Product Description

Future Atlanta is an interesting place to live: one moment magic dominates, and cars stall and guns fail. The next, technology takes over and the defensive spells no longer protect your house from monsters. Here skyscrapers topple under onslaught of magic; the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, prowl through the ruined streets; and the Masters of the Dead, necromancers driven by their thirst for knowledge and wealth, pilot blood-crazed vampires with their minds. Kate Daniels likes her sword a little too much, and she has a hard time controlling her mouth. The magic in her blood makes her a target, and she she's spent most of her life hiding in plain sight. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, she must choose to do nothing and remain safe or to pursue his preternatural killer. Hiding is easy, but the right choice is rarely easy . . .

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #145925 in Books
• Published on: 2010-09-09
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

About the Author
Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym of the husband-and-wife writing team of Ilona and Gordon Andrews. Ilona was born in Russia and went to America on a scholarship. She dropped out of her biochemistry degree course when she fell in love with a sailor fresh out of the US Navy and married him, despite valiant opposition from both families. They now live in the Smoky Mountains with their daughters and write bestselling books together.

Customer Reviews

Highly Recommended Urban Fantasy
Kate Daniels lives in a world where magic and technology struggle to exist together. As a mercenary she makes her living clearing up magical problems but as she investigates the murder of her guardian she's about to find herself caught between The Pack (shapeshifters) and the People (necromancers).

One of the best urban fantasies I've read this year. Kate is a feisty no-nonsense heroine, who doesn't let the fact she's not as strong as some of her adversaries stop her from doing her job. Although this is written in first person we only know what Kate tells us. A part of her is kept hidden, not only from the other characters but also from the reader. It suggests Kate has a secret she mustn't even think about - but intriguing hints are dropped that I hope will be followed up in the next book.

The book is peopled with interesting creatures and characters. Saiman a problem-solver (I'm not quite sure what he is) who charges $26 a minute for his time, the Lord of the Beasts a shapeshifter alpha you believe could rule - uncompromising and ruthless, he's prepared to do what is necessary to protect his people. This is not a romance but he and Kate have quite a chemistry together. :)

There's an intriguing new take on vampires, rather than sentient beings they are driven by appetite and are controlled by necromancers. They reminded me slightly of the monsters from Resident Evil. It's mentioned that they are constantly evolving (or maybe devolving) from a human base form and are an 'abomination in progress'. Scary.

Whenever a character says "I missed something" it makes me think as a reader I have too. I love stories where you want to think about the mystery and aren't 100% sure about who did what. If I had any gripes it would be that towards the end Curran blames Kate for something that he actually did. There could be some kind of shapeshifter politicking going on there, but it seemed a tad harsh.

Recommended for fans of Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson series, Wen Spencer and Kat Richardson.

Book #2 Magic Burns to be released 2008

Magic DOESN'T Bite!!!
'Atlanta would be a nice place to live, if it weren't for the magic...
When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it rose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake. Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta's magic circles. The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizzare killings-and the death of Kate's guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realises she's way out of her league-but she wouldn't have it any other way...'

I LOVE it! 'Magic Bites' is the first novel in a terrific action packed, intriguing new series (so-far a confirmed duo).
Kate is a stubborn, tough, witty 'heroine'. I love the fact she feels the need to keep everyone at 'arms length', but makes friends and allies constantly. Amongst the interesting plot, you gradually learn some of Kates background and it makes you want to learn more.
Kates growing powers, 'love interest potential' with the Beast Lord-pack king of the shapechangers, a series of interesting characters are just some of the things that make you want to go back to visit this 'bloody' brilliant world!!! I cannot wait for the sequel 'Magic Burns', in March 2008.

New vamp slayer author
Good to find a new author with a different slant on vampires. Feisty heroine and vampires that are pretty horrific - not your usual tall dark and incredibly handsome by any means. Very much liked the Knight who's an overweight cowboy.

It is also good that in this first book the love interest is not made too blatantly clear, with lots of 'men' being introduced as possible future partners.

Looking forward to the next in this new series which will hopefully be published around April 2008.