Review: Magic on the Storm (Devon Monk)

Magic on the Storm by Devon Monk
Publisher: Roc (2010)
Format: Mass Market Paperback | 344 pages
Genre(s): Urban Fantasy

Description (GR): "Allison Beckstrom is committed to her work tracing illegal spells. Now, there's an apocalyptic storm bearing down on Portland, and when it hits, all the magic in the area will turn unstable and destructive. To stop it from taking out the entire city, Allie and her lover, the mysterious Zayvion Jones, must work with the Authority-the enigmatic arbiters of all things magic-and take a stand against a magical wildstorm that will obliterate all in its path..."

WARNING: SPOILERS!

I've been meaning to post my rant (ahem) review about this book/series for a while now. I've written a bit in my book journal (I was that frustrated) about the chosen direction of this series and what I like and dislike about it. Since the series is complete at nine books I guess there is no changing its direction (not that I think I could change anything, since I am not the author, ahah), but still, these books have so much potencial that it is frustrating (here's that word again) to see it wasted (in my opinion).

I was thinking of buying the 3 books I still don't own, but after book 4 I reckon I won't. I cannot muster enough interest in the characters even though the world is interesting enough.

Allie is "tolerable I suppose" in the famous words of Mr Darcy, but she has yet to reach her full potential as a character. As for the rest of the characters, they are not good "enough to tempt me" to keep reading. Let's hope I am not making a big mistake, as Mr Darcy did with Elizabeth Bennet at the beginning of Pride and Prejudice, but considering this is book 4, I doubt it. I doubt Zayvion will get more interesting (and stop being a stereotype for tall, dark and handsome) or that Allie will stop being uber-special and possibly a bit Mary-Sue-ish. I doubt the "Autority" will stop being far-fetched.

My problem here is that the thing that interested me in these books - the magic system and the world building - has taken a turn I don't much like. That is, of course, a personal issue. It just sounds all too far-fetched and very "cloak and dagger". Magic stopped being dangerous and unknown, almost alive... humans have regained control of it by dividing it into disciplines/types that are never fully explained.

Zayvion continues to be the most boring male lead ever. His presence is barely "felt" during the books (ok, so he was in a coma for most of books 3 and 4, but even if he wasn't... I wouldn't miss him) and he was revealed to be a boring super human (I was hoping for sexy Sumerian god or something, but alas, no. The characters with the most potential (Stone and Stotts) don't get nearly enough airtime.

Overall, the elements that made me like this series seem to have disappeared. I never warmed up to the characters, the romance always felt flat and even the magic system got boring. I still have book 5 on my shelves but unless there is a gigantic twist, I'm not that interested in reading more. A pity, since the concept was pretty cool.

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Só Ler não Basta #2.2 - Leituras Confortáveis

Fui convidada para participar no Só ler não basta, uma rubrica conduzida pela Carla, Telma e Diana dos blogues Este meu Cantinho, Ler e Reflectir e Papéis e Letras, respectivamente. O tema deste mês foram as "Leituras confortáveis"... não sei porquê acharam que eu era especialista nisso. Hmm... não percebo. Foi uma ótima experiência. :)

E eis os livros que foram mencionados durante a galhofa... xD
A Night Like This de Julia Quinn
Livros da Julia Quinn
Livros da Jane Austen
Livros da Meljean Brook
Sputnik, Meu Amor de Haruki Murakami
Dawn of Avalon de Anna Elliott
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter de Carson McCullers
Claimed de Evangeline Anderson
Saga Brides of the Kindred de Evangeline Anderson
Saga Fifty Shades de E. L. James
Livros do Dan Brown
Livros do Tom Clancy
Livros do Konsalik
O Anjo dos Esquecidos
O Vale dos Cinco Leões de Ken Follet
Saga Harry Potter de J. K. Rowling
Jane Eyre de Charlotte Brontë
2666 - Roberto Bolaño
Fall of the Giants de Ken Follet
Saga Outlander de Diana Gabaldon
Livros do Bernard Cornwel
Monte dos Vendavais de Emily Brontë
The Count of Monte Cristo de Alexandre Dumas
Les Miserables de Victor Hugo

Review: Magic In the Blood (Devon Monk)

Magic In the Blood by Devon Monk
Publisher: Roc (2009)
Format: Mass Market Paperback | 358 pages
Genre(s): Urban Fantasy

Description (GR): "Working as a Hound-tracing illegal spells back to their casters-has taken its toll on Allison Beckstrom. But even though magic has given her migraines and stolen her recent memory, Allie isn't about to quit. Then the police's magic enforcement division asks her to consult on a missing persons case. But what seems to be a straightforward job turns out to be anything but, as Allie finds herself drawn into the underworld of criminals, ghosts, and blood magic."

I've read book 1 of this series way-back-when so I wasn't really clear on the details. I knew there was a heroine who uses magic and I remember liking the magic system in these books because in Monk's world everyone (as far as I can tell) can use magic (some are more talented than others, though) but magic requires a price and that makes most people think twice about using it. It can be a simple headache but it can also be something a little more serious.

Anyway... I remember (I went to check my review, ahah) liking the world building but not being crazy about the stereotypical characters. Still, I bought some more books of this series a while back so I decided to give it another chance.

This second book was fast-paced and there was a lot happening at the same time.

I was enjoying this book immensely (a lot more than the first) but the ending was rushed and the mystery underdeveloped. I mean, Allie is a Hound, she should be investigating and drawing conclusions but I felt the book was too focused on her and that too much happened to her. The mystery plot suffered because of it. We arrive at the climax with only vague ideas about what is going on and the way everything was resolved just didn't seem... plausible. The villain was almost absent until the end, also due to this. The author gave us no time to feel anything for him.

On the other hand there was a lot more world building and character development in this one. Allie was a lot more likable; unfortunately Zayvion Jones is still a walking stereotype. But... there is no love triangle in sight, which is great.

So, overall, it was a nice read, better than the first one but I feel it still needs more. There's too much and too little happening (I know I sound confusing but that's how it seemed to me) and some things were explained in a really implausible manner.

I will be reading the rest of the series though, since Monk got me interested in her world and her magic system (again).

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Aquisições da semana (32)

O pobre do blogue tem sido negligenciado nestas últimas semanas, mas aqui está mais uma edição do Aquisições da semana. Gostaria também de agradecer à Jen do Cuidado com o Dálmata pelo selo do Liebster. Thanks girl!

A Perfect Blood - Kim Harrison 

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn

The Diviners - Libba Bray

A Madness of Angels - Kate Griffin 

Baseado na rúbrica In my Mailbox.

Review: Cold Days (Jim Butcher)

Cold Days by Jim Butcher
Publisher: Orbit Books (2012)
Format: Hardcover | 515 pages
Genre(s): Urban Fantasy, Fantasy

Description (GR): "For years, Harry Dresden has been Chicago's only professional wizard, but a bargain made in desperation with the Queen of Air and Darkness has forced him into a new job: professional killer.

Mab, the mother of wicked faeries, has restored the mostly-dead wizard to health, and dispatches him upon his first mission - to bring death to an immortal. Even as he grapples with the impossible task, Dresden learns of a looming danger to Demonreach, the living island hidden upon Lake Michigan, a place whose true purpose and dark potential have the potential to destroy billions and to land Dresden in the deepest trouble he has ever known - even deeper than being dead. How messed up is that?

Beset by his new enemies and hounded by the old, Dresden has only twenty four hours to reconnect with his old allies, prevent a cataclysm and do the impossible - all while the power he bargained to get - but never meant to keep - lays siege to his very soul.

Magic. It can get a guy killed."

WARNING: SPOILERS FOR PREVIOUS BOOKS AND FOR THIS BOOK AS WELL.

Initial reaction: How does Jim Butcher do it? How can he take the most ridiculous sounding ideas and turns them into a coherent, interesting, page-turner of a book? O_O

Weeks after finishing this newest installment in The Dresden Files, I still don't know what to write about it. Except that Butcher can definitely write a compelling story and mix the most strange ideas and plot lines into something that makes sense. And he can keep readers interested for 14 books! 14!

This 14th book starts with Harry waking up after a near-death experience (see Ghost Story, book 13 for details). He is in Mab's kingdom for he has agreed to be her Knight (see Changes, book 12 for details). As he is nursed back to health, he has to escape Mab's deadly training. For Mab is about to ask him for something really unexpected... something Harry thought even Mab wouldn't be able to do.

One of my favourite books in this series is book 4 (Summer Knight), which dealt with faeries and their strange morals, powers and trickery. So I was quite happy to see that Cold Days deals with faeries as well. They are some of my favourite characters in the Dresden Files world.

Cold Days has a bit of a weak start. Harry is in Fairy Land (the NeverNever) and is being groomed to be the new Winter Knight. I must admit that while I did read the first 100 pages pretty quickly, I wasn't overly enthusiastic about the turn of the story. Harry lusting after a changeling and going to parties. Nop.

But then Mab did something that made the book get back on track: she made an impossible request to her new Knight and there Harry is, with enough trouble to get him killed twice over. So Harry gets back to Chicago and meets up with the old gang and that's when the book really 'starts'.

There is all of the usual action (almost non-stop), there is Harry battling with his new Winter powers and what they entail (changes in personality are one thing) and Harry and company trying to figure out why Mab would request such a thing.

What they find is terrifying (and a bit out there). I'm not sure how to feel about the new, shadowy enemies called "The Outsiders". Aliens on top of everything else? I don't know how it will work, but in this book, their involvement was epic. The mystery of the fae's existence and purpose is beginning to unravel; at the same time, we have these Outsiders, who are yet another big mystery, but could also shift the series into the ridicule (looking too much like the X Files, suddenly).

Overall, a typical Harry Dresden book (which is a good thing), with a bold idea that can go very, very wrong. I can't wait to see where Butcher will take the series next, so of course I will be buying the next book. Recommended to fans of urban fantasy and of course to readers of this series: this installment will not disappoint you as it has everything a good Dresden Files book should have.

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Aquisições da semana (31)

Após alguns dias sem luz (3 dias, pessoal! Três. Ainda bem que fui passar o fim de semana a casa), volto com mais um aquisições da semana (também para quebrar um pouco com todas aquelas opiniões sobre os livros da Kim Harrison... se bem que uma das aquisições seja um livro da Kim Harrison). :)

Tempest Rising - Nicole Peeler 

Valkyrie Rising - Ingrid Paulson 

The Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis 

Touch of the Demon - Diana Rowland 

Deadly Descendant - Jenna Black

Pale Demon - Kim Harrison 

Baseado na rubrica In my Mailbox.

Opinião: White Witch, Black Curse (Kim Harrison)

White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison
Editora: Eos (2009)
Formato: Capa mole | 549 páginas
Géneros: Fantasia Urbana

Descrição (GR): "Kick-ass bounty hunter and witch Rachel Morgan has crossed forbidden lines, taken demonic hits, and still stands. But the death of her lover struck her harder than she ever thought possible. She won't rest until his murder is solved . . . and avenged.

But a new predator is moving to the apex of the Inderlander food chain—and now Rachel's past is coming back to haunt her. 

Literally."

ATENÇÃO: SPOILERS DE LIVROS ANTERIORES!

E... mais um livro em que a Rachel anda de um lado para o outro mas faz muito pouco. Mais um livro em que a Rachel se ilude e diz a si própria que não é uma bruxa negra. Mais um livro cheio de drama devido à relação tensa entre a Rachel e a Ivy. E no meio temos o Jenks com os seus 500.000 filhos.

Neste livro, como em todos os outros, acontece muito pouco (e lá estou eu a escrever isto outra vez). Aliás, parece que acontece mais entre livros do que nos livros. Este sétimo livro abre com Rachel cheia de problemas, porque foi afastada da sociedade das bruxas e é agora a estudante do demónio Algaliarept. Para além disso começa a recordar-se de pormenores da morte do seu namorado.

E mais, aparece uma nova raça de sobrenaturais, as banshees. Poderia ter dado uma história interessante mas nunca se torna interessante porque rapidamente o mistério é resolvido e porque nunca percebemos muito bem as motivações da banshee vilã. Também aparece uma gárgula, mas é-lhe dada pouca importância. Só gostei das últimas páginas, em que a Rachel e o Trent vão para o ever-after. 

Achei este livro um pouco parado e pouco imaginativo. O drama foi apenas uma repetição dos livros anteriores e para uma série que vive do drama e das personagens, isto fez com que o livro fosse muito menos viciante do que os outros.

No geral, continua a ser uma série fácil de ler, mas este livro ficou aquém dos restantes. Em termos de desenvolvimento do mundo e das características sobrenaturais do mesmo a série "The Hollows" deixa um pouco a desejar (pois o desenvolvimento é quase nulo), mas continua ser de leitura compulsiva.

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