Extreme Medical Services

Extreme Medical Services #1

by Jamie Davis

Tops in his Paramedic Academy training…
…didn’t prepare him for Station U.

What was more dangerous, the supernaturals or his boss?

Dean needed to learn street medicine fast. He’d trained to help humans, but he wasn’t prepared for injured fairies and monsters. Still, he was smart, willing to learn, and more than anything, incredibly curious to learn about this whole new world he didn’t know existed.

Would it get him killed?

She’d been at this job a while and was less than enthused to be given a new probie. There was always a lot going on, but Brynne has something on her mind. What happened to her old partner?

In the dark of night…

…a society few humans know, thrives.

And someone wants to bring them down.

You’ll love this supernatural medical thriller, because the fast-paced life of an EMT is better in the world of vampires and mythical creatures..

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Vampires, Supernatural, Fiction, Shapeshifters

218 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 30, 2015

About the author

Jamie Davis is a nurse, retired paramedic, author, and nationally recognized medical educator who began teaching new emergency responders as a training officer for his local EMS program. He loves everything fantasy and sci-fi and especially the places where stories intersect with his love of medicine or gaming.

Jamie lives in a home in the woods in Maryland with his wife, three children, and dog. He is an avid gamer, preferring historical and fantasy miniature gaming, as well as tabletop games. He writes LitRPG, GameLit, urban, and contemporary paranormal fantasy stories, among other things. His Future Race Game rules were written to satisfy a desire to play a version of the pod races from Star Wars episode 1.

He loves hearing from readers and going to cons and events where he meets up with fans. Reach out and say "hi.” Visit JamieDavisBooks.com for more books, free offers and more!

Reviews

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extreme Medical Services: Medical Care on the Fringes of Humanity by Jamie Davis is a unique take on an urban fantasy. New paramedic Dean Flynn has just graduated at the top of the class and unexpectedly gets assigned to a little known ambulance Station U. As Dean soon learns, his patients aren't what he expected. Instead, they run the gamut of paranormal beings; not just the normal vampires and werewolves, so this makes the story especially interesting.

The author does a great job of world building where the paranormal society exists, but is hidden from most humans. Station U along with certain hospital nurses and doctors take care of the medical needs of the supernatural patients. Dean's EMS partner is Brynne Garvey and she coaches him as needed and is there to help him adjust to this previously unknown part of his city.

Dean does show some character growth and you start to get a feel for his motivations to become and paramedic. However, I did not get this from most of the other characters in the book. Hopefully, this will be resolved in future books in the series. One of the drawbacks of this book is that it does leave you hanging at the end. What happens to the final patient in the book? Why drop a major plot twist at the very end? It would have been a better beginning in the next book.

Jamie Davis applies his knowledge as a nurse, retired paramedic and medical educator to the book making it a learning experience for the reader as well as an entertaining paranormal medical thriller. If you do not enjoy learning about emergency medicine, then this is not the book for you. Despite being irritated by the cliffhanger, I had to give the book 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 due to my overall enjoyment of this unique take on an urban fantasy.

[Rachel the Book Harlot · Rating 2 out of 5]

Extreme Medical Services: Medical Care on the Fringes of Humanity is an example of a story with a great premise marred by not being ready for prime time. There were such great and unique ideas here that would have flourished under the guided hand of good editing. The world was so great, an emergency ambulance service that caters to supernaturals such as vampires and water fairies, as well as the way their medical needs were addressed, that it would have merited 4 stars had it been more polished. As it is, the dialogue needed a lot of work. It sounded unnatural, with the characters addressing each other by name almost constantly throughout a conversation. People just don't speak to each other that way. The story itself also needed to be fleshed out and streamlined.

I also agree with other reviewers who stated that the story ends quite abruptly. Much of the book is an introduction to the world, with Dean learning how to navigate it and how to treat his patients (it almost feels like an EMT procedural which I liked), but just as the meat of the actual story starts to emerge, the book comes to an end. I personally didn't mind that too much since I sort of expected that to be the case, but I know that will put off many readers. And even though I wasn't bothered by it to a certain extent, I still wish more of the story would have been allowed to unfold before ending it so abruptly.

All of this makes me sad because I think there was something really great here, but Extreme Medical Services was released too soon to its own detriment.

Final rating: 2 stars

[Achim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
I learnd 2 things while reading this book:
1. Extensive medical talk is much more fun on TV shows
2. After all this time reading M/M books I'm really missing at least a gay sideline
but I'm a sucker for stories where a paranormal society exists parallel to our human one, where beings of fairy tales and myth are living amongst us may it be hidden or openly. Here it's hidden somehow, only the government (as usual) and selected people know about them but as they are also tax paying citizens they have a right at some medical support. That's a new approach at this kind of paranomal sub-genre, at least new for me and therefore refreshing and it holds the option to show a lot of different beings without throwing the inner logic of a story out of the window.

Unfortunately there is also a danger in that approach: caring more about the single cases than a certain progress of the story itself. Mixed with the medical talk and EMS expertise it became a bit old in the first half of the book. I saw an interessting mix of characters but there was no world to explore and no real feeling but that changed nearly unnoticeable at first there came elements into the story which slowly developed into an independent storyline, which kept me reading and made the main characters more real. Brynne's situation with her boyfriend and Dean's reaction to it showed a door to explore that world and Dean's meeting with his predecessor brought an element of danger that surely keeps the next parts of the series together.

Although I couldn't easily connect to the MC Jamie Davis can really draw paranormal characters and make them real outside their usual stereotypes and if there would be a gay story line there was no question about following the series a bit longer. I'm still curious and I'd like to meet Gibbie again, maybe try to understand James better, so I probably come back again someday just not right now.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a truly unique story line. I found myself pulled into the story pretty quickly. I loved all the different types of paranormals. I wasn't a fan of James or Zach. Both seemed to be the opposite extremes. The other characters were fun and I thoroughly enjoyed their story. The ending left me surprised. I totally expecting it. I will be reading more of this series.

[Sam Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most unusual books of its kind. In fact, I don't think there is another like it. If you're in EMS, you'll especially enjoy it. Imagine being a top of your class paramedic knowing you have the pick of station assignments when you find yourself at Station U. Before you can figure out what that means, your partner is wrestling with a hypoglycemic werewolf. Did you know there are werewolves, vampires, sirens, fairies and zombies (one of whom is an excellent chef if he can keep from dropping body parts in the stew) that live among us? Our hero, Dean has quite a learning curve that well surpasses IV starts and med administration. What is the normal cardiac rhythm for a vampire? Follow Dean as he becomes immersed in this new world and finds danger lurks there as well. Unlike most books featuring paranormal characters, Jamie has fun with this one. If you're not sure, try the prequel. It will enhance your knowledge of the characters when you get to this first book in the series.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise is unique and fascinating, but the book desperately needs an editor. There are lots of minor errors and repetitive phrasing. The pacing and structure also leaves something to be desired, especially the way it just sort of ends without any resolution.

All that being said I still gave it three stars because the idea of paramedics serving the supernatural community is just so clever. I just want the execution to be better.

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty good. I am in the medical field so I liked the EMS part of this book. I think all the characters are very interesting and the book kept me wondering if how Dean and his partner Brynne Garvey would fit in with all the usual clients. This book, in the end, left many things open for the next book in the series. I loved the TV show Grimm this book did remind me a little of it by all the different supernaturals in it. It was a fun read.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series - and not just because I love the author :) I was fully prepared to
'like it no matter what' - what a surprise to be sucked in by the first chapter. The characters are unique and funny, the story is fun and the premise is unlike any I have ever seen. I also loved the prequel, 'The Vampire and the Paramedic' and can't wait for the next one.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extreme Medical Services

This was a good story, a good premise, but it was heavy on policy and procedure so that dragged the story down, for me.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the storyline. Characters were all good. Sometimes the medical description was almost getting in the way, but I will read the rest of the series. Really good.

[Vannessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dean, a newly graduated paramedic is stationed at the EMC-U - a paramedic station with a difference. Rather than catering for human medical emergencies, they cater to the mostly hidden Unusuals, hence the U at the end of the station's name. having to learn very quickly on the job how to deal with these types of patients, Dean constantly wonders if he was the right person chosen for this role, but he begins to enjoy it and soon realises that the Unusuals are not really that different to regular "normal" humans!

Most of the book revolved around various emergencies jobs that Dean and his partner Brynne went on and how they dealt with the various injuries, but there wasn't really an overall story arc. Lots of medical, technology vocabulary was included which made it feel really real, but some of it, such as the name for various procedures, was beyond my medical knowledge. A little bit of explanation here and there would have helped those of us without any medical/paramedic backgrounds to fully understand what these things were! Lots of this medical talk was very repetitive as well - I think even I know how to check an ambulance ready fro its next shift now!

Although I did generally enjoy this book, the real story plot didn't start until about 75% of the way through the book and left a huge cliffhanger, which the excerpt of book two included at the end of the book jumped straight into as if it was just the next chapter.

Not sure I'll pick up the next book just yet, but maybe one day!

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever since he was a teenager Dean Flynn has wanted to be a paramedic. Working hard and graduating top of his class, Dean is sure he’ll have his pick of posts. Instead, he’s assigned to Station U – a tiny station at the edge of town that practically no one knows about. Dean thinks he’s being punished until he learns about the unique patients Station U treats.

Extreme Medical Services is one of those books that doesn’t fit neatly in to any one category. It’s not quite a medical style novel nor is it completely fantasy based – it is instead a mish mash of the two. It does rely quite heavily on medical jargon however if the reader has seen even one medical drama (ER, Chicago Hope, The Good Doctor, etc.) they shouldn’t be to lost.

This overabundance of jargon and procedure comes at a price though, and that price is the characters themselves. There just isn’t enough given to create a connection between the reader and the characters. Everyone sounds quite interesting yet as there is so much emphasis put on the actual emergency procedures themselves, no one character is allowed to develop any depth.

I am also rather confused by the picture on the cover. None of the paramedics show even a hint of supernatural abilities.

As someone who has enjoyed the occasional medical drama in the past, I was rather looking forward to reading Extreme Medical Services. Especially as it was combined with another genre I enjoy – fantasy. I was however sadly disappointed. The premise itself was quite promising but the execution was sorely lacking. Readers who prefer a book that focuses on actual medical procedures albeit in a fictional setting might enjoy it. Other readers might want to look somewhere else.

[Lisa]

DNF at 50%

I really can't rate this one because I knew this was going to be a gamble as it's not what I would normally read.
It is fun but for me just too ridiculous, cliche and overly preachy about equal opportunities and being politically correct.

Not for me but I'm sure others would find this funny...unfortunately it's not my sense of humour.

[Petra Sando · Rating 3 out of 5]

From 4 stars down to 2.5
This book really drew me in, for starters because I liked the concept and because it reminded me a bit of Lost Girl. In that show, a human medical doctor/researcher treats supernatural beings but it is seen from a person this author would call an "unusual". In this case, however, the author opens the reader up to the human perspective of the supernatural, hidden community and powers that be, and does so quite well.

Unfortunately, the further the book progressed, the more noticeable became the lack of editing and beginner writer mistakes, such as plot holes, redundancies, and repetions.

The main character Dean gets thrown into a specialized EMS unit and straight into the job WITHOUT being even being given a crash course of species of unusuals most commonly encountered, routine medical problems and potential dangers he might encounter with each, as well as general treatment options. First, while on the job training is a thing that will bring the most authentic experience and practice, throwing the new EMT into the cold water completely unprepared would be endangerment of the EMT and his patients. Second, anyone suddenly faced with something generally as unbelievable as a werewolf might freeze, hesitate to act in the patients best interest, or flee in shock, followed by blurting out what they have seen in public, thus exposing the very people ("unusuals") they're meant to help and protect.
Transferring such a disillusioned EMT into a regular unit would be risky, in terms of exposure of the hidden, supernatural, community, as well.

While the author clearly shows their extensive EMT knowledge, the remedies suggested for different types of unusuals only make sense part of the time. Garlic to keep a vampire victim from turning and to help their heart makes sense, because it coincides with actual garlic benefits and to a degree, with vampire lore.

I became extremely concerned with the author mentioning wolfsbane to counteract "the odd lycan bite". Wolfsbane, aka Monkshood or Aconite would make sense to take down/kill a fictional werewolf (or really anyone) because, in reality, it contains one of the most potent nerve toxins around. However, it should never be ingested, given intravenously, or even touched without gloves. It can dangerously lower one's heart rate, cause arrhythmias, and affect circulation and nerve function. Maybe I'm overly cautious, but I worry that some under-informed, overly imaginative, person might try to buy, harvest, or (incorrectly) handle this plant, without realizing its toxicity, to cure an ailment -- and end up unintentionally poisoning themself, after reading this (On the Internet, there are just as many stories of people trying to cure joint pain etc. with this plant as there are stories of unintentional poisonings)...

The author did do a good job at raising awareness to erase mental health stigma among first responders, which I applaud.

Another sensitivity related concern came up with the use of the term "Wicca". The author uses several references to Wiccan religion and Wiccan people/practitioners as species of "unusual" or supernatural beings (which are also often derogatorily as "monsters" with powers elsewhere)... This goes down a slippery slope and likely offends actual people within the Wiccan belief system. If one wants to add WITCHES with supernatural powers into the community of "unusuals", that is one thing but using a known religious faith as a descriptor is a big No-No. Besides, even in this reality, witchcraft may be practiced by Wiccans, Pagans, Druids, Santeria practitioners, and many others as much as they may only observe simple rituals, prayer, or holidays (and not be interested in spells of any sort). Likewise, the pentagram is much more widely used than just in Wicca. Assuming it is automatically worn by a Wiccan is just as stereotypical as would be the assumption the person was a satanist. The question is whether the author would be comfortable labeling any pentagram user as "unusual", regardless of actual belief system, and whether they'd be comfortable using other religious labels, like Baptist, Hindu, or Jewish, exchangeably to Wicca, within the same context of "unusual-ness". I think: not. Belief systems or religious practices/rituals do not automatically equal beings with supernatural powers.

Finally, I agree with other reviewers on the ending being abrupt and leaving too many loose ends untied. It almost forces the reader to buy all the other books in the series so as to hopefully feel satisfied at the very end. I'd like to read the other books because of the cool premise, story line, and to see the characters fleshed out a bit more, but I'm on a fixed budget. So here I am with this excessively huge cliffhanger and no resolution whatsoever...

All this being said, the book kept me engaged and entertained. Without the problems I pointed out, it could have easily warranted a 4-star rating (and I rarely do 5 star ratings). I even felt I learned something helpful in terms of emergency medicine and didn't mind the medical details too much. However, the author missed some really important things, which resulted in my 2.5 star rating (rounded to 3).

[Sea Caummisar · Rating 4 out of 5]

The idea behind this book is super neat.
A new paramedic gets placed with an ambulance unit that caters to Unusuals. In the first book here, he was exposed to vampires, a siren, a witch, a zombie, and some water fairy I can't recall the name of..
Overall, the story is that Unusuals are people too and deserve decent medical care from people who are used to their unusual medical needs.
Not only is the new guy adjusting to his new job and the realization that 'monsters' are real, but at the end of the book a storm is brewing from people who don't like living among the undead
The story kept my attention and I really liked the main character. What I don't understand is how some of their emergency calls were diverted to the Unusual Med Unit. For example, a construction crew is draining a pond and they come across an unconscious woman. The emergency call went to the Unusual ambulance, but there was no one on scene to tell them that she was a water fairy ( I forget her creature name). It seems like 911 would have dispatched that to a normal ambulance. I'm thinking too hard. That doesn't ruin the story, though

[Edward Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing I love more than someone who knows about their source materials save someone who writes about them. There are some exceptions to this rule; like when the writer keeps using technical jargon over and again to imply that they (not the character) know what they are talking about. After a time, it can get annoying as all get out when you have to read about the "ml per dose at this weight" or the gauge of the needle that is needed. Always a good thing that the writer knows of it and can speak to it in his (or her) tales but after the first 3 or 4 times, please figure out something else to deal with, it gets old ;)

Other than the above, story is great, the writer's style is easy to work with and I am going to get the others in the series. I am hoping we learn a little more about the world as a whole that the team of the EMS-U works within, and not how much phenobarbital it takes to keep a werewolf from transforming ;)

(cross posted review on Amazon as well)

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a 2-3 star book for me. For an urban fantasy book, it wasn't action-packed, nor did the characters seem particularly compelling to me. On the other hand, as the daughter of a nurse who has heard plenty of medical stories, I like the premise, and the series seems to have a joke-ey feel to it that is enjoyable. As a warning, this feels like part of a novel to me rather than a whole book, especially because it ends abruptly on a cliffhanger. I'm hoping that this series gets better, both in terms of overarching plot and character development, but if it doesn't, I'll still enjoy knocking them back.

[Bacil · Rating 5 out of 5]

It opens with a bang and lilts melodically from the start—a new paramedic, on his first assignment at a station he didn't even know existed until he was assigned to it—to the unexpected ending. It's a great read for EMS, Fire, and Law Enforcement professionals, as well as fans of medical or horror/paranormal fiction. I can't wait for the next one!

[Alyssia Cooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extreme Medical Services is an unusual urban fantasy and there's a lot here to like. I particularly liked the focus on the medical side of things; it's clear that the author has previously worked in the field and the medical competence shines through without becoming bogged down in the details. I also liked the variety of characters on show and felt there was decent character development throughout. There are some really good ideas here, but I have to admit the writing style didn't really work for me and it felt more like a prequel to the main series than a full novel in and of itself.

In terms of the writing, it's a pity that the dialogue felt flat and unnatural for the vast majority of the novel. It wasn't so much that the author used the dialog as info dumps, but more that the dialogue felt honestly stilted. And as so much of the novel is in the dialog, it was quite a large flaw. And whilst the characters were well depicted, there wasn't really enough of a plot to carry the novel. Just as the narrative started to get moving, it finished. I admit, I'm not keen on cliff-hangers to begin with, but I'm even less impressed when the story barely gets started and is then just cut off.

At least 80% of this book reads as a medical procedural with the supernatural elements thrown in as interest. And don't get me wrong, it is interesting. I actually really enjoyed reading about the various medical dilemmas of the 'unnatural community'; the vampire with an allergic reaction to glitter or sun cream was a particularly entertaining touch. I liked how some characters were 'repeat offenders', although for far more interesting reasons than the standard paramedic callouts of alcoholics, drug addicts and mental health issues. There's an edged humour that worked well throughout.

But the plot doesn't kick off until about 85% in and when it does there's barely any time to explore it. There are several huge 'plot twists' thrown in, new characters introduced and huge reversals on pre-existing characters. It felt unnaturally rushed and there wasn't anywhere near the amount of build-up or planning to make it work.

I've picked up the next one regardless. It has slightly higher ratings, so I'm hoping that some of the writing issues will be resolved at least. As a quick and easy read with a focus on paranormal medicine, this was a good read, but it is more of a procedural than a fully fledged urban fantasy.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my cuppa.

Serial / episode more than story, cliffhanger style ending.

Kindle Unlimited pays by the page read and these pages were full of every detail for every patient of every single step that must be taken by EMS, setting up the shift, each specific patient malady (pages of this then that and that and that ..) then closing the shift - every single time, not just once. Nice that the author did their homework but they never edited their notes down - too much drags the story down.

I try not to read serials, know others can live with cliffhanger endings.

[Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't recommend this book. It showed promise in the beginning. I kept reading hoping it would get better. The story doesn't hold it's own with more medical procedures than plot and character development. Then the story ends abruptly. There is not enough of a story for me to even open the cover of the second book in the series.

[Caro · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book. I really enjoyed reading it, although it didn't take long. A great intro into a new series and I am looking forward to reading more. A little suspense, creativity and imagination, good characters and personalities, a plot that is far from over, and a twist that gets you at the end. Great for passing time, escaping or just for the fun of it. Enjoy!

[Imani Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an unexpected good time. As someone who has family members that work in emergency health.. I actually learned a lot. On to book two..

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this book is interesting but I wasn’t completely impressed with the story. I am hoping that this first book in the series was setting the stage and that’s why it wasn’t as engaging as I hoped. It is very obvious that the author works in the medical field and knows what they are talking about which I did appreciate since I also work in the medical field. I will definitely give the next in the series a chance.

[Nancy Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a while to finish this book. It's not because this story is bad in any way, but more because I'm so busy with my own personal life. I feel glad I managed a chance to finally finish it.

We meet Dean who recently graduated from Paramedic school in a wealthy small city called Elk City. Dean believes that because he graduated top in the class that he will be able to go to the downtown post to treat gunshot victims. Little did he know that his school assigned him against his will to a secret division of the city's forces that specializes in treating... a different kind of populace.

Distraught with the prospect of being more like a courier service than medic, Dean soon realizes the huge challenges of this unique patient population is more exciting than his dream post and starts to fall in love with his new job and befriend his coworkers. He even starts to feel a soft spot for some of the regular patients such as a silly middle-aged vampire named Gibbie.

However threats are across the corner. Some patients are being attacked by angry mobs and Dean suspects the vampiric boyfriend of her coworker Bryenne named James has something to do with it. However there is also the issue that Bryenne used to have a former coworker named Zach that quit the job a few months ago and nobody knows what happened to him.

Is there a conspiracy going on? Or is Dean just imagining things?

Well written with a good dose between medical action and character interaction, the author knows medicine dosages and procedures very well. I do chuckle that the author makes intubation so easy. Maybe it's because I've never used a fibroscope before but I find intubation via the old fashioned laringoscope and direct visualization to be really difficult. I'm envious that these ambulances have so many fancy smancy gadgets and techy stuff. In the country where I live, ambulances are pretty much just large vehicles with rusted down stretchers filled with holes and nothing else.

The story ends with a mystery that is starting to unveil enticing the reader to continue with the series. I'm interested in reading the rest of the books sometime when I have the chance.

[Nicole Reavis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has a very unique interesting premise, which is why I picked it up. Who WOULDN'T want to read a quirky story about a paramedic team that treats the supernatural? With that being said, I wanted to like this book, I really did. However, the book fell short of my expectations, and as a writer and a voracious reader, I was left feeling disappointed.

The Good:
It has a quirky and interesting premise. The author clearly has some experience and history with the medical field and EMT profession, and it is reflected throughout this book in the way the terminology is used, explained and referenced in both exposition and dialogue.

The Bad:
The writing itself was just bland. There were a few quirky jokes that I got a giggle out of, but most of the dialogue sounded wooden and boring. Internalized thoughts of the main character was hard to make out with no variation in fonts. This book was in need of more beta readers and another editing pass.

Continuity issues-There is a zombie who is a master chef, but complains about not being able to open a car door because his hands are too brittle? That didn't make sense. Other examples of small things like this were laced throughout the narrative.

The Ugly:
This book was like someone other than Joss Whedon wrote a bad episode of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' that was rejected, then later pitched to SyFy and made into a horrible B movie. Each chapter felt the same, very formulaic in how it was composed. Receive notification of an emergency, find patients, treat patients, go to hospital, learn about new monster-of-the-week. Because of this formula, it took almost 20 chapters for the overarching plot and problem to be introduced into the story, and I was already bored with the plot by the time I got to the reveal, which made the twist in the epilogue just seem to come out of nowhere.

I would not fault anyone for putting this down and not finishing after the first few chapters. It doesn't do anything to grab the reader's attention or entice the reader into wanting to read more of the author's work.

[Michael Evan · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the history of Jamie Davis' transition from Paramedic, Nurse and medical non fiction writer to Fantasy Fiction author, I knew I needed to jump in to this series and I'm so glad I did.

Imagine an EMS procedural, mixed with Whedonesque vampire lore, and healthy dose of Urban Fantasy, and that basically sums up Extreme Medical Services

The novel, written in the third person, a refreshing change from most UF, focuses on Dean, an esteemed Paramedic school graduate getting his first big placement on the job. Dean, due to his top grades is transferred to a special division focusing on EMS care for Unusuals (basically any type of supernatural being) that have secretly been living among humans with their own governing body. Dean's struggle as a new paramedic is given the added weight of needing to accept that these beings exist along with how they must be medically cared for.

Much of the first half of the novel deals with actual EMS procedures, such as bedside manner, medicinal dosage etc. and it is clear that Davis is writing from his own expertise. Gradually, however once the Unusuals are introduced, and the overarching subplots begin to take over, the story becomes less EMS heavy any more mythological fantasy.

Jamie Davis writes excellent characters. Main protagonist Dean is the naive and ultra moral new guy that finds himself swimming in a morally gray sea and not knowing who he can trust among his EMS team and his new Unusual "friends", leading to multiple plot twists and the promise of an expanding world, and higher stakes in subsequent volumes.

I strongly suggest anything by this fantastic author, who has written many great books in a rather short period of time, but if you want to follow his fiction writing from the beginning, give Extreme Medical Services a shot. You'll want to binge read the entire series.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Accurate Paramedicine, But...

This book is full of great and accurate emergency medicine, with a supernatural twist that makes great sense. The worldbuilding and attention to detail is great - but the author has much to learn about crafting characters and a story out of his world.

Don't get me wrong. A lot of events happen, and they're interesting, and they introduce you to EMS and the base specifics of this urban fantasy world. But they aren't shaped into a story with a beginning, middle, and end. They're a rough slice of life that has been shaped more as a prolonged exposition than as a story with a real emotional through line. The structure would be excellent as supplemental example material for an EMS training manual - and I mean this. It hits training points the community is working on, things that new EMTs and paramedics really do need to learn. But the structure absolutely does not suit an urban fantasy story. Exposition does not substitute for a plot. The book builds to an event that really should have been the inciting incident for the story - and the presence of such a long clip of the second novel in my copy shows the author was somewhat aware of the problem, which gives me hope.

You see, this and the other issues with this book are all beginner mistakes. And this guy is smart - the presence of the single flashback shows that he knows that a story isn't best told linearly, and he'll learn to correct that. His characters will begin to develop their own voices, and he will show us things rather than tell them. It isn't like some other major properties haven't shown the exact same problems. I'll be reading the next one, on the strength of his withholding and his EMS accuracy.

[T. K. Elliott (Tiffany) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a difficult book to rate.

The characters are engaging - I really liked the main character, Dean. He's convincingly wet-behind-the-ears as a paramedic and has plenty of growing up to do, but he's going in the right direction. I connected less with the other characters, but Jamie Davis has the ability to pull the reader in and keep them going.

The setting was in some ways your standard urban fantasy world with magical creatures/beings living in secret. Only in this world, since they pay taxes, they are also entitled to services - including one ambulance and its complement of paramedics who know how to deal with them and their particular problems. However, Davis puts his own spin on it, making it comfortingly familiar to the seasoned urban fantasy reader, but also fresh.

Where this book fell down - and the reason for the two star review - was the plot. What plot, you may ask? Well, if you persevere all the way to the end of the book - around the 90% mark - you will find it. Or at least, the first 15% of the plot. This book reads like an extended setup - Dean getting dumped into the new world of Unusuals, and learning to cope with it. We don't get a hint of real plot - a villain/villains and a problem to solve - until very, very late on.

Hence, I can't justify more than two stars.

However, I'll be reading at least the next book in the series, because Davis is a good enough writer that I want to know what happens next. The next book in the series, The Paramedic's Angel, leads straight on from the end of this one.

[Miki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was first published on my blog "Lecture toute une Aventure"

I really love the mix between urban fantasy and the medical part, it was a refreshing point of view and we are getting the opportunity to meet a lot of different paranormal creatures. Dean is a young new paramedic who wants action but he never imagined to be assigned to a unit for unusual (aka paranormal) patients. With problem nearly normal for a paramedic: asthma attack, cardiac arrest, dishydratation etc but pertaining unusual people ( vampire, shifters etc)...it's a bit overwhelming at first but thankfully his mentor Brynne is not new to the job and it's subtleties. Dean is really good student but we glimpse deep down also a very gentle heart and good soul covered by a lot of determination ( a excellent combination fora paramedic i guess)

It's full of action and mystery with twists and intrigue behind the specific interventions scenes that are wonderfully written immersing us in the paramedic world easily and making us ( at least me) want more. I could easily imagine a tv series made from this book it could be fascinating!

My only disappointment is the cliffhanger ...we are getting deeper into what is happening and then after a big info we are left waiting for book 2....thankfully it's already release with a few others so no need to wait before getting your hand on it help.....because this series may be very addictive if it continues with this quality.