Nancy D. (miz-firefly) -
This book hooked me from the first paragraph. I really enjoy the narrative. It is straight-up First person, as if the character were speaking directly to you. While adding enough inner dialogue that you know exactly which thoughts are running through his head as he is describing the action. This is my favorite writing style, and I have seldom seen it done better.
It's hard to categorize this book. Para cozy doesn't work. Too much swearing and shooting to satisfy people looking for a little woo-woo with their mystery. If there is such a thing as an Urban cozy that might fit the bill. This entertaining selection of short stories: Spells, Salt Steel, Open Season, Deep Trouble Close Encounters, feels like what could have happened if Supernatural had a prequel. 'The Adventures of Bobby Singer'.
The stories are quick, entertaining reads with explosive action and a lot of humor. They feel more like TV episodes or vignettes than an actual book. It lacked the structure of a good story arch. But once I started them I didn't want to stop.
Mark Wojcik (pronounced Voy Chick, not Woah Chick) is a good'ol boy from Pennsylvania. He drinks more Jack Daniels than he should. Has an in with an explosives guy. And a pushover of a Doberman named Demon. (the pound named him, not Mark) Mark was blissfully unaware of the supernatural until a Wendigo killed most of his male family members and almost ended him too.
Now he's the guy to call when the authorities scratch their heads and wonder what the hell happened. Is something chewing up docks and cabins at your lodge? Call Mark. Have a supernatural painting wreaking havoc in your auction house? Mark has the connections and the lighter fluid to cure your ills. Need to chase off a Troll? Mark knows where to score enough C4 to chase it to kingdom come. The hard part is not getting buried by the fallout.
The read is a little choppy. It really feels more like a TV script than a book. Inciting incident, action, resolution, cut and print. But what these stories lack in depth, they more than make up for with solid writing, and deftly applied humor. I like Mark. Next to Harry Dresden he is the only guy I know who cracks jokes while getting beat to hell by something straight out of Grimm's fairy-tales. He is snarky and brash and resilient as hell.
He is pretty much a one-man monster wrecking crew, so most of the time it's a whole 'lotta Mark. But sequences move quickly, are cleverly staged and funnier than they probably should be. And because Mark is a talented writer in his real life, the inside of Marks head is pretty durn entertaining.
The bloodsuckers were winning. Not vampires. Vamps I could handle. A nice sharp machete to the neck, and the head goes rolling fast as you can say, Drac's a dick.
Mosquitoes now those suckers are evil incarnate.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes zero sex and a quick adventurous read. There is not a lot of structure, but for a fast fun read it's hard to beat the adventures of Mark Wojcik.
Please note: I received a digital copy for review. #netgalleyspellssalt&steel
It's hard to categorize this book. Para cozy doesn't work. Too much swearing and shooting to satisfy people looking for a little woo-woo with their mystery. If there is such a thing as an Urban cozy that might fit the bill. This entertaining selection of short stories: Spells, Salt Steel, Open Season, Deep Trouble Close Encounters, feels like what could have happened if Supernatural had a prequel. 'The Adventures of Bobby Singer'.
The stories are quick, entertaining reads with explosive action and a lot of humor. They feel more like TV episodes or vignettes than an actual book. It lacked the structure of a good story arch. But once I started them I didn't want to stop.
Mark Wojcik (pronounced Voy Chick, not Woah Chick) is a good'ol boy from Pennsylvania. He drinks more Jack Daniels than he should. Has an in with an explosives guy. And a pushover of a Doberman named Demon. (the pound named him, not Mark) Mark was blissfully unaware of the supernatural until a Wendigo killed most of his male family members and almost ended him too.
Now he's the guy to call when the authorities scratch their heads and wonder what the hell happened. Is something chewing up docks and cabins at your lodge? Call Mark. Have a supernatural painting wreaking havoc in your auction house? Mark has the connections and the lighter fluid to cure your ills. Need to chase off a Troll? Mark knows where to score enough C4 to chase it to kingdom come. The hard part is not getting buried by the fallout.
The read is a little choppy. It really feels more like a TV script than a book. Inciting incident, action, resolution, cut and print. But what these stories lack in depth, they more than make up for with solid writing, and deftly applied humor. I like Mark. Next to Harry Dresden he is the only guy I know who cracks jokes while getting beat to hell by something straight out of Grimm's fairy-tales. He is snarky and brash and resilient as hell.
He is pretty much a one-man monster wrecking crew, so most of the time it's a whole 'lotta Mark. But sequences move quickly, are cleverly staged and funnier than they probably should be. And because Mark is a talented writer in his real life, the inside of Marks head is pretty durn entertaining.
The bloodsuckers were winning. Not vampires. Vamps I could handle. A nice sharp machete to the neck, and the head goes rolling fast as you can say, Drac's a dick.
Mosquitoes now those suckers are evil incarnate.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes zero sex and a quick adventurous read. There is not a lot of structure, but for a fast fun read it's hard to beat the adventures of Mark Wojcik.
Please note: I received a digital copy for review. #netgalleyspellssalt&steel
