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Ink and Shadows
Book One of Ink and Shadows
Kismet Andreas lives in fear of the shadows.
For the young tattoo artist, the shadows hold more than darkness. He is certain of his insanity because the dark holds creatures and crawling things only he can see—monsters who hunt out the weak to eat their minds and souls, leaving behind only empty husks and despair.
And if there’s one thing Kismet fears more than being hunted—it’s the madness left in its wake.
The shadowy Veil is Mal’s home. As Pestilence, he is the youngest—and most inexperienced—of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, immortal manifestations resurrected to serve—and cull—mankind. Invisible to all but the dead and insane, the Four exist between the Veil and the mortal world, bound to their nearly eternal fate. Feared by other immortals, the Horsemen live in near solitude but Mal longs to know more than Death, War and Famine.
Mal longs to be… more human. To interact with someone other than lunatics or the deceased.
When Kismet rescues Mal from a shadowy attack, Pestilence is suddenly thrust into a vicious war—where mankind is the prize, and the only one who has faith in Mal is the human the other Horsemen believe is destined to die.
Kismet Andreas lives in fear of the shadows.
For the young tattoo artist, the shadows hold more than darkness. He is certain of his insanity because the dark holds creatures and crawling things only he can see—monsters who hunt out the weak to eat their minds and souls, leaving behind only empty husks and despair.
And if there’s one thing Kismet fears more than being hunted—it’s the madness left in its wake.
The shadowy Veil is Mal’s home. As Pestilence, he is the youngest—and most inexperienced—of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, immortal manifestations resurrected to serve—and cull—mankind. Invisible to all but the dead and insane, the Four exist between the Veil and the mortal world, bound to their nearly eternal fate. Feared by other immortals, the Horsemen live in near solitude but Mal longs to know more than Death, War and Famine.
Mal longs to be… more human. To interact with someone other than lunatics or the deceased.
When Kismet rescues Mal from a shadowy attack, Pestilence is suddenly thrust into a vicious war—where mankind is the prize, and the only one who has faith in Mal is the human the other Horsemen believe is destined to die.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 7, 2015
61 people are currently reading
1019 people want to read
About the author
Rhys Ford
77 books1,884 followersRhys Ford is an award-winning author with several long-running LGBT+ mystery, thriller, paranormal, and urban fantasy series and is a two-time LAMBDA finalist and a multiple Gold and Silver Medalist by the Florida Authors and Publishers President’s Book Awards. She is published by Dreamspinner Press, DSP Publications and Rogue Firebird Press.
She shares the house with Harley, a gray tuxedo with a flower on her face, Badger, a disgruntled former alley cat, and Gojira, a mercurial Tabico as well as a ginger cairn terrorist named Gus. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep of a 1979 Pontiac Firebird named Tengu and enjoys murdering make-believe people.
She shares the house with Harley, a gray tuxedo with a flower on her face, Badger, a disgruntled former alley cat, and Gojira, a mercurial Tabico as well as a ginger cairn terrorist named Gus. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep of a 1979 Pontiac Firebird named Tengu and enjoys murdering make-believe people.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
March 25, 2016
Cross-posted at Outlaw Reviews and at Shelf Inflicted
Having already read two Rhys Ford stories, I knew I was going to enjoy her first novel in a new urban fantasy series. I expected complex and believable characters, frenetic pacing, and a unique storyline. While the story mostly met my expectations, there were a lot of flaws that were difficult for me to overlook.
First, the pacing could have been more consistent. There was so much exposition in parts of the story that slowed my reading down enough that I had to set it aside and pick up something else. At times, the story moved along at such a blistering pace that I had to reread sections to make sure I didn’t miss anything important.
While I enjoyed the world building, imagery, grittiness, and horror elements, the wordiness and awkward sentences got to be wearisome, confusing, and painful at times. The shifting points of view made me dizzy and I often found it difficult to figure out which character was performing the action.
Rhys Ford knows how to write scary scenes and conjure horrific imagery. I really loved the descriptions of Kismet’s nightmarish, dreamlike paintings of the sinister characters that dwell behind The Veil and the believable portrayal of his struggle with the heroin that keeps those visions at bay. Unfortunately, The Veil is thinning and the shadows of the immortal world are clashing with humanity.
I loved the relationship and banter between The Four Horsemen – Death (Shi), War (Ari), Famine (Min), and Pestilence (Mal) and the human, Kismet. This is not a romance, though the budding friendship between Mal and Kismet and the love and respect between the two oldest Horsemen, Shi and Ari, lead me to think there will be some emphasis on the romance in future installments.
I appreciate the diversity of the characters and the inclusion of well-rounded women.
Despite the flaws in this story, I am invested enough in the characters and look forward to continuing the series.
*Book by provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
Having already read two Rhys Ford stories, I knew I was going to enjoy her first novel in a new urban fantasy series. I expected complex and believable characters, frenetic pacing, and a unique storyline. While the story mostly met my expectations, there were a lot of flaws that were difficult for me to overlook.
First, the pacing could have been more consistent. There was so much exposition in parts of the story that slowed my reading down enough that I had to set it aside and pick up something else. At times, the story moved along at such a blistering pace that I had to reread sections to make sure I didn’t miss anything important.
While I enjoyed the world building, imagery, grittiness, and horror elements, the wordiness and awkward sentences got to be wearisome, confusing, and painful at times. The shifting points of view made me dizzy and I often found it difficult to figure out which character was performing the action.
“Standing against one another in the kitchen, they touched casually, although Death was cautious, knowing Ari would take even the slightest hint of intimacy and run away with it. Ari had laid siege more than once around the dark-haired immortal, each time falling back and licking his wounds while promising never to approach again, then swearing under his breath when he renewed pursuit. Now they were at a rare peace, Ari circling and looking for an opening while Death was seemingly unaware.”
Rhys Ford knows how to write scary scenes and conjure horrific imagery. I really loved the descriptions of Kismet’s nightmarish, dreamlike paintings of the sinister characters that dwell behind The Veil and the believable portrayal of his struggle with the heroin that keeps those visions at bay. Unfortunately, The Veil is thinning and the shadows of the immortal world are clashing with humanity.
I loved the relationship and banter between The Four Horsemen – Death (Shi), War (Ari), Famine (Min), and Pestilence (Mal) and the human, Kismet. This is not a romance, though the budding friendship between Mal and Kismet and the love and respect between the two oldest Horsemen, Shi and Ari, lead me to think there will be some emphasis on the romance in future installments.
I appreciate the diversity of the characters and the inclusion of well-rounded women.
Despite the flaws in this story, I am invested enough in the characters and look forward to continuing the series.
*Book by provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
April 21, 2019
3.5 Stars
Having now read 27 Rhys Ford stories, I’ve discovered that I slightly prefer her fantasy over contemporary, and this was no different.
Commence rich world building with tortured characters, gory violence, self serving greed, and heinous monsters whose only purpose is to kill - all of which make for an enticing read.
Here, humans live unknowingly protected by the Four Horsemen, from the evil that lurks just behind the veil, always pressing its advantage to wreak havoc by any means possible. The Horsemen, along with other vices and virtues, are human constructs - immortal beings whose purpose is to aid and guide and provide the concept of existence. However, when some of these immortals refuse to be tied down and serve any longer, a partnership with a powerful magus threatens to unleash the worst of what the veil holds back.
Warning. This is not a conventional romance. There’s the promise of one and there’s also a long established one that simmers beneath the surface. The potential is all there and sadly, not fully realized.
I’m pretty sure this was supposed to be the start of a series, but it looks like after 4 years that’s probably not going to happen. Again, this isn’t a hardcore romance per se, but there is love and yearning and feelings all over the place. Suffice it to say I enjoyed it, and I wouldn’t say no to more.
Having now read 27 Rhys Ford stories, I’ve discovered that I slightly prefer her fantasy over contemporary, and this was no different.
Commence rich world building with tortured characters, gory violence, self serving greed, and heinous monsters whose only purpose is to kill - all of which make for an enticing read.
Here, humans live unknowingly protected by the Four Horsemen, from the evil that lurks just behind the veil, always pressing its advantage to wreak havoc by any means possible. The Horsemen, along with other vices and virtues, are human constructs - immortal beings whose purpose is to aid and guide and provide the concept of existence. However, when some of these immortals refuse to be tied down and serve any longer, a partnership with a powerful magus threatens to unleash the worst of what the veil holds back.
Warning. This is not a conventional romance. There’s the promise of one and there’s also a long established one that simmers beneath the surface. The potential is all there and sadly, not fully realized.
I’m pretty sure this was supposed to be the start of a series, but it looks like after 4 years that’s probably not going to happen. Again, this isn’t a hardcore romance per se, but there is love and yearning and feelings all over the place. Suffice it to say I enjoyed it, and I wouldn’t say no to more.
June 28, 2015
I was lucky enough to get an ARC to read from Rhys. I was warned it wasn't a romance and you know what?
I went into the book excited because..................Rhys Ford.
She was right. There is no romance in this book. It is pure Urban Fantasy. And this is usually not my genre of choice. I will admit this. But her words captured me from the first page and I was completely enamored into the story.
Right away we start with this:
And then the rest of the story is:
and I felt like this most of the time:
and
and
and the characters we meet? Some are like:
While others are like:
And then I get to the end:
So you know what Rhys Ford?
I went into the book excited because..................Rhys Ford.
She was right. There is no romance in this book. It is pure Urban Fantasy. And this is usually not my genre of choice. I will admit this. But her words captured me from the first page and I was completely enamored into the story.
Right away we start with this:
And then the rest of the story is:
and I felt like this most of the time:
and
and
and the characters we meet? Some are like:
While others are like:
And then I get to the end:
So you know what Rhys Ford?
June 8, 2015
A new series from Rhys Ford?!?!?!?!?
*gets spoon ready*
November 3, 2017
So this was different...
Full Disclosure here...I listened to this audio book for 2 reasons and 2 reasons only...1. it was written by Rhys Ford & 2. it's narrated by Greg Tremblay because I'm telling you this is so much 'NOT' my type of book but...Rhys Ford? Really, there's no way I was going to never read/listen to this story. I admit I've owned the book for a while but...damn when I saw it on audio, well...willpower I has none. Thank heavens because I loved it...I really and seriously loved it.
This is a bit of urban fantasy with a dash of horror with a smidgen of romance and a solid dose of good vs evil...and don't be to hasty thinking you know who the bad guys are because you will probably be wrong...just sayin'.
The main characters in this story are 'The Four Horsemen'...
We have Death, War, Famine and Pestilence, otherwise known as Shi (only War can call Death by this name though), Ari (you guessed it...War), Min (short for Famine) and Mal (more commonly known as Pestilence) and a young heroin addicted, tattoo artist named 'Kismet' who happens to not only see ghost and other 'otherworldly' things but he comes complete with his own ghost...that of his little brother...and that's a story all on it's own.
While this is by no means a romance story that by no means is meant to imply that there is no romance here because War and Death...well let's just say there's some definite history there and Kismet and Mal have so much potential. Kismet's ironically far more street savvy than Mal and these two are adorable together even if Mal has yet to fully realize that his feelings go beyond friendship where Kismet's concerned. Mal is by far the most innocent and sweetly naive horseman ever! to attend an apocalypse...I'm not sure how he managed that one. Add in the fact that much of what happens in this story is directly attributable to love and while it's not a romance story there's definitely a lot or romantic implications.
I can't say that this will be on my '10 Best Books' for this year...mostly because I've been lucky and read a lot of really good books this year. It is easily one of the most unusual and surprisingly good books that I've read this year.
I was honestly surprised at just how much of this story I enjoyed. I loved the spin that it gave to the concept of 'The Four Horsemen', I loved...seriously, I LOVED War...he hands down win's the award for book character with the driest sense of humor EVAH!!! I admit it my sense of humor is a little wonky at times and I clicked with War his comments were so spot on and in contrast to him...Death worked. He was the ideal contrast to War. Their personalities played off of each other to perfection. War's sense of humor was witty, sarcastic and often dryer than a James Bond martini.
Ok, enough about War...you get it, right? He was my fav. The other thing I liked about this story was the plot which I can't really say a lot about specifically because...pretty much anything beyond the blurb is going to spoil things so I loved the story line again it was filled with some twist and turns that gave a fresh touch to a whole lot of age old and traditional characters all done up in a modern day setting.
So wrap up all of this in an audio book narrated by the incredibly talented Greg Tremblay and should I have been surprised that I loved this book a whole lot more than I was expecting to? No, but I was and the only thing I'm left wondering now is...when is the next book being released? And how soon can I get it on audio?
Full Disclosure here...I listened to this audio book for 2 reasons and 2 reasons only...1. it was written by Rhys Ford & 2. it's narrated by Greg Tremblay because I'm telling you this is so much 'NOT' my type of book but...Rhys Ford? Really, there's no way I was going to never read/listen to this story. I admit I've owned the book for a while but...damn when I saw it on audio, well...willpower I has none. Thank heavens because I loved it...I really and seriously loved it.
This is a bit of urban fantasy with a dash of horror with a smidgen of romance and a solid dose of good vs evil...and don't be to hasty thinking you know who the bad guys are because you will probably be wrong...just sayin'.
The main characters in this story are 'The Four Horsemen'...
We have Death, War, Famine and Pestilence, otherwise known as Shi (only War can call Death by this name though), Ari (you guessed it...War), Min (short for Famine) and Mal (more commonly known as Pestilence) and a young heroin addicted, tattoo artist named 'Kismet' who happens to not only see ghost and other 'otherworldly' things but he comes complete with his own ghost...that of his little brother...and that's a story all on it's own.While this is by no means a romance story that by no means is meant to imply that there is no romance here because War and Death...well let's just say there's some definite history there and Kismet and Mal have so much potential. Kismet's ironically far more street savvy than Mal and these two are adorable together even if Mal has yet to fully realize that his feelings go beyond friendship where Kismet's concerned. Mal is by far the most innocent and sweetly naive horseman ever! to attend an apocalypse...I'm not sure how he managed that one. Add in the fact that much of what happens in this story is directly attributable to love and while it's not a romance story there's definitely a lot or romantic implications.
I can't say that this will be on my '10 Best Books' for this year...mostly because I've been lucky and read a lot of really good books this year. It is easily one of the most unusual and surprisingly good books that I've read this year.
I was honestly surprised at just how much of this story I enjoyed. I loved the spin that it gave to the concept of 'The Four Horsemen', I loved...seriously, I LOVED War...he hands down win's the award for book character with the driest sense of humor EVAH!!! I admit it my sense of humor is a little wonky at times and I clicked with War his comments were so spot on and in contrast to him...Death worked. He was the ideal contrast to War. Their personalities played off of each other to perfection. War's sense of humor was witty, sarcastic and often dryer than a James Bond martini.
Ok, enough about War...you get it, right? He was my fav. The other thing I liked about this story was the plot which I can't really say a lot about specifically because...pretty much anything beyond the blurb is going to spoil things so I loved the story line again it was filled with some twist and turns that gave a fresh touch to a whole lot of age old and traditional characters all done up in a modern day setting.
So wrap up all of this in an audio book narrated by the incredibly talented Greg Tremblay and should I have been surprised that I loved this book a whole lot more than I was expecting to? No, but I was and the only thing I'm left wondering now is...when is the next book being released? And how soon can I get it on audio?
July 16, 2015
ARC of Ink and Shadows provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. This review has been cross-posted at Reviews by Jessewave.
First, I need to say that Ink and Shadows is not a romance. Though we see the beginnings of a relationship between Death/Shi and War/Ari, we only see a hint of one between Pestilence/Mal and Kismet. There is no sex at all. The story focuses completely on the Horsemen solving the mystery of the Veil thinning and breaking and how Kismet plays into it all. I loved the story, and I cannot wait for next installment of it, though I hope some romance and smexytimes develop in there. But if you are expecting a romance, you will not find it here. However, if you like this author, and the lack of romance isn't a hard limit for you, I think you will enjoy this story a lot.
I found the world building vivid and done very well. It was a bit gritty. The heroes in the book aren't your normal, run of the mill heroes. We're talking the Four Horsemen and a heroine addicted artist. I like the use of mythology in a paranormal book and I like how the heroes are so flawed.
Death is very introspective. He does not enjoy his job, at all, but he does it anyway. Someone needs to make sure the newly dead shed their mortal coil and go to the other side and since that is his calling, it is what he does. He is especially needed when a mass disaster strikes, and at those times, he is greatly troubled and left exhausted, War, conversely, loves his calling. He finds a good fight to be exhilarating and life affirming. War is also Death's oldest and closest friend. War has been in love with Death for so long and though Death is reluctant to embark on a relationship, War is not discouraged.
The other two Horsemen, Famine (Min) and Pestilence (Mal) are fairly solitary. Mal, in particular, feels alone. He's the youngest of the Horsemen and the least able to come out ahead in a fight. War is always poking fun at Pestilence and calling him things like Cooties, or Pest, or just plain useless. I felt bad for the guy, but I think War just wants to toughen him up.
And then there's Kismet. He's a heroine addicted artist, and sometimes tattoo artist. Kismet sees dead people. And shadows. And all manor of horrors. He uses the heroin to keep the shadows at bay. And that worked pretty well, until a "bad" batch of heroin makes it all worse, and Kismet finds himself in the middle of a battle he doesn't want. And Mal takes a liking to Kismet and wants to protect him, but Kismet isn't a trusting sort. Still, they are drawn to one another, and they save each others lives.
I'm really looking forward to reading more in this series. I want to know where the story will go. And, I do hope that there will eventually be a romance angle, but even if there isn't, I'll read it anyway. I want to know where they go and how they get there.
First, I need to say that Ink and Shadows is not a romance. Though we see the beginnings of a relationship between Death/Shi and War/Ari, we only see a hint of one between Pestilence/Mal and Kismet. There is no sex at all. The story focuses completely on the Horsemen solving the mystery of the Veil thinning and breaking and how Kismet plays into it all. I loved the story, and I cannot wait for next installment of it, though I hope some romance and smexytimes develop in there. But if you are expecting a romance, you will not find it here. However, if you like this author, and the lack of romance isn't a hard limit for you, I think you will enjoy this story a lot.
I found the world building vivid and done very well. It was a bit gritty. The heroes in the book aren't your normal, run of the mill heroes. We're talking the Four Horsemen and a heroine addicted artist. I like the use of mythology in a paranormal book and I like how the heroes are so flawed.
Death is very introspective. He does not enjoy his job, at all, but he does it anyway. Someone needs to make sure the newly dead shed their mortal coil and go to the other side and since that is his calling, it is what he does. He is especially needed when a mass disaster strikes, and at those times, he is greatly troubled and left exhausted, War, conversely, loves his calling. He finds a good fight to be exhilarating and life affirming. War is also Death's oldest and closest friend. War has been in love with Death for so long and though Death is reluctant to embark on a relationship, War is not discouraged.
The other two Horsemen, Famine (Min) and Pestilence (Mal) are fairly solitary. Mal, in particular, feels alone. He's the youngest of the Horsemen and the least able to come out ahead in a fight. War is always poking fun at Pestilence and calling him things like Cooties, or Pest, or just plain useless. I felt bad for the guy, but I think War just wants to toughen him up.
And then there's Kismet. He's a heroine addicted artist, and sometimes tattoo artist. Kismet sees dead people. And shadows. And all manor of horrors. He uses the heroin to keep the shadows at bay. And that worked pretty well, until a "bad" batch of heroin makes it all worse, and Kismet finds himself in the middle of a battle he doesn't want. And Mal takes a liking to Kismet and wants to protect him, but Kismet isn't a trusting sort. Still, they are drawn to one another, and they save each others lives.
I'm really looking forward to reading more in this series. I want to know where the story will go. And, I do hope that there will eventually be a romance angle, but even if there isn't, I'll read it anyway. I want to know where they go and how they get there.
January 30, 2016
There is something I don't like to admit about myself. I get scared and startled easily.
Yes, I am a wuss. I turn into a quivering pile of shuddering terror around horror stories. It's true. I get nightmares easily and figure, hey! No reason to bring that shit to my playground, right? So I avoid horror movies and books whenever I can. Which is most of the time.
When I was offered Ink and Shadows for review I did read the blurb, but what I was thinking was "Rhys Ford and Greg Tremblay together? Winning combo - sign me right up!" I saw this as "Urban Fantasy", sure, but I didn't really think anything of it.
I should have. Oh, god, I really should have. Because this story creeped me out...big time.
The story scared the shit out me. Straight up - left me clutching the sheets trying not to fall asleep for the images in my mind - scared.
I played a chapter for a co-worker that had me straight up gasping and trembling...
And she looked at me like I'd grown a second head. "That's not scary." I was told. But it was scary, for me. I didn't want to keep listening, but I couldn't stop.
Between the awesome world building, and the fabulous narration performance by Greg Tremblay (naturally!) I was hooked. I was really into the story, which for someone who's not a wuss, will probably work out a lot better than it did for me.
This is a great stepping stone story into this new world. While not a cliffhanger, the story is more an introduction to the world and the characters, and certainly not complete. The end lends itself to many unanswered questions, which I assume will be answered in later installments. Also, good for some to know is that though there's some hints of affection and longing between characters, this is by no means a romance. Maybe there'll be some romance later, you can see the potential of it, but there's none here.
This one is for those people who love a good paranormal/urban fantasy story with lots of deep, dark crevices to explore. More for say a Stephen King-type fan than a Nora Roberts-type fan, if you know what I mean.
My problem? Now I'm hooked. I need to know what happens next. So, I'll just have to put on my big girl pants and suck it up and get ready for book #2.
Recommended.
Audio copy of Ink and Shadows provided by DSP Publications in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
*********************************
Wow! I did it! I finished! I feel like such a badass.
Review to come.
July 10, 2015
ETA: link to my review Gay.Guy.Reading and Friends
I'm writing a review for Gay.Guy.Reading and Friends. I'll add a link when it's available.
4.5 immortal stars
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Highly recommend!
I'm writing a review for Gay.Guy.Reading and Friends. I'll add a link when it's available.
4.5 immortal stars
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Highly recommend!
April 10, 2016
Lots of dark, creepy imagery. Ford can clearly do horror. Not sure I'd want to sit in the dark and listen to this one!
A little confusing at times as its sets up a new verse, could be a lack of focus on my part - do feel I need to re-read to get to grips with it. Veil and shadow worlds wrapped around human reality is a tricksy concept to grasp.
Not a romance, yet, though the groundwork is here for two of them; this is the start of a series and I think my opinion of it will be set more by reading the next book once it's out and knowing what path it'll take. Not really sure what to rate this. I do want to know the characters more and will be reading on, they're interesting as people and for their role and what it costs them. Looking forward to the next story and where it'll take us.
There's a lot of interesting ideas, and the story is something very different, often chilling, not sure what else to say, it's a hard book to describe.
A little confusing at times as its sets up a new verse, could be a lack of focus on my part - do feel I need to re-read to get to grips with it. Veil and shadow worlds wrapped around human reality is a tricksy concept to grasp.
Not a romance, yet, though the groundwork is here for two of them; this is the start of a series and I think my opinion of it will be set more by reading the next book once it's out and knowing what path it'll take. Not really sure what to rate this. I do want to know the characters more and will be reading on, they're interesting as people and for their role and what it costs them. Looking forward to the next story and where it'll take us.
There's a lot of interesting ideas, and the story is something very different, often chilling, not sure what else to say, it's a hard book to describe.
December 4, 2015
This is not a romance, it's an epic adventure. These are the four horsemen of the apocalypse but completely reimagined in how they work, why, their parts to play in the universe and who they are as beings away from the tasks they perform. There's simmering, erotically charged sexual tension between War and Death and the whole will they, won't they, "let's not mess up our friendship and of course there's the world to consider", was amazing. Death was my favorite, he's the leader, the soul of the group, but War, he's the Dean Winchesterish bad-boy that you lust after. The battles are huge, big moments and quiet ones woven together so beautifully. I did not want this book to end. I could have read hundreds of more pages. I'm hoping for a sequel because Kizmet is a guy to get to know. Don't miss it.
July 23, 2015
Death selected a ripe orange from the fruit bowl, hitching himself farther back onto the kitchen counter, the marble cold under him, even through the thickness of the low-slung cotton pants he'd tugged on after his workout.
You usually get a feeling for how things are going to go with a new book by the first few pages, but I knew from the very first sentence that I was going to enjoy this book. It was absolutely epic, a really interesting and fast paced story, great world-building and fascinating and very complex characters. There's so much potential with this series and I can't wait for the next book to come out. Death and War have a very close bond built over centuries and I love the way they interact with each other, sometimes excluding everyone around them. There's also something very sweet between Pestilence and Kismet and I'm dying to find out how their relationship deepens in the future books.
You usually get a feeling for how things are going to go with a new book by the first few pages, but I knew from the very first sentence that I was going to enjoy this book. It was absolutely epic, a really interesting and fast paced story, great world-building and fascinating and very complex characters. There's so much potential with this series and I can't wait for the next book to come out. Death and War have a very close bond built over centuries and I love the way they interact with each other, sometimes excluding everyone around them. There's also something very sweet between Pestilence and Kismet and I'm dying to find out how their relationship deepens in the future books.
July 5, 2015
3.5 stars
Solid writing from Rhys Ford. I love her writing style. I think this is the lowest rating I've given one of her books. Well it's not the writing or the story, it was me. I could not get into it, and I'm sad that I wasn't able to grasp it like I would have liked to. I went into this book knowing UF is not really my thing. I liked a lot of the story. I loved the introductions of all the characters. I liked the religious aspects of some of it. I wish the world building and I would have gotten along more. I don't have the patience for UF, and alot of this story was slow paced, and just reading about the foundation of how everything has come about.
At the 50% I felt an inkling of joy for the romance portion of this book. Just an inkling. There NO romance in the story, and I think that's where I was letdown the most. I know she wrote the characters to be build up for a series. It makes sense to have the introductions, and characters relationships out in the opening. I just wanted a smidge. I think for myself when it comes to Rhys Ford I'm very biased on her characters. I want them all to have that Cole & Jae love, but it does not work like that. My favorite thing about this book was Mal. Reading about him, he just seemed so young, and innocent in the beginning, but he has this protective streak a mile long with Kismet. I love that name as well. I thought the Four is a really good concept, it's something I'm familiar with. I loved Death, his entire persona had me thinking of Supernatural's Death who is my favorite Horseman ever. I'd recommend this to readers of UF. This is a perfect book for them. Great intro to the story, as well as characters.
**This is not a romance story, it's strictly UF, I just wanted to let you guys know incase you were reading it for that factor**
Solid writing from Rhys Ford. I love her writing style. I think this is the lowest rating I've given one of her books. Well it's not the writing or the story, it was me. I could not get into it, and I'm sad that I wasn't able to grasp it like I would have liked to. I went into this book knowing UF is not really my thing. I liked a lot of the story. I loved the introductions of all the characters. I liked the religious aspects of some of it. I wish the world building and I would have gotten along more. I don't have the patience for UF, and alot of this story was slow paced, and just reading about the foundation of how everything has come about.
At the 50% I felt an inkling of joy for the romance portion of this book. Just an inkling. There NO romance in the story, and I think that's where I was letdown the most. I know she wrote the characters to be build up for a series. It makes sense to have the introductions, and characters relationships out in the opening. I just wanted a smidge. I think for myself when it comes to Rhys Ford I'm very biased on her characters. I want them all to have that Cole & Jae love, but it does not work like that. My favorite thing about this book was Mal. Reading about him, he just seemed so young, and innocent in the beginning, but he has this protective streak a mile long with Kismet. I love that name as well. I thought the Four is a really good concept, it's something I'm familiar with. I loved Death, his entire persona had me thinking of Supernatural's Death who is my favorite Horseman ever. I'd recommend this to readers of UF. This is a perfect book for them. Great intro to the story, as well as characters.
**This is not a romance story, it's strictly UF, I just wanted to let you guys know incase you were reading it for that factor**
September 15, 2016
2...2'5
Estoy dentro de la minoría con este libro.
Me ha aburrido mucho. He saltado párrafos y conversaciones durante casi todo el libro.
Salto de punto de vista de narrador continuo haciendo confusa la lectura.
Y el romance.... que no he encontrado aún mirando con lupa.
Al terminar el libro me he quedado igual que al principio...Ete libro no era para mí :-[
Estoy dentro de la minoría con este libro.
Me ha aburrido mucho. He saltado párrafos y conversaciones durante casi todo el libro.
Salto de punto de vista de narrador continuo haciendo confusa la lectura.
Y el romance.... que no he encontrado aún mirando con lupa.
Al terminar el libro me he quedado igual que al principio...Ete libro no era para mí :-[
March 21, 2017
UPDATE:
While reading the length of this book, one star. <----- That pretty much sums up the state of editing in this book. Hence the rating.
==================
I was sooooo looking froward to this book! This is pre-Kai Gracen universe, I was told. But the moment I dug in.... *sigh* I expected horror elements, of course, but not like this :/
This is a horror, alright. This. Is. Frigging terrible. Who "edited" this book? They really need to be fired. Like 3 years ago. Before this mess came out :/
Warning: Misplaced modifiers, POV ping-pong, adjectives (ab)used as nouns.
I lost the story behind this terror! :/ Sure, horror was never my poison, but it's on me, not the author. I still love Kai Gracen, but he certainly received much more attention from people who somewhat know how to apply English grammar to a written text. It wasn't perfect, but it was readable. Lack of editing in its entirety, however, I cannot forgive. Not where it comes to a published book. Not when that book costs you 7 bucks :/
I am beyond disappointed and this.... this close to DNF.
66% After acquiring a massive headache that not even sake can heal, I am DNF-ing. My brains says No. More!
While reading the length of this book, one star. <----- That pretty much sums up the state of editing in this book. Hence the rating.
==================
I was sooooo looking froward to this book! This is pre-Kai Gracen universe, I was told. But the moment I dug in.... *sigh* I expected horror elements, of course, but not like this :/
This is a horror, alright. This. Is. Frigging terrible. Who "edited" this book? They really need to be fired. Like 3 years ago. Before this mess came out :/
Warning: Misplaced modifiers, POV ping-pong, adjectives (ab)used as nouns.
I lost the story behind this terror! :/ Sure, horror was never my poison, but it's on me, not the author. I still love Kai Gracen, but he certainly received much more attention from people who somewhat know how to apply English grammar to a written text. It wasn't perfect, but it was readable. Lack of editing in its entirety, however, I cannot forgive. Not where it comes to a published book. Not when that book costs you 7 bucks :/
I am beyond disappointed and this.... this close to DNF.
66% After acquiring a massive headache that not even sake can heal, I am DNF-ing. My brains says No. More!
July 19, 2015
I read the blurb for this but I did not know it was not a "romance" but was paranormal fantasy. But there are love connections in this book. Two in fact and they could be the makings of some very hot scenes in the future. The world building was incredible. But what do you expect, it's Rhys Ford! It was a dark book with very interesting characters.
The biblical references were there as actual people.
The Four Hoursemen
Faith
Hope
Charity
Peace
But they don't act the way you think they would. And they don't make refernces to God but sometimes to gods I believe. And the Bible is referenced as being a human book not really related to them. IMO if anyone is put off reading this book because of religious references don't be.
So there was a lot of blood and fighting and world building and getting to know the history of the characters in this book. I have not read this type fantasy book in a long time and I probably would have skipped it if I had realized there was not more romance in it. Having said that I did enjoy the book. I'm not sure if I will continue the series, it will just depend on my mood.
The biblical references were there as actual people.
The Four Hoursemen
Faith
Hope
Charity
Peace
But they don't act the way you think they would. And they don't make refernces to God but sometimes to gods I believe. And the Bible is referenced as being a human book not really related to them. IMO if anyone is put off reading this book because of religious references don't be.
So there was a lot of blood and fighting and world building and getting to know the history of the characters in this book. I have not read this type fantasy book in a long time and I probably would have skipped it if I had realized there was not more romance in it. Having said that I did enjoy the book. I'm not sure if I will continue the series, it will just depend on my mood.
June 29, 2015
When Rhys offered me an advanced copy of Ink And Shadows, I was excited...and terrified. Urban Fantasy and I do not get along well at all. Honestly because I do not have the patience for complex world building.
My fears were groundless. I got caught up in what was happening right from the first page. By the time I realized that yes, there was world building going on, I was already so invested in the characters that there was no time to be bored. I wish more UF books were structured like this.
The mix of characters was a nice balance. With main characters like the 4 Horseman, you almost know what to expect. What we have here is a refreshing new take on the theme that I am definitely looking forward to exploring further.
My fears were groundless. I got caught up in what was happening right from the first page. By the time I realized that yes, there was world building going on, I was already so invested in the characters that there was no time to be bored. I wish more UF books were structured like this.
The mix of characters was a nice balance. With main characters like the 4 Horseman, you almost know what to expect. What we have here is a refreshing new take on the theme that I am definitely looking forward to exploring further.
January 21, 2016
Another perfectly written work by Rhys Ford. This author really knows how to craft a paragraph and lets the story evolve through poetry and pacing.
Having just finished the book I'm overwhelmed...
Having just finished the book I'm overwhelmed...
August 22, 2016
I usually write my reviews immediately after reading so that I don’t forget anything. This isn’t the case with this one. I’ve had to sleep on this, just to make sure that I’m giving it the proper rating and review.
You see, typically, I hate too much detail in a story. It drives me nuts. Just get to it and let MY imagination take me there. Well…I had to trust the author to not only develop my imagination, but keep interested throughout this book. Yes, it’s an Urban Fantasy. Yes, it’s M/M Romance. But it just felt more than that.
This author has created a world that made me sit back and wonder if this world (in the book) really could/does exist. You see, we read about the Four Horsemen and other Vices saving mankind. It took a little while for me to figure it out and a little bit longer for the Author to actually “describe” it in the book, but it was that “ah ha” moment that puts everything into place. I thought that the use of a druggy who could “see” both worlds was brilliant. What better way to transition, right?
I’m not going to go into detail about this read because to be honest, you really have to read it with fresh eyes to understand it. And I’m afraid that I’ll spoil it as well. Ok, I’ll say one thing, but it’s really about the title. Kismet is the Ink to the worlds Shadows. Ok, one more thing. This was also a very well written love story. No, there’s no sex, so if you’re not into reading M/M, don’t worry. It’s just about love, pure and true. No matter who you are or what you do. A beautiful message all the way through.
One critique…I thought that it was drawn out in places that weren’t necessary. But that goes back to my too much detail issue, which is mine…lol
Yes, I recommend this book. Just give a few chapters to suck you in.
*I was given a copy of this book as a gift from The JeepDiva in exchange for an honest review.
You see, typically, I hate too much detail in a story. It drives me nuts. Just get to it and let MY imagination take me there. Well…I had to trust the author to not only develop my imagination, but keep interested throughout this book. Yes, it’s an Urban Fantasy. Yes, it’s M/M Romance. But it just felt more than that.
This author has created a world that made me sit back and wonder if this world (in the book) really could/does exist. You see, we read about the Four Horsemen and other Vices saving mankind. It took a little while for me to figure it out and a little bit longer for the Author to actually “describe” it in the book, but it was that “ah ha” moment that puts everything into place. I thought that the use of a druggy who could “see” both worlds was brilliant. What better way to transition, right?
I’m not going to go into detail about this read because to be honest, you really have to read it with fresh eyes to understand it. And I’m afraid that I’ll spoil it as well. Ok, I’ll say one thing, but it’s really about the title. Kismet is the Ink to the worlds Shadows. Ok, one more thing. This was also a very well written love story. No, there’s no sex, so if you’re not into reading M/M, don’t worry. It’s just about love, pure and true. No matter who you are or what you do. A beautiful message all the way through.
One critique…I thought that it was drawn out in places that weren’t necessary. But that goes back to my too much detail issue, which is mine…lol
Yes, I recommend this book. Just give a few chapters to suck you in.
*I was given a copy of this book as a gift from The JeepDiva in exchange for an honest review.
May 2, 2016
4.25 stars from me. Great start to a new fantasy series by Rhys, based on the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Took me a while to get into it I have to admit, there's a helluva lot to take in but once I'd gotten hooked, there was no stopping me and unbelievably, for a Rhys Ford series, there was no sex whatsoever!! Loads of world building, character development and typically wonderful writing. Greg's narration was superb as usual, and his British/French accents were kickass!!
I loved the Horsemen [well except for Min (Famine), she was a whiny little bitch most of the time], Ari (War) especially was full of snark and wisecracks, but completely in love with Shi (Death), although Shi was reticent and extremely careful of his personal space when Ari was around cos he knew Ari would wear him down, but they had been occasional f**k buddies over the millennia. Mal, who was Pestilence and the youngest of the Horsemen, was quite innocent really and having trouble building up enough strength to stand up and fight alongside his 'brothers', and the fact that Ari and Min complained about him being useless all the time, certainly didn't help his confidence; however, once he had Seer and heroin addict Kismet to fuss over and look after, he started to gain self-assurance. I'll leave this one here, recommended.
July 14, 2015
This is the first book in a new Urban Fantasy series with several gay lead characters, but romance is barely part of the story, if at all, so do not expect it.
The Four Horsemen, Death, War, Pestilence and Famine are immortals who live on earth, hidden behind the Veil which shrouds the Fae, Darkfae and other immortals, like the Vitues: Faith Charity, Peace and Hope (among others like Gluttony, Lust and Luck...) from the sight of mortals. Except crazies and seers can sometimes see them. Kismet is likely crazy, but he's had the "gift" of sight since childhood. He is terrorized by his constant observations of wraiths and ghosts, including that of his younger brother who was inadvertently poisoned by their addict mother. Kismet is crippled by his visions, and self-medicates with heroin to keep the wraiths from attacking his mind.
Kismet sits at the center of an intricate plot to remove some immortals from their Calling. See, if people need help crossing planes, Death can be summoned. If someone is in need of Hope, she must appear--and this is a tiring existence for an immortal. Some want to settle down, have a "normal" life, perhaps even fall in love, and Kismet's ability to see through the Veil may hint at deeper abilities. Spiking his heroin dose with an agent of magical origin kicks off the action.
Pestilence, known as Mal to his Horsemen, is lonely. He wants a partner outside of his group, and he's too inexperienced as a Horseman to properly wield the Veil. War (Ari) yearns for more than kinship with Death, the eldest and most powerful of the Horseman. Ari is indefatigable in his pursuit, and Death welcomes his closeness, but keeps it platonic, fearing the loss of his soul if he should lose Ari, his best friend and confidante, for any reason.
Ari and Mal encounter Kismet while on patrol, and he's in serious trouble--a powerful wraith has been summoned and is nearly finished killing him...except, Kismet survives the attack in the same fashion that an immortal might. It freaks both Mal and Ari out, and Mal insists on bringing him to Death for advice. Pretty much things get bad right after that.
As I mentioned, this isn't a romance, though the background is set for advancement of romance in a later book. Also, this book fully resolves, while still leaving plot arcs available for a sequel, or series. Through it all we have good guys acting badly, "bad" guys behaving with honor, new friendships (Kismet and Mal) and deepening ties (Ari and Death). I really enjoyed the back-and-forth banter between the Horsemen, and also how committed they are to holding each other up. This book is almost exclusively told from behind the Veil, with the immortals carrying most of the POV. I did have some issue with the rapid POV shifts--this is a particular peeve of mine. I like to stay in one character's head for a scene, but the POV jumped constantly. It was less jarring than other books I've read, but still detracted from my enjoyment.
On the plus side, the prose is stellar, really wrapping the reader in this world within a world. The emotional landscape is rich and I had a great experience feeling Death's pain, Ari's deep love, Mal's isolation and Kismet's fear. The action is fast and fierce, with copious attacks, rescues and near-death experiences for far too many immortals. Looking forward to the next installment! (Fingers crossed for a some love scenes!!!!)
I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.
The Four Horsemen, Death, War, Pestilence and Famine are immortals who live on earth, hidden behind the Veil which shrouds the Fae, Darkfae and other immortals, like the Vitues: Faith Charity, Peace and Hope (among others like Gluttony, Lust and Luck...) from the sight of mortals. Except crazies and seers can sometimes see them. Kismet is likely crazy, but he's had the "gift" of sight since childhood. He is terrorized by his constant observations of wraiths and ghosts, including that of his younger brother who was inadvertently poisoned by their addict mother. Kismet is crippled by his visions, and self-medicates with heroin to keep the wraiths from attacking his mind.
Kismet sits at the center of an intricate plot to remove some immortals from their Calling. See, if people need help crossing planes, Death can be summoned. If someone is in need of Hope, she must appear--and this is a tiring existence for an immortal. Some want to settle down, have a "normal" life, perhaps even fall in love, and Kismet's ability to see through the Veil may hint at deeper abilities. Spiking his heroin dose with an agent of magical origin kicks off the action.
Pestilence, known as Mal to his Horsemen, is lonely. He wants a partner outside of his group, and he's too inexperienced as a Horseman to properly wield the Veil. War (Ari) yearns for more than kinship with Death, the eldest and most powerful of the Horseman. Ari is indefatigable in his pursuit, and Death welcomes his closeness, but keeps it platonic, fearing the loss of his soul if he should lose Ari, his best friend and confidante, for any reason.
Ari and Mal encounter Kismet while on patrol, and he's in serious trouble--a powerful wraith has been summoned and is nearly finished killing him...except, Kismet survives the attack in the same fashion that an immortal might. It freaks both Mal and Ari out, and Mal insists on bringing him to Death for advice. Pretty much things get bad right after that.
As I mentioned, this isn't a romance, though the background is set for advancement of romance in a later book. Also, this book fully resolves, while still leaving plot arcs available for a sequel, or series. Through it all we have good guys acting badly, "bad" guys behaving with honor, new friendships (Kismet and Mal) and deepening ties (Ari and Death). I really enjoyed the back-and-forth banter between the Horsemen, and also how committed they are to holding each other up. This book is almost exclusively told from behind the Veil, with the immortals carrying most of the POV. I did have some issue with the rapid POV shifts--this is a particular peeve of mine. I like to stay in one character's head for a scene, but the POV jumped constantly. It was less jarring than other books I've read, but still detracted from my enjoyment.
On the plus side, the prose is stellar, really wrapping the reader in this world within a world. The emotional landscape is rich and I had a great experience feeling Death's pain, Ari's deep love, Mal's isolation and Kismet's fear. The action is fast and fierce, with copious attacks, rescues and near-death experiences for far too many immortals. Looking forward to the next installment! (Fingers crossed for a some love scenes!!!!)
I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.
February 22, 2016
4.5 Hearts
Kismet lives day to day, trying to survive the things that stir in his mind, ward off the monsters that lurk in the shadows, and come to him when he is alone, encroaching on his mind, and sending him closer to madness. Only the sweet bliss of drugs stops him from seeing the shadowy monsters he knows are always there.
Mal is the underdog of the Four Horsemen. As the newly appointed Pestilence he has to learn to fit in with the other three, after the last Pestilence moved on. He is dismissed by all but Death, who warns the others to give Mal a chance to become part of the group. It is not an easy task to be belittled and scorned by two of the three whom have been around each other for a long time. He tries not to let it get to him, but sometimes he wishes he had a friend.
On one of the many outings Mal is sent on with War, they stumble across Wraiths ripping through the Veil that separates them from the Human realm, and while trying to defend themselves, Mal and Kismet’s lives collide.
Click the button for my full review.....
Kismet lives day to day, trying to survive the things that stir in his mind, ward off the monsters that lurk in the shadows, and come to him when he is alone, encroaching on his mind, and sending him closer to madness. Only the sweet bliss of drugs stops him from seeing the shadowy monsters he knows are always there.
Mal is the underdog of the Four Horsemen. As the newly appointed Pestilence he has to learn to fit in with the other three, after the last Pestilence moved on. He is dismissed by all but Death, who warns the others to give Mal a chance to become part of the group. It is not an easy task to be belittled and scorned by two of the three whom have been around each other for a long time. He tries not to let it get to him, but sometimes he wishes he had a friend.
On one of the many outings Mal is sent on with War, they stumble across Wraiths ripping through the Veil that separates them from the Human realm, and while trying to defend themselves, Mal and Kismet’s lives collide.
Click the button for my full review.....
July 12, 2015
Amazing. Review soon at BMBR.
August 27, 2018
This is my first book by Rhys Ford and I find myself pleasantly surprised. I absolutely enjoyed it, I was hoping there was another book but it seems this is a standalone. I can't wait to read more by this author.
July 24, 2015
I love Ford's work. There is no doubt about that. However, I kind of had a hard time following this one. Maybe because I read this on vacation and I wasn't really getting into it like I normally do? Maybe because I started reading this while already having some beers in me at almost Midnight? Maybe it was because so many people have 2 names?
So we have The Four Horsemen plus Faith, Charity, Hope, and Peace. I kind of wanted more about how this started. Let's not forget the others that were mentioned, if I recall correctly there was Lust, Luck, and Gluttony.
There were times when I was confused about the Veil and when it was thinned or not. Who could see them and who couldn't.
This is such a great concept and I'm pissed that I couldn't get into it as much as I wanted to.
So we have The Four Horsemen plus Faith, Charity, Hope, and Peace. I kind of wanted more about how this started. Let's not forget the others that were mentioned, if I recall correctly there was Lust, Luck, and Gluttony.
There were times when I was confused about the Veil and when it was thinned or not. Who could see them and who couldn't.
This is such a great concept and I'm pissed that I couldn't get into it as much as I wanted to.
July 27, 2015
Very interesting and different story from most UF, and definitely different from the other Rhys Ford books I have read. Very enjoyable characters; the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are front and center, and are the good guys. Low heat factor, which was fine, as the plot kept me interested and erroneous sex may have detracted from that. Kismet is a tormented being who you can't help but feel sorry for; he gets under your skin and he had me bursting at the seams with protective instinct. Mal appears to be a bit of a bumbler, but he has a core of steel when it's necessary. Looking forward to the next installment.
April 9, 2016
This is every damn thing I like in a book, all thrown in a blender. Freakin' awesome!
June 25, 2015
Beta read...looks like it's going to be an awesome series!
June 4, 2016
DNF @ 45%. Too many characters, too much plot, too many monsters, not for me..
Read
September 19, 2020So, this one seemed like a good premise when I read the blurb, but I guess I should have read some of the reviews first. Apparently, it's not a romance and it seems like it was supposed to be a series that was never realized. I was taken aback by how many times the POV changed from the very beginning of the book. It's a pet peeve of mine and by 22% in I couldn't do it anymore. This is the second time that I started what was supposed to be a series by this author only to find out it was abandoned. I mean, of course, that's the author's prerogative but it doesn't instill confidence in the rest of their stories for me. I guess I should look more carefully to see if the books I am reading are romances but I guess I expect if an author's main bulk of stories are romances then they ALL are which obviously isn't true.
March 30, 2016
I was a bit nervous about reading Ink and Shadows, mainly because of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. I thought it might be a bit too religious for me, and I’m not a big fan of those types of stories, but, having just finished listening to Black Dog Blues, I was very impressed with how Rhys Ford and Greg Tremblay brought that one together.
From the moment I turned on the audio for Ink and Shadows, I was totally captivated by Greg Tremblay’s outstanding narrating skills. Not to mention that my interest was piqued by how the Four Horseman were portrayed during the first chapter. I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn’t in for a religious read and loved what Rhys Ford did in creating this Veil and with how the Four Horsemen interacted with each other—especially Death and War. Now, there’s a romance waiting to happen! War, aka Ari, has it bad for Death. And even though nothing really happens sexually between the two, you can tell there’s a story that needs to go into more detail. A possible sequel?
Anyway, Ink and Shadows is more about Kismet and how someone inducted him into seeing the Veil, and their eventual motive for him and his hidden little talent. It was interesting how Kismet used drugs to control his ability to see what was in the Veil, but it sure did him no good when the creatures started to come after him. As for Mal, there are hints that these two may get to know each other even better in a later story… ???
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed Ink and Shadows. It wasn’t what I expected, and it kept me guessing until the very end as to what would happen next! Good thing it was the audiobook I listened to, though, because I think I would have cheated and snuck a peek at the end if I’d been reading the book. I definitely want more!
Rhys Ford, thank you again for writing another wonderful story, and I’d like to applaud Greg Tremblay for another fantastic narration. I love how he gives each of his characters their own distinct voice and builds on the suspense.
Reviewed by Kim for The Novel Approach Reviews
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...
From the moment I turned on the audio for Ink and Shadows, I was totally captivated by Greg Tremblay’s outstanding narrating skills. Not to mention that my interest was piqued by how the Four Horseman were portrayed during the first chapter. I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn’t in for a religious read and loved what Rhys Ford did in creating this Veil and with how the Four Horsemen interacted with each other—especially Death and War. Now, there’s a romance waiting to happen! War, aka Ari, has it bad for Death. And even though nothing really happens sexually between the two, you can tell there’s a story that needs to go into more detail. A possible sequel?
Anyway, Ink and Shadows is more about Kismet and how someone inducted him into seeing the Veil, and their eventual motive for him and his hidden little talent. It was interesting how Kismet used drugs to control his ability to see what was in the Veil, but it sure did him no good when the creatures started to come after him. As for Mal, there are hints that these two may get to know each other even better in a later story… ???
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed Ink and Shadows. It wasn’t what I expected, and it kept me guessing until the very end as to what would happen next! Good thing it was the audiobook I listened to, though, because I think I would have cheated and snuck a peek at the end if I’d been reading the book. I definitely want more!
Rhys Ford, thank you again for writing another wonderful story, and I’d like to applaud Greg Tremblay for another fantastic narration. I love how he gives each of his characters their own distinct voice and builds on the suspense.
Reviewed by Kim for The Novel Approach Reviews
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...
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