For years, Kari Hunter’s fooled the world into thinking she’s just an everyday girl. Sure, she’s the lead singer of world-renowned band Vis Viva, but outside of that, she recycles religiously, is an avid supporter of the environment, and she’s a certifiable coffee addict. But Kari has a secret she keeps from her family, friends, and fans. Kari Hunter is a necromancer. The rarest and most powerful of all magic-born, necromancers are notorious for leaving a trail of sacrifices in their wake. But Kari isn’t interested in hurting anyone. She works hard at being as un-necromancer-like as everyone she stabs gets a bandage and a lollipop, and whenever her sacrificial knives get too excited by the prospect of violence, she puts them in time-out… in her lingerie drawer. But when an agent of voodoo master Ruairí O’Bryne catches Kari using her powers, her secret’s out. And if Ruairí finds out who Kari is, he’ll stop at nothing to make her his next sacrifice.
Jen Kirchner wrote and illustrated her first story at the age of eight. Its heroine somehow manages to fall off of the Titanic three times. The story became an instant bestseller when her mom bought every copy.
Currently, Jen writes comic adventures about witches and wizards and talking sacrificial knives. She lives in Seattle with two cats, one husband, and a tiny shrimp.
Jen's working on more Kari Hunter books! To receive notifications about new releases, sign up for her mailing list at jenkirchner.com.
When I think of smart, funny books -- the kind of book that is both thought provoking and a solid read, while being funny enough to make me chuckle aloud -- there are only a handful that come to mind. Happily, The Fourth Channel has now joined that handful. This is the kind of book that will bring me back to read it again... soon, which is doubly impressive because this is Kirchner's debut novel.
Admittedly, the first chapter seemed a little rushed, but the story becomes delightfully wicked with the introduction of Kari's talents... and her knives. Okay, hold up, I'm getting ahead of myself.
This is the story of Kari Hunter, Necromancer, Recycler, Prius-driver, and Newly-Remodeled-Kitchen junkie. (And, I suspect, she probably sends out e-mails and Tweets of Instagrammed puppies). Yeah, she's a necromancer -- a sorcerer who derives their power by killing people -- only she abhors harming things... which leads to the best line in the book blurb: everyone who she stabs gets a bandage and a lollipop. When I read that line, I KNEW I had to read this book.
So, Kari's talent: magic via death or bloodshed. Her weapons of choice: talking knives. Surly, talking knives. With a penchant for violent action movies. And a great fear of silky, ladies underthings. The knives, at times, literally steal the show.
This is a coming-of-age (at 30!) story, as well as a light romance, intertwined with a mystery, layered with the aforementioned comedy, and topped with a spritz of kick-butt action. All told, a very enjoyable read.
Can you call a book a dramedy? That's what comes to mind for me with The Fourth Channel: a nice mixture of serious urban fantasy action and magic with laugh-out-loud antics. Most of the characters have some kind of quirk that gives them that added dimension and provides for some humorous interactions. And the talking knives are a riot! The other dimension of The Floor is really cool too, giving me a nice slice of a foreign, mysterious fantasy realm alongside a supernatural version of our own world. The story also wraps up nicely (no cliffhangers, thank goodness!), but there's plenty about the characters and the world for future exploration. I want to see more of Stubby!
An original, sharply written, highly addictive and unbelievably enjoyable urban fantasy, The Fourth Channel is the debut novel of Jen Kirchner (@JenLKirchner) and one of the best books I've read this year.
Kari Hunter may be the lead singer of internationally renowned rock band Vis Viva, but that's not all she is. She's carefully kept secret her life as a necromancer, the most powerful and rare of all magic users, and for good reason. Necromancers trade souls for pure power and are feared by everyone.
But Kari isn't like that, and she's gone out of her way to avoid hurting anyone. As a consequence her development as a necromancer has taken a decidedly unusual turn. Even so, sacrificing any Fourth Channel, as necromancers are known, is the goal of voodoo master Ruairí O’Bryne, who finds out Kari's secret and makes her his target.
I can't really go into much more detail on the plot than that without giving a lot of the good stuff away, but trust me: there are twists, turns and plenty of action on the earthly realm and the plane of the dead. The story moves at a crisp pace but without rushing, giving the reader plenty of time to enjoy the world and characters Ms. Kirchner has created.
Although I have not read much in the magic/fantasy genre, I must say the way magic is handled in The Fourth Channel is brilliant. The channel system — first channel uses healing spells, second channel telekinetic, and third channel fire-based — is elegant and sensible, as is the way Kari's fourth-channel talents are able to manipulate the magic created by the other channels.
The characters — from Kari to her bandmates, family, voodoo masters and other magic users — are well drawn and intelligent, and the dialogue is sharp and often laugh out loud funny. Kari's knives have to be my favorite characters. What's that? Oh, yes, one of the things necromancers do is create indestructible knives that talk, often to suggest ways to stab people or — in the case of Kari's knives — to beg for some TV time. When her knives get out of hand, Kari has an interesting way to punish them, too.
Everything about The Fourth Channel is as sharp as Kari's knives, making it an immensely pleasing story to read. When I learned the author was at work on a sequel, I broke out into a huge smile. I can't wait to read it.
For more on Ms. Kirchner and her writing, including some howlingly funny bits like posts on how everything is"Better with Predator" visit her blog (http://jenkirchner.com/). You won't be disappointed, maybe just a little sore in the ribs.
A fantastic book filled with comedy and fantasy. The characters are lovable and the magic system is one of the best I've seen. TFC is an amazingly enjoyable read that will have you laughing your ass off every chapter.
This debut by Jen Kirchner has to be one of the funniest ones I've read in recent times. The author makes up a simple story but by adding several dollops of humor manages to uplift it from its predictable UF trappings into one that heralds another fascinating comical talent.
Kari is a necromancer. But don't tell anyone, because it is a secret that, trust me, you don't want to get out. Necromancer's are rare, the most powerful magical beings and are greatly feared by those that wield magic because of the sacrifices necromancers are known to make; but Kari is different. Kari doesn't like the sacrificing part of being a necromancer, in fact Kari doesn't really like hurting anyone. Like all secrets, they eventually get out, and when Kari's secret get's out Kari get's put in the sight's of one scary voodoo master.
So Kari is a necromancer, but not just any necromancer, oh no, Kari is a gentle necromancer who pretty much retches at the sight of blood and feels guilty for harming any living thing. Jen Kirchner puts a great spin on Kari. I love how she makes her this world-renowned rock star who isn't exactly afraid of the limelight, and then on the other hand cringes at the idea of pricking her finger. And speaking of pricking her finger, Kari has these awesome knives that are probably the coolest knives I have ever seen. It is not the size or the style or what they look like, but the fact that they have minds of their own and literally shout at Kari to commit bodily harm.
Jen Kirchner gives Kari's knives such personality they are like complete characters in the book and I absolutely loved it, especially because they are snarky, sarcastic and have major attitude. And they couldn't be more different from Kari. Kari despite being a deadly, feared being, couldn't be more kind, gentle hearted or just fun to be around.
But that is not all that makes Kari different. You see Kari is not like any other necromancer, she can do things that no other necromancer can do, but being as innocent as she is, she believes that what she does is nothing special, rating herself low on the totem pole of power. Now I don't want to give anything away here, so I will just say this, she is all around awesome and you really need to get to know her!
Besides Kari, The Fourth Channel has a slew of other really awesome characters and I'm not just talking about the knives, but those are awesome too! First we have her band mates, Ryan, Brad (who is also her cousin), and Nicolas who are all fabulous, but Brad is definitely my favorite, plus Jen Kirchner gives us more of him, so there is more of him to love! Then there is Mikelis who is the most feared necromancer, ever. So needless to say he is a grade-A bad-a** and he has rightly earned that title, but he has a soft side for Kari and of course it just adds all kinds of spice to the book, and did I mention that he is all kinds of yummy? Well he is, another reason to read this book!
I absolutely loved The Fourth Channel, Jen Kirchner gives us a completely different take on the idea of the necromancer, giving us a true king of magical beings. In Jen Kirchner's take necromancers can create spells and take away spells, making them the ultimate people not to mess with! From the way magic is used and described it is easy to imagine yourself watching a movie as this plays out on the big screen plus I have to say that I totally dig her idea of "The Floor," a place for souls as they await their trip to wherever they are destined to end up.
After reading The Fourth Channel I think it is safe to say, that I totally want to be a necromancer! So, if you haven't already picked up this book and are looking for an adventure into the world of voodoo, magic, snark, power, humor, and fun; then you definitely need to pick up The Fourth Channel!
This book is a red velvet cupcake of a read, one that you want to plan your day around so you can enjoy it uninterrupted. Necromancer Kari Hunter whisks the reader into her twisting, glittery, glam-filled life, which features ongoing commentary from talking sacrificial knives. It's highly inventive, original and altogether wonderfully executed.
Jen Kirchner's debut proves that she's an author with lots of talent. I can't wait to read the sequel!
Didn't like the style, bored by the story. Cardboard-cutout characters, the typical heroine who is SO POWERFUL but has been kept from her TRUE POWER by concerned family/friends because she's SO SPECIAL, a mythological system that's totally bewildering until you're about halfway through the book, a boogeyman who doesn't really seem all that scary because most of the book is about how Kari is SO POWERFUL OH MY GOD. Wretched. Finished it because I'm a masochist.
Wonderful debut and stand alone start to a new series.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading The Fourth Channel. Very nice addition to urban fantasy with some creative twists that set it apart. While the overall plot is serious, there is a lot of humor added in that frequently had me laughing out loud and getting odd looks from my wife.
I really enjoyed this debut by author Jen Kirchner. She has a really strong voice, great dialogue, and an excellent protagonist. This is a very fun book and I'm looking forward to more from the author.
If you haven't stumbled on this author and this book, then you're missing a real treat. I couldn't put The Fourth Channel down. Laugh-out-loud funny, with really great characters, it's a wonderful read. Anxiously waiting for the next in what I hope will be a long series.
I enjoyed this book! It had an interesting take on Necromancers and immortals and the characters were intriguing. It did wrap up nicely at the end so I couldn't tell if this will be a series or if this is a stand alone book. I hope there will be more.
Loved it! The talking knives were definitely some of my favourite parts of the book, they added a nice touch. It was a bit of learning curve figuring out this world but I had a lot of fun doing so. I'm looking forward to reading more from Jen Kirchner in the future.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved Kari/Eliana and her interactions with everyone in the book. I am so bummed that there is not another book out to read by this author. I need another one!
Oh my word, this book was fun. It was action with interesting characters in a consistent world and the author pleased me greatly by leaving out the gratuitous sex scenes.
The cover shows Kari Hunter with dark hair but she absolutely has to be blonde. Or maybe she has an extreme case of ADHD. She certainly reacts to events without putting any thought into it. Her character is utterly annoying, yet the story is quite compelling.
One part of me wants to give this book five stars and another wants to give it two stars. But I’m going to read the next book in the series, so I have to recommend it and give it 4/5 stars.
Omg this is an amazing start to an amazing series the characters are brilliantly written the story is amazing, you get hooked from the start. Kari the main star who is the worst necromancer going but in a good way, is funny serious emotional and just brilliant her family is amazing and her knives are the funniest thing going, in all highly recommended must read.
Love sassy, snarky characters , both human and other. Storyline keeps you guessing and wanting more. There is action, thrills, humor and a touch of romance. The author is a good writer who keeps the readers interest from page one to the end. On to the next in the series, can't wait to find out what's going to happen next.
Wow. This was good. An honest to goodness new idea in urban fantasy. Plus. An author who knows how to tell a complete story in one book. I haven’t read a book this good and complete in a while. Read it. You will like it
Enjoyed the opening of a series - very inventive and fun- the good guys struggle to stay goood and have fun - and very clever entwining histories and futures - great fun
The Fourth Channel, book 1 of the Kari Hunter series, is a book I picked up through Kindle Unlimited. This storyline had an interesting concept, and I really enjoyed how the story evolved as it progressed. Lots of humor (the knives are a hoot). Definitely checking out the next book of this series.
This is a light-hearted fun book. It’s easy to read and holds your attention. Kari/Elianna is an engaging character, somebody you might like to know – except for the necromancer thing.
I found the beginning of the book, the idea of Kari being in a rock band a little off-putting. I sort of cringed whenever they had to do rock band publicity things, and especially whenever Cody Springer showed up.
But when Kari went into her lab to work on her experiments with magic, and especially when she was dealing with her knives, things got better. I really liked the knives and wished we could have seen more of them. They were so funny trying to sound all tough and all.
Kari Hunter lives in a complicated world. It’s sliced up worse than a pizza. There are immortals and humans. There are magic users and non-magic users – and the magic users can be human or immortal. (I’m not sure whether any immortals are not magic users; I wouldn’t think so, but you never know. At any rate, we don’t meet any immortals in this book who aren’t magic-users.) The magic users are divided into those who use channel magic and those who practice voodoo. There are four different magic channels. The fourth one is the one used by necromancers.
Usually, in fantasy worlds, necromancers are into bringing people back from the dead – creating zombies and like that. In Kari’s world, necromancers are mostly associated with killing and thus are generally hated and feared. There are only three necromancers in the world at the time of this book. The other two are Diaco Rendon, Kari’s adoptive father, and Mikelis Priedis who later becomes her boyfriend. Both of them are ancient immortal necromancers with extensive accomplishments.
Kari is not like other necromancers. She is not into killing people and goes out of her way to make an effort to avoid just that. Her knives are indeed pretty bloodthirsty and anxious to kill people, but Kari can do nearly everything she needs to do with small quantities of blood that can be obtained by a small finger cut; no need to kill anybody. So she resents the repeated insinuations that she is a killer.
If anyone touches Kari’s skin, they will be able to see with her necromancer’s sight (which allows her to see spells floating in the air, among other things). This presents a problem in her career as a singer in a rock band when she meets up with the likes of actor Cody Springer. Kari has been trying all her life to stay hidden from those who would like to see all necromancers dead, including the famous – and famously evil – voodoo master, Ruairí O’Bryne. And then she meets up with somebody who is eager to tell Ruairí about her (for money, of course), and life gets even more complicated.
2.5. The idea was cool and the main character was wonderfully snarky, but she was also really stupid at times which nearly ruined the book for me. There were also a lot of characters that seemed superfluous and only served to make the story and universe more confusing.