Magic on the Line

Starred review from September 26, 2011
Monk’s electric seventh Allie Beckstrom urban fantasy (after Apr. 2011’s Magic on the Hunt) is the best one yet. With Portland’s magical community already in upheaval, local leader Bartholomew Wray decides to completely overhaul the Portland Authority. His plans don’t sit well with Allie; her lover, Zayvion; and their friends Shame and Terric. Wray is also ignoring some incredibly suspicious magical events: undead magic users are possessing the living, and several people are dying of magic poisoning. Allie refuses to stand by and do nothing—but using her own magic is making her ill. This dark and delicious novel digs deep into the characters, their relationships, and the mysterious Authority. Allie is one of urban fantasy’s most entertaining heroines, and her latest adventure will leave readers desperately wanting more, especially when Monk whips out a killer cliffhanger ending.

October 15, 2011

Allison Beckstrom works as a Hound, using her magic to track down old and often illegal spells, but the close-minded and heavy-handed Authority that controls magic's use for Portland, OR, arouses in her almost as much resentment as those she hunts. When a plague of dark magic that revives dead mages spreads chaos throughout the city, Allison risks her life as well as her reputation to stop the forces of darkness. This seventh series entry (Magic at the Gate; Magic on the Hunt) will appeal to fans of Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files" and Tanya Huff's "Victory Nelson" series.

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.