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Unsympathetic Magic (Esther Diamond #3)
From the award-winning author of Doppelgangster comes the newest novel in the popular Esther Diamond series
Acting jobs don't grow on fire escapes, so struggling actress Esther Diamond is outraged when her guest role as a hooker on controversial TV drama The Dirty Thirty is jeopardized by zombies, angry spirits, and a voodoo curse. But will Esther's courage backfire and e
...moreebook, 400 pages
Published
August 3rd 2010
by Penguin Group (USA)
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Here we are in the third entry into the Esther Diamond series. UNSYMPATHETIC MAGIC doesn't feature the zany characters that the previous two books had, which is a nice shift, and the focus on Esther and Max that was lost in Doppelgangster is back. The plot about Vodou*, zombies, and bokors is okay, but gets a little too predictable for my liking. Luckily, the author writes well enough to lift it up a level and ends up entertaining, and at times interesting.
Now for the bad news: the humor isn't a...more
Now for the bad news: the humor isn't a...more
In this third book the main character finds herself in the middle of a magical mystery once again; this time in Upper Manhattan. Esther finds herself walking the streets of Harlem in the early morning hours after an emergency temporarily shuts down production of The Dirty Thirty, a Law and Order type TV show about the corrupt cops of the 30 Precinct. In costume as a junkie prostitute, she runs into a man being attacked by what looks like two gargoyles and jumps in to help him. Of course, with Es...more
Sometime actress Ester Diamond is back and again a magnet for supernatural trouble and the first paragraph gives hints of what's to come: zombies, voodoo, aborted human sacrifices... Unsympathetic Magic is all that and more - lots of magical mayhem with a touch of humor as Esther tries figure out who's responsible for raising the dead and for what nefarious reason.
I really enjoy this series, Esther is a lot of fun and not your typical kick butt tough UF herione - she's an actress who somehow al...more
I really enjoy this series, Esther is a lot of fun and not your typical kick butt tough UF herione - she's an actress who somehow al...more
May 19, 2013
Teresa
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
mystery,
witches-or-spellcasters
In this one Esther has scored a small part on a cop show called The Dirty Thirty. While out on location for some filming one night she sees a guy get attacked by things that look like gargoyles. After much confusion and misunderstanding (based on her costume) when Esther finally tells the police that the guy said his name was Darius Phelps. They investigate and find out Darius died three weeks ago. Lopez thinks someone is playing a prank, Esther and Max think its a zombie and someone involved in...more
I think the Esther Diamond series will be my go-to books for when I travel. Time passes very quickly once I get going, which was true even for this one which seemed to be a bit longer than the previous two. Unlike the previous two covers, the cover of this book pretty much describes the tone of the whole series and I'm happy to see the artist is now into the spirit of things. This is much better than yet another variation of current typical urban fantasy gothic pin-up cover that's so ubiquitous....more
I like this series. Resnick does a good job overall of balancing good storytelling with a splash of humor and romance. There's no silly chick-lit banter or wild sex scenes, but there are always laughs and some pretty hot moments between the love interests as well. I like Esther a lot and like that she's not the typical urban fantasy sword-wielding heroine for a change. She's a normal gal who got caught up in some crazy stuff, with a strong streak of curiosity balanced by a strong feeling of resp...more
I have completely enjoyed my time with the first two books in the series, DISAPPEARING NIGHTLY and DOPPELGANGSTER (my reviews) and UNSYMPATHETIC MAGIC is even more so. It's a little darker and not as much humor as in the previous two, but I think it's my favorite of the series. And I will likely say that for the next one as each book is read by me. I love watching Esther keep forging ahead in all that she does to keep acting, pay the rent, try for a normal life with all that she knows about havi...more
Nov 19, 2011
Jo (Mixed Book Bag)
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
paranormal,
romance
Poor Esther, even when she gets a good role something bad happens. While she is playing a hooker on The Dirty Thirty TV show zombies, angry spirits and a voodoo curse threaten everything. Enter Esther’s sometime boyfriend Connor Lopez, a New York City detective and Dr. Maximilian Zadok , a 350 year old sorcerer whose day job is to protect New York City. Again this is a set up for disaster. Connor does not believe in magic and Esther is right in the middle of a plot full of good and bad magic. Wi...more
I finally found a copy of the first novel in the series! Now, maybe, some of the references to past events will make sense. Meanwhile, I continued reading the series.
I liked the previous novel more. At first I couldn't figure out why until Esther mentioned getting a postcard from Lucky who was summering in Italy. That was my clue! I miss Lucky. He's a fun, likeable character. I like his twisted view of the world and his romantic pragmatism. His influence on Max and Esther rounds out their charac...more
I liked the previous novel more. At first I couldn't figure out why until Esther mentioned getting a postcard from Lucky who was summering in Italy. That was my clue! I miss Lucky. He's a fun, likeable character. I like his twisted view of the world and his romantic pragmatism. His influence on Max and Esther rounds out their charac...more
Dec 19, 2011
Jan
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
magic,
magicians,
wizards,
voodoo,
nyc-setting,
actresses,
paranormal,
paranormal-mystery,
urban-fantasy
In this third book in the series, Esther has snagged a spot on a popular TV show and is filming in Harlem. When the show's star gets sick, Esther has some time to kill. This is never a good thing. On her way to snag a snack, she encounters a man being attacked by some sort of unearthly creatures. When she goes to the man's aid, she relizes that the creatures have ripped off his hand, ick, and there is no blood. Hmmmm. Zombies, mambos and big snakes ensue as Esther, Max and a crew of helpers figh...more
Urgh, this one is my least favorite among of the series. Why? Because it is SO GOD DARN BORING!!! Unlike the first two, there is lack of humor or wacky screwball action. What I have is pretty much a long, detailed description about the Voudou ritual, and it is so slow paced. Even until more than half of the book, nothing happens.
And I miss Lopez so much. He only appears like in the beginning, then gone missing, buried under all those conversations about Voudou, and not available until half of t...more
And I miss Lopez so much. He only appears like in the beginning, then gone missing, buried under all those conversations about Voudou, and not available until half of t...more
Jewish actress Esther Diamond is playing the part of a homeless prostitute for a TV show when she witnesses a man attacked by gargoyles, his hand torn off completely. Shockingly enough, the police assume the hysterical, half-dressed woman in Harlem at midnight, raving about murderous gargoyles, is high on drugs and arrest her. They change their minds when they find the severed hand, several days decomposed. Esther's ex-almost-boyfriend Detective Connor Lopez thinks she was the victim of a cruel...more
This was a light, fun entertaining paranormal story.
I wasn't familiar with this author, and just found this book at the library by chance. Although it's a continuing series and this was not the first book, I had no trouble following the story, as the author references enough of the history of the characters to allow you to keep up.
The story itself involves Voodoo, evil villains, zombies, mad dogs, and narcissistic New York actors, and, as so often with paranormal fiction, world peril. But it's a...more
I wasn't familiar with this author, and just found this book at the library by chance. Although it's a continuing series and this was not the first book, I had no trouble following the story, as the author references enough of the history of the characters to allow you to keep up.
The story itself involves Voodoo, evil villains, zombies, mad dogs, and narcissistic New York actors, and, as so often with paranormal fiction, world peril. But it's a...more
This time Esther Diamond has taken a guest spot on a gritty cable show called the 'Dirty Thirty' as a transvestite drug addicted hooker. In the meantime she gets in the middle of an evil Voudun ritual. She must call on her trusty friends Max Zadok, Nelli, and of course the hunky cop Connor Lopez to figure out the dark scheme before more people get killed.
This was just okay. Resnick continues her trend of telegraphing the villain way before the ending making things way too predictable. I also di...more
This was just okay. Resnick continues her trend of telegraphing the villain way before the ending making things way too predictable. I also di...more
I guess voodoo is a bit more my speed than gangsters, because I enjoyed this book more than the previous one. I found the background exposition on Voundoun a bit tedious, but I did a paper on Santeria in college, so was fairly familiar with it. Once again I knew who was doing it long before the characters figured it out, so if you're looking for a mysterious mystery, this ain't it. (Once again I was wrong about the accomplice, but this time the author's answer made less sense than mine.)
Lopez re...more
Lopez re...more
*Rating* 3.0
Genre: Fantasy
*Review*
Unsympathetic Magic is the third book in the Esther Diamond series. It follows Dopplegangster by two months in the series time line. Esther, a part time actress and waitress at Bella Stella’s, has been cast to play Jilly C-Note, a bi-sexual hooker, junkie, and police stooge in the TV show The Dirty Thirty. Not something her parents are proud of, but, Esther has bills to pay, and needs to eat.
Esther is still apart from her almost ex-boyfriend Detective Connor Lop...more
Genre: Fantasy
*Review*
Unsympathetic Magic is the third book in the Esther Diamond series. It follows Dopplegangster by two months in the series time line. Esther, a part time actress and waitress at Bella Stella’s, has been cast to play Jilly C-Note, a bi-sexual hooker, junkie, and police stooge in the TV show The Dirty Thirty. Not something her parents are proud of, but, Esther has bills to pay, and needs to eat.
Esther is still apart from her almost ex-boyfriend Detective Connor Lop...more
I SO WANTED TO LIKE THIS BOOK. *SPOILERS
Paperback: There's a point in Buffy the Vampire Slayer when Willow quickly summarizes to Oz, that not only are vampires real, but Sunnydale is on a Hellmouth. The wheels turn in Oz's head as he thinks of what he has just witnessed and he nods saying, "Actually, that explains a lot." It was time for Oz to learn the truth in the storyline.
That did not happen in this book. Lopez is still in the dark about Esther's world. Let's face it, he's a smart guy, but h...more
Paperback: There's a point in Buffy the Vampire Slayer when Willow quickly summarizes to Oz, that not only are vampires real, but Sunnydale is on a Hellmouth. The wheels turn in Oz's head as he thinks of what he has just witnessed and he nods saying, "Actually, that explains a lot." It was time for Oz to learn the truth in the storyline.
That did not happen in this book. Lopez is still in the dark about Esther's world. Let's face it, he's a smart guy, but h...more
I thought, based on the picture on the cover (bad idea, I know) that this book might be a bit like the humor by Esther Friesner. However, it somewhat misses the mark.
Esther, aspiring actress, is shooting on location when events conspire that have her run into a voodoo zombie. Quickly she is immersed in voodoo this and that, and the story finishes with what is actually quite an exciting battle to save the world from evil voodoo gods.
But where this story might have been a fresh take on supernatura...more
Esther, aspiring actress, is shooting on location when events conspire that have her run into a voodoo zombie. Quickly she is immersed in voodoo this and that, and the story finishes with what is actually quite an exciting battle to save the world from evil voodoo gods.
But where this story might have been a fresh take on supernatura...more
A fun read that continues the Esther Diamond saga this time with her being involved with the world of voodoo. The action is fact paced, the relationship with Lopez is getting steamier and the ending is very well written. Resnick did her homework and gives us not only a fun story but a nice background in the the various parts of the syncretic religion known as vodou. She did her research and the book is better because of it. A great urban fantasy that is a nice balance of action, humor and romanc...more
A silly romp through NYC when an actress who finally gets a bit part as a hooker on the serial cop drama ends up dealing with gargoyles, zombies and a Voodoo Mambo. Not to mention fellow actors and a no good agent. With a rag tag team of good guys and a cop literally too hot to handle she still ends up as a human sacrifice! Fun story. This is the second book in a series and I will be going back for the first. Very tongue in cheek.
I love this book. It's such fun and so well-written. The heroine, Esther Diamond, is Bridget Jones on steroid. Unsympathetic Magic has voodoo, zombies, murder, New York actors, supernatural goings on and a hero, Conor Lopez, to die for. My only regret with this book is that Esther and Conor don't get together. Sparks fly, but they don't consumate the relationship. I guess I have to wait for book 3 for that to happen,
Sep 06, 2012
Helly
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
readers of lighter urban fantasy
I liked this book alot..it took me a bit to get into it, but when I did I found it to be fast-paced. It's very dialogue-driven, which I really don't mind. I like the main character(Esther)and the secondary character of Max(a 350 yr old wizard). I wasn't too keen on Esther's love interest(Connor Lopez, a detective), he becomes very irritating with his dismissal of all things paranormal. I look forward to reading the next one, Vamparazzi.
May 06, 2011
Chade66
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-2011,
urban-fantasy
I picked this book up off the shelf because there was a review saying that Ester Diamond was like the occult Stephanie Plum. Having read Wicked Appetite by Evanovich, I would say no, not even close.
While I enjoyed the ride somewhat, I'm not sure its enough to get me to go back for another whirl. The Vodou plotline was a little different, though the mystery was way to transparent in my opinion.
While I enjoyed the ride somewhat, I'm not sure its enough to get me to go back for another whirl. The Vodou plotline was a little different, though the mystery was way to transparent in my opinion.
A fun read. Book 2 was incredibly funny. Book 1 was rather pointless. I'll stick with this series. It's rather kooky, but it's interesting. I wish this one had been a little better, but after doppleganger gangsters it's kind of hard to match. Plus, she had to explain a lot of voodoo practices for you to understand what was going on and I think that was one of the major differences.
This third Esther Diamond adventure doesn't have quite the level of humor or as many interesting, zany characters as the previous volume, DOPPELGANGSTERS. I thought that the descriptions of the rituals went on at too much length in too much detail, and there's too much conversation and not enough action. It was still a fun, light read... just a bit too long.
Our favorite plucky actress/paranormal investigator is at it again, this time involved with a weird voodoo cult in Harlem. All our favorite characters are here, Max, Nelli, and the delectable Connor Lopez. Extra points to Laura for working in the phrase "evidence of his male arousal." Best book ever to curl up with when your back goes out and bed rest is needed.
This book is the third in the Esther Diamond series but it did not quite live up to the standard of its predecessor. Esther finds herself in the middle of supernatural mayhem again this time with zombies. The mystery in this one was pretty easy to figure out and the red herrings were so blatant they had to be fake. Still it was a nice, quick read.
The funny is back. I laughed out loud several times during this story, especially when the gang was carrying an unconscious Lopez. Esther is once again a supernatural magnet, and Max once again asks if anyone is Lithuanian. Love, love, love this series. Bring on the next one.
I find that this particular story was not to my taste. I just couldn't connect to the main character and a lot of her choices seem a bit idiotic to me. It is a quick read and the story is rather fast paced. Overall, to me, this book was a bit of a disappointment and rather lackluster.
Too much voodoo textbook turned into dialogue. A quick entertaining read, and sticks in my mind better than a lot of things I have read lately, but somehow did not inspire me to run right out and read another.
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Laura Resnick is an award-winning science fiction and fantasy author, the daughter of prolific science fiction author Mike Resnick. She was the winner of the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in Science Fiction for 1993. She also writes romance novels under the pseudonym Laura Leone
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Jul 17, 2010 02:22pm
Jul 18, 2010 11:45am