Review: Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
Disclaimer:I forced this book on Sally Sparrow, wondering what she thought of it. I am a huge fan of Ilona Andrews, and wanted to spread the love. Books that we both read, we'll each post a review. Sometimes we'll be in sync, usually for different reasons, and sometimes we'll probably fight. Neither of us hold back, so we'll see how these dueling reviews go. Could be fireworks in the future :) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Magic Bites by Ilona AndrewsGenre: Urban fantasy
Reviewer: Dueling Reviews; Sally Sparrow and K.F. Breene
Amazon * B&N * iTunes
Back Jacket
Sally Sparrow:
I’ll admit that fantasy is not my first choice in reading material. Fantasy requires complete attention, a block of dedicated reading time that I don’t always have, to allow myself to be pulled into the story. If the storyteller is good, I will ignore everything else in life and just read, entering the storyland world with my whole being.
Ilona Andrews is a good storyteller.
Magic Bites is the first in an ongoing series, and so entrancing that I am having a tough time adjusting to real life. It has been 24 hours since I finished reading it and I still miss the characters. I have been thinking of them all day. They pop up in my mind in quiet moments, and I battle the urge to steal away to start the next book. Can I cancel all of my commitments and responsibilities for the next week or two so I can read the rest of the existing series? I very much want to. Alas, being an adult doesn’t allow such indulgences.
The heroine, Kate Daniels, is a total badass. She lives alone and works as a sort of bounty hunter in a world where magic reigns and guns rarely work. She is physically strong, in a way usually reserved for fictional men, extremely intelligent and quick thinking, and a superior fighter. In short, a warrior without an army.
The story begins when she learns of the death of her guardian Gary, close friend of her late father, and the only remnant of family she had left. Kate begins to investigate Gary’s death, and brings us along for the ride.
Kate’s world looks largely like ours, but is set in the future. Waves of magic, akin to power surges that last for hours, settle on the land as a sort of atmospheric blanket that obliterates all things technological - cars, electricity, guns, etc. The magic can erode anything made with technology, such as buildings, and thus the cityscape is in a constant state of degradation, giving it a sense of post-apocalypse.
This book has lots of different elements, and they work together beautifully. There are vampires, were-animals, warriors, humans, and the occasional zombie. Battles are waged, alliances are made, friendships are formed. There is even a little romance, although if you are looking for graphic sex scenes you won’t find them here.
Ms. Andrews weaves a gripping, engrossing tale. She gives us a new language for the magical elements, but doesn’t define the words. There is no telling. We learn the language via context cues, thus exemplifying a writing skill I truly admire.
My only gripe with this book - other than it eventually coming to an end - is the use of a name that means both a street and an area of the city. Unicorn Lane is a road, but it is 30 blocks long and eight blocks wide, and broken up by cross-streets. I surmised the neighborhood known as Unicorn Lane encompasses this area, radiating out from Unicorn Lane itself, but the sameness of name bothered me to the point that I had to reread that section. A small issue in the whole scheme of the story, and one possibly not bothersome to other readers.
Magic Bites would make a great read when you have some time to dedicate to it -- a snow day, beach day, weekend without commitments. Otherwise you just might find yourself calling out of work and canceling plans. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
BOOM!
5 stars!
Let's take a break for some dueling banjos, shall we?
We now resume our programming... KfB’s take:
These days it is hard not to be completely jaded with shape shifters, vampires, and all other supernatural bally-woo, because they all seem sculpted from the same mold. A mold already shoved in our faces with books and movies and weird fan clubs. I can barely turn a page of urban fantasy or paranormal books anymore without immediately losing interest. Why read? I already know the world, the character traits, and the outcome of the story--it isn't original. Well, now, here we are. With the Kate Daniels series. A breath of fresh air. This book has all the usual suspects--vampires, shape shifters, etc--but explained in a completely different way. With a backdrop soaked in magic one minute, then shoved back into technology the next, the world with which we are presented is unique, believable, and so dang creative I am in awe (and envy). Plus, we get blood magic, runes, myths, Gods walking the Earth...it is everything good about fantasy and paranormal seen through a new lens. A funny, wise-cracking lens. I also enjoy the author’s realistic view of people and relationships. The heroine is a strong, independent, pain in the ass. In fact, most females worth our time in this series are strong, which I greatly love. Not being a willowy dame myself, I appreciate a heroine that can be emotionally damaged, without needing a man to prop her up like a puppet while she cries herself a puddle of tears.
Who does that and actually has friends, anyway? And what non-abusive guy gets off on that? Not one I care to idolize, that’s for sure.
The romance in this book is subtle. There are engaging nuances sprinkled throughout the action; respect and an identified equality in both parties that will grow as the series progresses. But with an alpha male, and an alpha heroine that kicks so much ass you want to give her a medal, mushy doesn’t come naturally. And within this world, you appreciate that quality so much more than the insta-love you’ll find in New Adult books.
I would be lying if I said Ilona Andrews wasn’t a huge influence to my writing. Her style, her characters, and the push to keep reading long into the night are something I inspire to emulate. My goal is to be as good as her, which is a goal far, far in my future-- if I can ever strain to reach it. If you like my characters, and have a hard time putting my books down, then you will want to give her a try. I am but a student following a master, hoping to snatch up any nuggets of enlightenment that drop my way.
4.5 stars
Magic Bites by Ilona AndrewsGenre: Urban fantasyReviewer: Dueling Reviews; Sally Sparrow and K.F. Breene
Amazon * B&N * iTunes
Back Jacket
When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.
Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta's magic circles.
The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate's guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she's way out of her league—but she wouldn't have it any other way…
Sally Sparrow:I’ll admit that fantasy is not my first choice in reading material. Fantasy requires complete attention, a block of dedicated reading time that I don’t always have, to allow myself to be pulled into the story. If the storyteller is good, I will ignore everything else in life and just read, entering the storyland world with my whole being.
Ilona Andrews is a good storyteller.
Magic Bites is the first in an ongoing series, and so entrancing that I am having a tough time adjusting to real life. It has been 24 hours since I finished reading it and I still miss the characters. I have been thinking of them all day. They pop up in my mind in quiet moments, and I battle the urge to steal away to start the next book. Can I cancel all of my commitments and responsibilities for the next week or two so I can read the rest of the existing series? I very much want to. Alas, being an adult doesn’t allow such indulgences.
The heroine, Kate Daniels, is a total badass. She lives alone and works as a sort of bounty hunter in a world where magic reigns and guns rarely work. She is physically strong, in a way usually reserved for fictional men, extremely intelligent and quick thinking, and a superior fighter. In short, a warrior without an army.
The story begins when she learns of the death of her guardian Gary, close friend of her late father, and the only remnant of family she had left. Kate begins to investigate Gary’s death, and brings us along for the ride.
Kate’s world looks largely like ours, but is set in the future. Waves of magic, akin to power surges that last for hours, settle on the land as a sort of atmospheric blanket that obliterates all things technological - cars, electricity, guns, etc. The magic can erode anything made with technology, such as buildings, and thus the cityscape is in a constant state of degradation, giving it a sense of post-apocalypse.
This book has lots of different elements, and they work together beautifully. There are vampires, were-animals, warriors, humans, and the occasional zombie. Battles are waged, alliances are made, friendships are formed. There is even a little romance, although if you are looking for graphic sex scenes you won’t find them here.
Ms. Andrews weaves a gripping, engrossing tale. She gives us a new language for the magical elements, but doesn’t define the words. There is no telling. We learn the language via context cues, thus exemplifying a writing skill I truly admire.
My only gripe with this book - other than it eventually coming to an end - is the use of a name that means both a street and an area of the city. Unicorn Lane is a road, but it is 30 blocks long and eight blocks wide, and broken up by cross-streets. I surmised the neighborhood known as Unicorn Lane encompasses this area, radiating out from Unicorn Lane itself, but the sameness of name bothered me to the point that I had to reread that section. A small issue in the whole scheme of the story, and one possibly not bothersome to other readers.
Magic Bites would make a great read when you have some time to dedicate to it -- a snow day, beach day, weekend without commitments. Otherwise you just might find yourself calling out of work and canceling plans. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
BOOM!
5 stars!
Let's take a break for some dueling banjos, shall we?
We now resume our programming... KfB’s take:
These days it is hard not to be completely jaded with shape shifters, vampires, and all other supernatural bally-woo, because they all seem sculpted from the same mold. A mold already shoved in our faces with books and movies and weird fan clubs. I can barely turn a page of urban fantasy or paranormal books anymore without immediately losing interest. Why read? I already know the world, the character traits, and the outcome of the story--it isn't original. Well, now, here we are. With the Kate Daniels series. A breath of fresh air. This book has all the usual suspects--vampires, shape shifters, etc--but explained in a completely different way. With a backdrop soaked in magic one minute, then shoved back into technology the next, the world with which we are presented is unique, believable, and so dang creative I am in awe (and envy). Plus, we get blood magic, runes, myths, Gods walking the Earth...it is everything good about fantasy and paranormal seen through a new lens. A funny, wise-cracking lens. I also enjoy the author’s realistic view of people and relationships. The heroine is a strong, independent, pain in the ass. In fact, most females worth our time in this series are strong, which I greatly love. Not being a willowy dame myself, I appreciate a heroine that can be emotionally damaged, without needing a man to prop her up like a puppet while she cries herself a puddle of tears.
Who does that and actually has friends, anyway? And what non-abusive guy gets off on that? Not one I care to idolize, that’s for sure.
The romance in this book is subtle. There are engaging nuances sprinkled throughout the action; respect and an identified equality in both parties that will grow as the series progresses. But with an alpha male, and an alpha heroine that kicks so much ass you want to give her a medal, mushy doesn’t come naturally. And within this world, you appreciate that quality so much more than the insta-love you’ll find in New Adult books.
I would be lying if I said Ilona Andrews wasn’t a huge influence to my writing. Her style, her characters, and the push to keep reading long into the night are something I inspire to emulate. My goal is to be as good as her, which is a goal far, far in my future-- if I can ever strain to reach it. If you like my characters, and have a hard time putting my books down, then you will want to give her a try. I am but a student following a master, hoping to snatch up any nuggets of enlightenment that drop my way.
4.5 stars
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