Fated (Alex Verus, #1)

Mar 24, 2013 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, urban-fantasy

YES it gets a "Big Old 5"...

I was intro'd to Urban Fantasy by the Harry Dresden books and (frankly) since I found them I've been trying to find other UF books I like as well. The Twenty Palaces series turned out to be pretty good...but their publisher dropped them. Rob Thurman's Leandros books are okay. I also kind of liked Aaronovitch's books. None were nearly up to (in my opinion of course) Mr. Butcher's Dresden books.

Now, while I can't say I like this book "as well as the Dresden books"...it...more

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May 18, 2013 Carol rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Dresden fans between books

Shelves: urban-fantasy, supernatural-mystery, my-library, male-lead

One of these things is not like the other:
description

I'm just kidding. They're all totally alike.

It isn't long before you notice the first Dresden homage in Jacka's first adult UF book. Of course, my edition gives it away with the cover, where a quote from Jim Butcher plays a prominent role on the jacket. I can only assume this was so someone wouldn't sue Jacka for copyright violations on Butcher's behalf. Once you start reading, the parallels appear quickly, beginning with his protagonist, Alex Verus, not...more

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Jul 20, 2012 Kelly Maybedog Hawkins rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: what-modern-fantasy, what-male-protagonist

The quote on the cover is by none other than Jim Butcher himself claiming that Harry Dresden would like the main character Alex Verus and be a little nervous around him. I'm not surprised that Butcher likes the book. It's got a very similar feel, almost too much so. The council is pathetic and he's on the outs with them anyway, dark mages are the evil force, there are young women to protect, etc. So it was enjoyable from the beginning.

Verus is mildly amusing, though nothing like Dresden. His mag...more The quote on the cover is by none other than Jim Butcher himself claiming that Harry Dresden would like the main character Alex Verus and be a little nervous around him. I'm not surprised that Butcher likes the book. It's got a very similar feel, almost too much so. The council is pathetic and he's on the outs with them anyway, dark mages are the evil force, there are young women to protect, etc. So it was enjoyable from the beginning.

Verus is mildly amusing, though nothing like Dresden. His magical gift is very well described and used and really works in an urban fantasy setting. The main character is very fleshed out and likeable, although his sense of morality is a little unclear through much of the book. But this is well done and Jacka shows a lot more than he tells.

The plot is interesting and moves quickly but for much of the book, Verus seems weak and powerless. He spends most of the time running and hiding during the first 2/3rds so during that time so there isn't enough intensity. There would be an action sequence that lasts a page or even a couple of paragraphs and then it would be over. However, the final battle is really good and well-played.

My one major problem with the book is that it is really quite sexist in a not-in-your-face way. (view spoiler) It fits with the story though so I see why it was written that way and the good woman, Luna, is brave but I wish he had made some of the many secondary characters into strong powerful women. What redeems him is that the author sets it up so that it looks like the central woman is probably going to grow strong and powerful throughout the next book.

All in all, a good first novel and I am eager to read the next one.
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Jan 26, 2013 Carly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: detective-noir, fantasy, fantastic-elements, urban-fantasy

Fated has Jim Butcher's seal of approval. Need I say more? I can certainly see why it appeals to fans of The Dresden Files--there are quite a few similarities, especially to Harry's earlier adventures.

Alex Verus is a professional ~~wizard~~ mage living in ~~Chicago~~ London and running a shop (which is probably in the phone book) that sells magical wares to the nonmagical community. Alex is tall and angular, with spiky dark hair and a tendency towards wisecracks. He apparently is an orphan, and his sad...more

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Carly Carol wrote: "Honestly, I'm tempted to just link your review, because you analyze it so well. The Luna angle did bother me--I thought he was headed so...more
May 16, 2013 09:09pm

Carol Carly wrote: " but knew that even looking could irrevocably steer the future in unpredictable ways?"

Ah! Heidegger uncertainty principle! I wonder why...more
May 17, 2013 08:09am

Jan 12, 2012 Brian rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

Fated by Benedict Jacka, as reviewed here, is an uncorrected proof of a book that will be published in March 2012 and will sell for $7.99 USD.

The book starts by setting up the protagonist, Alex Verus, who can see the future and who is therefore an outsider even within the magical society that exists in modern day London.

Jacka sets up an intristing magical world and follows it up with a some clever uses of magic that make you believe the author has a knack for fantasy. Despite this cleverness...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Chip rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Dresden lite. The story is certainly entertaining, and I enjoyed it, but the plotting and world building suffered from inconsistency and laziness. Some of the things that stuck out at me:

Luna's "curse" is supposedly very powerful and deadly but Archne not at all worried about it, and the protagonist still spends time with her (and if a curse why protective of her)?
Discussion of how protagonist/magicians get places (gating/mounts/gate stones (one location only)) and his need therefor - AFTER he...more Dresden lite. The story is certainly entertaining, and I enjoyed it, but the plotting and world building suffered from inconsistency and laziness. Some of the things that stuck out at me:

Luna's "curse" is supposedly very powerful and deadly but Archne not at all worried about it, and the protagonist still spends time with her (and if a curse why protective of her)?
Discussion of how protagonist/magicians get places (gating/mounts/gate stones (one location only)) and his need therefor - AFTER he used air elemental twice for speedy transit wherever he wanted to go. Basically, the air elemental is a lazy way to allow the protagonist to get where he needs to be for the plot.
Masks on villains (in public!) so as to be able to add suspense of hidden identity. C'mon, NO ONE wears masks in public. That makes someone conspicuous, rather than inconspicuous. Sunglasses, scarf, hat, fine. But masks?
"A short sword, a xiphos, hung at his side, but he wore it so casually you wouldn't notice unless you were looking." So, so many things wrong with this sentence. Obviously you're looking; otherwise you can't see him OR the sword. And how, exactly, does one wear a sword so casually it's unnoticeable? Can one carry an assault rifle "so casually you wouldn't notice unless you were looking"?
Conversation between diviners - why bother actually talking? Don't they just already know everything the other will/is likely to say? (In fact, I'd think conversation generally painful for a diviner - worse than listening to voicemail - they already know what you're going to say, but still (if polite) have to wait for you to say it. Painful.)
Why would the protagonist, in a logical world, EVER take Luna to the magicians' ball (much less the whole concept of the magicians' ball) when they are supposedly trying to lay low so as to avoid attacks?? (And, of course, at the ball, they are attacked.) Similarly, the protagonist, despite being hunted by people clearly willing to kill him, repeatedly just goes home. Like they can't just look up his address?
Another inconsistency - at one point a subplot revolves around one of two people almost certainly being a traitor, and the resulting suspense until some time later the traitor reveals himself. Umm, the protagonist is a diviner - his power is to see the future. How is he unable to simply look forward and readily determine the traitor's identity??
How can a diviner not being able to tell who the traitor is?

All that said, still gave it four stars, as it was a fun read. But you have to really turn up the willful suspension of disbelief here.

UPDATED - gave up after the third book. But worth noting - if you want to read a book where precognition is really intelligently woven into the plot, read Ian Tregillis's excellent (so far, two books in) Milkweed Triptych (starting with Bitter Seeds.(less)

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Sep 09, 2012 Ruth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: spec-fic

C2012: Woohoo! At last, a worthy competitor with one of my favourite authors, the great Mr Jim Butcher. I found this book via the Orbit website and saw that Mr Butcher had said, “Books this good remind me why I got into the storytelling business in the first place”. Absolutely, 100% agree! This is a cracking story! Great characters with some good and thoughtful action sequences. The narrative includes posing questions or suggestions to the reader which I think must be a bit of a hangover from th...more

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May 05, 2013 Mike rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013

A fairly standard tale of urban fantasy in a setting with fairly monolithic Light mages and Dark mages. The story is not particularly innovative, but that's not always important.

Things I liked about this book:

- Precognition without predestination. It's rare to see characters with the ability to perceive the future in settings where free will is still an important element.

- Characters thrive more on thought than on inborn talent. Many fantasy settings have the main characters as unusually powerfu...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Kristina added it

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

FATED brings another contender for the top of my favorite male urban fantasy hero list. Reading this book I got a very Dresden Files vibe which I loved as I gladly welcome more grizzled hardcore mages/wizards in my urban fantasy.

Alex Verus is a diviner mage with the ability to foresee the near future which is considered a ‘weak’ ability amongst all of the fire, death, air mages with more active powers like throwing fire balls or flying. Diviner mages ar...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Ross Hamilton added it

There were some nice touches in this story. For example with things like ageless elemental spirits, we are more accustomed to them either being evil incarnate or a greater, wiser power. To have the elemental air spirit, Starbreeze, thicker than two bricks with a helluva load of cement in-between was once such nice touch. It also added an element of risk such as Alex recalling the time Starbreeze was carrying him somewhere, became distracted and they ended up somewhere like Rio de Janeiro (or sim...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Margaret rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: urban fantasy readers who want a sympathetic hero and fast-moving plot

Fated features a sympathetic hero who meets the crises of the action-filled plot with energy and creativity. Alex Verus is a diviner, a mage who can foresee the many possible ways the future will develop. Various bad guy dark mages want to coerce Alex into using his talent to help them steal a powerful magic artifact, a fateweaver. Alex has to cooperate with them, but uses his talent to try to keep one step ahead.

Alex is a fun character to watch. Although he has supernatural ability, he is not a...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Nesa Sivagnanam rated it 5 of 5 stars

Alex Verus is a diviner, able to see the future. This is impressive to most people but less so to other mages, who can do things like throw fire, disintegrate things, and fly. Right now Alex has a problem – a site’s been discovered containing an ancient and powerful relic, and lots of people are looking for a diviner to open it, including a trio of dark mages, a faction of the Council with an agenda of their own, and a shadowy figure out of Alex’s past, all of whom are looking to recruit, press-...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Kendrick Boyd rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really? Blatant Harry Dresden/Jim Butcher reference on the 3rd page? Talk about breaking the 4th wall before the immersion can even begin. Although, as urban fantasy in a modern setting I guess the 4th wall is necessarily a bit transparent.

Paying homage to the greats, your idols, or whatever is fine, but so soon? The reader still has essentially no idea what's going on in your book, and you're already breaking out of the delicate world you're trying to build to reference someone else's world. A...more

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Aug 11, 2012 Robin Carter rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Not a book from my usual genre, this was something i was encouraged to read.
I do foray into Urban fantasy or what ever name they like to give this sub-genre in any given week. The comparisons i have read to Butchers Dresden files i think also to a small degree apply to Ban Aaronovitchs Rivers series. That mixing of real world London with magic forces the mind to make comparisons like this, but at the same time they are a bit unfair Benedict Jacka has clearly created a world that deserves to be q...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Lorelei rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

A disappointing Dresden clone without the wit and sharp writing. The main character is fairly colourless and uninspiring with little to endear him and much patronising behaviour to annoy.

It reads like a young adult novel with some pretty stupid propositions, such as the opening line of chapter 11, "A lot of people think of captivity as something glamorous", are you serious? That is just ridiculous. Who on earth thinks that captivity is glamorous? Why write such patent nonsense? Or my next favou...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Jana Stocks Brown rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: male-protagonist, urban-fantasy

Fated rates somewhere between three and four stars for me, but there is no 3.5 here, so there you have it. It was fun to see another male protag in urban fantasy which is often dominated by snarky women. Alex Verus is a mage, though not of the blow things up or 'kill you with my brain type', rather Verus is a diviner, someone who can see the future. I really enjoyed seeing a very different type of ability as the primary use, though there are a few things which struck me as a little odd. Such as...more Fated rates somewhere between three and four stars for me, but there is no 3.5 here, so there you have it. It was fun to see another male protag in urban fantasy which is often dominated by snarky women. Alex Verus is a mage, though not of the blow things up or 'kill you with my brain type', rather Verus is a diviner, someone who can see the future. I really enjoyed seeing a very different type of ability as the primary use, though there are a few things which struck me as a little odd. Such as how matter-of-factly he took watching many scenarios where he died, often in horrible ways. Maybe this is just something you get used to as a diviner, but it seems to me someone would be more shaken by watching this kind of thing, even knowing that it hadn't happened yet and that maybe you could still stop it. The other thought I had was that being slightly out of phase with what was happening all the time would tend to create someone who was a little more off kilter than Verus is. Maybe it's a matter of his training that he could very much stay focused in the here and now with the futures and possible futures only playing out when he wanted it to and not affecting him that much. The plotline is pretty straight forward and there weren't many places where I didn't guess the twist before it happened, but it was well enough put together that I didn't mind. I appreciated the secondary characters, in particular the twist on Luna's curse, and the use of creatures such as Arachne and Starbreeze.

The biggest thing which is both a pro and con is that Alex and his universe are very clearly inspired by the Harry Dresden books, by Jim Butcher. So for those who love the Dresden novels there are a lot of similarities to be enjoyed. Butcher offers a blurb on the front, but that's not the only cross over. The history of Alex Verus has some distinct similarities with Harry Dresden and there is at least one throw away line referencing the guy in Chicago who lists himself in the yellow pages. Also there are several writing bits which are distinctly in Butcher's style, (The last few paragraphs of Fated are a distinct echo of the end of Storm Front. Not word for word, but very close and the flow of the wording and intent are very similar.) which was an interesting homage to a very good series, but it makes me really hope that in future books this series can set itself apart as it's own thing with a distinct voice separate from Dresden.

So I'm willing to read the next book and didn't regret this one, but I'll be watching to see where it goes. All authors tend to draw ideas and inspiration from other masters in the genre (Tolkein anyone?) but the most interesting part isn't where they're the same, but what they do which is different!(less)

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Jun 07, 2012 Jade Hoggins rated it 2 of 5 stars

The idea of a UF based in London was intriguing to me, but this book never really caught my imagination. It didn't employ a sense of place particularly well, it could have been anywhere.

Furthermore, I found myself throughout the story thinking that if the protagonist had been female there would have been an onslaught of Mary Sue accusations. Alex Verus seems to just know things a great deal of the time. For example, when he is confronted with someone from his past, he asks some questions, which...more The idea of a UF based in London was intriguing to me, but this book never really caught my imagination. It didn't employ a sense of place particularly well, it could have been anywhere.

Furthermore, I found myself throughout the story thinking that if the protagonist had been female there would have been an onslaught of Mary Sue accusations. Alex Verus seems to just know things a great deal of the time. For example, when he is confronted with someone from his past, he asks some questions, which they answer, and then we are told, 'I could tell she wasn't going to answer any more questions...' Um, thank you for that omniscient character. He seems to be able to tell things a great deal, the reader just has to take his word for it.

Telling is the word of the day, Jacka tends to use Alex to relate the tale to you rather than let the reader participate. It makes it difficult to get immersed in the story. It is also sometimes the case that the reader is spoon-fed. For example, there is a minor character who encourages Alex to form no attachments to people or things. To live a life that he is able to 'walk away from in ten seconds flat'. We are then treated to an entire paragraph telling us this character is cold and distant.

The story suffers from the first book in a series problem that there is a great deal of info dumping and I couldn't help but rolling my eyes at times when a magic device is pulled out just when it's needed. I would have liked to have got a stronger sense of the system of magic earlier simply so each discovery didn't feel like an item of convenience.

My last sticking point was the female characters. Aside from Alex's tendency to just know things which had nothing to do with his power as a diviner, the male characters were fairly well fleshed out. For the first half of the book, I envisioned Luna, the female sidekick, to be in her early teens. It fit with her whiplash mood swings, her tomboyish attitude that suddenly evaporated when she was presented with a pretty dress, and her complete dependence on Alex to ensure her safety. Yet, there were points where it is suggested that there is or will be something more between the characters, which sent me back to scour over her introduction and discover that she is supposed to be in her early twenties. Other female characters are equally as flat and infantile.

One of the strongest parts of the story for me was the way Jacka dealt with Alex's magical ability, not an easy one. He had obviously put a lot of thought into the way it would work, its limitations and the impact it would have upon the plot.
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May 30, 2012 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Alex Verus is a mage with a very interesting power - he can see into the future. He owns a small magical shop in London by which he makes a living. The dark mages are no fans of him after his escape from his master Richard and the council has little respect or use for him, that is until one day when when he is brought a very powerful key by Luna, the woman he considers to be his student. Luna is cursed and anyone who gets to close to her risks being hurt or even dying through association.

Alex d...more

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May 05, 2012 Shanshad Whelan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, series, urban-fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is about a 3.5 star review, and I rounded up considering it's the a new author and a new series here. Alex Verus is a seer and diviner who lives in London running a magic shop. Trouble comes his way when the only solution to unlocking a magical artifact that everyone wants is a diviner--and all the other diviners have left town.

I had a lot of fun reading this book. Jacka manages to take what seems to be a less than flashy magical ability and use it to entirely win the day. I like Alex Verus...more This is about a 3.5 star review, and I rounded up considering it's the a new author and a new series here. Alex Verus is a seer and diviner who lives in London running a magic shop. Trouble comes his way when the only solution to unlocking a magical artifact that everyone wants is a diviner--and all the other diviners have left town.

I had a lot of fun reading this book. Jacka manages to take what seems to be a less than flashy magical ability and use it to entirely win the day. I like Alex Verus and some of the other characters in the story--I will look forward to future books in this series, especially if the author can improve and hit his stride.

As many have said, those who like Dresden may find these stories also to their taste, althought there is a lack of the in your face grittiness that Dresden usually portrays. Jacka is clearly aware of the Harry Dresden books, and gives them a nodding reference in his own work. What was interesting to me is that these books really didn't get ahold of place very well. There's a lack of true Brit feel here that I only noticed when I reminded myself the series too place in London.

Where the writing could use some work is in the plot excecution. Too many pieces of this seem to come together too conveniently. Why does Luna suddenly find this key just when the mages suddenly have this artifact to open? Why doesn't anyone in the magic circles understand the way Alex's gift works? Why doesn't Alex figure out the key earlier with his gift? Why doesn't any of the normal Brit population notice all the goings-on at the museum? Also, why on Earth is Alex running a store? If he's a probability mage, couldn't he easily find ways to make money on games of chance, etc that would earn him enough to be comfortable?

As someone else mentioned, it would have been nice to see a more active voice from Alex, and less reiteration of concepts we already know about. I think there's potential for so much more, but right now Alex does a lot more telling than showing. There's an intriguing world being built here that could lead to a great series, but I'd need to see a stronger plot to really be convinced that Alex Verus can hold my interest for many books to come!(less)

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Apr 04, 2012 Marleen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Alex Verus runs the Arcana Emporium in Camden. On the surface a new-age shop, both Alex and his shop are a lot more. In fact, Alex is a mage, a diviner. He can look into the future investigate the various options open to him and take the path that suits him best.
In a world where there are both Light and Dark mages, Alex stands alone, not part of either side and determined to keep it that way. The others are not prepared to leave Alex alone though. It starts with a visit from the Light Council re...more Alex Verus runs the Arcana Emporium in Camden. On the surface a new-age shop, both Alex and his shop are a lot more. In fact, Alex is a mage, a diviner. He can look into the future investigate the various options open to him and take the path that suits him best.
In a world where there are both Light and Dark mages, Alex stands alone, not part of either side and determined to keep it that way. The others are not prepared to leave Alex alone though. It starts with a visit from the Light Council represented by Lyle, a blast from the past Alex would just as soon not see again. The Council want Alex‘s help in retrieving a relic from an artefact in the British Museum, an relic they are not prepared to tell him anything about and assistance that would go more or less unrewarded. Alex doesn’t have to think twice before turning them down.
One of Alex’s few friends is Luna, a young woman burdened by a curse which means that anybody who gets too close to her gets very unlucky. The kind of unlucky that gets people killed.
She finds objects for Alex and shortly after his meeting Lyle, Alex meets Luna and receives a red crystal. A crystal Alex can’t divine at all although Luna says it glowed for her when she picked it up.
And with that the trouble really starts. Soon both the Light Council and Dark mages have Alex cornered and he finds himself having to come up with a plan where he does retrieve the very coveted relic without surrendering it to either side. A plan that might work if he’s lucky and keeps a close eye on all the possible futures. A plan that will most likely mean death for both him and Luna. A plan that will certainly bring Alex face to face with the past he’s been hiding from for years.

This book was a very happy surprise for me. I’m not quite sure what I expected when I started reading, but this story exceeded any and every expectation I had.
While I always enjoy a story where the forces of good are up against those of evil, nothing is quite as straight forward as that in this book.
While you might expect the distinction between the Light Council and the Dark mages to be as clear as the difference between white and black, things aren’t quite as obvious as that. And the main characters aren’t one-dimensional either, which makes the story very interesting and realistic. Alex has his past to keep away from and this need makes him a loner. Luna is a loner out of necessity and deeply unhappy because of it. Starbreeze, and elemental Alex calls upon when he needs help travelling over any distance in a hurry is cute as well as very easily distracted and provides some light relief in a somewhat dark story.
Yes, there are some strong similarities between this book and the Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher, but the author is well aware of this. In fact there is a reference on page 3 to “one guy in Chicago who advertises in the phone book under Wizard” which made me smile, especially since this book is endorsed by Jim Butcher on the front cover.
This book is a great find for anybody who enjoys urban fiction and those books by Butcher. As for me, I hope to read the second Alex Verus novel, Cursed, sooner rather than later.
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Apr 01, 2012 Alisa Hedden rated it 4 of 5 stars

The first of the Alex Verus novels. We get introduced to the main players in this world (Alex, Luna, Starbreeze, Sonder, Talisid, Arachne, et al.) and get a very good introduction to a world that exists out of sight of our normal world, but sometimes crossing over or influencing our world. Fated is a combination of Harry Dresden, The Da Vinci Code, the Sorcerer’s Apprentice and National Treasure (in the best sense!) so if this is the kind of combination that makes your eager fan boy heart squeal...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Grete rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned

Review originally published at BookThing!

I love urban fantasy, the thought that there could be a world co-existing with our own that we don’t know about. That one idea offers so many possibilities and so much creative potential. With that in mind, it’s always a treat to come across an author that raises the bar with his imagination and ability.

Benedict Jacka has created a brilliant protagonist in the probability mage, Alex Vera. It might not sound as exciting as a mage who can call fire or disin...more
Review originally published at BookThing!

I love urban fantasy, the thought that there could be a world co-existing with our own that we don’t know about. That one idea offers so many possibilities and so much creative potential. With that in mind, it’s always a treat to come across an author that raises the bar with his imagination and ability.

Benedict Jacka has created a brilliant protagonist in the probability mage, Alex Vera. It might not sound as exciting as a mage who can call fire or disintegrate with a single lash of power but Alex can look into the future and see what options are open to him to get the outcome he needs. Whether that is to dodge the incoming flames or just not be standing where the lash of power is going to hit; sometimes it’s useful just to get an annoying customer out of the way so he can see deal with something more important. It can be dizzying the way he can map things out but it’s intricate, unique and very well realised. I love his personality as well, he can be snarky but has a heart of gold.

I enjoyed how Jacka limits the power as well. Even with Alex’s powers of prognostication, sometimes he can find no good outcome and has to settle for one that just won’t get him killed. Then of course, there is the problem of free will; he can’t tell what is going to happen until someone has decided on a specific course of action, not all outcomes are obvious.

The plot was fairly simple, a battle for an item of power with both forces of light and dark vying for it and each trying to use Alex to their own end. The enjoyment in the book comes from the writing, the story and the characterisations. Alex doesn’t have many friends but those he does are beyond the norm. An Air Elemental that gets distracted by shiny things, a girl who is cursed with causing bad luck for anyone who gets close to her. The people they are up against whether of the light or dark side of magic are out for themselves and the power they can wield. The only person who seems to care about anyone else is Alex. He has a dark history he thought he had put behind him but the major players in this rush for power are determined to shape his future and it’s something he must deal with or go down a very bad route.

The story starts at a leisurely pace but as the pressure mounts that pace increases to a thrilling conclusion.

I absolutely loved the reference to Harry Dresden, it even made me laugh out loud, and while Jacka is obviously a huge Jim Butcher fan he doesn’t try to emulate him. His work is unique, gripping and very, very good.(less)

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Mar 26, 2012 Jenn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

I was so excited when I first heard about Benedict Jacka's Alex Verus series. I was on tenterhooks waiting for my review copy of FATED to arrive because I loved the cover copy on the book and the fact that it was blurbed by Jim Butcher, an author I adore. Needless to say, I jumped right in when it showed up in my mailbox. And you know what? I loved it! In fact, there are so many great parts to FATED that I'm hard pressed to know where to start.

First of all, Benedict Jacka has created a marvellou...more I was so excited when I first heard about Benedict Jacka's Alex Verus series. I was on tenterhooks waiting for my review copy of FATED to arrive because I loved the cover copy on the book and the fact that it was blurbed by Jim Butcher, an author I adore. Needless to say, I jumped right in when it showed up in my mailbox. And you know what? I loved it! In fact, there are so many great parts to FATED that I'm hard pressed to know where to start.

First of all, Benedict Jacka has created a marvellous world. In this series, most of the world is unaware of the magic that is an everyday part of Alex Verus' life. There is, however, a small part of the population who are sensitives, i.e. folks who can feel the presence of magic but don't necessarily know what's what, an even smaller group of people known as adepts who can channel magic but don't really wield it, and finally a tiny slice of the world's population who are mages. Mages have different gifts but I think Alex's abilities -- seeing possible futures -- is by far the most interesting. It means he has to use his brains to get out of the many bad situations he finds himself in, rather than using straight-up brawn, and it makes for a much more exciting story.

Here's a quick quote to give you an idea of what Alex does:

My name is Alex Verus. It's not the name I was born with, but that's another story. I'm a mage; a diviner. Some people call mages like me oracles, or seers, or probability mages if they want to be really wordy, and that's fine too, just as long as they don't call me a "fortune teller."

Of course, a story needs a strong protagonist to be memorable and Alex is fantastic. He quickly became one of my favourite urban fantasy leads. He's got so much depth, right from the very beginning, and he really leapt off the page. And he's smart. I know I mentioned it before but I love smart heroes. There's really nothing like it. Plus, Alex's powers give him a different perspective on the world and his past has turned him into something of a loner. There were certain points in the novel where I was struck by how similar Alex is to Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden (had bad experiences as an apprentice, goes against the typical mage path, finds himself in situations that become progressively more (potentially) catastrophic, often due to his desire to help) but these moments were fleeting. And really, being compared to Jim Butcher is not a bad thing, at least not in my opinion. ;) (As an aside, you can read a great conversation between Benedict Jacka and Jim Butcher over at B&N. You have to scroll down the page a bit.)

Alex isn't the only fun character in FATED. He was my favourite but I was also charmed by some of the other characters, like Luna and Starbreeze. Starbreeze is an air elemental with the emotional maturity of a child. Her love of shiny things made me laugh. Luna's a bit more complex. She carries a curse thanks to a bad decision by one of her ancestors and it makes it dangerous to be her friend. Luna and Alex's friendship really grows over the course of FATED and I particularly enjoyed Luna's story arc in the novel.

In terms of the story, I don't think FATED could have been any better. Benedict Jacka takes his readers -- and his characters -- on quite the journey. The plot is so layered and a lot of the characters have have murky motivations and I couldn't predict what was going to happen, which I loved. Plus you learn a lot about Alex's past and why he's decided to be the only mage with a shop rather than being involved with the Council, the body that governs mages.

Before I sign off, can we just take a moment to admire the cover? It really stands out to me because (a) the colours and smoke effects are gorgeous and (b) it's one of the rare urban fantasy novels that doesn't have a scantily clad women or menacing man on the front.

After having so much fun reading FATED, I'm desperate to get my hands on CURSED! (There's a sneak peak at the end of FATED but I'm resisting the urge to read it because CURSED isn't out until June. Not that long in the publishing world, I know, but it's going to feel like forever if I read the snippet...)

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Mar 22, 2012 Scruffy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fated presents us with an alternative view of modern London where a society based on magic exists unknown to the general population. On the one side of this society we have the Light Mage's of the Council. They have large numbers but are bogged down in politics. On the other side we have the Dark Mage's. Very powerful and dangerous but disorganised. In the middle we have Alex Verus. As a probability mage Verus can see possible futures before they happen. After a bad experience years ago Verus no...more Fated presents us with an alternative view of modern London where a society based on magic exists unknown to the general population. On the one side of this society we have the Light Mage's of the Council. They have large numbers but are bogged down in politics. On the other side we have the Dark Mage's. Very powerful and dangerous but disorganised. In the middle we have Alex Verus. As a probability mage Verus can see possible futures before they happen. After a bad experience years ago Verus now runs an out of the way magic shop in Camden and wants nothing to do with either the Council or the Dark Mages. Problem is he might not have a choice. When a powerful relic from the Dark Wars is discovered both factions have need of a probability mage to retrieve it and Alex is drawn back into a world he want's nothing to do with.

Alex Verus is a great central character. He's likeable and has a strong sense of right and wrong. His first person narration makes a very nice entry point into this world. He also has a dark, painful past which makes him quite vulnerable. In one of my favourite sections of the book we get a look into the time Alex spent as a Dark Mage's apprentice/slave. It's only a brief look in to the past but it goes a long way towards fleshing his character out and leaves plenty of room for exploring more of this era in the future.

Benedict Jacka has a very light and easygoing writing style which makes this a very enjoyable read. He also writes great action scenes. Verus' divinity powers give a unique dimension to the action and this makes for some very tense and exciting moments. You might think that it would be very limiting to have a main character who can see into the future but Jacka provides some important limitations on Verus' powers such as not being able to see past a decision that hasn't been made yet. He also uses the divinity powers in some very imaginative ways and it's this aspect that I think most separates this book from other urban fantasy series.

We start out with quite a bit of exposition but once that is out of the way we are quickly led on a fast paced journey through the many different corners of this world. Familiar London landmarks play an important part of the story which help to ground things in the real world. Throughout there are hints towards a larger history to this world which may be explored later on in the series.

We are introduced to several well developed supporting characters all with complex histories and motivations. There are lot's of interesting character relationships ready to be exploited in the future. I'm particularly looking forward to meeting the Dark Mage who previously enslaved Verus. He doesn't appear in this book but he is an important presence throughout.

Fated makes for a great first volume in a new series, there are so many elements that show promise and there is plenty to be expanded on in the future. It may have similarities to other urban fantasy series out there but there's enough originality to set it apart. I'm looking forward to spending a lot more time in this world.

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Mar 05, 2012 Jacqie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Nothing really wrong with this book- it just didn't pull me in.

We have a divining mage (interesting idea, to have a protagonist whose power lies in knowledge, very tricky to pull off) who lives in London, a wonderful setting. The main character seems reasonably intelligent, and runs away from danger rather than trying to fight. In many ways, he's the opposite of Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden. The book even gives a sly nod to "the Chicago mage listed in the phone book". Evil mages are right out the...more

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Mar 03, 2012 Qwill / The Qwillery rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fated is the first in a new series about a mage named Alex Verus.

Alex can see possible futures. As a diviner, he has to rely on sorting through the futures, his intelligence and the occasional use of the martial arts that he studies. He doesn't have power over the physical world (e.g., throw fire). Alex owns a magic shop in a section of London called Camden Town. He’s a loner. Something happened in his past that has made him want to be on his own. We get more and more information about what happ...more

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Jan 02, 2012 Mark rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, urban-fantasy

/Sigh. This book is due in March. This review has been published in Galaxy Bookshop's Jan Nexus newsletter and an 'editor' deemed it unnecessary to advise customers of that fact...

The first book in an exciting new urban fantasy series, Benedict Jacka’s ‘Fated’ is a fast-paced tale that packs a punch and brings magic to London the way Butcher’s Dresden Files bring it to Chicago.

Alex Verus is a diviner with a dark past. For many years he has hidden himself away in a self-imposed exile. In Camden,...more /Sigh. This book is due in March. This review has been published in Galaxy Bookshop's Jan Nexus newsletter and an 'editor' deemed it unnecessary to advise customers of that fact...

The first book in an exciting new urban fantasy series, Benedict Jacka’s ‘Fated’ is a fast-paced tale that packs a punch and brings magic to London the way Butcher’s Dresden Files bring it to Chicago.

Alex Verus is a diviner with a dark past. For many years he has hidden himself away in a self-imposed exile. In Camden, North London where roads and rail lines and leylines tangle together, and runs a small magic shop, the Arcana Emporium. His magic isn’t as powerful or as flashy as other mages but if you know what you are looking for he can help you find it. And being able to see the future gives him a distinct advantage when treading the perilous waters between the Light and the Dark, and staying one step ahead of trouble. And it’s that ability that has suddenly made him very popular.

A mysterious artefact from the Dark Wars has been discovered intact and only a diviner can possibly work out how to traverse its wards to access the relic within. Multiple factions want possession of its secrets and Alex is their key to getting in. But Alex has spent a long time distancing himself from the shadows of his past and the men and women who abandoned him to a cruel master, and he has no plans on being forced to do anything. Especially when he can predict that the odds of him surviving the job are slim to none.

Jacka’s work is fresh and exciting and has good bones to build on for any subsequent novels that might come along (I believe he’s contracted for at least two more). It has depth, inventive use of mythology, good characterisation, cool magical creatures and interesting curses. It is dark and humorous, has heart and a fast pace.

I think Fated is going to be a very popular with readers who enjoy the Dresden Files and I hope that Jacka has plans for many more instalments. While Alex Verus is a much different character to Harry Dresden there are enough similarities and nods of the head to Butchers work that you can’t help but feel that you are walking on familiar territory. In fact Butcher has a quote on the jacket and feel’s that Harry and Alex would get along very well. I agree.
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May 02, 2013 Dan Thompson rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the first book in the Alex Verus series, of which there are currently three – and a fourth one coming out later in 2013. A friend here on Goodreads recommended them to me, saying “If you liked the Dresden Files, you’ll like these.” That set a high bar, but I was not disappointed.

In many ways, it’s a Dresden-like world with wizards and other magical creatures hiding beneath the surface. He even makes a cute reference to Dresden with a remark of “supposedly there’s a wizard in Chicago who...more This is the first book in the Alex Verus series, of which there are currently three – and a fourth one coming out later in 2013. A friend here on Goodreads recommended them to me, saying “If you liked the Dresden Files, you’ll like these.” That set a high bar, but I was not disappointed.

In many ways, it’s a Dresden-like world with wizards and other magical creatures hiding beneath the surface. He even makes a cute reference to Dresden with a remark of “supposedly there’s a wizard in Chicago who advertises in the phone book.” There’s even some wizard organizations, of both good and evil varieties. And our hero is one of these wizards, somewhat caught between the two camps, much like Dresden.

But the similarities end there.

Alex Verus is no fire-wielding combat wizard. In fact, he’s quite the opposite. In face to face combat, he can’t do much more than throw a punch or try to trip you. You see, he’s a diviner who can see the future. But of course, seeing the future means you can change it, so what he really sees is the massively bifurcating tree of possible futures.

Do I turn right or left here? Do I say hello or run like hell? Do I accept this offer, or do I find out that it truly is an offer I cannot refuse? He can explore all those options and try to make the decisions that keep his body and soul joined. But he can only see so far, and he can’t see past someone else’s independent decisions. So, like most good diviners, he puts most of his efforts towards laying low and staying out of trouble.

But then trouble comes looking for him. The various powers-that-be want help cracking open a mysterious artifact, and to do that, they need a diviner. It’s a magical safe-box of sorts, and who else would ask to see the future of all those magical combination locks? Alex is not exactly at the top of the list for diviners, but the best of them have all coincidentally realized that now is a good time to be far, far away from this artifact and those who would open it. Alex isn’t quite that smart, or that lucky.

So he gets drawn back into a world he had done his best to leave behind, hoping he’s smart enough to find his way back out again when it’s all over.

I liked it. A lot. As much as I enjoy Harry Dresden blundering in with his blasting rod and .44 Magnum , he solves more of his day-to-day problems through brute force rather than cunning guile. Alex Verus doesn’t have the option of firepower.

He has to be smart. Or dead. He tries to be smart.
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Mar 14, 2013 Kylara Jensen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: buy-this-book, man-fantasy

4.5 stars

(I have to say I was 3/4 the way through the book before I realized the main characters name was Alex VERUS not Alex VERSUS. lol)

I really enjoyed this book. It was quite different from what I was expecting. Yes it was an urban fantasy, but it had some new and interesting things I particularly enjoyed.

First of all, I can't review this book without comparing it to the Dresden Files, another urban fantasy about a male "wizard" who has to solve this big ole problem with whatever resources h...more 4.5 stars

(I have to say I was 3/4 the way through the book before I realized the main characters name was Alex VERUS not Alex VERSUS. lol)

I really enjoyed this book. It was quite different from what I was expecting. Yes it was an urban fantasy, but it had some new and interesting things I particularly enjoyed.

First of all, I can't review this book without comparing it to the Dresden Files, another urban fantasy about a male "wizard" who has to solve this big ole problem with whatever resources he has at his disposal. Even this author gives a nod to Dresden by having the main character mention a wizard in Chicago who advertises in the phone book. (Which was kind of fun, but I didn't really like, because it took me out of the world and made me think whether or not this was Dresden's world. It's funny, but Dresden's world and magic system are so well and fully realized that you can tell this world/magic system is a whole 'nother thang.)

Anyway, I really enjoyed this book. It was pretty fast-paced and interesting. The writing was engaging. The plot was entertaining and not 100% predictable, although there were predictable elements. I really liked that the setting was in London, because that felt different. But what I loved the most were the characters. Alex was a delicious mix of OP and vulnerable. He could see the results of any action he took. HE could figure out how to get any result he wanted by finding a future where something happened and seeing what he did to get that future. I loved how his power was used, but without any tedious what if I change the future or OMG I am so overwhelmed by the future. Even though, he was a really bamfy diviner, he had like almost no other big powerful magic, so he wasn't a go in guns blazing kind of hero. He had to be smart and plan for contingencies and find an alternate way of doing things. I really liked that.

And he had this moral ambiguity. I liked how he wanted to do the "right thing" at times, but otherwise he didn't really know what he wanted. HE was a kind of neutral I really liked as it was refreshing and new compared to in your face do-gooders no matter the cost. I also liked how the Council wasn't just bureaucratically corrupt, but they actually let "Dark mages" on and als o Dark mages weren't really considered "Dark" by many people.

The only bad thing was the secondary characters. The secondary characters were either weird, boring or confusing. Even Luna the main girl/apprentice was kind of blah. I liked her tragic life story because of her curse that prevents her from being close to people, but that was pretty much it. I think this is definitely a weak point I will be looking to see fixed when I read the sequels.

Overall I really enjoyed reading this book and if you love the Dresden files and urban fantasy, you will love this book. Just don't expect as many explosions.(less)

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Jul 14, 2012 Ami rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy-with-male-protagonist

Alex Verus is a diviner who runs a shop, "Arcana Emporium", in a district in the north center of London called Camden Town. As a diviner, Alex can see probabilities in the future. Diviners might not be able to do flashy things but one can do pretty well with knowledge of the future. Alex has been living under the radar though. However, when Alex is approached by multiple factions to retreive an artifact known as fateweaver, that has ability to alter chance and outcomes in the future, and it puts...more Alex Verus is a diviner who runs a shop, "Arcana Emporium", in a district in the north center of London called Camden Town. As a diviner, Alex can see probabilities in the future. Diviners might not be able to do flashy things but one can do pretty well with knowledge of the future. Alex has been living under the radar though. However, when Alex is approached by multiple factions to retreive an artifact known as fateweaver, that has ability to alter chance and outcomes in the future, and it puts threat on his and his friend's life, Alex must use every single trick he knows to survive.

-------------------

I saw this book on "Readers Also Enjoyed" list after I rated an urban fantasy book. The author's name was new for me but the name of the endorser on the cover, Jim Butcher, wasn't. I devoured every single Harry Dresden titles out there -- and ever since I always wanted to find urban fantasy with male protagonist that had the charm of that Harry Dresden (that's why I have the particularly named shelf).

And with this one sentence in the very beginning, when Alex narrated about himself being a mage ... "I’ve even heard of one guy in Chicago who advertises in the phone book under ‘Wizard’, though that’s probably an urban legend." ... I am completely sold!

The book does remind me a bit like the world of Harry Dresden. Alex used to be a pupil of one of the Dark mage; his escape quite horrific. He has trust issues with The Council. He might be out of touch with other mages, but he has some great friends -- those who might not part of the 'important people'. Like Luna, the girl with a deadly curse, Starbreeze, an air elemental with short span of focus, and Arachne, a giant tarantula as well as a dress-maker extraordinaire.

However, Alex is not as snarky as Harry. As a diviner, Alex doesn't have that strong power of Light or Dark mages. He can't gate, he can't fly, he can't throw fire, etc. But knowledge is his power -- and he is very smart in using it. The things he can do keeps him a survivor. I love it that he is not showy (nor arrogant or sarcastic). He fights smartly. On top of that, he has a kind heart (it shows in his relationship with Arachne).

It's a great start of a series -- and my good track record with urban fantasy series that has wizards/mages/faes continues! Definitely in for the next book! (less)

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Fated (Alex Verus #1)

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