Ilona Andrews

Kate Daniels  — (2007-2011) Publisher: Mercenary Kate Daniels cleans up urban problems of a paranormal kind. But her latest prey, a pack of undead warriors, presents her greatest challenge.

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Magic Bites

Magic Bites is an exciting urban fantasy with a unique premise and detailed world-building, somewhat marred by an unsatisfying twist in the story's central mystery.

I give Ilona Andrews a lot of points for creativity here. In Magic Bites' near-future setting, magic and technology come and go a bit like the weather; when magic is working, tech isn't, and vice versa. The shifts are unpredictable, but it can be assumed there will be several per day. Andrews explores all the aspects of this situation and the ways people find to cope with it (magic-powered light bulbs to back up electric ones, horseback travel, etc.).  I loved the well-thought-out explanation for why telephones occasionally work during a magic phase. Especially haunting was the image of downtown Atlanta, its skyscrapers crumbling away with every onslaught of magic.

Also laudable is Andrews' use of mythological creatures. As a fan of urban fantasy, a trend that saddens me in many recent novels is the fixation on vampires and werewolves to the exclusion of everything else. World folklore gives us a lot of "things that go bump in the night" to play with. In Magic Bites, there are vampires and werewolves (of course) but also other beasties, and the central villain is a horrific creature that exists in folklore but that I've never seen used before in a novel.

The heroine, Kate, is part of the novel's uniqueness as well. At first, I didn't like her — she seemed to be yet another of those urban fantasy heroines who constantly make fools of themselves to prove they're tough, and somehow everyone loves them anyway. It turns out, though, that while Kate wisecracks constantly, there are consequences to her abrasive style. Andrews allows other characters to be offended by her heroine, and that's something that's all too rare.

Where Magic Bites lost me was in a brief series of scenes late in the story. There are two characters who might have done something awful; we'll call them A and B. For reasons I never quite understood, everyone becomes convinced that A did the deed. Beats me why they think this. There aren't really any clues pointing toward A. B, on the other hand, might as well have "Guilty" tattooed on his or her forehead. B has been telegraphing guilt throughout the book. Yet somehow no one thinks of him/her until A is exonerated. Then, to confuse me more, the character who was the ringleader in accusing A gets mad at Kate over the whole fiasco, even though it was his idea. I was lost, to say the least. If A was going to be a red herring, there should have been more clues leading in that direction, and B's guilt should have been more subtle.

It picks back up after that, though, and there's a suspenseful showdown with the baddie, and an ending that ties up the story nicely but leaves room for sequels, the first of which is already out.

I should mention that Magic Bites contains a lot of gory violence.

I would recommend Magic Bites to anyone who enjoyed early Laurell K. Hamilton; its blend of mystery, horror, and a tough heroine gives it some of the same "feel." —Kelly Lasiter

Magic Burns

No sophomore slump here! Ilona Andrews follows — and tops — her debut novel with an excellent sequel, Magic Burns.

We get some more world-building. Andrews explains, in a way that flows smoothly with the story and doesn’t feel like an infodump, the theory as to why the magic and tech have gone wonky in the first place. We also learn about magic flares, which occur roughly every seven years. During these upsurges in magic, powerful and dangerous summonings can be done. As Magic Burns begins, a magic flare has kicked in and Kate finds herself entangled in the mystery of a witch coven who disappeared after getting in over their heads.

Kate is growing as a character as this series progresses. In Magic Burns, she lets a few more people into her heart, and I don’t just mean romantically (though the romantic tension between her and Curran is just enough to be lots of fun without dominating the story). We also learn a few more tantalizing hints about Kate’s parentage and about the powers she keeps under wraps.

The mystery/supernatural plot is more layered than that of Magic Bites, and better executed. Andrews continues to root her plots in a diverse range of mythology and folklore rather than sticking to the current urban fantasy trends. This time, everything’s more complicated, because the good guys and bad guys are less clearly delineated, and Kate has to navigate a minefield of other people’s competing agendas. The pace is fast, and there are no “Huh?” moments like the one I had in Magic Bites.

Andrews has also toned down the gore. There’s still plenty of violence, but if you thought there were a few too many explicit descriptions of cannibalism and rape in Magic Bites, you’ll probably like Magic Burns better.

Magic Burns just earned Andrews a place on my very short “snap up on sight” list. She’s one of the most original voices currently writing in the urban fantasy subgenre, and I can’t wait to see what she does next. —Kelly Lasiter

Magic Burns

After I finished the first book of Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series I was seriously worried that we were headed down the path to another of the too-powerful-to-be-believable heroines. The characters were interesting and Ms Andrews' idea for bringing magic and technology together was good, but I seriously wondered if our heroine was going to be another Anita Blake who develops new powers every other page.

But, Ilona Andrews gets a big thumb up for letting her heroine get her butt royally kicked several times in Magic Burns.  She’s still a really bratty, smart-mouthed girl who happens to be really, really powerful in magic and other things. But, here’s the great part: there is a good explanation for a lot of it. She doesn’t just magically have powers — she has been to schools and she studies on her own to get better. What? A heroine who works at it?? Thank you, Ms. Andrews, for writing with your brain intact.

Magic Burns starts up pretty much were the first book left off. Kate, our heroine, is still struggling financially, has a hard time keeping a boyfriend, and doesn’t play nice with others. Her interactions with other paranormal groups continue and she keeps trying to do good while staying as sassy and likeable as before.

The storyline follows Kate through the advent of a major surge/spike in magic and the interactions of several different groups who are being affected. The Beastlord who she flirted/fought with during Magic Bites remains a strong supporting character, but Ilona Andrews doesn’t just throw them together for the almost mandatory sex scenes that these books too often include without reason. Again, nice job Ms. Andrews. —John Hulet

Magic Strikes

I didn't know how much I'd missed Ilona Andrews' writing until I started reading Magic Strikes. Part of it is the prose. It's vivid, it has a great streak of humor running through it, and best of all, it's smooth. The reader is never jolted out of the story by a grammar snafu or an awkward phrase.

Part of it is Andrews' continued use of a wide variety of myths. Andrews is one of the few urban fantasy authors who seem to realize folklore is a huge sandbox. The human imagination has dreamed up all sorts of things that go bump in the night; why stick to just vampires and werewolves? I won't reveal what creatures lurk within Magic Strikes, as that's part of the central mystery, but it's different from anything Andrews has done before.

Then there's the chance to see these characters again. Kate has grown beyond the misanthropic loner she used to be, though she still has some trust issues, and she certainly still has a sharp tongue! (She gets in some excellent jabs in this novel. I grinned.) We get to see further development in her friendships and a ratcheting up of the tension between her and Curran. We also learn more backstory, for both Kate and Curran, and get a better idea of what makes them the way they are.

The plot is tight and tense. Kate's young werewolf friend, Derek, is caught breaking into the home of the mysterious shapeshifter Saiman. Saiman is willing to let Derek go in exchange for a favor: Kate must accompany him to the Midnight Games. This is a supernatural gladiatorial tournament, highly illegal and extremely bloody. The situation spirals out of hand, and soon Kate and all her friends are in great danger.

I loved Magic Strikes, especially the last few chapters. All I can say without spoiling the plot is that I was deeply moved by the characters' heroics.

This is urban fantasy done right. —Kelly Lasiter

 Magic Strikes

Ilona Andrews has done a wonderful job of walking that fine line between tough, sassy heroine and ridiculous, overly powerful superwoman. Kate Daniels is a unique character in a genre that is largely populated with carbon copies of the same woman. Kudos to Andrews, who has once again managed to balance the qualities of power and vulnerability to perfection.

Magic Strikes doesn’t pick right up where Magic Burns left off. Time has passed for Kate and Andrews didn't feel compelled to fill in every little detail that happened off-screen. But, events have again conspired to lure Kate into situations where her loyalty to friends and fears of her past come into conflict. That tension is part of what makes these books worth reading.

An underground gladiatorial games of sorts provides the backdrop for the story as new villains emerge and looming threats from previous novels begin to actually take shape. The reader is not required to have perfect recall of the previous books, but minimal familiarity will help.

What Andrews does best is to create tension. Whether it’s between Kate and her value system or Kate and Curran, the local lycanthrope leader, it’s intense. But there's enough humorous dialogue to relieve the tension and actually make you chuckle a bit. I particularly like that Kate remains vulnerable. Whether it’s her feelings, or actual physical attacks, she knows that there are some fights she can’t win and there are some fights that she is willing to lose. That sense of possible death is what separates Ilona Andrews from most of the other urban fantasists.

That, and the fact that she doesn’t put Kate to bed with every gorgeous creature who enters the story. Another wonderful installment. —John Hulet

Magic Bleeds

Ever since that teaser chapter at the end of On the Edge, we Ilona Andrews fans have been dying to get our hands on Magic Bleeds. Curran stands Kate up, and when she calls the Keep trying to reach him, his people give her a humiliating brush-off. Not knowing why this happened, and what happens next, has had us anxious for months! Well, fellow Andrews fans, this is the book you’ve been waiting for. And the first thing you want to know, I’m sure, is “is it worth the wait?”

In a word, yes!

Kate Daniels is my favorite urban fantasy series, yet between books, I sometimes forget just how much I’m craving this character, this voice. I don’t realize how much I’ve missed it until I can sink into it again. When I reached these lines —

Who the hell would attack the Steel Horse anyway? What was the thinking behind that? “Here is a bar full of psychotic killers who grow giant claws and people who pilot the undead for a living. I think I’ll go wreck the place.”

— I said, out loud, “My girl’s back!”

Kate goes to the aforementioned wrecked bar to investigate, and finds a scene of horror. Someone incited a bar brawl, then murdered one of the regulars and loosed a potentially devastating plague. Kate must figure out who has done this and why, then eradicate the threat. The solution, when it’s revealed, is really clever. I’m even more impressed with it now that I’ve looked up the myth on which it’s based.

(She also finds a dog. Every scene involving the dog is wonderful. And just wait till you find out what Kate names the dog and why she picks that name.)

Magic Bleeds is bursting at the seams with plot. In addition to the mysterious disease-spreading entity, Kate has to deal with shapeshifter politics, the slick machinations of Saiman, and plenty of upheavals in her personal and professional life.

And Curran. Kate tries so hard to put Curran out of her mind, but he’s prominent enough in supernatural Atlanta that she keeps running into painful reminders of him. When the two finally speak again, it’s explosive. These two are infuriating, frustrating, and perfect for each other. I kept wanting to reach into the book and knock their heads together! So. Much. Pride. So. Much. Stubbornness. It’s great fun and incredibly tense at the same time.

All of this is narrated in Kate’s snarky voice. Her voice feels like an old friend at this point and adds some comic relief to a pretty dark story. Magic Bleeds has about the same level of gore as Magic Bites, which is to say a lot. It’s just violence violence this time rather than sexual violence, though, so many readers may find it more palatable.

I liked Magic Strikes just a little bit more than Magic Bleeds, but that’s like saying I like the raspberry Ghirardelli chocolates better than the caramel ones. Magic Bleeds is a terrific urban fantasy novel and a worthy addition to a great series. If you’re new to Kate Daniels, you’ll want to start with the earlier books; the events of this book are much more affecting if you’ve read the build-up. If you’ve been following Kate’s adventures, don’t hesitate to pick this up! —Kelly Lasiter

Magic Bleeds

Kate Daniels is a hard-as-they-come heroine with magic, swordsmanship and a very interesting history. Ilona Andrews delivers another wonderful installment with Magic Bleeds. As good as the books have been so far, Andrews takes the elements of action and personal interaction that are at the core of good urban fantasy and uses them artistically to tell another great story.

Kate is special among the glut of urban fantasy heroines because she loses fights, gets hurt, and has not compromised her standards just because she's in love. She is still a bad-ass, but you have to respect her for making tangible sacrifices in order to do what needs to be done.

In Magic Bleeds, Kate tries to balance her obligations to the many interests in Atlanta against her personal desires and we can see how she gets caught wanting to do two things at once. When conflicts between an employer and her commitment to a faction of the paranormal community arise, Kate has to make some choices that have real consequences that can’t be fixed with a winsome smile and a flash of cleavage.

Ilona Andrews continues to give us solid supporting characters in Magic Bleeds, too. The ongoing romantic entanglement between Kate and Curran keeps you smiling, laughing and engrossed. It's the sort of romantic interaction that is not off-putting for someone (like me) who reads these books for the fantasy first and the relationships second. I really liked some of the continued interplay with Ghastek, the Master of the Dead, because of some of the additional light she sheds on the necromancer/vampire segment of the community. Andrews never skimps on details.

Magic Bleeds is exactly what I wanted to see from the series. More world building, more character development and a whole bunch of bloody action that makes you stick to the story to see what happens next. This series is rapidly becoming my favorite in the UF genre… which is really saying something.
—John Hulet

Magic Slays

Kate Daniels has opened her new business, Cutting Edge Investigations, but there’s just one problem: no clients. “If things kept going this way,” she muses, “I would be forced to run up and down the street screaming ‘We kill things for money.’” It’s not that she needs the money, really; it’s more that she wants to be a successful, independent businesswoman rather than just Curran’s consort.

So when a case comes her way, Kate takes it, even though it’s not the sort of mission she’s used to. Elite bodyguards were protecting an inventor of magical objects at a remote cabin in the woods. Someone got past the guards, killed one of them, and absconded with the inventor and his dangerous project. Kate must find out where the man and his device have been taken, especially once she uncovers a terrible truth about the device’s function.

Meanwhile, Kate and Curran are together now, but this is not a couple whose relationship was ever going to be all hearts and flowers. These two hard-headed people, both accustomed to living alone and to growling (literally for Curran, figuratively for Kate) at anyone who gets in their way, now have to figure out how to live together and make compromises. Then, while investigating her case, Kate is told something that casts the entire relationship into doubt.

In a third plot strand, Kate’s adopted daughter Julie has run away from boarding school and is missing.

The three plotlines become intertwined, of course, so Kate ends up racing against time to save Atlanta while struggling with relationship issues and trying to protect her kid. The authors weave an intense story filled with action, horror, emotion, and Kate’s snarky sense of humor. And I haven’t even mentioned Andrea yet, or the new information Kate learns about her mother and Voron. Suffice it to say that if you’ve been following Kate Daniels, you can’t miss Magic Slays — and if you haven’t been reading the series, you should!

I did have questions about the chronology of the kidnapping. The sequence of events is a little confusing and seems to require a lot of coincidence, in terms of when the magic was up, when the tech was up, when the wards stopped working, who got there when, and so on. We do eventually meet a character who was there that night, and I wish he’d given us a brief “Definitive Version of What Happened” so it would stop niggling at my brain. But other than that, the book is darn near perfect. —Kelly Lasiter