Sign in with Facebook
84th out of 294 books
—
433 voters
Crimes Against Magic (Hellequin Chronicles #1)
by
Steve McHugh (Goodreads Author)
It’s been almost ten years since Nathan Garrett woke on a cold warehouse floor with nothing but a gun, a sword, and no idea of who he was or how he got there. His only clue … a piece of paper with his name on it. Since then, he’s discovered he’s a powerful sorcerer and has used his abilities to work as a thief for hire. But he’s never stopped hunting for his true identity,...more
Kindle Edition, 388 pages
Published
April 27th 2012
by Hidden Realms Publishing
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
653)
I bought this book solely by chance -- it was one of the "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" books that was listed at Amazon.com when I browsed a couple of UF series. Since it was only $2.99, I thought okay, why not. I've always wanted to find more good UF series with male protagonist anyway.
The protagonist is Nathan Garrett. Ten years ago, he woke up in a warehouse without memory what-so-ever. But over a decade he learned that he was a sorcerer. He works as a thief, that is how he gets...more
The protagonist is Nathan Garrett. Ten years ago, he woke up in a warehouse without memory what-so-ever. But over a decade he learned that he was a sorcerer. He works as a thief, that is how he gets...more
Take a Sam Spade / Harry Dresden first person gumshoe vantage point and the twist the story around to have a James Bondian love of women, cars and guns, a Jason Bournian loss of memory of learning to kick ass (and why), a Bruce Leesque love of Kung Fu, a parallel story line in 15th Century France and a cast of mashed up characters from myth and legend.
The author tries to do an awful lot and, probably because of that, the more I read the more I kept saying 'No, you're not going there... oh god, y...more
The author tries to do an awful lot and, probably because of that, the more I read the more I kept saying 'No, you're not going there... oh god, y...more
I really enjoyed this book, I did think it was a bit dubious but decided to give it try.. and was really glad I did.
*********************SPOILERS************************************************
The plot goes that Nathan Garrett wakes up on a warehouse floor with no memory of who he is, ten years later we find him working in London as a Thief.he gets asked to steal a copy of the llyad and his fairly quiet life starts to unravel.
The timeline jumps from present day London to France circa 1500's wh...more
*********************SPOILERS************************************************
The plot goes that Nathan Garrett wakes up on a warehouse floor with no memory of who he is, ten years later we find him working in London as a Thief.he gets asked to steal a copy of the llyad and his fairly quiet life starts to unravel.
The timeline jumps from present day London to France circa 1500's wh...more
Jan 30, 2013
Verity Brown
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Undemanding fans of magic/action/adventure
Recommended to Verity by:
Amazon reviewers
This book is a really good example of why self-publishing (or publishing through a very small press, can't tell for sure which this is) shouldn't be an author's first choice (as opposed to actually submitting it to several major publishers). There's a genuinely interesting story here. But it's undercut by small-but-persistent grammatical errors and the author's inability to resist turning his "hero" into a Gary Stu. A good editor's discipline could have turned this into a good book instead of a...more
Summary: There's nothing really wrong with this modern-fantasy-intercut-with-historical-fantasy. It's inexpensive and a quick read and a fine way to spend a few hours. I don't know that it starts a series I want to follow, but I'm glad enough to have spent some time with it.
Detailed review:
This is one of that horde of self-published-on-Kindle genre fiction that keeps promising—someday—to give us gems that bypass the slush piles at overworked print houses but—in the meantime—keeps delivering good...more
Detailed review:
This is one of that horde of self-published-on-Kindle genre fiction that keeps promising—someday—to give us gems that bypass the slush piles at overworked print houses but—in the meantime—keeps delivering good...more
Fasten your seat belts and hold on. Crimes Against Magic by Steve McHugh is a fast-paced, in your face, urban fantasy that grabs you on the first page, and doesn't let go even after you've finished. You'll want that second book, now.
Set in modern day London, with flashbacks to 15th century France, Crimes Against Magic is told through the eyes of Nathan Garrett, a 1600 year old sorcerer who woke up ten years prior with no memory of who -- or what -- he is. While trying to sort out an elusive past...more
Set in modern day London, with flashbacks to 15th century France, Crimes Against Magic is told through the eyes of Nathan Garrett, a 1600 year old sorcerer who woke up ten years prior with no memory of who -- or what -- he is. While trying to sort out an elusive past...more
'Crimes Against Magic' is one of the first debut novels I have had the pleasure of being asked to review. It's author Steve McHugh had obviously spent a massive amount of time building the world of the story. The plot without spoilers, is about a magic user named Nathaniel Garret. An amnesiac thief for hire, whose past comes to catch up with him after a job goes bad.
This is nothing new, most stories you will read are just that, nothing new. With this being said the way, an author handles tropes...more
This is nothing new, most stories you will read are just that, nothing new. With this being said the way, an author handles tropes...more
I am a huge fan of Steve, he's a member of the Kelley Armstrong writing group which I am a member. His writing is incredible and he brings stories to life in a way few authors can. This is his first published book and I hope it is the first of many. He might not be well known but he's an author I think you will be seeing a lot more of in the future.
I am not a huge crime fan, but mix it up in an Urban Fantasy setting and I'm there. I actually started reading this when I was in London last month...more
I am not a huge crime fan, but mix it up in an Urban Fantasy setting and I'm there. I actually started reading this when I was in London last month...more
During my quest to find any and all examples of good Urban Fantasy novels, started by my love of the Felix Castor stories, I have found many strange and wonderful worlds - That of Jack Nightingale, Constable Grant and Matthew Swift to name but a few. And now to my utter joy, here is Nathan "Nate" Garrett, who awoke in a warehouse ten years ago with no knowledge of who he is. His only clues - A gun, a Sword and a piece of paper with his name on it, along with a tendency to practice magic. And the...more
This is a strong Fantasy Adventure story with a unique retelling of the Arthurian mythology that shapes the main protagonist, Nate Garrett. Nate wakes up on the bare floor of a warehouse, with no memory of who he is or how he got there. Nothing but a piece of paper with his name on it. Fast forward ten years and Nate is literally forced to remember his past by those who need his lost knowledge to serve their own purposes. There are at least two distinct groups competing for Nate's memories, and...more
Because my protagonist is a magician and investigator, albeit set in Tudor England, I am very interested in reading other authors who write in the same genre. I picked Steve McHugh's book mostly because the blurb promised entertainment, but also because it was a cheap on Kindle so would not be a heartsink if I didn't like it.
Far from not liking it, I sailed through it in a few hours. Nate is a 1600 year old sorcerer, but he can remember nothing save the last ten years. During the book, we slip w...more
Far from not liking it, I sailed through it in a few hours. Nate is a 1600 year old sorcerer, but he can remember nothing save the last ten years. During the book, we slip w...more
First of all, I must say, the title is wicked cool. I also have to give hats off to the cover artist because I could not have pictured a better embodiment of Nate than what is on the front cover of Crimes Against Magic.
Second, the novel was a quick and fun read. It has been awhile since I read an Urban Fantasy that didn’t focus on werewolves, vampires, and witches. Perhaps that is my own fault, but none the less, reading about badass sorcerer Nate was a pleasure! I especially liked the action sc...more
Second, the novel was a quick and fun read. It has been awhile since I read an Urban Fantasy that didn’t focus on werewolves, vampires, and witches. Perhaps that is my own fault, but none the less, reading about badass sorcerer Nate was a pleasure! I especially liked the action sc...more
I thoroughly enjoyed the concept, great way to introduce the lead character and honestly brought back great memories of playing RPG video games when I was younger (primarily centered around the self discovery of the amnesiac protagonist). I enjoyed the world and the human elements covered with family and friendship, often found in unexpected places. I also enjoyed the interspersing of flashbacks throughout the book and how it largely ties into the overall story.
The only area I'd challenge the au...more
The only area I'd challenge the au...more
Too Simon Greenish for me. Some people love his writing - I don't. If that's your bag - read this, you'll like it.
While it is Urban Fantasy (which I love), it's missing something and I was tired of the protagonist by Chapter 4. I get turned off by characters that are so perfect. His main character shoots people right between the eyes, is stronger than ten men and has a son that is smarter than your honor student. OK... I made that last part up but after a while, I just get the feeling the autho...more
While it is Urban Fantasy (which I love), it's missing something and I was tired of the protagonist by Chapter 4. I get turned off by characters that are so perfect. His main character shoots people right between the eyes, is stronger than ten men and has a son that is smarter than your honor student. OK... I made that last part up but after a while, I just get the feeling the autho...more
From an ancient warrior tracking through the bloody aftermath of a massacre in fifteenth century France, we are transported to modern England where a thief-for-hire, Nate, is stealing a copy of Homers Iliad for a client. Nate has formed connections in the underworld through his on-off girlfriend, Holly and her father, but he is no ordinary thief. Nate is a sorcerer.
Near immortal, Nate lives with a raw energy and magic running through him, which allows him to manipulate air. Searching for a past...more
Near immortal, Nate lives with a raw energy and magic running through him, which allows him to manipulate air. Searching for a past...more
Dresden meets Highlander meets Jason Bourne.....
Seriously a quick, fast paced read with a strong character that pulls you in to the story immediately and holds you. A nice break from the normal "heroes quest" fantasy reads. Almost two stories in one with the flash back to the past to flesh out the characters that appear later and provide some back story. Yes, there is a raw "self published" quality to it but hey, it keeps the price point way down. A brilliant move by the author to get his name a...more
Seriously a quick, fast paced read with a strong character that pulls you in to the story immediately and holds you. A nice break from the normal "heroes quest" fantasy reads. Almost two stories in one with the flash back to the past to flesh out the characters that appear later and provide some back story. Yes, there is a raw "self published" quality to it but hey, it keeps the price point way down. A brilliant move by the author to get his name a...more
This is one of those really enjoyable self published books I seem to be finding lately. Nate is a thief by trade and he's a man with no memory of his past from beyond 10 years ago. He knows he can do magic but doesn't know why, but suddenly the past he doesn't remember is about to catch up with him and hurt not just him but his friends as well.
I thought this was a well written urban fantasy. Nate is an interesting character - he's ruthless and skilled and while he makes mistakes the impression I...more
I thought this was a well written urban fantasy. Nate is an interesting character - he's ruthless and skilled and while he makes mistakes the impression I...more
1 like · like · see review
view 1 comment
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Well this was a really interesting little read, We have Nathan Garrett a powerful sorceror theif with a few memory problems (being over a 1000 years old you could probably forgive him for senility) Unfortunately this doesn't bode well when enemies from the past he doesn't remember start to surface and his life starts to get complicated, I really enjoyed the switch between present and past events in the book which I think was mainly included to disguise the fact that the main story is really just...more
Full Review originally at Fantasy Book Critic
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: Crimes Against Magic is Steve McHugh’s debut novel and is a dual story feature. I was very much interested in this story because of its Jason Bourne-like origin. I approached the author and he graciously agreed. I wanted to see how the book would hold up since it promised lots of action, magic & intrigue.
Nathan Garrett is a sorcerer who is living currently as a thief in London, he however remembers his life only ten years past...more
1 like · like · see review
This is the first book I've read in a while that I couldn't wait to get back to. The transitions between timelines created interest without making the storyline too choppy, editing was tight, and the plot (though somewhat predictable) still left me guessing. It could have used a bit more detail in patches and certain characters needed fleshing out; some areas were a bit glossed over or shallow. All-in-all, an enjoyable read - I look forward to the next!
Decent enough plot, but the book is rough around the edges. The characters are a bit flat, though, despite that, Nate is likable enough. The grammar and punctuation errors are legion, making reading the book like taking a walk and constantly tripping over small rocks. I initially gave it three stars, but I cut my rating upon reflection. Loads of promise here, but a good editor could have helped polish it up.
It has potential but is a long way from the books of jim Butcher and Kevin Hearne. I just think it's too easy when the hero promises again and again, over 1000 years, to kill the villain. On the interesting side, it actually contains some pretty explicit sex scenes. Thats a new one from this genre ;-)
Very entertaining read, and a nice twist on mythology.
My only complaint is the amount of violence against women which seems to be an unfortunate standard in urban fantasy. Surely their are more creative and original ways to establish the malice and menace of villains?
My only complaint is the amount of violence against women which seems to be an unfortunate standard in urban fantasy. Surely their are more creative and original ways to establish the malice and menace of villains?
This is like the Bourne Supremacy with added magic, man doesn't know who he is but has skills. I liked it but not as much as the Dresden books or even the Felix Castro ones. I like my urban fantasy modern and found the generic historical chapters annoying, they don't add much as leave you ahead of the story compared to the main character. Saying all that if the second one comes down in price I would read it.
Briefly: Great story line, I think the author could have made the book expanded based on all thats in there!! Unfortunatly the amount of language and main characters sex life detracts I think from what could have been a stellar book and even a great series. When I read the same curse word over and over in the book it gets a little boring.
Mindless badassery. Dude runs around London punching people out and rescuing women. I got most of the way through this but wasn't interested enough to finish it.
Great first time out. Believable world, engaging characters, and a plot that continued to surprise right to the end. I'm looking forward to the next one.
A nice surprise. Managed to engage, entertain and make me want for more... First book in a long while I found refreshing and quite original.
I enjoyed this book since my man told me it was fun to read. it really is and I've stated the second one. hope it's add good.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Steve’s been writing from an early age, his first completed story was done in an English lesson. Unfortunately, after the teacher read it, he had to have a chat with the head of the year about the violent content and bad language. The follow up ‘One boy and his frog’ was less concerning to his teachers and got him an A.
It wasn’t for another decade that he would start work on a full length novel, t...more
More about Steve McHugh...
It wasn’t for another decade that he would start work on a full length novel, t...more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
