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forzasusan's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book and the main character has such a fantastic sense of humor. I so loved the Iron Druid series so I'm not surprised I loved this book -- looking forward to book 2!!
amysbooknook8's review against another edition
3.0
Lack luster story meets pink goblins that aren’t afraid to tell you off. 3/5
sara_reads_things's review against another edition
4.0
This story threw me into a world of unique magic and world building. I really enjoyed this book. It had a mystery that I couldn't figure out until the end, and I'm great at figuring out mysteries early on. It always intrigues me when I don't know what is going to happen.
The characters were deep and dark, something that really played out well in the blackness of the world around them and they really helped the story to move forward at a wonderful pace.
If you want a Harry Potter meets True Blood kind of vibe, this is the book for you.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Sara | Book Confessions of an ExBallerina
The characters were deep and dark, something that really played out well in the blackness of the world around them and they really helped the story to move forward at a wonderful pace.
If you want a Harry Potter meets True Blood kind of vibe, this is the book for you.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Sara | Book Confessions of an ExBallerina
grandmasher's review against another edition
4.0
Fun, new series by the author of the Iron Druid books. (Atticus and Oberon make a brief retrospective appearance.) The action takes place in Scotland and and the protagonist and his allies are only concerned with the Fae. The other pantheons Hearne has previously dealt with are not in evidence here. It’s a good start to a new series.
ithinktfiam's review against another edition
4.0
Iron Druid jumped the shark a few books before he put the series out of our misery, so I hadn't paid much attention. I saw the second book of this new series sitting on my library's New Book shelves, so backtracked to this. Enjoyable.
Set in the same world, towards the end of that series, centered on Al MacBharrais, a sigil agent in Scotland. They're responsible for enforcing contracts with the other planes, using sigils provided by the Chinese an Fae pantheon. He's also cursed so that folks hate him after hearing his voice too often. This book centers around a Fae trafficking ring, exposed by an escaped hobgoblin. It's a nice, easy read even with plot holes such as Buck not being able to port knives because of iron but then repeatedly porting guns.
Set in the same world, towards the end of that series, centered on Al MacBharrais, a sigil agent in Scotland. They're responsible for enforcing contracts with the other planes, using sigils provided by the Chinese an Fae pantheon. He's also cursed so that folks hate him after hearing his voice too often. This book centers around a Fae trafficking ring, exposed by an escaped hobgoblin. It's a nice, easy read even with plot holes such as Buck not being able to port knives because of iron but then repeatedly porting guns.
yannai's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/5
A funny, well built story I enjoyed reading. Loved to have an older MC, how the scottish accent was managed and how mythologies play a in the worldbuilding. Satisfying plot, nice humour, even though it steered a bit on the annoying side sometimes. I might read the following books in the series.
A funny, well built story I enjoyed reading. Loved to have an older MC, how the scottish accent was managed and how mythologies play a in the worldbuilding. Satisfying plot, nice humour, even though it steered a bit on the annoying side sometimes. I might read the following books in the series.
penkay's review against another edition
4.0
I was a fan of this author’s Druid Chronicles, so I was eager to dive into this one to see what the author had come up with. What he came up with was an original Sigil wizard, in his sixties mind you, who has been cursed for people to start hating him with each word he speaks. This was fascinating and opened up many thought tangents on my end. The story didn’t take long to get going, and we jumped pretty much right into the story. I was a little worried when there was a pronunciation guide at the beginning, but it surprised me that the accent didn’t really bother me, and it was easy to understand. This latest series-starter was well-written and full of humor just like we’ve come to expect from this author. As a side note, you don’t need to have read the Druid Chronicles to read this one; they are separate but in the same universe. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
breakaway71's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this mostly for the characters, but the premise takes a lot of familiar plot elements of urban fantasy and plays with them in new and interesting ways, which I respect. The setting being in Glasgow, and Hearne not shying away one bit from writing in that particular dialect, added a lot to the fun of the story.
This was satisfying and enjoyable in a way urban fantasy rarely is for me anymore, and I'm looking forward to more in the series!
This was satisfying and enjoyable in a way urban fantasy rarely is for me anymore, and I'm looking forward to more in the series!
sophiarose1816's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
After the turbulent and smashing finish to The Iron Druid Chronicles, here comes a follow-up series sharing that world, but introducing a new protagonist, characters, and situation. Oh course I was going to read them.
Ink and Sigil introduces Al MacBhairass, sigil agent working to keep the passage of fae and otherworldly types to earth all legal and above board. But, the book opens with Al learning his apprentice, who, in a series of unfortunate lethal deaths of his apprentices, is the latest to die. Gordie’s death reveals his criminal trafficking in fae and the bigger issue of who he was working with and how he got sigil magic recipes that were not what Al had taught him yet.
Ink and Sigil progressed with this mystery of Al’s while introducing him and the others he works with. Al is under a curse that forces him to use text speak because prolonged exposure to his voice sets people against him. Whether action scenes or investigation time, intros and reflections, Kevin Hearne’s brand of humor and wit are strong throughout.
I confess that I nearly DNF’d because the raunchy humor and the plot stalling out in the earlier half had me less than impressed with the new start. I liked Al and Nadia, his security and office manager but Buck the hobgoblin got on my nerves as did Al and Buck together. However, I kept at it and eventually settled in and got engaged so that in the end I was eager to see what came next. There were some good series threads begun in this one like the mystery behind Al’s curse and a tight knot of found family and friends around poor widower Al whose curse estranged him from his son.
Luke Daniels was lights out fantastic narrating with all the accents and characters peopling this book. His narration style is entertaining, but doesn’t distract from the story itself.
All in all, I was glad I kept going and ended up being well-satisfied. Al is a very different style main character from Atticus, but has his own strengths and struggles. I think the series will grow stronger and I look forward to being along for that.
missblobbette's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25