Dead of Night by Michael Forbes ISBN: 9781941430101
Series: Ghosts & Magic #1
Published by Quirky Algorithms on May 17, 2014
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Mystery, Paranormal
Pages: 384
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Small-time thief and hitman Conor Night thinks having terminal cancer is his worst problem. The illegal treatments keeping him alive are expensive, and the side effects a mixed bag: Conor can raise the dead. When a low-end hit points to a high-end job, Conor is suspicious, but it's an opportunity he can't afford to ignore. Armed with a set of soul-sucking ancient dice, a collection of corpses, and the estranged daughter of one of the most powerful wizards on Earth, it will take all of his wit, charm, and magic to navigate the treacherous world of the dominant Houses and either finish the job, or be finished himself. He's got ninety-nine problems, and dying is only one.
Characters: 7, while I was invested in the MC and one secondary character, I found it difficult to care about the love interest secondary character. I was definitely more about the world and plot/mystery than the characters. Most of the secondary characters just weren’t developed enough for me to be invested.
Atmosphere: 9, reading this was like watching a movie- I could see every scene clearly in my head (which is sometimes difficult for me with action sequences, because of my inability to think spatially these days). From the description of the humanoid fantasy races to the physical locations (Chicago, New York, Boston), I was immersed.
Writing: 7, I thought the pacing and dialogue was fun in a very classic heist way. However, an editor was needed for the handful of misspellings and grammatical issues throughout this story. My copy is listed as written by M.R. Forbes, but Google Books lists as Michael Forbes, so I wonder if I somehow bought an early version (not an ARC, but a draft that hadn’t yet been fully edited?)
Plot: 8, like all the best heist and mob movies, the MC gets in deep and every attempt to fix things is either sheer luck or digs him in deeper. For an escapism plot, that’s pretty much all I want. I’d say this was the equivalent of a summer blockbuster movie.
Intrigue: 7, I was sick, stuck in a hotel room bed, so it’s hard to say whether I would’ve been doing anything else had I not been reading this. But the fast pace definitely kept me going!
Logic: 6, there were some plot holes in the world building, but I hope they’ll be addressed in the sequel. Several instances of very convenient (and never expanded upon) coincidences, and one notable lack of a consequence that abruptly lowered the stakes, at the very end.
Enjoyment: 7, I’d say my enjoyment was pretty consistent throughout. I’ll likely pick up the second book, if only because it’s likely to be a good popcorn read and sometimes you need a fun romp read.
*Read for the Orilium Academy Magical Readathon Autumn Equinox
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