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Trace
Colin Byrne is a pickpocket, an artist, and an occasional consultant for the police. He’s also an ex-felon, an initiate into the feral, unspoken magic that only prisoners know: how to vanish, how to tell fortunes, how to steal souls. Now the man who put him in prison wants him to return to Railburg State Correctional Facility to help investigate a case.
Colin has some allies at Railburg: his mentor Gutierrez, who talks to God, and his friend Noel, the best ink artist in the prison. But another powerful prisoner that Colin helped put away is slowly poisoning the food, and there’s impulsive young Laney to protect from the Aryan Brotherhood. With mysterious forces aiming to incite a riot that will wipe Railburg from the map and from human memory, Colin has bigger problems than the one he went to Railburg to solve...
Colin has some allies at Railburg: his mentor Gutierrez, who talks to God, and his friend Noel, the best ink artist in the prison. But another powerful prisoner that Colin helped put away is slowly poisoning the food, and there’s impulsive young Laney to protect from the Aryan Brotherhood. With mysterious forces aiming to incite a riot that will wipe Railburg from the map and from human memory, Colin has bigger problems than the one he went to Railburg to solve...
185 pages, Paperback
First published November 5, 2011
90 people want to read
About the author
Sam Starbuck
26 books118 followersSam is a nonprofit researcher, blogger, and former theatre punk who lives and works in Chicago, Illinois.
Secretly, he is a Time Lord.
He writes romance and light SFF, literary fiction, and sometimes even fanfic.
Secretly, he is a Time Lord.
He writes romance and light SFF, literary fiction, and sometimes even fanfic.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 12, 2016
I read this story in its original form, and figured I'd give the original adaption a try. I'm so pleased I did, because this story is, remarkably, even better adapted to profic than it was originally--and I really enjoyed the first version.
For a novella, it packs a world of rich detail into a limited space. The characters were fully realized, with complex motives and clear interior lives. The different pieces of the puzzle were slowly revealed and each one was a prize--despite having read a version of this before I was still surprised and delighted and most importantly enthralled by the reveals.
Magical realism is a personal favorite genre of mine, and this story is an excellent example of why. The world is the same as the one we know, except for all the ways it is different, and Sam does a remarkable job of incorporating those details that make you hold your breath in delight while still feeling fully emplaced in the world you recognize.
The one off note the short chapter that needlessly switched POVs before returning to the protagonist's POV; it should have stayed consistent throughout, and this makes it slightly uneven, particularly in such a short book. But it's an easily forgivable element in an otherwise well developed, well paced, and well written book.
I'm torn between wanting more and being so satisfied with the story as it's told. This is very well done, and I highly recommend it, especially for anyone who loved American Gods.
ETA: 12/15 -- Still wonderful! A pleasure to re-read.
For a novella, it packs a world of rich detail into a limited space. The characters were fully realized, with complex motives and clear interior lives. The different pieces of the puzzle were slowly revealed and each one was a prize--despite having read a version of this before I was still surprised and delighted and most importantly enthralled by the reveals.
Magical realism is a personal favorite genre of mine, and this story is an excellent example of why. The world is the same as the one we know, except for all the ways it is different, and Sam does a remarkable job of incorporating those details that make you hold your breath in delight while still feeling fully emplaced in the world you recognize.
The one off note the short chapter that needlessly switched POVs before returning to the protagonist's POV; it should have stayed consistent throughout, and this makes it slightly uneven, particularly in such a short book. But it's an easily forgivable element in an otherwise well developed, well paced, and well written book.
I'm torn between wanting more and being so satisfied with the story as it's told. This is very well done, and I highly recommend it, especially for anyone who loved American Gods.
ETA: 12/15 -- Still wonderful! A pleasure to re-read.
December 1, 2011
Intriguing. I read the fanfic incarnation first; this has a lot more of the underground urban mythology thing going on, which I've always found fascinating, and I think the story is better balanced because of it. The magic system is deeply interesting to me - I could read a heck of a lot more about that. Not desperately deep, but worth reading.
Want to read
November 18, 2011June 10, 2015
A compelling read with fascinating, layered plots, though a bit harder (emotionally) for me to get through than some of his other works. Recommend, though NOT FOR KIDS OMG.
December 29, 2018
This was an absolute treat! I loved it, to bits. I loved the wonder, magic and myths woven through everything (even when the mojo seemed slightly convenient). I loved the use of shades and lights, the tattoos and the idea of penitence, the casual mentions of otherworldly things, the way that characters are well-rounded even when there weren’t that many descriptions, the relationships throughout, and that so much of everybody is grey rather than black/white. I really enjoyed the prison setting and I loved that the story and Colin himself were revealed to me in slowly and sparingly portioned out snippets of scenes and dialogues - like the folding and unfolding of a paper crane.
But above all - as with other works I’ve read by this author, both fanfic and published - I can’t get over the beautiful way he always is so gentle with his characters. Touch, thought processes and dreams, intimacy and closeness are described in ways that make me gasp with the undercurrents of gentleness and understanding and love that seem to flow from the author. Magical.
But above all - as with other works I’ve read by this author, both fanfic and published - I can’t get over the beautiful way he always is so gentle with his characters. Touch, thought processes and dreams, intimacy and closeness are described in ways that make me gasp with the undercurrents of gentleness and understanding and love that seem to flow from the author. Magical.
January 17, 2025
I really loved the world that this author built for this story - the urban legends, and the clear indication of there being more to the world than what we see. This world feels very lived-in, and as a result the story was able to really draw me in.
July 21, 2017
Intense and wonderful. An engrossing read.
June 9, 2024
an incredible work of magical realism with fantastic worldbuilding, but some elements of this book felt as if they were not entirely glued down.
December 15, 2011
(From my Wordpress blog, Word Vagabond: Supporting Independent and Small Press Authors.)
Colin Byrne never thought he’d go back to Railburg State Correctional Facility. He’d kept his nose clean since his early release, setting himself up as a private detective. But when Joseph, the cop who put him away and then saved him calls in a favor, he finds himself heading back to prison undercover to help break up a money-laundering ring. Colin might also be looking for a little revenge himself, but once the prison doors have closed behind him, he finds himself and his fellow inmates in the crossfire of a war that’s bigger than them all.
Trace is a masterpiece of magical realism, a tricky genre to write in to say the least. I fell in love with this book particularly for the depth of its characters and the genuine relationships between them. Starbuck draws the reader into push-and-pull web of the prison system, but makes us understand that Colin’s connection to his group is something more genuine than that. He sees himself as a free agent, doing things on his own terms, but he’s really very protective of the people close to him, and is willing to stick his neck out for them. Nowhere is this more evident than in his relationship with Joseph, and to a lesser extent Analise (who we don’t see enough of in this book). Their three-way relationship gives Colin his anchor, a place to draw strength from in the darkness that too often clouds his life. I loved the genuine care they both showed for him.
Surprisingly, though, the interactions that touched me the most were between Colin and Noel. There was a deep, quiet loyalty and unspoken trust between them that really touched me. The way he embraced his penance for his former life made Noel one of my favorite characters overall.
The mythlogy of the world was another very powerful element to the story. This is the kind of book that rewards multiple readings- you will uncover a different layer of meaning every time. The symbolism woven through the plot gives the story real weight. I ended up reading it once through for the “what happens next”, and then twice more to really absorb all the things going on in the background.
My only real concerns have to do with the book’s publication. At the moment, Trace is only available as a paperback or an e-pub file from Lulu.com, leaving Kindle readers out in the cold. It’s certainly worth the extra effort to get a copy, but I’m concerned that this story won’t get the readership it deserves without a listing on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Also, the Afterword should be cut completely, in my opinion. While it can be interesting to see how a story evolved into its final form, in this case I’m afraid it will take away from the magic of the story for many readers. This book deserves to be judged on its considerable merits, without prejudice.
I highly recommend this book to any fans of fantasy and magical realism. You won’t be disappointed!
Colin Byrne never thought he’d go back to Railburg State Correctional Facility. He’d kept his nose clean since his early release, setting himself up as a private detective. But when Joseph, the cop who put him away and then saved him calls in a favor, he finds himself heading back to prison undercover to help break up a money-laundering ring. Colin might also be looking for a little revenge himself, but once the prison doors have closed behind him, he finds himself and his fellow inmates in the crossfire of a war that’s bigger than them all.
Trace is a masterpiece of magical realism, a tricky genre to write in to say the least. I fell in love with this book particularly for the depth of its characters and the genuine relationships between them. Starbuck draws the reader into push-and-pull web of the prison system, but makes us understand that Colin’s connection to his group is something more genuine than that. He sees himself as a free agent, doing things on his own terms, but he’s really very protective of the people close to him, and is willing to stick his neck out for them. Nowhere is this more evident than in his relationship with Joseph, and to a lesser extent Analise (who we don’t see enough of in this book). Their three-way relationship gives Colin his anchor, a place to draw strength from in the darkness that too often clouds his life. I loved the genuine care they both showed for him.
Surprisingly, though, the interactions that touched me the most were between Colin and Noel. There was a deep, quiet loyalty and unspoken trust between them that really touched me. The way he embraced his penance for his former life made Noel one of my favorite characters overall.
The mythlogy of the world was another very powerful element to the story. This is the kind of book that rewards multiple readings- you will uncover a different layer of meaning every time. The symbolism woven through the plot gives the story real weight. I ended up reading it once through for the “what happens next”, and then twice more to really absorb all the things going on in the background.
My only real concerns have to do with the book’s publication. At the moment, Trace is only available as a paperback or an e-pub file from Lulu.com, leaving Kindle readers out in the cold. It’s certainly worth the extra effort to get a copy, but I’m concerned that this story won’t get the readership it deserves without a listing on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Also, the Afterword should be cut completely, in my opinion. While it can be interesting to see how a story evolved into its final form, in this case I’m afraid it will take away from the magic of the story for many readers. This book deserves to be judged on its considerable merits, without prejudice.
I highly recommend this book to any fans of fantasy and magical realism. You won’t be disappointed!
May 2, 2012
Copied from my blog.
From Jacket: Colin Byrne is a pickpocket, an artist, and an occasional consultant for the police. He’s also an ex-felon, an initiate into the feral, unspoken magic that only prisoners know: how to vanish, how to tell fortunes, how to steal souls. Now the man who put him in prison wants him to return to Railburg State Correctional Facility to help investigate a case.
I honestly didn’t know what to expect with this book. I have enjoyed other works of the author and have been reading his blog for years now, so I knew that I’d enjoy his storytelling and style, I just didn’t know how much.
I think the thing that surprised me was the magical realism. As much as I enjoy that genre, I very rarely seek it out, so I didn’t go looking for it when I picked up this book. It was a lovely surprise. As was the shock that the book really came to life the moment the bars clanged shut with Colin “Suicide” Byrne on the inside...again.
Don’t get me wrong, the brief moments of domestic bliss between Colin, Joseph (the cop who put Colin away years before and who showed him a life worth living after being rehabilitated) and Joseph’s wife Analise in the beginning was touching and beautifully rendered. All the more so when they became the thing that Colin clings to while battling demons both old and new in the joint.
Starbuck does an amazing job of showing life behind bars with its gangs and seedy underbelly without weighing it down with unrelated stereotypes just for effect. In addition he also introduced a whole new group of prisoners, the special select, like Byrne and his friends, who have powers that they collectively refer to as “mojo.” In so doing, he gives us a sense of family that I was pleasantly surprised about. In fact, my only criticism of this book (and it’s one that I have about a lot of shorter novels) is that I really wanted to know much more about this family. But that could just be me and my fascination, bordering on obsession, with secondary characters.
For example, I would read an entire book about Noel, the tattoo artist, post-Aryan with an intriguing past only alluded to in the book. So much angst and untold story in that guy and in his relationship with Colin!
In other words, I completely, unequivocally recommend this book to anyone who loves stories that stick with you and work their magic into your subconscious for a long time after.
Available at Lulu as eBook, Paperback or for a free(!!!) ePub.
From Jacket: Colin Byrne is a pickpocket, an artist, and an occasional consultant for the police. He’s also an ex-felon, an initiate into the feral, unspoken magic that only prisoners know: how to vanish, how to tell fortunes, how to steal souls. Now the man who put him in prison wants him to return to Railburg State Correctional Facility to help investigate a case.
I honestly didn’t know what to expect with this book. I have enjoyed other works of the author and have been reading his blog for years now, so I knew that I’d enjoy his storytelling and style, I just didn’t know how much.
I think the thing that surprised me was the magical realism. As much as I enjoy that genre, I very rarely seek it out, so I didn’t go looking for it when I picked up this book. It was a lovely surprise. As was the shock that the book really came to life the moment the bars clanged shut with Colin “Suicide” Byrne on the inside...again.
Don’t get me wrong, the brief moments of domestic bliss between Colin, Joseph (the cop who put Colin away years before and who showed him a life worth living after being rehabilitated) and Joseph’s wife Analise in the beginning was touching and beautifully rendered. All the more so when they became the thing that Colin clings to while battling demons both old and new in the joint.
Starbuck does an amazing job of showing life behind bars with its gangs and seedy underbelly without weighing it down with unrelated stereotypes just for effect. In addition he also introduced a whole new group of prisoners, the special select, like Byrne and his friends, who have powers that they collectively refer to as “mojo.” In so doing, he gives us a sense of family that I was pleasantly surprised about. In fact, my only criticism of this book (and it’s one that I have about a lot of shorter novels) is that I really wanted to know much more about this family. But that could just be me and my fascination, bordering on obsession, with secondary characters.
For example, I would read an entire book about Noel, the tattoo artist, post-Aryan with an intriguing past only alluded to in the book. So much angst and untold story in that guy and in his relationship with Colin!
In other words, I completely, unequivocally recommend this book to anyone who loves stories that stick with you and work their magic into your subconscious for a long time after.
Available at Lulu as eBook, Paperback or for a free(!!!) ePub.
April 24, 2012
I've tried half a dozen times to come up with a different way of introducing Trace, by Sam Starbuck. I give up. It's like White Collar meets Bless Me Ultima, and if that's not quirky enough to catch your attention, I don't know what is.
Trace is the story of Colin Byrne, an ex-felon who can't be seen when he doesn't want to be. He's about to go undercover to help track down a money-laundering operation running through Railburg State Correctional Facility. But prison changes people in ways they could never have imagined, and once back inside, Colin finds himself thrust deeply back into the world of prison magic. The prisoners say that the magic comes when you need it, and boy, is he going to need it.
The thing I found most fascinating about this book is the way that a very harsh, gritty reality meets seamlessly with the intrusion of quiet--but not necessarily small--magics. The author brings the world inside Railburg to life with strong descriptions and a subtle touch. The prose is easy to lose yourself in, and the characters are compelling. Together, these elements build a world where a man can read your fortune by looking you in the eye and childhood stories can kill, and as a reader, you'll believe that world every step of the way.
The only thing keeping me from giving this the full five stars is a subplot that lacked a little closure for me. Given the complexity of the story, this is a minor flaw, but I did want to understand the woman who watches Colin, and at the end of it, my guesses were still just that: guesses. It's not the kind of flaw that keeps a good book from being a great book. It's the kind of flaw that keeps a great book from being phenomenal. Let's call it 4.5 stars.
Trace is the exception to the rule that self-published books are self-published because they didn't cut it for professional publication. It's available not only in ePub and dead tree formats, but also as a free PDF, for those who want a taste that shows the writer actually knows what he's doing. If you read and like the free PDF, though, consider paying $3 for the ePub. Writers need to eat.
Trace is the story of Colin Byrne, an ex-felon who can't be seen when he doesn't want to be. He's about to go undercover to help track down a money-laundering operation running through Railburg State Correctional Facility. But prison changes people in ways they could never have imagined, and once back inside, Colin finds himself thrust deeply back into the world of prison magic. The prisoners say that the magic comes when you need it, and boy, is he going to need it.
The thing I found most fascinating about this book is the way that a very harsh, gritty reality meets seamlessly with the intrusion of quiet--but not necessarily small--magics. The author brings the world inside Railburg to life with strong descriptions and a subtle touch. The prose is easy to lose yourself in, and the characters are compelling. Together, these elements build a world where a man can read your fortune by looking you in the eye and childhood stories can kill, and as a reader, you'll believe that world every step of the way.
The only thing keeping me from giving this the full five stars is a subplot that lacked a little closure for me. Given the complexity of the story, this is a minor flaw, but I did want to understand the woman who watches Colin, and at the end of it, my guesses were still just that: guesses. It's not the kind of flaw that keeps a good book from being a great book. It's the kind of flaw that keeps a great book from being phenomenal. Let's call it 4.5 stars.
Trace is the exception to the rule that self-published books are self-published because they didn't cut it for professional publication. It's available not only in ePub and dead tree formats, but also as a free PDF, for those who want a taste that shows the writer actually knows what he's doing. If you read and like the free PDF, though, consider paying $3 for the ePub. Writers need to eat.
February 14, 2015
Available for free, and other books by the author, at https://extribulum.wordpress.com/free...
Colin Byrne is a myth, whispered about among the prison population. He's also a real person, a thief and a bit of a magician. It's a dark magic, the kind that's strongest when you're desperate, one that allows him to be invisible, read the future, and get revenge for injuries against him. With this magic, he survived one stint in prison, and now he's going back, to help uncover a conspiracy and a crime.
Railburg State Correctional Facility holds allies and enemies alike. Colin will have to rely on Gutierrez, who talks to God, Noel, the tattooist doing penance, and Laney, who's in trouble with the Aryan Brotherhood. Each of them has their own small magics, but will it be enough to stop the man who is slowly poisoning the whole prison, an enemy with a dark bargain giving him strength? It's a lot to deal with--protecting his friends, stopping his enemies, uncovering a crime, and most importantly, keeping the was against the darkness from claiming the lives of everyone in the prison. And the enemy isn't going to make it easy.
The book is gripping and readable, sweeping you along with it, and the characters flawed and trapped--and yet somehow free. Within the narrow confines of the prison walls, there's a complex culture, a regimented give and take--and the marginal men who move between worlds, different and a little feared. The mythology inhabits the spaces between the world of children, and adults who see less magic in the world--a myth that reaches out to the adults that are willing to see, if just for a moment. For everyone else, it's probably safer not to look. It's not exactly a happy book, but it has moments of happiness in it, which is perhaps all we can hope for out of life.
Colin Byrne is a myth, whispered about among the prison population. He's also a real person, a thief and a bit of a magician. It's a dark magic, the kind that's strongest when you're desperate, one that allows him to be invisible, read the future, and get revenge for injuries against him. With this magic, he survived one stint in prison, and now he's going back, to help uncover a conspiracy and a crime.
Railburg State Correctional Facility holds allies and enemies alike. Colin will have to rely on Gutierrez, who talks to God, Noel, the tattooist doing penance, and Laney, who's in trouble with the Aryan Brotherhood. Each of them has their own small magics, but will it be enough to stop the man who is slowly poisoning the whole prison, an enemy with a dark bargain giving him strength? It's a lot to deal with--protecting his friends, stopping his enemies, uncovering a crime, and most importantly, keeping the was against the darkness from claiming the lives of everyone in the prison. And the enemy isn't going to make it easy.
The book is gripping and readable, sweeping you along with it, and the characters flawed and trapped--and yet somehow free. Within the narrow confines of the prison walls, there's a complex culture, a regimented give and take--and the marginal men who move between worlds, different and a little feared. The mythology inhabits the spaces between the world of children, and adults who see less magic in the world--a myth that reaches out to the adults that are willing to see, if just for a moment. For everyone else, it's probably safer not to look. It's not exactly a happy book, but it has moments of happiness in it, which is perhaps all we can hope for out of life.
June 28, 2013
so i read this a few years back, after devouring everything Sam has ever written in the Harry Potter fandom...
and I loved Trace. so much. all the strengths of his stories set in other worlds was as evident here if not better...
it was an intriguing world...with an intriguing magic, and well, it totally makes sense to me that this magic could exist in this community of people...
loved loved loved.
=)
and I loved Trace. so much. all the strengths of his stories set in other worlds was as evident here if not better...
it was an intriguing world...with an intriguing magic, and well, it totally makes sense to me that this magic could exist in this community of people...
loved loved loved.
=)
December 6, 2017
Though I prefer urban fantasy over magical realism, I found the slippery and hallucinatory nature of magic in this book really compelling and in some ways more realistic than magic with clear rules and consequences. It hit the sweet spot of tall tales and ghost stories that you believe in the darkness.
I really liked the characters, and though while reading I got a fair idea which fandom this started out in, I feel like it stands better on its own.
I really liked the characters, and though while reading I got a fair idea which fandom this started out in, I feel like it stands better on its own.
September 25, 2012
Beautifully written, and the magic is interesting, although I do find the mojo a little too convenient - things are too easy for Colin. Also I didn't really understand Joseph's Shade/ second shadow. I liked the relationships between the characters though, and how Colin actually orchestrated the whole thing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2015
This was fun, and sweet, and interesting! The world-building was complex but the story itself didn't quite live up to it. The business about Colin's real name needed fleshing out but was sweet nonetheless. The Lise/Colin/Joseph relationship was wonderful, but Colin/Grace/Garbano needed more oomph.
Definitely not Sam's best to date, but worth reading anyway.
Definitely not Sam's best to date, but worth reading anyway.
December 28, 2013
Loved this book! I'm not usually a fan of prison stories, I don't like the ugliness of prison life, but this was very well worth the read. I loved other books by Sam, as well as all of his fan fiction, so I thought I'd give it a try and I'm glad I did.
November 10, 2011
This is a great book. I love the premise, of course, but every character in it is three dimensional and creative and just surprisingly delightful.
May 19, 2013
A brutal exercise in world-building and magical realism. I'm not even sure if I've got Colin's long game figured out, but I don't mind being conned by him at least.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews