Slow start, good finish ( )

Versus is still debating between the Light Council and the Dark mages who offer him personal support. Then Anne goes missing and he decides if the Light won't help much he'll have to do it instead.

There is much running around another Shadow realm which is reusing a plot devise I hope we'll soon put aside, and a few clever tricks. It begins to sound like Alex should be wearing a backpack because his pockets contain a very large amount of stuff that becomes useful at just the right moment, and none of his adversaries ever manage to carry anything of note or search him. ( )

This series is really good in a lot of ways. The characters are engaging and multifaceted. The plots are fairly simple, and the writing is easy to read. I'd say it is a mix between the Dresden novels, and Harry Potter world,outside of Hogwarts. I highly recommend it for a quick and easy read. ( )

After Alex's past finally came out in the open, Anne and Variam had done everything to distance themselves from him. So when Anne disappears, trying to figure out what happened is not as easy as it should have been - Alex has no idea what Anne had been up to. Thankfully for everyone, Luna never broke contact.

As in all the previous books, the story requires us to learn more about the Council and the world of magic Alex lives in. I like the way Jacka gets to these details - they are part of the story and not an infodump and as Alex is somewhat of an outsider because of his old master and the past, the details come up while he is working out a problem or when he needs to learn something (usually a bit too late).

The whole novel felt a bit like a prequel - there is a story (Anne's problems, including finally learning more about her past) but even that is needed to set the story for the rest of the series (or the next few books anyway) - making sure that Alex has a family around him (the chosen type, not the blood type), everyone's backstories and histories wide open on the table, the Council and the Keepers noticing Alex (which is not always a good idea) and rumors of Richard being back finally confirmed. I don't mind these setup novels usually and this one fits the series but it also feels a bit as a slow down of the action - almost like a side quest to retrieve something which you would need in the future. On the other hand, I like the style of Jacka's writing so I don't really mind these disruptions in the main story (although technically speaking, it is not really a disruptions - people did move around to get to the places they need to be for the story to continue). ( )

3 1/2 stars

Jacka, for some reason, is avoiding putting Verus into a head on collision with Richard Draak. I wonder just what he's got planned for the future?

On the whole, I was kind of disappointed with this book. I was looking forward to a real confrontation with one of Alex Verus' main demons, namely that of his old master Richard Draak. When he does show up, the whole scene is anti-climatic. Plus, being who Richard is, he points out one of Alex's flaws, which is something Alex needs to know about, but is still irritating. It certainly does not do much to reassure Alex, either.

Instead, we get a trip to a shadow dimension, the psychological, and entirely logical, reasons for Anne's refusal to fight, the return of a mind mage named Crystal from the book Taken, and the introduction of a blink fox* (I hope he sticks around), and a whole lot of running up and down corridors ... erm, that is, around Sagash's keep.

Mainly, this is a book that redefines the relationship between Alex Verus and Anne. Whether for good or for ill, we'll have to wait and see. I really, really hope it does not turn into a romantic relationship. I like them the way they are, as friends, and I think it would ruin the dynamic of the series to go that way. Sadly, Sonder is still on the outs with Alex at this point for what happened in the previous book.

Still, it was worth reading, and as always, I'm looking forward to the next in the series.

*A magical fox with human intelligence and the ability to teleport. Sounds an awful lot like a kitsune. ( )