Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, Book 1)
by Ilona Andrews
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Book Reviews of Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, Book 1)
Book Review: Highly Recommended Urban Fantasy
Summary: 5 Stars
Kate Daniels lives in a world where magic and technology struggle to exist together. As a mercenary she makes her living clearing up magical problems but as she investigates the murder of her guardian she's about to find herself caught between The Pack (shapeshifters) and the People (necromancers).
One of the best urban fantasies I've read this year. Kate is a feisty no-nonsense heroine, who doesn't let the fact she's not as strong as some of her adversaries stop her from doing her job. Although this is written in first person we only know what Kate tells us. A part of her is kept hidden, not only from the other characters but also from the reader. It suggests Kate has a secret she mustn't even think about - but intriguing hints are dropped that I hope will be followed up in the next book.
The book is peopled with interesting creatures and characters. Saiman a problem-solver (I'm not quite sure what he is) who charges $26 a minute for his time, the Lord of the Beasts a shapeshifter alpha you believe could rule - uncompromising and ruthless, he's prepared to do what is necessary to protect his people. This is not a romance but he and Kate have quite a chemistry together. :)
There's an intriguing new take on vampires, rather than sentient beings they are driven by appetite and are controlled by necromancers. They reminded me slightly of the monsters from Resident Evil. It's mentioned that they are constantly evolving (or maybe devolving) from a human base form and are an 'abomination in progress'. Scary.
Whenever a character says "I missed something" it makes me think as a reader I have too. I love stories where you want to think about the mystery and aren't 100% sure about who did what. If I had any gripes it would be that towards the end Curran blames Kate for something that he actually did. There could be some kind of shapeshifter politicking going on there, but it seemed a tad harsh.
Recommended for fans of Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson series, Wen Spencer and Kat Richardson.
Book #2 Magic Burns to be released 2008
Book Review: Uniqueness overcomes pulp
Summary: 3 Stars
Magic Bites written by Ilona Andrews follows the life of Kate Daniels, a mercenary who hires out her sword and her magic to track down rogue Vampires, changelings, monsters, and others' who abuse their powers. She is the heir to a powerful bloodline, but her maverick personality better suits this profession than to have joined the powerful Order of Knights of Magical Aid. Kate resides in a future Atlanta in which Magic and Technology are continually at war. When the "magic wave" hits, technology is rendered all but useless and utilitarian technology is replaced by that of the magic variety (lights, transportation, communication). During technology waves, magic is somewhat diminished and cars, electricity, etc. are restored to working order.
The novel begins with Kates' mentor being killed in a very undignified manner by an unknown evil. Kate ends up joining forces with the Knights order and a powerful group of lycanthropes consisting of werecats, wererats, werewolves, and even a WereBear. Opposing the Lycanthropes are a rival group of vampires. Kate's investigation places her in the midst of this rivalry, however it appears that there is a greater power behind the brutal murder of her mentor and guide. An evil that has left a path of murder and torture in its wake.
The world Kate inhabits is definitely unique, and Andrews has a fresh and compelling take on traditional monsters, magic and the paranormal. The story is somewhat conventional, almost of a "pulp fiction" variety. However, it is humorous and the first person narrative from Kate's perspective gives it an insiders companionability. There is some very descriptive brutality, making this most certainly an adult novel. The characters are somewhat developed but formulaic, with the exception of Kate, although she can be just a bit too over the top with the "tough jaded chick" persona. It would have been nice to see her a show a bit more vulnerability.
All in all the mood, setting and pacing made this a book a fun and gratifying endeavor and future works should be worthwhile.
Book Review: Loved it!
Summary: 5 Stars
"It took a qualified wizard to detect a summoning in progress. It only took a half-literate idiot with a twitch of power and a dim idea of how to use it to attempt one. Before you knew it, a three-headed Slavonic god was wreaking havoc in downtown Atlanta, the skies were raining winged snakes, and SWAT was screaming for more ammo. These were unsafe times. But then, in safer times, I'd be a woman without a job."
That paragraph, about a page in, sold me on Magic Bites. It stars Kate Daniels, a mercenary who handles odd jobs in a world where technology and magic are warring-- and technology is losing. In a Magic-punk version of Atlanta, Kate is stunned to learn that the city's knight-diviner (a prestigious member of the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid, the guardians of the city) has been murdered. A friend of her father's Greg was also Kate's guardian, and the closest thing to family she had.
Barely taking time to grieve, Kate launches herself into investigating Greg's murder, more than willing to let the Order use her attempts to cover their own, quieter investigation. What she discovers puts her in the middle of the vampires and werecreatures, both of who have suffered loses similar to Greg's murder, but neither is willing to admit to outsiders what they know and both want to blame each other, threatening to tear the city apart in a supernatural beastie war.
Andrew's world threatens to leave the realm of urban fantasy altogether, building a city where magic and tech flip off and on in dominance, tearing at each other in constantly flexing waves. Andrew's characters too, are the battered survivors of the decaying city, each urban fantasy breed--from vampires to shape shifters and beyond-- have a made over, wilder representation in Kate Daniel's world.
Magic Bites is a book that jumps headlong into mythology and magic, leaving the reader charmed and definitely wanting more. Similar in feel to Jim Butcher's Dresden series this series is sure to be a stand out in the world of paranormal fiction.
Book Review: 4 1/2 stars, just short of excellent
Summary: 4 Stars
Andrews has built a unique and interesting world where magic may be internal to a person or external.. It is coming back in irregular waves and folks have to deal with that. When it comes back tech stops working (or at least most of it)
The author also has a different take on vampires; after all they are basically brain dead. They have about an insect's intelligence but they are manipulated as remote sensors and assassination weapons by the People (a rather nasty set of Necromancers).. There are also a bunch of interesting magical critters; for instance were wolves (BTW were is an old name for man so man wolf) but also wolfweres (like Lyra's children). And there are were bears and cats.
Kate finds out that her former guardian Greg has been murdered from a vampire "navigated" (controlled) by Ghastec one or the People. Greg was the Knight Diviner for the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid and Kate is a mercenary so they don't exactly see eye to eye. The Order is one of the 3 agencies dealing with magic the others are the Paranormal Activates Division and a military group we don't see. Needless to say there are turf battles.
Both the Pack (weres of all kinds) and the People are implicated. Kate starts with the Pack where she already has a contact and wants a meet with the Beast Lord (Curran). He is pulling power games by staying in the dark parts of a ruin so she doesn't see him; but she has figured out he's a big cat of some sort. So "here kitty kitty kitty" is here greeting over all pretty funny. There are a number of humorous incidents. The characters are good and well drawn. The plot is nicely convoluted with some surprises.
Some editorial errors kept me from giving this a 5 star rating, still an outstanding paranormal fantasy.
There are several things left unresolved here like Curran and Kate (seem attracted), and what's going on with Kate's mysterious blood. Very much looking forward to reading the next book
Book Review: Another series to get hooked on!
Summary: 4 Stars
I've heard a bit about the Kate Daniels novels here and there and they have been on my 'to read' list for a while now. I really wasn't looking to start yet another series though because I have so much trouble keeping up with the ones I am already reading. Then I read the short story A Questionable Client in the anthology Dark and Stormy Knights and I knew I had to start reading this series.
Kate is a great main character. She is tough yet realizes her own vulnerability. She has a smart mouth which gets her into more trouble than it gets her out of. Her sense of humor is dark and twisted which fits perfectly with the tone of the story. There are many things about Kate that are hidden and we are given small clues throughout the book to a larger story. I'm really looking forward to learning more about Kate in future books because there seems to be so much more to discover.
The story is intense and moves quickly. Kate must navigate so much unfamiliar territory in this book and I could feel how unsettled this made her. Andrews uses great descriptive passages but does not waste words going on excessively. There are few moments to stop and ponder the larger meaning of events because something is always happening. This keeps Kate off balance throughout the entire book as just when she thinks she has things figured out something changes and the questions become more than they seemed at first glance.
Another thing that I loved about this book is that the vampires are really creepy. They are not human in any way and they most definitely do not sparkle. The were-creatures have some humanity to them since they do have a human form but they are still presented in a darker way than in many books today. The darkness of the monsters seemed more real than some of the lighter versions we've been seeing in books recently.
I am really looking forward to continuing with this series and seeing what happens to Kate next.