This book had all the elements of a story that would hook me: a centuries-old heroine with powers from Chinese mythology, a broodingly handsome French elf secret agent, danger and family drama … but the writing felt so juvenile, it was really hard to get into it. The main characters giggled and bantered like awkward teenagers, not immensely powerful immortal beings, and the tell-don’t-show storytelling constantly spent paragraphs on the background and relationships between characters before falling flat on a meaningless and stilted exchange. The entire first two chapters kept making me wonder if I’d missed a much better prequel, since it has to do so much explaining. Other magical characters seemed thrown in as token representation, and the villains never got any dimension at all. I did finish the book and it did eventually get better, but the characters and their conversation were never as cool as they should have been, given their powers and their supposed lifespans.
Tag: genre-urban fantasy
Ink Blood Sister Scribe, by Emma Törzs
Kudos to this book for not only being well-plotted and well-executed, but also having one of the best as-needed reveals of magic systems I’ve read in a while. The main characters are estranged sisters Esther, who left home at age 18 and never returned; and Joanna, who remained a faithful protector of their family’s library of magical books. Across the ocean, there’s also Nicholas, a Scribe whose inborn magic allows him to write more of those books, though at a severe cost to his health. Eventually, all three of them stumble together into the realization that there is way more to their separate situations than they were ever allowed to understand. Great pacing and smooth writing made this a very satisfying read.
Trailer Park Trickster, by David R. Slayton
Book #2 featuring Adam Binder, the queer warlock from a trailer park who just can’t stop saving people (even those who might not deserve saving). This one has him returning to his roots and investigating the increasingly creepy foundations of his family life; meanwhile, his love interest Vicente finds himself navigating dangerous elven politics. I liked the book in general but didn’t like the ongoing trope of “lovers are too busy with mortal peril to discuss their relationship, therefore the angst will continue” which looks like it’ll continue into the third book. Sit down and talk to one another, gentlemen, it’s healthier in the long run.
White Trash Warlock, by David R. Slayton
First of the Adam Binder books. I love a gritty urban fantasy, though this one is definitely less than urban, considering that Adam spends quite a bit of time in his aunt’s trailer in the back woods… at least not when he’s not being guilt-tripped into battling dark forces in Denver as a favor to his estranged well-to-do brother. At least he meets a cute guy in the city, though he’s still got unresolved issues with his ex. Poverty, class tensions, and problematic family dynamics for our LGBT warlock lend depth to what otherwise seems like a standard little-guy-against-a-big-magical-evil plotline. This book is mostly setup to what feels like it’ll be a long extended battle, but I’m definitely interested to read more.
The Sunken Mall, by K.D. Edwards
I was in withdrawal after finishing book 2 in Edwards’ Tarot Sequence, so I was delighted to find this little novella that slots in between books 1 and 2 in the main storyline. Basically Brand, Rune, and Addam take the teenagers shopping in an abandoned mall that was magically preserved and also, of course, slightly haunted. The 1980s nostalgia is on point, the magic and danger levels are just right, and the characters’ snarky fondness for one another carries through. Very satisfying read.
The Hourglass Throne, by K.D. Edwards
This is #3 of Edwards’ Tarot Sequence. Everything I said about #2 applies and then some. Despite Rune’s newly elevated rank and new responsibilities, he’s still the same kid deep down who thinks he has to take care of everything and everyone, and it’s refreshing to watch the people around him try to gently convince him to accept help. The antagonist in this book does a lot to flesh out the culture of Old Atlantis vs the new kids in Rune’s generation, and even though it’s a fantasy culture, the parallels to our society are super obvious. Left pining for the next book as usual (except it’s not written yet, sadly, so it’ll be a while).
Last Call, by Tim Powers
Recommended by J because I liked Edwards’ Tarot Sequence, and I can definitely see the similarities – except whereas Edwards’ books are a warm hug, Powers’ book is more of a morbid chill. Yes, there’s a found family; yes, there’s magic tied to cards; yes, there’s a mysterious magic cabal that runs everything… but the engine that runs it all is fueled by deception, death, and sacrifice, and everything is dark and creepy and full of pain. The inevitability of the characters’ paths brings to mind Seanan McGuire’s Seasonal Fears, in which everyone has a predetermined role to play, and their only choice is how wholeheartedly to embrace it; there’s no way to sit out the game, and the only way to survive is to win.
The Hanged Man, by K.D. Edwards
This is #2 of Edwards’ Tarot Sequence. The only thing I didn’t like about this book was the fact that it came to an end and I was still on the waitlist for #3. (Not a cliffhanger ending, just one that raised more questions.) This series is addictive, mixing deadly politics, crazy magic, psychopathic villains, and a really sweet found family, whose members consciously try to bring out the best in one another. The mutual loyalty between Rune and Brant, Addam’s love bound up with respect, the way the introduction of the children brings the characters towards a more responsible version of themselves, the snappy repartee and one-liners that make you whisper them again to yourself as if you were also that cool… it’s all super enjoyable. If I were a teen, I would probably have reread these books until the covers fell off.
Fire Boy, by Sami Shah
For a novel marketed as YA, this was super violent. I found it jarring to alternate between scenes of graphic sex and torture and the main character’s stammering shyness when attempting to ask out his crush. Set in Pakistan, this novel features teenager Wahid, who just wants to play D&D with his mates and get up the courage to talk to the pretty girl in his class; he doesn’t know why he can see djinn and would rather not think about that part of his life. Unfortunately, supernatural forces come after him anyway, threatening his friends, and he finds himself navigating many of Karachi’s darker and more magical elements in an attempt to save them. Many, many loose ends left dangling for the sequel.
The Last Sun, by K.D. Edwards
I thought from the title this might be some sort of dystopian SF ecological planetary disaster, but instead it’s a trippy urban fantasy in which each Arcana of the Tarot is personified as a supernaturally powerful mobster. The Arcana reside in the gritty, violent city of New Atlantis, existing in an unsteady power balance, each answerable only to the others. Rune Saint John, last surviving scion of the fallen Sun court, fights for survival and sanity in a world determined to make it difficult for him, picking up friends and enemies along the way. I loved the portrayal of the interpersonal relationships in this book, as well as the characterizations of the powerful Arcana. Good wrap-up at the end with plenty of threads left hanging for the sequel.