Draken the Rules is a sweet, sexy paranormal novella in Arden Steele’s long running fated mates Blackhaven Manor universe.
It’s a quick read and I really enjoyed the characters, especially as Arden added another dragon shifter to the universe who a total powerhouse!
Up until now, we had only the original dragon siblings acknowledged and now we know that there are others out there. Fantastic expansion of this series and universe. Also intriguing little toy , a fabulous tiny dragon that used blood magic to animate it. Was it sentient or not? Could have used an entire story on it alone.
Minor drama that was easily removed but the couple was adorable and Itri Lockwood , Storm dragon shifter , morally grey magic item dealer needs a series. Especially now that his mate has decided to work with him.
For Arlo Eichen, the annual Heritage Festival is less of a beloved tradition and more of a weeklong exercise in patience. The crowds are insane, the chaos is overwhelming, and the sense of entitlement is off the charts. So, when an honest-to-the-gods storm erupts inside one of the ballrooms? Just another day at Blackhaven Manor.
Until he sets eyes on the source of the storm.
Six-and-half feet of brooding, lightning-throwing dragon shifter, Itri Lockwood has a bad-boy reputation and a temper as short as his patience. And he doesn’t take kindly to threats against what’s his—especially when it comes to Arlo.
Mixing business with pleasure was never part of the plan. He came for a distraction, but now he’s juggling a coveted artifact, a deal gone sideways, and a mate who went from an unexpected temptation to a primal obsession.
Itri might be able to control the storm but keeping Arlo out of trouble…
After finishing Rachel Aaron’s DFZ series, I had to return to see how it all started. Before the DFZ was sentient, when dragons were outlawed, and the Lady of the Lake , the Algonquin herself was a highly manipulative, deadly spirit and Detroit was rising up again from all her destruction and under her authority.
This is another wild, strange and fabulous ride. Told in five instead of three books.
It’s centered in Detroit, the non-sentient DFZ, and its focus is the powerful and numerous Heartstriker dragon family, in particular its youngest and smallest dragon, Julius. Julius, a constant source of disappointment and anger to his mother, Bethesda the Heartstriker, has been sealed into his human form and sent off to the DFZ to prove himself a true dragon or else.
Julius the Good Dragon, which isn’t a compliment to dragons, is such an engaging character. The only one of his many siblings who is an anomaly in his personality, doesn’t want to hurt anyone, just loves gaming and people.
Marci, a mage from Las Vegas, ends up in the DFZ after fleeing from some sort of terrible situation that leaves her without a home.
These two are incredibly great characters and together they are the beginnings of a fabulous series arc and the basis for I’m betting the magical creatures and world building of the DFZ.
Another hugely important character is Bob, the Heartstriker seer and Julius’s oldest brother. We meet more siblings , each letter according to the clutch they hatched (?) in. Bob being one but not the only oldest remaining child of Bethesda. She’s not a good mother or parent FYI.
I love Aaron as an author, the magical system is beautifully conceived, and it’s expanding to fit this ever growing imaginative new universe. Not even the established spirits themselves know what’s happening, or what the world is capable of doing. Truly a gonzo magical fantasy.
But it’s also a very powerful story of empathy, emotional empowerment, and quiet bravery. Whether it’s on a human or dragon’s level.
Julius deciding to be himself or Marci’s grief, or other characters stepping forward to help others.
So many aspects of Nice Dragons Finish Last (Heartstrikers Book 1) by Rachel Aaron to love and appreciate, storylines and characters, relationships and themes.
This author is a must read and these connected series as well. Highly recommended.
Love the covers .
Cover Illustration by Anna Steinbauer, Cover Design by Rachel Aaron.
Heartstrikers :
Nice Dragons Finish Last
One Good Dragon Deserves Another No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished
The start of the series that won back-to-back RT Magazine Reviewers’ Choice Awards!
As the smallest dragon in the Heartstriker clan, Julius survives by a simple code: keep quiet, don’t cause trouble, and stay out of the way of bigger dragons. But this meek behavior doesn’t fly in a family of ambitious magical predators, and his mother, Bethesda the Heartstriker, has finally reached the end of her patience.
Now, sealed in his human form and banished to the DFZ–a vertical metropolis built on the ruins of Old Detroit–Julius has one month to prove he can be a ruthless dragon or kiss his true shape goodbye forever. But in a city of modern mages and vengeful spirits where dragons are considered monsters to be exterminated, he’s going to need some serious help to survive this test.
He only hopes humans are more trustworthy than dragons…
Winner of the 2015 Audie Audio Book Award in Fantasy!
Publisher: Aaron/Bach (July 13, 2014)
Publication date: July 13, 2014
Language: English
Print length: 287 pages
Complete series
Series Information from the author:
All of my series set in the Detroit Free Zone were written as self-contained stories. You don’t have to have read any previous DFZ books to enjoy the newer ones. But for those who want to see the world grow, here’s a list of all the DFZ books in chronological order.
Heartstrikers :
Nice Dragons Finish Last
One Good Dragon Deserves Another No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished
I was looking for something to read that wasn’t fae or trial themed so that fantastic cover for The Wolf King: A Fantasy Romance by Lauren Palphreyman pulled me right in. New author and apparently a new series or duology, terrific!
And yes, I had an absolutely amazing time reading this book. I feel that Lauren Palphreyman really captured the Highlands of Scotland, the wilds and beauty of the region through scenes and descriptions so well. And then to intertwine the Clans of Scotland with werewolves or Shifter packs and include mythology and kingdom wars, it’s a very compelling story. And the political landscape isn’t just about the shaky Wolf clans but their history with the human kingdom as its own wars are being played out.
On this background, the author is writing a larger story about a woman, Princess Aurora, who’s kidnapped by an Alpha and taken to the Highlands.
Aurora, or Rory as she is called is a delightful character, one of tremendous strength and perseverance. She’s a woman who can emotionally and mentally evolve from a tightly controlled princess into a woman who decides her journey is transformative instead of that of one of being a victim.
On the male characters side, Callum is the main protagonist and romantic lead but instead I found the morally ambiguous Blake to be the far more interesting character. Callum was forever “running” off to somewhere important to the narrative leaving Rory behind for the moment and events to come.
Blake’s background and character, however, manipulative and dubious, is just that much more intriguing than that of Callum, imo. And there’s the Wolf King, Patrick, who is a non-entity here. He’s got one purpose, as an antagonist for the main characters and then he’s done until the next book.
The world building could be better explained or developed. It’s an alternate universe. But what’s the time frame? A 17th century type of story. Not sure. There’s a difference between a author who vividly describes a location , whether it’s a natural setting or parts of a castle, and an actual world building with cultural elements, religious traditions, political traditions and history. And so far the latter is missing here.
The relationship between Rory and Callum is more of one of self discovery. I really didn’t buy the idea that Rory loved Callum, honestly, he’s just too much a Golden Retriever in wolf’s clothing. He’s the boy next door you date but then leave when you go to college.
The book ends on a really interesting note. And sets up the multiple conflicts and storylines for each character. For me , it’s still all about Blake.
When a princess is kidnapped by an alpha, war rages between the humans and the wolves. But soon, forbidden attraction starts to grow. . .
Princess Aurora longs to escape the castle and the marriage that has been arranged for her.
But on the night before her wedding, at a dog fight where captured werewolves are made to fight for sport, she spares the life of a young wolf. It puts her on the radar of the powerful alpha who was going to kill him. And it changes everything.
That night, when the alpha escapes, he kidnaps her and takes her to the rugged lands north of the border — where the once warring werewolf clans are beginning to unite. He thinks that she is the key to winning the war against the humans.
Only, as they spend time around one another, forbidden attraction starts to grow. And as Aurora learns that not all wolves are bad, the alpha discovers that she is in danger from both his enemies, and those he once considered friends.
With monsters on both sides, a bloodthirsty war between humans and wolves raging, and undeniable passion growing between them — will their story end in love? Or tragedy?
And will Aurora ever get home?
Does she even want to?
An adult fantasy romance for fans of romantasy, werewolves, forbidden romance, and enemies to lovers
Content Warning: Contains strong language and sexual situations.
There’s a whole trope of romance fantasy books that’s falls into the academy/trials category where a character, most likely a FMC, has to undergo a certain amount of training (in an academic setting) and experience a set amount of traumatic , often potentially deadly, trials in order to meet their goal.
Survival, becoming a ruler, save someone, including yourself. Or the world are the typical end game examples. Or perhaps all of those. Gods are usually involved, lately the Greek pantheon, and the Fae are huge here. Huge!
So it takes an extraordinary or a very special well constructed or conceived story to rise up from the those that are already out there with the same type of theme and characters.
This isn’t the story, unfortunately.
It’s a nice one but the characters and world building is lacking substance. It’s initially three siblings, Lor, Willow and Tristan, the older brother in a death prison where she’s been since basically a toddler ( I just read another similar story), and it’s been years of trauma and struggles to survive.
Past and present mentions of SA, violence, and other physical attacks are part of their lives.
But why they are there, the Fae Kingdom it’s in, and any world building is pretty non-existent. And Lor and family members aren’t that believable as very young women and men who are starving to death, fighting for their lives under conditions that should have done them in years prior. Her brother is downright jaunty.
There’s a side accompanying story about a Fae prince who hates his father, the King. Why? We don’t know . But there’s a secret. And he needs to go figure it out.
Lor ends up , in an around about way, being a competitor in a contest to win the Sun King’s heart and a crown. It doesn’t make sense as it happens , other women are cardboard creatures at best, and the contest is wildly uneven.
The problem is with the characters, Lor especially. Is she someone who could have survived the prison experience she’s been through, has that personality and survival chops here or is she a naive young girl who’s somehow going to believe everything that told her, saving lives of those who trying desperately to kill her, etc. Lor’s personality seems as changeable as a throw of the dice. She’s just not a character worthy of investing in.
It’s more, huh, so that happens. Ok. Turn page. Where did that element go?
I’m still trying to decide if I’m going to get the next book. Probably not. As I’ve got several other series I’ve read that are terrific and have second books to read in the same trope.
Read it because you like the author or are a fan of the trope.
Ten women. A deadly contest. Only one can win the Sun King’s heart.
Lor has endured twelve long years of torment under the Aurora King’s rule. Her only desire is to escape and pay him back for every moment of misery she’s endured.
When a surprise release finds her in the hands of the rival Sun King, Lor is thrust into the spotlight as she competes against nine other Tributes for the role of queen. If she wins his heart, she’ll earn her freedom and finally get her revenge.
But Lor doesn’t belong in the Sun Queen Trials. Not only does she not understand why she was freed, she isn’t a citizen of the Sun King’s court. The other Tributes resent her presence and will stop at nothing to ensure Lor is removed from the competition, permanently.
Now Lor must win, because if she loses, she dies. Or worse, she’ll be returned to the evil—and now vengeful—Aurora King.
My notes: the initial blurb compares this to Fourth Wing and other popular fantasy novels. No. Not even close.
Back in the universe of academy training , trials, the Fae and saving the world. But this time the twist is the Tales of the Knights of the Round Table, King Arthur, Lady of the Lake, and every one of the hugely magical characters who are part of that mythology. Yes, Merlin too.
But all updated to current times with interesting interpretations and weaving of modern history and the author’s dystopian narrative. Again, Fae bad and mad at humanity. And the magical system is still being developed here.
Nia is kidnapped while on vacation in Europe and taken to Avalon Academy to become a spy against the Fae. That’s a very bare minimum outline.
She, naturally, has strict training to undergo, much of her classmates are against her, and there are dangerous trials to pass for her to say that she’s graduated and a spy. Plus a ex boyfriend to contend with.
Elements I thought made the story stronger were Nia’s asthma, a contributing factor to her personality and less than stellar physical condition. Her mother is alcoholic whose dependence upon Nia makes any separation, even a hard won vacation, one of emotional distress and anxiety. This is a very well written aspect of the book and her character, and it’s used perfectly.
The magical powers and systems are slowly developed, brought along or revealed as Nia’s own character changes and grows during her time in the Academy and her missions there.
This ends in a cliffhanger, two to be exact. Both made me want to continue further into the series and Nia’s journey.
A definite recommendation for fantasy lovers and those who read this trope. Last book to be released this Spring.
Avalon Academy rules: spy on your enemies, resist temptation, and try not to die in the process.
As a bookseller, Nia saved up for years for her dream vacation—drinking champagne on a beach with her favorite books. But her dream turns into a nightmare when she’s kidnapped by a muscular, tattooed jerk of a fey named Raphael.
Yes, kidnapped.
It turns out Nia has a magic power, and Raphael demands that she train at Camelot’s elite academy for spies. Raphael is hellbent on revenge against an evil Fey king, certain that Nia’s powers can help. But Nia is in way over her head–asthmatic and out of shape. She’ll be lucky to get out of there alive.
Still, there’s no escape when Raphael is watching her every move. He’s lethal, dangerous, and hot as hell. When they’re sent on a dangerous missions together, he becomes harder to resist. Touching him is playing with fire. Is she ready to get burned?
Grave Situation by Louise Masters is a story that was so emotionally moving at times that it had me sobbing in parts and yet, left me wondering why I wasn’t completely satisfied by how the story was finished. Nicely written, had humor, pathos, dragons, with a diverse cast of characters but with a book of this length and thought that’s gone into the storytelling, there’s something along the lines that is also missing.
The twins Talon, the mage, and Tia, the dragonrider sister, are wonderful . The his class and the character of Talon, especially,are vividly illustrated , easily becoming people we care about. As too are the found family that Talon starts to gather together along the way on the journey he’s sent on.
Each one is well crafted , easily recognizable and relatable. There’s a non-binary one. The big hearted gorgeous but not bright one, the naive young one, etc. But because they are so well done, they become winners in their own right.
But there’s noticeable flaws that’s frustrating. Example, Masters tells us what a powerful mage Talon is but the magic , unless it’s telepathic, isn’t really there in any scenarios to prove that. Dangling a person upside down a couple of times isn’t really enough.
And we get dragons , without a substantial foundational knowledge about them, and then later on when its becomes a major narrative element, we realize that for the most of the book there is no background information for our characters. In a novel that’s 577 pages.
That’s an aspect of the story that’s seen elsewhere. Religion plays a huge role here but we’ve no idea what it is about. What, other than the name, that makes it so important or fun or interesting or whatever. It’s a “waves hand “ something religion.
There’s no substance to the governments, kingdoms, religions, or even magic.
But there’s zombies and a mission and a gang of found family to save the world. And dragons.
Grace Situation is a serialized story that began on her Patron page and for me, it has that feel.
It’s fun. Definitely entertaining and moving in parts but it doesn’t come across as a well defined and deeply developed world. Nor does that end feel very satisfying. Good but not great.
I’ll still recommend it but it’s not a book I read straight through as I did others of the same style and length.
He’s not the hero they deserve, but he’s the hero they’ve got.
No, seriously. Talon wants to know what he did to deserve this. What would make a sentient rock decide that he of all people should be the one to save the world from zombies? That’s right. Zombies. Because apparently a higher power decided that teaching magic to teenagers wasn’t enough of a challenge.
With a ridiculously attractive healer (who may or may not hate him), his sister (who he miiiight have a forbidden telepathic link with), a sentient god-like rock (that can only communicate via yes/no vibes), a disdainful dragon, and a rude matchmaking horse by his side, he just might be able to save the world.
Or die trying.
Meet Talon Silverbright. He’ll save the world, but only because a rock said he has to.
The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni is a gripping fantasy novel, the first book in a trilogy of the same name by Lynette Noni. She’s another new established author for me and I’m so excited to have found her and this series.
It’s equally great reading for adults like me who love fantasy with well developed characters and plots with unseen twists but could be read by young adults readers in the top range as well. The reason for this comes from the fact that the storyline is firmly rooted in a death prison, one that’s remarkably well defined and detailed.
The magical use comes slowly although the types of magic and how it’s been developed and divided throughout the kingdom historically is revealed early through internal storytelling by the characters.
So the story is concentrated on the character of Kiva Meridan, first traumatically as a 7 year old on the day her family was shattered and she, along with her father, was sent to the infamous death prison, Zalindov.
There are similarities that can be drawn between Zalindov and the German concentration camps of WWII, crematories, prisoners having numbers carved into them for identification purposes. Zalindov is a death sentence, it doesn’t matter why age you are, or why you are there. While I don’t believe that Noni is overly graphic about the horrors of the prison, there’s enough scenes that contain disturbing details or content of deaths and other violent acts that if this is problematic for you, be aware.
The Prison Healer jumps in time from that horrific day to present, and Kiva has survived, endured 10 years as a prisoner and a healer here. It’s been every bit a monumental struggle for her as you could expect. One might, as a reader, find it difficult to connect with Kiva at times, due to her locked down mentality and the reduced sense of self that the prison life has left of her at 17 years. She’s surviving, barely.
Then the arrival of several prisoners and a sweeping deadly illness change the status quo of the prison life.
Kiva is beautifully rendered, shutdown, hope sputtering out, you forget how young she is, as she quietly walks through the prison halls, hiding, looking out for the younger boy Tripp , trying to heal those who are in the infirmary. Being despised by all. It’s scary, heartbreaking, and filled with fear and suspense.
With the introduction of the dying Rebel Queen into the prison and the infirmary, the thrilling story begins to take shape on an ever larger scale.
There’s not a romance, she’s young, and she doesn’t want to let anyone close, or to lose anyone else.
There’s 3 incredible trial and an inventive use of space by the author to enhance her narrative. Also at the end , a fabulous twist that will send you running right into the next book to see where Kiva’s story goes!
Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan has spent the last ten years fighting for survival in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, working as the prison healer.
When the Rebel Queen is captured, Kiva is charged with keeping the terminally ill woman alive long enough for her to undergo the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals.
Then a coded message from Kiva’s family arrives, containing a single order: “Don’t let her die. We are coming.” Aware that the Trials will kill the sickly queen, Kiva risks her own life to volunteer in her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom.
But no one has ever survived.
With an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva’s heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can’t escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.
From bestselling author Lynette Noni comes a dark, thrilling fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, and Sabaa Tahir.
Publisher. Penguin Random House Australia (March 13, 2023)
Part-Time Gods, the second book in the DFZ trilogy, manages to be extremely expansive in it’s overall tone, bringing in new characters and exploring new aspects of the various demi-gods and otherworldly politics that exist in and around the DFZ. But while it’s doing this, and doing it well, Aarons is making it an intimate look at how deeply complicated family relationships and inter-species dynamics can be, especially when they overlap.
Aarons’ approach in her crafting of otherworldly life forms and mythological beings is so well done. Whether they’re squishy semi-reality icky magic carrion feeders called dream slugs, death wind gods, or ancient dragons, none of them come across as human or beings that are capable of making human judgments or having human thought processes. The latter being especially important.
Opal Yong-ae, who’s been fighting so hard for her freedom from her father and family , now has a dragon curse that explains all the bad luck she’s had to contend with. And, devastatingly, she knows who cursed her.
This book brings revelations about her past, her magic, and Opal faces the most daunting and terrifying challenges yet to overcome. And face her father and the remnants of the relationship they once had.
One of the heartbreaking elements of the story are the scenes from their past, her childhood, from Opal’s father’s perspective. It’s far from the one we as readers have seen before, giving us the emotional, political side and dangerous moments of that life. But also of how exactly her father sees her and her role in his life.
It also gives us clarity and a deeper understanding of Opal’s character and desperation to be free.
Hers isn’t the only character whose story is further explored by the storyline and dramatic events. Kit, the other Cleaner, has a darker background than was previously known and it’s coming back to haunt him. It’s on his scarred body and many modifications.
Lastly, the new god herself has a larger role here. I love that as well as getting a better understanding of how the city operates, storing whole parts for use later. I could picture wildly constantly changing, moving, under construction!
What a unique universe. It ends on a wild knuckle, magically crazy battle and cliffhanger. Fantastic. Luckily the next book is already out.
This is also got a slow burn romance, not at all spicy. Highly imaginative and well written. On to the trilogy finale!
Highly recommended! Love the covers!
Cover Illustration by Tia Rambaran, Cover Design by Rachel Aaron
The DFZ Trilogy (2nd of 3 series) Minimum Wage Magic
Life in the magical mess of the Detroit Free Zone is never easy. When you’re laboring under the curse of a certain prideful, overbearing dragon, it can be down right impossible.
My name is Opal Yong-ae, and I’m a Cleaner. At least, I used to be. Thanks to the supernatural bad luck that turns everything I do against me, these days I’m more of a walking disaster. Getting rid of this curse is the only way to get my life back. Unfortunately, dragon magic is every bit as sneaky and deadly the monsters behind it, and just as hard to beat.
But I’ve never been one to take her doom at face value. Cornered doesn’t mean defeated, and in an awakened city that rules herself, dragons are no longer the biggest powers around.
Book 2 in the now complete DFZ trilogy featuring a hilarious heroine, her overbearing dragon dad, her long-suffering mental health AI, and the crazy guy brave enough to go along with it all.
Publisher: Aaron/Bach (June 9, 2019)
Publication date: June 9, 2019
Language: English
Print length: 367 pages
Complete series
Series Information from the author:
All of my series set in the Detroit Free Zone were written as self-contained stories. You don’t have to have read any previous DFZ books to enjoy the newer ones. But for those who want to see the world grow, here’s a list of all the DFZ books in chronological order.
Heartstrikers :
Nice Dragons Finish Last
One Good Dragon Deserves Another No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished
The Tides of March picks up right after the events from Back in the Hunt, the first book to feature the secondary characters from the original Moon Mysteries Trilogy featuring Nelson and Nox. At the end of that story, Nox’s TA Tony was severely injured and was taken out to Poole’s Island, hoping that Ronan, a merrow who lives there, could heal him.
That’s where The Tides of March picks up. But the time frame is somewhat flexible with the narrative flowing back and forth in time to the two important parts of Tony and Ronan relationship, that when they met and the current situation of events.
K Sterling became a go to author for a number of reasons, excellence in writing being one, but Sterling’s work when it comes to mythology, religion, cultural history and the depths of this author’s research is phenomenal. Then to take that knowledge and give it a unique twist, spinning it into epic tale of fantasy , horror, and murder mysteries? Fantastic.
That concept and mythological storytelling is furthered by Tony’s wounding and his unceremonious dumping on Poole’s Island, hoping that Ronan will have no other choice but to help him as a male merrow.
Their relationship will be built around Maryland’s history, Celtic mythology, especially those that pertain to merrows, and Tony’s own revelations about his family background. It’s an astonishing blend of mythology, history, and legends that works for the story, the relationship and its characters. It will also help more over , at the end, move the series arc mystery forward into another story and nearby location.
The vivid imagery and Sterling’s vision for the characters comes together in emotional detail and moments that make them and their situation seem believable.
That battle that brought many of Nox’s inner circle together (and our favorites) was a truly action filled and exciting.
All of these stories are based on locations near to me , something that rarely occurs in books I read. Silver Spring, Maryland? Almost unheard of.
The ending was lovely way to bring the story to a close , give Tony a new beginning and to launch the next adventure, Dead Air.
I’m all in when everyone heads to the Shenandoah Mountains.
Another fantastic story to add to the growing mythology mystery surrounding Nox and company. Highly recommended.
Exquisite covers. No idea who to credit them to.
Moon Mysteries 1 – 3 (first series)
Nelson & MacIlwraith Mystery (Moon Murder Mysteries sequel series)
That’s all that Anthony Costa knows about his destination. Weak and barely clinging to consciousness after being attacked by an undead changeling, Tony is left in the care of Ronan O’Sullivan. The young anthropology professor’s fate hangs by a thread and the hideous merrow is Tony’s last hope.
Scorned and abandoned, Ronan has no use for men until he finds a beautiful Roman castaway on his beach. Bound by an ancient oath, Ronan has no choice but to care for Tony. But being a merrow means that Ronan is also burdened by a strong desire to claim the human inhabiting his bed.
There’s more to Tony’s story than he ever imagined and Ronan finds out he’s more than an ugly face, but a mysterious foe has unleashed an ancient horror upon Pooles Island. Ronan sets Tony free in an attempt to fight it on his own and finds himself outmatched by a kraken. Will Tony and his friends make it back in time to save Ronan, or will their love story get swept away with the tide?
**Tides Of March is part of the Nelson & MacIlwraith universe and includes MANY spoilers for the original trilogy.**
This book had me at the title!Minimum Wage Magic (DFZ Book 1) by Rachel Aaron drew me in by that great title, then the interesting cover, and the story behind both.
Plus the fact that I got to discover a new author and ever expanding universe to dive into! Rachel Aaron has been developing this magical trippy world through 3 connected series, of which the DFZ trilogy is the second one.
DFZ, or the Detroit Free Zone is a both a sentient goddess and place, one that is constantly rearranging itself according to the DFZ’s whims and ideas. It’s a no holds barred zone of all out love of competition and commerce, anything goes until the DFZ says no, which doesn’t often happen. I really am going to read that first series, because fabulous.
But there’s enough magical systems foundation and world history laid down here for a new reader to understand the storylines and characters.
Aaron’s world building is excellent and so imaginative. Interwoven with magical elements and technology, it’s a place of mystery and endless opportunities for creativity and crime. New architecture and depths of depravity. And it’s sentient. That’s the city of Detroit.
Its 2115 and debt ridden mage Opal Yong-ae is doing her job as a Cleaner, think someone who has come to clean out all the apartments/houses for those who haven’t paid or been evicted. She owns what’s inside, trash or treasure, whatever. It’s a toss up because she bid on it unknowingly what’s inside.
Yup, she may have magic but she’s an Official Subcontractor for Detroit Free Zone Habitation Management.
I’m so in.
Of course, the place she’s working on , in a nasty location, takes a turn for the worst.
This is such a captivating story. Opal’s own narrative, her mysterious family, the debt she’s carrying, the freedom she craves so desperately, all these elements are carefully assembled and revealed throughout the story as events happen.
Opal is a tremendously appealing personality, one we relate to, as she meets each new character, ends up in another humbling or challenging situation, we are right there with her.
Nik, another Cleaner with his own mysterious history behind him, becomes someone who can grow and develop into a partner equally powerful and intriguing.
It’s hard to describe anything here without knowingly giving away main spoilers for the characters and book that are too delightful and should be read.
Delightful, scary, frustrating and definitely a way to send me running straight to the next book.
And back to the original series.
I just adore the characters, especially Opal and need to see more of the DFZ and all the spirits and Demi-gods that dwell there.
Fascinating, imaginative stuff. More please!
Highly recommended!
Cover Illustration by Tia Rambaran, Cover Design by Rachel Aaron
The DFZ Trilogy (2nd of 3 series) Minimum Wage Magic
Return to the DFZ with a new standalone series full of dragons, mages, and the deadly perils of freelance employment, now complete at three books!
Making a living is hard. Making a living in a lawless city where gods are real, dragons are traffic hazards, and buildings move on their own can feel downright impossible.
Good thing freelance mage Opal Yong-ae has never let little things like impossibility stop her. She’s found a way to put her overpriced magical art history degree to use as a Cleaner: a contract municipal employee who empties out abandoned apartments and resells the unusual treasures she finds inside for a profit. It’s not a pretty job, or a safe one–there’s a reason she wears bite-proof gloves–but when you’re neck-deep in debt to a very magical, very nasty individual, you can’t be picky about where the money comes from.
But even Opal’s low standards are put to the test when the only thing of value in her latest apartment is the body of the previous tenant. Dealing with the dead isn’t technically part of her job, but this mage died hiding a secret that could be worth a lot of money, and Opal’s the only one who knows. With debts she can’t pay due at the end of the week, this could be the big break she’s been waiting for, but in a city of runaway magic where getting in over your head generally means losing it, the cost of chasing this opportunity might be more than Opal can survive.
Publisher: Aaron/Bach (November 9, 2018)
Publication date: November 9, 2018
Language: English
Print length: 341 pages
Complete series
Series Information from the author:
All of my series set in the Detroit Free Zone were written as self-contained stories. You don’t have to have read any previous DFZ books to enjoy the newer ones. But for those who want to see the world grow, here’s a list of all the DFZ books in chronological order.
Heartstrikers :
Nice Dragons Finish Last
One Good Dragon Deserves Another No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 