Helpful Score: 1
I have had this urban fantasy series on my to read list for quite a while. This ended up being a well done and entertaining urban fantasy. Right now there are four books in this series with the fifth book, Veiled, scheduled for an August 2015 release.
I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook was very well done. The narrator sounds exactly like I imagine Verus would sound and does other character voices well too.
Alex Verus runs a magic shop in London and is a mage himself. However, being a Diviner, his powers are somewhat limited..mainly he can see the future. Things start to get interesting when a friend of his, Luna, finds a strange magic artifact. Shortly after this Alex is approached by multiple organizations that want to hire him to open up an ancient magic artifact. Alex is trying to stay alive and keep all the factions happy, however he is also desperate to know why everyone wants this artifact so badly.
The story reminds a bit of a cross between The Dresden Files and The Iron Druid Chronicles. I love that the story focuses on magicians and magic but is also a kind of a mystery. The whole thing takes place in London, which is always a fun setting...especially for urban fantasies.
I enjoyed the characters and the magic; Alex is a snarky lead and fun to read about. Hes mostly about surviving, but also has a bit of a noble streak that makes him err on the side of good. He apparently has a sordid past and I am curious to learn more about his past in future books.
I also enjoyed Luna. She has an interesting curse on her and is eager to learn about magic. She is basically in here as Alexs side kick, but seems to be tending toward becoming his apprentice. She reminds me a bit of Granuaile in the Iron Druid Chronicles.
The story is tied up very well in this book. However, there are some things/hints left in motion and I am very curious to see where these go in future books.
Overall I really enjoyed the snarky tone and magic in this book. I will most likely continue reading this series. I would definitely recommend to urban fantasy fans who enjoy mages and magic; especially to those who are fans of the Dreseden Files or the Iron Druid Chronicles.
I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook was very well done. The narrator sounds exactly like I imagine Verus would sound and does other character voices well too.
Alex Verus runs a magic shop in London and is a mage himself. However, being a Diviner, his powers are somewhat limited..mainly he can see the future. Things start to get interesting when a friend of his, Luna, finds a strange magic artifact. Shortly after this Alex is approached by multiple organizations that want to hire him to open up an ancient magic artifact. Alex is trying to stay alive and keep all the factions happy, however he is also desperate to know why everyone wants this artifact so badly.
The story reminds a bit of a cross between The Dresden Files and The Iron Druid Chronicles. I love that the story focuses on magicians and magic but is also a kind of a mystery. The whole thing takes place in London, which is always a fun setting...especially for urban fantasies.
I enjoyed the characters and the magic; Alex is a snarky lead and fun to read about. Hes mostly about surviving, but also has a bit of a noble streak that makes him err on the side of good. He apparently has a sordid past and I am curious to learn more about his past in future books.
I also enjoyed Luna. She has an interesting curse on her and is eager to learn about magic. She is basically in here as Alexs side kick, but seems to be tending toward becoming his apprentice. She reminds me a bit of Granuaile in the Iron Druid Chronicles.
The story is tied up very well in this book. However, there are some things/hints left in motion and I am very curious to see where these go in future books.
Overall I really enjoyed the snarky tone and magic in this book. I will most likely continue reading this series. I would definitely recommend to urban fantasy fans who enjoy mages and magic; especially to those who are fans of the Dreseden Files or the Iron Druid Chronicles.
Good urban fantasy! Read my full review in the August 2022 PBS blog.
This was recommended as being "like the Dresden Files" (Jim Butcher) and on the surface they're very similar. But much as I wanted to like this series, I found myself disappointed. The pace is slower, there's less humor...and I found the hero, Alex Verus, explaining himself and his reasoning A LOT. That made the book drag for me - I did go on to read the second in this series (because first novels can be flawed :), but found myself speed reading to get to the end. I like the characters a lot and wanted to know what happened to them, but I didn't want to take the long way 'round. In this book's defense, perhaps I wasn't in the right mood for it but I'm sticking with Jim Butcher and Kevin Hearne.
I thought this book was pretty good! Decently written, interesting characters, well plotted. I am interested in reading further in this series. The main character solves his problems through cleverness, instead of being more powerful than anyone else.
It is reminiscent of The Dresden Files, of course, but in a good way. And, while the world is similar, there are some new and interesting things about this world that make me want to read further with these characters, and see where the overall story goes.
I would recommend it for anyone waiting for the next Dresden Files book to come out.
It is reminiscent of The Dresden Files, of course, but in a good way. And, while the world is similar, there are some new and interesting things about this world that make me want to read further with these characters, and see where the overall story goes.
I would recommend it for anyone waiting for the next Dresden Files book to come out.
