Pacific Fire

December 22, 2014
The faltering second Daniel Blackland urban fantasy (after California Bones), set in an alternate L.A. where magic is powered by the region’s abundant bones and fossils, opens with exciting and tense scenes of sorcery and code-breaking, but as the plot thickens, the story sinks. Daniel, a powerful osteomancer, killed the Hierarch of Los Angeles and took possession of the Hierarch’s clone-golem, Sam. Ten years later, the morally ambiguous Gabriel Argent, now chief water mage, allies with bone sorcerer Sister Tooth and crime lord Otis to form a triumvirate that rules over Los Angeles. Otis plans to resurrect a Pacific firedrake, but he needs a vast source of osteomantic power—such as Sam. When Daniel is incapacitated, Sam teams up with another golem, Em, to stop the evildoers. In an attempt to build tension, van Eekhout repeatedly changes the rules of the dragon’s resurrection, along with almost every other plot point. All-too-convenient occurrences, questionable character motivations, and other inconsistencies undermine the rich and amazing setting. Agent: Caitlin Blasdell, Liza Dawson Associates.

December 1, 2014

Returning to the vivid world he created with California Bones, in which wizards known as osteomancers gain powers from eating the bones of extinct magical creatures (or the flesh of other wizards), van Eekhout brings the story forward ten years after Daniel Blackland toppled the Hierarch and ate his heart. Instead of taking control over the Kingdom of Southern California, Daniel went on the run with the young golem that the Hierarch had imbued with immense power. That golem, now known as Sam, is wanted by a cabal of magic wielders back in Los Angeles, who think they can use his essence to bring a Pacific firedrake to life. VERDICT Instead of the ingenious heist structure of the first book, this story follows Sam's efforts to foil the construction of the firedrake, and Daniel's efforts to chase after Sam to keep him safe. Some characters, such as the delightful Moth, recur, but this sequel lacks some of the camaraderie and humor that the first book had in spades. Luckily, it still delivers tense action and great worldbuilding, and fans will definitely return for the concluding volume expected in fall 2015.

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