imPerfect Magic

The imPerfect Cathar #1

by C.N. Rowan

After hundreds of years of dying, you'd think I would've perfected it by now...
One moment I'm a heretical priest in the twelfth century, hunted, hated...The next, I'm waking up in the nearest corpse. Stuck in a cycle of instant reincarnation, popping back up like a tarnished penny. Fast forward eight hundred years, and you might think I've learned a thing or two. Nope. All I've learned is how to die far too easily, far too often. Now my territory in the South of France is under threat and I find myself trapped by impossible angel-made runes. If the angels have gone full red lightsaber evil, it might not only be my territory in danger, but the whole of reality itself... I need to stop whoever is behind this, and now. After all, you can't come back to life, if there's nothing left to come back to.
"imPerfect Magic" is the first book in "The imPerfect Cathar" series, a darkly funny supernatural suspense following a trio of immortal heretics. If you can't wisecrack while death is on the line? Well... perhaps you're not dying right.
This book contains strong language, dark humour and graphic violence.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal, Audiobook, Contemporary, Ebooks

300 pages, Paperback

First published May 8, 2023

About the author

It’s been a strange, unbelievable journey to arrive at the point where these books are going to be released into the wild, like rare, near-extinct animals being returned to their natural habitat, already wondering where they’re going to nick cigarettes from on the plains of Africa, the way they used to from the zookeeper’s overalls. C.N. Rowan (“Call me C.N., Mr. Rowan was my father”) came originally from Leicester, England. Somehow escaping its terrible, terrible clutches (only joking, he’s a proud Midlander really), he has wound up living in the South-West of France for his sins. Only, not for his sins. Otherwise, he’d have ended up living somewhere really dreadful. Like Leicester. (Again – joking, he really does love Leicester. He knows Leicester can take a joke. Unlike some of those other cities. Looking at you, Slough.)

With multiple weird strings to his bow, all of which are made of tooth-floss and liable to snap if you tried to use them to do anything as adventurous as shooting an arrow, he’s done all sorts of odd things, from running a hiphop record label (including featuring himself as rapper) to hustling disability living aids on the mean streets of Syston. He’s particularly proud of the work he’s done managing and recording several French hiphop acts, and is currently awaiting confirmation of wild rumours he might get a Gold Disc for a song he recorded and mixed.

Reviews

[Greg Neyman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did you ever wonder what it would be like to be an 800-year-old man?
Let me clarify: how about an 800-year-old magical powerhouse that takes no s**t and gives no f**ks?
Got your interest now, have I? Thought so.
There's lots to love about this book. Although there is clearly a single point of view character, this is no lone wolf. He is clearly part of a team with excellent chemistry without overwrought romantic entanglements to inject artificial drama. Their witty banter between themselves and their foes is fresh and relatable, like a bunch of pros that have been doing this dirty work for a long time, and nothing can ruffle their feathers.
The plot has many excellent twists and turns. I could only put together the final reveal just as the protagonist had, which is 1) expert tension-building and 2) believable logically, as it meant I followed the breadcrumbs just like he did.
But something that unexpectedly impressed me was how the protagonist's inner monologue always stopped to drop wry comments on the situation, no matter how crazy-go-nuts everything was. I'm not sure this was the intended effect, but it really put me in the mind of a somewhat curmudgeonly 800-year-old, who has been everywhere, seen everything, and it all reminds him of something in the murky depths of his memory. Being tortured to death, albeit not quickly enough for his liking? Why, this is just like the time that ...
If this is remotely your genre, do yourself a favor, and pick up this book.

[Julia Sarene · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 stars rounded up

Read for SPFBO, this is only my personal opinion, group verdict might differ widely! 💥

I was hoping for a good urban fantasy in our batch, and I even got two!

I started imPerfect Magic by C.N. Rowan with high hopes, and I was not disappointed. The tone and voice reminds me a lot of Steve McHugh's Hellequin series, which is one of my favourite series out there!

Absolute strong suits for me:
* The humour, banter and geeky references
* The firm friendships
* Divers cast (different religions & backgrounds)
* Accepting people as they are (yes, this is woke & I love it!)
* Plenty of magic & creatures
* Fast pace & lots of action
* Mysteries & twists
* The historical bits felt plausible

Personal triple plus:
* No whiny romance, or ogling women

The half star missing is for some things being a bit overwritten. Like just *how badass* one character is. I love a strong female character, but you don't need to tell me 10 times just how badass she is. She's capable of showing that without the narrator having to point to it out over and over.
Here and there a bit more depth might have helped to ground the story some more.

For the first in a series, this is already pretty close to perfect for my taste, and I devoured it in no time at all! I for one can't wait to read more about these characters.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

My sixteenth read from SPFBO-9 is imPerfect Magic by C.N. Rowan. The cover and blurb for this one seemed a bit different for me as I was creating my TBR from the competition entries. I figured I'd toss it on the list and give it a try. I'm happy that I did.

I'll start by saying I opted for the audio version of this which the author C.N. Rowan himself narrates. I think he did a fantastic job. Between his performance and the creation of these characters I had vibes of Christopher Ecclestion's performance in the film Gone in 60 Seconds. The author definitely brought those vibes similar to Raymond Calitri to this performance.

Next, I have to mention the humor in imPerfect as it had me in stitches at times. A couple of notable moments has to be the scene mentioning a rendition of Cotton Eyed Joe performed on a harp! As well as the well-known fact that werewolves are the cockroaches of the world of magic. That's the first time I've ever heard that but it was hilarious to me. Now I will mention that referencing our antagonists over and over again as Shit Wizard and Phone Dick did get slightly annoying to me by the end. I get that we might not have known who these characters were for a very long time and that those titles may have been fitting and comical initially. They did just get old for me.

Pacing was well done for this. As I mentioned the narration may have played a big part in this for me. It is a book on the shorter size compared to a lot of my reads which might have also made it feel it went a bit fast. But we have plenty of action and suspense throughout the first book in this series. I had no real issues with the writing style or names to get hung up on or confused by either.

The world building was interesting. What we do learn and experience was well done. We get a good feeling for what is going on around our characters. Whether that is environment or how we should be feeling. Now perhaps some of this will come out in time as I know there are several books to this series and I do hope to continue it in the future. But I just felt like I wish I had a chance to learn more about Paul's 800 years prior. I felt like this might have been a missed opportunity initial at the start of the series here. I hope we do learn more about that time in future books.

Putting aside all the humor and language mentioned above, I do feel the character development was done well. I'd still love to learn more about the lives Paul has lived before this story but that's asking a lot to cover 800 years. We learn quite a bit to help us understand who he is today and the actions he's taking which is all we can really ask for in this amount of time. As the story unfolds we also find out more about the supporting characters and antagonists to help us understand why they are the way they are. So again, taking into consideration this is only book one of the series and it's not a long one at that, I thought C.N. Rowan did a really good job with these characters.

All in all this was an entertaining story for sure. I do feel the author's narration was a huge contributing factor to that. But I do plan on continuing this series as time allows.

I'd recommend this to readers who might be looking for a humorous mystery wrapped in a modern fantastical world of magic. At times I got a mixture of vibes like Dresden Files meets Sherlock Holmes but a bit darker and more edgy at times.

[Jaime · Rating 1 out of 5]

Audible edition. The narration is awful. The author is reading his own book and sounds like he has never read it before in his life, or has any clue what the next sentence might be. Weird pauses and emphasis in incorrect places.
The premise sounds good, but the audible edition does not.

[Shalomar Tyrloc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!!

Well written, fascinating characters, a villain you loathe. What more could you ask for? Ahhh yes a sequel! Can't wait to read the next one

[art.books.chemistry (SamE.) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is an intricately woven romp through France as told by a, to be completely honest, lunatic wizard with a juvenile sense of humor. And I mean that in the best way possible. The beginning of the book was a bit rough for me, it seemed just as scattered as Paul's (our lunatic wizard's) mind. There were a few too many time jumps that felt like unfinished thoughts.

It also took me quite a bit of time to get used to the narrator for the audiobook. It wasn't his accent (I watch plenty of BBC and listen to plenty of UK narrators) but his intonation and inflection, that just felt off to my ears. He'd finish sentences in such a way that they didn't sound like the end of a sentence. Eventually I adjusted enough to be able to listen to the storyline through this and enjoyed it more. However, I probably missed a few details in the beginning because I couldn't focus on what he was saying.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The actual adventure turned out to be not dissimilar to a D&D campaign with a vindictive dungeon master. Running around France talking to specific monsters or seeking out magical artifacts before ending up in the final dungeon battle where the entire story wraps up. I would have preferred if the "aha" bits were spread out through the story a bit more than just dumped on us in a Bond-villain style soliloquy. But that's personal preference, and I still found it well conceived overall.

[Beba Andric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insanity? Possibly, but what does that say about me? I like, really enjoyed this book, so the natural conclusion is, yep, I'm definitely in the insane ranks! Although, isn't it true that true genius is akin to insanity? Just saying...There are a few prerequisites to reading this book, besides insanity, one: a strong sense of humour, black humour would do perfectly, two: a vivid imagination because this author paints an incredible portrait that needs an active imagination, three: a very strong stomach, yeah, the gore, the gore, but most importantly, an open mind, because, quite frankly, without one, you'll lose the essence of the brilliant prose and storytelling. A world of Magic, Angels, Demons and more, portrayed in a way one could never have imagined, if not for the prowess of CN Rowan!

There are few authors who can get to the core (or is it gore?) of a story with such panache, Chris excels at it! His command of the English language is truely superb, the way he wraps his words so succinctly, easy to sink ones teeth into, relish and devour every word, much like a tightly wrapped burrito, savouring every bite. Oh and excuse me, but "bite" is soooo appropriate, you'll see, you'll get it, once you've partaken of this deliciously bizarrely unique meal.

This book fills in the gaps from the novella, an equally astounding read, the background and how Paul and Aicha met, if one could call it a "meet", but it does provide clarity to some of the questions I had. When one dies, as Paul does, countless times, only to bounce back into another body, ok, not bounce back, rather reincarnate into a semblance of his previous self, his sidekick, Aicha is his go to person to pick up the pieces, although there aren't really any pieces...see? I'm going wacky myself! Aicha, where do I start with her... she's a force of nature, she's unashamedly Aicha, stoic, incredibly badassed whilst incredibly loyal and you definitely don't want to get on the wrong side of her! Her vulnerability is so well hidden but it's there, it's there... They discover that Jakob is alive, the adventure to find him will test them to the limits, an adventure I eagerly embarked on, through twists and turns and the unlikely, it all became extremely likely, and exciting, and wacky and emotional and a mental feast! No, I didn't PHYSICALLY partake of said feast....

The wacky sense of humour is strewn throughout, eliciting barks of inappropriate laughter from me. Inappropriate? Yeah, who but one addled with insanity laughs at this " what is a worse form of torture - being physically sliced to ribbons or having to be this close to his body odour ". The play on words is skilful, the prose intelligent, the plot unique, VERY UNIQUE, giving me an overall sense of admiration and reverence for the author's talent. So, after carefully packing my entrails back into my laughter abused body, I can only confirm what I stated at the beginning of this review, insanity has overcome me in the best possible way and I can't wait for my next dose of hysteria.

[Mettesknit · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf 19%

Not for me.

That being said, it could still be your jam.

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first experience reading CN Rowan and I can honestly say it was an enjoyable one. I enjoyed the pacing, the tone, the action. It was fast-paced but still managed to work in that character- and world-building that are so important to a well-written urban fantasy. With such an old MC, I was wondering how his history would be handled and if it would bog down the story. It didn’t! I felt the author handled this well. Overall, I felt this was a solid first in series and look forward to seeing where this goes.

Rating: 3.75 stars - solid first in series. A few rough edges still, but SO MUCH POTENTIAL for what’s to come!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kim McDougall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fresh take on Urban Fantasy. C.N. Rowan has brought together some of the best elements of UF in this gritty tale. There are heroes you can root for, side-kicks that do more than just act as wall-paper, amazing creatures, witty banter, and lots of action. I loved the chapters that tossed me back into the 12th century to relive the last days of the Cathar sect. The purity of those stories somehow highlighted the unapologetic violence of the modern day story. This is not a book for the faint of heart, but it will make anyone who’s dreamed of a real hero cheer.

[Jana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hard to follow for the first half

Evidently this book was not for me... at least the bigger part of the first 60% of the book. If the whole book was like the last 40%, I would've enjoyed it.
It's obvious the writer did a lot of research, however, it was confusing to me when he referred to historical places or events out of the blue that I have no idea about.
I had hard time following what was going on until the end. There were bits and pieces that I enjoyed, but not too many.

[A Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The smile that spreads across the old man’s face could hang around in dream bars, scaring the shit out of nightmares".

TL;DR – love this book, fascinating characters, intriguing plot, great world. A little more wordy and descriptive than I usually like, but that's a me thing and only hindered my enjoyment a little bit.

I'm loving the story and the characters but the excess of one-liners, cliches, innuendo, similes, metaphors, and puns is a bit excessive for my taste. I tend to favour a slightly more succinct writing style, and the wordiness here, while mostly clever and entertaining, goes a little overboard. Also, there are a lot of (pop) cultural references – most of them I’m fine with, but many I didn't get or recognise. That said, the context makes this more or less a moot point as I wasn’t actually hindered from understanding what was going on, it was just a little distracting. That said, I did like that real-life history, personalities, and locations are incorporated into the story.

I would love to see (at least some of) the flashback chapters as perhaps separate short stories that give us backstory or character origins information. They are interesting to read so I don't dislike them, but as some of them don't directly contribute to the current plot, I think I would have preferred not having them included in this book as they slowed things down a little.

The prose is really good, solid and clever and at times poetic. I really feel I would have enjoyed this book even more if the author just dialled it back a little – it just feels somewhat over-written.

" . . . my eyes are on the blade. It radiates power like a suddenly uncloaked lantern in the pitch black of a starless night. I feel I understand some of Franc’s phrasing, for it seems to sing a song of misery and death and a desire to drink deep of both."

Franc is an AMAZING character – one of the best I’ve read. And his phrasing, while extremely odd, is brilliantly done. He's equal parts horrid and deeply fascinating, like a train wreck you just can't turn your eyes from. The thought of him makes me shudder a little bit, but still, I want more of him (he’s kind of a secondary character in this book).

~ SPOILER ~ (maybe – actually, I’ll try not to reveal too much)
With regards to the villain – I didn’t really buy it, not completely anyway. And that’s probably my biggest gripe with this book. I couldn’t really get totally on board with his motivations and the blame etc. It feels a little far-fetched even in the context of the rest of the story and setting.

I realise I’m being a little more critical than usual here, but please know that while there are a few niggling things that hindered my enjoyment, none of them are major or deal-breakers. Overall I honestly love this book. It’s clever and fun and cool — I’ll definitely continue the series.

Edit: I’m currently reading book two and Franc has a fairly central role so, YAY!

[The Laughing Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life proves challenging for a dead body snatcher

C.N. Rowan's writing style will grip a reader by the senses and not let go until the story is done.

And this book is only the first in a series.

imPerfect Magic was a fun and engaging book to absorb. C.N. Rowan takes the reader on a first-person journey through time and history, seamlessly weaving fantasy and historical fiction with the fervor of the protagonist's drive- and a laugh out loud wit which the author delivers with ease, and without it being a distraction. It was coarse and rough, in the best of ways. Relentless in tone. It was a fast-paced, adventurous, funny, thought-provoking, no-holds-barred thrill ride of a book, and I want more.

I personally took in the audiobook version, and appreciated the Rowan's narrative work. The author ticked all the boxes in not only the writing, but also the vocal work, keeping it more than interesting and compelling to listen to. C.N. Rowan has a lively audiobook that delivers the experience like only the author can.

If you are into fun fantasy and thrills, and like a raw, driven experience, imPerfect Magic is the perfect fit. If you have a problem with “bad words”, you may not want to approach this one. Seriously. This is not for you. For everyone else, however, highly recommended. Thank you, C.N. Rowan, for the great work and a truly enjoyable experience.

Sincerely,
The Laughing Librarian

[S. Bavey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to a complimentary audio version of Imperfect Magic, expertly narrated by the author in exchange for an honest review.

The narration is full of appropriate pacing, bringing the listener along when the excitement levels in the story increase and the accents of each character are different and believable.

Imperfect Magic is a contemporary urban fantasy set in France. The main character, the snarky wizard, Paul Bonhomme, is able to reincarnate into a nearby dead body when killed and has been around for over 800 years. We learn about his life during medieval times and how he gained the ability to reincarnate through flashbacks, to a time when he was part of the religious sect called the Cathars. The author has done plenty of research into medieval France and it pays off by making the historical detail seem believable, despite the use of magic and the appearance of fantastical creatures such as werewolves and an enormous slimy snail-like dragon, Lou Carcolh, a creature from French folklore.

Paul and his friends, Aicha, a badass Moroccan princess, and an angel-hosting human called Isaac, have come to believe that Isaac’s brother, Jacob, also host to an angel, is dead and has been for some time. Someone is hunting Paul and making his lives and deaths a misery. The mystery of who is behind his many misfortunes is gradually unraveled, leading to some really nasty violent torture scenes which are definitely not suited to faint-hearted readers. The overall story was enjoyable and those urban fantasy fans with strong stomachs will definitely enjoy Paul’s escapades!

[J.A. Ironside · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an automatic buy for me once I had read the prequel novella. imPerfect Magic follows Paul, a reincarnated (and reincarnated and reincarnated again) Cathar who has now died so many times since his original life in Medieval France that he's lost count. What seems to be an ordinary case for a Talented (read magically gifted) individual and his friends, goes sideways and then really goes badly wrong in ever increasing increments of FUBAR when Paul at first tries to locate someone who has been using impossibly powerful Enochian runes and is then sent on the hunt for a magical artefact. I'll avoid spoilers but the plot twists and turns, mingling various strata of Abrahamic religious mythology with French folklore and history and plenty of very snarky humour.

This had serious Dresden Files vibes but without all the things that really bug me about that series. For someone who is largely pretty ruthless, Paul is an amazingly likeable character and is surrounded by a strong cast who never quite manage to steal the spotlight away from him, which just goes to show how well crafted his characterisation is. It's also really refreshing to read Urban Fantasy set in France and as an added bonus by a fellow British author. imPerfect Magic was dark, gritty, upbeat and just gruesome enough. I had several laugh out loud moments - which did make the people at the bus stop start edging away from me. Overall this was everything I wanted in an urban fantasy novel that I never knew I wanted. Can't wait for the next one.

[Yael · Rating 5 out of 5]

The short of it: A Must Read!!

This book stands out in the growing world of UF, it is so unique and spectacular.
C.N. Rowan doesn't disappoint as he continues to build this fascinating world (if you haven’t read the prequel “ImPerfect Trap”, run and read it, you won’t regret it!). It has diverse characters, twists and turns, strong relationships without romance, and doesn’t shy away from the darker side of life and the story. This isn’t a cozy read, but the telling is so perfect, you flow with the story naturally. This book reveals more about the main characters, Paul and Achia, and sets the ground for the next book. There is no cliffhanger, but leaves you wanting to read the next book…now….

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Megan Cutter]

DNF'D at 23% after trying for weeks. I tried the audio, but it was so bad and barely understandable. Read by the author who is not a voice actor. Then I tried to read it myself and just cannot get into it. I might try again some other time, but I just dont have time for it right now.

[Tracy Vance]

DNF No real reason, just at the end of a long day I kinda want to read drivel, and this is not that.

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a debut!
Clever, funny, tense, not a little bit gory, ImPerfect Magic offers readers an urban fantasy adventure you won't soon forget.
Rowan skillfully weaves in touch of history to offer a unique context, an abundance of banter and one-liners, and some brilliant world building. The characters are well-developed and well-rounded. Incredible, magical, yet still flawed enough to make them relatable despite being hundreds of years old.
If this is the debut, I can't wait to see where the rest of the series goes.

[L.A. McBride · Rating 5 out of 5]

A smart, darkly humorous debut novel by a fresh new voice in urban fantasy.

This is not your typical urban fantasy. It’s a story steeped in early Christian history and filled with rich philosophical moments. Although this is not a light tale, the notes of humor and the banter between Paul and Aicha balance the darker moments of graphic violence. And while Lou only makes a cameo appearance, he steals the show with his quips. I hope he’ll be making appearances in future books! With imPerfect Magic, C.N. Rowan is just getting started. I expect he’ll quickly carve a place in the genre.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well - I've popped a stuffed crusted pizza in the oven, since I'm told that bad-for-me-foods are the best for hangovers. And I've got a whopper of a book hangover!

* * * * * * * * * * *

I...am an empath.
I am an empath with dopamine deficiency stuck in a tediously monotonous existence.
Therefore, I read.

I judge books on their ability to satisfactorily stimulate my emotional center, and all the hormonal gears from which this factory runs. The greater number of soul sensations I experience during a story, the higher my opinion becomes over the work of any given author.

ImPerfect Magic, written by C.N. Rowan, had my psychological manufacturing plant producing dopamine, epinephrine, serotonin, and character cuddle chemicals at an exponential rate. At one point, I even had to send him a message to tell him he was a meanie of a monster and withheld forgiveness for at least three to five business hours. But forgiveness certainly materialized because accompanying the heart torture, dressed in all the finery of double arm candy, was humor and abiding friendship.

C.N. Rowan knows how to father fantastic fictional figures. The evil exemplars make you grit your teeth and hope for their agonizing death. There are baddies you will hate to love but won't be able stop your admiring interest in their intriguing personalities. And of course, our protagonists...Paul, Aicha, Isaac, and Jacob...you'll want to wrap them all up in fuzzy blankets, hug the stuffings out of them, and maybe hide them away until the author decides to behave himself again, even if they all metaphorically sit on thrones of beautiful badassery. Regardless, the roller coaster treatment is necessary to bring about the magnificent magical culmination in this episode of the imPerfect Cather series. The ending will NOT disappoint!

I received an ARC copy of the eBook of imPerfect Magic, along with an audio rendition, and this review is my honest opinion. You would be doing yourself a disservice by not hearing C.N. Rowan read his own historical urban fantasy tale. He adds so much passion and dramatic flair to the story that it adds a lightning jolt of reality to his world, to the point that you feel like you're a bystander within the pages, following alongside the adventures it contains.

Well, I'll let you get to it...just, don't forget your book hangover junk food.

[Bianca Marschke-Kunz · Rating 5 out of 5]

ImPerfect Magic is the first novel of the author and what a debut. It's certainly not for the faint of heart and be assured, the book is very, very dark. And yet I had to laugh a lot while reading because the sarcastic pitchblack humour in the face of terror is so well delivered that it's simply not only dark, but thoroughly entertaining.

The story is told by one of the most unique and downright contradicting characters I have ever read. Paul Bonhomme - Bonhomme meaning "Good man" which is how his brand of people called themselves- is an 800 year old... Well, wizard doesn't cut it, though he knows how to perform magic. The background of the characters is really fascinating and the author knows well why Paul has loads of internal struggles due to his belief.

He was a perfecti of the Cathars in the High Middle Ages, a brand of Christianity that spread throughout Southern France, parts of Italy and Germany. It attracted quite a few people with its apparent simplicity and a completely different approach than the Catholic church. They believed in a dualist world: the spiritual world which was created by a Good God (for the soul only) and the living world created by the Evil God to tempt the spirit. Until a person has reached to be a good person, clean in spirit and having lived pure, the soul cannot enter the spiritual world to be saved. To reach this, the Cathars aimed to follow guidelines for a good life. The perfecti anf perfectae (yes, there were women in the role) were those who spread the word of their belief and who lived an ascetic life, meaning: as sex was seen as the devil's doing due to their dualist belief that the material world was made by an evil force, a strict vegan diet followed because everything that originated in a sort of fornification was regarded as sinful. They weren't allowed to curse and vow, to kill animals and humans. They lived in poverty and hat bo material goods and had to rely on others to be fed. An interesting bit is that even normal believers who were not (yet) perfecti weren't seen as bad if not following those rules, as the material world as such was seen as bad. Many people became credentes, believers, as it appealed to them that for one: the masses were held in the local language and not in Latin, so they could understand, second: the perfecti lived as they preached, third: the Cathar church didn't ask for taxes, fourth: women were not 100% equal, but could still be perfectae and thus save their souls. The Catholic church saw them as a real threat though, most likely because they lost their power there. Thus, after excommunications and verbal demands didn't work, they called for a crusade against the Cathars, heretics in their eyes.


There is way more, but that little essay served a purpose to explain Paul's character. He is thoroughly jaded and truly quite far from the ideal, as everyone can easily realize. He knew he'd be damned as soon as he used magic and killed someone - or believed so anyway. But he didn't do this for any bad reason. He wanted to stop a mad magician (a historical person even, but it fits into the story) to bring something evil into the world. Paul had just realized that he can perform magic, not what a perfect should do, but he manages to stop the ritual and in doing so causes the Holy Grail to burst which results in death and destruction- and his discovery that he reawakens in the nearest dead body after dying. The author had the genius idea that the magic rearranges the new body so that Paul looks like himself quickly.

The most interesting bit is that Paul still believes in the Cathar way. He doesn't follow the rules für perfecti much anymore (oh my God does he curse up a storm with Aicha!) and has killed numerous times, but he still tries to live vegan or at least vegetarian. In fact he is terrified of really dying and staying dead because he is sure that his soul would simply perish. He knows he can't be a perfectus anymore (after all, nobody would be able to give the consolamentum) and tries to simply live as good as possible. And he has a strong sense of right and wrong. Paul goes after the worst of the worse, raging when he sees acts of atrocities. His reaction when finding the Nazi lab speaks volumes, or when he finds a murderous pedophile. So, he might be imperfect, but his inner good core is still there, also evident in his dealings with his friend Isaac, a truly good person whom he doesn't even want to tell news that could hurt.

The setting is in fact in a part of the world that once was home to the Cathars: Toulouse and some other parts of Southern France. The author lives there, so he can describe everything vividly.

Paul met Isaac before the events unravel and was gifted the sight, a magical way to see any magic. The world C.N. Rowan created is inhabited by magical beings (there are some quite unique ones, like Franc and Lou Carcoilh, be surprised!) and kind of wizards who are called Talented. It's an easy world to slip into.
Isaac is even older than Paul, has a binding with a Bene Elohim, the jewish expression of an angel. He is a genuinely good person, extremely smart and is the originator of the Kabbalah. He is Paul's mentor and helped him with his magic. He is a real contrast to Paul and Aicha, a gentle soul who doesn't even curse.
Aicha... is a closed off warrior who, as a woman in old times, had to overcome a lot to still stand there. She cannot die and regenerates from the most horrible things anyone could endure, and the author doesn't pull punches in describing what kinds of hellish torture she suffered. In those moments, any laughter stops. But she has an iron will and has been friends with Paul since he had rescued her. She is a fighter through and through. Aaaand she has quite a colourful language which is on par with Paul of the modern days. Their banter is hilarious. :D

The story develops nicely with some surprises, and the characters have tons of obstacles to overcome. It's a good read, though Franc was pretty hard to get through. His manner of speech is not easily followed.

So... It's a great debut with cool, unique characters and a story that keeps you interested. It's not for people who shy away from strong language and flat out gorey scenes. The author has quite a wicked sense of humour and evidently a twisted, yet fantastic imagination. Recommended for more adult readers ^^

[Scott Cirakovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was privileged to be one of the ARC readers for Imperfect Magic. C.N. Rowan has a mastery of visceral language akin to Jay Kristoff and the brutality of George R.R. Martin. From the very first chapter I was blown away and wanting more, with a particularly amazing shock right at the end of the first chapter. The magic system is expertly crafted with stunning visuals that is completely immersive and unique, providing a depth to the storytelling that is rare among urban fantasy stories. His storytelling across time makes you truly feel like the characters have seen it all. His weaving of hundreds of years of life within his characters is complete, providing a thrilling story that reaches through time. I absolutely cannot wait for the next imperfect adventure.

[Eileen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a review of the audiobook. After a few false starts with this story, I switched over to the novella just in case I was just not "getting" this world. But in the end, I think it was the narration that didn't work for me. There were moments when I got really into this as the narrator tries to figure out what the heck is going on and who is threatening his territory of Toulouse. In the past 800 years he has died over and over, only to instantly reincarnate back into the nearest corpse. Which makes things pretty interesting. I really wanted to like this more than I did, but I had a hard time concentrating on the author's narration. His voice is an interesting mix of soothing and weird pauses, which meant I had to work very hard to concentrate. In his defense, I'm not an auditory learner, but over the past 6ish years, I've worked hard to train my ear to listen to audiobooks. Ultimately, I found the mystery to be pretty interesting, but couldn't keep track of what was happening at any given moment. I did finish it because honestly, I wanted to know who it was that was causing all the problems, but I think if I continue with this series, I will go back to the beginning and read them myself. Perhaps one day I will do so, but I'm not in any hurry. I listened to the novella 3x's to really figure out what was going on. This one I listened to parts of it multiple times, but made it through the whole thing once.

[Patrick Chadd · Rating 3 out of 5]

The characters and the world of C.N. Rowan’s ImPerfect Magic: A Darkly Funny Supernatural Suspense Mystery (The imPerfect Cathar Book 1) are interesting overall on the surface.

Compelling enough that I stuck with the book through more than a few plodding sections and a pretty ridiculous ‘cartoon villain’ like ending where the brilliantly diabolical villain becomes a long-winded fool.

The way Franc talks is headachingly painful and the way Lou talks is on a cartoon-level of ridiculous.

Maybe these are the intended ‘funny’ parts of this self-described “Darkly Funny Supernatuaral Suspense Mysteries’?

Spoiler alert, in my opinion – there is very little funny, if at all – in the book.

Gory, dark and on the cusp of being really good before the inane banter and such derails the momentum time and again…I am hoping that it was just a slow start to a potentially good series so I am giving book 2 a try but if it’s the same as book 1 in terms of writing, pacing and dialogue…then 3 – 6 will be unopened. I have hope though – this ‘could’ be excellent, The Good God willing…

[Simon Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful first book of a new series. Bold, funny sweary and a fast pace.
With an interesting take on the old trope of immortality this is a fast paced read, stuffed full of pop culture references and bloody action, the audio book is a thing of beauty, capturing the characters perfectly.

[Nicholas Woode-Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't been this gripped by a novel for ages! CN Rowan's world and characters are dripping with well-researched history, local flavour, and an erudite complexity that I seldom find in UF. It was a pleasure to read and I can't wait to get to the next one.

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF 25%. The world seems interesting, but really convoluted. There are too many faction and magical religion names being thrown around and I can’t be bothered to keep them straight.

[Sara Henry]

I am writing this review as I read this book. I am finding this a... wildly inconsistent ride. We keep bouncing back and forth in time, for things that are hard to think are worth telling in that back and forth way. The main character seems kind of unpleasant actually. It's like he's trying too hard to be surly and sardonic, without being... all that... likeable. Like, he feels like a charicature of the author telling themself to "write something witty but jaded".

Keep in mind, in this excerpt, that "the runes of persuasion" have been literally carved into the main character's flesh, as you read this:
"As he continues to rant and rave at me, trying to get me to tell him what he wants to know, wondering why the runes of persuasion aren't working (simple answer-- because he's a shit wizard), I temporarily zone out. An inner debate as to what is a worse form of torture--being physically sliced to ribbons or having to be this close to his body odour-- distracts me. It's a tough call to make. The continued screaming up in my face brings me back to the situation at hand. While the rancid breath accompanying it is a painful reminder of the importance to brush after every meal, as well as being evidence that cleanliness was an early offering on the altar in his quest for power."

I also feel like the author is trying a little too hard to make things as dark and evil and gross as possible. Like... it is kind of unpleasant to read because the emphasis is on making it clear that circumstances are worse than you could otherwise possibly imagine, but then we are whipping back and forth through time without getting a sense of... closure or finality on that bit before moving on to the next thing like it. And all with everything, the voice we are hearing about everything from being so... unpleasant all the time. I am actually having to force myself to read this story--it came to me so highly recommended. And I have HATED trying to parse anything being said by Franc. And we had to have two Franc sections back to back because the main character is literally pointed out as being too dumb to think to ask some important and relevant questions the first time. He's hard to like and shown to be either dumb or making dumb choices. Not a redeeming quality, actually.

The most likeable character in this story is probably Aicha so far, and that's mostly because she is what I expect her to be. And she is the one who points out the stupidity, which helps too.

"Aicha shrugs. [...] 'Let's concentrate on finding the shithead. I'm sick of dancing along to his tune. I bet he's got shit taste in music, probably doing a version of 'Cotton Eyed Joe' on the fucking harp or something.' She pauses, considering. 'A techno remix of 'Cotton Eyed Joe'. The fiend.' She sits back, satisfied with the strength of the imagery. I wish I could do the same."

The villain, "Phone Penis" as he is dubbed by Isaac, because he doesn't want to use the version Paul originates (and neither do I, really), is like the absolutely most evil version of Columbo with the "oh and one more thing" of it all. Just... get on with it man. We know, you're evil and you're going to do evil stuff if you don't get your way. WE GET IT. MC even makes a call-out to Columbo, it is so incredibly "oh and one last thing" it literally gets referenced in the book!: 'The offhand words don't match with the loaded intent, and honestly? It terrifies me. This isn't Columbo. The "one last thing" isn't going to break open the case. I am more concerned it might be something to break my heart.'

At the end of the Evil Columbo/Phone Penis phone call, we have our MC wondering why this guy doesn't like him in particular, of the group, and ruminating on all of his mistakes for the last 800 years. Then we get a flashback to disaster about 800 years ago. With like 3 characters even mentioned. Which one is Phone Penis? It's gotta be one of them. I imagine the author *wants* that in our heads, since it cuts to that immediately after ruminating on the self-seen failures of our MC over "the last eight hundred years". Will it be a good thing, or a bad one, for the author to be this direct in speaking to us about foreshadowing? Who knows?

I feel like my problem with this book, my biggest problem, is that the characters feel more like charicatures than real people. Take this excerpt, with Paul talking about Aicha, who I still find more tolerable than him, even with this bit of grating 'flavor'.
"She's parked by the Canal de Brienne, and to my surprise, she's still got the Alpine. Aicha's got a low boredom threshold for vehicles and a penchant for stealing them off arrogant over-privileged arseholes. Considering how many of those there are in the world, she switches out cars more often than most people change clothes. [...] Her casually possessive pat on its hood is the equivalent of a kneeling declaration of undying love. I contemplate casting an illusory scratch down its side just to mess with her. But we don't have time for her to hunt that non-existent someone down to cause their painful and protracted death, so I resist the urge."

Who is a real person anywhere in what I just read? Or likeable? I do prefer to not dislike the main characters in books that I read, but this guy is a dick. And not even, like funny or otherwise endearing. He's always trying too hard to be colorful with his descriptions to be real I just don't like him. And that summation of Aicha irritates me too. Because she doesn't get to be a real person either, with that kind of a description. (50%)

Some of the banter between Paul and Aicha gets better. And we finally have a moment I can just enjoy that takes advantage of the MC's age.
"We pay the exorbitant rate at the tollbooth, and I chuckle, remembering what I paid to various brigands while travelling these roads centuries back to cover distances we now do in less than a morning. Convenience comes with a price that often suddenly seems worth paying when compared to the past."

[Alyssia Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

imPerfect Magic has been on my list of to reads since last year and I'm so glad I finally got around to reading it. It's got strong characters, an unexpected and twisting narrative and a level of snark and humour that I really appreciate in a novel. I snorted aloud more than once during my reading of this. Merging historical and urban contemporary fantasy also isn't easy, but it's done well here with well defined timelines and how events relate and line up to each other.

Paul is an eight hundred year old wizard. One has set expectations for that kind of thing, yet Paul defies every single one of them. Instead of being an eccentric yet doddering elderly wizard, he's a foul mouthed sarcastic guy who death just won't stick to. He's definitely eccentric, mind you. Just not in the ways you'd expect. You first meet him as he's getting tortured to death in a shit wizard's cavern and yet immediately upon being re-incarnated he's going back for round two. Only this time with backup. Partly because the other guy needs to get his comeuppance, but mostly because of the strange and powerful ruins that trapped him in the first place. Ruins far too powerful for a shit wizard to have created. Which means he has a backer. And that means trouble. Real trouble and more than a handful of unpleasant deaths.

This is foul mouthed, sarcastic, crude and snarky. It's an eight hundred year old man with a distinctly puerile sense of humour at times, but it's genuinely funny. It's also remarkably insightful at points, largely when Paul stops wise cracking and thinks for a second or two. The way the characters stories layer onto each other and how past decisions created cracks, fissures and outright breaks is exceptionally well done and whilst Paul isn't the most insightful of guys, he certainly has his moments.

It's also full of action and has a surprisingly strong world established behind it which slowly unfolds as you learn more and more about Paul's unusual history. Whilst much of the action takes place in the present day, the author builds on the initial reasons behind Paul's immortality through flashbacks to previous lives with the most notable being his first life (and death) in the early 1200's. It's well implemented and had me just as interested in the historical narrative as the modern day narrative, particularly as the secrets begin to unfold.

All in all, a definite recommendation and I'll be looking at the second novel. If you're a fan of snarky urban fantasy with dark undertones, this may be right up your street. The historical elements level it out into something a little more serious at times, so it's got that going for it as well. Also platonic friendships and no hint of a love interest in sight, which gets extra bonus points for building up the relationships so well without having to rely on the romantic angle.