Iron and Magic Author: Ilona Andrews Title: Iron and Magic Series: The Iron Covenant 1 Genre: Paranormal Fantasy Pairing: M/F Rating: Four Petals On the Authors' Website: http://www.ilona-andrews.com/series/iron-covenant/ Summary: No day is ordinary in a world where Technology and Magic compete for supremacy…But no matter which force is winning, in the apocalypse, a sword will always work. Hugh d’Ambray, Preceptor of the Iron Dogs, Warlord of the Builder of Towers, served only one man. Now his immortal, nearly omnipotent master has cast him aside. Hugh is a shadow of the warrior he was, but when he learns that the Iron Dogs, soldiers who would follow him anywhere, are being hunted down and murdered, he must make a choice: to fade away or to be the leader he was born to be. Hugh knows he must carve a new place for himself and his people, but they have no money, no shelter, and no food, and the necromancers are coming. Fast. Elara Harper is a creature who should not exist. Her enemies call her Abomination; her people call her White Lady. Tasked with their protection, she's trapped between the magical heavyweights about to collide and plunge the state of Kentucky into a war that humans have no power to stop. Desperate to shield her people and their simple way of life, she would accept help from the devil himself—and Hugh d’Ambray might qualify. Hugh needs a base, Elara needs soldiers. Both are infamous for betraying their allies, so how can they create a believable alliance to meet the challenge of their enemies? As the prophet says: “It is better to marry than to burn.” Hugh and Elara may do both. Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Hugh is a shadow of himself now that his master has abandoned him, but that doesn't mean the men he personally trained don't still rely on him. In an effort to save them, Hugh knows he must find them a defensible home. Elara is something not quite human, but she isn't enough to keep her people safe without help. Meeting Hugh could save her people, just as she can provide safe haven for Hugh's, but their forces combined together still might not be enough to save them. I really, really enjoyed reading this story. Hugh is a nonredeemable character known for his cruelty and generally being truly evil. Somehow the authors managed to not only explain his past behavior, but did so in a way that doesn't sweep it under the rug. Hugh confronting his past and admitting his failures humanizes him in a way I didn't think could be possible. I ended up actually liking him by the end of the book. Elara is a different matter. I liked her from the beginning, however her past is still shrouded in mystery. I'm assuming she'll be better explained in a later book, but I feel like I wasn't able to get to know her as well as Hugh because of those unanswered questions. The only thing about this book that disappointed me was the world building. This story relies almost entirely on my having read the Kate Daniels series to explain why the world is they way it is. I understand rehashing everything that Kate has learned about the world over ten books just isn't possible, but a bit more description on the shift and on some of the creatures now inhabiting the world would have been helpful. Maggie's Recommendation: The way the authors were able to humanize someone like Hugh, who I didn't think was actually redeemable, was remarkable. I could have used a bit more world building, but overall I definitely loved reading this book. I absolutely recommend it, but I suggest you read the Kate Daniels series first so you understand everything that happens in this story.
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Magnolia's Reviews
Maggie reviews paranormal and fantasy novels and novellas. She also interviews authors and hosts giveaways. Archives
April 2018
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