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Black Sheep #1
How to Hunt a Menacing Magical Shadow
New magic is unpredictable, unreliable, and unsafe. The same could be said about Adrian Cotter, a snarky, cupcake loving, rookie police officer with the uncanny ability to make magic do anything but what it’s actually supposed to. The laughingstock of the police station, Adrian is determined to stick it to everyone who’s ever called him a worthless piece of trash, dreaming to one day become a hero everyone adores.That is until he becomes the #1 most wanted criminal in the country.
Hunted by a menacing shadow and haunted by a voice in his head, Adrian sets off on a mission to catch the person responsible for his mess. Along the way, he comes across the Black Sheep, a group of bad ass military soldiers from another world where magic is far more advanced than he could ever imagine. With their help, Adrian learns all about the magic that is new to his world, and uncovers his true magical abilities along with a startling discovery about his past that will no doubt determine his future.
But who can he trust is telling him the truth? And will he find a way to change his fate to become the hero he’s always wanted to be before time runs out?
Hunted by a menacing shadow and haunted by a voice in his head, Adrian sets off on a mission to catch the person responsible for his mess. Along the way, he comes across the Black Sheep, a group of bad ass military soldiers from another world where magic is far more advanced than he could ever imagine. With their help, Adrian learns all about the magic that is new to his world, and uncovers his true magical abilities along with a startling discovery about his past that will no doubt determine his future.
But who can he trust is telling him the truth? And will he find a way to change his fate to become the hero he’s always wanted to be before time runs out?
- GenresFantasy
359 pages, ebook
First published June 16, 2020
10 people are currently reading
430 people want to read
About the author
Christine Schulz
10 books99 followersChristine Schulz is a fantasy writer and lover unicorns, pugs, and magic. As a young child, she would put her imagination to work, pretending to live in a fantasy world where she could fly, fight the bad guys, and save the world. Although she could never master the art of flying, she did manage to put together all those creative ideas into a compelling story that formed her debut series Black Sheep.
When she's not writing, Christine can be found reading, cooking up a delicious meal, and spending time with her furry pug companion.
When she's not writing, Christine can be found reading, cooking up a delicious meal, and spending time with her furry pug companion.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 16, 2020
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
In a world much like ours, except that magic was recently discovered, a schlub cop gets picked on by everybody because magic doesn't really work for him, and he can't seem to do anything else right.
Then he's framed by murder, and all of a sudden the women love him. Is this why so many women want to marry serial killers?
Anyway, he's a fugitive from justice, finds he's a rare type of magician, and there's a bunch of betrayals and counter betrayals.
A little too busy for it's own good.
In a world much like ours, except that magic was recently discovered, a schlub cop gets picked on by everybody because magic doesn't really work for him, and he can't seem to do anything else right.
Then he's framed by murder, and all of a sudden the women love him. Is this why so many women want to marry serial killers?
Anyway, he's a fugitive from justice, finds he's a rare type of magician, and there's a bunch of betrayals and counter betrayals.
A little too busy for it's own good.
November 8, 2020
Magic and Mystery
I really enjoyed the series. I got into Adrian’s character and really enjoyed the art of his development. I look forward to more books from this author.
I really enjoyed the series. I got into Adrian’s character and really enjoyed the art of his development. I look forward to more books from this author.
December 21, 2020
For Adrian, magic was and still is dangerous. A rookie cop, he hopes to prove to his dead parents that he can be a hero, not the screw up everyone thinks he is. Police that use magic weapons to fight crime—interesting!
One day, while patrolling MagicCon, the biggest magical event, he finds a dead woman and fights with a colleague, resulting in his arrest and a murder charge. Framed. A group of aliens with powers break him out of jail and ask his help in capturing a rogue criminal that escaped their planet. Reluctantly, Adrian accepts and soon begins to uncover secrets from his past.
Fascinating premise with its hunt for a magical criminal. The narrative is fairly good, but it’s slow and lengthy at times. Full of action, story is of a rookie cop without a clue venturing to become the hero he always wanted. A pretty good read.
One day, while patrolling MagicCon, the biggest magical event, he finds a dead woman and fights with a colleague, resulting in his arrest and a murder charge. Framed. A group of aliens with powers break him out of jail and ask his help in capturing a rogue criminal that escaped their planet. Reluctantly, Adrian accepts and soon begins to uncover secrets from his past.
Fascinating premise with its hunt for a magical criminal. The narrative is fairly good, but it’s slow and lengthy at times. Full of action, story is of a rookie cop without a clue venturing to become the hero he always wanted. A pretty good read.
August 17, 2024
'How to Hunt a Menacing Magical Shadow' gave me a teenage fantasy action movie vibe reminiscent of 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' (the movie) and 'Sky High.'
Plot
The plot is easy enough to digest so it's good for a light read. Adrian, the protagonist, has an underdog story picked up by an angsty group of (what feels like) young adults on a super-secret mission, and confronts the villain that's connected to his personal tragedies. There are no deep conspiracies, no political maneuverings that determine the fate of a nation, no complicated heist planning, nothing of those sorts. It's a good plot opener for a series as it just focuses on one person's story but throws hints at a more complex world-building and potentially darker plot points to be explored.
Aside from the minimal love story aspect of it, the plot was well-paced. The rules of this modern world that uses magic as a utility in a small capacity was established quite well, and the initial action sequence kicked in pretty early on. I only have two minor criticisms:
1. The misunderstanding conflict of the story felt a little weak.
2. Adrian fainted way too often (3x in the first 131 pages) and it felt like an easy way out for our heroes when stuck in an action sequence.
Characters
I love that the story's protagonist, Adrian, goes against the rising trend of having a broody and cynical main character in the YA genre. I liked his sense of humor and easygoing energy even when things are looking bleak.
However, everyone else around him felt one-dimensional. The characters feel reactive to whatever is going on around Adrian rather than them acting on their own accord. The villains felt like caricatures straight out of cartoons with their shallow motivations and taunting language; Lizzie transformed from a badass rebel to a doe-eyed, lovestruck teenager; the nonchalant Eli invited Adrian for a heart-to-heart walk to a pizza place without Adrian earning this level of conversation with him.
Final Thoughts
A good book for anyone looking for a quick read in the modern magic genre that's more plot-centered than romance. It has a spunky protagonist who spits good jokes with great timing, an interesting enough plot point moving in a steady pace, and a glimpse into a potentially deeper story and interesting characters.
Plot
The plot is easy enough to digest so it's good for a light read. Adrian, the protagonist, has an underdog story picked up by an angsty group of (what feels like) young adults on a super-secret mission, and confronts the villain that's connected to his personal tragedies. There are no deep conspiracies, no political maneuverings that determine the fate of a nation, no complicated heist planning, nothing of those sorts. It's a good plot opener for a series as it just focuses on one person's story but throws hints at a more complex world-building and potentially darker plot points to be explored.
Aside from the minimal love story aspect of it, the plot was well-paced. The rules of this modern world that uses magic as a utility in a small capacity was established quite well, and the initial action sequence kicked in pretty early on. I only have two minor criticisms:
1. The misunderstanding conflict of the story felt a little weak.
2. Adrian fainted way too often (3x in the first 131 pages) and it felt like an easy way out for our heroes when stuck in an action sequence.
Characters
I love that the story's protagonist, Adrian, goes against the rising trend of having a broody and cynical main character in the YA genre. I liked his sense of humor and easygoing energy even when things are looking bleak.
"Death by cupcakes —my preferred way to die."
— Adrian Cotter, Chapter 5
However, everyone else around him felt one-dimensional. The characters feel reactive to whatever is going on around Adrian rather than them acting on their own accord. The villains felt like caricatures straight out of cartoons with their shallow motivations and taunting language; Lizzie transformed from a badass rebel to a doe-eyed, lovestruck teenager; the nonchalant Eli invited Adrian for a heart-to-heart walk to a pizza place without Adrian earning this level of conversation with him.
Final Thoughts
A good book for anyone looking for a quick read in the modern magic genre that's more plot-centered than romance. It has a spunky protagonist who spits good jokes with great timing, an interesting enough plot point moving in a steady pace, and a glimpse into a potentially deeper story and interesting characters.
July 20, 2024
I had a blast reading this book. Love this world with magically spelled bullets, magic tattoos, and a pug with magical farts. I caught myself snickering many times.
Adrian is our accident prone and cupcake loving officer mc. He finds himself in some misfortune and meets this magical group of beings that helps him but is also after a group of people misusing magic or magical items.There's also a mysterious voice that keeps following him everywhere (even his dreams.)About halfway through the book it switches up majorly. Theres surprises everywhere you turn and never a dull moment.
I got to say the pug was the one that immediately caught my eye, but this quirky cast quickly drew me in. I even liked some of the villains. Raven was my fav the way Schulz describes her and her powers.
My fav quote was "Someone is trying to harm us with these white confetti crystals." The scene that follows that will melt your heart. You'll have to read the book to understand.
Christine does a wonderful job blurring magic with science. How to Hunt a Menacing Magical Shadow is actually book 1 in her Black Sheep series. I will definitely be reading the rest!
Adrian is our accident prone and cupcake loving officer mc. He finds himself in some misfortune and meets this magical group of beings that helps him but is also after a group of people misusing magic or magical items.There's also a mysterious voice that keeps following him everywhere (even his dreams.)About halfway through the book it switches up majorly. Theres surprises everywhere you turn and never a dull moment.
I got to say the pug was the one that immediately caught my eye, but this quirky cast quickly drew me in. I even liked some of the villains. Raven was my fav the way Schulz describes her and her powers.
My fav quote was "Someone is trying to harm us with these white confetti crystals." The scene that follows that will melt your heart. You'll have to read the book to understand.
Christine does a wonderful job blurring magic with science. How to Hunt a Menacing Magical Shadow is actually book 1 in her Black Sheep series. I will definitely be reading the rest!
April 28, 2022
Deadly shadow in a town of the dead!
His father was a police hero and his mother was a scientist, and Adrian wants to be a police hero too but his magic is broken. Adrian is a lazy, out-of-shape, screw-up. Just ask everyone and now he is on the run for his life with three magical outworlders. To make things worse he is hearing voices and his dreams are nothing to write home about. The shadow is out to kill him.
I wasn’t sure if I was going to like Adrian. His personality was just off for me, but as the story progressed, I really started getting into it and by the end of the book I was hooked! Now I am eager for the second book. I received an advance copy but my review is voluntary and honest.
His father was a police hero and his mother was a scientist, and Adrian wants to be a police hero too but his magic is broken. Adrian is a lazy, out-of-shape, screw-up. Just ask everyone and now he is on the run for his life with three magical outworlders. To make things worse he is hearing voices and his dreams are nothing to write home about. The shadow is out to kill him.
I wasn’t sure if I was going to like Adrian. His personality was just off for me, but as the story progressed, I really started getting into it and by the end of the book I was hooked! Now I am eager for the second book. I received an advance copy but my review is voluntary and honest.
October 2, 2020
I usually enjoy urban fantasy books that include elements of magic in a world that resembles our own. In this book, magic is treated as a form of science or technology, which was an interesting take on the topic.
I found the main character dislikeable and difficult to connect to, which detracted somewhat from my enjoyment of the story. While this is eventually explained, I felt the author could have given us clearer signals earlier on that might have redeemed the main character for me.
Despite this, I found the book was an enjoyable read with some interesting characters and a refreshing use of magic. Worth a read!
I found the main character dislikeable and difficult to connect to, which detracted somewhat from my enjoyment of the story. While this is eventually explained, I felt the author could have given us clearer signals earlier on that might have redeemed the main character for me.
Despite this, I found the book was an enjoyable read with some interesting characters and a refreshing use of magic. Worth a read!
June 26, 2021
Take a young, rookie cop with a bad attitude, worse interactions to magics, and a mysterious recurring set of dreams and you have started Author Schulz's book.
Adrian has a lot to live up to. His father was a hero cop and his mother a magic researcher. While he has a deep desire to help people it seems he is often his own worst enemy. Told in first person this book has twists and turns as Adrian tries to find out who he can and can't trust... including the voice in his head.
Good concept and an interesting take of a world just starting to come to terms with magic. I look forward to reading more of Author Schulz's work.
Adrian has a lot to live up to. His father was a hero cop and his mother a magic researcher. While he has a deep desire to help people it seems he is often his own worst enemy. Told in first person this book has twists and turns as Adrian tries to find out who he can and can't trust... including the voice in his head.
Good concept and an interesting take of a world just starting to come to terms with magic. I look forward to reading more of Author Schulz's work.
August 17, 2023
This is an incredible fantasy read as we meet Adrian on his journey into a world of shadow and danger. Adrian has magic but doesn’t know how to make it work for him and then one day finds himself in trouble. Real trouble as he is framed for murder. Whilst on the hunt to clear his name, he unearths secrets from his past, troubling secrets that make him wonder if he will ever become a hero and makes some friends / allies with an unlikely group of strangers that offer to help him. It’s a great read, exciting, intriguing and has some wicked humour thrown in as we follow this underdog on his quest to find himself and discover who he really is.
February 7, 2021
Adrian is a cop in a world where magic is beginning to be used as any other resource. Except that he seems to be a dud at using magic.. or is he? And then he gets framed for murder, meets a gang of magic users who want to kidnap him and another gang who want to save him... or not. And he has this recurring nightmare where he meets a shadow that talks to him, or maybe the shadow and the talker are different beings..
The tone is sort-of-humorous and the style is very detailed, maybe too much. Motives seem to be blurred. The story is interesting with lots of potential, but it needs editing.
The tone is sort-of-humorous and the style is very detailed, maybe too much. Motives seem to be blurred. The story is interesting with lots of potential, but it needs editing.
October 26, 2020
This was a really entertaining and funny book about the protagonist, Adrian, being hunted by a mysterious shadow. Right from the beginning I fell in love with his character and his sarcastic personality. The story made me smile from the first to the last page. The whole story is very well written and if you like clever fantasy and witty humor, you will love this book!
October 16, 2022
Loved seeing into more of Schulz's amazingly detailed world! This feels similar but is also quite different to the Nightfly series. New characters, new villains, new fraught relationships... it's quite a wild ride!
August 21, 2023
This is such a good first book. The action is there but there are so many undertones as well. Friendship, love, self discovery. It is truly, truly recommended by me. You'll love it if you Root for the underdog hah! There's mystery elements, and of course magic. I 10/10 recommend this book!
October 17, 2020
This book is a mixture of mystery, humour, and action in world where the unlimited power of imagination allows magic to happen, it’s an awesome book in it’s own genre.
April 2, 2025
A Good Story
A good story with a lot of interesting ideas. I enjoyed reading it and look forward to the next one.
A good story with a lot of interesting ideas. I enjoyed reading it and look forward to the next one.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews