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.