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pjonsson's review
3.0
This is the first book in a urban fantasy series that I stumbled on when browsing around for something new to read. Actually, one of the criteria that I had when looking for someyhing new was something where Michael Anderle had not slapped his name on it. He has written some books that I really really liked but unfortunately also slapped his name on a lot of crap. Also, to be honest, when reading books with his name on it I am starting to get a bit of a Deja Vue feeling.
Anyway, back to this book. It is not a bad start. I mean it is pretty much a run of the mill urban fantasy story with a few twists here and there but it is good enough that I felt I was entertained by it.
It is one of those stories where the main protagonist rather abruptly discovers that all those stories about things that go bump in the night are true and, in addition, she is one of the ones doing the bumping. Those stories are among my favorite ones. Unfortunately all too often the first book or books are quite fun but then they go down the drain. I guess we will have to see how it goes with this series.
The story is okay but it is maybe not the most well thought through story I have read. When we first meet Amanda she is working the oldest profession in the world and not as a upscale lady with exclusive clientele but literally on the street. That does not last long due to certain events describes in the book blurb though but her transformation from a street lady to the rather intelligent and moral main protagonist we see in the rest of the book seemed a little naive to me. Also the authors depiction of her “manager” when working the street was a bit naive and implausible. Well, as I wrote, that part did not last long so, no big deal.
I did like the part where Amanda, after her rather dramatic introduction to magic, was progressively introduced to the world of magic and monsters. It was not too rushed. Well some parts were a bit rushed, her advancing to Knight that fast was too much, but overall it was fairly well done.
How she found her mentor and the character itself was also nice although the influences from Karate Kid and Miyagi was rather obvious.
From there on everything picks up speed and overall I liked the book quite a lot. Her introduction to the four guys (not all of them human) in their Paris headquarters was quite fun. I hope we will have more of them.
The books does a lot of zapping between different parallel events as well as between time periods though. This part I did not like so much. I never do.
One thing that worries me though is that the author’s take on magic is a bit too far out. Essentially you seem to be able to do just about anything with magic if you are strong or well-trained enough. I hope the author does not make this spiral out of control as so many authors have done in various books that I have read.
Anyway, I as far as I am concerned this book merits me having a go on the second book in the series.
Anyway, back to this book. It is not a bad start. I mean it is pretty much a run of the mill urban fantasy story with a few twists here and there but it is good enough that I felt I was entertained by it.
It is one of those stories where the main protagonist rather abruptly discovers that all those stories about things that go bump in the night are true and, in addition, she is one of the ones doing the bumping. Those stories are among my favorite ones. Unfortunately all too often the first book or books are quite fun but then they go down the drain. I guess we will have to see how it goes with this series.
The story is okay but it is maybe not the most well thought through story I have read. When we first meet Amanda she is working the oldest profession in the world and not as a upscale lady with exclusive clientele but literally on the street. That does not last long due to certain events describes in the book blurb though but her transformation from a street lady to the rather intelligent and moral main protagonist we see in the rest of the book seemed a little naive to me. Also the authors depiction of her “manager” when working the street was a bit naive and implausible. Well, as I wrote, that part did not last long so, no big deal.
I did like the part where Amanda, after her rather dramatic introduction to magic, was progressively introduced to the world of magic and monsters. It was not too rushed. Well some parts were a bit rushed, her advancing to Knight that fast was too much, but overall it was fairly well done.
How she found her mentor and the character itself was also nice although the influences from Karate Kid and Miyagi was rather obvious.
From there on everything picks up speed and overall I liked the book quite a lot. Her introduction to the four guys (not all of them human) in their Paris headquarters was quite fun. I hope we will have more of them.
The books does a lot of zapping between different parallel events as well as between time periods though. This part I did not like so much. I never do.
One thing that worries me though is that the author’s take on magic is a bit too far out. Essentially you seem to be able to do just about anything with magic if you are strong or well-trained enough. I hope the author does not make this spiral out of control as so many authors have done in various books that I have read.
Anyway, I as far as I am concerned this book merits me having a go on the second book in the series.
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