Friday, October 2, 2009

Magic In The Shadows-Devon Monk

Magic In The Shadows
Devon Monk
Roc, Nov 2009, $7.99
ISBN: 9780451462879

Magic has been a bane for Allison Beckstrom, a Hound who tracks down abusers of the innocent, thanks mostly because of her father Daniel. She has buried her sorcerer dad twice and prays this is the end of him as every time he comes back her troubles exponentially multiply. However that prayer fails when somehow her late dad entered her mind trying to take control. Her sudden increase in power worries the Authority who tries to help her cope with her skills.

Additionally her soul mate Zayvion Jones seems to have vanished from much of her mind because holes in her memory have been punched through due to magical usage. They begin their relationship anew while a necromorph stalks Allie to get at her father’s imbedded power.

The second Beckstrom urban fantasy (see Magic to the Bone) is a fascinating thriller filled with action including the demands of dear dead dad but anchored in reality by little thinks like traffic, door locks, and WD-40. Allie is terrific as she struggles with her father over who controls her bodily senses, which in turn impact who controls the mind and body. On top of that an adversary knows and wants control. Just another few days in the life of a beleaguered Hound assaulted from without and within; her only ally is Zay and she barely recognizes him but feels the affinity and attraction in spite of her late father’s efforts to kill their feelings. Devon Monk has a great series that sub-genre fans will want to read.

Harriet Klausner

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