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The Adventures of Owl #3
Owl and the Electric Samurai
The third exciting novel starring the unforgettable antiquities thief Owl—a modern-day “Indiana Jane” who reluctantly navigates the hidden supernatural world. From the pen of rising urban fantasy star Kristi Charish (Owl and the Japanese Circus) and for fans of Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher, Jennifer Estep, Jenn Bennett, and fantasy lovers everywhere.
The International Archaeology Association (IAA) is responsible for keeping all things supernatural under wraps. They’re also responsible for ruining the promising archaeology career of Alix Hiboux, better known as Owl.
Needless to say, Owl’s still a little sore about that.
Just to keep Owl’s life lively, the IAA has opened a bounty on the two designers of World Quest, the online RPG that is much, much more than it seems. Owl needs to locate the notorious gaming duo before the other mercenaries do. But finding the gamers won’t be easy since every clue points to them hiding out in the legendary lost city of Shangri-La. Not to mention that the last time Owl and the game designers spoke, their conversation didn’t exactly end on the best note…
Meanwhile, undercurrents of supernatural politics are running amok in Tokyo, dragging Owl and her friends into a deadly game of wits with an opponent who calls himself the Electric Samurai. The cost of losing? All-out civil war between two powerful supernatural factions.
All in all, just another great day on the job. - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.biz/Owl...
The International Archaeology Association (IAA) is responsible for keeping all things supernatural under wraps. They’re also responsible for ruining the promising archaeology career of Alix Hiboux, better known as Owl.
Needless to say, Owl’s still a little sore about that.
Just to keep Owl’s life lively, the IAA has opened a bounty on the two designers of World Quest, the online RPG that is much, much more than it seems. Owl needs to locate the notorious gaming duo before the other mercenaries do. But finding the gamers won’t be easy since every clue points to them hiding out in the legendary lost city of Shangri-La. Not to mention that the last time Owl and the game designers spoke, their conversation didn’t exactly end on the best note…
Meanwhile, undercurrents of supernatural politics are running amok in Tokyo, dragging Owl and her friends into a deadly game of wits with an opponent who calls himself the Electric Samurai. The cost of losing? All-out civil war between two powerful supernatural factions.
All in all, just another great day on the job. - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.biz/Owl...
416 pages, ebook
First published October 31, 2016
20 people are currently reading
387 people want to read
About the author
Kristi Charish
14 books309 followersKristi is the author of OWL AND THE JAPANESE CIRCUS (Simon and Schuster Canada/Pocket Books), an urban fantasy about a modern-day “Indiana Jane” who reluctantly navigates the hidden supernatural world, and THE VOODOO KILLINGS (Random House Canada), an urban fantasy/mystery about a voodoo practitioner living in Seattle with the ghost of a deceased grunge rocker.
She writes what she loves; adventure heavy stories featuring strong, savvy female protagonists, pop culture, and the occasional RPG fantasy game thrown in the mix. She’s also a co-host for the Adventures in Sci-Fi Publishing Podcast.
Before becoming an author Kristi was a research scientist. She holds a BSc and MSc from Simon Fraser University in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and a PhD in Zoology from the University of British Columbia. Her specialties are genetics, cell biology, and molecular biology, all of which she draws upon in her writing. She is represented by Carolyn Forde at Westwood Creative Artists.
FB: http://www.facebook.com/KristiCharish...
AISFP Podcast: http://www.adventuresinscifipublishin...
She writes what she loves; adventure heavy stories featuring strong, savvy female protagonists, pop culture, and the occasional RPG fantasy game thrown in the mix. She’s also a co-host for the Adventures in Sci-Fi Publishing Podcast.
Before becoming an author Kristi was a research scientist. She holds a BSc and MSc from Simon Fraser University in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and a PhD in Zoology from the University of British Columbia. Her specialties are genetics, cell biology, and molecular biology, all of which she draws upon in her writing. She is represented by Carolyn Forde at Westwood Creative Artists.
FB: http://www.facebook.com/KristiCharish...
AISFP Podcast: http://www.adventuresinscifipublishin...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
June 19, 2017
*** 4 ***
A buddy read with the MacHalo Freaks, because we like Owl!
This was a fun revisiting in the world of Owl=Alex. Our thieving not so archeologist is in a relationship with a hot Incubus, has a contract position with a Dragon and a Snake Lady, and Captain the Cat is making his not so happy feelings known by acting out in very funny ways. However, as much as it looks like she is getting her life in order, there are many people who would love to cut her down a peg and make her remember she doesn't have many friends out there...
The Elves have workedout a deal with her employers and she has been hired out to find an ancient armor, which makes the person wearing it bloodthirsty and evil, taking control of their personality and actions for its own i-want-to-rule-the-world means... She is not happy about it, her boyfriend is even more displeased, since he obviously has had some bad experiences and does not trust the Elves. But the Dragon gave them no choice, so once again they end up in perilous situations risking life and limb to get the job done.
The book is light and very easy to read, with the usual cocky banter and crazy actions by Alex and the gang... For those who like UF and advanture this is a good series!
Now I wish you all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come 😀😀😀!
A buddy read with the MacHalo Freaks, because we like Owl!
This was a fun revisiting in the world of Owl=Alex. Our thieving not so archeologist is in a relationship with a hot Incubus, has a contract position with a Dragon and a Snake Lady, and Captain the Cat is making his not so happy feelings known by acting out in very funny ways. However, as much as it looks like she is getting her life in order, there are many people who would love to cut her down a peg and make her remember she doesn't have many friends out there...
The Elves have workedout a deal with her employers and she has been hired out to find an ancient armor, which makes the person wearing it bloodthirsty and evil, taking control of their personality and actions for its own i-want-to-rule-the-world means... She is not happy about it, her boyfriend is even more displeased, since he obviously has had some bad experiences and does not trust the Elves. But the Dragon gave them no choice, so once again they end up in perilous situations risking life and limb to get the job done.
The book is light and very easy to read, with the usual cocky banter and crazy actions by Alex and the gang... For those who like UF and advanture this is a good series!
Now I wish you all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come 😀😀😀!
March 28, 2022
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
This was really good! After reading the first two books in this series, I decided that I needed more of Owl’s adventures. I grabbed a copy of the audiobook and jumped into this third installment in the series. I would definitely recommend reading this series in order since the character relationships have grown and changed during this series. I thought that this book was really exciting and I loved watching Owl face impossible situations.
Owl has no shortage of things to do in this book. Her employer, a dragon, wants her to find the Electric Samurai armor. The IAA is also demanding that she locate the men behind the World Quest game. Of course, there are others who want to stop her from succeeding trying to get in her way. In this installment, Owl works with her incubus boyfriend, Rynn, and I think that they make a great pair. This book was exciting and full of action. I love that Owl is an archaeologist and knows her stuff but since she is a thief, she’ll take it if she needs to.
I believe that this was the first time that I have listened to Christy Romano’s narration and I thought that she did a great job. It did take me some time to get used to the character voices but only because I had created my own voices for those characters as I read the first two books in the series. Once I adjusted, I flew through this audiobook. I thought that she added just the right amount of excitement to the story while handling the humor with ease. I plan to pick up the audiobook for the next book soon.
I would recommend this series to others. This has been a great urban fantasy with fantastic characters, quite a bit of humor, and a unique focus on archaeology. I cannot wait to read more of this author’s work!
Book source: Purchased
This was really good! After reading the first two books in this series, I decided that I needed more of Owl’s adventures. I grabbed a copy of the audiobook and jumped into this third installment in the series. I would definitely recommend reading this series in order since the character relationships have grown and changed during this series. I thought that this book was really exciting and I loved watching Owl face impossible situations.
Owl has no shortage of things to do in this book. Her employer, a dragon, wants her to find the Electric Samurai armor. The IAA is also demanding that she locate the men behind the World Quest game. Of course, there are others who want to stop her from succeeding trying to get in her way. In this installment, Owl works with her incubus boyfriend, Rynn, and I think that they make a great pair. This book was exciting and full of action. I love that Owl is an archaeologist and knows her stuff but since she is a thief, she’ll take it if she needs to.
I believe that this was the first time that I have listened to Christy Romano’s narration and I thought that she did a great job. It did take me some time to get used to the character voices but only because I had created my own voices for those characters as I read the first two books in the series. Once I adjusted, I flew through this audiobook. I thought that she added just the right amount of excitement to the story while handling the humor with ease. I plan to pick up the audiobook for the next book soon.
I would recommend this series to others. This has been a great urban fantasy with fantastic characters, quite a bit of humor, and a unique focus on archaeology. I cannot wait to read more of this author’s work!
Book source: Purchased
September 19, 2017
The Adventures of Owl is a favorite urban fantasy series of mine. I quite enjoy reading about Alix "Owl" Hiboux adventures.
In this, the third book is she both trying to find the creators of World Quest, the online RPG she loves and at the same time is she "hired" (let's say the dragon she works for is quite adamant that she should locate it) to find the Electric Samurai, a mystical armor that binds itself to whoever wears it. The problem is that it has been centuries since the last wearer died, and no one knows where he is buried. But, Owl is quite famous when it comes to finding things, so together with her boyfriend Rynn and her RPG partner and once friend Carpe, and her beloved cat Captain will she try to find this armor.
I think that this is probably so far the best book in the series, the hunt for the Electric Samurai armor was thrilling and as a BIG Indiana Jones fan do I love books that combine archaeology with a lot of action. And, adding the famous legendary lost city of Shangri-La to the mix was a brilliant move by Charish. Could it really be that the creators of World Quest are hiding there? And, if they are, how to get there? Also, I really like Carpe, but he has to stop being such an idiot.
It's hard to write this review without giving too much away, so I will just end the review by saying that I think Kristi Charish has surpassed herself with this book, the last part is fabulous with a fantastic cliffhanger that makes me eager to get my hands on the next book!
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
In this, the third book is she both trying to find the creators of World Quest, the online RPG she loves and at the same time is she "hired" (let's say the dragon she works for is quite adamant that she should locate it) to find the Electric Samurai, a mystical armor that binds itself to whoever wears it. The problem is that it has been centuries since the last wearer died, and no one knows where he is buried. But, Owl is quite famous when it comes to finding things, so together with her boyfriend Rynn and her RPG partner and once friend Carpe, and her beloved cat Captain will she try to find this armor.
I think that this is probably so far the best book in the series, the hunt for the Electric Samurai armor was thrilling and as a BIG Indiana Jones fan do I love books that combine archaeology with a lot of action. And, adding the famous legendary lost city of Shangri-La to the mix was a brilliant move by Charish. Could it really be that the creators of World Quest are hiding there? And, if they are, how to get there? Also, I really like Carpe, but he has to stop being such an idiot.
It's hard to write this review without giving too much away, so I will just end the review by saying that I think Kristi Charish has surpassed herself with this book, the last part is fabulous with a fantastic cliffhanger that makes me eager to get my hands on the next book!
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
December 2, 2025
Owl is in the hot seat again. The IAA (International Archaeology Association) wants the designers of World Quest (an online video game) and mercenaries have been hired to find them and remove any obstacle in their way…Owl’s in the way. While the elves have made a deal with the dragon and want Owl to find an ancient suit of armor. And if that wasn’t enough, Owl is tap dancing her way around the dragon’s person assistant and Naga that has taken Owl’s cat hostage.
Charish brings the quirky Owl back into our lives with OWL AND THE ELECTRIC SAMURAI.
I found this installment a little more serious then previous novels. Don't get me wrong, Owl still has the that spunky attitude we've come to expect but the overall tone is much more subdued. It seems that Owl is finally taking what is at stake more seriously. Some character growth but I feel its time for more.
Enjoyable, easy, entertaining and chuck full of adventure.
I received this ARC copy of Owl and the Electric Samurai from Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books - Pocket Star.
Charish brings the quirky Owl back into our lives with OWL AND THE ELECTRIC SAMURAI.
I found this installment a little more serious then previous novels. Don't get me wrong, Owl still has the that spunky attitude we've come to expect but the overall tone is much more subdued. It seems that Owl is finally taking what is at stake more seriously. Some character growth but I feel its time for more.
Enjoyable, easy, entertaining and chuck full of adventure.
I received this ARC copy of Owl and the Electric Samurai from Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books - Pocket Star.
August 29, 2022
New heights of action and danger are reached in this third entry to the Owl series, and our first-person narrator Alix Hiboux--Owl herself--seems more pugnacious than ever. She deliberately insults powerful people (human and other) who want her dead, she takes tremendous risks even though she's realistic about her adversaries' strengths, and she lives to go on quests, this time with her incubus boyfriend Rynn.
Incubi feed off people's attraction to them more than physical sex, Alix tells us:
Alix is gaining a reputation for being the best antiquities thief ever, and jobs keep coming to her in that "do this or else" way many supernaturals have (you'll remember Lady Siyu, the venomous Naga, from the first two books). This time, though, the big job doesn't come her way till page 88 in my edition, and the blurbs don't really describe it, which means that the main plot of this book lies far away in spoiler territory.
Open that spoiler tag at your own risk, but I think you'll have more fun, not less, if you do. It should really be included in the blurbs.
Speaking of the blurbs, both the backcover blurb on my library's edition and the version at the top of this Goodreads page give solid information down to the word "Meanwhile." After that, both are very misleading when not flat wrong. For example, the Electric Samurai of the title: . And a very familiar character joins Alix and Rynn on their main quest with positive and negative results . Two more spoiler tags, same comment.
Alix's best friend Nadya is off in Tokyo and involved in something she won't discuss--looks like it might be for the next book? The first few chapters (the ones nicely captured in the blurbs) feature Dev Rai, a Nepalese who went to graduate school in archaeology with Alix and Nadya and took his master's degree to ensure success as a tour guide to archaeological sites in Nepal. That's where the search for the designers of World Quest gets hot and heavy, and a delightful new character helps out in her special way: Talie the luck demon or apsara. It would be good to see more of Dev and Talie in future books.
There are four groups of mercenaries there in Nepal, vying with Alix for the IAA's bounty on the two World Quest designers who disappeared four years ago; Alix can only communicate with them through their respective avatars in the game. What's special about that particular game? It uses real data from real supernatural sites, and the IAA is dedicated to keeping everything supernatural a deep secret. A South African mercenary group, calling themselves the Zebras, specializes in supernaturals and may be targeting Rynn as well.
Well, that's pretty much as far as I can go without dragging out more spoiler tags. Three of them were more than enough. An exciting adventure, thrill after thrill, and a bright narrator who's full of attitude and not a little snark. And oh yes, you might think from the first 64 pages (my library edition) that this adventure takes place in Nepal. No, for most of the book we're in . There, I did it again, and I said I wouldn't. All the spoiler tags in this review should have been in the blurbs! If you like Alix and don't mind a cliff-hanger, highly recommended.
Incubi feed off people's attraction to them more than physical sex, Alix tells us:
Their real talents lay in the usual supernatural cadre--strength, longevity, quick reflexes--along with a couple of extra skills, namely the ability to heal damage and to sense what people were feeling. I figured that had evolved to give them a leg up for feeding...but it had other uses as well, namely persuasion--using emotions to manipulate people's thoughts. That was where their real power was.I got to know Rynn much better in this installment--he's in most every chapter--and I think I saw every one of those abilities. Longevity? He's at least two thousand years old and furnishes vital information from his personal observation of events back then.
Alix is gaining a reputation for being the best antiquities thief ever, and jobs keep coming to her in that "do this or else" way many supernaturals have (you'll remember Lady Siyu, the venomous Naga, from the first two books). This time, though, the big job doesn't come her way till page 88 in my edition, and the blurbs don't really describe it, which means that the main plot of this book lies far away in spoiler territory.
Open that spoiler tag at your own risk, but I think you'll have more fun, not less, if you do. It should really be included in the blurbs.
Speaking of the blurbs, both the backcover blurb on my library's edition and the version at the top of this Goodreads page give solid information down to the word "Meanwhile." After that, both are very misleading when not flat wrong. For example, the Electric Samurai of the title: . And a very familiar character joins Alix and Rynn on their main quest with positive and negative results . Two more spoiler tags, same comment.
Alix's best friend Nadya is off in Tokyo and involved in something she won't discuss--looks like it might be for the next book? The first few chapters (the ones nicely captured in the blurbs) feature Dev Rai, a Nepalese who went to graduate school in archaeology with Alix and Nadya and took his master's degree to ensure success as a tour guide to archaeological sites in Nepal. That's where the search for the designers of World Quest gets hot and heavy, and a delightful new character helps out in her special way: Talie the luck demon or apsara. It would be good to see more of Dev and Talie in future books.
There are four groups of mercenaries there in Nepal, vying with Alix for the IAA's bounty on the two World Quest designers who disappeared four years ago; Alix can only communicate with them through their respective avatars in the game. What's special about that particular game? It uses real data from real supernatural sites, and the IAA is dedicated to keeping everything supernatural a deep secret. A South African mercenary group, calling themselves the Zebras, specializes in supernaturals and may be targeting Rynn as well.
Well, that's pretty much as far as I can go without dragging out more spoiler tags. Three of them were more than enough. An exciting adventure, thrill after thrill, and a bright narrator who's full of attitude and not a little snark. And oh yes, you might think from the first 64 pages (my library edition) that this adventure takes place in Nepal. No, for most of the book we're in . There, I did it again, and I said I wouldn't. All the spoiler tags in this review should have been in the blurbs! If you like Alix and don't mind a cliff-hanger, highly recommended.
May 16, 2017
*Source* Publisher via NetGalley
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0
*My Thoughts*
Owl and the Electric Samurai is the third installment in author Kristi Charish's The Adventures of Owl series. The series features Alix Hiboux, aka The Owl, who is an antiquities thief specializing in the supernatural. As we once again jump into the incredible action packed world that Kristi Charish has created, we find Alix having a bit of a dilemma. You see, the IAA (International Archaeology Association) believes that they have Owl between a rock and a hard place. They have even given her an ultimatum. Do what we say, and we will clear your record.
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews 05/16/2017*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0
*My Thoughts*
Owl and the Electric Samurai is the third installment in author Kristi Charish's The Adventures of Owl series. The series features Alix Hiboux, aka The Owl, who is an antiquities thief specializing in the supernatural. As we once again jump into the incredible action packed world that Kristi Charish has created, we find Alix having a bit of a dilemma. You see, the IAA (International Archaeology Association) believes that they have Owl between a rock and a hard place. They have even given her an ultimatum. Do what we say, and we will clear your record.
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews 05/16/2017*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
June 5, 2017
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.
A step up from its predecessors, OWL AND THE ELECTRIC SAMURAI is a welcome departure from the all-action, little-plot formula readers are familiar with from the first two novels. Delving deeper into supernatural politics, and significantly raising the stakes, OWL AND THE ELECTRIC SAMURAI shows an maturation of both Charish's writing, and the main character, Owl.
To be perfectly honest, though I enjoyed the first two books in The Adventures of Owl series, OWL AND THE ELECTRIC SAMURAI easily jumped into the favorite slot. I also think that it would be easy to pick up the series with this installment, as there isn't that much that the reader needs to know to understand what is going on, and most of it is covered by way of explanations from Owl or other characters.
Unlike the first two books of the series, OWL AND THE ELECTRIC SAMURAI doesn't rely on constant action to keep the reader's attention, which meant that going in, my interest lagged a bit in the beginning (though the book does start with a nice chase scene). I wasn't expecting the level of political machinations Owl found herself involved in and the slow burn to the end plot twist, but once I got caught up on the details, I was sucked in. And boy, that ending! The final quarter of the book was definitely unputdownable with not only action but more subtle twists and turns happening.
One complaint I had previously was that Owl felt like a pretty immature character. One of the reasons I liked this book more than the previous two in the series was that I felt Owl showed significant growth - she acted more like a super intelligent archeologist would, rather than a ridiculously inexperienced treasure hunter. Again, her smarts are something I like about this series, and I enjoyed how she really got to put them to use! And without any spoilers, another complaint I'd had was the ability of Owl and company to get out of any situation nearly unscathed - which is not the case in this book, and I loved it. It had a much more gritty, realistic feel (with magic, obviously!) than previously.
All in all, after the ending of OWL AND THE ELECTRIC SAMURAI threw me for a complete loop, I am desperate to know where Charish is going to take Owl and the rest of the characters in The Adventures of Owl series. I am very much looking forward to the next book in the series, OWL AND THE TIGER THIEVES.
Sexual content: Kissing
A step up from its predecessors, OWL AND THE ELECTRIC SAMURAI is a welcome departure from the all-action, little-plot formula readers are familiar with from the first two novels. Delving deeper into supernatural politics, and significantly raising the stakes, OWL AND THE ELECTRIC SAMURAI shows an maturation of both Charish's writing, and the main character, Owl.
To be perfectly honest, though I enjoyed the first two books in The Adventures of Owl series, OWL AND THE ELECTRIC SAMURAI easily jumped into the favorite slot. I also think that it would be easy to pick up the series with this installment, as there isn't that much that the reader needs to know to understand what is going on, and most of it is covered by way of explanations from Owl or other characters.
Unlike the first two books of the series, OWL AND THE ELECTRIC SAMURAI doesn't rely on constant action to keep the reader's attention, which meant that going in, my interest lagged a bit in the beginning (though the book does start with a nice chase scene). I wasn't expecting the level of political machinations Owl found herself involved in and the slow burn to the end plot twist, but once I got caught up on the details, I was sucked in. And boy, that ending! The final quarter of the book was definitely unputdownable with not only action but more subtle twists and turns happening.
One complaint I had previously was that Owl felt like a pretty immature character. One of the reasons I liked this book more than the previous two in the series was that I felt Owl showed significant growth - she acted more like a super intelligent archeologist would, rather than a ridiculously inexperienced treasure hunter. Again, her smarts are something I like about this series, and I enjoyed how she really got to put them to use! And without any spoilers, another complaint I'd had was the ability of Owl and company to get out of any situation nearly unscathed - which is not the case in this book, and I loved it. It had a much more gritty, realistic feel (with magic, obviously!) than previously.
All in all, after the ending of OWL AND THE ELECTRIC SAMURAI threw me for a complete loop, I am desperate to know where Charish is going to take Owl and the rest of the characters in The Adventures of Owl series. I am very much looking forward to the next book in the series, OWL AND THE TIGER THIEVES.
Sexual content: Kissing
September 1, 2024
I can't say exactly how it happened, but I accidentally went years before reading this third installment in the Owl series. The first book, Owl and the Japanese Circus, really wowed me in my early years of being a book "influencer," but the second book was a little lackluster and must have been a contributing factor in why I failed to continue with this series for so long.
It was fun being reacquainted with the world after such a lengthy time away, even if the book itself wasn't as good as I wanted it to be.
Click here to hear more of my thoughts on this book over on my Booktube channel, abookolive.
It was fun being reacquainted with the world after such a lengthy time away, even if the book itself wasn't as good as I wanted it to be.
Click here to hear more of my thoughts on this book over on my Booktube channel, abookolive.
May 18, 2017
Who ever described Owl as a young female Indian Jones was so spot on, so much so that the person deserves a prize. There isn't a better phrase or a better character that comes to mind when I think of this series as a whole. It is just so much stinking fun. And like our beloved hero Indian Jones, you just know that with each new installment an exciting new adventure and outrageous predicaments are just around the corner.
With danger, the odd supernatural, magic, and spells truly lurking in every dark and creepy crevice and cavern she can fin, this story keeps you on edge with one wild adventure after another. With just the right amount of romance to keep it interesting but not taking over the real heart of the story which truly is all about the escapades she can get herself into, and of course out of with the help of a whole lot of friends and friend-enemies a like.
If you have been on the cusp of trying this series, my advice to you is this, step off that edge and do it. Fly face first, feet first, into the non-stop history, adventure, and fun that inevitably awaits you.
Be prepared though, this one ends on one heck of a cliffhanger. I can't wait for more!
With danger, the odd supernatural, magic, and spells truly lurking in every dark and creepy crevice and cavern she can fin, this story keeps you on edge with one wild adventure after another. With just the right amount of romance to keep it interesting but not taking over the real heart of the story which truly is all about the escapades she can get herself into, and of course out of with the help of a whole lot of friends and friend-enemies a like.
If you have been on the cusp of trying this series, my advice to you is this, step off that edge and do it. Fly face first, feet first, into the non-stop history, adventure, and fun that inevitably awaits you.
Be prepared though, this one ends on one heck of a cliffhanger. I can't wait for more!
June 6, 2017
Owl dubs the suit of armor the Electric Samurai, and I loved all the tidbits we uncover about it during Owls quest. Her cases cross when her search for the missing designers has her hunting for the legendary lost city of Shangri-La. Intense and action-packed, with a few twists, including an unlikely ally, kept me flipping the pages. Owl once again has to handle betrayals, deals and outsmarting supernatural entities and beings. While Owl still makes rash decisions and leaps head first we do see listen and accept help from others.
Owl is a modern day Indian Jones who finds herself collecting antiquities for Mr. Kurosawa, a red dragon who owns and runs the Japanese Circus Casino in Las Vegas. In this third installment, Owl finds herself contracted out to the Elves to retrieve a supernatural suit of armor. The IAA wants her to locate the missing designers of World Quest, and the IAA has merchantries on her tail. Such is the life of Owl. Thankfully she has Rynn, her succubus boyfriend, Captain her supernatural sniffing cat and others like Nadya. Let us not forget a certain World Quest elf named Carpe, who almost got them all killed in the last book.
I absolutely love the characters in this series from a bitter and fanged snake to Captain the cat who kills me with his antics. The romantic thread is kept to a minimum which isn't surprising considering all of the trouble Owl finds herself in. It was fun to see them work side by side, or should I say, watch Rynn try to keep Owl out of trouble.
While each book features a new adventure or quest, there is an overall story arc, character growth and more that make it essential to read or listen to these books in order.
Nadya wasn't present as she is off in Tokyo dealing with power plays. This was an interesting thread that teases us unmercifully, and I am anxious to know more. Maybe we will learn more in the next book, OWL, AND THE TIGER THIEVES. Thankfully we won't have to wait long as it releases on September 25th of this year. Charish left us with a cliffhanger that has me counting down the days!
Copy provided by the publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Owl is a modern day Indian Jones who finds herself collecting antiquities for Mr. Kurosawa, a red dragon who owns and runs the Japanese Circus Casino in Las Vegas. In this third installment, Owl finds herself contracted out to the Elves to retrieve a supernatural suit of armor. The IAA wants her to locate the missing designers of World Quest, and the IAA has merchantries on her tail. Such is the life of Owl. Thankfully she has Rynn, her succubus boyfriend, Captain her supernatural sniffing cat and others like Nadya. Let us not forget a certain World Quest elf named Carpe, who almost got them all killed in the last book.
I absolutely love the characters in this series from a bitter and fanged snake to Captain the cat who kills me with his antics. The romantic thread is kept to a minimum which isn't surprising considering all of the trouble Owl finds herself in. It was fun to see them work side by side, or should I say, watch Rynn try to keep Owl out of trouble.
While each book features a new adventure or quest, there is an overall story arc, character growth and more that make it essential to read or listen to these books in order.
Nadya wasn't present as she is off in Tokyo dealing with power plays. This was an interesting thread that teases us unmercifully, and I am anxious to know more. Maybe we will learn more in the next book, OWL, AND THE TIGER THIEVES. Thankfully we won't have to wait long as it releases on September 25th of this year. Charish left us with a cliffhanger that has me counting down the days!
Copy provided by the publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
December 21, 2022
I do not feel any regret for sticking with the audiobooks in this series. The narrator is amazing with the accents and voices she does and that makes it so easy and fun to listen to.
I think that this is my favorite book in the Owl Series so far. If I gave half apples, I would have given this one 3.5.
This review wast first posted @ BiteIntoBooks
The story was easier to follow, although I did feel like the ending was a bit of a mumble jumble of things and I didn't want to keep rewinding, so I just listened through. I feel like the books might need a bit of an edit, because I can't count how many "baleful meows" the cat did and there were more repetitions like this in the book.
I was a bit sad that Nadia wasn't too much in this book, but the ending was so good, that I'm really pumped for the next book. Hopefully I can end this series with a 4 star rating?
I think that this is my favorite book in the Owl Series so far. If I gave half apples, I would have given this one 3.5.
This review wast first posted @ BiteIntoBooks
The story was easier to follow, although I did feel like the ending was a bit of a mumble jumble of things and I didn't want to keep rewinding, so I just listened through. I feel like the books might need a bit of an edit, because I can't count how many "baleful meows" the cat did and there were more repetitions like this in the book.
I was a bit sad that Nadia wasn't too much in this book, but the ending was so good, that I'm really pumped for the next book. Hopefully I can end this series with a 4 star rating?
May 29, 2017
https://lynns-books.com/2017/05/15/ow...
Without doubt Kristi Charish’s third instalment of the Adventures of Owl definitely took this series to the next level for me and was my favourite so far. If you haven’t read the previous novels then be aware that spoilers may be lurking below.
In the latest instalment Alix Hiboux, or Owl as she is better known, really finds herself between a rock and a hard place with conflicting priorities and demands. If you haven’t read the series, Alix, with a promising career in archeology to look forward to, was used as a scapegoat by the IAA (The International Archaeology Association who regulate and keep under wraps anything and everything related to the supernatural). Finding herself with zero job opportunities to look forward to Alix resorted to the one thing where she could put her skills to use – acquiring, or stealing if you want to put it another way, antiquities.
As the Electric Samurai begins Alix is given an assignment by her boss Mr Kurosawa, who happens to be a dragon with something of a volatile temper. His assistant, Lady Situ is a Naga who can and will hold a grudge and currently seems to hold one against Alix. Basically, there’s no way that she can refuse this job even though it’s far from ideal and involves finding a magical suit of armour that transforms to fit into the period in which it’s used. It seems the suit gives the wearer great powers, although it does require a high price in return. The elves are keen to get their hands on the suit and in order to prevent war in the supernatural world the Dragon has agreed to their request. It’s not going to be easy to find the Electric Samurai. It’s last location is unrecorded and nobody has a clue what it looks like. And, to make matters worse Rynn is very unhappy with the involvement of the elves as through past experience he has learnt that they are sometimes economical with the truth.
At the same time, the IAA are pushing Alix to find the location of the World Quest designers. They’re keen to question them about human magic and think Alix stands the best chance of finding them. Alix is keen to find them, not least to give them a warning. World Quest has become an invaluable tool for her in mapping out antiquities around the world. Again, the two are not going to be easy to find. They seem to have disappeared into thin air and rumour has it that they’ve found the legendary city of Shangri-La. What a temptation for Alix – to go after the lost city. Unfortunately, time is short and the IAA, not content with coercing her have seen fit to hire mercenaries by way of additional encouragement.
There is plenty going on in this book. There’s a lot of supernatural politics that left me not really knowing who to trust or if I should trust anybody at all. There are plenty of exotic locations. There is a deal of cat and mouse type activity and nothing is as it first seems.
So, why is this book my favourite so far? Well, I felt it had more depth than the previous instalments – which isn’t a criticism of the previous two at all, just that this one has a different tone somehow. It could be related to the fact that Alix seems to be becoming more notorious and in doing so seems to be really entrenching herself amongst the supernaturals, it could be to do with the fact that Rynn and Alix seem to have reached a different stage in their relationship where things didn’t always seem to be going so well, or it could simply be that the stakes were so much higher. But, this definitely had a different pace and feel.
The usual characters are not all as evident. Nadya is off dealing with issues at her bar and Captain starts the story in the custody of the Naga although his release is eventually negotiated. This time around the story focuses much more on Alix and Rynn. There is a very good reason for this which I won’t go into here but this new focus helps to shine a light on some of the cracks that are starting to show in the relationship. We certainly learn a little more about Rynn which I thought was really interesting. I’m not going to say that it answers everything but it certainly makes a good start. In terms of Alix. She’s still as reckless and impulsive as ever but again there was something different in her character. I can’t quite put my finger on it but it felt like the relationship is becoming more serious somehow, it’s passed the giddy infatuation stage and is at the point where they’re both starting to really question each other.
In terms of criticisms. I don’t really have any to be honest. I think the only thing that occasionally popped into my mind is a random feeling of surprise that the majority of Alix’s archaeological work seems to require more research on a computer than actual field work. That being said she does then jet off to Nepal, China and Tokyo!
I won’t say too much more. I just really enjoyed this one, it felt less fun maybe than the previous two books in that the stakes are higher and Alix and Rynn felt more vulnerable somehow, almost desperate, the settings were great to read about and the author throws in a few unexpected surprises in relation to both of the quests.
Finally, I have to mention the ending. The earlier parts of the story may have enjoyed a gentler build than previous books but the ending certainly comes out all guns blazing. I just loved the route that Charish took, not least because I really hadn’t seen it coming and it was such a shock! Literally, I had to stop reading and have a little reread and I don’t mind saying that inside my head I was saying ‘nooooooo’ – and that was right when the book ended. Yes, it ends on a cliffhanger, I can admit I’m not a lover of cliffhangers but I think I was still so surprised by everything that I had barely a chance to register anything beyond the sound of my mouth flopping open. This wait is going to be so hard – no pressure Ms Charish but when is the next book due?? Enquiring minds need to know.
I received a copy courtesy of the publisher through Netgalley, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
Without doubt Kristi Charish’s third instalment of the Adventures of Owl definitely took this series to the next level for me and was my favourite so far. If you haven’t read the previous novels then be aware that spoilers may be lurking below.
In the latest instalment Alix Hiboux, or Owl as she is better known, really finds herself between a rock and a hard place with conflicting priorities and demands. If you haven’t read the series, Alix, with a promising career in archeology to look forward to, was used as a scapegoat by the IAA (The International Archaeology Association who regulate and keep under wraps anything and everything related to the supernatural). Finding herself with zero job opportunities to look forward to Alix resorted to the one thing where she could put her skills to use – acquiring, or stealing if you want to put it another way, antiquities.
As the Electric Samurai begins Alix is given an assignment by her boss Mr Kurosawa, who happens to be a dragon with something of a volatile temper. His assistant, Lady Situ is a Naga who can and will hold a grudge and currently seems to hold one against Alix. Basically, there’s no way that she can refuse this job even though it’s far from ideal and involves finding a magical suit of armour that transforms to fit into the period in which it’s used. It seems the suit gives the wearer great powers, although it does require a high price in return. The elves are keen to get their hands on the suit and in order to prevent war in the supernatural world the Dragon has agreed to their request. It’s not going to be easy to find the Electric Samurai. It’s last location is unrecorded and nobody has a clue what it looks like. And, to make matters worse Rynn is very unhappy with the involvement of the elves as through past experience he has learnt that they are sometimes economical with the truth.
At the same time, the IAA are pushing Alix to find the location of the World Quest designers. They’re keen to question them about human magic and think Alix stands the best chance of finding them. Alix is keen to find them, not least to give them a warning. World Quest has become an invaluable tool for her in mapping out antiquities around the world. Again, the two are not going to be easy to find. They seem to have disappeared into thin air and rumour has it that they’ve found the legendary city of Shangri-La. What a temptation for Alix – to go after the lost city. Unfortunately, time is short and the IAA, not content with coercing her have seen fit to hire mercenaries by way of additional encouragement.
There is plenty going on in this book. There’s a lot of supernatural politics that left me not really knowing who to trust or if I should trust anybody at all. There are plenty of exotic locations. There is a deal of cat and mouse type activity and nothing is as it first seems.
So, why is this book my favourite so far? Well, I felt it had more depth than the previous instalments – which isn’t a criticism of the previous two at all, just that this one has a different tone somehow. It could be related to the fact that Alix seems to be becoming more notorious and in doing so seems to be really entrenching herself amongst the supernaturals, it could be to do with the fact that Rynn and Alix seem to have reached a different stage in their relationship where things didn’t always seem to be going so well, or it could simply be that the stakes were so much higher. But, this definitely had a different pace and feel.
The usual characters are not all as evident. Nadya is off dealing with issues at her bar and Captain starts the story in the custody of the Naga although his release is eventually negotiated. This time around the story focuses much more on Alix and Rynn. There is a very good reason for this which I won’t go into here but this new focus helps to shine a light on some of the cracks that are starting to show in the relationship. We certainly learn a little more about Rynn which I thought was really interesting. I’m not going to say that it answers everything but it certainly makes a good start. In terms of Alix. She’s still as reckless and impulsive as ever but again there was something different in her character. I can’t quite put my finger on it but it felt like the relationship is becoming more serious somehow, it’s passed the giddy infatuation stage and is at the point where they’re both starting to really question each other.
In terms of criticisms. I don’t really have any to be honest. I think the only thing that occasionally popped into my mind is a random feeling of surprise that the majority of Alix’s archaeological work seems to require more research on a computer than actual field work. That being said she does then jet off to Nepal, China and Tokyo!
I won’t say too much more. I just really enjoyed this one, it felt less fun maybe than the previous two books in that the stakes are higher and Alix and Rynn felt more vulnerable somehow, almost desperate, the settings were great to read about and the author throws in a few unexpected surprises in relation to both of the quests.
Finally, I have to mention the ending. The earlier parts of the story may have enjoyed a gentler build than previous books but the ending certainly comes out all guns blazing. I just loved the route that Charish took, not least because I really hadn’t seen it coming and it was such a shock! Literally, I had to stop reading and have a little reread and I don’t mind saying that inside my head I was saying ‘nooooooo’ – and that was right when the book ended. Yes, it ends on a cliffhanger, I can admit I’m not a lover of cliffhangers but I think I was still so surprised by everything that I had barely a chance to register anything beyond the sound of my mouth flopping open. This wait is going to be so hard – no pressure Ms Charish but when is the next book due?? Enquiring minds need to know.
I received a copy courtesy of the publisher through Netgalley, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
May 20, 2017
Owl and the Electric Samurai, Kristi Charish
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Sci-fi and Fantasy
I loved the first two novels but this one was, to be honest, a bit of a slog :-(
I've loved Owl, her kind of skewed world views, and yet underneath you know she cares deeply for her friends, that she's moral, will always do the right thing, for people anyway even if artifacts are a bit of a grey area....but in this book she came over as a bit self centred, kind of blowing off issues that her best friend Nadya was dealing with, acting pretty cold towards Rynn at times.
I love Rynn, but in this book they felt more like two people working together who didn't really like or respect each other, and though its clear Rynn cares deeply for Owl, would do almost anything to keep her safe she really wasn't looking out for what was going on in his life, seeing his POV, seeing what he was worried about, didn't really take Nadya's issues seriously, only as far as they affected her.
This book seemed to be Only Worry About What Concerns Owl...and I didn't like that, that wasn't the person I knew from book one.
Then too there's the whole Electric Samurai...its not Owl V the ES, its Owl searches for the ES. The Electric Samurai itself doesn't really come into play til the end.
I had issues with Owl and Rynn jumping form one hot-spot to another, escaping by the skin of their teeth, jumping from country to country, and the non stop action that was hit, done and over just in time for the next issue got dull.
I wanted more in depth detail, to know exactly how they did things, how they escaped, not toss in a few whiz bangs and they're out, but that's how each drama began to feel to me. Just more of the same, another place where everyone wants a piece of Owl and she escape barely to fall into the next drama.
I'd have liked a bit more day to day details, more conversations that didn't just involve "how are we getting out of this mess" type of thing. Less skin of teeth and bombs, less Carpe doing some amazing tech stuff, characters suddenly dropping in unexpectedly and a little more reality.
Back to one of my bugbears, the This just couldn't happen problem. There's an IT Acronym IFTTT (If this then that) where if one thing happens its the trigger for another action, and when I'm reading I want to believe that if this one thing/action/event is real it could trigger a defined reaction, but too often in this story I didn't feel the first issue could be real, it lacked that believability factor, which meant that the action that followed felt wrong to me.
There were parts I enjoyed, and the whole story is so unique that it was really refreshing to read when the series started, but now its seems to have moved away from that and I just need a little less action a little more conversation....A bit more reality even though its fantasy.
How does Owl get from country to country without getting stopped at usual channels ect, without ever having any luggage? She never seems to eat or drink, need to shower, sleep, feed Captain, you know, all the everyday dross that makes a story feel real.
I don't need loads, just a little to ground her, make things feel real.
She just flips from one country at the end of a chapter and on first page of next chapter she's where she needs to be, and I'm thinking "but how??" Especially given Captain is with her. Travelling with a huge cat isn't easy...and where does she keep getting cat carriers?
It is a very complex world blending real world with the fantasy game playing base Shangri-La, but it felt increasing detached to me from the characters and settings we started out with in book one.
Then the ending...no.........How could Kristi leave us like that? I'd almost decided this was it for me, wondering whether I really wanted to continue with the series but I can't stop at this point, I'll have to see how it plays out and hope a return to the styles of books one and two are forthcoming.
Stars: Three, a bit hard going this installment. Hopefully book four will bring a return to the style of the first two.
ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Sci-fi and Fantasy
I loved the first two novels but this one was, to be honest, a bit of a slog :-(
I've loved Owl, her kind of skewed world views, and yet underneath you know she cares deeply for her friends, that she's moral, will always do the right thing, for people anyway even if artifacts are a bit of a grey area....but in this book she came over as a bit self centred, kind of blowing off issues that her best friend Nadya was dealing with, acting pretty cold towards Rynn at times.
I love Rynn, but in this book they felt more like two people working together who didn't really like or respect each other, and though its clear Rynn cares deeply for Owl, would do almost anything to keep her safe she really wasn't looking out for what was going on in his life, seeing his POV, seeing what he was worried about, didn't really take Nadya's issues seriously, only as far as they affected her.
This book seemed to be Only Worry About What Concerns Owl...and I didn't like that, that wasn't the person I knew from book one.
Then too there's the whole Electric Samurai...its not Owl V the ES, its Owl searches for the ES. The Electric Samurai itself doesn't really come into play til the end.
I had issues with Owl and Rynn jumping form one hot-spot to another, escaping by the skin of their teeth, jumping from country to country, and the non stop action that was hit, done and over just in time for the next issue got dull.
I wanted more in depth detail, to know exactly how they did things, how they escaped, not toss in a few whiz bangs and they're out, but that's how each drama began to feel to me. Just more of the same, another place where everyone wants a piece of Owl and she escape barely to fall into the next drama.
I'd have liked a bit more day to day details, more conversations that didn't just involve "how are we getting out of this mess" type of thing. Less skin of teeth and bombs, less Carpe doing some amazing tech stuff, characters suddenly dropping in unexpectedly and a little more reality.
Back to one of my bugbears, the This just couldn't happen problem. There's an IT Acronym IFTTT (If this then that) where if one thing happens its the trigger for another action, and when I'm reading I want to believe that if this one thing/action/event is real it could trigger a defined reaction, but too often in this story I didn't feel the first issue could be real, it lacked that believability factor, which meant that the action that followed felt wrong to me.
There were parts I enjoyed, and the whole story is so unique that it was really refreshing to read when the series started, but now its seems to have moved away from that and I just need a little less action a little more conversation....A bit more reality even though its fantasy.
How does Owl get from country to country without getting stopped at usual channels ect, without ever having any luggage? She never seems to eat or drink, need to shower, sleep, feed Captain, you know, all the everyday dross that makes a story feel real.
I don't need loads, just a little to ground her, make things feel real.
She just flips from one country at the end of a chapter and on first page of next chapter she's where she needs to be, and I'm thinking "but how??" Especially given Captain is with her. Travelling with a huge cat isn't easy...and where does she keep getting cat carriers?
It is a very complex world blending real world with the fantasy game playing base Shangri-La, but it felt increasing detached to me from the characters and settings we started out with in book one.
Then the ending...no.........How could Kristi leave us like that? I'd almost decided this was it for me, wondering whether I really wanted to continue with the series but I can't stop at this point, I'll have to see how it plays out and hope a return to the styles of books one and two are forthcoming.
Stars: Three, a bit hard going this installment. Hopefully book four will bring a return to the style of the first two.
ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers
May 10, 2017
Hmmm, not sure what to say. First off, this is the third book in the series, there is absolutely no recap for those of us joining at this point. I have no idea why Alix is called Owl, NOT A CLUE.
Alix is a human, former archaeology student and antiquities hunter (some say thief). She works for a Dragon Mr Kurosawa and his Naga assistant Lady Siyu. She also participates in an online game called World Quest which appears to have some magical link to reality. Although Alix comes across as one of the good guys she appears to be almost universally loathed by most characters who believe her to be untrustworthy and a chaos magnet - maybe that was explained in the previous books. Alix has a cat with special powers, including detection of vampires, and her sort of boyfriend is an incubus.
The International Archaeology Association (IAA) is responsible for keeping all things supernatural under wraps but it appears as though it has become obsessed with its own importance and become a force for evil. The IAA is trying to force Alix to find the two creators of World Quest who have disappeared (although they are still contactable through the game), Alix is trying to find them to warn them about the IAA but the IAA is getting aggresive and trying to force Alix's hand. In addition, Alix's employer Mr Kurosawa has taken a contract from the Elves for Alix to find a mythical suit of armour which gives the wearer super powers.
I enjoyed this book but I found it frustrating that the author felt no need to give some back story, other than an off-hand comment about stealing a magic book for an Elf previously or one of the vampires trying to kill her. I know this is the third book but I expect even readers who have read the previous two books might need some reminder of what happened previously and why Alix is so heartily disliked.
The book ranges far and wide through history and across the world. One minute we are in the Japanese Circus Casino in Las Vegas, then Nepal then Shangri La. The pace is fast and engaging and I will definitely read the previous books to see whether that makes anything clearer.
I've rated this three stars - maybe it would have been higher if I had known what was going on!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Alix is a human, former archaeology student and antiquities hunter (some say thief). She works for a Dragon Mr Kurosawa and his Naga assistant Lady Siyu. She also participates in an online game called World Quest which appears to have some magical link to reality. Although Alix comes across as one of the good guys she appears to be almost universally loathed by most characters who believe her to be untrustworthy and a chaos magnet - maybe that was explained in the previous books. Alix has a cat with special powers, including detection of vampires, and her sort of boyfriend is an incubus.
The International Archaeology Association (IAA) is responsible for keeping all things supernatural under wraps but it appears as though it has become obsessed with its own importance and become a force for evil. The IAA is trying to force Alix to find the two creators of World Quest who have disappeared (although they are still contactable through the game), Alix is trying to find them to warn them about the IAA but the IAA is getting aggresive and trying to force Alix's hand. In addition, Alix's employer Mr Kurosawa has taken a contract from the Elves for Alix to find a mythical suit of armour which gives the wearer super powers.
I enjoyed this book but I found it frustrating that the author felt no need to give some back story, other than an off-hand comment about stealing a magic book for an Elf previously or one of the vampires trying to kill her. I know this is the third book but I expect even readers who have read the previous two books might need some reminder of what happened previously and why Alix is so heartily disliked.
The book ranges far and wide through history and across the world. One minute we are in the Japanese Circus Casino in Las Vegas, then Nepal then Shangri La. The pace is fast and engaging and I will definitely read the previous books to see whether that makes anything clearer.
I've rated this three stars - maybe it would have been higher if I had known what was going on!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
January 13, 2021
“Owl and the Electric Samurai” (The Adventures of Owl #3) by Kristi Cherish ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Urban Fantasy meets Indiana Jones. Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA to Nepal and China. Time: Present. Note: It’s best to read this series in order to get a sense of all the characters.-
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Antiquities thief Alix (Owl) Hiboux is back in action. With her hot incubus boyfriend Rynn, her Mau cat Captain, and her game playing partner Carpe the elf, she’s sent on competing missions that may determine the future of Earth.-
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Alix was 4 months from her PhD in archeology when she was framed and thrown out of school, her career ruined by the IAA (International Archeological Association) The IAA keeps the supernatural world secret from the rest of the world. Now it has put a bounty on the creators of WorldQuest, a role playing game that is much more than it seems. Alix must find the two creators first to protect them.-
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Meanwhile, Alix’s boss, a dragon who owns The Japanese Circus Casino in Las Vegas, and his evil second-in-command, a naga, instruct her to find an immortal and magical suit of armor that Alix names the Electric Samurai. Both missions lead her closer and closer to the legendary and possibly real city known as Shangri-La.-
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This is the most “Indiana Jones” of the Owl books so far. It’s full of action, rolling boulders, and poisoned darts. It’s fast, furious, and fun to read. The book gave me a book hangover- I kept thinking about scary yeti and how Captain the Mau cat always manages to get himself out of tight situations. It’s 5 stars from me for Owl, Captain and the rest. 🌵📚👩🏼🦳”
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Antiquities thief Alix (Owl) Hiboux is back in action. With her hot incubus boyfriend Rynn, her Mau cat Captain, and her game playing partner Carpe the elf, she’s sent on competing missions that may determine the future of Earth.-
-
Alix was 4 months from her PhD in archeology when she was framed and thrown out of school, her career ruined by the IAA (International Archeological Association) The IAA keeps the supernatural world secret from the rest of the world. Now it has put a bounty on the creators of WorldQuest, a role playing game that is much more than it seems. Alix must find the two creators first to protect them.-
-
Meanwhile, Alix’s boss, a dragon who owns The Japanese Circus Casino in Las Vegas, and his evil second-in-command, a naga, instruct her to find an immortal and magical suit of armor that Alix names the Electric Samurai. Both missions lead her closer and closer to the legendary and possibly real city known as Shangri-La.-
-
This is the most “Indiana Jones” of the Owl books so far. It’s full of action, rolling boulders, and poisoned darts. It’s fast, furious, and fun to read. The book gave me a book hangover- I kept thinking about scary yeti and how Captain the Mau cat always manages to get himself out of tight situations. It’s 5 stars from me for Owl, Captain and the rest. 🌵📚👩🏼🦳”
May 21, 2017
I really enjoyed the first two books in the series, but this one went downhill. The author desperately needs a good editor to deal with bad spelling, inconsistent pluralization, and a tendency to ramble. In the first two books, there was enough of a seasoning of real archaeological information to lift them out of literal tomb raiding video game territory, but this book didn't quite make it in that department. The setting's getting tedious. Could just a bit more of the real world mixed in save it? I'm not sure, and I don't know if I'll bother finding out,
May 30, 2017
Four stars: A smart, sophisticated, thrilling series with plenty of paranormal.
There is never a dull moment for Owl, or Alix. She is busy trying to get her cat back from the clutches of the evil Naga. The IAA is after her, demanding that she find the two lost developers of World Quest, a role playing game that Alix loves. Then the stakes get higher when Alix is tasked to find an electric suit, that has dangerous and destructive powers. Supposedly if she finds this suit, it will prevent an all out civil war between two of the big supernatural forces. Unfortunately the people who sent her on the task, aren't being forthright. The more Alix learns, the more she realizes that the suit most not be found as it destroys the user, and who knows what else it is capable of razing. Can Alix once again elude those who are out to do her harm?
What I Liked:
*This third book is the best yet. I love the complexity and the sophistication of this series. If you want a book steeping with paranormal, unusual archaeological artifacts, plenty of action and danger, and some fascinating characters, this is a series to read. It keeps getting better and better.
*As I mentioned, this series is complex. This book is no exception. There are many mingling story lines to keep track of before they merge into one. It was interesting seeing how everything came together, and I certainly wasn't prepared for some of the final developments. If you want a sophisticated and entertaining UF read, look no further.
*I love the archaeological references in this one. The books definitely have an Indiana Jones vibe to them. This time around, Alix is hunting for an Electric War Suit as well as searching for the mythical city of Shangri La. So much fun!
One complaint that I have had with the previous books, was the immaturity and rash behavior of Owl. *Thankfully, she has grown so much in this book. I liked that she was more thoughtful in her decisions. I didn't see the sophomoric behavior that I disliked in the other books. I am liking this new Owl.
*The plot is complex, riveting and action packed. So many interesting twists and turns, all leading up to a stunning finale. I can't wait for more.
And The Not So Much:
*Ugh! The book ends with a big, fat, dramatic cliffhanger. The finale leaves the fate of a favorite character uncertain. I need the answers now.
*I was bothered that a story line involving Alix's friend, Nayda, kept coming up, but then nothing came of it. What was the deal with that?
*Even though I enjoyed the story, I found it dragging a bit. I think it got a little too long, and I grew tired of the constant chases. Still it was fun to read.
Owl and the Electric Samurai is an outstanding addition to an excellent series. I love the sophistication and complexity of this series, plus there are terrific archaeology hunts as well as plenty of paranormal. If you are on the hunt for a fun and exciting Urban Fantasy series, this is one to try. It has become a favorite of mine.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated fro this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
There is never a dull moment for Owl, or Alix. She is busy trying to get her cat back from the clutches of the evil Naga. The IAA is after her, demanding that she find the two lost developers of World Quest, a role playing game that Alix loves. Then the stakes get higher when Alix is tasked to find an electric suit, that has dangerous and destructive powers. Supposedly if she finds this suit, it will prevent an all out civil war between two of the big supernatural forces. Unfortunately the people who sent her on the task, aren't being forthright. The more Alix learns, the more she realizes that the suit most not be found as it destroys the user, and who knows what else it is capable of razing. Can Alix once again elude those who are out to do her harm?
What I Liked:
*This third book is the best yet. I love the complexity and the sophistication of this series. If you want a book steeping with paranormal, unusual archaeological artifacts, plenty of action and danger, and some fascinating characters, this is a series to read. It keeps getting better and better.
*As I mentioned, this series is complex. This book is no exception. There are many mingling story lines to keep track of before they merge into one. It was interesting seeing how everything came together, and I certainly wasn't prepared for some of the final developments. If you want a sophisticated and entertaining UF read, look no further.
*I love the archaeological references in this one. The books definitely have an Indiana Jones vibe to them. This time around, Alix is hunting for an Electric War Suit as well as searching for the mythical city of Shangri La. So much fun!
One complaint that I have had with the previous books, was the immaturity and rash behavior of Owl. *Thankfully, she has grown so much in this book. I liked that she was more thoughtful in her decisions. I didn't see the sophomoric behavior that I disliked in the other books. I am liking this new Owl.
*The plot is complex, riveting and action packed. So many interesting twists and turns, all leading up to a stunning finale. I can't wait for more.
And The Not So Much:
*Ugh! The book ends with a big, fat, dramatic cliffhanger. The finale leaves the fate of a favorite character uncertain. I need the answers now.
*I was bothered that a story line involving Alix's friend, Nayda, kept coming up, but then nothing came of it. What was the deal with that?
*Even though I enjoyed the story, I found it dragging a bit. I think it got a little too long, and I grew tired of the constant chases. Still it was fun to read.
Owl and the Electric Samurai is an outstanding addition to an excellent series. I love the sophistication and complexity of this series, plus there are terrific archaeology hunts as well as plenty of paranormal. If you are on the hunt for a fun and exciting Urban Fantasy series, this is one to try. It has become a favorite of mine.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated fro this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
July 27, 2017
These Owl books keep getting better and better with each installment!
In this adventure Owl is subcontracted out by the Elves to obtain the Electric Samurai - a job Owl is non too pleased her Dragon employer has lent her out on. The more she researches this cursed object, the really less she wants this job.
The Electric Samurai is Owl's nickname for a very old piece of armour that seems to be able to think for itself. It is somehow able to bind itself to the person wearing it, and influence the person to heed to its every whim - mostly bloodshed and carnage. It quickly becomes apparent that the amour itself is calling to Owl and on top of that she soon discovers that there may be an ulterior motive as to why the Elves want this dangerous piece of history locked away.
On top of all that, Owl is trying to find the two creators of the famous RPG game, World Quest, that has also been a great help to Owl when she needed inspiration on what tombs to raid for her next gig. And if that's not enough, somehow these two seemingly different goals seem to be connected in non-other than the famed lost city Shangri-La.
Like I said, this is definitely the best book in the Owl series by far. There was a lot more character development for Alix, aka Owl - perhaps that was helped by the fact that Nadya was not really present in this book, which allowed Alix to make most of the calls herself. The only real complaint I had about this book, is that I still don't really like Rynn. He comes across as more of a parent like figure than a boyfriend. It seems all he does is argue against Alix wants to do, (albeit for good reasons most of the time) but I just don't read into their relationship as much as I know I should be.
I really hope Charish has something better planned for Carpe as well. I really like him, why does he have to do such stupid things all the time?! So frustrating!
I also really enjoyed Charish delving in to a fabled city. Shangri-La was a very interesting plot point, and probably my favourite part of this book. Charish is getting better and better with each book, and to leave this one off the way she did, (not really a cliff hanger per se, but still... ahhh!) I am hungry for the next one asap!!!
In this adventure Owl is subcontracted out by the Elves to obtain the Electric Samurai - a job Owl is non too pleased her Dragon employer has lent her out on. The more she researches this cursed object, the really less she wants this job.
The Electric Samurai is Owl's nickname for a very old piece of armour that seems to be able to think for itself. It is somehow able to bind itself to the person wearing it, and influence the person to heed to its every whim - mostly bloodshed and carnage. It quickly becomes apparent that the amour itself is calling to Owl and on top of that she soon discovers that there may be an ulterior motive as to why the Elves want this dangerous piece of history locked away.
On top of all that, Owl is trying to find the two creators of the famous RPG game, World Quest, that has also been a great help to Owl when she needed inspiration on what tombs to raid for her next gig. And if that's not enough, somehow these two seemingly different goals seem to be connected in non-other than the famed lost city Shangri-La.
Like I said, this is definitely the best book in the Owl series by far. There was a lot more character development for Alix, aka Owl - perhaps that was helped by the fact that Nadya was not really present in this book, which allowed Alix to make most of the calls herself. The only real complaint I had about this book, is that I still don't really like Rynn. He comes across as more of a parent like figure than a boyfriend. It seems all he does is argue against Alix wants to do, (albeit for good reasons most of the time) but I just don't read into their relationship as much as I know I should be.
I really hope Charish has something better planned for Carpe as well. I really like him, why does he have to do such stupid things all the time?! So frustrating!
I also really enjoyed Charish delving in to a fabled city. Shangri-La was a very interesting plot point, and probably my favourite part of this book. Charish is getting better and better with each book, and to leave this one off the way she did, (not really a cliff hanger per se, but still... ahhh!) I am hungry for the next one asap!!!
October 9, 2017
Kristi Charish has really evolved as a writer. The first two Owl books were fun, but definitely had their moments of novice writer syndrome. The Electric Samurai, on the other hand, is a fast-paced, fun urban fantasy with great character development that was an absolute pleasure to read! Owl is facing fallout from her actions during the previous books, and the supernatural war is heating up, affecting her life in ways that make Rynn quite crabby. There's a lot of fascinating adventuring and temple exploration as our protagonists try to find Shangri-la and a mysterious suit of armor that the elves want at the same time, and certain players have been taken off the game field, making Owl's life even more difficult than usual. Also, elves are terrible. Rynn is correct. Elves are literally the worst of all peoples. There's an absolute killer cliffhanger on this one as well, so now I am impatiently waiting for May 2018!
March 30, 2018
In this third book, Owl is still a disgruntled, dismayed, frequently clueless, misunderstood and disgraced anthropologist. She is an antiquities thief who can’t seem to avoid tripping over dangerous supernaturals. Owl is still working for a dragon, Mr. Kurosawa and his aide Lady Siyu. Alix seems a little less clueless in this book but still ends up in serious trouble. The bulk of the plot is centered around dealing with the Electric Samurai.
The author does a nice job setting the stage and introducing the protagonist as a bright, talented, strong and impulsive character. Luckily she has some level headed friends who bail her out of most of the jams she initiates. Rynn, incubus, is still on again and off again as Alix’s boyfriend. Captain, her Egyptian Mau cat proves that cats actually help with thievery. A hapless elf and the creators of a RPG also play a part in this story.
Owl seems to gather enemies like a dog boarded in a kennel gathers fleas. They seem to reproduce geometrically. She and Rynn are battling mercenaries as well as IAA thugs. Tombs and traps play a part in this book as well.
I enjoyed the character and the book.
The author does a nice job setting the stage and introducing the protagonist as a bright, talented, strong and impulsive character. Luckily she has some level headed friends who bail her out of most of the jams she initiates. Rynn, incubus, is still on again and off again as Alix’s boyfriend. Captain, her Egyptian Mau cat proves that cats actually help with thievery. A hapless elf and the creators of a RPG also play a part in this story.
Owl seems to gather enemies like a dog boarded in a kennel gathers fleas. They seem to reproduce geometrically. She and Rynn are battling mercenaries as well as IAA thugs. Tombs and traps play a part in this book as well.
I enjoyed the character and the book.
May 26, 2017
Reading Alix's third adventure reminded me of another Alex - Alex Verus. Both are mostly loners. Both can be assholes. Both are gray hats.
Owl is a very light grey. She has no problems lifting antiquities, but objects to violence - even learning to use a gun in self defense. Alex is a much darker gray. He doesn't mind killing. He gets mad that he feels like he's forced to kill.
I honestly prefer Alex in this case because it feels more emotionally honest. On the other hand, it feels like it's taking Owl a really long to get over the naivete that has always felt a little high for her character considering her line of work. That said, I definitely feel like she is growing and that growth is good to see. I still really liked the world and I love the connection of the growth of the world to World Quest and that you get to meet the creators.
This is a world that keeps getting richer as the plot gets deeper. I'm definitely looking to more of Owl's adventures, I just hope that she is willing to get a little more comfortable with that darker underside of the world she lives in, or it may not be believable that she keeps getting to live in it.
(Also, I still want a Captain. Because Captain is awesome <3)
Owl is a very light grey. She has no problems lifting antiquities, but objects to violence - even learning to use a gun in self defense. Alex is a much darker gray. He doesn't mind killing. He gets mad that he feels like he's forced to kill.
I honestly prefer Alex in this case because it feels more emotionally honest. On the other hand, it feels like it's taking Owl a really long to get over the naivete that has always felt a little high for her character considering her line of work. That said, I definitely feel like she is growing and that growth is good to see. I still really liked the world and I love the connection of the growth of the world to World Quest and that you get to meet the creators.
This is a world that keeps getting richer as the plot gets deeper. I'm definitely looking to more of Owl's adventures, I just hope that she is willing to get a little more comfortable with that darker underside of the world she lives in, or it may not be believable that she keeps getting to live in it.
(Also, I still want a Captain. Because Captain is awesome <3)
July 5, 2018
I like this series a lot, but this book ends on a cliffhanger, which I dislike. But everything leading up to the cliffhanger is interesting.
This one is about Owl (an antiquities thief/archaeologist employed by a dragon) hunting for a magical suit of armor, while also hunting for the World Quest game designers, while also hunting for Shangri-La, while also dodging mercenaries that the IAA have sicced on her.
This one is about Owl (an antiquities thief/archaeologist employed by a dragon) hunting for a magical suit of armor, while also hunting for the World Quest game designers, while also hunting for Shangri-La, while also dodging mercenaries that the IAA have sicced on her.
May 23, 2017
This is another action-packed entry into the series, possibly a little too action packed. While the overall plot thread regarding the supernatural war is advanced nicely.
Read the rest of this review plus other fine reviews and geeky news on FangirlNation
Read the rest of this review plus other fine reviews and geeky news on FangirlNation
May 23, 2017
This story is more toned down compared to the previous books! Good read! Interesting story of General Jebe!
September 10, 2025
These books are so fun! Next!
May 8, 2017
Owl and the Electric Samurai is book three in The Adventures of Owl series. I've really enjoyed all the action and adventure we've seen in this series so far so I knew I had to grab this book. A little refresher for this series is that Alix aka Owl is an antiquities thief, and she works for a dragon. He sends her on missions and she generally gets into a ton of trouble along the way.
We start off with Alix Hiboux on the hunt for an artifact. When she brings it back to Las Vegas and talks with her boss she finds out the elves are seeking her services in finding a piece of armor that has a nasty streak. Her missions are getting more and more difficult due to The International Archaeology Association (IAA) wanting her to find the designers of the video game she adores. They're the ones in charge of not letting the supernatural artifacts getting leaked to the public. They've already screwed Alix over before, though and they're now sending mercenaries because she's not doing as they bid. All roads are seeming to lead to Shangri-La and with the mercenaries tailing them everywhere they go it's not going to be an easy mission.
Owl and the Electric Samurai is a modern Indian Jane read with paranormal bits intertwined. I've come to really enjoy this series since the leading lady is a gamer and is trying to be something other than a no good antiquities thief. There's a bit of romance mixed into the story which I love but all the places Alix travels to gives me a serious case of wanderlust. This was an excellent addition to the series, we find out more about the duo behind the video game and how it's so eerily similar to where artifacts are hiding in real life. It does leave off with a new can of worms opened so I cannot wait to see what the next book brings us. If you're a fan of paranormal treasure hunter type stories you won't want to miss this series.
We start off with Alix Hiboux on the hunt for an artifact. When she brings it back to Las Vegas and talks with her boss she finds out the elves are seeking her services in finding a piece of armor that has a nasty streak. Her missions are getting more and more difficult due to The International Archaeology Association (IAA) wanting her to find the designers of the video game she adores. They're the ones in charge of not letting the supernatural artifacts getting leaked to the public. They've already screwed Alix over before, though and they're now sending mercenaries because she's not doing as they bid. All roads are seeming to lead to Shangri-La and with the mercenaries tailing them everywhere they go it's not going to be an easy mission.
Owl and the Electric Samurai is a modern Indian Jane read with paranormal bits intertwined. I've come to really enjoy this series since the leading lady is a gamer and is trying to be something other than a no good antiquities thief. There's a bit of romance mixed into the story which I love but all the places Alix travels to gives me a serious case of wanderlust. This was an excellent addition to the series, we find out more about the duo behind the video game and how it's so eerily similar to where artifacts are hiding in real life. It does leave off with a new can of worms opened so I cannot wait to see what the next book brings us. If you're a fan of paranormal treasure hunter type stories you won't want to miss this series.
May 14, 2017
Fun and original plot, fast pace, good "world" building, mostly good characters, although I'm getting a little tired of Owl's extraordinary bad temper--she's getting so far beyond "fiesty" that she has tipped over into unpleasant much of the time
July 24, 2022
Holy Moley a lot went wrong in this book!
May 6, 2017
3.5 stars.
So far I’ve been loving this series, the mix of magic and history and archeology has made for a seriously enjoyable couple of books so far. They’ve been fun and frantic and I love Owl and her slightly skewed ethical view of the world. Which meant I was excited to read this, especially when the blurb had me anticipating action in Tokyo against an Electric Samurai(!).
Except there is no action in Tokyo and the Electric Samurai is actually what Owl spends most of the book looking for. So adjust your expectations down from civil war chaos to an increasingly pressurised pursuit of objects and people while opponents gang up to collectively breathe down Owl’s neck as usual.
But it wasn’t just the blurb that was slightly off for me – Rynn didn’t feel quite right either. There’s clearly a lot going on with him, but even though Owl notices, she doesn’t seem to care. And that drove me nuts. There’s at least one conversation that Owl should have pushed for more details on, but she doesn’t. She shrugs, thinking he’ll talk to her when he feels like it. Which is not how either of these people work. It just made Owl seem massively self-centred. She only cares about what’s directly in front of her, ignoring the fact that Nadya (her one real friend) is clearly in trouble in Tokyo, danger isn’t just circling around her but Rynn as well, the elves are obviously up to something and everything keeps going wrong.
Owl is always impulsive and prone to recklessness, but she’s never seemed so flat and careless before. I didn’t feel any emotional connection between her and Rynn in this book. For the most part they don’t even seem to like each other and Rynn was only following her around because it’s become a habit.
Thank goodness for Captain. I love his mercilessly destructive little soul. At least Owl still cares about him. I also enjoyed her regular sparring sessions against Lady Siyu. Those are always entertaining and Captain vs Lady Siyu is even better.
The action is as interesting as ever, balancing moments of danger and peril against mystery and fact-finding missions. The search for Shangri-La and the battle against the IAA continues against the backdrop of elvish interference and a search for a magical suit of armour. However, unlike the previous books which were somewhat self-contained, this book is clearly laying the foundations for further trouble to come. It’s also lacking in the fun and humour I’ve come to love in this series. It’s still readable, but the tone is somewhat darker, posing more moral and ethical questions, and threatening the fate of the whole world.
So it wasn’t what I was expecting. I still liked it enough to want to continue with the series, but the change in tone meant that the ending didn’t have quite the emotional impact on me it should have. Even so, I’ll be keeping an eye out for the next book, especially after that epilogue.
(ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.)
So far I’ve been loving this series, the mix of magic and history and archeology has made for a seriously enjoyable couple of books so far. They’ve been fun and frantic and I love Owl and her slightly skewed ethical view of the world. Which meant I was excited to read this, especially when the blurb had me anticipating action in Tokyo against an Electric Samurai(!).
Except there is no action in Tokyo and the Electric Samurai is actually what Owl spends most of the book looking for. So adjust your expectations down from civil war chaos to an increasingly pressurised pursuit of objects and people while opponents gang up to collectively breathe down Owl’s neck as usual.
But it wasn’t just the blurb that was slightly off for me – Rynn didn’t feel quite right either. There’s clearly a lot going on with him, but even though Owl notices, she doesn’t seem to care. And that drove me nuts. There’s at least one conversation that Owl should have pushed for more details on, but she doesn’t. She shrugs, thinking he’ll talk to her when he feels like it. Which is not how either of these people work. It just made Owl seem massively self-centred. She only cares about what’s directly in front of her, ignoring the fact that Nadya (her one real friend) is clearly in trouble in Tokyo, danger isn’t just circling around her but Rynn as well, the elves are obviously up to something and everything keeps going wrong.
Owl is always impulsive and prone to recklessness, but she’s never seemed so flat and careless before. I didn’t feel any emotional connection between her and Rynn in this book. For the most part they don’t even seem to like each other and Rynn was only following her around because it’s become a habit.
Thank goodness for Captain. I love his mercilessly destructive little soul. At least Owl still cares about him. I also enjoyed her regular sparring sessions against Lady Siyu. Those are always entertaining and Captain vs Lady Siyu is even better.
The action is as interesting as ever, balancing moments of danger and peril against mystery and fact-finding missions. The search for Shangri-La and the battle against the IAA continues against the backdrop of elvish interference and a search for a magical suit of armour. However, unlike the previous books which were somewhat self-contained, this book is clearly laying the foundations for further trouble to come. It’s also lacking in the fun and humour I’ve come to love in this series. It’s still readable, but the tone is somewhat darker, posing more moral and ethical questions, and threatening the fate of the whole world.
So it wasn’t what I was expecting. I still liked it enough to want to continue with the series, but the change in tone meant that the ending didn’t have quite the emotional impact on me it should have. Even so, I’ll be keeping an eye out for the next book, especially after that epilogue.
(ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.)
September 3, 2022
The third book in The Adventures of Owl is, in a word, the most significant entry in the series to date. So much of what's been hinted and teased comes to the forefront here with a story that offers up equal measures of character building, world building, and plot development. Kristi Charish has really upped the ante here, and it pays off.
The first thing you'll notice about Owl and the Electric Samurai is that it is neither as frantic nor as fun as its predecessors. This is a slower, more deliberate tale, and one that carries a heavy weight in terms of its stakes for all involved. For that reason, it's also neither as friendly nor as romantic. Sure, the usual cast of supporting characters is there, namely Rynn and Carpe, but there is an emotional distance between them all that is borne out of fear, paranoia, and desperation.
Not only does Owl have lingering tensions with Lady Siyu to deal with, but International Archaeology Association (IAA) is playing hardball, the elves have put her in an impossible position, and the cursed (possibly sentient) armor know as the Electric Samurai has placed its own claim on our heroine. Placed in an impossible situation, it seems as if any action she takes to deal with one issue only increases the pressure of the others.
In terms of world-building, Owl and the Electric Samurai has a lot to offer. We get insights into Rynn's past, as well as his history with the elves; we learn more about supernatural politics than you'd ever imagine possible; and we get some significant revelations about World Quest and its creators. Readers who have been waiting for answers will find many of them here but, of course, they will also find new - and often bigger - questions as a result. The real-life archaeological set-pieces are a bit simpler this time around, but they are balanced with the fantastical details of Shangri-La. Heavy the story may be, full of plots and threats around every corner, but Charish never loses her ability to astound.
The climax here is everything fans could hope for, but it comes at a steep price. There are hard choices and real threats in the final chapters, all leading up to a major development for one character, and an even bigger cliff-hanger. Owl and the Electric Samurai may promise a lot, juggling all its myriad conflicts, but it also delivers. This volume feels like a real game-changer, and I suspect the upcoming Owl and the Tiger Thieves will take things even further.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
The first thing you'll notice about Owl and the Electric Samurai is that it is neither as frantic nor as fun as its predecessors. This is a slower, more deliberate tale, and one that carries a heavy weight in terms of its stakes for all involved. For that reason, it's also neither as friendly nor as romantic. Sure, the usual cast of supporting characters is there, namely Rynn and Carpe, but there is an emotional distance between them all that is borne out of fear, paranoia, and desperation.
Not only does Owl have lingering tensions with Lady Siyu to deal with, but International Archaeology Association (IAA) is playing hardball, the elves have put her in an impossible position, and the cursed (possibly sentient) armor know as the Electric Samurai has placed its own claim on our heroine. Placed in an impossible situation, it seems as if any action she takes to deal with one issue only increases the pressure of the others.
In terms of world-building, Owl and the Electric Samurai has a lot to offer. We get insights into Rynn's past, as well as his history with the elves; we learn more about supernatural politics than you'd ever imagine possible; and we get some significant revelations about World Quest and its creators. Readers who have been waiting for answers will find many of them here but, of course, they will also find new - and often bigger - questions as a result. The real-life archaeological set-pieces are a bit simpler this time around, but they are balanced with the fantastical details of Shangri-La. Heavy the story may be, full of plots and threats around every corner, but Charish never loses her ability to astound.
The climax here is everything fans could hope for, but it comes at a steep price. There are hard choices and real threats in the final chapters, all leading up to a major development for one character, and an even bigger cliff-hanger. Owl and the Electric Samurai may promise a lot, juggling all its myriad conflicts, but it also delivers. This volume feels like a real game-changer, and I suspect the upcoming Owl and the Tiger Thieves will take things even further.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for review consideration. This does not in any way affect the honesty or sincerity of my review.
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