Magic Bites (2007)
Written by: Ilona Andrews
Series: Kate Daniels #1
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 260 (Paperback)
Publisher: Ace
Why I Chose This: My 2019 Resolution Project for Speculative Chic is to read the books in the Kate Daniels series and finish up with a first read of the final book. I first read Magic Bites in 2007.
The Premise:
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 arose, 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 bizarre killings—and the death of Kate’s guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she’s way out of her league—but she wouldn’t have it any other way…
Minor spoilers below, but none that will ruin the book for you.
Since I’ve read this book a few times before, that history comes into play with this review. Much of the world-building and character relationships established within the first 10 to 15 percent of the book are second-nature to me now. However, this is definitely a story that doesn’t make re-reading a chore. I was just as invested in the characters and situations as I have been for every book in this series.
Magic Bites features a plot and conflict that act as a stand-alone story, but it is very much a book that defines the beginning of a series. The gory murder mystery that protagonist Kate Daniels investigates sets up many elements that come into play later, and doesn’t answer every single question. Right now, we know that Kate Daniels is a mercenary with a bit of magical ability. Realizing how little you learn about her life in the first book makes this a tantalizing teaser to things yet to come.
Considering how often the genres of urban fantasy and paranormal romance tend to merge whenever relationships are involved, Magic Bites sticks wholly in urban fantasy territory. One element of this book I appreciated that continues throughout the rest of the series is the use of mythical creatures outside the mainstream. In this case, the villain is an upir, a monster from Ukrainian legend. This is in a world where “vampires” are really dead humans transformed and piloted from a distance by necromancers, and all werecreatures are at risk of becoming cannibalistic, mindless monsters. When I used the term “gory” in the previous paragraph, I meant it. The numerous combat scenes feature enough blood, wounds, and entrails for any horror novel in a way that shows the visceral nature of Kate’s occupation.
Speaking of werecreatures, it’s obvious in this book that the head of the local werecreature community, a werelion called Curran, is set up to be Kate Daniels’ romantic pairing. In this book, however, all of their interactions involve a certain amount of sparks (and not the sexy kind). In fact, Curran comes off as a prime example of toxic masculinity at times. I’d have significant worries about his character if I was first reading this book in 2019. None of this makes revisiting Kate and Curran’s first meeting any less hilarious. I’m pretty sure I fell head over heels for Kate and knew I’d be with this series for the long haul when she did, in fact, call the Beast Lord a “kitty.”
In conclusion: I had an enjoyable visit with the beginning of one of my favorite book series, and I can’t wait to track the overarching plot over the course of this year. Kate embodies the typical kick-ass urban fantasy heroine trope as a full-fledged character in an intricate world. This isn’t an Atlanta I’d ever want to visit in person, but tagging along through the pages is absorbing, terrifying, and humorous in various measure.
Featured image via Ilona Andrews
The “here kitty, kitty, kitty….” part is seared in my memory with delight!
I feel like I’ve been avoided this series for years because urban fantasy isn’t my favorite and I thought the covers were cheesy. Of course, I read Magic Bites and loved it. Now I want to read the entire series immediately.