Tatiana’s review of Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, #1) > Likes and Comments
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Sex and graphic violence never scare me:) Thanks for the warning about Curran. I'll keep an open mind.
Just keep swimming through it. If you can make it out of this one with a 3 star rating, you'll love books 2 and 3. I hated Curran in book 1 while being perversely attracted to him and you know how I felt about the lack of info, but it gets better.
It is getting better, 'cause I couldn't understand anything in the first few chapters.
I couldn't either. That's what grated on me. Nothing was explained. Its one of those things you learn over time. In retrospect, it's a fabby book and now it all makes sense, but it takes a while.
Bummer. I was hoping you'd like this book. Oh well, no biggie.
T is very discerning when it comes to UF, lol.
Understood. So Tatiana, what did you like and what didn't you like? And no, I'm not going to try to get you to change your mind, I just wanna hear your opinion.
Ryan, I think it all comes down to how much you like the narrator, Kate. The story is interesting enough, but this first book has world building issues. Once you get past book 1, its glorious, but this first one is tough. I was able to press on because I loved Kate. T didn't like her, though I don't yet know why, so she wasn't able to look beyond the other issues.
T, same question as Penny ;)
Sorry, Penny. I wanted to like it, but it was just OK for me:(. I'll post my review shortly.
Yep, that's exactly how I like my UF. ;)
I'm sorry it didn't work for you, Tati. And I shall probably have to stop recommending UF series to you since my top faves haven't been your cuppa. But them's the breaks.
LOL! Just read your review. Makes me wonder why I am your mon amie (your description of Kate might have well described me) and I loved the blood and guts! :) But I agree with what you said about the writing. It frustrated me too. Sorry you didn't like it matey.
Oh to answer your questions, the Guild and the order are the magic "police force". There are magic users (born with the trait to use magic) and non-magic users (humans). They co-exist, though when magic is up (magic wave) humans are at a bit of a loss. They can't really fight against magic, they just have to learn to live with it. When tech is up( meaning no magic) technology such as cars, stoves, t.v.s etc. work, though only until magic returns, so both humans and non have reverted to a more primative way of life.
Tatiana wrote: "You are much funnier than Kate:O)"
Aww, thanks :)
Heather wrote: "Oh to answer your questions, the Guild and the order are the magic "police force". There are magic users (born with the trait to use magic) and non-magic users (humans). They co-exist, though when ..."
So, how do humans and magic users co-exist? Are regular humans looked down at because of their weakness?
One more. What exactly is feylantern?
Angie wrote: "Yep, that's exactly how I like my UF. ;)
I'm sorry it didn't work for you, Tati. And I shall probably have to stop recommending UF series to you since my top faves haven't been your cuppa. But th..."
Angie, I might be just a picky UF reader. Well, I am a picky reader period, so don't feel bad for recommending it. I love Megan Whalen Turner though:)
Feylantern is like a lamp that works during magic waves. I think.
That's tough. Magic users, with the exception of vamps, which are just mindless conduits, are human. Necros, and shapeshifters, even Kate are human. They are just magic using humans. The order and the Guild are magic using, but human enforcers. They actually are anti-shapeshifters and anti-necromancers, but because the Pack and the People are so powerful, they don't take them on. But if they ever could, they would. The Pack and The People don't mess with humans one because they are human themselves, but because they don't want to have to deal with The Guild or the Order. However, both the Pack and the People think of themselves as superior.
What determines if a human is a magic user or not? Are there are many of them? Because it seems you need many of magic-using humans to keep the bad guys at bay and protect regular folk.
IDK, what determines a magic user in Harry Potter? It seems to be hereditary, though I can't say for 100% certainty. But you are right, non-magic using humans are at a disadvantage, except during tech, when magic is null and void.
Are you up for more questions? 'Cause I have a few...
Sure, bring it on, this is fun. A test of my comprehension skills, lol.
In HP it seems hereditary plus some occasional mudbloods if I remember it right.
So, when the "magic in not up," all magic disappears? In the book, all these creatures - vamps, shapechangers, necros have some kind of magic imprint. When magic isn't up, do vamps stop being vamps? Does Kate's sword stop working?
No, when magic is down, shape-shifters remain shape shifters, vamps remain vamps, etc. as they always have. In this world there have always been those species, its just that they had to be hidden, as magic didn't saturate the world. Again I'll reference HP. Harry is a wizzard, even when he is in the muggle world, but certain things might not work in the muggle world that work in magical dimension. Same for this universe, only the magic in this universe has taken over the muggle world. Though it sometimes fades out. So wards don't always work, shapeshifters won't be at full power, etc.
My memory is hazy but I think in HP, magic always works in muggle world, it just that only witches and wizzards can use it.
I think I am getting more confused... Still have no clue what magic actually is. But thanks for trying, matey:)
Hmm, I guess look at this world as having two dimensions. the magic dimension and the muggle dimension. For as long as anyone has record, the muggle dimension has struggled between being a man owned (tech) dimension, and a magical dimension, hence the magical species being in the muggle relm. For some centuries, or even longer, (tech) ruled, making magic nearly obsolete, and other times magic ruled, making tech, nearly obsolete. In Kate's time, magic is ruling the muggle dimension, theough there are waves of time when tech still tries to rule.
My answer: magic is in the magic user's blood, in their other body fluids, hair, nails, etc. Kate, because of who she is, is literally magic personified.
I'll give a better explanation later. I'm out of town right now (in UTAH, in-laws house) so I've gotta go. Sorry.
Love the first paragraph of your review, especially: The difficulty here is to find a series whose standard mix of ass-kicking heroine/amusing cast of secondary characters/lore/mystery/paranormal hunk that suits your personal preferences.
I guess my problem is that I found my perfect mix with the first urban fantasy series I picked up, so everything else will suffer in comparison. I don't think this series is for me either.
Thanks for the great review.
I think it's the same for everyone. I picked up Sookie Stackhouse books first and I still like them almost the best:) I rarely come across any good ones any more.
And thank you for commenting.
Thanks for writing a review that articulated what I was thinking - but you said it much better!
I couldn't agree with this review more! I'm not even sure if I can get though this one. There's nothing about it I like so far. I usually like to try to keep even my mediocre books down to a maximum of three eye rolls. I'm not even half way through and have already exceeded that. Ugh. I don't like the female protagonist. At all. Tatiana, I am going to look at your book list because you're one of the few that have agreed with me on this book and Patricia Brigg's Moon Called.
I'm glad I found your review. I was seriously starting to wonder if there were some chapters missing from the audiobook. I kept reminding thinking I was zoning out. I don't know how I am supposed to be interested in a story (is a story a story with no exposition?) when I have no idea what anyone is talking about or what's happening.
it gets better with each book. and I love the humour in it. I didn't get too much into the series until the 3rd book, but now this is my favourite series. You should give it another chance and read the next book
Totally agree with you, and would like to add: enough with the formulaic snark in UF as well as the bloody American South. To many people outside of the US, the South is NOT a nice place, not a place that I would aspire to write in a book, not a culture I can relate to...racism, backward religious beliefs, weird things happening with food and boots.
I say this as a huge Kate Daniels fan and the authors agree with this sentiment, Book 1 is truly awful. The sequels are MUCH better.
It takes some time to warm up to Kate and Curran. I would suggest you try the audiobooks (if you ever have that chance) because the narrator is superb and try at least till book 3 before you overall dismiss the author. Also their short stories are the best of UF I've read, especially the "Kinsmen" series. Just something to keep in mind if you ever feel like it....
Any suggestions on Urban fantasy books that are good? I am struggling to enagae with a lot of them
Rhonda wrote: "Any suggestions on Urban fantasy books that are good? I am struggling to enagae with a lot of them"
The only UF series worked for me are Karen Marie Mining’s Fever and Stacia Kane’s Downside Ghosts books, and some early Kelley Armstrong stuff.
It actually gets better the farther you go in, like the last books are way better. You can see the improvements
Rhonda wrote: "Any suggestions on Urban fantasy books that are good? I am struggling to enagae with a lot of them"
The only ones I've actually liked are the Harry Dresden and Alex Verus series. They are not too high fantasy (the mundane world still exists alongside magic) and the characters are relatable. (Dresden only gets good at around book 4 or so, so it is a bit of a difficult sale.)
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Sex and graphic violence never scare me:) Thanks for the warning about Curran. I'll keep an open mind.
Just keep swimming through it. If you can make it out of this one with a 3 star rating, you'll love books 2 and 3. I hated Curran in book 1 while being perversely attracted to him and you know how I felt about the lack of info, but it gets better.
It is getting better, 'cause I couldn't understand anything in the first few chapters.
I couldn't either. That's what grated on me. Nothing was explained. Its one of those things you learn over time. In retrospect, it's a fabby book and now it all makes sense, but it takes a while.
Bummer. I was hoping you'd like this book. Oh well, no biggie.
T is very discerning when it comes to UF, lol.
Understood. So Tatiana, what did you like and what didn't you like? And no, I'm not going to try to get you to change your mind, I just wanna hear your opinion.
Ryan, I think it all comes down to how much you like the narrator, Kate. The story is interesting enough, but this first book has world building issues. Once you get past book 1, its glorious, but this first one is tough. I was able to press on because I loved Kate. T didn't like her, though I don't yet know why, so she wasn't able to look beyond the other issues.T, same question as Penny ;)
Sorry, Penny. I wanted to like it, but it was just OK for me:(. I'll post my review shortly.
Yep, that's exactly how I like my UF. ;) I'm sorry it didn't work for you, Tati. And I shall probably have to stop recommending UF series to you since my top faves haven't been your cuppa. But them's the breaks.
LOL! Just read your review. Makes me wonder why I am your mon amie (your description of Kate might have well described me) and I loved the blood and guts! :) But I agree with what you said about the writing. It frustrated me too. Sorry you didn't like it matey.
Oh to answer your questions, the Guild and the order are the magic "police force". There are magic users (born with the trait to use magic) and non-magic users (humans). They co-exist, though when magic is up (magic wave) humans are at a bit of a loss. They can't really fight against magic, they just have to learn to live with it. When tech is up( meaning no magic) technology such as cars, stoves, t.v.s etc. work, though only until magic returns, so both humans and non have reverted to a more primative way of life.
Tatiana wrote: "You are much funnier than Kate:O)"Aww, thanks :)
Heather wrote: "Oh to answer your questions, the Guild and the order are the magic "police force". There are magic users (born with the trait to use magic) and non-magic users (humans). They co-exist, though when ..."So, how do humans and magic users co-exist? Are regular humans looked down at because of their weakness?
One more. What exactly is feylantern?
Angie wrote: "Yep, that's exactly how I like my UF. ;) I'm sorry it didn't work for you, Tati. And I shall probably have to stop recommending UF series to you since my top faves haven't been your cuppa. But th..."
Angie, I might be just a picky UF reader. Well, I am a picky reader period, so don't feel bad for recommending it. I love Megan Whalen Turner though:)
Feylantern is like a lamp that works during magic waves. I think.That's tough. Magic users, with the exception of vamps, which are just mindless conduits, are human. Necros, and shapeshifters, even Kate are human. They are just magic using humans. The order and the Guild are magic using, but human enforcers. They actually are anti-shapeshifters and anti-necromancers, but because the Pack and the People are so powerful, they don't take them on. But if they ever could, they would. The Pack and The People don't mess with humans one because they are human themselves, but because they don't want to have to deal with The Guild or the Order. However, both the Pack and the People think of themselves as superior.
What determines if a human is a magic user or not? Are there are many of them? Because it seems you need many of magic-using humans to keep the bad guys at bay and protect regular folk.
IDK, what determines a magic user in Harry Potter? It seems to be hereditary, though I can't say for 100% certainty. But you are right, non-magic using humans are at a disadvantage, except during tech, when magic is null and void.
Are you up for more questions? 'Cause I have a few...
Sure, bring it on, this is fun. A test of my comprehension skills, lol.
In HP it seems hereditary plus some occasional mudbloods if I remember it right. So, when the "magic in not up," all magic disappears? In the book, all these creatures - vamps, shapechangers, necros have some kind of magic imprint. When magic isn't up, do vamps stop being vamps? Does Kate's sword stop working?
No, when magic is down, shape-shifters remain shape shifters, vamps remain vamps, etc. as they always have. In this world there have always been those species, its just that they had to be hidden, as magic didn't saturate the world. Again I'll reference HP. Harry is a wizzard, even when he is in the muggle world, but certain things might not work in the muggle world that work in magical dimension. Same for this universe, only the magic in this universe has taken over the muggle world. Though it sometimes fades out. So wards don't always work, shapeshifters won't be at full power, etc.
My memory is hazy but I think in HP, magic always works in muggle world, it just that only witches and wizzards can use it. I think I am getting more confused... Still have no clue what magic actually is. But thanks for trying, matey:)
Hmm, I guess look at this world as having two dimensions. the magic dimension and the muggle dimension. For as long as anyone has record, the muggle dimension has struggled between being a man owned (tech) dimension, and a magical dimension, hence the magical species being in the muggle relm. For some centuries, or even longer, (tech) ruled, making magic nearly obsolete, and other times magic ruled, making tech, nearly obsolete. In Kate's time, magic is ruling the muggle dimension, theough there are waves of time when tech still tries to rule.
My answer: magic is in the magic user's blood, in their other body fluids, hair, nails, etc. Kate, because of who she is, is literally magic personified.I'll give a better explanation later. I'm out of town right now (in UTAH, in-laws house) so I've gotta go. Sorry.
Love the first paragraph of your review, especially: The difficulty here is to find a series whose standard mix of ass-kicking heroine/amusing cast of secondary characters/lore/mystery/paranormal hunk that suits your personal preferences. I guess my problem is that I found my perfect mix with the first urban fantasy series I picked up, so everything else will suffer in comparison. I don't think this series is for me either.
Thanks for the great review.
I think it's the same for everyone. I picked up Sookie Stackhouse books first and I still like them almost the best:) I rarely come across any good ones any more.And thank you for commenting.
Thanks for writing a review that articulated what I was thinking - but you said it much better!
I couldn't agree with this review more! I'm not even sure if I can get though this one. There's nothing about it I like so far. I usually like to try to keep even my mediocre books down to a maximum of three eye rolls. I'm not even half way through and have already exceeded that. Ugh. I don't like the female protagonist. At all. Tatiana, I am going to look at your book list because you're one of the few that have agreed with me on this book and Patricia Brigg's Moon Called.
I'm glad I found your review. I was seriously starting to wonder if there were some chapters missing from the audiobook. I kept reminding thinking I was zoning out. I don't know how I am supposed to be interested in a story (is a story a story with no exposition?) when I have no idea what anyone is talking about or what's happening.
it gets better with each book. and I love the humour in it. I didn't get too much into the series until the 3rd book, but now this is my favourite series. You should give it another chance and read the next book
Totally agree with you, and would like to add: enough with the formulaic snark in UF as well as the bloody American South. To many people outside of the US, the South is NOT a nice place, not a place that I would aspire to write in a book, not a culture I can relate to...racism, backward religious beliefs, weird things happening with food and boots.
I say this as a huge Kate Daniels fan and the authors agree with this sentiment, Book 1 is truly awful. The sequels are MUCH better.
It takes some time to warm up to Kate and Curran. I would suggest you try the audiobooks (if you ever have that chance) because the narrator is superb and try at least till book 3 before you overall dismiss the author. Also their short stories are the best of UF I've read, especially the "Kinsmen" series. Just something to keep in mind if you ever feel like it....
Any suggestions on Urban fantasy books that are good? I am struggling to enagae with a lot of them
Rhonda wrote: "Any suggestions on Urban fantasy books that are good? I am struggling to enagae with a lot of them"The only UF series worked for me are Karen Marie Mining’s Fever and Stacia Kane’s Downside Ghosts books, and some early Kelley Armstrong stuff.
It actually gets better the farther you go in, like the last books are way better. You can see the improvements
Rhonda wrote: "Any suggestions on Urban fantasy books that are good? I am struggling to enagae with a lot of them"The only ones I've actually liked are the Harry Dresden and Alex Verus series. They are not too high fantasy (the mundane world still exists alongside magic) and the characters are relatable. (Dresden only gets good at around book 4 or so, so it is a bit of a difficult sale.)
P.S. Curran is a bit of an ass at first. Don't hold that against him.
P.P.S. Remember, this book sort of pummels you with graphic violence. But the next two books aren't half so violent.