Helpful Score: 10
Overall, I would say this book was good, but not great. My strongest impression was chick lit does urban fantasy!
I really do feel like I just finished a chick lit book! It's the tone of the writing more than the content, really, but I'm rather bemused since even the Wild Hunt didn't shake that impression. Also, the story had a very breezy feeling, and the central theme seemed to be more about Joanne coming to terms with herself and her past -- the supernatural aspects were just a side part of the package.
I'm a bit disappointed though, because this book started off with a bang! Great imagery and well-done action sequences to draw in the reader, mysterious characters.... I was really impressed! But by about half way through the book, the urgency just sort of dwindled. Somehow the sense of mystery petered out, and the plot was a backdrop for Joanne to come to terms with herself in the chick lit style. Everything that happened after that just seemed sort of inevitable.
The story was still enjoyable, but I was ready for it to be finished by the time I got to the end. So, yeah, good but not great.
I really do feel like I just finished a chick lit book! It's the tone of the writing more than the content, really, but I'm rather bemused since even the Wild Hunt didn't shake that impression. Also, the story had a very breezy feeling, and the central theme seemed to be more about Joanne coming to terms with herself and her past -- the supernatural aspects were just a side part of the package.
I'm a bit disappointed though, because this book started off with a bang! Great imagery and well-done action sequences to draw in the reader, mysterious characters.... I was really impressed! But by about half way through the book, the urgency just sort of dwindled. Somehow the sense of mystery petered out, and the plot was a backdrop for Joanne to come to terms with herself in the chick lit style. Everything that happened after that just seemed sort of inevitable.
The story was still enjoyable, but I was ready for it to be finished by the time I got to the end. So, yeah, good but not great.
Helpful Score: 4
Joanne Walker is a mechanic with with the police force with both a Cherokee and a Celtic background. She went through the police academy but never used her training as an officer, content to use just her mechanic skills. At the start of this book, she was on the plane coming back from her mother's funeral when she sees a woman in trouble. As soon as she's off the plane, she grabs a cab to help the woman and runs into the Wild Hunt. This sets off a series of events which reveal Joanne's shamanic powers and a whole supernatural world. This was action packed - one thing follows another story and Joanne goes through a lot - battered from one side and another, and drawing on her new powers to heal herself. I liked how Joanne uses her mechanic background with her powers - imagining her body like a car and fixing things by using car analogies. It was engrossing to see what would happen next, but there was also some hints of Joanne's past and what Joanne is that was interesting as well. Another strong aspect was the secondary characters - they all had depth and interacted in believable ways with Joanne, from her sidekick cabbie, to her annoyed boss, to her coworkers. It will be nice to see how these relationships develop throughout the series. Looking forward to reading the next two books.
Helpful Score: 4
This was a fabulous book. The cover, title and synopsis had intriqued me for several months before I finally got this book. I was very pleased! The title character, Joanne Walker, is both believeable and likeable. The supporting characters are vivid without being cartoonish. There were twists and turns to keep me on the edge of my seat, while I still felt I knew where the story was ultimately headed.
After coming back to the States after meeting her dying estranged mother in Ireland, Joanne finds that her position has been filled and she must either leave the Police Department and everyone she knows, or take a Beat position as a real officer. Joanne is a mechanic who happens to have gone through the Police Academy. She also comes face to face with Wild Hunt and must confront both her Father's Native American Shamanic heritage and her Mother's Celtic Seer heritage.
After coming back to the States after meeting her dying estranged mother in Ireland, Joanne finds that her position has been filled and she must either leave the Police Department and everyone she knows, or take a Beat position as a real officer. Joanne is a mechanic who happens to have gone through the Police Academy. She also comes face to face with Wild Hunt and must confront both her Father's Native American Shamanic heritage and her Mother's Celtic Seer heritage.
Helpful Score: 2
Outstanding for a first novel, this is a half-fantasy/half-mystery altogether fun read. It helps if you know something of early American and Celtic mythos. Fans of De Lint should like this book.
Helpful Score: 2
Great beginning to a great new series. She is a mechanic/cop with a smart mouth that just won't quite. I loved her personality!
Helpful Score: 2
I am glad I ran into this series. I have read a short story by Murphy before and enjoyed it enough to sought her out (but I can honestly say I don't remember the name of that story). I tried one of her other books about a lawyer and a gargoyle and couldn't get into it. "Urban Shamn" on the other hand was pretty good and lots of fun.
If I had to compare this with another series, I would have to say it reminded me of a cross between Allyson James's "Walker" series and Jim Butcher's "Dredsen" series. It's really more like Dredsen since there is no steamy sex scenes like James's stories but there is lots of flirting and potential. Joanne just reminds me of a young Janet in the "Walker" series.
The story is written in first person and I have to admit parts of it was a bit confusing to follow but it was a good start to a series. The side characters are great and they really play a part in making this book good. Joanne, kind of fumbles along, and she is young and cute enough to make you smile at her antics.
This book was worth the read to me and I look forward to seeing what happens to Joanne and the others next.
If I had to compare this with another series, I would have to say it reminded me of a cross between Allyson James's "Walker" series and Jim Butcher's "Dredsen" series. It's really more like Dredsen since there is no steamy sex scenes like James's stories but there is lots of flirting and potential. Joanne just reminds me of a young Janet in the "Walker" series.
The story is written in first person and I have to admit parts of it was a bit confusing to follow but it was a good start to a series. The side characters are great and they really play a part in making this book good. Joanne, kind of fumbles along, and she is young and cute enough to make you smile at her antics.
This book was worth the read to me and I look forward to seeing what happens to Joanne and the others next.
Helpful Score: 1
I feel that C.E. Murphy provides a funny, yet often poignant perspective to the urban fantasy market. Her main character is likable, but has a tragic past. The story is engrossing and well-structured. My only complaint about Urban Shaman is that the first few chapters felt hurried and breathless, though that was not a problem in later books.
Helpful Score: 1
Magic, a likable heroine, and a thoroughly believable story.... One of the very best paranormals I have read in a LONG time and a stunner of a "debut" novel...
Helpful Score: 1
Urban Fantasy be C E Murphy. Joanne Walker is an Native American/Scottish mechanic turned police officer. Joanne is a non-believer of anything mystical/paranormal, until she has a near death experience. She embraces parts of her heritage that she'd avoided, and comes to realize that she has gifts she never acknowledged. While just coming to terms with her new insights, she is drawn into a meta-physical mystery and battle with a God and a demi-God. The story is exciting and action-packed. I got a little dizzy trying to recall all the characters and their backgrounds, and the complexity of the plot. Likeable characters. A good read, if a little long. I'll definately read the next one.
Helpful Score: 1
This is a fast paced book. Lots of Celtic mythology in there - wish I knew more about it. Very interesting in the way things were woven together. I am not sure I enjoyed it enough to read the others though.
I liked it, in spite of some fairly egregious improbabilities. A woman who is the PDs ace auto mechanic (though she did go through the police academy) and very happy with it gets involved with Cernunnos and the Wild Hunt. Her cop buddies (including a cross-dressing cop?? huh?), the Native American spirit Coyote and a chance-met 70-something cabbie with impeccable timing all help her out. She has a lot in her past, including roots in Native American and Irish cultures. Etc.
This is action packed urban fantasy with a kick-ass heroine in the Rachel Morgan/Mercedes Thompson mold. A strong young woman with more than her fair share of personal conflicts in her past, Joann Walker becomes a police officer in Seattle. Just when she thinks she's going to lose that job, she learns, through a quixotic rescue attempt, that she has shamanic powers. Her immediate problem is staying alive while stopping a series of murders with these abilities she doesn't understand.
Lots of physical and meta-physical action, charming secondary characters, and good use of Celtic mythology and historical lore make this a fun read.
Lots of physical and meta-physical action, charming secondary characters, and good use of Celtic mythology and historical lore make this a fun read.
Christine H. (solarawynn) reviewed Urban Shaman (The Walker Papers, Bk 1) on + 724 more book reviews
I loved this book. Entertaining with believable characters. Will be reading more of her work.
I really found this an enjoyable read. Fast paced, entertaining, with believable characters. Magic and myth entertwined with all the modern technology and the gritty feel of a major American city. I look forward to more from this author!
Joanne Walker is just returning home from her birth mother's funeral in Ireland. As the plane descends, she glances out the window and sees a woman being chased by a man with a knife. Upon landing, she is determined to find and help her. A fascinating beginning to an interesting story, but one that gets a little rocky along the way. Joanne, a police mechanic, discovers shaman powers she never knew she had, from her Celtic and Native American roots. Throughout the book it's a struggle for her to accept her powers and learn to control them, while trying to find a killer that she suspects is a demigod. It's a little confusing, what with all the trips into the spirit world, and the mixture of paranormal myths, but the story moves along at a nice pace. It also takes a considerable dose of suspension of disbelief to accept that so many people who don't believe in the supernatural can take Joanne's sudden about face from skeptic to shaman in stride, but if you sprinkle liberally with salt, the character development makes up for it, at least enough to keep me interested in reading more of the series.
Irene L H. (NonExistence) -
"Urban Shaman" is a quick read and a good one. I strongly recommend you get into this series. Trust me, if you enjoy Kim Harrison,
Jim Butcher and Rachel Caine other novels of this type. I love female protagonists that are funny, quirky and aren't afraid to kick
a little bad guy butt. Joanne Walker is definitely one of these! The best part is there is not page after page of sex. I love the
paranormal and mystical venues.
Joanne is an interesting character, if a bit grittier and less sympathetic than most, and Gary is a delightful original. The pace and
tension are well maintained throughout, though there may be a bit too much blood for some readers. But what made this book
difficult for me was that Murphy never really clarifies the motives of Joanne's two more-than-mortal adversaries. But, this may just
be me, not getting the point.
There are, sequels [Walker Papers] Thunderbird Falls,Coyote Dreams,Walking Dead.
Jim Butcher and Rachel Caine other novels of this type. I love female protagonists that are funny, quirky and aren't afraid to kick
a little bad guy butt. Joanne Walker is definitely one of these! The best part is there is not page after page of sex. I love the
paranormal and mystical venues.
Joanne is an interesting character, if a bit grittier and less sympathetic than most, and Gary is a delightful original. The pace and
tension are well maintained throughout, though there may be a bit too much blood for some readers. But what made this book
difficult for me was that Murphy never really clarifies the motives of Joanne's two more-than-mortal adversaries. But, this may just
be me, not getting the point.
There are, sequels [Walker Papers] Thunderbird Falls,Coyote Dreams,Walking Dead.
Tracy R. (tracylovestoread) reviewed Urban Shaman (The Walker Papers, Bk 1) on + 80 more book reviews
I've read all of this series and really enjoy them. A new twist on the supernatural.
Interesting premise. Recommnended for fans of Kim Harrison, Patricia Briggs and Carrie Vaughn.
I thought the topic was promising, the characters appealing but the story left me bored to tears. I guess I didn't follow the book well enough because my attention span was short. For me it was confusing and I quit 3/4 of the way through. I have the rest of the series but wont be reading them. will be passing them on to others who might enjoy them. I love the author and have read a ton of her books but this one gave me a headache.
I liked this urban fantasy featuring Joanna Walker who has to learn quickly how to harness her shamanic powers while trying to save the city from the Wild Hunt. I look forward to Joanna's next storyline in the anthology, Winter Moon.
this was the first in a new story line and I loved it. The other thing that made it interesting to me was it is based in Seattle and I lived there at the time. So I can tell you the settings are spot on. I loved how everything flowed and developed as you move along. If you like cop story's or story's about witches you will this.
This was a wild ride. Very good and not one of my usual. I liked it very much and am looking forward to her next.
I have to confess that I made it to the last ten pages of this book and simply gave up. It started out pretty good, but then it went down hill from there. It lacked continuity and it was often all over the place. I kept getting confused because there would be so much going on, but at the same time, nothing at all.
Luna paranormal chick lit w/ romance thread.
This ones from the wife's collection, she says it's a great read. Both for the ladies and Gentlemen alike; happy reading
