Great book with very memorable characters and ideas. I especially enjoyed Dalton's monologue about his theory on how the universe runs, the humor, and, of course, Marla's killer cape. I think that I'll definitely be buying more books in the series. Cheers!
A strong urban fantasy entry
I started this book with relatively low hopes, since I'd just read a few urban fantasies that failed to impress, by authors probably more popular than Pratt. But this is the real deal, a writer who tells strong stories with interesting characters. The book starts out fast, and doesn't lose speed, all the way to a strong final showdown.
Marla Mason, the most powerful sorceress of Felport, is searching for a powerful magical implement in San Francisco, which will allow her to hold off a coup against her back in Felport. Unfortunately, the first sorcerer she hopes to contact in San Francisco has just been murdered - and other locals are suffering the same fate as fast as she can locate them. It's up to Marla, with her sidekick Rondeau and a local seer, to prevent a mad Central American sorcerer from sacrificing most of the city to the Aztec gods.
The various magics used by Marla and the other sorcerers she encounters are fun. (Although the title will leave most readers expecting otherwise, there are no vampires whatsoever.) I completely enjoyed this book, and the sequels so far have been equally solid.
I've been reading lots of urban fantasy lately (or trying to at least), and most of the books I've tried have left me feeling disappointed and angry. Not this one. I absolutely loved this novel and am looking forward to reading the rest of the novels in this series. If you like your urban fantasy fast-paced, smartly written, with lots of action and magic, and no romance, you'll probably at least like this book, if not love it like I did.
Before I bought this book I looked at some of the reviews here and thought I would be put off by the main character. I wasn't at all. I actually liked her quite a bit. While she's not the nicest person at all, I could understand why she was the way she was. I found all of the characters to be believable or at least interesting. Marla's side-kick, Rondeau, provided a nice comic relief. B, a former movie star, was also an interesting character. To top it all off, this novel is very much plot-driven. There was no filler in sight anywhere. The main focus was on the story throughout. I also liked the little bits of philosophy that were introduced by some of the characters (especially Dalton, who had an interesting theory about our universe).
All in all, I absolutely loved this novel. I was never bored while reading it, and found the world the characters inhabit fascinating. I'm looking forward to returning to it when I pick up the rest of the series.
Meet Marla Mason?smart, saucy, slightly wicked witch of the East Coast.?
Sorcerer Marla Mason, small-time guardian of the city of Felport, has a big problem. A rival is preparing a powerful spell that could end Marla?s life?and, even worse, wreck her city. Marla?s only chance of survival is to boost her powers with the Cornerstone, a magical artifact hidden somewhere in San Francisco. But when she arrives there, Marla finds that the quest isn?t going to be quite as cut-and-dried as she expected?and that some of the people she needs to talk to are dead. It seems that San Francisco?s top sorcerers are having troubles of their own?a mysterious assailant has the city?s magical community in a panic, and the local talent is being (gruesomely) picked off one by one.
With her partner-in-crime, Rondeau, Marla is soon racing against time through San Francisco?s alien streets, dodging poisonous frogs, murderous hummingbirds, cannibals, and a nasty vibe from the local witchery, who suspect that Marla herself may be behind the recent murders. And if Marla doesn?t figure out who is killing the city?s finest in time, she?ll be in danger of becoming a magical statistic herself.?
based on 69 reviews
