Ilona Andrews
Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels #3)
Ace
ISBN-10: 0441017029
ISBN-13: 978-0441017027
Urban Fantasy
March 31, 2009
* Received from publisher, though copy was regular store copy
*slight spoilers for previous books. To read a joint review of books one and two, click here.
*see end for giveaway info
From the Author’s site:
Drafted into working for the Order of Merciful Aid, mercenary Kate Daniels has more paranormal problems than she knows what to do with these days. And in Atlanta, where magic comes and goes like the tide, that’s saying a lot.
But when Kate’s werewolf friend Derek is discovered nearly dead, she must confront her greatest challenge yet. As her investigation leads her to the Midnight Games – an invitation only, no holds barred, ultimate preternatural fighting tournament – she and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, uncover a dark plot that may forever alter the face of Atlanta’s shapeshifting community…
This is one of my top 10 favorite series and Magic Strikes reaffirms why. Andrews once again brings her game and proves she’s penning an engrossing, superbly written urban fantasy series. It’d been a while since I read the first two books and I’d almost forgotten what the point of the series was, or the series arc if you will. I was glad to be reminded that, while each book brings a fantastic adventure hosted by Kate, there’s also an underlying purpose tying it all together. I feel that this book brought that purpose one (perhaps even several) step closer.
By now, if you’ve been keeping up with the series, Kate’s personality has really grown on you. I opened Magic Strikes and simply sighed in bliss because I knew I was about to be entertained by a top notch 1st POV heroine. This time, Kate seemed a little more balanced as she’s really accepted her role, it seems, as employee at The Order, a group made up of knights that help police Atlanta after magical waves descend upon the once normal city, causing magical mayhem in their wake. Granted, she’d rather be handling more exciting work than, say, helping old banshees down from street posts as they bay into the night. Kate’s still not privy to much of The Order’s more exclusive ranks and information, but where there’s Kate, there’s eventually a way. It’s no secret that trouble finds her like a dog to a bone either and soon she’s head over heels deep into yet another magical mystery – one that threatens to engulf the Pack in a territorial and holocaust style war.
As per usual, there are a lot of characters interacting in this installment and most are integral to the plot. Kate meets up again with Saiman, the shapeshifter that made unwanted advances to her in the previous book, and this time they have to work together if she wants to stop a new kind pack from infringing on Curran’s territory. These dangerous newbies are called rakshasas and Andrews proves there is plenty of fresh material to bring to the table with their intro into her worldbuilding. You’ll see what I mean when you read the book and discover what mythology they stem from.
These rakshasas are our resident bad guys this go around and prove to be a pretty scary and formidable opponent. They run as a team in the Midnight Games, and Kate is soon involved in the underground gladiator-like competition.
At first I wasn’t too sure that the Midnight Games was going to make an interesting enough plot to revolve around, but not long into it’s intro in the book, I was as engrossed as ever. What I liked best about this aspect of the book was how it leads us to learn several new and important elements of Kate’s past and background. Too, it led even further towards Kate’s Big Series Dilemma, which I won’t delve too much into for fear of spoiling it. Suffice to say that I should have known better – so far nothing in this series is wasted space and this time was no exception. From start to finish I was entertained by nothing but good urban fantasy times, and all of it important in some manner.
The romantic elements were upped surprisingly much in this installment. Curran seriously steps up his game with Kate, pursuing her almost at first as if he’s no more serious than he was in the fist book. Very subtly though he soon makes it clear that things have changed between him and Kate and if he has his way, they’ll be changing a lot more. Kate is at first resistant, and while it’s admirable that she doesn’t simply jump in the sack with the sexy beast, it’s also somewhat of a relief to see a romance actually progressing at this point in the series. I was halfway worried that it would be the usual back-and-forth, subtle sexual and romantic banter and that be it. I feel this part of the Curran/Kate Game was sufficiently stepped up this time though and I’m more ready than ever to see the sparks fly between them again. What we get, especially towards to end, was so romantic. I cried for Kate and pretty much cheered when they come together because Kate was, as always, in a pretty dire spot.
The worldbuilding is as strong as ever, but then, Andrews built such a solid foundation with the first book I never had any doubts that would continue. What’s interesting to me is how, through her use of different myths and cultures, she’s left a wide door open for tons of possibilities with this world. I think it was a pretty smart way to go as it leaves more options and less opportunity for worldbuilding holes and confusion. So, as much as can go on in this crazy, magic-fuelded world, it’s easy to follow and remember what’s what and how it works. A reader-friendly world while also being exceptionally complex at the same time.
For me, this is the best book of the series to date. There was a time or two that I felt Kate was being a hypocrite, the most stand out one being when she puts Saiman down for willingly contributing to the death of a fighter in the Midnight Games – yet she doesn’t do anything to stop it either.
“You’re like a god from a Greek myth, Saiman. You have no empathy. You have no concept of the world beyond your ego. Wanting something gives you an automatic right to obtain it by whatever means necessary with no regard to the damage it may do. I would be careful if I were you. Friends and objects of deities’ desires dropped like flies. In the end the gods always ended up miserable and alone.
Saiman gave me a stunned look and fell silent.
As always, Kate knows how to shut ‘em up. Circumstances then were beyond her control, but I wondered at her bothering to put Samain down at all if she wasn’t going to help the fighter either. Still, I did like how much attention Saiman got this time and I’m hopeful that, because of what Kate comes to learn about him, we’ll see him again in later books, maybe for the better. Or on the other hand maybe he’ll merely continue to grace us with his morally ambiguous presence.
Besides Saiman, we get to revisit just about every other character we may have already grown to love, chief amongst those being Derek, the young werewolf; Julie, the 13-year-old girl Kate saved in the last book; Andrea, Kate’s friend at The Order; Raphael, the werehyena; Jim, Curran’s head of security and many others. And yes, I repeat, they’re all necessary to this book’s plot.
There was one scene where Kate has to pull Julie out of her magical school because the girl can help them. Julie’s been having some social troubles at school, and Aunt Kate is about to ride in and make Julie look a whole lot more cool to her mean classmates.
I urged Marcus on and he obliged, building to a thunderous canter. We pounded around the main building, my cloak dramatically flaring. A group of about twenty children stood at a respectable distance from the striped disks of archery targets propped up near the wall…
The kids sighted us and went very still. I scanned the crowd and saw a blond-haired girl, still too small and too thin for her thirteen years. There was my kiddo. Standing off by herself in the back.
…I tried to look suitably lethal. Raphael glowered next to me. A hungry ruby sheen rolled over his eyes. The boys went pale. The girl-children valiantly tried to keep from swooning.
Just imagining that scene sent me into peals of laughter. I love how Kate refers to Julie as her kiddo. One more way to love Kate.
If you haven’t gotten Magic Strikes yet, or if you haven’t even started the series, don’t wait. This isn’t a series to let languish in the TBR piles for months.
Rating: Five Scoops
Series order:
- Magic Bites
- Magic Burns
- Magic Strikes
For more on the author and her work, visit her site.
Giveaway: I was lucky enough to get an extra copy (brand new, one page bent slightly) in the mail due to an awesome friend’s generosity, and since I don’t need two copies, one of them is for you! Or you. Or you, or you, or you. Simply leave me a comment, anything goes. You have until Saturday night at midnight, eastern U.S. time, April 4. Winner announced Sunday, April 5. Prize mailed following Monday.
I do have to limit entries to the U.S. or Canada at this time. I apologize, but..yeah. Comment away.
February 21, 2012
May 1, 2012
May 1, 2012
February 28, 2012
April 3, 2012
April 3, 2012
May 8, 2012
February 28,2012
May 1,2012
July 3,2012
Do you feel the romance between Kate and Curran was expected or came out of left field?
Great review as always :D
I am entering this ONE since I decided on this UF series, YEY! Okay, I’m excited… so, shoot me.
Great review! I agree that Strikes is the best in the series so far. What we learn is amazing, and everything between Kate and all the shifters was fantastic.
Katie, I was expecting their relationship to heat up eventually but honestly didn’t expect as much as we got in this book. It was still low-key compared to a romance book of course, but yep, more than I expected for such a stubborn pair lol.
And yay, Hils! I will not shoot you because then you wouldn’t win for sure. :P
I’m wanting to get into this series and a perfect way to start is with a FREE copy of book 3! I’ll be forced to buy books 1 & 2 instead of not.
Thanks for the contest!
P.S. – I put your contest in my sidebar on my blog!
http://bookreviewsbyjess.blogspot.com/
Jess
LauraJane – I agree! too bad it’s another year for the next one. :(
Jessica – thanks for pimping the contest! I didn’t realize I had not added your blog link, but I have now. :)
I really love this series and wish they could put them out faster. This is my fave so far of them all loved the note Curran left for Kate at the end I seriously about died!
sounds great and thanks for your generosity
Can’t wait to get my copy – either at the bookstore or here!
What we get, especially towards to end, was so romantic.
YES! I felt that too, especially the short scene in the beginning of the epilogue. :-)
I finished this book at 3:30 am Saturday morning (Amazon sent my copy early). Heaven knows when I get around to posting my thoughts.
Oh gosh, I really really want this book! I have no book fund at the moment, so I have to be content with getting them from the library. I agree with you, this is the best book to date. Ilona keeps getting better and better. I also loved the romance in the book being stepped up. I’ve been waiting for it forever it seems like.
Thanks for the chance to get a copy, KMont! I have something to look forward to now, hoping I win lol.
ARGH! Want!! Enter me, please. Sorry, I started to read your review and then it turned to skimming and then I stopped part way and skipped down to your rating. I tend not to read much more than the synopsis of a book before the actual book itself. But i’ll definitely come back and read the review afterwards. :)
I have heard a lot of great things about this series, I am a big UF and parnormal fan, and would love an opportunity to win this book.
Great review Kmont – thank you! I haven’t picked these books up yet, although I’ve heard great things about them. Question – how kick-a*s is Kate?
Oh, and please don’t include me in the contest because I live outside North America :)
Can’t wait to get my copy – either at the bookstore or here!
Orannia, Kate is very kick-ass, one of those that at times it seems effortless for her to be so, and at others like she’ll never get back up again. So very kick-ass, but not perfectly so. There’s a good balance to the violence in the book and how much she can dish up and take.
I reviewed the book myself a few weeks ago–I’ve loved this series almost from the second I picked it up. I admit to wanting more Kate/Curran action, but this book left me happy. Like you said its tame next to the average romance, but then this isn’t a romance novel first and foremost. Plus I think with the baggage they both if a serious relationship began it is better they take it slow.
Were you surprised about Saiman? For some it never occurred to me (but then its not my area of expertise so…)
I skipped most of the review because I read the first few chapters of book 1 a few days ago and was sidetracked by the In Death series and library books I needed to bring back. As soon as I run out of those, which should be before two days, I’m planning on going back to Andrews’ series. If I were to win book 3, that means maybe I would get it right on time so I could keep reading once I’m done with Magic Bites and Magic Burns, which I both have at home. ;)
This is one of my most anticipated reads for April! The 2nd book was even better than the 1st (tho’ I loved both,) and I can’t wait to read more about Kate (and Curran, of course.)
I’d love to win a copy. Can’t wait for the kate and curran sexin. I’m thinkin next book for sure.
Oh wow! This sounds right up my alley! Of course if I win I will have to buy the others. Darn!
Thanks so much!
This series looks great. I am going to have to look for these when I hit the bookstore next! Thanks :D
Great Review! I haven’t picked up this series yet because I worried there would be a lack of romance.
I’m a romance fan first but I do like my urban fantasy as long as there is a romance involved like the Mercy Thompson series. I’ve noticed that this particular series is a favorite of many and based upon your review and the strong romantic elements you’ve stated, I think it’s time I got myself into the game.
Thanks!
:) VFG
Ooh, best review I’ve read of this one so far. Can’t wait to get my hands on it. You gave the perfect balance of enticing hints and objective assessment. Thanks for entering me in the giveaway!
Great review!! I would love to pick up this book and start reading right away!
Thanks for the giveaway.
I keep encountering this site as one to follow, and this series as one not to be missed. I think it’s time I bow to collective wisdom, especially since recently discovering that I’m drawn to UF…
Sounds like a fun series…I am going to have to locate the earlier two books and check them out!
I would love to win and read this.
THank you!
tatertot374@sbcglobal.net
Oooo, I didn’t realize we’d get to see some development in the Curran/Kate relationship in this book! I’m so excited…now I can’t wait to get it and read it. Winning a copy would just be the cherry on top. :0)
Ilona Andrews is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. I’m really looking forward to her upcoming novel, On The Edge. Any story that requires a shotgun to make a trip to Wal-Mart sounds pretty fun to me.
Thanks!
would love to win this.
Thanks for the giveaway!
kimspam66(at)yahoo(dot)com
yes i’d love to win this seeing as when i pre ordered this amazon didn’t charge me right away and when they did i ddin’t have the money and had to cancel the order :( and won’t be able to get it for a couple weeks so i really wouldn’t mind reading this sooner than that.
I’d love to win this! Thanks. I’ve read a few Urban Fantasy and so enjoy them! They are addicting :) This review gave me an insight into them and love it!
Love this blog. I’ve adding lots to my wishlist!
Five scoops? Wooo hooo! That’s fantastic news! I love this series and can’t wait to read this installment. It feels like its been so long since we read Magic Burns … I’m so ready for my next Kate & Curran fix! Please enter me in your giveaway! Thanks, KMont! :)
p.s. I loved the relationship between Kate and Julie in Magic Burnes. I’m so glad there is more to that in this book. I already adore that scene you describe at the end of your review.
Oooh, I’d love to be entered for this, I love this series.
Great review! I would love to read this!
Excellent review! This one is definitely my favorite so far, for the many reasons you mention. I just wish I didn’t have to wait so long for the next one!