Review: A new player
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 2, 2014
A significant shift in mythology from the last as the focus of the narrative turns to the much-maligned race of sorcerers. Here we meet James, the abuse survivor on the run that was featured in Coyote's Creed, and learn more of his story.The themes are similar to those of the first book, i.e. young man whose supernatural inheritance alienates him from the mundane world, and is forced to find a way to survive in the supernatural world and ultimately triumph. Spencer's journey was learning to stand on his own feet and live by his wits while separating himself from the attachment to his mentally challenged mother that holds him back, yet drives him forward. James follows a similar path, learning to find his birthright of power and wield it responsibly, though his psych-lim is decidedly darker: the pall of his abusive and domineering boyfriend, Heath, that shadows his steps even after Heath is apparently out of the picture. James is dominated by fear and timidity, and the power his magic offers is seductive, offering him a way to make others hurt and perpetuate the cycle of abuse he has sustained.He finds guidance in the friends and lovers he finds along the way. The shift in viewpoint makes for a refreshing read, without seeming repetitive of the first book, though Spencer's fourth wall asides about thematic tropes in fantasy and horror fiction are decidedly trumped by the even nerdier James' patterning of his magic against the mystic rules of D&D.; The appearance of Spencer in the narrative at first seems unnecessary, but eventually his presence does serve a purpose, and possibly sets the stage for a closer relationship with James in future books.All in all, I enjoyed the book, and stayed up late to read through to the end. The one element that doesn't ring true in all of this is the villain, whose twisted justification for his actions is not well enough established by his scattered appearances to be ultimately believable, rendering him something of a cardboard cut-out evil-doer with a long handlebar mustache. But it was still a good read in my view, despite its failings.