Flight from Death: A Fly by Night Novel Book 1

by Yasmine Galenorn

• ISBN13: 9780425272152
• Publish Date: 7 July 2015
• Publish Status: Temporarily Withdrawn
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: Berkley Publishing Corporation,U.S.
• Format: Paperback (UK Trade)
• Pages: 336
• Language: English

Reviews

[Cocktails and Books]

This review was originally posted on Cocktails and Books

I fully admit, I’ve never read Yasmine Galenorn before this book, so I was happy to see it was a brand new series. I can also say that I wish I had picked her up sooner, the characters, the world building, and the plot all hooked me in. Ms. Galenorn is definitely being added to my list of go to Urban Fantasy authors. I look forward to more adventures of Shimmer and seeing how her relationship with Alex and her time on Earth progress.

This story is first person, which is something I’m accustomed to with other Urban Fantasy stories, and since Shimmer is so snarky and fun in her thoughts, that made it easy to keep the pages turning. First person might not be everyone’s favorite but it really helps move and carry this story along.

It’s not a romance per se, but there is romance happening between Shimmer and Alex, and some pretty steamy scenes. It’s their dynamic and all the other characters that really help flesh out a great cast of characters. As well as that old school detective feel, and a mystery coupled with some action packed scenes that kept me reading until the end.

I definitely recommend this for fans of Ms. Galenorn, and for new fans as well. I think this book could easily convert someone into loving Ms. Galenorn’s style of writing. I know it hooked me in.

Reviewer information can be found under the Tags section of the post on our site.

[EBookObsessed]

After beginning this story, I picked up an audiobook copy of Witchling which is the first of author Yasmine Galenorn's Otherworld/Sisters of the Moon series. Flight from Death is a spin-off of her Otherworld series. Flight from Hell is the prequel book which blends both storylines. I have picked up a copy but I haven't started it yet.

In Flight from Death, Dragon-shifter Shimmer is an orphaned dragon. The dragons still work on a class system and with no family name, Shimmer is considered the lowest of the low with no social standing and pretty much no rights. Shimmer has was caught stealing from one of her betters and one of the leaders chose to ban her Earthside rather than kill her. She has had most of her magic bound, which leaves her at a significant disadvantage, and as a water dragon, she can only shape change in the ocean.

Shimmer was sent to work for a vampire named Alex Radcliffe and his Fly By Night Magical Investigation for her five year banishment.

On her first official assignment, Shimmer goes with Alex and techno-geek, werewolf Ralph to investigate a rather nasty poltergeist at the Bed and Breakfast owned an old friend of Alex.

With the help of Shimmer's Djinn friend, Chai, and local witch, Tonya, they find out that there is more than just angry poltergeists causing havoc. A lot of malicious entities are lurking in the dark forest surrounding the town and there is something else entirely trapping the spirits to the house. Something doesn't want the B&B to open its doors ever.

When things start to get deadly, Shimmer and Alex may need to decide whether saving the B&B is worth risking their lives.

THOUGHTS:
This was an interesting new Urban Fantasy series. It could use more character development, but I didn't yet read the spin-off story from the Otherworld series. We might have learned more about Alex and Ralph and the Fly By Night Investigation in Flight from Hell. Overall, it was an easy read and kept me entertained.

One issue I had is that there was not only a malicious entity in the house, there was some history about a gypsy curse on the prior owner which was also tainting the house. The gypsy curse seemed to be overkill and unnecessary and should have been taken out.

As far as characters, Shimmer has her powers bound and although she is stronger than a human, her lack of powers makes her a little less interesting. It is possible that her dragon powers would have made her too powerful a character, thereby making the dangers they face in their investigation less exciting overall because who can mess with a powerful dragon.

Her life in the dragon lands in Otherworld was pretty messed up and orphaned dragons are treated like crap. I can't imagine why she would want to ever go back after her five years in exile. I don't understand how you get an orphan dragon baby with no knowledge of their parents. It seems to be a small enough population that everyone should know each other and who is pregnant, etc. Orphaned is understandable, but no knowledge of her parents seems a little odd. I am certain there will be some big scandal/cover up in some later book about Shimmer's family.

I will definitely give this series another story to see if the author builds on the character development. I am currently listening to her Otherworld series, and I am enjoying that one as well.

Received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[kimbacaffeinate]

So a dragon, a vampire and werewolf walk into an Inn….

Shimmer is a blue dragon shifter, who has been exiled from the Dragon Reaches for five years and sentences to work Earthside with Alex Radcliffe. Alex is a vampire who owns the Fly by Night Magical Investigation Agency. I love the set-up and right away I am hooked.

Galenorn does a wonderful job of explaining this world where humans and the supernatural live together. Shimmer’s backstory and reason for exile are explained, but we also get a mystery about her parentage that I suspect will be an overall story arc with each book dealing with a new case for the Agency. Right away, I like the set up.

Alex’s friend Patrick recently renovated the Tide Bed & Breakfast in Port Townsend, Washington.  He was all set to open but strange activities that are more than a simple haunting have him asking for help. Alex takes Shimmer and Ralph an adorable, caffeinated computer geek who also happens to be a werewolf with him for this assignment.

I loved how the author managed to set a nice pace for the tale while weaving in the worldbuilding. So often book one in an urban fantasy is weighed down by building the world in the first half and just when things are getting good, it ends. Such was not the case it Flight by Death. From the beginning, I was drawn in and had a good sense of things.

The mystery was fascinating and suspenseful. A simple haunting turns into an eighty year old mystery. Add in a gypsy curse and dark supernatural creatures holding spirits and you have the makings for an intense action-packed read. It also introduced unusual supernatural creatures, a witch and a spirit walker. Did I mention ghosts? Yep, there are many spirits in Port Townsend and not all of them are happy. We see a lot of different supernatural creatures and learn a little lore.

I enjoyed the characters in Flight from Death but wish they were more fleshed out. We learned the most detail about Shimmer, but Alex, Ralph and Patrick have me curious to learn more. Bette, the agencies secretary is a snake-shifter who made me laugh and I loved page time with this snarky woman. Chai, a jinni whose like a brother to Shimmer added to the tale from knowledge, humor and badassery. Shimmer has issues, but the girl is not afraid to take on a challenge, ok she is afraid but she gets it done without falling apart and I liked her spunk.

There is a mild romance as mentioned in the synopsis between Shimmer and Alex. I got off to bad start with Alex due to something he said and never really regained my footing with the romance. Alex was dating someone else. The relationship had turned sour sometime ago and he finally broke it off. (before acknowledging feelings for Shimmer) After, he made a statement about how he had been attracted to Shimmer for a while and that when he was with the "other girl" he was thinking of Shimmer. This is a huge turn-off for me, and I never completely recovered. Thankfully, this thread took a serious backseat to the case. It is not dead in the water for me, but I need a lot more convincing.

Copy provided by publisher, This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer