Ward Against Death (Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer, #1) by Melanie Card

Jul 10, 2011 Wendy Darling rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2011, heroines-butt-kicking, young-adult, adult, ebook-egalley, male-pov, 2011-publication, action-packed, mature-ya, pn-reapers

This book is heaps and heaps of fun! I didn't know quite what to expect going into it, but I was hooked from the very first page and had a grand old time following Ward on his adventures.

There are so many awesome elements to keep you on the edge of your seat. Cool action sequences. People brought back from the dead. "Seeing smoke." A seductive villain who will steal your soul with a kiss. An assassin who kills someone by throwing a dagger through his throat. Oooo! Just the kind of action I like...more This book is heaps and heaps of fun! I didn't know quite what to expect going into it, but I was hooked from the very first page and had a grand old time following Ward on his adventures.

There are so many awesome elements to keep you on the edge of your seat. Cool action sequences. People brought back from the dead. "Seeing smoke." A seductive villain who will steal your soul with a kiss. An assassin who kills someone by throwing a dagger through his throat. Oooo! Just the kind of action I like in a book.

Ward himself is also a really interesting hero, in that he's very sensitive, painfully honorable, and dead set on doing the right thing. He's also decisive, game for anything, and inconveniently attracted to Celia, the undead girl he's brought back to life who guilts him into helping her find her murderer. A great deal of the book is actually spent from her POV, and the dual perspectives are surprisingly well done.

I loved all the medical talk (Ward is also a physician). I loved Celia, who is a seriously kick-ass heroine, taking down attackers with incredible speed and strength and skill. I loved the descriptions of Ward's necromancy, which actually seems to take some, you know, concentration and power and focus. This is a fantastic YA crossover debut, and if things veer a little too often towards repetitive misunderstandings or romance novel territory, I'm okay with it since the rest of the book is so great. Plus the lovesick fixation is actually coming from Ward, since Celia really can't be bothered with this guy at first. I liked the role reversal, and I liked how their relationship developed.

This book is such a well-written, enjoyable read and I got out of it exactly what I didn't get out of The Girl in the Steel Corset: nuanced characters, the promise of an appealing romance, well-plotted action, fun adventures, rich world-building, and clever use of magic. I can't wait to find out what happens next to this reluctant necromancer...and I bet you're really going to like him, too.

This review also appears in The Midnight Garden. An advance copy was provided by the publisher. Recommended for older teens and adults only, as this is more of a YA cross-over than traditional young adult novel.

Completely Irrelevant Side Note: (view spoiler)
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Jun 28, 2011 Jess the Romanceaholic rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, young-adult, magick, favorite-heroes, favorite-heroines, favorites, yes-its-really-that-good, zombies, fantasy, 2011-read, assassin-mercenary-or-bounty-hunter, beta-hero, steam-level-warm, upper-ya, doctor-nurse, on-the-run, major-character-death, major-illness-or-injury, physically-imperfect-or-scarred

This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.

Expected Release Date: August 2, 2011
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Imprint: N/A
Author’s Website: http://melaniecard.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1, Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Warm

I don't normally start reviews off this way, but I honestly think that this was one if not the best books I've read all year, and since it's almost July...more

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Jun 23, 2011 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Lish McBride and M.K. Hobson

Shelves: paranormal-supernatural-books, surprisingly-liked, 2011-reads, best-characters, best-couples, best-endings, heroes-i-love-and-respect, heroines-i-love-and-or-admire, swoon-worthy-book-crushes, writing-to-which-i-aspire, wish-i-could-write-a-book-like-this, exceeded-my-expectations, forewent-sleep-to-read-it, couldn-t-stop-reading-it, love-it-for-the-characters, world-building-worth-noting, ultimate-favorites, humorous, out-of-the-box-ideas, worth-every-star, reviewed

(Actual Rating: 4.5 stars)

My first thoughts after finishing Ward Against Death: Oh my goodness, I loved this book so much, but now I have to wait a while for the sequel to meet these characters again. Darn it, I read this too fast!

Ward Against Death, debut novel from Melanie Card, is the kind of book that should make a first-time novelist proud. Great main characters, awesome world-building, gripping plot, suspense, action, humor. . .whatever could go wrong here? All of those elements, when mixe...more

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Jul 09, 2011 Saly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ward Against Death was pure awesome!It reminded me how much I loved the Trudi Canavan books when I was fourteen.

Ward is a necromancer, called by Lord Carlyle for the wake of his daughter Celia. He doesn't consider his magic that powerful and would rather be a physician but he was kicked out.
So, he wakes her up and is shocked to find not a noblewoman like lady but a woman who pulls a knife on him and then starts rattling tales of how she was murdered and can't trust anyone.

Ward comes across as a...more

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Jul 06, 2011 J.C. Hart rated it 4 of 5 stars

I heard about Entangled Publishing through a friend awhile back, and have been waiting eagerly for their book store to go live so that I could check out the type/quality of books they put out, so when I saw a tweet from them that they had just put this title up on NetGalley I logged straight in and requested it! Just as well, too, as I've since tried to get other books but they have been overloaded with requests!

I think the cover of this one is gorgeous, and I love that the series is called 'Chr...more

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Jul 09, 2011 Crowinator rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, arcs, fantasy, narrators-of-the-dead, netgalley, paranormal, necromancers-and-the-waking-dead, books-i-own-kindle, assassins-and-serial-killers, adult

I read this Netgalley arc on my Kindle while sitting in my hotel lobby waiting for my airport shuttle to take me to the New Orleans airport (I had three hours to kill), and then finished it on the plane back to Denver.

Interestingly, I’ve now read two novels featuring young scholarly men who started out as surgeons, or studying to be surgeons, and ended up necromancers: this one, and Johannes Cabal the Necromancer. In Ward’s universe, surgery is illegal, while in Johannes Cabal’s, necromancy is,...more I read this Netgalley arc on my Kindle while sitting in my hotel lobby waiting for my airport shuttle to take me to the New Orleans airport (I had three hours to kill), and then finished it on the plane back to Denver.

Interestingly, I’ve now read two novels featuring young scholarly men who started out as surgeons, or studying to be surgeons, and ended up necromancers: this one, and Johannes Cabal the Necromancer. In Ward’s universe, surgery is illegal, while in Johannes Cabal’s, necromancy is, but it’s a curious parallel, as both have been kicked out of physician’s organizations and are in frequent trouble with the law (and in Johannes’ case, angry village mobs, as well).

Ward de’Ath has a job (and character) sort of like Ned in Pushing Daisies, and I kept picture Lee Pace’s earnest vulnerability and beautiful, shy smile when reading this book. Ward gets paid to people back from the dead for a short time (15 minutes), so their families and friends can have closure: they say good-bye and, I imagine, ask any last minute questions, like “why did you take me out of the will, you ungrateful jerk?”, or make important confessions, like, “Please forgive me, I’ve been having an affair with your wife.” (Maybe I’m a cynic, but to me, the people who need this sort of closure are people who want something. It has to be traumatic for the dead person, right?) Like Ned, Ward gets embroiled in a mystery when he awakens the daughter of a nobleman, Celia, who immediately tells him she’s been murdered and asks for his help in escaping. Because Ward is a sweetheart with a noble streak a mile long, he agrees, despite a distinct lack of experience protecting young ladies from killers. For Ward, Celia is chaos incarnate: she’s an assassin; her murder is part of a very complicated magical conspiracy; and she’s so mysterious and seductive and kick-ass that Ward has to keep reminding himself she’s dead, so he’ll stop falling in love with her.

Poor guy, he doesn’t stand a chance.

This novel is narrated by Ward and Celia in alternating chapters, a favorite stylistic choice of mine when there are two main leads. Luckily, they are equally strong viewpoint characters: Ward is a darling, who’s almost aggressively modest and awkward with hidden stores of awesome that he only occasionally lets show; and Celia is a decisive person with a lot of agency, able to go with the flow and do risky, impulsive things one minute and plan a complex scheme the next. The story flows seamlessly between them; there was no wishing I could get back to the other character to see what was really going on. They both discover clues separately that, together, tell the whole story. Even though it kept both of their viewpoints relevant, that was also the only truly frustrating aspect of this book; neither Ward nor Celia fully trust each other, so they rarely share information unless they have to. While a lot of tension develops from the secrets they keep from each other, I started to get annoyed with the two of them because of how frequently they waffled between trust and distrust. Celia would be on the verge of trusting Ward, for example, and then she would see him sneak out one night and immediately go ALL THE WAY back to her paranoid, “He’s in on it! He’s spying on me!” conspiracy. Taking a little step back is one thing, but it’s like they kept hitting the reset button on their relationship.

Maybe that’s why this read a little more like a paranormal romance novel to me than a fantasy with some romance elements. Eventually, they do start to feel companionship for each other and work together, but they also develop individually: Ward becomes more canny (not a lot but he’s getting there) and shows evidence that he might be a more powerful necromancer than he thinks (if only he would just trust himself!); and Celia’s cold ruthlessness softens a little without her losing her teeth. Still, they are fighting their attraction right up until the last page. Ward has ethical issues becoming involved with a dead girl, even though the spell he uses partway through the novel, after she keeps slipping back into being dead, to keep her going long-term seems to have done more than raise her – she’s not decomposing or showing any signs of actually not being alive. (She’s Chuck from Pushing Daisies, in other words.)

Even though Card does an adequate job world-building, the god and magic system and scenery seemed vague to me, a stage backdrop for the character drama. There were Inquisitors and Trackers and a criminal society and a Goddess and Light and Dark Sons, but I don’t remember many details, especially about the setting itself (aside from the endless sewers). Not that I minded while I was reading it but now, writing this review, I can’t really remember much outside the characters. That’s usually a sign to me that there weren’t a lot of details to the larger world-building, although I’ll be honest and admit that it could be just an indication that I read this while waiting around to fly home from a conference, when it’s difficult for me to focus. Either way, I think the world has promise, so I’m hoping Card delves deeper in the next book.

Card has set up a great odd-couple-falls-in-love premise with Ward and Celia, with a fresh supernatural twist based around an interesting magic system (that, again, I hope will get even more development). For me, falling in love with at least one character is the key aspect I need to continue reading a series, and here I have two strong ones, so I will definitely be looking forward to the next book.

Side note: I speculate that Card picked Ward’s last name just so she could make the Dr. Death joke, which is the one time I was really thrown out of the story, because too-clever naming is just one of those authorial indulgences that always calls attention to itself. It makes it harder for me to take his name seriously, not like that's a deal-breaker or anything.
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Apr 24, 2013 Lolita rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-books, books-that-i-own, already-released, got-a-copy-for-review-reviewed

I got a copy for review in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the idea behind this book and i think the idea behind the story is really original. I really enjoyed the first part of the story, but somewhere along the way my interest in the story lessened.

The book is about a necromancer (something I don't read about that often)who revives someone from the death and decides her help find her murderer. I really was pulled into the story and wanted to know what was going to happen. After a...more I got a copy for review in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the idea behind this book and i think the idea behind the story is really original. I really enjoyed the first part of the story, but somewhere along the way my interest in the story lessened.

The book is about a necromancer (something I don't read about that often)who revives someone from the death and decides her help find her murderer. I really was pulled into the story and wanted to know what was going to happen. After a while it just seemed like the character were running in circles and nothing really happened for a while, the characters made some stupid chooses and then the ending was action packed again. I just expected something more, the mystery about her death was easy to solve, but the characters just didn't seem able to figure it out.

The characters were likeable, I especially liked Ward and his naivity and clumsiness. He was a really enjoyable character and I liked him with all his flaws, it made him seem like a real character. I also liked Celia, although she was a bit too much of the stereotype assassin. And some times she really acted like an awesome assassin, but at other times she acted really dumb. Also I think that the characters made some stupid mistakes and I hated the fact that if they only just talked about things, they would've actually solved anything. Also sometimes it was just too much thinking about things and i got confused because of it.

There was enough basis for the world building, but sadly enough the author didn't really focus on it. It was obvious from many prhases that the author did think about the world building, but too little was actually explained and I felt like I missed an important part of the story.

At the end of the book there are still many things that aren't resolved and the ending felt a bit abrupt. You are left quessing what will happen next.

To conclude: the book started out really good and I liked the characters, but eventualy I lost my interest and got annoyed at the stupid descisions the characters made. There was hinted at world building, but there wasn't enough explanation to really get what was going on.(less)

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Sep 06, 2012 Cristina (Bibliophile Mystery) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: galleys

Originally posted on my blog, http://bibliophilemystery.blogspot.com/

The description of this book intrigued me a lot, so I was thrilled when I received it as an ARC.
This story got me hooked up from the fist page, and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It’s unlike anything I’ve read before! Secret societies, assassins who throw knives through one’s neck *shiver*…
Ward is different from the male leading characters I’ve read about lately, and I had a hard time getting to like him, bec...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, favorites, review-on-blog

I loved, loved, loved Ward Against Death. This book is deliberate and detailed and at the same time it is fast paced. It is the strangest mixture but it totally worked for me. The characters were on the run trying to solve a mystery and they were always doing something, but all the while it was also very descriptive and thorough in it's writing. Melanie Card did a really great job with Ward Against Death, and I basically need the second book right now.

Ward and Celia are so totally different but...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Ellen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-arc, blog-tours

Ward Against Death is a historical paranormal romance/fantasy/adventure/mystery in which Ward de'Ath is a necromancer, who is hired to call back a young woman, Celia, from the dead. Typically, a necromancer does this so that the family can spend 15 minutes with their loved one and say goodbye. In Celia's case, things are a little bit different. You see, Celia was murdered, and she is bound and determined to find out who murdered her. She manages to convince (or manipulate) Ward into helping her....more Ward Against Death is a historical paranormal romance/fantasy/adventure/mystery in which Ward de'Ath is a necromancer, who is hired to call back a young woman, Celia, from the dead. Typically, a necromancer does this so that the family can spend 15 minutes with their loved one and say goodbye. In Celia's case, things are a little bit different. You see, Celia was murdered, and she is bound and determined to find out who murdered her. She manages to convince (or manipulate) Ward into helping her. Ward's first and foremost desire is to be a physician. In fact, he was practically there. Unfortunately, his obsession with surgery, which was outlawed in those days, nullified any chance of that happening. Though technically, he isn't a physician, he still holds his physician's oath in the highest regard, and it is that oath that Celia uses to convince him to help her. Ward performs another spell on Celia, which is supposed to allow her to be alive for longer, so that they can find her murderer. He improvises some of the ingredients, and really, Celia seems much more alive than she should. Ward pushes this fact aside as they embark upon the quest to discover the identify of the murderer.

In the course of their investigation, Ward finds himself in situations he never dreamed of, and he also finds himself attracted to Celia, which is strictly forbidden in his profession, and forbidden by law. There is also a lot more to Celia that meets the eye, and Ward quickly finds out he has gotten himself into something over his head, but because of his oath (and his feelings for Celia that he tries to deny), he doesn't abandon her. He and Celia find themselves in one dangerous situation after another, and the things they begin to uncover soon reveal that the reasons behind Celia's murder are much bigger than they ever expected.

Ward Against Death was an intriguing and interesting book. Melanie Card's take on necromancy and magic was original and entertaining. The story itself sort of reminded me of an old Sherlock Holmes story, with the whole "who done it" theme going on. I enjoyed Ward's character, he was kind of goofy, yet endearing at the same time, and very honest and loyal. Celia is ruthless and cunning, yet she seems to develop a soft spot where Ward is concerned, and soon discovers that when you get past the outer layer, he is very attractive. The books is filled with magic, murder, mystery, adventure, fantasy, and romance in a historical setting, and if you enjoy stories about necromancy, this is a book you may want to check out. I look forward to seeing where Melanie Card takes Celia and Ward next in Ward Against Darkness coming out in June. (less)

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Apr 22, 2012 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: YA and Adults alike

Ward de’ Ath is a necromancer, who longs to be a surgeon. He has a job to bring back Celia Carlyle from the dead. Fifteen minutes that’s it. Just enough time for the family to say good-bye, but Celia awakes with demands of her own. She claims she’s been murdered and begs Ward to help her find justice.

Only, nothing is as it seems for these two. They both harbor secrets. They’ll have to learn to trust each other to find the answers they seek.

Ms. Card gives the reader a historical feel in this par...more

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Mar 03, 2012 Christine Edison rated it 3 of 5 stars

(Disclosure: My husband knows this author from his graduate school program and critiqued part of her manuscript. He had cool things to say about it, so when I heard it was coming out as a book, I put it on my to-read list.)

Celia Carlisle is an assassin who has been murdered. Ward de'Ath is the reluctant necromancer hired to revive her for fifteen minutes so she can tell who murdered her, say goodbye to her family, whatever. Instead she escapes to figure out who murdered her and why. Ward is guil...more

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Nov 09, 2011 Krista (CubicleBlindness Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

This story was a great surprise for me. I went into it not knowing what to expect but it had me hooked within the first couple of pages. Ward wakes Celia after she has deceased to intend on just asking her some questions, she won't be awake for long, but when she wakes up and takes off out the window it was a fantastic way to really grab the readers attention.
This book involved a lot of traveling, adventures and a mixture of entertaining characters. the mystery behind why Celia thinks she has b...more

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Aug 16, 2011 Peep (Pop! Pop!) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-cravings, read-in-2011, really-liked, tis-funny

I don't recall why I picked this one out of all the books listed, but I am glad that I did.

I liked Ward a lot. He was an all around good guy that just wanted to do what was right. He was smart but at times kind of clueless. Maybe not clueless, more like innocent. Mostly, I felt sorry for Ward. I wonder many times I said, “Poor, poor Ward”. It wasn't that people picked on Ward, or that he was a lost cause. It was just that from the beginning he was way in over his head. Wayyyy in over his head. N...more I don't recall why I picked this one out of all the books listed, but I am glad that I did.

I liked Ward a lot. He was an all around good guy that just wanted to do what was right. He was smart but at times kind of clueless. Maybe not clueless, more like innocent. Mostly, I felt sorry for Ward. I wonder many times I said, “Poor, poor Ward”. It wasn't that people picked on Ward, or that he was a lost cause. It was just that from the beginning he was way in over his head. Wayyyy in over his head. Nothing ever went the way he wanted it to go. He is a very likable character. I can't wait to see how he progresses. It's weird, I feel slightly protective of him now. I wanted to hug him when he got sad about the wig and glasses. (you'll see what I mean)

I liked Celia. She was pretty tough and hardcore. I loved the part where she was running from Bakmeire and she gives him a huge toothy grin – right before she dropped backwards out of the window. She was crazy like that. I lost count at how many times she almost gave Poor Ward a heart attack, but it was still pretty good chemistry between the two. See, I liked the thing between she and Ward, when it wasn't really a thing at all, but maybe it is?

I loved how Ward and Celia were so suspicious of each other, and how they never told each other everything. Usually that type of stuff annoys me, but it really worked for this story. It made everything so much more fun. I've got to give Ward some credit, apparently he has a pretty decent poker face. We just need to work on his self confidence.

Ward Against Death reminded me of the Harry Dresden books. They have a lot of things in common, but they're completely different. If I recall, they are both tall, lanky, and not the most alpha men (at least in the beginning.) I like that (from my limited memory of the first Dresden book) they both don't start out as the best of the best. That we'll get to be there as they get better and better and then awesome.

I'd like to point out that Karysa was creepy, creepy, creepy! Also, I thought it was weird that the author took the time to point out that each knuckle on Wards hands were unique (because his fingers were so long). Isn't that weird? They're knuckles. Who thinks about knuckles? I didn't marry my husband on account of his knuckles, though they are nice knuckles **snicker**.

So do I recommend Ward Against Death? You bet I do. It's interesting, it's funny, and it's a series that promises to get many new fans. Yep, even though not all the questions are answered at the end I still want everyone to read it. I really want you to meet my new friends!(less)

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Jul 25, 2011 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: net-galley, for-review

Ward Against Death is amazing! One of the main characters Ward, is a necromancer with power he has no idea he has. While the other main character Celia, is a kick-ass assassin. The main villain (yes there is more than one bad guy in this) has the kiss of death.

You know the person that got made fun of in high school for ALWAYS having to do the right thing? Well, that is Ward. He is so good-hearted that he risks his own life trying to save a dead girl…Yeah read the book and that last sentence wil...more

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Oct 11, 2011 Alison rated it 3 of 5 stars

A necromancer called Ward de’Ath brings murdered assassin, Celia Carlyle, back to life for 15 minutes, to allow her family time to say goodbye; but things go a little astray, and now he’s helping her to solve the mystery of her murder.

This story has just a great plot, it’s full of intrigue, interesting lines and is just a clever, clever story; the characters are all enjoyable to read, and the pacing is great. What lets it down dramatically is the world building which is absolutely non-existent.

...more

A necromancer called Ward de’Ath brings murdered assassin, Celia Carlyle, back to life for 15 minutes, to allow her family time to say goodbye; but things go a little astray, and now he’s helping her to solve the mystery of her murder.

This story has just a great plot, it’s full of intrigue, interesting lines and is just a clever, clever story; the characters are all enjoyable to read, and the pacing is great. What lets it down dramatically is the world building which is absolutely non-existent.

The problem with this lack of world-building is that the story isn’t set in a place that we know, it’s a completely made up world, where unusual things happen, so by not spending a little more time explaining the world we were in this reader was just left to try and catch up with the plot the best I could. This made things confusing and distracting – we’re in a world where necromancy is normal, but surgery is illegal? We’re in a world where some sort of beings called “Ancients” once lived, and they may or may not have had some form of magical powers? A prince rules, but so does a mafia like group of criminals? Law is enforced by ‘trackers’ who have the power to execute on site, and they work in pairs with mind readers? All these little tit-bits are thrown in to add to the plot, but they were literally just thrown in, with no build up, no background, no real explanation. Yes, it all started to come together in the end, but only just.

If you can ignore the world building (which I managed to for the most part), this is a great story overall, but I did find the end a little rushed, and although isn’t a cliff-hanger ending, has certainly left it open to book 2, which I am looking forward to reading very much.

Other than a couple of very silly comedy sketch moments, I enjoyed the characters and want to read more about them, I’m also really looking forward to seeing how Melanie Card develops both the story and her craft for book two. This series should certainly be high on the to read pile for a light afternoon read.

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Aug 12, 2011 Melissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'd have to say that most of this book revolved around the theme of light and dark. Good and evil. Even so, it did not make these distinctions wholly black and white. Some of it remained in the grey area and so did Ward. To me he was fully on the side of the light and stuck to what he believed. In other words he was who he said he was. Doesn't mean that his life was therefore without inner conflict, but he allowed his beliefs in what was right to guide him. He also wasn't rigid in these beliefs...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Vicki rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Ward de'Ath is a young necromancer hired to wake Celia Carlyle to say goodbye to her loved ones but the plan goes terribly awry. Celia informs Ward she's been murdered and quickly attempts escape the compound; she drags Ward along with her into the seedy underbelly of the crime world, filled with assassins, running from everybody, and dark necromancy.

All in all, I enjoyed this book. I found the setting was wonderful and made it really easy to get a feel for the situation the main characters were...more

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Jul 17, 2011 Kathy Martin rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a very readable but complex fantasy filled with lots of intrigue. Ward De'Ath is a reluctant necromancer. He comes from a family of necromancers but his real love is medicine. In fact, he is fascinated by the idea of surgery. However, surgery is forbidden in his world. He has been pursuing his dream of being a surgeon even though it has gotten him branded and forced him to flee from other countries. Now he has come to Brawenal City and been hired by a nobleman to raise his daughter from...more This was a very readable but complex fantasy filled with lots of intrigue. Ward De'Ath is a reluctant necromancer. He comes from a family of necromancers but his real love is medicine. In fact, he is fascinated by the idea of surgery. However, surgery is forbidden in his world. He has been pursuing his dream of being a surgeon even though it has gotten him branded and forced him to flee from other countries. Now he has come to Brawenal City and been hired by a nobleman to raise his daughter from the dead. He thinks it is so that the family can say good-bye.

When he wakes Celia he learns that she was murdered and that she is determined to discover who did it. They end up fleeing and Ward needs to do another ritual to extend Celia's life. Because they are being pursued, Ward has to make changes in the ritual the keeps Celia alive. He is much more successful than he could have imagined. She is behaving just as though she were really alive.

Celia doesn't trust Ward or anyone else but she needs to keep him by her in case the ritual needs to be repeated. Her father is the crime lord of Brawenal and she, herself, is a member of the Assassin's Guild and a skilled assassin. She should be able to determine who killed her and why she was killed. She and Ward do a number of investigations to try to unravel the tale.

I liked both Celia and Ward. They were complex and interesting people. The plot was very convoluted and required a lot of concentration to figure out what was happening. I felt a little like Ward when he said,
Damn, and he thought Calbournians wove complicated sleuth-stories. If he had a big blank wall and some chalk--not to mention a couple of days--he might be able to unravel all the threads. Although he still didn't know anything for certain.
The story was interesting and action packed. I think readers who like well-developed fantasy worlds and political intrigue will like this story. I think the plot complexity is what makes this one more suitable for older young adults.(less)

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Mar 19, 2012 Jamie Manning rated it 5 of 5 stars

WARD AGAINST DEATH was quite a surprise read to me. I had seen the cover and read the description on the Entangled Publishing website a few months back and thought "Eh, doesn't sound like a book for me." (I typically don't read "historicals"). But then a friend on Twitter told me I should read it (she was insistent, actually, lol), so I picked up a copy. And I'm so glad I did!

WARD tells the story of a fourth-generation necromancer named Edward de'Ath (he goes by Ward. And incidentally, how cool...more WARD AGAINST DEATH was quite a surprise read to me. I had seen the cover and read the description on the Entangled Publishing website a few months back and thought "Eh, doesn't sound like a book for me." (I typically don't read "historicals"). But then a friend on Twitter told me I should read it (she was insistent, actually, lol), so I picked up a copy. And I'm so glad I did!

WARD tells the story of a fourth-generation necromancer named Edward de'Ath (he goes by Ward. And incidentally, how cool is that last name?) who has the ability to wake the dead. He makes his living at wakes, giving families a final visit with the departed. He also does something else, but since it's such a huge part of the story I won't reveal it here. On a particular "job", Ward wakes Celia, who immediately denies being dead, but proceeds to take him on a journey through the streets and sewers of Brawenal City in search of her murderer. Over the next several days, both Ward's and Celia's lives are forever changed.

Ward is such an awesome character! He's funny and awkward and blindly naive when it comes to the way things work--which serves for some excellent storytelling. He constantly surprises both himself and Celia with some of the chances he takes throughout this book, and he even manages to come through for her on more than one occasion. He's sweet and a bit noble, and I found myself rooting for him to make it from the very beginning.

Celia is another great character, full of spunk and wit and some tougher-than-tough attitude, and she and Ward clash constantly--which also serves for some excellent storytelling! The romantic tension between them is obvious, but not in an annoying or overpowering way. You truly never know if they're going to end up together in the end, but you never give up hope.

WARD AGAINST DEATH is a fun, exciting, suspenseful read that kept me turning the pages to the very end (I read it in a day). I happily give it 5 stars (as I've said before, Entangled produces nothing less!), and urge you all to pick up a copy and get to know Ward today!(less)

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Jul 02, 2011 L. C. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review posted at Lari's Writing

Here's a young necromancer who can't catch a break. Coming from a long line of necromancers, Ward de'Ath is still young and trying to make a name for himself.

The story begins with Ward performing a "wake." This means Ward has been hired by nobility to bring a young woman back from the dead for fifteen minutes to say a final "goodbye" before burial. What Ward doesn't expect is the dead Celia Carlyle to awaken and enlist Ward on a quest to find out who murdered her.

T...more

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Jun 28, 2011 Debbie (at) I Heart YA Books rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ward Against Death is fantastic. I loved this story. It’s a fresh, new Paranormal. I’ve never read about Necromancers before, but as long as the story has Ward, I will be counting the days for the second book in this series. Ward and Celia are awesome characters. They grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. Talk about reversed roles: Celia is the one who is tough, fearless, the butt-kicker and Ward is the clumsy, unsure damsel in distress. These two are hilarious together. Poor Ward is trying so hard to...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Amanda Ryan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Redonk Nutshell: Fledgling necromancer gets more than he bargained for when he raises a young woman from the dead

Ward De’Ath, a young doctor and burgeoning necromancer, summons beautiful Celia Carlyle from her recent death to perform a quick 15 minute wake - so her family can pay tribute. What he doesn't expect is for Celia to pop up and cry foul play. She demands Ward help her track down her murderers and Ward, in shock and only just having gotten back on his feet on his new career path, agrees...more

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Jul 05, 2011 Angie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I won't qualify this book as YA or paranormal romance because it seems wrong, but rather as fantasy. We have all the ingredients: a rich universe, a mystery, magic, a very evil villain, traitors, a lot of action, etc.

At first, I liked the cover. Then I started the book, and fall right into the action. What starts like an easy job for Ward, a young necromancer, a wake bringing back from the dead a girl for 15 minutes so that her parents could say their goodbye, evolve into an extraordinary advent...more

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Aug 03, 2011 Anna Tee (The Bursting Bookshelf) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

I first spotted this title on Goodreads and admired how unique it sounded. A reluctant necromancer? The only books on necromancers I had read were Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers Trilogy, so I was very excited to read this book. When I saw it on Netgalley, I knew I would have to read it. After reading it however, I was confronted with some conflicted thoughts.

The cover of Ward Against Death did not play into my decision to read the book as much as usual. Usually, I am choosing a physical book...more I first spotted this title on Goodreads and admired how unique it sounded. A reluctant necromancer? The only books on necromancers I had read were Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers Trilogy, so I was very excited to read this book. When I saw it on Netgalley, I knew I would have to read it. After reading it however, I was confronted with some conflicted thoughts.

The cover of Ward Against Death did not play into my decision to read the book as much as usual. Usually, I am choosing a physical book and I am drawn to those which catch my eye. This book was online though and I did not see the cover every time I read it. For these reasons I am unsure of how I feel about this cover. On one hand, it is not the kind of cover I am usually drawn to. On the other hand, this cover does have a sense of uniqueness that can be lacking in many covers. Altogether I am unsure with this cover and how much I like it.

Ward Against Death is set in multiple points of view. At times I found it to get a little confusing trying to remember who knew what and who was keeping what from others. As for the characters specifically, I did not find them to be all too great. I thought Celia was too pushy, always bullying Ward around. Ward on the other hand, I felt was not too strong, and he let himself get pushed around by Celia too often. I didn't like how he never put his foot down on anything with her. As for other characters, I did not find any stand out characters, mainly because for a good portion of this book, the characters were on their own.

The story line of this novel was okay. It was not my favorite because at times it just felt too slow for my tastes. By the end of the book, the plot had sped up. The writing in Ward Against Death was a weak point for me as well. I found myself feeling lost and confused about recent events. Also, there were quite a few terms used that I didn't understand, because I felt they weren't quite as well defined to the reader as I would have liked. Apart from these factors, the rest of the writing and plot were fairly good.

Though Ward Against Death was not my favorite book, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes books with a historical feel and a twist of fantasy thrown in. I give Ward Against Death a 3/5 overall.
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Dec 13, 2011 Maggie Hargrave rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, ghosts, mystery, sci-fi-fantasy, witches-magic, ya

I had a difficult time getting into Ward of Death and I place most of the blame on myself. I just wasn’t consistently reading the book so when I went to start I had to keep remembering what had just happened, what Ward and Celia had learned, what background about the world was given and it became tiresome. However, I was a bit confused by (and not that interested in) the explanation of the religion and the Ancient Ones. I would have preferred that to be dispersed a bit more through the story and...more

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Jul 07, 2011 Kara-karina rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5/5
When I spotted the cover I thought "oh well, let's brave another YA book". Not that I'm against YA books, it's just I like them dark and gritty, and most of them aren't. However, I was wrong. This was a good old fantasy *grinning*, and I was hooked from the page one.

Disregard the cover. The girl in the flowy black dress? Meet Celia - a local crime lord's daughter, a hardened assassin and a proud member of the Assassins Guild. She is cold, calculating and fabulous. Mostly you'll see her in b...more 4.5/5
When I spotted the cover I thought "oh well, let's brave another YA book". Not that I'm against YA books, it's just I like them dark and gritty, and most of them aren't. However, I was wrong. This was a good old fantasy *grinning*, and I was hooked from the page one.

Disregard the cover. The girl in the flowy black dress? Meet Celia - a local crime lord's daughter, a hardened assassin and a proud member of the Assassins Guild. She is cold, calculating and fabulous. Mostly you'll see her in breeches throwing knives and slicing throats *bloodthirsty wench*.

Ward De'Ath on the other hand is fantasy equivalent of a nerd. He is a necromancer by birth, who wanted to be a physician and begged his family to let him study in the Academy. Good for him, his family agreed. Only he became fascinated with being a surgeon, a profession prohibited in his world, and got caught doing autopsies on dead bodies. Branded as a criminal and booted from the Academy, he barely escaped with his life and turned to necromancy to make his living.

He's thin and wiry, speaks five languages, but mumbles and stammers a lot with beautiful Celia around. His head is always in the cloud but the boy's got real power as a necromancer, which he doesn't know about yet, and he is a brilliant surgeon.

Yes, I was totally enchanted with Ward, more than with Celia. She is more of a traditional character, who knows her potential and her mind is set. Ward on the other hand is a wild card. You never know what he'll do next.

The world was fascinating. Religious beliefs, Inquisitors and Trackers, Goddess and her two sons, the veil... I wanted to know more! Because there was so much action with all the chasing and killing and hiding, I just didn't get enough (hope, it will be remedied in the next books).

Relationship slowly building between Ward and Celia felt absolutely believable. They are both smart cookies and once they let go of their prejudice towards each other, they become really good partners in crime.

I can't recommend it strongly enough! Please, read this fab debut from Melanie Card. She's done a wonderful job and I hope to continue reading her books for years to come.(less)

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Apr 06, 2012 Stacey Kennedy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ooo I adored this book! The world was so lush and vivid. The plot was woven beautifully and I was sucked right into the story. While that was all a bonus, the characters are what had me captivated. It was so refreshing to read a hero who isn’t an Alpha.

Ward is such a softy, a bit awkward, and seriously the cutest guy ever! More than once I wanted to reach into the book and hug him!! I loved how Celia was this strong gal and I kept cheering her on throughout the story.

There is one scene that wa...more

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Jan 22, 2012 S.M. Blooding rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have to say I really enjoyed this book. I think the biggest reason is because of Ward. OMW! He's just too adorable and awkward and I think Melanie did a fantastic job crafting him and getting him on paper. I think I would have hurt Celia if I'd been the one to write this one. LOL! Good grief, I just wanted to reach through the cyber paper and strangle her at times.

There for awhile, I had thought it was going to be a romance. I was hoping for it and at the same time hoping against it. But that...more

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Mar 17, 2012 Claire Delacroix rated it 5 of 5 stars

I liked this book a lot, but I wouldn't have even noticed it if the author wasn't in one of my writing groups. The cover is nice, but IMO the packaging makes it look like a paranormal YA. This is historical fantasy, albeit with faster pacing and younger protagonists. The worldbuilding is intricate and well done, with nuance and politics and lovely detail about the magic. I loved the slow reveal of the very-dimensional world these characters occupy. Mel's worldbuilding is evocative of Maria V. Sn...more

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Ward Against Death (Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer #1)

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