Linda
Written on Jun 29, 2018
- ISBN13 9781641970402
- Publish Date 22 June 2018
- Publish Status Active
- Imprint Nancy Yost Literary Agency, Inc
- Format Paperback
- Pages 392
- Language English
Reviews
llamareads
Written on May 30, 2018
If you’ve known me for any length of time, you know that I’m an Ilona Andrews fangirl. I eagerly gobble up anything from this husband-and-wife writing duo and frequently try to shove their books on unsuspecting new reader friends. While they’re now known for several series, their biggest books are an urban fantasy series about Kate Daniels, set in a post-apocalyptic Atlantic devastated by alternating waves of magic and technology. While this book is the first in a new series, it’s a spinoff of Kate, and as such would be seriously confusing to anyone new to the world. And on that note – massive spoilers in this review for anything pre-Magic Triumphs.
First off, I was extremely skeptical of this book. In case you’re not aware of the background, this started off as an April Fool’s joke some years ago, since, honestly, who’d want a romance featuring one of the most hated villains from the Kate Daniels series? Besides killing off a beloved character, Hugh was also the dreaded Other Man in a love triangle with Kate and Curran. Not to mention, as Roland’s lackey, he was a bit one-note evil. I had a lot of doubts about how he could be believably redeemed while still acknowledging that he KILLED ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHARACTERs. Ahem. Folks, I was so, so wrong – I was rooting for Hugh after about three chapters.
After being cut off from Roland, Hugh is on the run with what’s left of his Iron Dogs, hunted by the Golden Legion. Starving and exhausted, they need a base to regroup. Elara, head of, well, a cult, needs someone to protect her people from her suspicious and unfriendly neighbors. And what better way to seal the deal than a marriage? Of course, while the main participants need to keep up appearances to outsiders, it’s quickly apparent that “My way or the highway” Hugh and “I’m called the White Warlock for a reason” Elara are immediately at odds. Even in the midst of it all, though, these are two smart people used to command, who will bicker and fight but in service of doing what’s they think is best for their people. I think what sold me on Hugh most of all was his commitment to both his people and Elara’s. The Hugh in this book is not the Hugh we’ve met before, for good reason, as getting cut off from Roland broke him completely. Watching him reform himself, while deciding which parts of himself he wants to keep and which to discard, was heart wrenching. Loyalty, though, it what makes both Hugh and Elara tick.
And, oh, Elara. She’s the perfect foil for Hugh, unfailingly loyal and committed to her people and what’s best for them, even a sham marriage to a man everyone calls a monster. She’s smart and fierce, and she’s shrewd enough to put Hugh and his starving commanders in a conference room next to the kitchens when they first meet. The authors have a great knack for being able to write from someone’s POV while only hinting at that character’s secrets, and it was fun figuring out along with Hugh’s people exactly why Elara seems to view herself as a monster. It goes along well with the romance, which is, of course, hate-to-love and deliciously slow burn, with plenty of the authors’ trademark witty banter.
While we’ve had novellas and other books not from Kate’s point of view, they’ve all been Atlanta-based Pack, so having POVs from both Hugh and Elara was a fascinating new view of the world. There are several plot lines that are left unresolved at the end of the book, including one major one that I was disappointed about, but it is the first in a series. Overall, though, I simply cannot fangirl over this book enough, and highly recommend it to anyone who loves kickass characters, smart and hilarious dialogue, and a tightly-paced engrossing plot!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
First off, I was extremely skeptical of this book. In case you’re not aware of the background, this started off as an April Fool’s joke some years ago, since, honestly, who’d want a romance featuring one of the most hated villains from the Kate Daniels series? Besides killing off a beloved character, Hugh was also the dreaded Other Man in a love triangle with Kate and Curran. Not to mention, as Roland’s lackey, he was a bit one-note evil. I had a lot of doubts about how he could be believably redeemed while still acknowledging that he KILLED ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHARACTERs. Ahem. Folks, I was so, so wrong – I was rooting for Hugh after about three chapters.
“Roland discovered an unpleasant fact,” Lamar said. “We do not follow him. We follow you.”
After being cut off from Roland, Hugh is on the run with what’s left of his Iron Dogs, hunted by the Golden Legion. Starving and exhausted, they need a base to regroup. Elara, head of, well, a cult, needs someone to protect her people from her suspicious and unfriendly neighbors. And what better way to seal the deal than a marriage? Of course, while the main participants need to keep up appearances to outsiders, it’s quickly apparent that “My way or the highway” Hugh and “I’m called the White Warlock for a reason” Elara are immediately at odds. Even in the midst of it all, though, these are two smart people used to command, who will bicker and fight but in service of doing what’s they think is best for their people. I think what sold me on Hugh most of all was his commitment to both his people and Elara’s. The Hugh in this book is not the Hugh we’ve met before, for good reason, as getting cut off from Roland broke him completely. Watching him reform himself, while deciding which parts of himself he wants to keep and which to discard, was heart wrenching. Loyalty, though, it what makes both Hugh and Elara tick.
“If you betray us, I’ll make you suffer.”
“We haven’t even married yet, and I’m suffering already.”
“We have that in common,” she snapped.”
And, oh, Elara. She’s the perfect foil for Hugh, unfailingly loyal and committed to her people and what’s best for them, even a sham marriage to a man everyone calls a monster. She’s smart and fierce, and she’s shrewd enough to put Hugh and his starving commanders in a conference room next to the kitchens when they first meet. The authors have a great knack for being able to write from someone’s POV while only hinting at that character’s secrets, and it was fun figuring out along with Hugh’s people exactly why Elara seems to view herself as a monster. It goes along well with the romance, which is, of course, hate-to-love and deliciously slow burn, with plenty of the authors’ trademark witty banter.
“What do you want more than anything? Tell me what it is, and I’ll rip the world apart to bring it to you.”
While we’ve had novellas and other books not from Kate’s point of view, they’ve all been Atlanta-based Pack, so having POVs from both Hugh and Elara was a fascinating new view of the world. There are several plot lines that are left unresolved at the end of the book, including one major one that I was disappointed about, but it is the first in a series. Overall, though, I simply cannot fangirl over this book enough, and highly recommend it to anyone who loves kickass characters, smart and hilarious dialogue, and a tightly-paced engrossing plot!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
celinenyx
Written on May 20, 2018
Iron and Magic is a spin-off series from the Kate Daniels books, featuring former warlord Hugh d'Ambray. Not only is he no longer in the favour of his god-like employer, a vampire master has it out for him an is trying to kill off his army.
The story heavily draws on the world that is created in the Kate Daniels books - if you haven't read those, I think the book would be confusing and filled with spoilers (including of significant character deaths). This review does not contain any spoilers that aren't mentioned in the blurb.
Hugh is not a likeable character in any sense of the word, yet Andrews, throughout the book, manages to make Hugh a more complex and rich character that you want to improve. Instrumental in his development is Elara, a mysterious white-haired magic user, whose settlement he needs to feed his army. Hugh and Elara form an alliance, despite hating each other's guts and fighting each other at every turn.
Hugh and Elara enter into a marriage of convenience (as hinted at in the blurb) - a romantic trope which I personally love. It forces close proximity between the characters, bouncing them off each other until they finally realise they like each other for real. Yet, I wasn't sold on this romantic storyline in Iron and Magic. There seemed to be little progression in their relationship, and each time one of them would show some vulnerability, this was ignored by the other. There is a sex scene in the narrative, which I hoped would bring the characters together, but again, the sex came across as soulless and without any tenderness. Everything is a power struggle between Hugh and Elara, and it makes their romance feel "off". By the end of Iron and Magic, we have made little headway, and I'm kind of disappointed we have to wait for another instalment in the series.
There is plenty of action and fighting, yet none of it was particularly thrilling. Hugh is established as one of the most powerful characters in this universe (second perhaps only to Kate and Roland), so any threat that is thrown his way is completely obliterated in seconds. There is no true danger of him ever getting hurt - especially because he can heal himself almost instantly - and the grand obstacle is conquered way too easily.
Overall, though Iron and Magic was quite fun, because it added complexity to a character we only ever saw from a distance, it isn't as good as the main series. The writing was less focused, the references sometimes weird (why does this post-apocalyptic world have Lazyboys and Depeche Mode?), and the good parts were too few and over too soon. It also makes some very odd comments about Christianity which seemed out of place in the narrative. Recommended for fans only.
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Trigger warnings: (show spoiler)[high on gore, torture, non-consent/sexual harassment, death. The protagonist has murdered and pillaged extensively under orders.]
The story heavily draws on the world that is created in the Kate Daniels books - if you haven't read those, I think the book would be confusing and filled with spoilers (including of significant character deaths). This review does not contain any spoilers that aren't mentioned in the blurb.
Hugh is not a likeable character in any sense of the word, yet Andrews, throughout the book, manages to make Hugh a more complex and rich character that you want to improve. Instrumental in his development is Elara, a mysterious white-haired magic user, whose settlement he needs to feed his army. Hugh and Elara form an alliance, despite hating each other's guts and fighting each other at every turn.
Hugh and Elara enter into a marriage of convenience (as hinted at in the blurb) - a romantic trope which I personally love. It forces close proximity between the characters, bouncing them off each other until they finally realise they like each other for real. Yet, I wasn't sold on this romantic storyline in Iron and Magic. There seemed to be little progression in their relationship, and each time one of them would show some vulnerability, this was ignored by the other. There is a sex scene in the narrative, which I hoped would bring the characters together, but again, the sex came across as soulless and without any tenderness. Everything is a power struggle between Hugh and Elara, and it makes their romance feel "off". By the end of Iron and Magic, we have made little headway, and I'm kind of disappointed we have to wait for another instalment in the series.
There is plenty of action and fighting, yet none of it was particularly thrilling. Hugh is established as one of the most powerful characters in this universe (second perhaps only to Kate and Roland), so any threat that is thrown his way is completely obliterated in seconds. There is no true danger of him ever getting hurt - especially because he can heal himself almost instantly - and the grand obstacle is conquered way too easily.
Overall, though Iron and Magic was quite fun, because it added complexity to a character we only ever saw from a distance, it isn't as good as the main series. The writing was less focused, the references sometimes weird (why does this post-apocalyptic world have Lazyboys and Depeche Mode?), and the good parts were too few and over too soon. It also makes some very odd comments about Christianity which seemed out of place in the narrative. Recommended for fans only.
---
Trigger warnings: (show spoiler)[high on gore, torture, non-consent/sexual harassment, death. The protagonist has murdered and pillaged extensively under orders.]