What do you think?
Rate this book
Valkyrie Collections #1
Uncanny Collateral
Alek Fitz is a reaper, a collection agent who works for the supernatural elements of the world, tracking down debtors and solving problems for clients as diverse as the Lords of Hell, vampires, Haitian loa, and goblins. He’s even worked for the Tooth Fairy on occasion. Based out of Cleveland, Ohio, Alek is the best in the game. As a literal slave to his job, he doesn’t have a choice. When Death comes looking for someone to track down a thief, Alek is flung into a mess of vengeful undead, supernatural bureaucracy, and a fledgling imp war. As the consequences of failure become dire, he has few leads, and the clock is ticking. Only with the help of his friend Maggie—an ancient djinn with a complex past—can he hope to recover the stolen property, save the world, and just maybe wring a favor out of the Great Constant himself. It’s a hell of a job, but somebody’s got to do it . . .
145 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2019
431 people are currently reading
4367 people want to read
About the author
Brian McClellan
35 books8,732 followersBrian McClellan is an American epic fantasy author from Cleveland, Ohio. He is known for his acclaimed Powder Mage Universe and essays on the life and business of being a writer.
Brian now lives on the side of a mountain in Utah with his wife, Michele, where he writes books and nurses a crippling video game addiction.
Brian's novels include the Powder Mage Trilogy (Promise of Blood, The Crimson Campaign, and The Autumn Republic), Gods of Blood and Powder (Sins of Empire, Wrath of Empire, and Blood of Empire), and Valkyrie Collections (Uncanny Collateral)
Brian now lives on the side of a mountain in Utah with his wife, Michele, where he writes books and nurses a crippling video game addiction.
Brian's novels include the Powder Mage Trilogy (Promise of Blood, The Crimson Campaign, and The Autumn Republic), Gods of Blood and Powder (Sins of Empire, Wrath of Empire, and Blood of Empire), and Valkyrie Collections (Uncanny Collateral)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 372 reviews
January 11, 2020
A decent urban fantasy; for those who follow the field, I’d say better than the first books in the Dresden series and on par with the Iron Druid series. McLellan has been writing a while, so this is definitely not the work of an inexperienced writer. The pace starts off running and doesn't let up. Characterization is decent, although given there are essentially two main characters, Alek and Maggie, that's a reasonable expectation. It does explore a different group of urban fantasy creatures than are normally seen, which is intriguing. The hero, Alek, is half-troll, his bestie is a trapped djinn, there's a number of imps, along with few other creeps. An appearance by Death is particularly nicely done.
There are touches of humor: since the djinn, Maggie, has a telepathic connection with Alek, there's steady banter between the two. It gives the feel of Dresden and the skull, or Hearne's druid and his dog. Could banter be a genre requirement?
However, I'm not sure that the idea of the 'OtherOps,' or the police for the Others, quite makes sense, nor why our hero would still be allowed to be a contract slave in context of a legal society. But honestly, it wasn't the kind of book that I was intending to read closely; I was using some brainless reading time on Kindle unlimited account. Good diversion.
There are touches of humor: since the djinn, Maggie, has a telepathic connection with Alek, there's steady banter between the two. It gives the feel of Dresden and the skull, or Hearne's druid and his dog. Could banter be a genre requirement?
However, I'm not sure that the idea of the 'OtherOps,' or the police for the Others, quite makes sense, nor why our hero would still be allowed to be a contract slave in context of a legal society. But honestly, it wasn't the kind of book that I was intending to read closely; I was using some brainless reading time on Kindle unlimited account. Good diversion.
March 28, 2025
Introducing…boyfriend #12,245!!!! (Or is it #16,759? Sigh…It gets so hard to keep track of them all these days. Oh well, tough job, someone’s got to do it and all that crap.)
So. My new boyfriend is Slightly Very Delicious (SVD™). His name is Alek Fitz (which is not a mightily titillating name, I concur, but there you have it and stuff). Alek is a mixed-blood Troll. Who tends to grow tusks in the heat of, um, battle. (Which, although not as tantalizing as, say, tentacles, is weirdly, um, stimulating.) So I say yum and stuff.
Also, Alek’s got Super Extra Handy Tattoos (SEHT™) that would make both sillyChris Hemsworth Thor and Kate Daniel’s ever-barfing dog sexey as all get-out Grendel awfully jealous. (Hell, they even make me jealous, and our lord shrimp knows I’m plenty destructive enough as it is, and sure don’t need extra firepower to slaughter my way through the world.) So yum again.
Then there’s this:
No, thou art not dreaming, My Tiny Decapods, Alek is indeed really truly a bearded Mary Poppins! (He is somewhat a little bit much hotter than the original, too. Well I have nothing against Julie Andrews, but, um, well, you know, stuff and stuff. Glad we cleared that up.) Anyhoo and stuff, triple yum, I say!
And you know what one of the coolest things about Alek is? This:
YES!!! He’s got his very owngenie Jinn in a bottle ring! Her name is Jeannie Maggie and she doesn’t grant wishes! Because she’s, you know, NOT a genie! She’s a bloody shrimping jinn and stuff! Which is much much much more tubular, if you ask me. Besides, she’s got that telepathy thing going, which makes for quite tasty dialogues between Alek and her. So, time for quadruple yum, methinks.
Okay, let’s recap for a sec here. So we’ve got a considerably edible guy withkinky delightful physical attributes and indecently scrumptious most useful skin décor. He’s got a few tricks down his magic carpet bag wallet, and ancient-cool-chick-embedded jewellery a wonderfully exotic sidekick. But you know one of the things I lurves more about him? He went to the Kate Daniels School of Crafty Sleuthing (KDSoCS™). Yes, he did. Consequently, his chosen method of investigation is to “poke it with a stick until it decides to come out and play”. Quintuple yum, this obviously calls for. Also,
Anything else to report, you ask? Oh, I don’t know. A brilliantly refreshing, lusciously original world-building, you mean? HA! This doesn’t happen very often in the been-there-read-that-300-bloody-fishing-times-already world of Urban Fantasy, does it now?! Well HA again! Because it does happen here. I won’t tell you about the story becausethat’s what blurbs and other reviewers are for, remember? reasons, but I’ll tell you this: the creatures and characters and pets and whatever and everything in this world? YUM⁶, I say! We’ve got trolls (DUH) and jinns (double DUH) and imps and goblins and ghouls (some of them 80s fans, bless their little ghoulish hearts), oh my! (There are also vamps, but it is a truth universally acknowledge that vamps are wimps, ergo they don’t count.) Then there’s also Ferryman Death, who’s one of the coolest dudes ever. And, get this, Hell is run by a bunch of capitalistic pricks! 👋 waves at Lucy (Lucifer is really a woman!!!! HA! Knew it!), Satan, Mammon, Belphegor, Leviathan & and their evil corp-managing friends 👋 Isn't that gloriously glorious?!
It’s such a relief to know I can always count on you to support me, Spockie Dear.
➽ Nefarious Last Words (NLW™): I hear that my evil twin gave Brian McClellan’s Promise of Blood a despicable 2-star rating (please don't hate her, she was young and naive when she read the book wrong). A good thing I'm here to right this most disgraceful, vile, shameful wrong. Go me and stuff, I say.
P.S. Bloody shrimping hell of the stinking fish, I almost forgot! Alek Fitz = MINE MINE MINE. So Poof! Gone! High Security Harem! and stuff.
· Book 2: Blood Tally ★★★★
[Pre-review nonsense]
Bloody shrimping hell of the thinking fish, I think I just got my little self a new boyfriend! And he's a regular Mary Poppins, too! And a trollish one at that!
Review to come and stuff.
So. My new boyfriend is Slightly Very Delicious (SVD™). His name is Alek Fitz (which is not a mightily titillating name, I concur, but there you have it and stuff). Alek is a mixed-blood Troll. Who tends to grow tusks in the heat of, um, battle. (Which, although not as tantalizing as, say, tentacles, is weirdly, um, stimulating.) So I say yum and stuff.
Also, Alek’s got Super Extra Handy Tattoos (SEHT™) that would make both silly
Then there’s this:
No, thou art not dreaming, My Tiny Decapods, Alek is indeed really truly a bearded Mary Poppins! (He is somewhat a little bit much hotter than the original, too. Well I have nothing against Julie Andrews, but, um, well, you know, stuff and stuff. Glad we cleared that up.) Anyhoo and stuff, triple yum, I say!
And you know what one of the coolest things about Alek is? This:
YES!!! He’s got his very own
Okay, let’s recap for a sec here. So we’ve got a considerably edible guy with
Anything else to report, you ask? Oh, I don’t know. A brilliantly refreshing, lusciously original world-building, you mean? HA! This doesn’t happen very often in the been-there-read-that-300-bloody-fishing-times-already world of Urban Fantasy, does it now?! Well HA again! Because it does happen here. I won’t tell you about the story because
It’s such a relief to know I can always count on you to support me, Spockie Dear.
➽ Nefarious Last Words (NLW™): I hear that my evil twin gave Brian McClellan’s Promise of Blood a despicable 2-star rating (please don't hate her, she was young and naive when she read the book wrong). A good thing I'm here to right this most disgraceful, vile, shameful wrong. Go me and stuff, I say.
P.S. Bloody shrimping hell of the stinking fish, I almost forgot! Alek Fitz = MINE MINE MINE. So Poof! Gone! High Security Harem! and stuff.
· Book 2: Blood Tally ★★★★
[Pre-review nonsense]
Bloody shrimping hell of the thinking fish, I think I just got my little self a new boyfriend! And he's a regular Mary Poppins, too! And a trollish one at that!
Review to come and stuff.
April 3, 2019
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Uncanny Collateral is an entertaining, fast-paced urban fantasy novella that packed a surprising amount of character development for its size.
McClellan was best known for his Powder Mage trilogy which I've thoroughly enjoyed. His ongoing Gods of Blood and Powder trilogy which is based off the same world is reputedly even better than his debut efforts but I've yet to read them; something which I intend to rectify sometime in the future. If this novella was anything to go by, his writing now has an even more natural and practised ease that flows and ebbs with the story. In Powder Mage, the writing was slightly clunkier in the first book, but improvements were noticeable as we progressed to the third one.
In Uncanny Collateral, I didn't notice the writing at all, which to me is a good thing. Prose should either stand-out for being beautiful or impactful, or disappear into the storytelling altogether. Usually, when I say a book is easy to read, I don't mean that it is simple in the sense of low intelligence, but in that, it is not embellished or overly complicated until it detracts from the story. Of course, urban fantasy tended to be easier to read, and I liked how McClellan managed to fit his writing to the urban setting and faster-paced narrative.
There had been a lot of great novellas in recent years. Straddling between a short story and a novel, the length of a novella provides a nice not-so-little diversion from bigger fantasy reads. I don't doubt for a moment though that novellas can be tricky to write; to achieve balance between worldbuilding, plot and character development with significantly fewer words. Which means numerous subplots and a large cast of characters are a no-no. In this respect, I will say that McClellan's first novella effort was a commendable one with superb pacing, lively action and excellent character development.
In this case, the debt is a human soul owed to one of the many Lords of Hell; souls traded in return for human desires such as power, wealth or success. And hence, why our main protagonist's job is called reaping. This does not mean that the human will die once his or her soul has been collected; it merely leaves the person rather empty inside (yeah, well, that is a bit of an understatement). The plot is pretty straightforward as the chief reaper himself sought out the help of Valkyrie Collections to help investigate a recent slew of missing souls, which is causing a lot of problems in hell. Alek was put on the case; together with his secret sidekick, Maggie, an ancient djinn who lived in a ring.
In spite of having fewer words to work with, we do get enough of Alek's backstory to empathise with him and how he became a reaper. His characterisation was crafted seamlessly into the flow of events and his interactions with Maggie and other individuals without breaking the momentum in the story. The dialogue and banter were enjoyable and felt uncontrived. I especially loved the scenes between Alek and Death.
The worldbuilding itself was fascinating. We are talking about an earth where humans and the supernatural (termed the Others) co-exist under specific Rules and contracts. We get imps, goblins, vampires, djinns and even Death himself. Even Alek is a half-troll, half-human, which certainly made him more interesting. There also seemed to be a not-so-subtle jab at capitalism with the notion that the various Lords of Hell run most of the big corporations.
Uncanny Collateral is an excellent urban fantasy debut by an author who has already proven adept at epic fantasy. I will read the second book in a heartbeat. I also found out the audiobook is narrated by the incredibly talented Luke Daniels; there is no one better suited for fast-paced UF filled with banter and action.
You can order a copy of the ebook and audiobook via Amazon US | Amazon UK.
You can also find this, and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
Uncanny Collateral is an entertaining, fast-paced urban fantasy novella that packed a surprising amount of character development for its size.
McClellan was best known for his Powder Mage trilogy which I've thoroughly enjoyed. His ongoing Gods of Blood and Powder trilogy which is based off the same world is reputedly even better than his debut efforts but I've yet to read them; something which I intend to rectify sometime in the future. If this novella was anything to go by, his writing now has an even more natural and practised ease that flows and ebbs with the story. In Powder Mage, the writing was slightly clunkier in the first book, but improvements were noticeable as we progressed to the third one.
In Uncanny Collateral, I didn't notice the writing at all, which to me is a good thing. Prose should either stand-out for being beautiful or impactful, or disappear into the storytelling altogether. Usually, when I say a book is easy to read, I don't mean that it is simple in the sense of low intelligence, but in that, it is not embellished or overly complicated until it detracts from the story. Of course, urban fantasy tended to be easier to read, and I liked how McClellan managed to fit his writing to the urban setting and faster-paced narrative.
There had been a lot of great novellas in recent years. Straddling between a short story and a novel, the length of a novella provides a nice not-so-little diversion from bigger fantasy reads. I don't doubt for a moment though that novellas can be tricky to write; to achieve balance between worldbuilding, plot and character development with significantly fewer words. Which means numerous subplots and a large cast of characters are a no-no. In this respect, I will say that McClellan's first novella effort was a commendable one with superb pacing, lively action and excellent character development.
"My name is Alek Fitz. I'm a reaper for Valkyrie Collections, and I've come to collect your debt."
In this case, the debt is a human soul owed to one of the many Lords of Hell; souls traded in return for human desires such as power, wealth or success. And hence, why our main protagonist's job is called reaping. This does not mean that the human will die once his or her soul has been collected; it merely leaves the person rather empty inside (yeah, well, that is a bit of an understatement). The plot is pretty straightforward as the chief reaper himself sought out the help of Valkyrie Collections to help investigate a recent slew of missing souls, which is causing a lot of problems in hell. Alek was put on the case; together with his secret sidekick, Maggie, an ancient djinn who lived in a ring.
In spite of having fewer words to work with, we do get enough of Alek's backstory to empathise with him and how he became a reaper. His characterisation was crafted seamlessly into the flow of events and his interactions with Maggie and other individuals without breaking the momentum in the story. The dialogue and banter were enjoyable and felt uncontrived. I especially loved the scenes between Alek and Death.
The worldbuilding itself was fascinating. We are talking about an earth where humans and the supernatural (termed the Others) co-exist under specific Rules and contracts. We get imps, goblins, vampires, djinns and even Death himself. Even Alek is a half-troll, half-human, which certainly made him more interesting. There also seemed to be a not-so-subtle jab at capitalism with the notion that the various Lords of Hell run most of the big corporations.
Uncanny Collateral is an excellent urban fantasy debut by an author who has already proven adept at epic fantasy. I will read the second book in a heartbeat. I also found out the audiobook is narrated by the incredibly talented Luke Daniels; there is no one better suited for fast-paced UF filled with banter and action.
You can order a copy of the ebook and audiobook via Amazon US | Amazon UK.
You can also find this, and my other reviews at Novel Notions.
February 4, 2020
Alek Fitz works for Valkyrie Collections, based in northern Ohio near Cleveland. You may not have heard of Valkyrie Collections, run by his boss, Ada. That’s because we are in a parallel world in contemporary times. (Or, for those of you with paranormal senses, just a documentary of what is really happening in Ohio.)
Alek is a “reaper,” following up on those who have sold their souls but just “forgotten” to keep their part of the deal. Alex is a twenty-eight year old guy with the normal urges but his genome contains some mixed blood…….actually some troll blood; something that provides him with some extra muscle and quicker reactions. When he goes into combat, his lower teeth often morph into sabre tusks. Another asset is that he wears a ring (actually, it doesn’t seem to come off) that contains a seven-hundred-year-old jinn. She (definitely a she) gives him all sorts of advice which my GR friend, carol, says “… gives the feel of Dresden and the skull, or Hearne's druid and his dog." To me, it more resembles the relationship between Glen Cook’s Garrett and the Dead Man.
Alek’s world has a number of average creatures, such as imps, and goblins. McClellan makes them interesting and his imagination in “world-building” and “monster infestation” is one of the highlights of this read.
Most of Uncanny Collateral is about having Death as a client. Death, or as he likes to be called, “the Ferryman,” has an unusual task for Alek: Find out who is stealing souls. This would normally be a job for the government bureaucrats known as OtherOps. But, I will let Alek comment on them and on his work.
"It had never even occurred to me that they could be stolen. “It is possible,” Ferryman answered, “and it has happened.” “Is there an illicit trade in souls?” “There isn’t. The souls literally don’t have value in this life. Once they’ve been reunited with the shade and move on as part of the whole spirit, then they have value. The reason you have a job,” he said, pointing one long finger at me, “is because the physical possession of a soul upon the death of the mortal vessel is extremely important in determining where the spirit winds up.”"
"Most OtherOps agents will do anything to fuck with reapers. They resent us because we’re better-paid independent contractors who can get away with murder. We resent them because they have better work hours, government job security, and can get away with murder."
"Ada wasn’t shy about sending me on the most dangerous jobs—it’s why she bought a troll-blooded child two decades ago, after all. The fact that Death had involved himself personally meant that this could get hairy—really hairy—and I couldn’t help but wonder how many details he was hiding from me."
All of these characters, and plot elements are well thought out. Alek is a lonely character who has few friends but they are critical to his success. The dialogue is snappy and the action is fast. This isn’t a short story, but I breezed through it in a day.
Thank you, carol, for pointing me in this direction.
Alek is a “reaper,” following up on those who have sold their souls but just “forgotten” to keep their part of the deal. Alex is a twenty-eight year old guy with the normal urges but his genome contains some mixed blood…….actually some troll blood; something that provides him with some extra muscle and quicker reactions. When he goes into combat, his lower teeth often morph into sabre tusks. Another asset is that he wears a ring (actually, it doesn’t seem to come off) that contains a seven-hundred-year-old jinn. She (definitely a she) gives him all sorts of advice which my GR friend, carol, says “… gives the feel of Dresden and the skull, or Hearne's druid and his dog." To me, it more resembles the relationship between Glen Cook’s Garrett and the Dead Man.
Alek’s world has a number of average creatures, such as imps, and goblins. McClellan makes them interesting and his imagination in “world-building” and “monster infestation” is one of the highlights of this read.
Most of Uncanny Collateral is about having Death as a client. Death, or as he likes to be called, “the Ferryman,” has an unusual task for Alek: Find out who is stealing souls. This would normally be a job for the government bureaucrats known as OtherOps. But, I will let Alek comment on them and on his work.
"It had never even occurred to me that they could be stolen. “It is possible,” Ferryman answered, “and it has happened.” “Is there an illicit trade in souls?” “There isn’t. The souls literally don’t have value in this life. Once they’ve been reunited with the shade and move on as part of the whole spirit, then they have value. The reason you have a job,” he said, pointing one long finger at me, “is because the physical possession of a soul upon the death of the mortal vessel is extremely important in determining where the spirit winds up.”"
"Most OtherOps agents will do anything to fuck with reapers. They resent us because we’re better-paid independent contractors who can get away with murder. We resent them because they have better work hours, government job security, and can get away with murder."
"Ada wasn’t shy about sending me on the most dangerous jobs—it’s why she bought a troll-blooded child two decades ago, after all. The fact that Death had involved himself personally meant that this could get hairy—really hairy—and I couldn’t help but wonder how many details he was hiding from me."
All of these characters, and plot elements are well thought out. Alek is a lonely character who has few friends but they are critical to his success. The dialogue is snappy and the action is fast. This isn’t a short story, but I breezed through it in a day.
Thank you, carol, for pointing me in this direction.
March 10, 2021
This Review ✍️ Blog 📖 Twitter 🐦 Instagram 📷 Support me ☕
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
I reviewed this together with book 2 on my blog.
Or check my review of book 2 here
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
I reviewed this together with book 2 on my blog.
Or check my review of book 2 here
February 25, 2019
Brian McClellan is primarily known for his Powder Mage series. I haven’t read it yet, but if Uncanny Collateral is indicative of McClellan’s writing style, I have some catching up to do.
Alek Fitz works as a Reaper - he tracks down debtors and solves various supernatural problems. He’s well equipped for the task - as a tall, strong guy covered in magical tattoos giving him cool (and lethal) powers he commands respect. When a fight starts, Alek turns into an animal. Well, mostly. His ancestors mixed with Trolls, and such genetic heritage gives Alek cool upgrades like strong retractable tusks and preternatural strength. He also wears a ring in which lives a powerful djinni - Maggie. All things considered, Alek has a lot of raw power and magical tricks up his sleeves.
It makes him fit for the most challenging jobs and when Death himself approaches his boss - Ada, she flings him into a case unlike any other. He has to recover stolen souls, survive a fledgling imp war and save the world. Easy.
In just 150 pages, Uncanny Collateral throws the reader into a relentless, straightforward action. Thanks to an excellent pacing and fun twists it’ll keep you glued to the pages. It doesn’t treat itself too seriously, and that makes it even more fun. I mean, imagine a half-blood Troll covered in magical tattoos (including Mjolnir that, when activated, allows him to punch through stuff, bodies included) riding a truck and smoking cigars. His best friend is a female Djinni trapped in a ring on his finger. They exchange quality telepathic banter all the time and their relationship is the highlight of the book.
I liked Alek as a protagonist - he’s dangerous but he’s not an assassin or a thug. Troll blood flows in his veins and makes him prone to the outbursts of a berserk rage in times of danger, but it doesn't define him. He remains likeable and caring. Both he and Maggie have secrets, hinted here and there. I can’t wait to explore them in the sequels. We learn enough to understand what’s going on, but not enough to feel overhelmed with the details. Secondary characters and the world entertain as well. McClellan has a knack for characterisation - he introduces a retired and greedy angel, Death who looks almost like Keith Richardss, and pissed undead.
I loved it. I feel tired of oversized epics with billions of POV characters and convoluted plots. I crave good entertainment and McClellan delivers precisely this. Uncanny Collateral is short, entertaining and fast-paced. It ends with no cliffhanger, but with enough hooks to make me impatiently await the sequel.
ARC through Fantasy Book Critic. Uncanny Collateral is scheduled for release on April 2nd.
Alek Fitz works as a Reaper - he tracks down debtors and solves various supernatural problems. He’s well equipped for the task - as a tall, strong guy covered in magical tattoos giving him cool (and lethal) powers he commands respect. When a fight starts, Alek turns into an animal. Well, mostly. His ancestors mixed with Trolls, and such genetic heritage gives Alek cool upgrades like strong retractable tusks and preternatural strength. He also wears a ring in which lives a powerful djinni - Maggie. All things considered, Alek has a lot of raw power and magical tricks up his sleeves.
It makes him fit for the most challenging jobs and when Death himself approaches his boss - Ada, she flings him into a case unlike any other. He has to recover stolen souls, survive a fledgling imp war and save the world. Easy.
In just 150 pages, Uncanny Collateral throws the reader into a relentless, straightforward action. Thanks to an excellent pacing and fun twists it’ll keep you glued to the pages. It doesn’t treat itself too seriously, and that makes it even more fun. I mean, imagine a half-blood Troll covered in magical tattoos (including Mjolnir that, when activated, allows him to punch through stuff, bodies included) riding a truck and smoking cigars. His best friend is a female Djinni trapped in a ring on his finger. They exchange quality telepathic banter all the time and their relationship is the highlight of the book.
I liked Alek as a protagonist - he’s dangerous but he’s not an assassin or a thug. Troll blood flows in his veins and makes him prone to the outbursts of a berserk rage in times of danger, but it doesn't define him. He remains likeable and caring. Both he and Maggie have secrets, hinted here and there. I can’t wait to explore them in the sequels. We learn enough to understand what’s going on, but not enough to feel overhelmed with the details. Secondary characters and the world entertain as well. McClellan has a knack for characterisation - he introduces a retired and greedy angel, Death who looks almost like Keith Richardss, and pissed undead.
I loved it. I feel tired of oversized epics with billions of POV characters and convoluted plots. I crave good entertainment and McClellan delivers precisely this. Uncanny Collateral is short, entertaining and fast-paced. It ends with no cliffhanger, but with enough hooks to make me impatiently await the sequel.
ARC through Fantasy Book Critic. Uncanny Collateral is scheduled for release on April 2nd.
February 3, 2019
Yea, so I read the ARC and this is a honest review as always
So, Urban fantasy from Brian McClellan; when I saw his tweet, I was 'gimme'! Now that I have read it, I feel a bit unsatisfied.
On the one hand, the story is fine and the writing is excellent. On the other, it is pretty obvious that there is still a long way to go before we can actually start enjoying this series. The characters and world building need more depth before the series can start approaching something like a Dresden Files. I would have given this book 4 stars instead of 3, if there were a little bit more oomph to the story.
The pacing is excellent and this (along with the short book length) ensured that I finished the book in a single sitting. This makes the book excellent commute/travel material. The characters are interesting but, like I mentioned before, we will need more books before we can truly start to appreciate them. In terms of feel and general main character vibe, think of this as a cross between Harry Dresden and Sandman Slim.
In conclusion, Uncanny Collateral is a good first book, the series shows a lot of potential and I will be waiting to read the next book in the series.
So, Urban fantasy from Brian McClellan; when I saw his tweet, I was 'gimme'! Now that I have read it, I feel a bit unsatisfied.
On the one hand, the story is fine and the writing is excellent. On the other, it is pretty obvious that there is still a long way to go before we can actually start enjoying this series. The characters and world building need more depth before the series can start approaching something like a Dresden Files. I would have given this book 4 stars instead of 3, if there were a little bit more oomph to the story.
The pacing is excellent and this (along with the short book length) ensured that I finished the book in a single sitting. This makes the book excellent commute/travel material. The characters are interesting but, like I mentioned before, we will need more books before we can truly start to appreciate them. In terms of feel and general main character vibe, think of this as a cross between Harry Dresden and Sandman Slim.
In conclusion, Uncanny Collateral is a good first book, the series shows a lot of potential and I will be waiting to read the next book in the series.
June 17, 2019
Uncanny Collateral by Brian McClellan and narrated by Luke Daniels is a unique fantasy novel about a dealer that is half troll and he has a djinn in his ring! How cool is that? In this strange world, there are all kinds of creatures, it really is exciting! Our half troll reaper is given a job by Death to track down over 200 missing souls. Now this is one back of a story involving imps, shape shifters, and more! Action packed and full of unique imagination!
If course with Luke Daniels as the narrator, the narration is totally awesome!
If course with Luke Daniels as the narrator, the narration is totally awesome!
October 7, 2019
As always this review can also be found on my blog The tattooed Book Geek: https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress...
Uncanny Collateral is written in the first-person from the perspective of Alek Fitz, the lead reaper (debt collector) at Valkyrie Collections in Cleveland, a debt collection agency for the supernatural (Others).
As a reaper, Alek collects the debts owed to the clients of Valkyrie Collections. Mostly, he collects the souls of those who have sold them in deals (for things like fame, wealth, a new motorcycle, etc) and have reneged on the deal.
After his latest reaping, Alek is called into the office by his boss, Ada for a side job that needs to be handled discreetly so that it doesn’t get out to the wider world. Souls are going missing, being stolen from the Lords of Hell (who are like corporations that run soul trading businesses) and Death/Ferryman (who looks like Keith Richards and is likeable) wants Alek to find out who is stealing the souls, why they are stealing them and stop them.
Alek is a slave to his job, he is owned by Ada who purchased him as a child. He isn’t all human, he is part troll (he has retractable tusks and toughened skin) and a big muscled guy who has magically-infused tattoos and a variety of powers. When he gets into a fight the troll berserker in him unleashes making him one tough SOB who is more than capable of handling himself and laying the smackdown.
A few years ago, back when Alek was a younger and more naive reaper he put on a ring that he found in a debtor’s collection box and the ring. That ring can’t be removed from his finger and contains Maggie, an ancient Jinn who ended up trapped inside the ring that Alek wears and, who is now his partner, of sorts.
There is some backstory to Alek and you sympathise with both Alek and Maggie (her past remains mysterious) who are both in similar predicaments, one a slave to their job and the other trapped inside a ring.
Throughout the story, there is plenty of snarky banter (which is always a good thing). Some of the banter occurs between Alek and other characters. But, mostly, it is between Alek and Maggie and takes place in Alek’s head as they conduce back and forth bickering and conversations inside his mind.
The world is our world only there are supernatural creatures ‘Others‘ to go alongside the humans and there are a set of contracts, restrictions and rules that govern the two worlds and the dealings that they have with each other. Reaper agencies, like Valkyrie Collections, are the equivalent of debt collection agencies and deal with contract disputes maintaining the contractual balance between the humans and the Other. OtherOps are like the police force and handle all other Other related criminal activity and incidents that occur.
There’s some cool magic, some mystery, some twists, an array of fantastical creatures (shapeshifters, ghouls, imps, draugr, jinn, a retired angel and, of course, Death himself all make appearances with many others mentioned) that appear, some fantastic characters and a whole lot of exhilarating fighting found within the pages of Uncanny Collateral. The story closes off nicely but there are things hinted at, the past, secrets and threads left hanging for potential future books.
The pacing in Uncanny Collateral is fast, the story action-packed, high octane and tightly plotted with a protagonist that packs a mighty punch. Urban fantasy is a genre that I often tend to avoid as I don’t really enjoy it. However, I really enjoyed Uncanny Collateral, it doesn’t take itself too seriously, the story is easy to read, thoroughly bingeable and it is like a 150 page shot of adrenaline to the system, a wild ride and a hell of a lot of fun.
Uncanny Collateral is written in the first-person from the perspective of Alek Fitz, the lead reaper (debt collector) at Valkyrie Collections in Cleveland, a debt collection agency for the supernatural (Others).
As a reaper, Alek collects the debts owed to the clients of Valkyrie Collections. Mostly, he collects the souls of those who have sold them in deals (for things like fame, wealth, a new motorcycle, etc) and have reneged on the deal.
After his latest reaping, Alek is called into the office by his boss, Ada for a side job that needs to be handled discreetly so that it doesn’t get out to the wider world. Souls are going missing, being stolen from the Lords of Hell (who are like corporations that run soul trading businesses) and Death/Ferryman (who looks like Keith Richards and is likeable) wants Alek to find out who is stealing the souls, why they are stealing them and stop them.
Alek is a slave to his job, he is owned by Ada who purchased him as a child. He isn’t all human, he is part troll (he has retractable tusks and toughened skin) and a big muscled guy who has magically-infused tattoos and a variety of powers. When he gets into a fight the troll berserker in him unleashes making him one tough SOB who is more than capable of handling himself and laying the smackdown.
A few years ago, back when Alek was a younger and more naive reaper he put on a ring that he found in a debtor’s collection box and the ring. That ring can’t be removed from his finger and contains Maggie, an ancient Jinn who ended up trapped inside the ring that Alek wears and, who is now his partner, of sorts.
There is some backstory to Alek and you sympathise with both Alek and Maggie (her past remains mysterious) who are both in similar predicaments, one a slave to their job and the other trapped inside a ring.
Throughout the story, there is plenty of snarky banter (which is always a good thing). Some of the banter occurs between Alek and other characters. But, mostly, it is between Alek and Maggie and takes place in Alek’s head as they conduce back and forth bickering and conversations inside his mind.
The world is our world only there are supernatural creatures ‘Others‘ to go alongside the humans and there are a set of contracts, restrictions and rules that govern the two worlds and the dealings that they have with each other. Reaper agencies, like Valkyrie Collections, are the equivalent of debt collection agencies and deal with contract disputes maintaining the contractual balance between the humans and the Other. OtherOps are like the police force and handle all other Other related criminal activity and incidents that occur.
There’s some cool magic, some mystery, some twists, an array of fantastical creatures (shapeshifters, ghouls, imps, draugr, jinn, a retired angel and, of course, Death himself all make appearances with many others mentioned) that appear, some fantastic characters and a whole lot of exhilarating fighting found within the pages of Uncanny Collateral. The story closes off nicely but there are things hinted at, the past, secrets and threads left hanging for potential future books.
The pacing in Uncanny Collateral is fast, the story action-packed, high octane and tightly plotted with a protagonist that packs a mighty punch. Urban fantasy is a genre that I often tend to avoid as I don’t really enjoy it. However, I really enjoyed Uncanny Collateral, it doesn’t take itself too seriously, the story is easy to read, thoroughly bingeable and it is like a 150 page shot of adrenaline to the system, a wild ride and a hell of a lot of fun.
August 24, 2019
Valkyrie Collections: We Deal with Mortals So You Don’t Have To.
I had to open up this review with the main motto of the plot line..
Men in Black meets Fables: Wolf Among Us (seriously could not read this without picturing the two)
This was one heck of an enjoyable read but not without some minor flaws. Will be talking more about this on my YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/hollyheartsbooks
I had to open up this review with the main motto of the plot line..
Men in Black meets Fables: Wolf Among Us (seriously could not read this without picturing the two)
This was one heck of an enjoyable read but not without some minor flaws. Will be talking more about this on my YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/hollyheartsbooks
August 11, 2019
Fast action and great characters.
I looks like Brian McClellan had a lot of fun writing this, and I had just as much fun reading it. A welcome entry to the UF scene. A surprisingly fleshed out world for a short first novel. I would highly recommend this to fans of Butcher, Silvers, and Massey, and am looking forward to the next in the series.
I looks like Brian McClellan had a lot of fun writing this, and I had just as much fun reading it. A welcome entry to the UF scene. A surprisingly fleshed out world for a short first novel. I would highly recommend this to fans of Butcher, Silvers, and Massey, and am looking forward to the next in the series.
October 24, 2019
Rating: ★★★★☆
Synopsis
Alek Fitz is a reaper, a collection agent who works for the supernatural elements of the world, tracking down debtors and solving problems for clients as diverse as the Lords of Hell, vampires, Haitian loa, and goblins. He’s even worked for the Tooth Fairy on occasion. Based out of Cleveland, Ohio, Alek is the best in the game. As a literal slave to his job, he doesn’t have a choice.
When Death comes looking for someone to track down a thief, Alek is flung into a mess of vengeful undead, supernatural bureaucracy, and a fledgling imp war. As the consequences of failure become dire, he has few leads, and the clock is ticking. Only with the help of his friend Maggie—an ancient djinn with a complex past—can he hope to recover the stolen property, save the world, and just maybe wring a favor out of the Great Constant himself.
It’s a hell of a job, but somebody’s got to do it . . .
Review
Thanks to the author for an advance reading copy of Uncanny Collateral (Valkyrie Collections #1) in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this eARC did not influence my thoughts or opinions on the novella.
Uncanny Collateral is yet another stunning piece of fiction from one of the best fantasy authors in the biz. How McClellan is able to fit so much story, action, and character development in such a short piece is simply astounding. Valkyrie Collections is definitely one that needs to be on the top of your Urban Fantasy TBR and Wishlist. Djinns, imps, necromancers, death himself, and second-hand souls all come clashing together in this urban fantasy novella set in the bowels of Cleveland, OH.
I have been a fan of the author’s works for quite a while, starting with the Powder Mage books and here recently with his Tor.com release, War Cry. To say his jump to Urban Fantasy this go round was a dramatic one is an overstatement as his previous novels deal with magic in a somewhat urban setting, though nothing quite like Cleveland. But one thing I keep thinking about is that this novella wasn’t immediately picked up by a publisher and that is sort of a head-scratcher. McClellan has a history of being able to sell books and at a nice pace, but maybe it was just a decision to self-pub something he had been working on outside of his contractual obligations. I digress.
While this story is a short one at around 151 pages (a little over 5 hours via audio), it packs a heck of a wallop and is one that shouldn’t be missed. The main characters of Fitz and Maggie are a fantastic duo, and to see their back and forth throughout the novella feels like a run of the mill cop drama with a magical flare. The situations they continue to find themselves in lead to consistent page turning and a quick race to the end, leaving you wanting the sequel as the last sentence is read. Several fight scenes, entertaining characters, and an original storyline provide plenty to wet your appetite.
This is one that will entertain any fantasy lover out there, but especially the urban snobs that enjoyed Butcher’s Harry Dresden or McHugh’s Nate Garrett. Uncanny Collateral gave me Grim Fandango meets Bill Willingham’s Fables vibes, which puts this series right up my alley. I recommend you give this one a try. I think you’ll like it.
Synopsis
Alek Fitz is a reaper, a collection agent who works for the supernatural elements of the world, tracking down debtors and solving problems for clients as diverse as the Lords of Hell, vampires, Haitian loa, and goblins. He’s even worked for the Tooth Fairy on occasion. Based out of Cleveland, Ohio, Alek is the best in the game. As a literal slave to his job, he doesn’t have a choice.
When Death comes looking for someone to track down a thief, Alek is flung into a mess of vengeful undead, supernatural bureaucracy, and a fledgling imp war. As the consequences of failure become dire, he has few leads, and the clock is ticking. Only with the help of his friend Maggie—an ancient djinn with a complex past—can he hope to recover the stolen property, save the world, and just maybe wring a favor out of the Great Constant himself.
It’s a hell of a job, but somebody’s got to do it . . .
Review
Thanks to the author for an advance reading copy of Uncanny Collateral (Valkyrie Collections #1) in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this eARC did not influence my thoughts or opinions on the novella.
Uncanny Collateral is yet another stunning piece of fiction from one of the best fantasy authors in the biz. How McClellan is able to fit so much story, action, and character development in such a short piece is simply astounding. Valkyrie Collections is definitely one that needs to be on the top of your Urban Fantasy TBR and Wishlist. Djinns, imps, necromancers, death himself, and second-hand souls all come clashing together in this urban fantasy novella set in the bowels of Cleveland, OH.
I have been a fan of the author’s works for quite a while, starting with the Powder Mage books and here recently with his Tor.com release, War Cry. To say his jump to Urban Fantasy this go round was a dramatic one is an overstatement as his previous novels deal with magic in a somewhat urban setting, though nothing quite like Cleveland. But one thing I keep thinking about is that this novella wasn’t immediately picked up by a publisher and that is sort of a head-scratcher. McClellan has a history of being able to sell books and at a nice pace, but maybe it was just a decision to self-pub something he had been working on outside of his contractual obligations. I digress.
While this story is a short one at around 151 pages (a little over 5 hours via audio), it packs a heck of a wallop and is one that shouldn’t be missed. The main characters of Fitz and Maggie are a fantastic duo, and to see their back and forth throughout the novella feels like a run of the mill cop drama with a magical flare. The situations they continue to find themselves in lead to consistent page turning and a quick race to the end, leaving you wanting the sequel as the last sentence is read. Several fight scenes, entertaining characters, and an original storyline provide plenty to wet your appetite.
This is one that will entertain any fantasy lover out there, but especially the urban snobs that enjoyed Butcher’s Harry Dresden or McHugh’s Nate Garrett. Uncanny Collateral gave me Grim Fandango meets Bill Willingham’s Fables vibes, which puts this series right up my alley. I recommend you give this one a try. I think you’ll like it.
January 21, 2020
Didn't know what to expect going in. Not the biggest fan of Urban Fantasy. But I really loved the quick pace in this one and the MC called Alek who is partly troll and works as a reaper. He settles debts for a company. And helps all kinds of supernatural clients. Together with a Djinn called Maggie who is stuck in a ring...which again is stuck on Alek his finger😂. I love their teamwork! We get to know a bit of their past and I can't wait to find out more! Alek is sold to the company at a young age and never thought of finding a way to freedom. And Maggie being stuck yearns for freedom. Though yeah it isn't that easy! As a short read this plot really kept me hooked and it was actionpacked. Alek had a tough case to solve and with Maggie they faced it heads on. Meanwhile an old and powerful magician, I think -memory already fading-, who trapped Maggie in the ring is looking for her. Making Alek a target as well.
April 2, 2019
"I brought my hand up vertically and perfectly flat, like an upward karate chop, and caught draugr right in the center of the sternum. The tips of my fingers sliced through bone and tissue like a knife blade, bisecting its sternum, punching through the top of its spine, and then slicing its entire skull perfectly in half."
Brian McClellan contacted me and asked if I would like to review his new self-published urban fantasy novella, Uncanny Collateral. Considering I'm a massive fan of his work (the Powder Mage series is one of my all-time favorites) and this being a departure from his usual epic fantasy, I jumped at the opportunity to check it out ahead of time! As I've mentioned previously, urban fantasy and I have a complicated relationship. Thankfully, I'm finding some UF that has caught my attention lately and this is a prime example. It's damn good urban fantasy!
::You Spin Me Right Round starts playing over the speakers::
Ah, that's better.
This book was a fucking blast! Jam-packed with action and unforgettable characters, not to mention that McClellan seemingly has a penchant for 80's pop music references which I AM HERE FOR. This was just so bloody enjoyable!
Uncanny Collateral is about Alek Fitz, a mixed-blood troll that is the lead reaper at Valkyrie Collections, which is a debt collection agency.. for supernaturals (or "Others" as they are called). His partner is Maggie, a powerful jinn. She has been trapped inside a ring for over 500 years. Alek found the ring in a clients cash box and put it on, causing it to get stuck on his finger. Little did he know what he was getting himself into! Alek is approached by Death (who looks like Keith Richards) to take on a job that affects the agency. Clients have been robbed. Souls have gone missing from the Lords of Hell. Alek has been contracted to recover them.
This felt like Women of the Otherworld meets Supernatural. The worldbuilding was especially delicious! I wanted to just submerge myself within it. As well as a tightly woven plot, intriguing magic system and entertaining characters. I always dig McClellan's characters and this was no different! Alek and Maggie have a wonderful chemistry together. Their sense of humor, the snark, the banter.. the sense of understanding. It was just a delight to follow these two! Also? HUZZAH FOR HEALTHY PLATONIC RELATIONSHIPS!!
Necromancers, draugrs, troll berserkers, jinn, ghouls, shapeshifters, orcs, fire demons, imps, goblins, magicians, angels, DEATH.. Uncanny Collateral has all of the good shit! It was fucking bonkers at how many Others were mentioned. This opens up the potential to expand upon the story in later installments, no doubt.
Intoxicatingly readable and full of twists, Uncanny Collateral never takes itself too seriously. It was funny, fast-faced and gripping. I devoured the entire thing in two sittings. I cannot wait for the sequel!
If you haven't yet read any Brian McClellan.. do that. He is such a versatile writer! This was a fantastic urban fantasy debut from an already established author.
(I'd like to thank Brian McClellan again for the chance to read this before the release date!)
Brian McClellan contacted me and asked if I would like to review his new self-published urban fantasy novella, Uncanny Collateral. Considering I'm a massive fan of his work (the Powder Mage series is one of my all-time favorites) and this being a departure from his usual epic fantasy, I jumped at the opportunity to check it out ahead of time! As I've mentioned previously, urban fantasy and I have a complicated relationship. Thankfully, I'm finding some UF that has caught my attention lately and this is a prime example. It's damn good urban fantasy!
::You Spin Me Right Round starts playing over the speakers::
Ah, that's better.
This book was a fucking blast! Jam-packed with action and unforgettable characters, not to mention that McClellan seemingly has a penchant for 80's pop music references which I AM HERE FOR. This was just so bloody enjoyable!
Uncanny Collateral is about Alek Fitz, a mixed-blood troll that is the lead reaper at Valkyrie Collections, which is a debt collection agency.. for supernaturals (or "Others" as they are called). His partner is Maggie, a powerful jinn. She has been trapped inside a ring for over 500 years. Alek found the ring in a clients cash box and put it on, causing it to get stuck on his finger. Little did he know what he was getting himself into! Alek is approached by Death (who looks like Keith Richards) to take on a job that affects the agency. Clients have been robbed. Souls have gone missing from the Lords of Hell. Alek has been contracted to recover them.
This felt like Women of the Otherworld meets Supernatural. The worldbuilding was especially delicious! I wanted to just submerge myself within it. As well as a tightly woven plot, intriguing magic system and entertaining characters. I always dig McClellan's characters and this was no different! Alek and Maggie have a wonderful chemistry together. Their sense of humor, the snark, the banter.. the sense of understanding. It was just a delight to follow these two! Also? HUZZAH FOR HEALTHY PLATONIC RELATIONSHIPS!!
Necromancers, draugrs, troll berserkers, jinn, ghouls, shapeshifters, orcs, fire demons, imps, goblins, magicians, angels, DEATH.. Uncanny Collateral has all of the good shit! It was fucking bonkers at how many Others were mentioned. This opens up the potential to expand upon the story in later installments, no doubt.
Intoxicatingly readable and full of twists, Uncanny Collateral never takes itself too seriously. It was funny, fast-faced and gripping. I devoured the entire thing in two sittings. I cannot wait for the sequel!
If you haven't yet read any Brian McClellan.. do that. He is such a versatile writer! This was a fantastic urban fantasy debut from an already established author.
(I'd like to thank Brian McClellan again for the chance to read this before the release date!)
February 8, 2019
I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Uncanny Collateral is a solid edition to a promising new Urban fantasy series that skips out on all the mundane details to bring you fast-paced action and entertaining characters.
I have already been seeing a lot of comparisons of this with the Dresden Files and I think that happens almost by default just because it’s urban fantasy and the main character is male instead of female. There may be some very small similarities but the glaring one is that this one contains a lead that is lacking that highly annoying ‘white knight syndrome’ that plagues the other series. That alone makes this story feel like a giant sigh of relief.
When someone sells their soul, a bargain is struck. Fame for your soul. Money for your soul. Love for your soul. Whatever the bargain, eventually you have to pay your part of the deal. Sometimes people try to weasel their way out of the deal and that’s where Alek comes in. He’s a reaper. He collects souls. He’s half troll, half human and a slave to a collection agency that bought him at birth. His only friend is the djinn trapped in the ring on his finger and his current case has Death himself as his client. Someone is stealing souls from Death, an imp war is brewing and somehow Alek finds himself in the middle of both.
I was pleasantly surprised by just how into this I was right from the beginning. Alek is an engaging character, in a well-built urban fantasy world that is action packed with an original story line. I could have easily sat and read this all in one sitting if it wasn’t for things like work and sleep getting in the way.
Uncanny Collateral is a solid edition to a promising new Urban fantasy series that skips out on all the mundane details to bring you fast-paced action and entertaining characters.
I have already been seeing a lot of comparisons of this with the Dresden Files and I think that happens almost by default just because it’s urban fantasy and the main character is male instead of female. There may be some very small similarities but the glaring one is that this one contains a lead that is lacking that highly annoying ‘white knight syndrome’ that plagues the other series. That alone makes this story feel like a giant sigh of relief.
When someone sells their soul, a bargain is struck. Fame for your soul. Money for your soul. Love for your soul. Whatever the bargain, eventually you have to pay your part of the deal. Sometimes people try to weasel their way out of the deal and that’s where Alek comes in. He’s a reaper. He collects souls. He’s half troll, half human and a slave to a collection agency that bought him at birth. His only friend is the djinn trapped in the ring on his finger and his current case has Death himself as his client. Someone is stealing souls from Death, an imp war is brewing and somehow Alek finds himself in the middle of both.
I was pleasantly surprised by just how into this I was right from the beginning. Alek is an engaging character, in a well-built urban fantasy world that is action packed with an original story line. I could have easily sat and read this all in one sitting if it wasn’t for things like work and sleep getting in the way.
June 19, 2019
Quick and fun Urban Fantasy.
I liked the main character and his "partner" quite a bit. I don't think I've read a book with a Reaper as main character yet, so that was quite a pleasant change!
The tone was funny and the dialogue worked well for me. Didn't feel forced or stiff, but flowed nicely.
The mix of mythology, mystery and fantasy balanced well with the action and banter and I more or less flew through the book.
I was a bit worried about how well the author could do a quick and fun book when I love his epic tomes. Quite well is the answer! Sometimes it felt a bit too rushed for my personal taste and every now and then a scene felt a bit rough, but overall I enjoyed it a lot.
I definitely hope there'll be more UF by McClellan as he hit the spot with this one!
I liked the main character and his "partner" quite a bit. I don't think I've read a book with a Reaper as main character yet, so that was quite a pleasant change!
The tone was funny and the dialogue worked well for me. Didn't feel forced or stiff, but flowed nicely.
The mix of mythology, mystery and fantasy balanced well with the action and banter and I more or less flew through the book.
I was a bit worried about how well the author could do a quick and fun book when I love his epic tomes. Quite well is the answer! Sometimes it felt a bit too rushed for my personal taste and every now and then a scene felt a bit rough, but overall I enjoyed it a lot.
I definitely hope there'll be more UF by McClellan as he hit the spot with this one!
June 28, 2019
A very enjoyable urban fantasy from a author at the top of his creative skills.
Highly recommended to all my friends on goodreads.
Highly recommended to all my friends on goodreads.
April 10, 2019
I have a mixed relationship with urban fantasy - in general, I have enjoyed several of the series I've read, including some of the "paranormal cop" category, as Uncanny Collateral is, in a way. There is certainly a lot of familiarity and similar aspects to some of those other urban fantasies, but at some point that is unavoidable, especially if you're opting for myth or legend type creatures and beings. That said, UC is still a fresh feeling concept, with some aspects and a combination of aspects that worked out to be fun. Alek is slightly overpowered in a way, but the battles he encountered generally were interesting matchups, with enough of him being a badass, and enough of him being challenged by stronger beings, and having to use all of his magical powers, wits, and his other magical helpers to resolve his issue.
UC is nothing revolutionary, but McClellan's writing is enjoyable as always, and I was consistently sucked in and interested in what would happen going forward in the novel. I'm looking forward to future entries in the series.
UC is nothing revolutionary, but McClellan's writing is enjoyable as always, and I was consistently sucked in and interested in what would happen going forward in the novel. I'm looking forward to future entries in the series.
April 3, 2019
A really fun, well written, fast paced urban fantasy. For so few pages it really does pack a mighty punch. Interesting characters, cool magic & fantastical creatures this has it all. I’m looking forward to the sequel!
April 11, 2019
Actual rating: 3.50
November 25, 2019
Fast-paced urban fantasy with a few fun twists on the genre.
April 16, 2020
What a cool find this book turned out to be. I really enjoyed McClellan's world and creature creation. I like big guys that are tough as nails, but cuddly on the inside. I'm eager to see where this story goes and I'm sticking the next one on my TBR.
January 31, 2019
Review to come!
February 15, 2020
Quite a different writing style than what I have been used to from Brian McClellan. Equally enjoyable, though, with quite a few dry-humour, witty comments and repartee we have come to recognise from his previous work.
Uncanny Collateral is an urban fantasy novel set in Cleveland, Ohio, introducing us to Mr Alek Fitz who is an enforcer. Well, actually, a rather cooler version of one - as a reaper, Alek collects the souls of the unfortunate people made a deal with one or the other of the many, many, many Hell gods. And as you can guess, it is not a profession for any one. Alek, you see, has some advantages which make him one of - or as he would say, THE - best in the business. With such lofty praise and high-level of badassness (yes, it is a word), life can be... hectic.
However, Alek can't really take all the credit for his high success rate. Having a jinn best friend who also happens to be centuries old, high up on the power ladder, AND is called Maggie, made me almost feel rather sorry for the poor antagonists. Almost.
I enjoyed the book, though it was a much lighter read than Brian's usual writing. It reminded me an awful lot of Butcher's Dresden Files. A protagonist who is a grumpy bloke, finding himself beholden to an almost impossible task, being beaten up quite severely couple of times; is tenacious as an ox, has a magical invisible friend, and at the end, comes up swinging no matter what.
Despite of this, I would still recommend the book, since I did have quite a few laughs, a really good read, and finished it with a desire to explore the world and its characters some more.
Uncanny Collateral is an urban fantasy novel set in Cleveland, Ohio, introducing us to Mr Alek Fitz who is an enforcer. Well, actually, a rather cooler version of one - as a reaper, Alek collects the souls of the unfortunate people made a deal with one or the other of the many, many, many Hell gods. And as you can guess, it is not a profession for any one. Alek, you see, has some advantages which make him one of - or as he would say, THE - best in the business. With such lofty praise and high-level of badassness (yes, it is a word), life can be... hectic.
However, Alek can't really take all the credit for his high success rate. Having a jinn best friend who also happens to be centuries old, high up on the power ladder, AND is called Maggie, made me almost feel rather sorry for the poor antagonists. Almost.
I enjoyed the book, though it was a much lighter read than Brian's usual writing. It reminded me an awful lot of Butcher's Dresden Files. A protagonist who is a grumpy bloke, finding himself beholden to an almost impossible task, being beaten up quite severely couple of times; is tenacious as an ox, has a magical invisible friend, and at the end, comes up swinging no matter what.
Despite of this, I would still recommend the book, since I did have quite a few laughs, a really good read, and finished it with a desire to explore the world and its characters some more.
March 16, 2021
I’ve had Uncanny Collateral on my TBR since it was first released. I’ve only read the Gods of Blood and Powder trilogy by McClellan and enjoyed it very much, so I was excited to see what McClellan could do with an urban fantasy setting. I can’t believe it took me this long to finally read Uncanny Collateral because it’s a fun and pulse pounding ride.
Uncanny Collateral follows Alek, a reaper responsible for collecting debts from all manner of magical creatures. Alek is aided in his assignments by Maggie, a djinn trapped in a magical ring.
What makes Uncanny Collateral work so well is Alek and Maggie’s friendship and McClellan’s humour. One of my favourite elements in any novel is when a character can communicate telepathically with another character. This allows for character growth, relationship development, and world building. Alek and Maggie work well with each other allowing for a lot of great banter.
Uncanny Collateral is also a fairly short novella coming in at 165 pages. McClellan utilizes already existing magical creatures to create a rather robust world instead of wasting time creating all new creatures. However, that’s not to say that there’s nothing new introduced in Uncanny Collateral.
Overall, Uncanny Collateral is a fun and action packed novella with interesting characters and a surprisingly robust world.
Uncanny Collateral follows Alek, a reaper responsible for collecting debts from all manner of magical creatures. Alek is aided in his assignments by Maggie, a djinn trapped in a magical ring.
What makes Uncanny Collateral work so well is Alek and Maggie’s friendship and McClellan’s humour. One of my favourite elements in any novel is when a character can communicate telepathically with another character. This allows for character growth, relationship development, and world building. Alek and Maggie work well with each other allowing for a lot of great banter.
Uncanny Collateral is also a fairly short novella coming in at 165 pages. McClellan utilizes already existing magical creatures to create a rather robust world instead of wasting time creating all new creatures. However, that’s not to say that there’s nothing new introduced in Uncanny Collateral.
Overall, Uncanny Collateral is a fun and action packed novella with interesting characters and a surprisingly robust world.
September 6, 2019
4.5⭐️
I am always up for a noir-style detective story. Throw in some magic and myth and Uncanny Collateral was just the kind of urban fantasy I like.
I was already familiar with Brian McClellan from his Powder Mage series, which I liked. This one was even more enjoyable. A quick easy read with some interesting characters and fast pace.
The main character, Alek Fitz, is a badass who is also pretty funny. He is a reaper by profession who performs tasks for a bunch of powerful magical entities, most notably the lords of hell. In this case, it’s Death himself that needs a job done. It’s a simple missing persons/ noirish tale but Alex’s world is populated with characters who are anything but mundane. That includes his best friend who resides in a ring on his hand.
Uncanny Collateral reminds me a bit of Craig Schaefer’s Faust books and that’s a good thing. Hopefully this turns into a series because I am here to ride along with Fitz and Maggie and the rest of the Valkyrie crew.
I am always up for a noir-style detective story. Throw in some magic and myth and Uncanny Collateral was just the kind of urban fantasy I like.
I was already familiar with Brian McClellan from his Powder Mage series, which I liked. This one was even more enjoyable. A quick easy read with some interesting characters and fast pace.
The main character, Alek Fitz, is a badass who is also pretty funny. He is a reaper by profession who performs tasks for a bunch of powerful magical entities, most notably the lords of hell. In this case, it’s Death himself that needs a job done. It’s a simple missing persons/ noirish tale but Alex’s world is populated with characters who are anything but mundane. That includes his best friend who resides in a ring on his hand.
Uncanny Collateral reminds me a bit of Craig Schaefer’s Faust books and that’s a good thing. Hopefully this turns into a series because I am here to ride along with Fitz and Maggie and the rest of the Valkyrie crew.
June 10, 2019
This was a fun short read. Looking forward to the sequels.
July 17, 2019
A promising start to what I have no doubt will be an exceptional Urban Fantasy series
This was a fun, short read. I listened to the entire audiobook in one sitting while waiting on a delayed flight. It's a really straightforward mystery with enjoyable worldbuilding and magic. It does a great job setting up for stories to come in terms of plot/story, but most importantly in the way it introduces a number of highly likable characters, not the least of whom is an incarnation of death--one of my favorite fantasy tropes.
While this novella is nothing mind-blowing in itself, McClellan is a talented writer, and it shows here in this new concept he's created. I have no doubt the stories that follow will be must-reads on every urban fantasy fan's list when all is said and done.
This was a fun, short read. I listened to the entire audiobook in one sitting while waiting on a delayed flight. It's a really straightforward mystery with enjoyable worldbuilding and magic. It does a great job setting up for stories to come in terms of plot/story, but most importantly in the way it introduces a number of highly likable characters, not the least of whom is an incarnation of death--one of my favorite fantasy tropes.
While this novella is nothing mind-blowing in itself, McClellan is a talented writer, and it shows here in this new concept he's created. I have no doubt the stories that follow will be must-reads on every urban fantasy fan's list when all is said and done.
March 3, 2020
Mini-Review:
4.5 Stars for Narration by Luke Daniels
3.5 Stars for Plot/Characters
4 Stars for Audiobook, 3.5 Stars for Story
A bare bones UF story with just enough build up to give you an idea of the characters, setting and a big view of the larger plot arc. The story comes across as episodic. Easily drawn into the sequence of events for the smaller plot arc and just enough shared about the characters to get to know them. It was a fun romp with unusual characters. I liked how well the partnership between Alex and his BFF, Maggie, was portrayed. How would you react if you had someone sharing your headspace 24/7?
4.5 Stars for Narration by Luke Daniels
3.5 Stars for Plot/Characters
4 Stars for Audiobook, 3.5 Stars for Story
A bare bones UF story with just enough build up to give you an idea of the characters, setting and a big view of the larger plot arc. The story comes across as episodic. Easily drawn into the sequence of events for the smaller plot arc and just enough shared about the characters to get to know them. It was a fun romp with unusual characters. I liked how well the partnership between Alex and his BFF, Maggie, was portrayed. How would you react if you had someone sharing your headspace 24/7?
January 1, 2024
Rating: 3.5
Alek Fitz is a reaper who collects on overdue debts and extracts payment for a variety of employers, from the Lords of Hell to even completing a jobs for the Tooth Fairy. Death hires Alex to solve the problem of tracking down stolen property. Consequences for not completing this job are high and the clock on the is ticking.
Uncanny Collateral is the first in the Valkyrie Collections by Brian McClellan. It is a series of novellas currently. With so few pages there is just enough world building to get a sense of our characters and setting to kick off the fast paced plot. I like the world that we're introduced to. The main character, Alek, is an anti-hero of sorts and his partner Maggie is a trapped djinni. They have a great working relationship as they balance each other out well. The story is wrapped up nicely and there's a good hook for the second book.
Alek Fitz is a reaper who collects on overdue debts and extracts payment for a variety of employers, from the Lords of Hell to even completing a jobs for the Tooth Fairy. Death hires Alex to solve the problem of tracking down stolen property. Consequences for not completing this job are high and the clock on the is ticking.
Uncanny Collateral is the first in the Valkyrie Collections by Brian McClellan. It is a series of novellas currently. With so few pages there is just enough world building to get a sense of our characters and setting to kick off the fast paced plot. I like the world that we're introduced to. The main character, Alek, is an anti-hero of sorts and his partner Maggie is a trapped djinni. They have a great working relationship as they balance each other out well. The story is wrapped up nicely and there's a good hook for the second book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 372 reviews