Review: Urban fantasy meets sci fi
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 7, 2014
I've been a fan of Sonya Clark for a while now - I think I read Mojo Queen and Red House in a couple of days. So it was hardly surprising that I'd pick up Trancehack as well - it might have taken me a few months to get to it, but I'm glad I did!The book follows a cool idea, where those with magical abilities (the Magic Born) are segregated away from society and treated like dirt, until a murder among the upper echelons of the "Normals" forces cop Nate to conduct his investigation among the Magic Born of zone 13, AKA FreakTown, where he meets local witch Calla. Calla has the ability to command electrical magic, and is the trancehacker of the title. The blending of the magic and technology is a neat idea - it brings together considerations of nature among the urban landscape that I think are really 'topical' in contemporary times. Calla is a fiery character, frosty at first but likeable by the end, while Nate is one of those male leads you just wish you could meet in person. Do guys like him really exist? I hope so.As with her other books, Sonya's writing is fast-paced and doesn't let up, taking you through the delights of the FreakTown club, Sinsuality, and pounding the grey utilitarian streets of the city. She perfectly captures that balance of futuristic and natural, while the gritty sense of segregation gives the book a post-apocalyptic feel, while also blending in a romantic sub plot and a police procedural storyline. It's a lot of story for your money! The secondary characters are just as interesting, particularly club owner Vadim, although I warmed to Detective Mullins as a fatherly Danny Glover type of character.I thoroughly enjoyed Trancehack, and I can't wait to read book two, Witchlight!