Review: The Mage in Black

Book Details

Title: The Mage in Black (Sabina Kane)

Author: Jaye Wells

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Page Count: 326

Publishing Info: April 1, 2010 by Orbit

My Review

Why I read it: 2nd in a series, have the 3rd on my e-reader for review.

The Plot: Sabina Kane doesn't have the best track record when it comes to family. After all, her own grandmother, leader of the vampire race, wants her dead. So when she arrives in New York to meet her mage relatives, the reunion puts the fun in dysfunctional. Not only is mage culture completely bizarre, but everyone seems to think she's some kind of 'Chosen' who'll unite the dark races. Sabina doesn't care who chose her, she's not into destiny. But the mages aren't Sabina's only problem. In New York's Black Light District, she has run-ins with fighting demons, hostile werewolves and an opportunistic old flame. Sabina thought she'd take a bite out of the Big Apple - but it looks like it wants to bite back.

The Characters: I liked Sabina a lot better here than in the first book.  She has calmed down a bit, and is not quite so violent at every turn.  The love interest(s) here were not really at the forefront, which is nice. 

The Setting: This book took place in New York, but could really have taken place in almost any large city, so the setting wasn't extremely important. 

A Sample of the Writing:
The Kum-N-Go's roadside-chic interior was bathed in a sickly fluorescent glow.  The aroma of stale smoke, urinal cakes, and rotgut coffee had me breathing through my mouth on the way back to the ATM.  It was my turn to pay for gas, so getting cash took priority over raiding the snack aisle for the moment.

Who Should Read This? Obviously I would suggest starting with the first in the series, Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane), and would recommend this series to fans of urban fantasy.  It's pretty straight-forward, typical urban fantasy, but it's entertaining enough.

Final Thoughts: I remember after reading the first book that I really didn't like the main character, and thought there were a lot of copycat elements in the story.  But I was willing to read the next in the series, because I thought the author had potential.  Well, I did and she does.  This one was better than the first, although nothing exceptional; it was pretty standard stuff.  I'll keep reading the series.

Grade: B

Cover Thoughts: The cover leaves a lot to be desired, if you ask me.  It's rather boring and generic.