I liked Marla. The supporting characters were also interesting and unique. I would definitely be interested in reading more of the series. The only issue I had was that the story read like there should have been previous books in the series. There was a lot of background information I felt like I should have known. Although the author gave you the information you needed, I thought that there was more to the story that I missed. However, this was the first book in the series, so perhaps that background information will be fleshed out in subsequent books.
gnomepartay's review against another edition
5.0
This book came to me highly recommended. The most refreshing part of this book is that it is an action novel that does not involve a woman who is vulnerable when it comes to men.
naree1301's review against another edition
3.0
This was a weird one. All the way through I was irritated by the lack of depth the characters seemed to show but every now and again there was a taste of something more to Marla, though it didn't stop me thinking of her as horrendously hypocritical. She will go on and on about how she kills without remorse but then mention in passing one of her enemies being despicable for having no morals. The cloak was a good example; she tells of how she kills, uses and controls people for her own ends and then says something about how the cloak makes you inhuman. But those glimpses of her I think were just enough to persuade me. Especially the parts when she regrets and action or is proved that there is a way that she didn't consider. For me it would have worked better if there were more about her reasons for acting like a homicidal dictator. She controls Felport because she believes it would be worse off without her, is it? Or is she just another power-mad fruitcake with a god complex? I have to say, in the first half of the book I was hoping that Susan would win but by the end I am curious about her as a character and I'm reasonably glad I kept reading.
I don't know whether I'll read the next one. The reviews and the snippet in the back of Blood Engines suggest that Mr Pratt's writing has grown a lot between books but whether or not it's my sort of thing I don't know. One of the most irritating things about this book was the way they'd go on. A lot of the dialogue seemed unnaturally long as if they were in a school play where they'd half turn toward the audience and explain outside the narrative. The other thing that bugged me was how the narrator would keep secrets. Marla kept going on about this terrible spell that would take her city away but never mention anything about it. Without knowing how it could possibly happen I just didn't care, it didn't seem to be real even to the characters. It also happened in conversations the characters were having, they'd sort of both have a lightbulb moment and then start whispering behind their hands, "I've just had a brilliant idea!" "I know, I just thought of the exact same thing!" Riiiiiiight. Or maybe I'm bitter because it never works for me, I can be all "Oooo I have a brilliant idea!" *we could get pizza* and my sister can be all "Oooo I have a brilliant idea" *let's go bungee jumping* and three hours later I'll be standing on a bridge with nothing between me and a splat but a bit of bouncy rope and all I wanted was a pizza.
Oh and every time someone did something nasty like raping dead people or eating dead people (better than live people?) they asked "Do you disapprove?" and then she went off on one about how it was weird but how she understood. She could just have said "No." and justified in her head. I have no idea why her talking so much bugs me but it does. It also bugged me how (I think) they both said 'disapprove' it's just such a weak word for things like rape and cannibalism. Though that's probably personal; I can't be doing with taking rape casually, which Marla seemed to do, but bearing in mind what the lass gets up to while 'protecting' the city it is at least in character.
Maybe I'll see how much the next book is....
I don't know whether I'll read the next one. The reviews and the snippet in the back of Blood Engines suggest that Mr Pratt's writing has grown a lot between books but whether or not it's my sort of thing I don't know. One of the most irritating things about this book was the way they'd go on. A lot of the dialogue seemed unnaturally long as if they were in a school play where they'd half turn toward the audience and explain outside the narrative. The other thing that bugged me was how the narrator would keep secrets. Marla kept going on about this terrible spell that would take her city away but never mention anything about it. Without knowing how it could possibly happen I just didn't care, it didn't seem to be real even to the characters. It also happened in conversations the characters were having, they'd sort of both have a lightbulb moment and then start whispering behind their hands, "I've just had a brilliant idea!" "I know, I just thought of the exact same thing!" Riiiiiiight. Or maybe I'm bitter because it never works for me, I can be all "Oooo I have a brilliant idea!" *we could get pizza* and my sister can be all "Oooo I have a brilliant idea" *let's go bungee jumping* and three hours later I'll be standing on a bridge with nothing between me and a splat but a bit of bouncy rope and all I wanted was a pizza.
Oh and every time someone did something nasty like raping dead people or eating dead people (better than live people?) they asked "Do you disapprove?" and then she went off on one about how it was weird but how she understood. She could just have said "No." and justified in her head. I have no idea why her talking so much bugs me but it does. It also bugged me how (I think) they both said 'disapprove' it's just such a weak word for things like rape and cannibalism. Though that's probably personal; I can't be doing with taking rape casually, which Marla seemed to do, but bearing in mind what the lass gets up to while 'protecting' the city it is at least in character.
Maybe I'll see how much the next book is....
jinksb's review against another edition
1.0
I'm a very forgiving reader. If you're telling me a good story with interesting characters, I can (and usually do) ignore writing that's not up to par. With "Blood engines," however, the heavy-handed exposition was too much to ignore, and the main characters were either colorless or unlikable. I was attracted by the location (San Francisco) and the premise, but as a wise person once said, "A premise is not a story."
I made it through the first four chapters and bailed. No bueno.
I made it through the first four chapters and bailed. No bueno.
realbooks4ever's review against another edition
5.0
T.A. Pratt’s BLOOD ENGINES, the first book in the Marla Mason series, is a thoroughly enjoyable urban fantasy novel.
The action takes place in San Francisco. Sorcerer Marla has gone there from her east coast town of Felport, to enlist the help of a friend and retrieve an artifact to use in the casting of a spell on her arch-enemy. Finding that her friend has been murdered, she, along with her zany side-kick Rondeau, embarks on a mission to find the killer as well as the artifact. More bodies pile up, and Marla must battle other sorcerers, evil hummingbirds, and poisonous frogs along the way.
Pratt does very well describing the fantasy aspects of the story. I also liked the humor and the fast pace of the story.
~Stephanie
The action takes place in San Francisco. Sorcerer Marla has gone there from her east coast town of Felport, to enlist the help of a friend and retrieve an artifact to use in the casting of a spell on her arch-enemy. Finding that her friend has been murdered, she, along with her zany side-kick Rondeau, embarks on a mission to find the killer as well as the artifact. More bodies pile up, and Marla must battle other sorcerers, evil hummingbirds, and poisonous frogs along the way.
Pratt does very well describing the fantasy aspects of the story. I also liked the humor and the fast pace of the story.
~Stephanie
andyg's review against another edition
2.0
In giving this book 4 stars, I'm sticking to the very literal i really liked it. I'm not saying this is a great book. But for whatever reason, i put down what i was doing and read at it for several hours, so I'd feel dishonest rating it any lower. The plot is good, the ideas are great (if you like urban fantasy, and yes i'm a nerd) and the writing is... not so good.