Kate Daniels - I’ll be back for seconds! (Gordon Andrews dropped by!)
Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, Book 1) by Ilona Andrews
Excellent intro to this series
The Kate Daniels series kicks off strong with Magic Bites! I bumped this series up in my TBR list after all of the raves from my fellow urban fantasy fans, and so far I’m pleased with the decision! Normally I’m not that into darker urban fantasy, but this one works for me. There is certainly enough humor to keep me interested, so a comical dark urban fantasy can be done! It bridges the gap for all fans of this genre, bringing something to the table that everyone can enjoy.
Aside from a few quotes that really had me laughing, I also love the magic and the world building. It has somewhat of an alternate universe apocalyptic feel where horses (or mules) are becoming more of the norm than cars as a mode of transportation. I am certainly a “VampireNovelFan” and typically like it when they’re pretty, but if you’re going to make them ugly, you’d better make it good. This series makes it good. This take on vampires is very fascinating and original. It stands out in a genre where there are so many variations that vampires are reduced to “sparkling” and even lacking fangs altogether in an attempt to differentiate themselves.
The magic is pretty cool and it comes along in waves called “Flares.” Tech-based weapons and devices won’t work during this time, so that adds to the unpredictability of the story. I also liked her weapon, Slayer. It sort of has a mind of its own and I love imagining it in action.
While the pages are short, the read actually feels like it’s just enough. I really respect a series that doesn’t drag out the plot just to increase page count. It keeps the story tight and focused.
Just when I was starting to wonder if there could be anything original in the urban fantasy genre, this book does it. I really look forward to cracking open book 2, and 3, and 4, and 5 when it’s released. This is definitely a must-read if you love urban fantasy.
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Thanks for the review, this our least favorite book, and we would re-write it if we could, but still Ilona and I are glad you liked it.
April 21, 2011 at 6:20 pm
Thanks so much for stopping by! I think a number of series go through a “first book syndrome” where it’s not quite as strong as the sequels. It’s often an uphill battle to establish the characters, the settings, the feel of the story, and the pacing in general. Even still, all of the books are great for me.
April 21, 2011 at 6:44 pm
Oh…how I love this book. This series. Kate. Curran. Et. All.
And oh my god. Gordon came by. I’m so jealous! That is awesome!
April 22, 2011 at 1:34 am
I know! It’s too cool!
April 22, 2011 at 2:07 am
You know, I’m not sure what they could have done to make book one better, its a very good book but what makes the subsequent books even better is the way book by book Kate’s emotional defenses slowly start coming down and that is something that only time and more books could do.
May 4, 2011 at 7:57 pm
Yeah, I totally agree. She is so far from one-dimensional and I think that’s what really sets this series apart. She lets people in, but it’s a gradual process, but she doesn’t lose her essence of being Kate either. It’s very organic.
May 5, 2011 at 3:21 am
I love this series dearly! I’ve re-read it so many times the paperbacks have become worn out and look about 10 years old. I would recommend it to anyone.
December 17, 2011 at 5:11 pm
That’s the beauty of ebooks, haha. The Ilona Andrews team was so kind as to mail me an autographed copy of Must Love Hellhounds, and to preserve the book I ended up getting the ebook anyway, lol.
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