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A review by cassandra67b07
Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews
5.0
5/24/20. Reread on audio during COVID daily walk. Steve West is an outstanding narrator and really captures Hugh. Enjoying this a second time around.
eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review follows:
So, I raced through this book and have to say that I didn't really think it could be done. Could you turn an antagonist with a real streak of cruelty into a protagonist and a credible love interest? The answer in Iron and Magic is yes, yes, you can. As long as you give him something and someone to protect.
Mild spoilers follow:
In the Kate Daniels series, Hugh has been a "Big Bad" of sorts. Not the ultimate, "Big Bad-that distinction belongs to Roland-but a credible and intelligent opponent to Kate and her friends and allies. He's done some dreadful things to characters readers had come to care about and he seemed to do it without any sense of remorse or regret.
And in this book, we see where that has left him. We get into his head and discover what Roland meant and still means to him, we see what he really thinks about Kate and the Pack, and what it will take for him to live his life independent of Roland's magic. And he makes a choice. Well, more than one but there's one big one that made me catch my breath.
On top of Hugh's journey, there's also my favorite trope in fiction. All together now---the marriage of convenience! Elara has no interest in marrying Hugh, Hugh has no interest in marrying her but they must.
Oh no, whatever will they do?
Turns out, they will do quite a lot. Separately and together. They are both powerful and scary individuals and how they find common ground is one of the best parts of this book and I refuse to spoil it except to say that this is not a Beauty and the Beast story. They don't suddenly become less dread in the old sense of the word. But they are transformed.
This is a book with darker themes than Ilona Andrews' fans might be used to, but it suited these characters and situations perfectly. Oh, and the sex is pretty damn hot.
eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review follows:
So, I raced through this book and have to say that I didn't really think it could be done. Could you turn an antagonist with a real streak of cruelty into a protagonist and a credible love interest? The answer in Iron and Magic is yes, yes, you can. As long as you give him something and someone to protect.
Mild spoilers follow:
In the Kate Daniels series, Hugh has been a "Big Bad" of sorts. Not the ultimate, "Big Bad-that distinction belongs to Roland-but a credible and intelligent opponent to Kate and her friends and allies. He's done some dreadful things to characters readers had come to care about and he seemed to do it without any sense of remorse or regret.
And in this book, we see where that has left him. We get into his head and discover what Roland meant and still means to him, we see what he really thinks about Kate and the Pack, and what it will take for him to live his life independent of Roland's magic. And he makes a choice. Well, more than one but there's one big one that made me catch my breath.
On top of Hugh's journey, there's also my favorite trope in fiction. All together now---the marriage of convenience! Elara has no interest in marrying Hugh, Hugh has no interest in marrying her but they must.
Oh no, whatever will they do?
Turns out, they will do quite a lot. Separately and together. They are both powerful and scary individuals and how they find common ground is one of the best parts of this book and I refuse to spoil it except to say that this is not a Beauty and the Beast story. They don't suddenly become less dread in the old sense of the word. But they are transformed.
This is a book with darker themes than Ilona Andrews' fans might be used to, but it suited these characters and situations perfectly. Oh, and the sex is pretty damn hot.