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Magic Slays (Kate Daniels) Mass Market Paperback – May 31, 2011
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Kate Daniels may have quit the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, but she’s still knee-deep in paranormal problems. Or she would be if she could get someone to hire her. Starting her own business has been more challenging than she thought it would be—now that the Order is disparaging her good name. Plus, many potential clients are afraid of getting on the bad side of the Beast Lord, who just happens to be Kate’s mate.
So when Atlanta’s premier Master of the Dead calls to ask for help with a vampire on the loose, Kate leaps at the chance of some paying work. But it turns out that this is not an isolated incident, and Kate needs to get to the bottom of it—fast, or the city and everyone dear to her may pay the ultimate price...
- Print length320 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherAce
- Publication dateMay 31, 2011
- Dimensions4.2 x 0.82 x 6.7 inches
- ISBN-100441020429
- ISBN-13978-0441020423
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews is simply amazing. The Kate Daniels series honestly gets better with each new release." --Night Owl Reviews
"Magic Slays was an excellent addition to powerhouse series that hits the spot. I cannot wait to see what else Ilona Andrews will come up with next, but I'm betting it'll be good." --Books by Their Cover
"Fifth of the Kate Daniels series delivers nonstop action and a few surprises while adding considerable background and depth to Kate's character ... This series continues to deliver top-notch urban fantasy." --Monsters and Critics
If Magic Bleeds was the turning point for the series, then Magic Slays is the reassurance and comfort we need afterwords. --Smexy Books
From the Author
Every one of us has read fairy tales. Most of them follow the same pattern: a hero or heroine face a great enemy and many challenges. They fight against overwhelming odds and eventually they prevail. They marry a prince or a princess and live Happily Ever After. No sequels - the story is complete and it's over the moment the hero kisses the princess against the backdrop of the setting sun.
It's a great narrative pattern and it endured through thousands of years. That's why MAGIC SLAYS is a kind of book most authors hope they will never have to write. It's the story that takes place after the sun has set and new collection of monsters besieges the happy couple's castle.
When you look at the rest of the series, the calm and sweet Happily Ever After doesn't really makes sense. Kate, who has been a loner all of her life and avoided responsibility for other people, suddenly finds herself responsible for hundreds of shapeshifters within the Pack. And when they say "responsible", they mean it: they expect her to manage their troubled offspring, they expect her to sit in judgment and sort out their squabbles, and when danger arises, they expect her to put herself between them and that danger. Stepping into the path of a threat for the sake of other people is nothing new to Kate. However, this time the enemy isn't a single individual, but many. They are well organized, ruthless and fanatic in pursuit of their goal. And they threaten not just one or two people but literally everyone Kate knows. How do you guard thousands of potential targets against an enemy who could strike anywhere at any time?
It doesn't help that she isn't universally loved within the Pack. Technically her position as the Beast Lord's mate comes with great power. Practically, she faces opposition. She loves Curran, but he isn't the easiest man to live with either. He is stubborn and overly protective, and mind-numbingly difficult when he wants to be. And just when she thinks she has things in hand, her past returns once again and threatens to shatter her from inside out.
On other hand, Curran, who never had to share power before, is faced with the reality: Kate is his mate and he must share. From the moment Mahon had found him, Mahon's intention had always been to hammer Curran into the ultimate alpha, a man who could subdue and keep control of the violent unpredictable leaders of the shapeshifter clans. Mahon succeeded. Curran is a skilled ruler: he manipulates, manages, rewards, encourages, and threatens the shapeshifters under his command to ensure peace within the Pack.
None of his methods work with Kate. She reacts badly to any attempt at manipulation. She refuses commands. And occasionally she laughs at him. So Curran must learn how to request rather than order, and that doesn't come naturally to the man who'd been an near absolute ruler for the better part of his life.
MAGIC SLAYS is a volatile book. It's a boiling pot of emotions and danger, tragedy and comedy, defeat and victory. It's a story of love and devotion above all else, but it's also a story of friendship and hate, where failure carries an ultimate price tag. We won't promise you a smooth sailing, but we ask you to trust us. When it comes to our books, that one, most important adage of fairy tales always stays true: we will bring our characters safely to port.
MAGIC SLAYS is a Happily Ever After in progress, wrought with danger, and perils, and some laughs. We hope you'll give it a try. Come fight the monsters with us. You won't regret it.
About the Author
Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Portland with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.
You can read more about their work on their website: ilona-andrews.com
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
The ringing of the phone jerked me from my sleep. I clawed my eyes open and rolled off my bed. For some reason, someone had moved the floor several feet lower than I had expected, and I fell and crashed with a thud.
Ow.
A blond head popped over the side of the bed and a familiar male voice asked, "Are you okay down there?"
Curran. The Beast Lord was in my bed. No, wait a minute, I didn't have a bed, because my insane aunt had destroyed my apartment. I was mated to the Beast Lord, which meant I was in the Keep, in Curran's rooms and in his bed. Our bed. Which was four feet high. Right.
"Kate?"
"I'm fine."
"Would you like me to install one of those child playground slides for you?"
I flipped him off and picked up the phone. "Yes?"
"Good morning, Consort," a female voice said.
Consort? That was new. Usually the shapeshifters called me Alpha or Lady, and occasionally Mate. Being called Mate ranked somewhere between drinking sour milk and getting a root canal on my list of Things I Hated, so most people had learned to avoid that one.
"I have Assistant Principal Parker on the line. He says it's urgent."
Julie. "I'll take it."
Julie was my ward. Nine months ago she "hired" me to find her missing mother. We found her mother's body instead, being eaten by Celtic sea demons who had decided to pop up in the middle of Atlanta and resurrect a wannabe god. It didn't go well for the demons. It didn't go well for Julie either, and I took her in, the way Greg, my now deceased guardian, had taken me in years ago, when my father passed away.
People around me died, usually in horrible and bloody ways, so I'd sent Julie to the best boarding school I could find. Trouble was, Julie hated the school with the fiery passion of a thousand suns. She'd run away three times in the past six months. The last time Assistant Principal Parker called, a girl in the school's locker room had accused Julie of being a whore during the two years she'd spent on the street. My kid took exception to that and decided to communicate that by applying a chair to the offending party's head. I'd told her to go for the gut next time—it left less evidence.
If Parker was calling, Julie was in trouble again, and since he was calling at six o'clock in the morning, that trouble had a capital T attached to it. Julie rarely did anything halfway.
Around me the room lay steeped in gloom. We were on the top floor of the Keep. To my left a window offered a view of the Pack land: an endless dark sky, still untouched by dawn, and below it dark woods rolling into the night. In the distance the half-ruined city stained the horizon. The magic was in full swing—we were lucky it hadn't taken out the phone lines—and the distant industrial-strength feylanterns glowed like tiny blue stars among the crumbling buildings. A ward shielded the window, and when the moonlight hit it just right, the entire scene shimmered with pale silver, as if hidden behind a translucent gauzy curtain.
The female voice came back online. "Consort?"
"Yes?"
"He put me on hold."
"So he calls because it's urgent and puts you on hold?"
"Yes."
Jackass.
"Should I hang up?" she asked.
"No, it's okay. I'll hold."
The world's pulse skipped a beat. The ward guarding the window vanished. Something buzzed in the wall and the electric floor lamp on the left blinked and snapped into life, illuminating the night table with a warm yellow glow. I reached over and turned it off.
In the distance, the blue feylantern stars winked out of existence. For a breath, the city was dark. A bright flash sparked with white among the ruins, blossoming into an explosion of light and fire. A moment later a thunderclap rolled through the night. Probably a transponder exploding after the magic wave receded. A weak red glow illuminated the horizon. You'd think it was the sunrise, but the last time I'd checked, the sun rose in the east, not the southwest. I squinted at the red light. Yep, Atlanta was burning. Again.
Magic had drained from the world and technology had once again gained the upper hand. People called it the post-Shift resonance. Magic came and went as it pleased, flooding the world like a tsunami, dragging bizarre monsters into our reality, stalling engines, jamming guns, eating tall buildings, and vanishing again without warning. Nobody knew when it would assault us or how long each wave would last. Eventually magic would win this war, but for now technology was putting up a hell of a fight, and we were stuck in the middle of the chaos, struggling to rebuild a half-ruined world according to new rules.
The phone clicked and Parker's baritone filled my ear. "Good morning, Ms. Daniels. I'm calling to inform you that Julie has left our premises."
Not again.
Curran's arms closed around me and he hugged me to him. I leaned back against him. "How?"
"She mailed herself."
"I'm sorry?"
Parker cleared his throat. "As you know, all of our students are required to perform two hours of school service a day. Julie worked in the mail room. We viewed it as the best location, because she was under near-constant supervision and had no opportunities to leave the building. Apparently, she obtained a large crate, falsified a shipping label, and mailed herself inside it."
Curran chuckled into my ear.
I turned and bumped my head against his chest a few times. It was the nearest hard surface.
"We found the crate near the ley line."
Well, at least she was smart enough to get out of the crate before it was pushed into the magic current. With my luck, she'd end up getting shipped to Cape Horn.
"She'll come back here," I said. "I'll bring her back in a couple of days."
Parker pronounced the words very carefully. "That won't be necessary."
"What do you mean, not necessary?"
He sighed. "Ms. Daniels, we are educators. We're not prison guards. In the past school year Julie has run away three times. She's a very intelligent child, very inventive, and it's painfully obvious that she doesn't want to be here. Nothing short of shackling her to the wall will keep her on our premises, and I'm not convinced that even that would work. I spoke to her after her previous caper, and it's my opinion that she will continue to run away. She doesn't want to be a part of this school. Keeping her here against her will requires a significant expenditure of our resources, and we can't afford to be held liable for any injuries Julie may incur in these escape attempts. We're refunding the remainder of her tuition. I'm very sorry."
If I could reach through the phone, I'd strangle him. On second thought, if I had that type of psychic power, I might pluck Julie from wherever she was instead and drop her in the middle of the room. She would be begging to go back to that bloody school by the time I was done.
Parker cleared his throat again. "I have a list of alternative educational institutions I can recommend to you…"
"That won't be necessary." I hung up. I had a list of alternative educational institutions already. I had put it together after Julie's first escape. She shot all of them down.
A wide grin split Curran's face.
"It's not funny."
"It's very funny. Besides, it's better this way."
I swiped my jeans off the chair and pulled them on. "They kicked my kid out of their school. How the hell is that better?"
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to find Julie and I'll ground her ass until she forgets what the sun looks like, and then I'll go over to that school and pull their legs out."
Curran laughed.
"It's not funny."
"It's also not their fault. They tried to help her and cut her a lot of slack. She hates that damn school. You shouldn't have put her there in the first place."
"Well, thank you, Your Furriness, for this critique of my parenting decisions."
"It's not a critique, it's a statement of fact. Do you know where your kid is right now? No, you don't. You know where she isn't: she isn't at the school and she isn't here."
Pot, meet kettle. "As I recall, you didn't know where your chief of security and his entire crew were for almost a week." I pulled on my turtleneck.
"I knew exactly where they were. They were with you. I could've fixed that situation, but some wannabe pit fighter stuck her nose into my mess and made a mistake into a disaster."
I picked up my sword. "No, I saved the day. You just don't want to admit it."
Curran leaned forward. "Kate."
The sound of my name in his voice stopped me in midturn. I don't know how the hell he did it, but whenever he said my name, it cut through all other distractions and made me pause, as if he'd clenched me to him and kissed me.
Curran rubbed my shoulders. "Put the sword down for a second."
Fine. I put Slayer back on the night table and crossed my arms.
"Humor me. What's the harm in keeping Julie here? With us? She has a room already. She has a friend—Doolittle's grandniece really likes her."
"Maddie."
"Yes, Maddie. There are fifteen hundred shapeshifters in the Pack. One more screwed-up kid isn't going to break anything."
"It's not about that."
"Then what is it?"
"People around me die, Curran. They drop like flies. I've gone through life leaving a trail of dead bodies behind me. My mother is dead, my stepfather is dead, my guardian is dead, my aunt is dead—because I killed her, and when my real father finds me, he'll move heaven and earth to make me dead. I don't want Julie to live stumbling from one violent clash to another, always worried that people she cares about won't survive. You and I will never have normal, but if she stayed in that school, she could have."
Curran shrugged. "The only people who can have normal are the ones unaffected by all the fucked-up shit that happens around them. Julie doesn't want normal. She probably can't deal with it. She'll get out of that school and run right into the fire to prove to herself she can take the heat. It will happen one way or another. Keeping her away just ensures she won't be prepared when she's on her own."
I leaned back against the night table. "I just want her to be safe. I don't want anything bad to happen to her."
Curran pulled me close. "We can keep her safe here. She can go to one of our schools, or we can take her to somewhere in the city. She is yours, but now that we're mated, she's also mine, which makes her the ward of the Beast Lord and his mate. Trust me, nobody wants to piss the two of us off. Besides, we have three hundred shapeshifters in the Keep at any moment, and each one of them will kill anything that threatens her. Can't get safer than that."
He had a point. I couldn't have Julie staying with me before, when I lived in a shabby apartment with failing heat. It got attacked every time I found a lead on one of my cases. I'd worked for the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid back then, and it demanded every ounce of my time. Julie would have been on her own for most of the day, without me to take care of her and make sure she ate and stayed safe. Things were different now. Now Julie could stay here, in the Keep full of homicidal maniacs who grew teeth the size of switchblades and erupted into a violent frenzy when threatened.
Somehow that thought failed to make me feel better.
"You will have to train her one way or another," Curran said. "If you want her to hold her own."
He was right. I knew he was right, but I still didn't like it. "We're about a hundred miles from Macon?"
He nodded. "Give or take."
"She'll be staying away from the ley line and she's carrying wolfsbane."
"Why?" Curran frowned.
"Because the last time she took off, Derek picked her up at a ley point and brought her here in a Pack Jeep. He even stopped to get her some fried chicken and ice cream. She had a great time, so I told her that if she pulled this stunt again, she wouldn't get anywhere near the Keep. I would either come myself or send somebody who would find her and take her straight back to the school. No going to the Keep, no getting attention from me and Derek, no gossiping with Maddie, no passing go or collecting two hundred dollars. She wants to avoid being caught, so she's walking home."
Curran grinned. "She's determined, I'll give her that."
"Could you send a tracker out there to watch over her but keep out of sight?"
"What are you thinking?"
"Let her walk. A hundred miles over rugged terrain, it will take her a couple of days." When I was a kid, Voron, my stepfather, would drive me into the woods and drop me off with nothing but a canteen and a knife. Julie wasn't me. But she was a smart kid, good on the street. I had no doubt she could make it to the Keep on her own. Still, better safe than sorry.
"Two birds with one stone: it's a good punishment for running away and when she gets here and we let her stay, she'll feel like she earned it."
"I'll send some wolves out. They'll find her and they'll keep her safe."
I kissed his lips and picked up my sword. "Thank you. And tell them not to spoil her with fried chicken if they have to pick her up."
Curran shook his head. "I can't promise that. I'm not a complete bastard."
Chapter 1
My office occupied a small sturdy building on Jeremiah Street, in the northeast part of town. Jeremiah Street used to be called North Arcadia Street, until one day a Southern preacher walked out in the middle of the intersection of North Arcadia and Ponce de Leon and started screaming about hellfire and damnation. He called himself the second Jeremiah and demanded that the passersby repent and cease their idol worship. When the crowd ignored him, he unleashed a meteor shower that leveled two city blocks. By the time a Paranormal Activity Division sniper shot him with a crossbow, the street was a smoking ruin. Since they had to rebuild it from the ground up, they renamed the street after the man who'd demolished it. There was a lesson in there somewhere, but right now I didn't feel like looking for it.
Once technically part of Decatur and now just part of the huge sprawling mess that was Atlanta, Jeremiah Street wasn't as busy as Ponce de Leon, but tinker shops and a large auto repair yard sent a lot of traffic past my place. I left my Jeep idling in the street, got out, unlocked the chain that secured my parking lot, and drove in.
My office must've been a house at one point. The side door from the parking lot led into a small but functional kitchen, which in turn led to the large main room, where my desk waited for me. At the back wall wooden stairs offered access to the loft on the second floor complete with a cot. Several smaller rooms branched from the main room. I used them to store my herbal supply and equipment, both of which currently excelled at collecting dust.
I deposited my bag onto my desk and checked my answering machine. A big red zero looked back at me from the digital display. No messages. Shocking.
I walked to the windows and pulled up the shades. Morning light flooded the room, sectioned by the thick metal bars securing the glass. I unlocked the door on the off chance any prospective clients happened by. It was a huge door, thick and reinforced with steel. I had a feeling that if someone fired a cannon at it, the cannon ball would just bounce off and roll down the street.
I went back to the kitchen, flipped the coffeemaker on, came back to my desk, and landed in my chair. A stack of bills lay in front of me. I gave it an evil eye, but it refused to squeal and take off for the hills.
I sighed, pulled a throwing knife out, and opened the cheap brown envelopes. Electric bill. Water bill. Charged-air bill for the feylanterns. Trash collector bill with a threatening notice to do irreparable harm to my person unless I paid the bill. An envelope from the trash collector with the check for the bill returned. The trash company insisted on misspelling my name as Donovan, despite repeated corrections, and when I sent them the payment, they failed to find my account. Even though I put the account number on the damn check.
We'd gone through this song and dance twice now. I had a feeling that if I walked into their office and carved my name in the wall with my sword, they'd still manage to get it wrong.
I leaned back. Being in the office put me into a sour mood. I'd never had my own business before. I'd worked for a Mercenary Guild, which handled magic hazmat, took the money, and asked no questions. Then I'd worked for the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, which delivered that violent aid on their terms only. The Order and I had parted ways, and now I owned Cutting Edge Investigations. The business officially opened its doors a month ago. I had a solid street reputation and decent connections. I took out an ad in a newspaper, I put the word out on the street, and so far nobody had hired me to do a damn thing.
It drove me nuts. I'd had to rely on the Pack to finance the business, and they had fronted my utility bills for a year. They gave me the loan not because I was an efficient and skilled fighter and not because I at one point had Friend of the Pack status. They gave it to me because I was mated to Curran, which made me the female alpha of the Pack. So far Cutting Edge was turning out to be one of those pet businesses rich men gave to their wives to keep them busy. I wanted it to succeed, God damn it. I wanted to be profitable and stand on my own two feet. If things kept going this way, I would be forced to run up and down the street screaming, "We kill things for money." Maybe someone would take pity and throw some change at me.
The phone rang. I stared at it. You never know. It could be a trick.
The phone rang again. I picked it up. "Cutting Edge."
"Kate," a dry voice vibrated with urgency.
Long time no kill. "Hello, Ghastek." And what would Atlanta's premier Master of the Dead want with me?
Product details
- Publisher : Ace; First Edition (May 31, 2011)
- Language : English
- Mass Market Paperback : 320 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0441020429
- ISBN-13 : 978-0441020423
- Item Weight : 6 ounces
- Dimensions : 4.2 x 0.82 x 6.7 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #526,515 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #6,190 in Urban Fantasy (Books)
- #8,754 in Paranormal Fantasy Books
- #9,603 in Romantic Fantasy (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
“Ilona Andrews” is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)
Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Texas with their two children and many dogs and cats.
They have co-authored four NYT and USAT bestselling series, the urban fantasy of Kate Daniels, rustic fantasy of the Edge, paranormal romance of Hidden Legacy, and Innkeeper Chronicles, which they post as a free weekly serial. For complete list of their books, fun extras, and Innkeeper installments, please visit their website at Ilona-andrews.com.
Customer reviews
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- 5 star4 star3 star2 star1 star4 star73%22%4%0%0%22%
- 5 star4 star3 star2 star1 star3 star73%22%4%0%0%4%
- 5 star4 star3 star2 star1 star2 star73%22%4%0%0%0%
- 5 star4 star3 star2 star1 star1 star73%22%4%0%0%0%
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the plot interesting and action-packed. They appreciate the well-developed characters and a wide variety of voices. The imagination and world-building are also appreciated. Readers enjoy reading about the relationships Kate forges and how she makes alliances with those who support her. The romance develops realistically and the tension between Kate and Curran is eased slightly. Customers find the book enjoyable, satisfying, and addictive. The writing quality is described as superb and amazing.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the plot interesting and action-packed. They appreciate the suspense, angst, and drama in these books. There is a good corporate battle scene. The series starts with excitement, and readers are intrigued by the mythology presented.
"...It had the action, humor, mystery, and mythology I admired from the previous novels, and the romance developed in a realistic way that I couldn't..." Read more
"...-packed book in the Kate Daniels series, a complex and dangerous world full of intricate and original mythos featuring fierce and fearsome characters..." Read more
"Magic users, mythology, shapeshifters, vampires, necromancers, a kick butt heroine (actually, more than one), action, strong emotions, humor, romance..." Read more
"...at the way they weave this finale - the anticipation, the shocks and horrors, and the gut-gripping wait for it all to come crashing down. Bring it on!" Read more
Customers enjoy the well-developed characters and plotlines. They appreciate the variety of character voices and the strong, intelligent heroine. The book is described as realistic and authentic.
"...through in this book made what they shared even more real and authentic in my eyes...." Read more
"...full of intricate and original mythos featuring fierce and fearsome characters...." Read more
"Magic users, mythology, shapeshifters, vampires, necromancers, a kick butt heroine (actually, more than one), action, strong emotions, humor, romance..." Read more
"...This book really brings all the secondary-characters out to play...." Read more
Customers enjoy the imaginative world-building and character development in this book. They find the past of Kate interesting, with a magical artifact and unexpected developments that seem organic to the story. The characters are well-written and authentic, even small.
"...It had the action, humor, mystery, and mythology I admired from the previous novels, and the romance developed in a realistic way that I couldn't..." Read more
"...] is one of my favorite in the series for the very development and maturity that is in evidence with Kate, and the heartwarming but..." Read more
"Magic users, mythology, shapeshifters, vampires, necromancers, a kick butt heroine (actually, more than one), action, strong emotions, humor, romance..." Read more
"...It makes for claustrophobic fights and sweet make-ups...." Read more
Customers enjoy the romance in the book. They appreciate the relationships Kate forges and how she makes alliances with those around her. The romance develops realistically, with less tension between Kate and Curran. Readers are invested in Kate's journey, as the author provides new insight into her background. There are sweet, tender moments between Kate and Curran, and the affection feels genuine.
"...mythology I admired from the previous novels, and the romance developed in a realistic way that I couldn't help but to love...." Read more
"...heroine (actually, more than one), action, strong emotions, humor, romance, philosophy and a huge threat to most inhabitants of the Atlanta area are..." Read more
"...The romantic tension between Kate and Curran is lessoned slightly, as we are no longer wondering will they or won't they, and there is an honesty..." Read more
"...There are a lot of different storylines pulling Kate in different directions; although by the end of it all the storylines come together nicely, if..." Read more
Customers find the book enjoyable and satisfying. They describe it as an addictive, great read that holds their interest. The heroine is likable and knowledgeable. Readers find the series exciting and a feel-good read.
"...Since these Kate Daniels books are so fun and addicting, it makes me want to just pick up the next books that are already available and forget about..." Read more
"...This series grabbed me from the first book. Kate is a very likeable, knowledgeable and capable character...." Read more
"...`Magic Slays' is a veritable smorgasbord of fantastical delight with a heavy dose of foreboding...." Read more
"...It is not an all consuming read, but it was enjoyable and well done...." Read more
Customers enjoy the writing quality. They find the humor and inner dialogue amazing. The authors do a great job making it a fun, fast-paced read with a nice story. The book is relaxing and easy to read, with a good pace and nice action. The audio books are well done.
"...their relationship showed the importance of trust, honesty, and communication...." Read more
"...of my favorite scenes in the book because the sarcasm and dialogue are delivered so well, yet I was never once distracted from the overall plot...." Read more
"...listening to them on audio book a bit better because the audio books are just so well done...." Read more
"...Kate, of course, is as snarky and out-spoken as ever. She brings comic relief with ease while the world around her is falling apart...." Read more
Customers find the book entertaining with its wit and sarcasm. They enjoy the dialogue, bantering, and humorous one-line quips. The characters are described as lovable and snarky.
"...It had the action, humor, mystery, and mythology I admired from the previous novels, and the romance developed in a realistic way that I couldn't..." Read more
"...kick butt heroine (actually, more than one), action, strong emotions, humor, romance, philosophy and a huge threat to most inhabitants of the..." Read more
"...Kate and Curran's relationship is a perfect foundation of humor, tension, and tenderness upon which sits a riveting and suspenseful story...." Read more
"...There is some humor throughout the book, although not as much as in previous books, still I laughed outloud a few times...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's pacing. They find it fast-paced and easy to read, with a natural flow from major to minor events. Readers appreciate the clear distinction between tech and magic time periods. The story is cohesive and seamless, with a new world of magic and creatures.
"...but thoroughly and completely enjoy seeing them together as a realistic couple, not just some romantic HEA fairy tale..." Read more
"...I especially liked the very clear distinction between the tech time and the magic time. I had never thought about it that way...." Read more
"...a nickel for every series I've read where the first few books are perfectly paced, perfectly edited, and carefully crafted ... and by book five you..." Read more
"...Honestly, it started off just as I expected it to, slow. Business is slow and the pacing of the book also feels kind of slow, like both Kate and the..." Read more
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Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2014I'm starting to realize I need to be very careful with this series. Since these Kate Daniels books are so fun and addicting, it makes me want to just pick up the next books that are already available and forget about the review books I should be reading instead. I have to say, it took a lot of effort for me to do the right thing once I was done reading Magic Slays. Hopefully I'm able to control myself for the next few months.
After the epicness of book four, Magic Bleeds, I had no idea what would be waiting for me in book five, but I couldn't wait to find out! Magic Slays started off with Kate and Curran in their bedroom, and by the time I was done with the novel, I felt like that beginning scene was a hint as to how much focus would be given to their relationship. What Kate and Curran went through in this book made what they shared even more real and authentic in my eyes. Not everything was perfect, but they tried to work out their problems. And I really appreciated that their relationship showed the importance of trust, honesty, and communication. I thought I couldn't love Kate, Curran, and their romance more than I already did, but Magic Slays proved me wrong.
As for the mission in the story, it still took a lot of hardwork for Kate and everyone to accomplish. However, I thought the resolution wasn't quite difficult as some of the others in past books. I felt the main purpose overall was to introduce a couple of new characters and for Kate to learn even more about her family's history. I actually had assumed there wasn't anything else for Kate to know, but I was so wrong. Some things that were revealed were a shock, and I'm not surprised this caused Kate to question her relationship with certain people. Kate's father Roland also continued to have a huge presence, of course. Although Kate's skills have improved and her knowledge has grown immensely, I'm not sure if I'll ever be ready for a Kate and Roland showdown. I'm pretty sure Kate feels the same way (see why I find it so easy to adore her?). It all seems impossible, yet I'm hoping by the time it happens Kate will be more than ready.
Magic Bleeds may still be my favorite Kate Daniels book so far, but Magic Slays was definitely an awesome addition to the series. It had the action, humor, mystery, and mythology I admired from the previous novels, and the romance developed in a realistic way that I couldn't help but to love. I cannot wait for the time when I'm finally able to continue on with the next books in this kickass series.
(By the way, anyone else have 'Kiss From a Rose' by Seal stuck in their heads after reading this book and can't help but to laugh because you'll forever associate that song with Saiman's Curran video? Yeah. I'm still cracking up over it.)
- Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2011~* 4.5 Stars *~
Adjusting to life as the Beast Lord's mate and starting up her own investigator's business has kept Kate Daniels more than a little occupied in the two months since she kicked the ass of her plague-wielding auntie Erra. She held off all challengers to her position as the alpha's mate, stayed by a comatose Curran's side when the other alphas wanted her gone, and since Curran woke, has been serving with him and learning the intricacies of Pack politics.
Unfortunately, she hasn't actually had a single client since she opened her business thanks to a hell of a slander job by the head of the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid. She parted ways with them on, shall we say, acrimonious terms just before the fight with Erra got really out of control. Now she's going a little stir crazy as she sits on her butt in her new office and waits for the bills to pile up and listens to the phone not ring. She's fully aware that her very existence and the magic in the blood in her veins has set her up for a collision with the world's biggest bad guy, so it's hard to be bored, but until a client walks in the door and she can start supporting herself she's going to feel like Curran's kept woman, and that is not exactly who Kate is. Pack politics aside, Kate is a fighter. A killer. A solver of the sorts of problems that require bloodshed to solve. And she's very good at it.
What Kate is best at, however, is finding catastrophe-sized impending disasters and tripping right into the middle of them, so it is hardly a surprise when her phone does ring or her first client finally strides boldly through the door. Now Kate, along with her newly hired staff of Cutting Edge Investigations, Inc. (fond and familiar faces, both), have to find a missing object that does who-knows-what, track down a kidnapped magic theorist taken by who-knows-who, and prevent the city from blowing to you-know-where.
Just another beautiful day in Kate Daniels' deadly neighborhood, boys and girls!
For the uninitiated or uninformed, Magic Slays is the fifth action-packed book in the Kate Daniels series, a complex and dangerous world full of intricate and original mythos featuring fierce and fearsome characters. Of the active series I'm currently reading - and they are legion - the husband and wife writing team known as Ilona Andrews pens two of my top five: The Edge, a paranormal romance series, and this one. I highly recommend both for fans of either genre, and I strongly suggest both series be started at the beginning, though truly, more so for this one than the other.
Throughout this series, happy readers have seen Kate grow into a far less secluded, closed off mercenary. She's still got the big fight with Roland to look forward to, but in the mean time she's finally taking a chance to live a little with the mate she loves, the kid she saved, the friends she trusts, and of course, the attack poodle with the digestive track from hell. One of the things I love most about this series in general and this book in particular is the rich and thorough glimpse we get into Kate's day-to-day issues above and beyond all the potential world-ending catastrophes. Andrews peppers her readers with these tasty gems - squabbles between new mates, best friend gossip, stupid kid antics, pet problems, etc. - and mixes it all up with the catastrophic life-ending stuff to present a stunningly realistic (relatively speaking) whole that is recognizable as life...to the extreme.
The storyline of Magic Slays is one of my favorite in the series for the very development and maturity that is in evidence with Kate, and the heartwarming but realistic relationship she has with Curran. The series arc development had some major plot points fleshed out here, but more subtly than in the last book, and some startling family history came to light for Kate that provided some interesting insight. For the book arc, the danger was probably the most threatening and potentially devastating I've seen so far in the series, and I really enjoyed how all the pieces were so meticulously fit together.
I just flat out love how Andrews spins a story.
Of course, there were still the ubiquitous mythos info dumps that have been scattered through the series in various degrees of abundance. I've always admired Andrews for the way exposition concerning series history is handled in every book, reminding readers of what's come before or catching up new readers in as thorough but concise a manner as possible. Other instances of info dumps, however, have caused some problems for me.
This series is full of a diverse stable of creatures with various cultural histories and religions which necessitate a ton of explanation, not to mention the necessary definition of story-centric magical and technical mythos that defines the world building. More than occasionally all that detail comes out in large descriptive sections full of very technical, historical, or magical information and it does, on occasion, make my hair hurt when I come across them. Fortunately, there was only one that really made my eyes glaze over in Magic Slays, where readers are afforded an exceptionally complex Lyc-V dissertation, including but not limited to a breakdown of all the nasty stuff that leads to going Loup. The rest of it was handled in smaller, easier to digest chunks that didn't bog the story down or slow the pace too much.
I wasn't totally thrilled with a couple of the plot developments in this book, in particular one between Kate and Julie, the details of which will remain undisclosed to prevent spoilers. Also - and for the first time in the series, I was less than thrilled with the conclusion, which felt a little rushed and under-written considering the depth and detail preceding it in the narrative. I wish the epilogue had been developed into a couple of full chapters, instead, as there was too much important stuff that got crammed in and cut off.
None of those issues took too much from my enjoyment of the book, though, and it's still one of my favorites in the entire series. And maybe it's the romance lover in me, but there's a scene in this book between Kate and Curran that I swear was worth every single second I've spent reading every single word in this series prior to it and more than worth every single dime spent on each and every book. I love them together. I just do.
It's not a romance series, per se, but the thread of their developing relationship has been stitched into the fabric of the series to fantastic result. Yes, Curran is a secondary character; always has been. This really is Kate's show. That being said, I can't help but thoroughly and completely enjoy seeing them together as a realistic couple, not just some romantic HEA fairy tale (and believe me, normally a big fan of the HEA fairy tale). It was...surprisingly heartening to see them cope with each other in what felt like a very true-to-character, organic fashion. It is a trend I hope continues because the Beast Lord and his deadly consort are so very, very perfect for each other.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
Top reviews from other countries
- Kindle CustomerReviewed in Canada on July 19, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow
I started this series with the first book through my local library. Here, I am purchasing the series. It has been a wonderful story. A little magic, a lot of action, and just a great story.
- MargaridaReviewed in Spain on July 17, 2021
4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Action Packed Story
The action in this book was insane. As always this series has quite a bit of blood and gore, especially if you compare it to other urban fantasy books, but it really works for the story in my opinion. Kate is still trying to deal with her issues and working on her relationship with Curran, but I like how there was no needless breakup for drama. Overall, it was a great book.
- Lauren VSReviewed in Australia on August 30, 2018
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Book 5 in this series and it is an awesome read. Action from the start, twists and turns, mystery, family history, witches, druids and more... Fantastic action scenes and Kate is great too. Love this series.
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CalyReviewed in France on November 4, 2012
5.0 out of 5 stars Un must have pour tout fan de Bit-lit
Au cour des tomes, la série Kate Daniels s'est clairement imposée comme l'une des meilleures séries d'Urban fantasy que j'ai pu lire (si ce n'est la meilleure série Bit-Lit), atteignant même son apogée lors du tome 4. La lecture de ce tome 5 était donc en soi un petit événement pour moi et c'est avec délectation que je me suis mis dans la lecture de ce Magic Slays.
Comme je l'ai dit plus haut, le tome 4 avait frappé très fort dans tout les sens du terme. Que ce soit les enjeux ou bien même coté sentiment avec la relation Kate/Curran. Difficile donc de faire aussi bien que ce tome 4 et sans trop de surprise, le tome 5 est un cran en dessous mais que l'on se rassure, cela reste du très bon. L'intrigue de ce Magic Slays, bien que moins personnel que celle du tome 4 Blessure Magique, propose toutefois des enjeux tout aussi important que précédemment voir même plus avec des phases d'actions toujours autant présente et rythmés pour mon plus grand plaisir. Cette fois, on s'attardera un peu plus sur les autres communautés surnaturels de la ville et même si cela demeure assez succinct dans l'ensemble, on se dit que cela pourra facilement être approfondi plus tard dans d'autres tomes. Mon seul regret vient plutôt de l'histoire qui fait plus « aparté » sans vraiment faire avancer le futur conflit Kate/Roland. On pourra toutefois se consoler avec quelques petites révélations sur le passé de Kate distillé avec intelligence par Ilona Andrews.
Niveau personnage et relation, c'est la aussi un peu en dessous que le tome 4 mais comment serait-il possible de faire mieux que ce tome ? On aura toutefois plaisir à voir la relation Kate/Curran évolué avec comme point fort une romance solide mais pas niaise pour autant et qui ne tombe jamais dans l'outrance comme c'est un peu trop souvent le cas en Bit-Lit. Juste dommage que les relations avec les autres personnages soit un peu plus en retrait comme Julie, Derek, Jim... Le seule personnage qui s'en sort assez bien hormis Curran (et quelques nouveaux) est Andrea que l'on aura plaisir à retrouver dans un spin of qui lui est dédié : Gunmetal Magic.
On est donc face à un tome encore une fois excellent. Pas de véritable lacune dans cette série qui reste forte en action et avec des personnages marquants. Le seul véritable défaut qui demeure toujours et encore à cette série, c'est son nombre de pages qui est irrémédiablement trop court. C'est simple, avec de tel livres, j'en veux toujours plus et ronge mon frein de devoir attendre un nouveau tome à chaque fois. Kate Daniels conserve donc son titre haut la main de "Must Have" du Bit-Lit.
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SabineReviewed in Germany on June 5, 2011
5.0 out of 5 stars Es wird einfach immer besser..
Kate ist aus dem Orden ausgetreten und hat ihre eigene Firma gegründet. Sie lebt mit Curran zusammen und ist offiziell seine Gefährtin, was nicht unbedingt jedem Gestaltwandler schmeckt. Alles könnte gut sein, doch die Aufträge bleiben aus, da der Orden böse Gerüchte über Kate in die Welt setzt und niemand sie anheuern will.
Eines Tages aber klopfen die Roten Wächter bei ihr an und bitten um ihre Hilfe: Sie hatten den Auftrag einen Mann zu beschützen, der gerade an einer geheimen Erfindung bastelte - und dieser ist verschwunden! Ein Wächter ist tot, die anderen waren alle außer Gefecht gesetzt und so hat niemand gesehen, was genau passiert ist. Natürlich nimmt Kate den Auftrag an, auch wenn ihr niemand sagen will, womit genau sich der verschwundene Adam Kamen beschäftigt hat und die Sache zum Himmel stinkt. Und schon bald passieren die seltsamsten Sachen und Kate hat wieder einmal alle Hände voll zu tun..
Wahnsinn! Während andere Serien direkt mit den ersten Bänden ihr Potenzial verpulvern und die Folgebände so aufregend wie aufgewärmte Suppe sind, wird diese Serie hier mit jedem Band besser. Nach dem vierten Band hätte ich Stein und Bein geschworen, dass es das war und es einfach nicht besser werden kann. Doch Ilona und Gordon Andrews sind wirklich Genies und schaffen es, in Band fünf nicht nur das Niveau zu halten sondern noch mal eine Schippe draufzulegen.
Mit jedem Buch erfährt man wieder ein Stück mehr über Kate und ihre Vergangenheit und auch hier bekommt man wieder neue und interessante Einblicke und man fragt sich, ob und wann es zum Showdown zwischen Kate und Roland kommt.
Was mir gut gefallen hat war der Ausbau von Kate und Currans Beziehung. Hatte ich anfangs noch die Befürchtung, dass hier wieder alles kaputt gemacht wird um den Leser bei der Stange zu halten, war ich doch am Ende sehr zufrieden wie die Beziehung nicht nur gefestigt, sondern auch ausgebaut wurde - und alles ohne Verlust an Glaubwürdigkeit oder Langeweile.
Auch der Wortwitz ist konstant gut geblieben und durch manche Kapitel habe ich mich regelrecht durchgekichert. Das hier ist großartige Arbeit und ich kann wirklich nur meinen Hut ziehen vor dem Autorenpaar. Einziger Wehmutstropfen: Ich muss nun sicherlich wieder ein gutes Jahr warten um zu erfahren, wie es weitergeht. Und das, nachdem das Buch mit so einem Paukenschlag endet!
Kein Zweifel, diese Serie ist das Beste, was es derzeit auf dem doch sehr überfüllten Fantasymarkt zu lesen gibt!