Still lovin' this series...

Veiled by Benedict Jacka is the sixth book in his Alex Verus series; and it's just as good as the first. In this one, Alex's former teacher, a notorious Dark mage named Richard Drakh, has returned to England. And he wants Alex back on his team, which is the last thing Alex wants. So, to protect himself and his friends, Alex joins the Keepers, the enforcement arm of the Mage Council instead. Of course, it would help if the other Keepers didn't view him as the enemy, but according to many of them, "Once a Dark mage, always a Dark mage." So Alex will have to prove himself once again.

Of course, his first case, which should have been a simple and straightforward investigation, gets a lot more complicated when Alex encounters an Air mage assassin, a scared young runaway, an ice cat, and a deadly conspiracy. Luckily, Alex has another sense--"my diviner's sight--and it multiplied what I could see a million times over...a diviner can actually be quite an effective fighter, in an unconventional sort of way. We aren't any stronger or faster than regular folk, but all that information gives us an awful lot of leverage...(Because) when you can see the future, it changes things a lot."

This is one of my new favorite urban fantasy series. And Alex Verus is one of my all-time favorite characters. I've enjoyed every book I've read so far about him and his friends. But just so you know, this is a series that's best read in order.

Happy Reading!

From the J Shelf...

I was actually on my way to the H shelf to try to find my next alphabetical read, but as I passed by the J shelf there was a series of paperbacks with colorful spines and one-word titles right at eye level that caught my attention. And I had to stop and check them out. Needless to say, I never made it to the H shelf; I came home with this novel by Benedict Jacka instead. But then, that's what bookish serendipity is all about.

Title & Author:  Fated by Benedict Jacka
Genre:  Urban Fantasy
Setting:  London
First line:  "It was a slow day, so I was reading a book at my desk and seeing into the future."

(My new favorite) main character:  Alex Verus, diviner, mage, and owner of a shop in Camden Town called The Arcana Emporium. He's quick-witted and resourceful, and he can see into the future, or at least several possibilities of it. He also has a talent for staying alive. Which is a good thing considering he's not on great terms with the Council of Mages. (Even though they sometimes need his help.) The dark mages don't like him much either, but he's never let that stop him yet.

My thoughts:  This is an awesome urban fantasy read. It's well-plotted, fast-paced and fun, with cool magic, an intriguing mystery and lots of suspense; there's plenty of great secondary characters, too. In fact, there isn't anything I didn't like about this book.  Jacka has created a world I can't wait to visit again. Which is why I'm off to the library to check out the second books in this series.

Happy Reading!