Having come into her power as the Mistress of Revels, Bertie Smith has left the Theatre Illuminata in search of Nate, her pirate friend who was kidnapped by the sea goddess Sedna. With her as always are the alluring air spirit Ariel, and a gaggle of mischievous Shakespearian fairies. With nothing going as planned, Bertie’s going to have to do a lot of improvising if she wants to rescue Nate, find her true father, discover her true origins, puzzle out the extent of her feelings for both Nate and Ariel, and make sure the show goes on. The sequel to Eyes Like Stars, this is another rousing adventure of literary and theatrical whimsy, filled with sly twists and humorous moments. Bertie’s continuing story deserves multiple encores and a standing ovation.
Archive for category Elves & Fairies
For Sarah Beauhall, life’s about to get very, very complicated. A blacksmith by trade, she live from paycheck to paycheck, making horseshoes for local farmers and replica weapons for convention-goers and the local Society for Creative Anachronism. By night, she works as props manager for low budget movies, like Elvis Versus the Goblins. Coming from a rather sheltered, fundamentalist Christian background, she’s still trying to piece together her feelings for her first ever girlfriend, terrified of public displays of affection and unable to really admit, even to herself, that she’s gay. Already in a mild state of emotional turmoil, she’s nowhere near ready for the trouble that’s about to unfold. When her favorite sword is broken, she sets out to repair it, only to be given an enigmatic warning from one of the movie’s extras: “If you attempt to reforge that sword, you must not fail.”
Turns out that she’s in possession of the legendary sword Gram, once used by the hero Sigurd to slay the dragon Fafnir. And now that Gram has turned up, some very old, very powerful people want it, and will stop at nothing to obtain or destroy it. Now Sarah has to deal with giants, trolls, dwarves and dragons, even as her life crumbles around her. With her job, her friends, even her relationship slipping through her fingers, with events spiraling out of control, Sarah may very well have to slay a few dragons of her own, or lose everything.
Black Blade Blues is a remarkably complex book, highly reminiscent of early Mercedes Lackey in some regards. Originally published in short form under the same name in the DAW anthology Swordplay (2009), it’s been cleaned up and expanded quite considerably here. Sarah’s intertwined struggles to defy destiny and come to terms with her own sexuality make for interesting, gripping reading. She’s the sort of heroine you alternately want to smack sense into, and hug comfortingly, especially as it becomes clear just how much of this is beyond her control. Elements from Norse/Teutonic mythology are utilized with great success here, weaving through and around the plot in an increasingly creepy, dramatic manner. What starts out relatively subtle becomes downright deadly by the end, where ancient myth and modern technology collide with devastating results.
All in all, Black Blade Blues is an extremely strong start to a new series, and I can’t wait to see what happens to Sarah Beauhall and her friends after this. It’s clear that we’re just scratching the surface of this setting, with Sarah as a relative newcomer to a world inhabited by ancient dragons, desperate dwarves, and hidden deities. Good stuff, without a doubt.
They are the secret protectors of the kingdom of Lorindar. Snow White, the sultry mistress of mirror magic. Danielle, wielder of a powerful glass sword, once known as Cinderella. Talia, whose fairy gifts make her a powerful warrior, but whose past as the legendary Sleeping Beauty still haunts her. Princesses all, and the best of friends, they’ve been through a lot together. But when Roudette, the assassin also known as the Lady of the Red Hood, targets Talia for death, the three are once again forced into action. Their struggle to defeat Roudette and end the threat to Talia once and for all takes them to Arathea, Talia’s desert homeland, where the queen who usurped her throne still waits, planning revenge. For the Prince who awoke Sleeping Beauty didn’t do so with a kiss, and he was certainly no Charming, and Talia’s bloody revenge has had long-lasting consequences.
In Arathea, the three princesses discover a grave threat to the land, one involving both the infamous Wild Hunt and the capricious fairykind. To survive, they’ll have to trust in the Lady of the Red Hood, even though her loyalties are decidedly in question. Talia’s home, but she may not live long enough to enjoy it. Not everyone gets a happily ever after….
Continuing to reimagine the heroines and storylines of beloved fairy tales, Jim Hines turns his attentions towards Little Red Riding Hood, reinventing her as a dark, tragic, driven anti-heroine out to exact her own revenge upon those who once wronged her. Here, we see one explanation for the wolf in Grandmother’s bed, the significance of the titular red cape, and learn that the huntsman of the story was no hero. We also get a much more in-depth look at the land and circumstances that shaped Talia, who deviates significantly from her fairy tale origins. And the changes couldn’t be more welcome. Some might say it’s pretty bold to turn Sleeping Beauty from the blond waif of Disney fame into a lesbian warrior from a pseudo-Arabic culture, but it just helps to reinforce the idea of these fairy tales as universal stories, where the trappings may change but the core remains the same. What matters is that Talia, like the others, is a strong, capable, princess who isn’t about to sit around waiting for her prince to show up and rescue her.
Combining the best parts of fantasy and folklore, mixed with action and adventure, tinged with horror (just like the original stories!), Red Hood’s Revenge is a thoroughly satisfying continuation of the series, and a worthy updating of these cultural icons. They may not sing and dance, but they can certainly kick some ass. Bring on the Snow Queen.
Ever since Connor Grey kind of helped destroy the passageways between Earth and TirNaNog, dead Fey have been walking, unable to rest. But even the Dead can die, and when one of the Dead turns up without a head, it’s cause for concern. Decapitation = dead for good, for keeps, really, we mean it this time. As Connor helps his cop pal Murdock look into this mysterious murder, he finds himself poking into some very dark places. But at the same time, he gets ever-closer to discovering just what sort of magical oddity has taken up residence in his head and blocked the majority of his druidic powers. Hellhounds, politics, corpses that won’t stay dead, ex-girlfriends, current girlfriends, and much more all tie together, with a dangerous conspiracy providing the thread which connects them. And of course, it all comes down to Connor Gray to save the day.
As always, del Franco turns in a riveting mystery set against a fascinating setting, where the Fey have gone public in a big way and are divided into several diametrically opposed camps competing on a political and mythological level. The factional in-fighting and intrigue, and how it all trickles down to affect the average Fey on the street and the humans who share the same space helps to enhance the complexities of this series. Unperfect Souls picks up after Unfallen Dead, exploring some of the ramifications and twists we saw come into play there, while adding a whole new set of problems. We also see more explanations and progress into the mystery of Connor’s crippled magic, and he comes ever closer to putting together the pieces of an unfathomable puzzle.
Always entertaining is the nebulous relationship Connor has with the enigmatic, mercurial Meryl, who keeps him on his toes more often than not, and the close friendship he has with mortal cop Leo Murdock, who helps keep him grounded. It’s those moments of genuine interaction which help make the characters relatable and memorable in a sea of murder, magic, mayhem and politics. I’m really looking forward to the day when all is revealed and we can see the big picture at last; here’s hoping del Franco doesn’t string it out too long. I want nothing but the best for Connor and his friends. All in all, this is a perfectly entertaining urban fantasy, building on the first three books in the series while pushing towards some larger goal down the line. It may may be a little too wrapped up in its internal structure to act as an entry point for new readers, but existing fans will certainly enjoy it.
In a perfect world, Amanda Feral, Seattle’s favorite zombie fashionista, socialite, and trouble magnet, wouldn’t have to worry about a thing. Her nightlife would be nothing but fruity drinks and tasty college boys. Think again. Her business is in dire financial straits, the reapers who patch her up after every misadventure are snarling for their money, her werewolf boyfriend is more of an animal in bed than is comfortable, and her mom’s a strip club-owning vampire. When a chance to at least settle her money woes comes up, in the form of judging a reality show, Amanda reluctantly accepts the deal. However, the prompt murder of the show’s sexy, obnoxious host (and chief draw) means a quick change in plans for all involved.
Now, Amanda has to figure out who killed Johnny Birch, the world’s most annoying wood nymph. Was it the voodoo mama? The Belgian ghoul? The Japanese smoke ghost? The twin sirens? The drag queen werewolf? Everyone has a motive, the means, and the opportunity. But will the would-be contestants kill each other before Amanda pins down the culprit … or will the fact that she’s a lousy detective mark the end of her glamourous unlife? Some people would die to be on TV, even the secret supernatural channels … and some will die whether they want to or not.
Profane, demanted, and utterly warped, Battle of the Network Zombies is the third in Mark Henry’s series about the trials and tribulations of Amanda Feral, a foul-mouthed flesh-eater who navigates the Seattle supernatural social scene like a less evil Paris Hilton. With a wide variety of bizarre mythological creatures strutting their stuff here, and Amanda’s customary amusing asides, anecdotes and footnotes, it’s clear that Henry’s really tapped into his inner (undead) diva once again. While not for the sensitive, easily-offended, or delicate of heart, this book skewers the reality show mindset even as it cooks up a surprise-filled murder mystery. The chapter headings, each one offering up a TV Guide-style listing of a cable show for the supernatural set, are uniformly entertaining (I’d watch Thanks For The Dismemberments, or Jersey Devil House Party!), and I can certainly appreciate the use of lesser-known mythological creatures as secondary characters. For some, this series may be an acquired taste, but it’s certainly got a unique style and voice, and Battle of the Network Zombies lives up (or down?) to the standard set by the first two books.
Ever since he lost the bulk of his magical abilities in an attempt to stop a magical terrorist, Connor Grey has eked out a living as a PI. As a druid and former investigator for the Fey Guild, he’s uniquely suited to assist the Boston police when things get too weird for their tastes, but not weird enough to concern the Guild itself. And despite having a black mass in his head where his ability to manipulate magical essence used to be, Connor’s gotten into some unusual scrapes, including preventing a recent near-apocalypse. In fact, thanks to that event, he now has a Queen of Faerie, the indomitable Ceridwen, asking awkward questions and poking into his affairs. He’s got a magical artifact — an ancient spear — that wants to go home with him; his former partner and best friend has just been assigned as the new field director for the Boston branch of the Guild, and a corpse has just turned up with druidic runes carved into its forehead. Something’s going on, and Boston may just be Ground Zero for more magical mayhem. As Samhain approaches and the barriers between life and death thin, Connor will find himself reliving some of the most painful moments of his past, even as worlds collide and deadly plans are set in motion. To save the day, he’ll have to push himself like never before, challenge death itself, and trust someone he hasn’t worked with in years. But there’ll be a cost. There’s always a cost for these sorts of things.
It’s odd, but while I enjoy this series in general, and find the concept to be an exciting one ripe with potential, and love it whenever the author expands the worldview and history, I consider the odd yes-they-are-no-they-aren’t relationship between Connor and his friend Meryl to be the best part of each new book. There’s this fun sense of playful unpredictability and simmering chemistry that makes them a great team. It’s not so much romantic as it is an exchange of personalities. Add into that the uneasy camaraderie between Connor and his old partner Dylan, and the comfortable friendship Connor shares with the all-too-mortal Detective Murdock of the Boston PD, and you have a series whose strength lies in character relationships, as well as in strong plots and subtle, unfamiliar scenery. Mind you, Unfallen Dead is a strong read on its own, one with a gripping plot and some serious stakes at hand. The blend of mythology, mystery, and action helps to make this urban fantasy stand out in its own way. I’d definitely recommend this one to the Harry Dresden or Felix Castor fans.
Eddie Drood, aka Shaman Bond, is back, and this time he’s about to meet the competition. Following the events of the Hungry Gods War, he stepped down from running the Drood family, content to once again act as a field agent, kicking ass and taking names in a never-ending quest to protect humanity from a host of terrors. For him, a typical day involves going undercover with a band of misfit mercenaries to prevent them from killing the ravens at the Tower of London, thus robbing England of its symbolic power. Little does he realize, upon the messy completion of that insane little job, that it’s just a warm-up for his next gig….
It seems that Alexander King, the notorious Independent Agent, greatest secret agent and adventurer of the latter half of the 20th century, is finally feeling his years and is ready to retire. And King wants to leave it all, his treasures and trophies and a lifetime of secrets, to one worthy individual. To that end, six have been chosen. The foxy Honey Lake, CIA operative. The treacherous Blue Fairy, representing the Fae Court of Shadows Fall. The beautifully exotic Lethal Harmony of Kathmandu (call her Katt). The unflappable Walker, famous for keeping peace in the Nightside, where anything goes and nothing is impossible. King’s own grandson, Peter, who’s graduating from industrial espionage to the big game. And Eddie Drood, representing the far-flung, obscenely-powerful, often-terrifying Drood family. Their mission: to investigate the truth behind five of the world’s greatest mysteries, and bring back proof. Winner take all, rules be damned.
The game will take them from the misty lochs of Scotland to the frozen wilds of Siberia, from the haunts of Bigfoot to the shores of Faerie, from the peaks of the Swiss Alps to the deserts of the American Southwest. But the secrets they’re disturbing were buried for a reason. Who will be the first to fall in this deadly game, and who will be the last man or woman left standing? Think you know the answers? Think again; in the world of a secret agent, everything is suspect. Game on.
Ah, Simon Green. With just a fraction of the insane energy and mad glee he throws into any one of his books, I could rule the world. Here’s an author who’s not afraid to cut loose, kick over the speakers, and throw himself off the stage in a moment of passion. Part of why I keep coming back for more is because I know exactly what sort of over-the-top tale of adventure, intrigue, mystery and magic I’m in for. In The Spy Who Haunted Me, the third in the Secret Histories, Green throws Eddie Drood into a series of dangerous encounters. Forced to ally with people who will likely stab him in the back, facing off against demons, ghosts, aliens, psychic nightmares, elves, poor Eddie is pushed to his limits. Due to the nature of the plot, this is a rather episodic book, with our cast catapulted from one location to the next, their numbers steadily dwindling for assorted reasons. Part spy games, part Ten Little Indians, it’s a hell of a romp. Some segments are weaker than others – one involves a lot of sitting around and telling stories – but the stronger portions help to balance it out nicely. I won’t go into details, save to say that once again, Green inspires a “I wish I’d thought of that” reaction in me, more than once.
One aspect of this series that I find particularly interesting is that Green uses it like a needle, to help sew together his other works. By this point, through overlapping locations, characters, or concepts, just about everything he’s done fits together, from the fantasy of the Forest Kingdom, to the space opera of the Deathstalker books, to the urban fantasy of the Nightside and the Secret Histories. Here, we actually get a full-on major crossover with the Nightside in the form of Walker, a constant thorn in Nightside protagonist John Taylor’s side. Events from Shadows Fall are briefly referenced as well, and perpetual cameo Leo Morn of Drinking Midnight Wine fame wanders through at one point. It’s a brave author who finds ways to make it all fit in the same universe, and Green does the best he can. (Though a perceptive reader will still find cracks where things don’t quite mesh up, leading them to wonder just how certain timelines work out between series. Also, a character who died in the previous book is name checked as alive and well here, and I don’t recall any miraculous resurrections…)
As big a fan as I am of Simon Green, I’ll admit that he could be better at times. His overuse of certain stylistic quirks dips dangerously far into the realm of self-indulgence, and he’s been known to lift and reuse entire paragraphs from book to book when the opportunity arises, usually when describing people or places. As a result, his work occasionally feels padded when it could be tightened, and an underlying sense of shortcut repetition creeps in after a while. But even so, no one delivers a story quite like he does. Green’s books always, without exception, leap to the head of my reading list whenever a new one shows up on my doorstep. I thoroughly enjoyed The Spy Who Haunted Me, and I’ll cheerfully recommend it to anyone who wants some wide-screen, no-holds-barred, big ideas and snappy execution thereof, urban fantasy adventure.
Meet Eugenie Markham. Under her professional name of Odile Dark Swan, she’s a powerful shaman who hunts down unruly and unwelcome spirits, either killing or banishing them back to the Otherworld, depending on the circumstances. Mercenary and relentless, she’s become something of a name to be feared among the supernatural circles. With a variety of spells and weapons to suit any occasion, and a trio of spirits bound to serve her, there’s very little that can give her pause for long. Until now. When she takes on a job to rescue a fifteen-year-old girl who’s been kidnapped by the fae (or gentry, as she refers to them) and taken to the Otherworld, Eugenie quickly discovers there’s far more to this case than she originally thought. For one, her real name’s gotten out among the elementals, spirits, and gentry of the Otherworld, linked to a prophecy that says her firstborn will finish the work started by a long-banished warlord, conquering the mortal world in the name of the gentry. Now, every supernatural nasty around either wants to kill her, or father her child, and Eugenie wants nothing to do with it.
To complicate matters, two very different men have come into her life. The first, sexy shapeshifter Kiyo, inspires an instant attraction in her, and their initial meeting is as passionate as it is whirlwind. Unfortunately, he may be working for someone else, seducing Eugenie for an ulterior purpose. The second, gentry king Dorian, is mercurial and dangerous, with a taste for bondage and a knack for getting past her defenses. Unfortunately, he’s everything she hates and fears, one of the creatures she’s dedicated her life to fighting and killing. If she’s to ally herself with either of these men, she’ll have to overcome a lifetime of prejudice and bias, and learn to accept her hidden heritage and swiftly-increasing powers. Ignoring them isn’t an option, as she’s sworn to rescue Jasmine from her ruthless captors, even if she has to defeat one of the most powerful gentry alive in the process. No, for this job, it’ll take everything Eugenie has and then some. Regardless, if she survives, she’ll be transformed, forever by the experience.
Storm Born is the start of a new series from Richelle Mead, best known for her series featuring reluctant succubus Georgina Kincaid. In this series, Mead introduces us to a whole new world, and a heroine of a very different sort. Eugenie is highly competent, professional, determined, stubborn, and passionate, a feisty woman with a mean left hook and a quick trigger finger, and she’s rightly dubious about the circumstances in which she finds herself. She walks that thin line between adaptable and gullible, and it’s nice to see that while she’s open to changing her mind, she doesn’t commit to change without a good reason. I really like her, and I think she has the potential to go far.
I will say that in some ways, the plot reminds me of Laurell K. Hamilton’s Merry Gentry series. Both feature an tough, female protagonist of unusual lineage who get dragged into Fae/Otherworldly politics pretty much against her will. Moreover, both feature plots involving the main character being sought out for sex by all manner of suitors, again for political/prophetic reasons. But upon further examination, any resemblances are superficial; Merry Gentry may seek out bedmates with great abandon, but Eugenie Markham is pretty picky about who she gets close to, and makes her feelings quite clear on the matter. Furthermore, Richelle Mead throws in a few surprises along the way, that’ll either have the readers nodding with satisfaction, or blinking as they look back for clues. Frankly, let’s go ahead and throw out those Merry Gentry comparisons altogether, now that we’ve addressed the concern. Storm Born is definitely something new and different. Mead populates it with an eclectic and occasionally obscure variety of mythical creatures, from elementals to keres, hags to kitsune, in such a manner that it seems natural for them all to exist in the same setting, and ties them all together with the powerful, capricious, enigmatic gentry.
Faced with the choice of grabbing some much-needed sleep on a recent road trip, or reading this book in one long sitting, I choose the latter and have absolutely no regrets. Sleep deprivation, sure, but no regrets. Storm Born features a fascinating setting with an exciting plot and an enjoyable new heroine, makes good use of mythology and folklore, and spices it up with several downright sizzling erotic encounters with some memorable romantic leads. Both Kiyo and Dorian bring a lot to the story in terms of personality and appeal, and it’s easy to see why Eugenie is tempted by them both, for all the issues standing between her and either of them. Her love/hate mentor/student enemy/ally dynamic with Dorian is a whole lot of fun to watch, especially.
I’m genuinely excited by this series and looking forward to seeing where it goes from here, as Mead leaves us with an interesting new status quo by the end of the book. This sort of urban fantasy is definitely bound to appeal to fans of Jim Butcher, Kim Harrison, Kelley Armstrong, or yes, even Laurell K. Hamilton. Give it a shot.
Laura Blackstone is a woman of many faces. Under the Blackstone name, she serves as public relations director for the Fey Guild in Washington, DC. But as Janice Crawford, she’s a freelance druidess who occasionally works with D.C. SWAT when they need to handle unusual targets. And when she slips into the Mariel Tate identity, she’s a globe-trotting, high-level agent for InterSec, the International Global Security Agency. Three very different personas, three very different lives, and so far, she’s been able to keep them separate. Using her innate abilities to create impenetrable disguises, weave magical essence, and sense when someone’s lying to her, Laura is the perfect secret agent. But even she can’t predict how her newest case will affect the delicate status quo which keeps her lives from crossing over and colliding.
A routine drug bust goes spectacularly wrong, resulting in the death of an officer, and “Janice” barely survives, only to find herself targeted for death by an unknown faction. The fallout from this drags the Laura and Mariel identities into a web of conspiracy and intrigue. The National Archives are about to play host to a major exhibition, one with some very important people, both human and fey, in attendance, and there’s every indication that trouble is brewing. But who’s trying to kill Janice? Who can Laura trust? Who will betray Mariel? The revelation that someone has successfully linked all three identities may give Laura her worst enemy yet, or her best ally. But with events progressing, can one woman lead three lives, or will she burn out?
Spinning off from Del Franco’s Connor Grey series, Skin Deep is the start of a new series focusing on a whole new cast of characters, with no discernable overlap as yet. It’s a world where, a century ago, the event known as the Convergence merged portions of the Fey realms with Earth, leading to an uneasy coexistence between humans and fairies, elves, dwarves, druids, and numerous other mythological creatures. It’s a world where shrewd politics, cunning back-room deals and fragile treaties keep the Celtic fairies, Teutonic elves, assorted solitary breeds, and ordinary mortals away from each others’ throats. It’s a world where people like Laura Blackstone are necessary, since there’re plenty of people, human and fey, who’ll stop at nothing to change the world for their own benefit. It’s a nifty setting, one we’ve seen a fair amount of already in the Connor Grey books, and this series promises to flesh it out even more.
Laura has a certain fascinating appeal to her, as we watch her struggle with the pressures, obligations and pitfalls of maintaining so many active identities. As she stumbles at the edge of disintegration due to the events of this storyline, it’s easy to wonder if she’s going to snap once and for all, or if we’ll find out just how strong she is. In the process, we get to find out just who the real Laura is, assuming she even knows herself. Luckily, she has some good friends and uneasy allies to keep her going. So far, I love the supporting cast, from her faithful boggan assistant to her immediate InterSec supervisor, to the cop she’s partnered with as part of the investigation. There’s some excellent chemistry, both platonic and otherwise as appropriate between Laura and her allies, and I really dig the interactions she has with Jono Sinclair, the aforementioned cop who’s packing some secrets of his own.
Del Franco turns in a page-turner of a magical spy thriller here, and while it’s occasionally hard to keep some of the details straight about who knows whom in what identity under what circumstances, it’s overall quite a strong offering. I look forward to seeing what he has planned for Laura Blackstone and her alter egos in the future.
The Leandros brothers — brooding, gunhappy Cal, and Niko, the consummate warrior — are once again up to their ears in trouble of the supernatural variety. It’s only been a matter of weeks since their last traumatic encounter with the Auphe, ancient mythical creatures, and all evidence suggests that the Auphe may have been dealt a setback but are still very much in the game. And as always, their main goal is to claim Cal, an Auphe half-blood on his father’s side, as one of their own, while killing everyone he cares about. So now the brothers and their allies, including Niko’s girlfriend, the vampire known as Promise, and the shameless puck known as Robin Goodfellow, are on the run, trying to stay one step ahead of the Auphe while they work on a plan. But how do you stop some of the nastiest, most vicious, sadistic creatures ever to terrorize the human race? How do you fight teleporting nightmares that seem to know where you are at all times?
Just to make things worse, Promise’s long-lost daughter Cherish shows up, on the run herself after stealing a necklace from the wrong person. Ossoshi, a South American badass renowned as a hunter, and his small army of deadly mythical beasts, has followed her to New York, intent on teaching her a lesson she’ll never forget. Will Auphe and Ossoshi catch our heroes in the middle, or turn this mess into a three-way bloodbath? Finally, because the situation wasn’t complicated enough, a mysterious new organization has surfaced, one that seems to know far more than it should about the supernatural events occurring in New York, and the organization’s front man is just about the last person Cal and Niko expected to see alive. And to think this is pretty much business as usual for them. . . .
Deathwish is the fourth in this series about a pair of brothers who make the Winchester boys look like wimps, and everyone’s in fine form as usual. Cal alternates between brooding self-pity, and foolhardy, even suicidal selflessness where his “family” is concerned. Niko maintains a blend of Zen warrior calm and over-protectiveness. Robin . . . well, Robin never changes. He’s still the amoral, omnisexual, hedonistic immortal rogue that he’s always been, providing much-needed common sense and comic relief, and thoroughly stealing the scene whenever he gets a chance. Promise remains inscrutable, yet unusually sweet for a vampire as long-lived as she is, and the revelation of her own pre-existing family in this book adds another dimension to her character.
This series has always been a lot of fun, and Deathwish is no exception. The plot keeps moving right along, full of twists and surprises, and the author makes absolutely splendid use of mythology from around the world to populate the secret supernatural society of New York. Vampires, werewolves, chupacabras, mummies, rat-things, peris, and many more all have their parts to play, and Thurman has put her own spin on a number of them just to make them even more memorable. And yet, it doesn’t feel crowded, like some of these urban fantasies do when you toss in too many critters and beasties.
The good news is, we get plenty of Robin, a character who could easily headline his own book — though it might have to come with a plain brown wrapper as a cover. The bad news is, we get very little of Georgina, the red-haired psychic who played a larger role in earlier books. Perhaps it balances out, but I miss her all the same. Nevertheless, there’s not that much else I can complain about. Some might find Cal’s constant worry and self-loathing and battery of issues to be annoying . . . but then again, that’s actually a plot point, his attitude recognized and barely tolerated by those who put up with him, and even he acknowledges he has problems to sort through. This is a story about some rather broken people, and how they cope, and how they’ve built a family, both in blood and in spirit, and how that family comes together in a time of crisis. And in the face of all that, it’s easy to forgive them their flaws. Thurman has done a great job of creating these flawed yet likeable, broken yet redeemable characters, and I’ll continue to follow their adventures as long as they’re available.