Fated (Alex Verus, #1)

by Benedict Jacka

The start of a compelling new urban fantasy series based in Camden, featuring Alex Verus - a mage with a dark past who can see the future . . .

'Harry Dresden would like Alex Verus tremendously - and be a little nervous around him. I just added Benedict Jacka to my must-read list. Fated is an excellent novel, a gorgeously realized world with a uniquely powerful, vulnerable protagonist. Books this good remind me why I got into the storytelling business in the first place' Jim Butcher, author of the Dresden Files

Camden, North London. A tangled, mangled junction of train lines, roads and waterways. Where minor celebrities hang out with minor criminals and where tourists and moody teenagers mingle.
In the heart of Camden, where rail meets road meets leyline, you might find the Arcana Emporium, run by one Alex Verus. He won't sell you a wand or mix you a potion, but if you know what you're looking for, he might just be able to help. That's if he's not too busy avoiding his would-be apprentice, foiling the Dark, outwitting the Light, and investigating a mysterious relic that has just turned up at the British Museum.

The books in the Alex Verus series are as follows:
Fated
Cursed
Taken
Chosen
Hidden
Veiled
Burned
Bound
Marked

• ISBN10: 110156041X
• ISBN13: 9781101560419
• Publish Date: 1 February 2012
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: Ace Books
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 304
• Language: English

Reviews

[booksandcats]

I am not quite sure what to think of this book.

For one, I love the idea, I love Alex' powers, I think they are fascinating and I love how they are used in the story, I love how it is mainly just needing him to use his brain and is basically him being constantly physically outmanouvered and having to rely on his power and wits. I LOVED that.

I think it was just the rest, the setup, maybe the writing style that was not captivating enough for me. Maybe I was too distracted, I don't know. If I have enough time and motivation I'll try the second book in this series, only because I really like Alex (and Luna for that matter) and see if I'm liking that more.

[bookperson]

Fast paced and enjoyable! Intresting world building. Feels more like an action rather than a straight up fantasy.

[kimbacaffeinate]

We’ve got modern-day mages, magic-users and other paranormal communities. There are portals, rules, and magical devices. This is good versus evil where the lines are blurred with political maneuvers and plots for power.

All Mages have power but each is different. Alex is a Diviner. He can see into the future shifting through possible outcomes. So say, for example, he wants you to choose the red hat, because he wants the blue one. He can shift through all the scenarios that could unfold until he finds the one in which you choose the red one. Then he need only follow it back to see what led you to that choice and select that path! Cool right? I liked Alex, although my husband felt the narrator made him sound arrogant. I thought he sounded confident, British and more matter of fact. More brain than brawn.

When Luna, his young friend, a woman inflicted with a terrible curse brings him a strange object trouble follows. It seems someone wants a rare artifact unlocked and they need a Diviner to do it. Soon Alex and Luna find themselves in great danger. They will need to outwit not only the council but rogue mages.

This was a brilliant start to the series and I found the world Jacka created to be refreshing, complex and developed. We meet a lot of secondary characters, explore myths and play with some pretty cool magical devices.

Gildart Jackson narrates, and I thought he did a fine job with both Alex and Luna’s characters. Sometimes the secondary characters’ voices ran together a little and my husband didn’t feel he matched Alex’s character but on this he and I shall disagree. I am looking forward to continuing the series on audio. I have purchased the next four audiobooks, and have nearly finished book two. Look for my review in late August, early September. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

[lisacee]

Only 3-stars because I felt that the world wasn't well defined (especially without relying on the Dresden File-verse). I will read the next one, though, as I already really like the characters and I look forward to seeing their future adventures.

[wyvernfriend]

Alex Verus reminded me a lot of Jim Butcher's Dresden, in fact there's a nod to Dresden on page 3 "I've even heard of one guy in Chicago who advertises in the phone book under 'Wizard', though that's probably an urban legend." and a recommendation from Jim Butcher on the cover. This is somewhat the UK version of Dresden, only instead of being a, basically, detective, he's a shop owner, owing one of those esoteric shops that I have an uncanny ability to find in foreign cities.

Alex has some precognitive abilities, he can use it to determine what is the best outcome in a situation, which makes doing things like finding secrets and picking locks easier, his past was messy and he still has nightmares but now he's fairly content with his life.

And then, suddenly, everyone wants him, there's a puzzle and he's the last precog who might be able to solve it, and now he has to deal with the murderous intents of several factions, some of whom may just let him live.

I enjoyed it, want to read more.