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The Lazarus Codex #1
Death Rites
MP3 CD Format Gods run when a Horseman goes to war.
Since being drafted into a position as the Pale Horseman, Lazarus Kerrigan has killed his fair share of gods and monsters. In New Orleans, a city steeped in voodoo and the supernatural, that's saying something.
But when someone else starts killing gods in his city, he takes it personally. His search for the killer leads him to a deadly no holds barred tournament run by the gods themselves. The prize? The right to name the next Black Horseman, Famine. To find the killer, he'll have to enter the tournament and fight gods, monsters, and other Horsemen, eliminating his suspects one by one.
May the best Horseman win.
Since being drafted into a position as the Pale Horseman, Lazarus Kerrigan has killed his fair share of gods and monsters. In New Orleans, a city steeped in voodoo and the supernatural, that's saying something.
But when someone else starts killing gods in his city, he takes it personally. His search for the killer leads him to a deadly no holds barred tournament run by the gods themselves. The prize? The right to name the next Black Horseman, Famine. To find the killer, he'll have to enter the tournament and fight gods, monsters, and other Horsemen, eliminating his suspects one by one.
May the best Horseman win.
326 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2023
322 people are currently reading
502 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
October 24, 2018
Death Rites by EA Copen is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary. This book starts off fast and interesting and goes from one fascinating scene to another, non-stop, full of action and magic! There are regular people and those that can use magic but who would believe in magic? Now who would believe there are lower gods among us causing problems? Somehow a necromancer gets involved in trying to solve a murder before he is accused of being the murderer! Lots of thrills! Love the characters and plot. Can't wait for the next audible book!
The great Travis Baldree preformed the narration and he was excellent! He can perform such a variety of voices, he is so amazing! I forget the book is being read, it becomes a movie in my mind! Great combination of author and narrator! Great job!
The great Travis Baldree preformed the narration and he was excellent! He can perform such a variety of voices, he is so amazing! I forget the book is being read, it becomes a movie in my mind! Great combination of author and narrator! Great job!
July 14, 2019
My rating 4.6
The book “Death Rites (The Lazarus Codex # 1)” by E.A. Copen is very well written and makes you read it late into the night. The story follows a professional necromancer Lazarus Kerrigan who refuses to assist a girl who needed help. But when he returns to his office tomorrow, a police officer is in front of his office, and the girl who asked for help was dead and crushed in front of the entrance. Lazarus is trying to find out what happened because the death of a girl was obviously mixed up with some sort of magic. He goes to his own investigation, but himself becomes a suspect for the police. But soon Lazarus realizes that the game has a much bigger stake because everything begins to engage the creatures much larger and more dangerous. And Lazarus will find himself drawn into a war that lasts for millennia. If you are a fan of fantasy, ghosts, old gods, necromancy, dead and supernatural beings, then this is a book for you. The characters and the world of New Orleans where they are located are super.
The book “Death Rites (The Lazarus Codex # 1)” by E.A. Copen is very well written and makes you read it late into the night. The story follows a professional necromancer Lazarus Kerrigan who refuses to assist a girl who needed help. But when he returns to his office tomorrow, a police officer is in front of his office, and the girl who asked for help was dead and crushed in front of the entrance. Lazarus is trying to find out what happened because the death of a girl was obviously mixed up with some sort of magic. He goes to his own investigation, but himself becomes a suspect for the police. But soon Lazarus realizes that the game has a much bigger stake because everything begins to engage the creatures much larger and more dangerous. And Lazarus will find himself drawn into a war that lasts for millennia. If you are a fan of fantasy, ghosts, old gods, necromancy, dead and supernatural beings, then this is a book for you. The characters and the world of New Orleans where they are located are super.
August 29, 2018
Now THIS is more like it.
Okay let me explain. If you've been following my reviews lately, you'll notice that I've been on something of an Urban Fantasy kick lately. That's just part of my character really; I'll get interested in something and proceed to milk that fucker until its tits fall off. And for the most part, a good chunk of the Urban Fantasy series I've read or tried to read just haven't done anything for me. Bland, by the numbers protagonists, forgettable villains, uninspired plotlines and writing that makes me want to choke on my love for well-written purple prose. But then I read Death Rites, the first in the Lazarus Codex and suddenly I've found something that caught my attention. I would place this in the same league as Alex Verus or Black Magic Outlaw. It's that good.
Warning Minor Spoilers Ahead.
So let's set the scene here. Lazarus Kerrigan is a necromancer living in New Orleans, running a curio shop until one day a woman asks him for help. When he refuses her, the next morning she's found dead in his shop. Feeling guilty and hounded by the cops, he launches into an investigation that has him battling magic, gods and his own place in the city's occult community.
So let's look at what Death Rites does standard first. It's your typical occult detective setup. Main character is some variant of a spellcaster, he lives in a city of adventure, the majority of his friends/coworkers are also part of the world of magic, the villain is some big threat, Laz's actions lead into deeper intrigue, etc, roll credits. But what E.A Copen does right is the difference in style, themes and tone. The setting of New Orleans isn't exactly fresh but the usage of Voodoo and actual necromancy (as actual in communicating with the dead) isn't something I've seen much of in this particular genre. The use of actual Voodoo entities as well such as Baron Samedi add a nice touch of distinct style to the story. The writing is crisp and move along at a good pace. I never felt bored reading, even during the breather moments and that shows the signs of a good writer. The tone, while dire at times also has enough of a dry wit to add some levity when needed.
In some ways I would liken this to the Iron Druid series (what with the Gods walking around in modern times) but at this point, I would far more recommend this over that walking pile of mediocrity....
Why yes, I do have a bit of a bugbear with the Iron Druid series. How did you know?
What separates the two I think is the difference in style and characterisation. The Iron Druid series seemed always far more interested in the fantasy part of Urban Fantasy and played that up more to the detriment of the setting. Ordinary humans were more of an afterthought, which seemed to be why they died/got injured more frequently than the magical characters. It wasn't really a shock to me when around Book 5 of that series, Kevin Hearne just abandoned the setting of Tempe, Arizona and had the characters on the run from the gods in Europe. Death Rites meanwhile sets its feet firmly in its setting and does a good job of utilising both the Urban and Fantasy elements of its setting. Lazarus is not some 2000 year old druid with a bevy of powers, looks and ego to float around on. He's an average guy albeit with necromantic powers. He broke and drives a shitty car. He inhabits a world where he is the underdog. He makes mistakes, he is flawed. Every battle has him getting the shit kicked out of him because his foes are better and stronger. It makes him more endearing to me because it makes his trials and fights more worthwhile. There's actual gravitas and threat behind his problems.
The side characters meanwhile are a mixed bag. Detective Emma Knight is fleshed out enough to feel real and while she hits some of the notes you'd expect from a no-nonsense detective, her character development was realistic enough that I'd be fine with seeing her in future books. Moses Moses (yes, that's his name) is a bit underdeveloped as Knight's partner but his dry wit helped carry him through. The main villain was given enough screen time that they felt like a tangible threat, although the motivations behind their goals were a little vague and confusing, especially when she stopped at the end of the book to deliver a bond-villain monologue about her goals. The villains lackeys were pretty one-note, nothing special, although one of them was given some strange last minute characterisation just after their death. It just felt weird.
In fact it's around the second half of the book that a few cracks appeared. Darius - a thug that had been threatening Laz - suddenly makes amends after meeting Laz, somehow leads him to taking up a pet dog? I'm sorry what? What a strange set of circumstances. For me, that felt like Copen just trying to pull a Deus Ex Machine to resolve a minor plot point. The other hiccup revolved around Odette, Laz's girlfriend. At the start of the book, she shows up for their date, cancels it in favour of a night's shagging, then disappears from the story until the end. There's this lingering red herring that she's dead and related to the main plot but it gets quickly cut to ribbons when she shows up at the end of the story.
Turns out she's a princess of the Summer Court. Fae Royalty. And she disappeared because Mummy Dearest made a pact of neutrality with the villain of the story.
......Yah.....that happened.
Okay in all fairness, I could see Odette at the time of this review, potentially showing up in future installments but the way that this reveal happened could have been handled better. It just felt like a quick way to get the girlfriend out of the story so that her presence wouldn't have to be dealt with. Why not have her show up in the next story as a new girlfriend and have her reveal tie in with the plot of that book? It just felt weird and tacked-on to me.
But overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Death Rites. It was fun and engaging, the characters for the most part likeable and interesting with the only cracks in the book being some strange narrative choices that felt like padding at best and suspension of disbelief-breaking at worst. I'm still game Book 2 and look forward to reading it.
Okay let me explain. If you've been following my reviews lately, you'll notice that I've been on something of an Urban Fantasy kick lately. That's just part of my character really; I'll get interested in something and proceed to milk that fucker until its tits fall off. And for the most part, a good chunk of the Urban Fantasy series I've read or tried to read just haven't done anything for me. Bland, by the numbers protagonists, forgettable villains, uninspired plotlines and writing that makes me want to choke on my love for well-written purple prose. But then I read Death Rites, the first in the Lazarus Codex and suddenly I've found something that caught my attention. I would place this in the same league as Alex Verus or Black Magic Outlaw. It's that good.
Warning Minor Spoilers Ahead.
So let's set the scene here. Lazarus Kerrigan is a necromancer living in New Orleans, running a curio shop until one day a woman asks him for help. When he refuses her, the next morning she's found dead in his shop. Feeling guilty and hounded by the cops, he launches into an investigation that has him battling magic, gods and his own place in the city's occult community.
So let's look at what Death Rites does standard first. It's your typical occult detective setup. Main character is some variant of a spellcaster, he lives in a city of adventure, the majority of his friends/coworkers are also part of the world of magic, the villain is some big threat, Laz's actions lead into deeper intrigue, etc, roll credits. But what E.A Copen does right is the difference in style, themes and tone. The setting of New Orleans isn't exactly fresh but the usage of Voodoo and actual necromancy (as actual in communicating with the dead) isn't something I've seen much of in this particular genre. The use of actual Voodoo entities as well such as Baron Samedi add a nice touch of distinct style to the story. The writing is crisp and move along at a good pace. I never felt bored reading, even during the breather moments and that shows the signs of a good writer. The tone, while dire at times also has enough of a dry wit to add some levity when needed.
In some ways I would liken this to the Iron Druid series (what with the Gods walking around in modern times) but at this point, I would far more recommend this over that walking pile of mediocrity....
Why yes, I do have a bit of a bugbear with the Iron Druid series. How did you know?
What separates the two I think is the difference in style and characterisation. The Iron Druid series seemed always far more interested in the fantasy part of Urban Fantasy and played that up more to the detriment of the setting. Ordinary humans were more of an afterthought, which seemed to be why they died/got injured more frequently than the magical characters. It wasn't really a shock to me when around Book 5 of that series, Kevin Hearne just abandoned the setting of Tempe, Arizona and had the characters on the run from the gods in Europe. Death Rites meanwhile sets its feet firmly in its setting and does a good job of utilising both the Urban and Fantasy elements of its setting. Lazarus is not some 2000 year old druid with a bevy of powers, looks and ego to float around on. He's an average guy albeit with necromantic powers. He broke and drives a shitty car. He inhabits a world where he is the underdog. He makes mistakes, he is flawed. Every battle has him getting the shit kicked out of him because his foes are better and stronger. It makes him more endearing to me because it makes his trials and fights more worthwhile. There's actual gravitas and threat behind his problems.
The side characters meanwhile are a mixed bag. Detective Emma Knight is fleshed out enough to feel real and while she hits some of the notes you'd expect from a no-nonsense detective, her character development was realistic enough that I'd be fine with seeing her in future books. Moses Moses (yes, that's his name) is a bit underdeveloped as Knight's partner but his dry wit helped carry him through. The main villain was given enough screen time that they felt like a tangible threat, although the motivations behind their goals were a little vague and confusing, especially when she stopped at the end of the book to deliver a bond-villain monologue about her goals. The villains lackeys were pretty one-note, nothing special, although one of them was given some strange last minute characterisation just after their death. It just felt weird.
In fact it's around the second half of the book that a few cracks appeared. Darius - a thug that had been threatening Laz - suddenly makes amends after meeting Laz, somehow leads him to taking up a pet dog? I'm sorry what? What a strange set of circumstances. For me, that felt like Copen just trying to pull a Deus Ex Machine to resolve a minor plot point. The other hiccup revolved around Odette, Laz's girlfriend. At the start of the book, she shows up for their date, cancels it in favour of a night's shagging, then disappears from the story until the end. There's this lingering red herring that she's dead and related to the main plot but it gets quickly cut to ribbons when she shows up at the end of the story.
Turns out she's a princess of the Summer Court. Fae Royalty. And she disappeared because Mummy Dearest made a pact of neutrality with the villain of the story.
......Yah.....that happened.
Okay in all fairness, I could see Odette at the time of this review, potentially showing up in future installments but the way that this reveal happened could have been handled better. It just felt like a quick way to get the girlfriend out of the story so that her presence wouldn't have to be dealt with. Why not have her show up in the next story as a new girlfriend and have her reveal tie in with the plot of that book? It just felt weird and tacked-on to me.
But overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Death Rites. It was fun and engaging, the characters for the most part likeable and interesting with the only cracks in the book being some strange narrative choices that felt like padding at best and suspension of disbelief-breaking at worst. I'm still game Book 2 and look forward to reading it.
April 22, 2023
Reread 04/2023 review-3.9 stars.
Original 07/2020 review-4.7 stars? Such a pleasant surprise 😁
Original 07/2020 review-4.7 stars? Such a pleasant surprise 😁
May 24, 2019
Some reviewers said this series was much like the "Dresden Files" but I will admit I have never read that series so I couldn't say one way or the other. Lazarus, the main character, is a Necromancer living in New Orleans. An ex-con for a crime he didn't commit, Lazarus is on a search for the killer of his sister, of whom he got the blame thus going to prison. Now rebuilding his business he is on a case and turns down a young lady who is asking for help. The next day he finds her literally 'flattened' on the step leading into his business. He is corralled by the two detectives investigating the murder, Emma Knight and Moses Moses, both non-believers of majic. The story involves him taking the case and ending up befriending the detectives. It's an enjoyable read but does have a number of grammatical errors and typos. Needs better editing but still I enjoyed the story, will continue the series.
December 19, 2018
Received this book free during a recent promotion; never had heard of the author or the series. My first thought was that we already have Dresden Files, why do we need this clone? Second thought was that this guy's parents named him Lazarus and were shocked and appalled when he began to raise the dead??! My third thought was that I needed to let go of wondering whether this author can spell "plagiarism" and just decide if the book was any good or not. The answer is ...yes and no. There were some aspects of the story that didn't hold together. The guy has $9 in his pocket but is taking his high-class girlfriend to dinner at some swanky restaurant. Just how was he going to handle that? Also ... how does he manage to HAVE this high-class, educated girlfriend? On the other hand, there were some interesting twists between beginning and end.
For UF, I want a MC who is engaging, personable, witty. This guy did not meet those criteria, on the whole. For UF, there needs to be a location that plays into the story; story is set in NOLA, which is practically purpose-built for UF, so points there. Lastly, the MC has got to have surrounding characters that are, again, engaging, entertaining, strong; nothing like that here. So ... series doesn't rate high on my UF-meter. As a mystery, I HATE when the MC doesn't learn from past incidents. Sure. He's been taken down in surprise by two spells. No reason at ALL he should be looking for it to happen again.
Having said all that, it wasn't a badly-written book. Perhaps the series will grow and improve with later books. Also ... very satisfying ending. I didn't love it, but I did finish it.
For UF, I want a MC who is engaging, personable, witty. This guy did not meet those criteria, on the whole. For UF, there needs to be a location that plays into the story; story is set in NOLA, which is practically purpose-built for UF, so points there. Lastly, the MC has got to have surrounding characters that are, again, engaging, entertaining, strong; nothing like that here. So ... series doesn't rate high on my UF-meter. As a mystery, I HATE when the MC doesn't learn from past incidents. Sure. He's been taken down in surprise by two spells. No reason at ALL he should be looking for it to happen again.
Having said all that, it wasn't a badly-written book. Perhaps the series will grow and improve with later books. Also ... very satisfying ending. I didn't love it, but I did finish it.
June 14, 2019
Move over Dresden and Vesik. There's a new kid in town... Meet Lazarus Kerrigan (Laz for short). A wizard, necromancer, an all around nice guy, and the proprietor of a magic shop in New Orleans, who's just trying to get by, offering up seances that are more showmanship than the real thing, because people really can't handle reality, no matter how much they beg to see their dead mother one final time...
Laz' life is about to get really complicated when the police discover a body on the doorstop of his shop!
Travis Baldree did what Travis Baldree does best, giving us a damn fine narration performance!
Ya' gotta grab this wonderful Urban Fantasy, and stalk the backstreets and graveyards of New Orleans with Laz, as he searches for answers to what's happening!
Laz' life is about to get really complicated when the police discover a body on the doorstop of his shop!
Travis Baldree did what Travis Baldree does best, giving us a damn fine narration performance!
Ya' gotta grab this wonderful Urban Fantasy, and stalk the backstreets and graveyards of New Orleans with Laz, as he searches for answers to what's happening!
May 23, 2019
When fortune telling and seances pay the Bill's what's an ex-con necromancer gonna do when a corpse ends up on his shops door step? Well he's going to get into all sorts of trouble figuring out who murdered an innocent t firm and why they were dumped at his shop.
Lazarus Kerrigan and his opening adventure held me captivated from page 1. The world he lives in is mesmerizing! I don't want to post any spoilers but I can say I am glad I get paid tomorrow so I can hopefully get the rest of the books I'm the series!!!!
I'd you like Urban Fantasy like The Dresden Files this is for you!
Once again E.A. Copen hits it out of the ballpark!
Lazarus Kerrigan and his opening adventure held me captivated from page 1. The world he lives in is mesmerizing! I don't want to post any spoilers but I can say I am glad I get paid tomorrow so I can hopefully get the rest of the books I'm the series!!!!
I'd you like Urban Fantasy like The Dresden Files this is for you!
Once again E.A. Copen hits it out of the ballpark!
April 13, 2018
A thoroughly enjoyable book! I love the premise of this series, it has an exciting storyline, great characters and truly fantastic protagonist. I felt quite sorry for Laz at times and found myself rooting for him (and for him to succeed!) and I really liked how the story progressed. Can’t wait for the next one!
May 6, 2019
Awesome
Love the new series. Definitely going to get the whole set. Really love the way the paranormal is depicted here.
Love the new series. Definitely going to get the whole set. Really love the way the paranormal is depicted here.
March 23, 2019
My husband suggested I give this story (audiobook version) a go. While I had some issues, in the beginning, figuring out what type of story this was, overall, I really liked it and want to continue with the series. I loved the Baron, he was a cool, doesn’t-take-shit-from-anyone kind of guy; I was also a fan of Moses Moses.
Issues… I couldn’t help but notice several similarities between this book and one I read not too long ago – Quincy Harker by John G. Hartness.
Quincy is referred to as the Reaper, while Lazarus has his own Reaper – Persephone
Both have a supernatural creature/entity that keeps tabs on them (Glory/Angel and Persephone/Reaper)
Both can do magic
They both have the female, smart-ass type cop that treats them like garbage and doesn’t believe them in the beginning but then comes around.
They both bring back said females to life which creates a mental connection between them.
Anyway, I loved the narrator, he did a great job. At first, I thought it was the same guy that had narrated Quincy Jones; the guys sound like they could be brothers. He’s got that natural flow when it comes to reading, to where it doesn’t sound like he’s reading from a script. He’s definitely a keeper.
I only have one question:
What really happened to Odette? It seems strange that she would just up and leave, not even leave a note or anything behind. Then when the cops go looking for her, there’s no sign of her anywhere, no credit cards or anything, which seemed even stranger.
Issues… I couldn’t help but notice several similarities between this book and one I read not too long ago – Quincy Harker by John G. Hartness.
Quincy is referred to as the Reaper, while Lazarus has his own Reaper – Persephone
Both have a supernatural creature/entity that keeps tabs on them (Glory/Angel and Persephone/Reaper)
Both can do magic
They both have the female, smart-ass type cop that treats them like garbage and doesn’t believe them in the beginning but then comes around.
They both bring back said females to life which creates a mental connection between them.
Anyway, I loved the narrator, he did a great job. At first, I thought it was the same guy that had narrated Quincy Jones; the guys sound like they could be brothers. He’s got that natural flow when it comes to reading, to where it doesn’t sound like he’s reading from a script. He’s definitely a keeper.
I only have one question:
What really happened to Odette? It seems strange that she would just up and leave, not even leave a note or anything behind. Then when the cops go looking for her, there’s no sign of her anywhere, no credit cards or anything, which seemed even stranger.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2023
Death Rites by E.A. Copen did a lot of things right, and had me very well entertained. The time and style is similar to Harry Dresden, sadly it also has some of the major flaws of that series.
The way the main character talks / thinks about women was a bit annoying every so often, like - not a direct quote as I audiobooked - "Nothing could happen to her. The *only* good women I knew!"
Because women are all high maintenance, or double faced beings? He is broke as hell, but he does manage to get a table at a super exclusive restaurant for his girlfriend - what does he plan to pay the bill with? He is tempted by a stripper in a club, but a few pages later he's all affronted, as he's "faithful" after all! Sometimes he's full of the male gaze, then he's just a normal guy in other scenes. It didn't feel constant, but like a very uneven character trait. Cab you please make up your mind?
Outside of this, I really loved the necromancy part (I always loved death as a topic), and the story was fast paced and engaging. I liked the mystery and the side characters, so I breezed through the story.
There's a very detailed Bond villain type monologue at the end, which felt quite artificial. I'd have liked that handled a bit differently.
There's also one side character doing a complete 180° turn, which felt really odd story wise, but as it involves a dog, I personally loved that bit.
All in all a very promising start to a series, and one I'll be sure to read on!
The way the main character talks / thinks about women was a bit annoying every so often, like - not a direct quote as I audiobooked - "Nothing could happen to her. The *only* good women I knew!"
Because women are all high maintenance, or double faced beings? He is broke as hell, but he does manage to get a table at a super exclusive restaurant for his girlfriend - what does he plan to pay the bill with? He is tempted by a stripper in a club, but a few pages later he's all affronted, as he's "faithful" after all! Sometimes he's full of the male gaze, then he's just a normal guy in other scenes. It didn't feel constant, but like a very uneven character trait. Cab you please make up your mind?
Outside of this, I really loved the necromancy part (I always loved death as a topic), and the story was fast paced and engaging. I liked the mystery and the side characters, so I breezed through the story.
There's a very detailed Bond villain type monologue at the end, which felt quite artificial. I'd have liked that handled a bit differently.
There's also one side character doing a complete 180° turn, which felt really odd story wise, but as it involves a dog, I personally loved that bit.
All in all a very promising start to a series, and one I'll be sure to read on!
September 22, 2018
Death Rites - a review by Rosemary Kenny
Introducing Lazarus 'Laz' Kerrigan - an ordinary-seeming nice guy, with friends and a busy professional life as a necromancer or wizard, struggling to get a break and pay his bills on time.
That's the human side that most people get to see; behind the everyday life of New Orleans a paranormal world exists and there Laz is the Pale Horseman aka Death Incarnate, aka one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who can raise the dead when necessary, talks to ghosts and asks for help from the long-dead and the undying.
On a night when he has a hot date, a young woman in distress approaches Laz for help. He tells her to return in the morning, and she does - dead and dumped on his doorstep, as somebody tries to frame Laz for her murder! When Laz's girlfriend is kidnapped Laz is forced to take desperate measures to save her from a ghoulish fate!
Not to be missed, Death Rites is an all-action, fully-engaging supernatural urban fantasy like no other, sure to be a winner for E A Copen. buy your copy today and tell your friends about the first in The Lazarus Codex series.
Don't miss it, as it's unputdownable and a great addition to Ms Copen's growing library of success!
Introducing Lazarus 'Laz' Kerrigan - an ordinary-seeming nice guy, with friends and a busy professional life as a necromancer or wizard, struggling to get a break and pay his bills on time.
That's the human side that most people get to see; behind the everyday life of New Orleans a paranormal world exists and there Laz is the Pale Horseman aka Death Incarnate, aka one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who can raise the dead when necessary, talks to ghosts and asks for help from the long-dead and the undying.
On a night when he has a hot date, a young woman in distress approaches Laz for help. He tells her to return in the morning, and she does - dead and dumped on his doorstep, as somebody tries to frame Laz for her murder! When Laz's girlfriend is kidnapped Laz is forced to take desperate measures to save her from a ghoulish fate!
Not to be missed, Death Rites is an all-action, fully-engaging supernatural urban fantasy like no other, sure to be a winner for E A Copen. buy your copy today and tell your friends about the first in The Lazarus Codex series.
Don't miss it, as it's unputdownable and a great addition to Ms Copen's growing library of success!
June 23, 2021
Fantasy is my first love in genres & although I have been reading MM romance for a while now I wanted to go back & read some of the stuff I might have missed in the interim. This series came up & I was very nervous because it was likened to The Dresden Files & that's some ginormous shoes to fill right there.
It wasn't bad but I am super biased & probably would have loved it if I hadn't have read Jim Butcher previously but there's just too many crossovers that I just couldn't get past. They may be almost unavoidable in some ways when doing Urban Fantasy but the themes that were in this book were like a patchwork of other authors' series that I have read & it was hard not have those at the forefront of my mind while reading this.
I will try the next one to see where it goes from here so I don't just poo-poo the whole thing but my TBR is huge so if the next one doesn't pan out, then that's it for this series.
It wasn't bad but I am super biased & probably would have loved it if I hadn't have read Jim Butcher previously but there's just too many crossovers that I just couldn't get past. They may be almost unavoidable in some ways when doing Urban Fantasy but the themes that were in this book were like a patchwork of other authors' series that I have read & it was hard not have those at the forefront of my mind while reading this.
I will try the next one to see where it goes from here so I don't just poo-poo the whole thing but my TBR is huge so if the next one doesn't pan out, then that's it for this series.
April 8, 2019
An interesting and worthy take on the necromancer theme of urban fantasy books. There are of course a lot of stories on necromencers, voodoo and New Orleans but I felt this one had writing and characters that were worthy of my attention. A great beginning and an ending that makes me want to read more, I only got a little lost/bored in the slower middle but it picked up and I really enjoyed Laz's new role, the revelations about his life and the relationship he was building with the police detectives, Moss and Emma, this willing to out their faith in the unusual and take a leap into the wilder side of New Orleans. I will go back for more.
October 27, 2018
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As with any urban fantasy story involving a wise-cracking main character who uses magic, it is inevitably compared to the Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher - sort of like any man-eating shark story is compared to Jaws or any demon child story to Damien and Exorcist - well you get the picture. Lazarus Kerrigan deserves to stand on its own. With that being said, I do recommend this series to anyone who is a fan of the Dresden series or Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka.
There is not a lot of world building as the book starts but I was very much immediately transported to the world of Lazarus Kerrigan. Lazarus is a witty well-developed character - who besides having netherworld issues -- also has the very down-to-earth concerns about money and relationships. What is interesting about Lazarus is that he is a necromancer - can talk to the dead and get power from the dead. And because the story takes place in New Orleans, voodoo is thrown into the mix - something you do not usually see in urban fantasy books.
The two law enforcement characters -- Detective Emma Knight and Detective Moses Moses [yes, same name twice] are not as developed as Lazarus. Moses was a bit one note to me - but a good counterpoint to the uptight Emma Knight.
A few minor points which were a miss for me -- the handling of Darius - a gang member who threatens Lazarus; the missing Lazarus' girlfriend Odette; and the villian speech. Funny, during the villian speech - I kept thinking of the scene in Goldfinger when Bond is on the ropes --
Bond: Do you expect me to talk?
Goldfinger: No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die.
-- and wished the villian speech here was not so "Scooby Doo"ish. But, even with those minor quibbles, the story was solid and entertaining. I am looking forward to continuing with the series.
As I listened to this book -- the narrator, Travis Baldree, was fantastic. He was able to set the mood of the book and tone of the characters from the beginning. Sometimes when male narrators do female character voices, it becomes a distraction from the story. Here, Travis was able to very deftly do all the different character voices [even the female characters] so that you immediately knew which character was speaking. I hope that Travis Baldree continues to narrate this series.
As with any urban fantasy story involving a wise-cracking main character who uses magic, it is inevitably compared to the Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher - sort of like any man-eating shark story is compared to Jaws or any demon child story to Damien and Exorcist - well you get the picture. Lazarus Kerrigan deserves to stand on its own. With that being said, I do recommend this series to anyone who is a fan of the Dresden series or Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka.
There is not a lot of world building as the book starts but I was very much immediately transported to the world of Lazarus Kerrigan. Lazarus is a witty well-developed character - who besides having netherworld issues -- also has the very down-to-earth concerns about money and relationships. What is interesting about Lazarus is that he is a necromancer - can talk to the dead and get power from the dead. And because the story takes place in New Orleans, voodoo is thrown into the mix - something you do not usually see in urban fantasy books.
The two law enforcement characters -- Detective Emma Knight and Detective Moses Moses [yes, same name twice] are not as developed as Lazarus. Moses was a bit one note to me - but a good counterpoint to the uptight Emma Knight.
A few minor points which were a miss for me -- the handling of Darius - a gang member who threatens Lazarus; the missing Lazarus' girlfriend Odette; and the villian speech. Funny, during the villian speech - I kept thinking of the scene in Goldfinger when Bond is on the ropes --
Bond: Do you expect me to talk?
Goldfinger: No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die.
-- and wished the villian speech here was not so "Scooby Doo"ish. But, even with those minor quibbles, the story was solid and entertaining. I am looking forward to continuing with the series.
As I listened to this book -- the narrator, Travis Baldree, was fantastic. He was able to set the mood of the book and tone of the characters from the beginning. Sometimes when male narrators do female character voices, it becomes a distraction from the story. Here, Travis was able to very deftly do all the different character voices [even the female characters] so that you immediately knew which character was speaking. I hope that Travis Baldree continues to narrate this series.
August 18, 2020
Excellent
Laz is the perfect imperfect hero. He has a strong sense of right and a desire to protect the innocent. He also has a bit of a temper which will lead him to do rash things in future books.
Laz is the perfect imperfect hero. He has a strong sense of right and a desire to protect the innocent. He also has a bit of a temper which will lead him to do rash things in future books.
January 15, 2020
(at this time of review read until Book 2)
I would say that The Lazarus Codex series in what I consider to be " Urban Fantasy Junk Food ".
It has all the elements of the usual Urban Fantasy genre with the secretly powerful MC investigating mysterious happenings around his local area, only to find dastardly supernatural enemies to fight as well as mysteries and magics abound.
However the issues I have with this series is that the forewarning for future plot twists are extremely heavy handed that as you read them it basically almost spells out exactly what's gonna happen. Which then makes it somewhat painful to read how the MC somehow doesn't realize anything. (tldr MC is dumb as rocks)
Also the MC is very wishy washy when it comes to his personality. One chapter he's almost like a looser and weakling persona who apparently likes to sexually gaze at every female. And in the next chapter he's a righteous feminist who defends everyone and is a super BAMF action hero. It makes it a little off putting.
However the action and magic lore is really good though. I love the pacing enough to read through most of the cringe parts, enough anyways to get me to Book 2.
By Book 2 the amount of cringe with the romance has reached to the point of extreme cringe and that's about where I stopped reading this series.
If you want some Urban Fantasy that doesn't require much deep thinking and a pretty shallow romance aspect then I guess I recc this series to the reader.
I would say that The Lazarus Codex series in what I consider to be " Urban Fantasy Junk Food ".
It has all the elements of the usual Urban Fantasy genre with the secretly powerful MC investigating mysterious happenings around his local area, only to find dastardly supernatural enemies to fight as well as mysteries and magics abound.
However the issues I have with this series is that the forewarning for future plot twists are extremely heavy handed that as you read them it basically almost spells out exactly what's gonna happen. Which then makes it somewhat painful to read how the MC somehow doesn't realize anything. (tldr MC is dumb as rocks)
Also the MC is very wishy washy when it comes to his personality. One chapter he's almost like a looser and weakling persona who apparently likes to sexually gaze at every female. And in the next chapter he's a righteous feminist who defends everyone and is a super BAMF action hero. It makes it a little off putting.
However the action and magic lore is really good though. I love the pacing enough to read through most of the cringe parts, enough anyways to get me to Book 2.
By Book 2 the amount of cringe with the romance has reached to the point of extreme cringe and that's about where I stopped reading this series.
If you want some Urban Fantasy that doesn't require much deep thinking and a pretty shallow romance aspect then I guess I recc this series to the reader.
May 31, 2019
This was recommended to me because it was like the Dresden Files. It is very similar to The Dresden Files in that specific parallels, almost to the point of direct correlation, are there. The janky car, the tough female curly haired cop, the unlikely set of allies... The writing style however is not like the Dresden Files in that it is not as funny, quippy, or entertaining. At some point the main character picks a fight with a client for no reason I can see other than the author was trying to make the character as irreverent as Dresden. Within the context of the scene it was completely inexplicable. All that to say, it did scratch that Dresden itch. It's really not fair to say it's not as good when it was perfectly mildly entertaining.
October 25, 2018
Lazarus Kerrigan is a necromancer living in New Orleans who runs a curiosity shop of sorts. Part of the story had an almost Harry Dresden feel to it. The main character barely make ends meet and gets involved with the police plus he can do magic or in his case communicate with the dead and a bit more…
The story moves along at a great clip and I enjoyed how the author combined; faerie, voodoo and the practitioners of that craft seamlessly in with Laz’s brand of magic. It’s always nice when an author brings in something not widely used into their work giving them an out of the box feel.
For a while Detective Emma was beginning to make me a little irritated and wondered if she would be stuck in the one-dimensional “He’s guilty” mode for the rest of the story. Thankfully she was able to wrap her head around that there is so much more out there than the world knows or wants to know.
Loved the droll dry wit from Moses Moses. I think his laid back attitude is the perfect foil for Emma’s more aggressive lets rush in guns blazing approach. Yes he has the same name twice, I work in rural villages in Alaska and I run into that all the time so same double names are the norm in parts of the world.
The bad guy started out very mysterious then sort of disintegrated into an over the top villain, complete with bad girl monologue, a bit of an eye roll. I think some of this got away from the author a bit and they improvised a bit on how to do the wrap up and leave a window open to the next book.
Mild spoiler alert- Odette, I will admit from the beginning she had me giving her side eye as they say something felt off about her even before her disappearance. When she went missing I thought really bad things about her and her possible involvement in the problems facing Laz. Her return and her reasoning’s for leaving just didn’t feel right. The feeling is that her newly revealed heritage is going to play a big part in the next book and how its going to bend or break Laz.
Laz needs to get himself a good lunch and pack some power bars in his pockets because he gets his butt handed to him time and time again by the bad guys. He barely managers to get himself out of one predicament before landing smack dab in the middle of another. His decrepitating humor and giant size heart and back story makes you keep cheering for him and wishing someone give that man a big juicy steak because he’s going to need all of his energy for his new role.
I received an ARC from Booksprout and I am leaving a voluntary review.
The story moves along at a great clip and I enjoyed how the author combined; faerie, voodoo and the practitioners of that craft seamlessly in with Laz’s brand of magic. It’s always nice when an author brings in something not widely used into their work giving them an out of the box feel.
For a while Detective Emma was beginning to make me a little irritated and wondered if she would be stuck in the one-dimensional “He’s guilty” mode for the rest of the story. Thankfully she was able to wrap her head around that there is so much more out there than the world knows or wants to know.
Loved the droll dry wit from Moses Moses. I think his laid back attitude is the perfect foil for Emma’s more aggressive lets rush in guns blazing approach. Yes he has the same name twice, I work in rural villages in Alaska and I run into that all the time so same double names are the norm in parts of the world.
The bad guy started out very mysterious then sort of disintegrated into an over the top villain, complete with bad girl monologue, a bit of an eye roll. I think some of this got away from the author a bit and they improvised a bit on how to do the wrap up and leave a window open to the next book.
Mild spoiler alert- Odette, I will admit from the beginning she had me giving her side eye as they say something felt off about her even before her disappearance. When she went missing I thought really bad things about her and her possible involvement in the problems facing Laz. Her return and her reasoning’s for leaving just didn’t feel right. The feeling is that her newly revealed heritage is going to play a big part in the next book and how its going to bend or break Laz.
Laz needs to get himself a good lunch and pack some power bars in his pockets because he gets his butt handed to him time and time again by the bad guys. He barely managers to get himself out of one predicament before landing smack dab in the middle of another. His decrepitating humor and giant size heart and back story makes you keep cheering for him and wishing someone give that man a big juicy steak because he’s going to need all of his energy for his new role.
I received an ARC from Booksprout and I am leaving a voluntary review.
September 14, 2020
Un tout bon roman de série B sans grande profondeur philosophique mais qui laisse la place à un anti héros (Lazarus), nécromancien de profession à la Nouvelle Orléans, sympathique, doté d'auto dérision et d'empathie qui jusqu'ici vivait de peu sans vraiment utiliser ou prendre conscience de ses pouvoirs
Même les méchants ne sont pas les habituels vampires ou loup garous du genre mais d'anciens dieux ou déesses abandonnés des humains (cela m'a rappelé l'excellent American Gods de Neil Gaiman )
J'ai apprécié ma lecture sans prise de tête et retrouverai à l'occasion Lazarus dans ses autres combats contre les dieux, la Mort et autres manipulateurs des âmes et destins humains tout en compatissant aux multiples douleurs, blessures (au propre et au figuré) que l'auteure afflige à son personnage même si les autres personnages sont plus stéréotypés
A very good B series novel,without great philosophical depth, but which leaves place to an anti hero (Lazarus), necromancer by profession in New Orleans, sympathetic, endowed with self derision and empathy , anti hero who so far lived by little without really using or becoming fully aware of all his powers
Even the villains are not the usual vampires or werewolves of the genre but ancient gods or goddesses abandoned from humans (this reminded me of the excellent American Gods by Neil Gaiman)
I enjoyed my reading without any headache and will occasionally accompagny Lazarus in his future battles against the gods, Death and other manipulators of human souls and destinies while sympathizing to the multiple pains, wounds (proper and figurative) that the author afflicts her character
Même les méchants ne sont pas les habituels vampires ou loup garous du genre mais d'anciens dieux ou déesses abandonnés des humains (cela m'a rappelé l'excellent American Gods de Neil Gaiman )
J'ai apprécié ma lecture sans prise de tête et retrouverai à l'occasion Lazarus dans ses autres combats contre les dieux, la Mort et autres manipulateurs des âmes et destins humains tout en compatissant aux multiples douleurs, blessures (au propre et au figuré) que l'auteure afflige à son personnage même si les autres personnages sont plus stéréotypés
A very good B series novel,without great philosophical depth, but which leaves place to an anti hero (Lazarus), necromancer by profession in New Orleans, sympathetic, endowed with self derision and empathy , anti hero who so far lived by little without really using or becoming fully aware of all his powers
Even the villains are not the usual vampires or werewolves of the genre but ancient gods or goddesses abandoned from humans (this reminded me of the excellent American Gods by Neil Gaiman)
I enjoyed my reading without any headache and will occasionally accompagny Lazarus in his future battles against the gods, Death and other manipulators of human souls and destinies while sympathizing to the multiple pains, wounds (proper and figurative) that the author afflicts her character
January 9, 2019
Man, what a great way to complete the first half of a 13-hour drive! This was a story that I would not have heard of were it not for a social media group I am a member of (Thanks for the Booky McBookface recommendation, Team TW).
I am growing to be a greater fan of urban fantasy and I feel this is a great representation of that genre. I loved how the story rapidly launched you into the main plot point with Brandy.
As a D&D fan, I thoroughly enjoyed the necromancy narrative and the explanations behind several of the powers/capabilities that Laz displayed throughout. The powers introduced by the Baron were also a great twist and a storyline I can’t wait to see explored more in the sequels. The shifting relationship between Laz, Emma, and Moses was an immediate draw-in-and-keep-you-hooked aspect of the story for me.
The methods Laz used to work with and control the dead, in a manner far different than that of a medium from a traditional story, was fun. I really enjoyed the portrayal of impact the use of the powers Laz possessed had on him, for example the kiss of life. Likewise, watching a skeptic get thrown face first into this world shift their mindset became another great hook for the story.
Oh, and for those that decide to read/listen to the story, wait until you meet Jolene. The Baron was also a fantastic character that actually reminded me of the voodoo character from the latest season of American Horror Story.
This is the third story I have listened to that was narrated by Travis Baldree. He did a fantastic job as usual and really helped bring the story to life.
I can’t wait for the next entry in this series and will be lined up to purchase it once the Audible release is announced. This book definitely helped solidify my interest in Urban Fantasy. I can now firmly say that, as with Starship Troopers, yes, “I would like to know more”.
I am growing to be a greater fan of urban fantasy and I feel this is a great representation of that genre. I loved how the story rapidly launched you into the main plot point with Brandy.
As a D&D fan, I thoroughly enjoyed the necromancy narrative and the explanations behind several of the powers/capabilities that Laz displayed throughout. The powers introduced by the Baron were also a great twist and a storyline I can’t wait to see explored more in the sequels. The shifting relationship between Laz, Emma, and Moses was an immediate draw-in-and-keep-you-hooked aspect of the story for me.
The methods Laz used to work with and control the dead, in a manner far different than that of a medium from a traditional story, was fun. I really enjoyed the portrayal of impact the use of the powers Laz possessed had on him, for example the kiss of life. Likewise, watching a skeptic get thrown face first into this world shift their mindset became another great hook for the story.
Oh, and for those that decide to read/listen to the story, wait until you meet Jolene. The Baron was also a fantastic character that actually reminded me of the voodoo character from the latest season of American Horror Story.
This is the third story I have listened to that was narrated by Travis Baldree. He did a fantastic job as usual and really helped bring the story to life.
I can’t wait for the next entry in this series and will be lined up to purchase it once the Audible release is announced. This book definitely helped solidify my interest in Urban Fantasy. I can now firmly say that, as with Starship Troopers, yes, “I would like to know more”.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2018
I received an Audible code through AudiobookBoom for an honest review. What follows is my opinion and mine alone. There was no compensation made for this review.
I find the Urban Fantasy genre to be a very fun genre. You have your kickass hero who is usually solving a crime and using magic to do it. It is usually action-packed and the reader is almost always in for a good ride.
Death Rites by E.A. Copen isn't that much different. Now, the concept of a wizard in a city solving a murder isn't all that unusual. You have your Dresden Files for example. And really, Lazarus Kerrigan is very much a Harry Dresden-esque character. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if good old Harry wasn't an inspiration for Laz.
That said, I feel this book does stand on its own. You have a basic feel of pantheon mythologies mixed into the Fae and shove in a dash of your Urban Fantasy stylized magic. Voila, you have the Lazarus Codex series.
Basically, if you like one, you are likely to like the other. That said, you may not like it if you have oversaturated yourself in Urban Fantasy. I haven't done that, so this is me liking this series (I can just admit that there are similarities that go with the genre that could make this just another one of the batch).
All in all, this is a fun ride of an Urban Fantasy and I do want to continue with the series.
Final Rating: 4/5
I find the Urban Fantasy genre to be a very fun genre. You have your kickass hero who is usually solving a crime and using magic to do it. It is usually action-packed and the reader is almost always in for a good ride.
Death Rites by E.A. Copen isn't that much different. Now, the concept of a wizard in a city solving a murder isn't all that unusual. You have your Dresden Files for example. And really, Lazarus Kerrigan is very much a Harry Dresden-esque character. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if good old Harry wasn't an inspiration for Laz.
That said, I feel this book does stand on its own. You have a basic feel of pantheon mythologies mixed into the Fae and shove in a dash of your Urban Fantasy stylized magic. Voila, you have the Lazarus Codex series.
Basically, if you like one, you are likely to like the other. That said, you may not like it if you have oversaturated yourself in Urban Fantasy. I haven't done that, so this is me liking this series (I can just admit that there are similarities that go with the genre that could make this just another one of the batch).
All in all, this is a fun ride of an Urban Fantasy and I do want to continue with the series.
Final Rating: 4/5
July 30, 2018
E.A. Copen has become one of my buy-no-matter-what authors, and Death Rites is no different. Very much in the Harry Dresden vain, this opener of another Copen series delights -- even as the protagonist flirts with death more times than I can count.
As violent and disturbing as Death Rites can occasionally be (and there is one passage near the end that had me shuddering and squirming), this book contains all the charm and personal attention that Copen's work normally entails.
The mystery that unfolds early isn't the true point of this one, and the whodunnit of it all eventually takes a back seat to worldbuilding and establishing that there is far more to Lazarus than even he realizes. Yet Copen never loses sight of Lazarus or any of the other characters, so even the big exposition pieces or action sequences never lose their personality.
I bought the follow-up, Organ Grind, when I was only halfway through Death Rites. If urban fantasy, necromancy, and wisecracking protagonists are your thing, this book and this series are definitely for you.
As violent and disturbing as Death Rites can occasionally be (and there is one passage near the end that had me shuddering and squirming), this book contains all the charm and personal attention that Copen's work normally entails.
The mystery that unfolds early isn't the true point of this one, and the whodunnit of it all eventually takes a back seat to worldbuilding and establishing that there is far more to Lazarus than even he realizes. Yet Copen never loses sight of Lazarus or any of the other characters, so even the big exposition pieces or action sequences never lose their personality.
I bought the follow-up, Organ Grind, when I was only halfway through Death Rites. If urban fantasy, necromancy, and wisecracking protagonists are your thing, this book and this series are definitely for you.
November 2, 2018
ONE INCREDIBLY THRILLING ADVENTURE!!!
Whoa baby! Talk about things that go bump in the night. All the twists and turns, ups and downs, ins and outs, along with a few glitches unpredictable events make for one exciting experience. With drama, mystery, danger and suspense that keeps building and tension thickens throughout as the story unfolds. Action packed, fast paced, hard hitting, nailbiting, heart pounding, pulse racing, this page turning dynamite captivates from the start. The characters are written with such realism it really pulls this bad boy together beautifully. The scenes are so detailed and descriptive it's easy to picture each scenario as they play off one another in perfect balance. Copen did a remarkable job bringing this read to life flawlessly. Fantastic job Copen, thanks for sharing this bad boy with us.
Whoa baby! Talk about things that go bump in the night. All the twists and turns, ups and downs, ins and outs, along with a few glitches unpredictable events make for one exciting experience. With drama, mystery, danger and suspense that keeps building and tension thickens throughout as the story unfolds. Action packed, fast paced, hard hitting, nailbiting, heart pounding, pulse racing, this page turning dynamite captivates from the start. The characters are written with such realism it really pulls this bad boy together beautifully. The scenes are so detailed and descriptive it's easy to picture each scenario as they play off one another in perfect balance. Copen did a remarkable job bringing this read to life flawlessly. Fantastic job Copen, thanks for sharing this bad boy with us.
March 19, 2019
Thought this was a very exciting & riveting read with necromancer, Lazarus, trying to figure out who & why someone's targeting people known to him & leaving them crushed & flattened like they've been run over by a steamroller! Seems like someone's trying to implicate him - especially when his girlfriend suddenly disappears! There then follows a brilliant, action-packed adventure in which he teams up with police detectives Emma & Moses; all combined in a wonderful mixture of 'deathly' humour, kick-ass moves, magic, voodoo, mad gods, fae, demons, reapers, et al!! Loved reading Laz's journey as he finds his blossoming power which will help him in a humdinger of a God-killing battle. A blistering ending resulting in a new 'pale' status & job title he'd never thought possible! Highly recommended magical read!
May 14, 2021
It would be solid 4, if not for the obvious "inspiration" (=plagiarism) taken from Dresden files. With that in mind, it's more of a 2.7/5, which is between bad and mediocre for me.
There's the tall, dark haired wizard, who openly practices magic (no mention of yellow pages yet, but give it time). He has an old car, with replacement parts of differing colors. There's also the skeptical, short policewoman, who's hard on the outside, but has a girl-next-door charm beneath it. She, of course, has an adorable living space, full of flowers.
It's good-ish. Not as good as Dresden files, but good nonetheless. I'll probably read the next one too, but if the "borrowing" of intellectual property continues, I'll probably drop the series. I probably won't really recommend it to my friends, but we'll see.
There's the tall, dark haired wizard, who openly practices magic (no mention of yellow pages yet, but give it time). He has an old car, with replacement parts of differing colors. There's also the skeptical, short policewoman, who's hard on the outside, but has a girl-next-door charm beneath it. She, of course, has an adorable living space, full of flowers.
It's good-ish. Not as good as Dresden files, but good nonetheless. I'll probably read the next one too, but if the "borrowing" of intellectual property continues, I'll probably drop the series. I probably won't really recommend it to my friends, but we'll see.
June 6, 2019
Who doesn't love the idea of magic? Death Rites is an urban fantasy that also touches on the old myths of Roman Gods and so much more. This is not the type of book I usually lean toward but after reading it, I think it has changed my opinion of the genre. I absolutely loved this book and the story kept my rapt attention. By far, the dialog was top notch and I explain it further in my review, but it is worthy of saying again. Absolutely spectacular dialog. The story not only kept my attention the whole time and had me making guesses and predictions about what would happen, and they all turned out wrong! That should tell you how well put together this story is with unexpected turns through the whole experience. So, check out the full review here: https://youtu.be/t48KEtvLAfw
April 22, 2021
After reading this book, I read the author's note in the back about how she wanted to write "an average guy". And I can totally get behind that.
But not only did she pull off an average guy dealing with life, but also tossed in 2 references to "The Princess Bride" (that I caught). And that made me happy. :) Mainly because I'm not really up on all the pop culture. So, when I get a reference, and it's something that is near and dear to me, I really enjoy it.
Laz isn't immediately likable. It's not that he's a bad guy. But, he's not going out of his way to be nice. He certainly grows on ya.
And since he's put in a rather unique position in this book, I will definitely work through the series to see how he grows into his new shoes, so to speak.
But not only did she pull off an average guy dealing with life, but also tossed in 2 references to "The Princess Bride" (that I caught). And that made me happy. :) Mainly because I'm not really up on all the pop culture. So, when I get a reference, and it's something that is near and dear to me, I really enjoy it.
Laz isn't immediately likable. It's not that he's a bad guy. But, he's not going out of his way to be nice. He certainly grows on ya.
And since he's put in a rather unique position in this book, I will definitely work through the series to see how he grows into his new shoes, so to speak.
April 18, 2025
I'm rounding up from 3.5. This wasn't the best start to a new series, but it wasn't bad. It has so many similarities to Harry Dresden by Jim Butcher I had to stop sometimes and remind myself that the first book is never as good as the rest of the series.
Lazarus is an ex-con Necromancer who runs a poorly achieving magic shop in a world where no one believes in real magic. When a girl he refuses to help ends up dead on his doorstep because of a powerful spell he has to convince the fiesta police detective he is innocent. So many Harry Dresden similarities!
But it has heart and humor and enough action to make my urban fantasy heart happy. I have the first 5 books so I will be continuing the series.
Lazarus is an ex-con Necromancer who runs a poorly achieving magic shop in a world where no one believes in real magic. When a girl he refuses to help ends up dead on his doorstep because of a powerful spell he has to convince the fiesta police detective he is innocent. So many Harry Dresden similarities!
But it has heart and humor and enough action to make my urban fantasy heart happy. I have the first 5 books so I will be continuing the series.
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