Review: Magic Bites
Ilona Andrews is one of my favorite contemporary fantasy authors because she’s taken a lot of time with her world-building and her characters develop instead of devolving. Add to that, every few pages I am laughing at some snarky remark one of her characters makes, and you have a winning combination to keep my attention.
This is the first of three Ilona Andrews reviews.
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Magic Bites
Magic Bites
Ilona Andrews
Ace Books
ISBN 0441014895
Mass Market
“Magic Bites” is one of the best-realized fantasy worlds I’ve encountered in a debut novel. Our heroine, Kate, lives in an alternate Atlanta, where magic and technology come in unpredictable waves. When her guardian is killed, she seeks out the murderer using some hilarious concepts of investigation.
If you are a paranormal romance reader, this book may not be for you. Despite its title, “Magic Bites” falls strongly on the fantasy end of the continuum. “Magic Bites” is both a very good fantasy and mystery and you can get easily drawn in–as long as you are not too disappointed there is not a strong romance line in the novel.
Another warning, if you are someone who thinks vampires are dead sexy, this book does not ascribe to this point of view. Vampires are nobody’s erotic fantasy in this novel and that makes them particularly interesting.
World building is critical to the fantasy genre and Ms. Andrews has earned a 5 star rating just for this aspect of her novel. The rules for her world are pretty clear and she sticks to them. She’s obviously carefully considered the eventualities of phases where magic and technology rule the city and keeps things interesting with the changes she puts her characters through.
Kate is a well-realized and interesting character. She’s someone you can empathize with and she’s got a pretty darn good sense of humor. I found myself laughing every few pages.
Also, Andrews resolves her mystery in this book, but leaves you with enough questions to want to read her next novel in this series. She is well worth the wait.
Reviewed by Becky Kyle.
December 23, 2009
Tags: dark fantasy, mystery Posted in: Full Reviews
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