Addicting as any potato product on the market, Ilona
Andrews' intensely-enjoyable Kate Daniels series welcomes
another success with MAGIC SLAYS. For a while now, I've
enjoyed Andrews' stories of fiery ex-mercenary Kate Daniels,
her paramour (the intimidatingly titled "Beast Lord")
Curran, a host of evil-doers, lycanthropes, witches, druids,
and a unique and particularly horrifying "breed" of vampires
(which are about as far from Brad Pitt's hunky "Interview
With a Vampire" as creatures of the night can get). The
whole gang is back for this newest installment of the series
and I for one could not be happier. The reappearance of
Grendel, the black, over-sized, extremely smelly, shorn
"attack-poodle" actually elicited a squeal of joy from me
and a revitalizing of my resolution to name a pet (be it
fish, bird or guinea pig) with the same literary zest. No
slouch on the plot front, Andrews has Kate dealing with
feral vampires, a runaway ward, a SWAT team mad with
bloodlust, a hefty debt to the shapeshifters Pack, and some
seriously ineffective weaponry; all while being a new
small-business entrepreneur. And that's just in the first
few dozen pages!
In the recent pandemic of paranormal/urban fantasy that's
rolled onto shelves, it can be tough to know what
book-with-scantily-clad-heroine-in-leather-on-the-cover to
pick up. Do I read the one with a wolf superimposed over the
moon or the one that has a man in a large cloak looking
dangerous and seductive? The one about a bounty hunter with
a need for retribution or the one about the mercenary with a
thirst for vengeance? Described in a spoiler-free manner,
the Kate Daniels series doesn't sound like anything new.
It's a dystopian reality, with magic and werewolves and
vampires and of course someone is usually getting stabbed
with a sword or anything else that is handy. I can only tell
you that each book is a truly fun read and that despite
superficial similarities to its compatriots, it is a step
above the rest. If you've enjoyed Patricia Briggs' Mercy
Thompson series or novels by Rachel Vincent, this series is
going to appeal to you.
For those who have had the pleasure of already reading the
earlier novels, I can promise that you won't be
disappointed with MAGIC SLAYS (nor will you get any sleep
until you've read it cover-to-cover). For those who have
not yet experienced an Atlanta, GA that is ravaged by
invisible and unpredictable waves of magic and "tech", I
recommend starting with the first novel, MAGIC BITES, as
Kate's story really needs to be experienced in its entirety
and, most definitely, in a chronological order. Get ready
for blood, guts, glory and, above all, some serious literary
magic.
Kate Daniels has quit the Order of Merciful Aid, but
starting her ownnbusiness isn’t easy when the Order starts
disparaging her good name. Andnbeing the mate of the Beast
Lord doesn’t bring in the customers, either. Sonwhen
Atlanta’s premier Master of the Dead asks for help with a
vampire, Katenjumps at the chance. Unfortunately, this is
one case where Kate should havenlooked before she leapt.
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