Review: Great introduction to a series. Gritty and fun!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 8, 2012
Courtesy of All Things Urban FantasyTHE ASYLUM INTERVIEWS: BRONX, was an engaging and gritty introduction to The Asylum Tales series. Gage immediately held my attention with his backstory as a ex-warlock who is forbidden to use magic and is working as a tattoo artist. We only get a little mention of why he isn't a warlock anymore but what we do learn about his past makes me has me anxiously looking forward to more revelations.Humans always seem to be the ones left with barely any defenses in urban fantasy stories so having magical tattoos to defend oneself with is a nice unique attempt to level the playing field. Although I did wonder why Gage was forbidden from using magic use yet is allowed to mix potions which are a type of magic. Mixing tattoos is apparently dangerous business as the potion could go wrong (sometimes to hilarious effect as seen by a botched tattoo job done on Gage's incubus friend, Parker). Many of the amusing scenarios in this story come from Parker's situation involving a little too much loving even for an incubus. The conclusion to these scenarios were often a little rushed. I would have liked to see the aftereffect of Gage's fix for Parker's tattoo.If THE ASYLUM INTERVIEWS: BRONX were a full length book I would have rated it lower due to it being so short and light on any in depth explanation of backstories or the setting. But as a novella it worked as a teaser for the series setting up just enough information to satisfy and leaving enough questions to entice me to pick up the first full length novel ANGEL'S INK which comes out on October 16, 2012.Sexual Content: References to sex,