What do you think?
Rate this book
Pax Arcana #2
Daring
THE WEREWOLVES HAVE A NEW LEADER...AND HE CANNOT BE STOPPED.
Something is rotten in the state of Wisconsin.
Werewolf packs are being united and absorbed into an army of super soldiers by a mysterious figure who speaks like an angel and fights like a demon. And every Knight Templar—keepers of the magical peace between mankind and magickind—who tries to get close to this big bad wolf winds up dead. No knight can infiltrate a group whose members can smell a human from a mile away...no knight except one.
John Charming. Ex knight. Current werewolf. Hunted by the men who trained him, he now might be their only salvation. But animal instincts are rising up to claim John more powerfully than ever before, and he must decide if this new leader of wolves is a madman...or a messiah.
DARING is the second novel in an urban fantasy series which gives a new twist to the Prince Charming tale.
Short Fiction in the Pax Arcana world:
Charmed I'm Sure
Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls
Pushing Luck
Surreal Estate
Dog-Gone
Something is rotten in the state of Wisconsin.
Werewolf packs are being united and absorbed into an army of super soldiers by a mysterious figure who speaks like an angel and fights like a demon. And every Knight Templar—keepers of the magical peace between mankind and magickind—who tries to get close to this big bad wolf winds up dead. No knight can infiltrate a group whose members can smell a human from a mile away...no knight except one.
John Charming. Ex knight. Current werewolf. Hunted by the men who trained him, he now might be their only salvation. But animal instincts are rising up to claim John more powerfully than ever before, and he must decide if this new leader of wolves is a madman...or a messiah.
DARING is the second novel in an urban fantasy series which gives a new twist to the Prince Charming tale.
Short Fiction in the Pax Arcana world:
Charmed I'm Sure
Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls
Pushing Luck
Surreal Estate
Dog-Gone
401 pages, Paperback
First published September 23, 2014
143 people are currently reading
1545 people want to read
About the author
Elliott James
22 books729 followersAn army brat and gypsy scholar, ELLIOTT JAMES is currently living in the blueridge mountains of southwest Virginia. An avid reader since the age of three (or that's what his family swears anyhow), he has an abiding interest in mythology, martial arts, live music, hiking, and used bookstores.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews
October 14, 2016
4.5 Ohhhh, I loved this one!
First, the bad parts. Well, I still can't say I love Sig, and I can't give a book 5 stars knowing that I can't fully love both protagonists (4.5 though is damn close!). After the previous book I still had some hope left, but well, she's just not my style of heroine.
But enough about her, let's talk about that Charming guy!
Gah, as I've said before, my absolute weakness is a sarcastic, alpha, highly intelligent guy. Oh, and funny, did I forget to mention that?
Well, John has them all. He really is one of the best heroes I've ever met, and I'm not saying that lightly. But all that knowledge wrapped in a tight, muscled package?! Who could resist that?!
Also, it was a 450-ish page book and I didn't get bored! I really really liked it! Although I understand why so many think that the beginning kind of sucked and was slow paced, I definitely enjoyed it.
Can't wait to see what's next!
First, the bad parts. Well, I still can't say I love Sig, and I can't give a book 5 stars knowing that I can't fully love both protagonists (4.5 though is damn close!). After the previous book I still had some hope left, but well, she's just not my style of heroine.
But enough about her, let's talk about that Charming guy!
Gah, as I've said before, my absolute weakness is a sarcastic, alpha, highly intelligent guy. Oh, and funny, did I forget to mention that?
Well, John has them all. He really is one of the best heroes I've ever met, and I'm not saying that lightly. But all that knowledge wrapped in a tight, muscled package?! Who could resist that?!
Also, it was a 450-ish page book and I didn't get bored! I really really liked it! Although I understand why so many think that the beginning kind of sucked and was slow paced, I definitely enjoyed it.
Can't wait to see what's next!
May 20, 2016
What a let down.
This took everything I loved about the first book and shat all over it.
This was a filler story. John's band of misfits was hardly in this at all.
This is a book about how everyone wants to use John, and he's naive enough to let them do it, again and again. It makes me sad that he wants to belong somewhere so badly that he will let people use and abuse him. He's meant to be a badass, I'm not supposed to be feeling sorry for him.
If you like reading about werewolf politics and a whole bunch of other crap that didn't make sense and was boring as bat shit, read this book.
If you're looking for the witty, self-deprecating John, he sure as hell isn't around in this book. Without Sig to banter with, he was fighting a losing battle on the humor front and a lot of his lines didn't make me laugh, they made me sad.
The tangent that this story went off on.... was bullshit. I didn't give a damn about any of the story. I sure as shit didn't give a rats ass about the new potential love interest. I wanted to slap her in her stupid face.
I also found a bunch of editing errors in my print copy of this, not sure how they slipped through, but I expected more from a book from a major publishing house.
I'm so disappointed by this. I'm now reconsidering my desire to continue the series. I'll take a break and maybe I'll come back to it in a few months. We will see.
2 Stars
Thanks for buddy reading with me you weirdos over at MacHalo!
This took everything I loved about the first book and shat all over it.
This was a filler story. John's band of misfits was hardly in this at all.
This is a book about how everyone wants to use John, and he's naive enough to let them do it, again and again. It makes me sad that he wants to belong somewhere so badly that he will let people use and abuse him. He's meant to be a badass, I'm not supposed to be feeling sorry for him.
If you like reading about werewolf politics and a whole bunch of other crap that didn't make sense and was boring as bat shit, read this book.
If you're looking for the witty, self-deprecating John, he sure as hell isn't around in this book. Without Sig to banter with, he was fighting a losing battle on the humor front and a lot of his lines didn't make me laugh, they made me sad.
The tangent that this story went off on.... was bullshit. I didn't give a damn about any of the story. I sure as shit didn't give a rats ass about the new potential love interest. I wanted to slap her in her stupid face.
I also found a bunch of editing errors in my print copy of this, not sure how they slipped through, but I expected more from a book from a major publishing house.
I'm so disappointed by this. I'm now reconsidering my desire to continue the series. I'll take a break and maybe I'll come back to it in a few months. We will see.
2 Stars
Thanks for buddy reading with me you weirdos over at MacHalo!
May 22, 2016
*** 3.44 ***
September 25, 2014
3.5 Dare to be Charmed Stars
John Charming is from a long line of Charmings, but that doesn’t make him a Prince. Right now he is quite an outcast. John is running away from The Knights Templar who want to kill him, avoiding his friends and Sig, a woman he might love so they don’t get killed and trying to deal with the ever conflicting instincts between his werewolf nature, his own Templar training and a geas (magical compulsion to protect the Pax Arcana a magical curtain of sorts). Currently he is stretched pretty thin, actually John is kind of a hot mess.
In order to save the girl he is trying really hard not to use the L word, and I don’t mean lesbians, in front of John tries to make a deal with the Knights Templar to surrender. The Knights want John to solve a problem for them *cough* kill the werewolf pack leader *cough*. Then they might pretend he doesn’t exist and stop trying to actively hill him. John might not be a prince but he is also not an assassin, plus who knows if that werewolf guy is really all that bad. Let’s just say there is a disagreement and an escape with fighting and concussions and such.
Head trauma is like a box of blood clots. You never know what you’re going to get.
Through a series of events John is invited/coerced to spend some time with the werewolf pack the Knights wanted him to infiltrate in the first place. Sig, thinks this is a good idea, might as well check them out and why not get in touch with your wolfy side in the meantime? John isn’t good at that whole feelings thing and spending time with the wolves has been a little touchy feely don’t squeeze the Charming for him.
“What are you afraid of, John?”
“Becoming the kind of monsters I hunt,” I admitted.
“Then that’s the part of yourself you need to accept.” I glared at him. “You want me to become a monster so that I won’t become a monster? That’s helpful.”
“What I’m trying to tell you is that you won’t become anything.” Chai stared into my eyes. “You need to make peace with the monster you already are.”
Charming was all about getting the bad guys and making a few friends John could trust along the way. Daring is more a journey about accepting all of who you are and fighting some bad guys along the way. Charming had a very linier path while there was a time in Daring I wasn’t sure what the point was a few times…but no worries it all makes sense and comes together at the end.
John really had to journey through a lot to determine who the good and bad players in the game are. I missed the Scooby Doo Gang type vibe of the first book as John spent a lot of time with a different set of characters all of whom were much edgier.
I had no illusions about my claw. Nikolai had handpicked them to keep an eye on me. Gabriel was from Bernard’s inner circle even if he was in exile. Virgil was a detective who could monitor me. Paul was ex–special forces if he had to take me on up close. Tula was a markswoman who could take me out from a distance. But they were mine all the same.
There is a section in the story that went a little slow for me while John was hanging out with the wolves doing the touchy feely thing, until they started hunting a Bakaak (Native American undead hunter). I had no idea what it had to do with the story but the ending explains it all so just go with it. Once John was out of the woods and had picked a side to be on the story started moving along a lot faster and I was ready for all the craziness that ensued.
One of the best things about the Pax Arcana Series so far is really John. He is a fun character and an easy guy to like. He is self-deprecating at times and sarcastic but he is always entertaining. When he talks to the reader I always giggle at the sort of statements he makes. I really enjoy reading an UF/PRN from male perspective. Plus, John is pretty self-aware. Sure he might run off and start to do something stupid, but at least he knows that it is stupid.
But besides the different mythologies and lores used in the story the thing I like the most is the building relationship John has brewing with Sid. Is it love? Is it lust? He doesn’t know maybe it is just the possibility of more but he likes the idea of Sid. I like the idea of Sid, she is a kick ass and take names Valkyrie who communicates with ghosts. What is not to like?
Was it crazy that I’d missed her? My whole life, I’d made fun of the idea of love at first sight, and I had fallen for Sig pretty hard, pretty fast. But let’s be honest: I had a pretty big emotional void looking for something to fill it.
“Have you been stalking me this whole time?” She wasn’t as angry as she was trying to sound. I would have smelled it.
“Not in a pervy way,” I said. “Dammit.”
I’d say it was a pretty good follow up to Charming that will give John into a few more possibilities for the future now that a few things have been cleared up. After that little hick-up in the middle the ending was pretty strong and I really like where the series is headed over all.
Great for lovers of The Iron Druid Chronicles, Burn Notice and Mercy Thompson
John Charming is from a long line of Charmings, but that doesn’t make him a Prince. Right now he is quite an outcast. John is running away from The Knights Templar who want to kill him, avoiding his friends and Sig, a woman he might love so they don’t get killed and trying to deal with the ever conflicting instincts between his werewolf nature, his own Templar training and a geas (magical compulsion to protect the Pax Arcana a magical curtain of sorts). Currently he is stretched pretty thin, actually John is kind of a hot mess.
In order to save the girl he is trying really hard not to use the L word, and I don’t mean lesbians, in front of John tries to make a deal with the Knights Templar to surrender. The Knights want John to solve a problem for them *cough* kill the werewolf pack leader *cough*. Then they might pretend he doesn’t exist and stop trying to actively hill him. John might not be a prince but he is also not an assassin, plus who knows if that werewolf guy is really all that bad. Let’s just say there is a disagreement and an escape with fighting and concussions and such.
Head trauma is like a box of blood clots. You never know what you’re going to get.
Through a series of events John is invited/coerced to spend some time with the werewolf pack the Knights wanted him to infiltrate in the first place. Sig, thinks this is a good idea, might as well check them out and why not get in touch with your wolfy side in the meantime? John isn’t good at that whole feelings thing and spending time with the wolves has been a little touchy feely don’t squeeze the Charming for him.
“What are you afraid of, John?”
“Becoming the kind of monsters I hunt,” I admitted.
“Then that’s the part of yourself you need to accept.” I glared at him. “You want me to become a monster so that I won’t become a monster? That’s helpful.”
“What I’m trying to tell you is that you won’t become anything.” Chai stared into my eyes. “You need to make peace with the monster you already are.”
Charming was all about getting the bad guys and making a few friends John could trust along the way. Daring is more a journey about accepting all of who you are and fighting some bad guys along the way. Charming had a very linier path while there was a time in Daring I wasn’t sure what the point was a few times…but no worries it all makes sense and comes together at the end.
John really had to journey through a lot to determine who the good and bad players in the game are. I missed the Scooby Doo Gang type vibe of the first book as John spent a lot of time with a different set of characters all of whom were much edgier.
I had no illusions about my claw. Nikolai had handpicked them to keep an eye on me. Gabriel was from Bernard’s inner circle even if he was in exile. Virgil was a detective who could monitor me. Paul was ex–special forces if he had to take me on up close. Tula was a markswoman who could take me out from a distance. But they were mine all the same.
There is a section in the story that went a little slow for me while John was hanging out with the wolves doing the touchy feely thing, until they started hunting a Bakaak (Native American undead hunter). I had no idea what it had to do with the story but the ending explains it all so just go with it. Once John was out of the woods and had picked a side to be on the story started moving along a lot faster and I was ready for all the craziness that ensued.
One of the best things about the Pax Arcana Series so far is really John. He is a fun character and an easy guy to like. He is self-deprecating at times and sarcastic but he is always entertaining. When he talks to the reader I always giggle at the sort of statements he makes. I really enjoy reading an UF/PRN from male perspective. Plus, John is pretty self-aware. Sure he might run off and start to do something stupid, but at least he knows that it is stupid.
But besides the different mythologies and lores used in the story the thing I like the most is the building relationship John has brewing with Sid. Is it love? Is it lust? He doesn’t know maybe it is just the possibility of more but he likes the idea of Sid. I like the idea of Sid, she is a kick ass and take names Valkyrie who communicates with ghosts. What is not to like?
Was it crazy that I’d missed her? My whole life, I’d made fun of the idea of love at first sight, and I had fallen for Sig pretty hard, pretty fast. But let’s be honest: I had a pretty big emotional void looking for something to fill it.
“Have you been stalking me this whole time?” She wasn’t as angry as she was trying to sound. I would have smelled it.
“Not in a pervy way,” I said. “Dammit.”
I’d say it was a pretty good follow up to Charming that will give John into a few more possibilities for the future now that a few things have been cleared up. After that little hick-up in the middle the ending was pretty strong and I really like where the series is headed over all.
Great for lovers of The Iron Druid Chronicles, Burn Notice and Mercy Thompson
November 12, 2014
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2014/11/12/b...
Given my heavy reading load and lack of time, this book almost didn’t make it onto my review list. I enjoyed its predecessor Charming, though as a first book in an urban fantasy series it was probably a bit too standard and conventional to be truly memorable. But UFs are generally quick reads, not to mention I realize some series do need a bit of time to take off, so I was more than willing to give Pax Arcana another shot with Daring.
The book jumps right back into the life of John Charming, a young man who comes from a long line of Charmings – yes, that family of swoon-worthy princes, heroic dragon slayers, and rescuers of damsels in distress from evil witches and their dastardly curses. But John isn’t your average Charming, despite his illustrious family name and long years spent training with the modern day equivalent of the Knights Templar. A werewolf attack on his mother right before his birth resulted in John becoming a new type of strange hybrid, and his own people have hunted him ever since the first day he manifested his symptoms.
But now, instead of trying to kill him the Knights Templar are actually trying recruit him. They believe John’s ties to werewolves makes him the perfect man to infiltrate the werewolf packs that have been uniting under a mysterious leader, while the Templar themselves have failed time and time again. They’re dealing with creatures with noses that can sniff out an interloper from a mile away, after all. John agrees, but only because he was forced to and it would also help keep the woman he loves out of danger.
I have to say this book left me a bit torn. I do think Daring is a better book than Charming, but probably not by much. Like I said, the first book didn’t make much of an impression on me; a few months after reading it I found I could hardly remember anything specific about the plot. Needless to say, that affected my ability to jump right into this one. Even though the “ten things you need to know” type recap at the beginning was humorous and a clever way to get the reader up to speed again, I didn’t really find it all that helpful.
But the question here is how does book two match up? Well, I do think there’s a lot more to like about Daring. I thought the comedy factor was more pronounced in this book, even though the overall themes are bit darker. And sometimes it’s not the action scenes and the flashy trimmings that I find the most memorable (in fact, a lot of times it’s the opposite and those tend to blend together) but the more subdued and serious scenes. I liked the chapters that flashed back to John’s past, for example, revealing his childhood years as a talented but outcast novice in the order of the Knights Templar, as well as the experiences in his love life that have shaped him. Likewise, when John joined up with the werewolves in the woods, I got a kick out of the quiet moments of introspection and meditation with his new lycanthrope clan mates.
Then there were the things I didn’t like so much. While the overall story was enjoyable, as to how much it will stick with me this time around, that remains to be seen. I suspect much of what happened after the part with the new age-y wolves will become a blur for me. There were the requisite bells and whistles and twists and turns. But what was missing for me were the supporting characters I met in book one! Where’s Molly? Where’s Choo? And I could have done with more than just a small cameo from Parth. I also wasn’t too convinced of John’s budding relationship with the Valkyrie Sig in the first place, to have her absent for the most of this book was a mistake in my eyes.
And finally, perhaps my main disappointment with this book is the same one I had with the first. The description for Daring states that this series “gives a new twist to the Prince Charming tale.” I still feel that it’s a bit of an overstatement, and wish that the “twist” to the Prince Charming angle could be more inventive and unique. A lot of what makes this series different is based on gimmicky factors like punny chapter titles and a split paragraph here and there; I know this is probably going to sound a lot harsher than I intend, but I really do think a new urban fantasy needs to stand out more these days to set itself apart.
Pax Arcana continues to be fun. My opinion of these books hasn’t really changed for the better or the worse since the first one, which means despite my gripes my feelings are still favorable towards this series. I’ll be open to checking out the third book when it comes out. Now, if this had been an epic fantasy series and the books were each 500+ pages long, that would be a different story, but urban fantasies do not require the same time investment and I know they’re always a good time. I’ll decide once we get closer to the release date of Fearless.
Given my heavy reading load and lack of time, this book almost didn’t make it onto my review list. I enjoyed its predecessor Charming, though as a first book in an urban fantasy series it was probably a bit too standard and conventional to be truly memorable. But UFs are generally quick reads, not to mention I realize some series do need a bit of time to take off, so I was more than willing to give Pax Arcana another shot with Daring.
The book jumps right back into the life of John Charming, a young man who comes from a long line of Charmings – yes, that family of swoon-worthy princes, heroic dragon slayers, and rescuers of damsels in distress from evil witches and their dastardly curses. But John isn’t your average Charming, despite his illustrious family name and long years spent training with the modern day equivalent of the Knights Templar. A werewolf attack on his mother right before his birth resulted in John becoming a new type of strange hybrid, and his own people have hunted him ever since the first day he manifested his symptoms.
But now, instead of trying to kill him the Knights Templar are actually trying recruit him. They believe John’s ties to werewolves makes him the perfect man to infiltrate the werewolf packs that have been uniting under a mysterious leader, while the Templar themselves have failed time and time again. They’re dealing with creatures with noses that can sniff out an interloper from a mile away, after all. John agrees, but only because he was forced to and it would also help keep the woman he loves out of danger.
I have to say this book left me a bit torn. I do think Daring is a better book than Charming, but probably not by much. Like I said, the first book didn’t make much of an impression on me; a few months after reading it I found I could hardly remember anything specific about the plot. Needless to say, that affected my ability to jump right into this one. Even though the “ten things you need to know” type recap at the beginning was humorous and a clever way to get the reader up to speed again, I didn’t really find it all that helpful.
But the question here is how does book two match up? Well, I do think there’s a lot more to like about Daring. I thought the comedy factor was more pronounced in this book, even though the overall themes are bit darker. And sometimes it’s not the action scenes and the flashy trimmings that I find the most memorable (in fact, a lot of times it’s the opposite and those tend to blend together) but the more subdued and serious scenes. I liked the chapters that flashed back to John’s past, for example, revealing his childhood years as a talented but outcast novice in the order of the Knights Templar, as well as the experiences in his love life that have shaped him. Likewise, when John joined up with the werewolves in the woods, I got a kick out of the quiet moments of introspection and meditation with his new lycanthrope clan mates.
Then there were the things I didn’t like so much. While the overall story was enjoyable, as to how much it will stick with me this time around, that remains to be seen. I suspect much of what happened after the part with the new age-y wolves will become a blur for me. There were the requisite bells and whistles and twists and turns. But what was missing for me were the supporting characters I met in book one! Where’s Molly? Where’s Choo? And I could have done with more than just a small cameo from Parth. I also wasn’t too convinced of John’s budding relationship with the Valkyrie Sig in the first place, to have her absent for the most of this book was a mistake in my eyes.
And finally, perhaps my main disappointment with this book is the same one I had with the first. The description for Daring states that this series “gives a new twist to the Prince Charming tale.” I still feel that it’s a bit of an overstatement, and wish that the “twist” to the Prince Charming angle could be more inventive and unique. A lot of what makes this series different is based on gimmicky factors like punny chapter titles and a split paragraph here and there; I know this is probably going to sound a lot harsher than I intend, but I really do think a new urban fantasy needs to stand out more these days to set itself apart.
Pax Arcana continues to be fun. My opinion of these books hasn’t really changed for the better or the worse since the first one, which means despite my gripes my feelings are still favorable towards this series. I’ll be open to checking out the third book when it comes out. Now, if this had been an epic fantasy series and the books were each 500+ pages long, that would be a different story, but urban fantasies do not require the same time investment and I know they’re always a good time. I’ll decide once we get closer to the release date of Fearless.
October 3, 2014
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads.
I was left with mixed feelings when I finished CHARMING a few months ago; I liked John’s character, Roger Wayne’s narration, and the author’s quirky writing style, but the love interest, and info dumps were definite cons. However, when I read DARING’s blurb and discovered that the werewolves were going to be front-and-center in round two, I just knew that this series deserved a second chance. And, even though I didn’t love this installment either, it was more along the lines of what I’ve come to expect from Urban Fantasy, and my issues with this one were vastly different that its predecessor, so at least it was a step in the right direction. The story was darker, the humour more subdued, and I did struggle to see the links between the four parts, but it all came together in the end which made this novel marginally better than its predecessor.
The prelude was a hoot, James shared a list of the ‘top ten things that people who didn’t read the first book really ought to know’ which served as a good recap while also turning a boring necessity into a fun intro. The opening section was my favourite because it not only explored John’s past as a Knight, but provided some much needed clarification about his insta-attraction to Sig, and set the tone for the rest of the story. The second part was somewhat of a mixed bag; I liked learning more about this universe’s werewolves, although certain aspects were a little overly touchy feely for me—too much zen, not enough predator. The final two were the meatier pieces with plenty of action, unanticipated twists, and an ah-ha ending. The world-building was also greatly muted which made this installment more about the journey than the magical rules which was a welcomed tweak.
DARING was nowhere near as funny as book 1, but given the nature of this tale, it fit. That’s not to say that I still didn’t crack a couple of smiles while listening because I did, however the overall tone was much heavier. I was disappointed that the majority of the secondary characters that the protagonist formed connections with previously were for the most part MIA, although they were replaced with new ones, so at least the author found a way to fill that void. Sig’s role was minimal which made me exceedingly happy because she was my main problem with CHARMING, so I liked that the Valkyrie was pushed to the back burner for the time being. John’s POV continued to delight and entertain; I loved how he talked directly to the reader, and his keen wit and sarcastic dialogue are the main reasons why I am diggin’ this series so much.
As expected, the narrator delivered another winning performance which was why I had no qualms about pre-ordering this audiobook. His voice is well-suited for James’ writing style, and he absolutely nailed Charming’s first person POV. The hero gets his butt handed to him on multiple occasions, and Roger Wayne helped to add authenticity to that fact by slurring his words as though he himself had gotten punched in the teeth. He also showed adaptability as a narrator by taking a step back from the first installment’s snark, and adopting the more somber tone that this tale demanded. It normally takes me a week on average to listen to nine+ hours, but in this case my listening time was cut in half thanks in large part to Wayne.
DARING is proof that werewolves make everything better!
I was left with mixed feelings when I finished CHARMING a few months ago; I liked John’s character, Roger Wayne’s narration, and the author’s quirky writing style, but the love interest, and info dumps were definite cons. However, when I read DARING’s blurb and discovered that the werewolves were going to be front-and-center in round two, I just knew that this series deserved a second chance. And, even though I didn’t love this installment either, it was more along the lines of what I’ve come to expect from Urban Fantasy, and my issues with this one were vastly different that its predecessor, so at least it was a step in the right direction. The story was darker, the humour more subdued, and I did struggle to see the links between the four parts, but it all came together in the end which made this novel marginally better than its predecessor.
The prelude was a hoot, James shared a list of the ‘top ten things that people who didn’t read the first book really ought to know’ which served as a good recap while also turning a boring necessity into a fun intro. The opening section was my favourite because it not only explored John’s past as a Knight, but provided some much needed clarification about his insta-attraction to Sig, and set the tone for the rest of the story. The second part was somewhat of a mixed bag; I liked learning more about this universe’s werewolves, although certain aspects were a little overly touchy feely for me—too much zen, not enough predator. The final two were the meatier pieces with plenty of action, unanticipated twists, and an ah-ha ending. The world-building was also greatly muted which made this installment more about the journey than the magical rules which was a welcomed tweak.
DARING was nowhere near as funny as book 1, but given the nature of this tale, it fit. That’s not to say that I still didn’t crack a couple of smiles while listening because I did, however the overall tone was much heavier. I was disappointed that the majority of the secondary characters that the protagonist formed connections with previously were for the most part MIA, although they were replaced with new ones, so at least the author found a way to fill that void. Sig’s role was minimal which made me exceedingly happy because she was my main problem with CHARMING, so I liked that the Valkyrie was pushed to the back burner for the time being. John’s POV continued to delight and entertain; I loved how he talked directly to the reader, and his keen wit and sarcastic dialogue are the main reasons why I am diggin’ this series so much.
As expected, the narrator delivered another winning performance which was why I had no qualms about pre-ordering this audiobook. His voice is well-suited for James’ writing style, and he absolutely nailed Charming’s first person POV. The hero gets his butt handed to him on multiple occasions, and Roger Wayne helped to add authenticity to that fact by slurring his words as though he himself had gotten punched in the teeth. He also showed adaptability as a narrator by taking a step back from the first installment’s snark, and adopting the more somber tone that this tale demanded. It normally takes me a week on average to listen to nine+ hours, but in this case my listening time was cut in half thanks in large part to Wayne.
DARING is proof that werewolves make everything better!
April 10, 2018
Buddy read with MacHalos Maraya and Angela
3.5 stars... this was an interesting sequel to the last book. There were very few repeat characters - which I'm not complaining about. I liked the werewolf and knight politics for the most part, but I just wasn't in love with it. John seemed tired the whole time, and we have just met him.
Overall OK - I am actually more interested in reading book 3 than I was starting this book so that is a good thing.
3.5 stars... this was an interesting sequel to the last book. There were very few repeat characters - which I'm not complaining about. I liked the werewolf and knight politics for the most part, but I just wasn't in love with it. John seemed tired the whole time, and we have just met him.
Overall OK - I am actually more interested in reading book 3 than I was starting this book so that is a good thing.
August 22, 2015
Review of audiobook edition narrated by Roger Wayne, first posted at Badass Book Reviews.
If I were to follow this author’s penchant for naming chapters, I would call this review ‘Between a rock and a hard place”. Because that’s exactly where John Charming finds himself in this book. Daring had everything that was missing from the first book: a main character that was clearly in charge, a worthy villain with a horrible plan (which you don’t know until almost the end), lots of interesting new characters and a maelstrom of internal conflicts on John’s end. Oh and not too much of Sig (this is the love interest from the first book…I just didn’t like her that much.) Add to that the mix of humor and new mythology, and you have us a winner.
After the end of a successful vampire hunt in “Charming”, the first book in the series, John learns that his friends are a target for the Knights Templar. The whole purpose of the Knights is to protect the Pax Arcana, the spell which keeps the supernatural world a secret from humans, and they feel that John, an ex-knight and werewolf, is a threat to the Pax. They’ve been hunting him for decades and get their chance to apprehend him by threatening his friends. Through a string of events, John finds himself among werewolves for the first time ever, and confronting the tragedy of his life:
“Maybe I’m upset because I spent my whole life being raised by a brotherhood that woldn’t accept me and wouldn’t let me go, and now I’ve been kidnapped by another so-called family with the same attitude. Maybe I’m frustrated because the knights who I grew up with could never trust me because I was a werewolf, and you werewolves will never be able to really trust me because I was knight.”
The knights and the werewolves are in a collission course against one another and as a pariah who belongs to both groups but is accepted by none, John is in a difficult position. (Rock meet Hard Place, Hard Place meet Rock.) Both leaders are charismatic men who always seem to have the right word to persuade John, either with their knowledge of John’s weaknesses or the logic of their arguments.
“Most people never question the core beliefs they grow up with,” Emil confirmed. “You can look back on any culture five hundred years later and wonder how they could have ever believed some of the contradictory or flat-out insane things they accepted as law or common sense.”
Growing up with the knights and their hatred for all things supernatural made John very distrustful of his animal nature. He has been suppressing his wolf for a very long time but being around werewolves is bringing those instincts to the forefront. At times, John is confused and afraid to let himself go because he doesn’t trust that part of himself. He has never fully accepted who he is and he doesn’t get there in this book but towards the end, you feel that he’s a bit more comfortable in his own skin.
In this book, we also get glimpses of important events that shaped John’s life: his childhood and training, his loneliness and ostrasism, his drive to be better and prove others wrong, the event that triggered his werewolf nature and meeting Allison, the woman he loved and lost. I confess I liked her a lot better than Sig and I’m sorry she’s dead.
This series has some similarities to the Iron Druid Chronicles: wise-ass male main character with a smart mouth, kick ass fighting skills plus lots of knoweledge about the supernatural world. But I’m liking John Charming a lot better because I see his vulnerable side more often. It’s not all quips.
I’m loving the narration by Roger Wayne (again, I see similarities to Luke Daniels, the narrator of IDC) . He has that mix of irreverent charm and humor that just drips from his voice. He has adequate female voices, he has decent accents and good pacing. I’m definitely adding him to my list of narrators to watch out.
Although the world building is not completely new, I’ve enjoyed how Mr. James has interwoven fairy tale elements in this story. I’m definitely looking forward to the next in this series.
If I were to follow this author’s penchant for naming chapters, I would call this review ‘Between a rock and a hard place”. Because that’s exactly where John Charming finds himself in this book. Daring had everything that was missing from the first book: a main character that was clearly in charge, a worthy villain with a horrible plan (which you don’t know until almost the end), lots of interesting new characters and a maelstrom of internal conflicts on John’s end. Oh and not too much of Sig (this is the love interest from the first book…I just didn’t like her that much.) Add to that the mix of humor and new mythology, and you have us a winner.
After the end of a successful vampire hunt in “Charming”, the first book in the series, John learns that his friends are a target for the Knights Templar. The whole purpose of the Knights is to protect the Pax Arcana, the spell which keeps the supernatural world a secret from humans, and they feel that John, an ex-knight and werewolf, is a threat to the Pax. They’ve been hunting him for decades and get their chance to apprehend him by threatening his friends. Through a string of events, John finds himself among werewolves for the first time ever, and confronting the tragedy of his life:
“Maybe I’m upset because I spent my whole life being raised by a brotherhood that woldn’t accept me and wouldn’t let me go, and now I’ve been kidnapped by another so-called family with the same attitude. Maybe I’m frustrated because the knights who I grew up with could never trust me because I was a werewolf, and you werewolves will never be able to really trust me because I was knight.”
The knights and the werewolves are in a collission course against one another and as a pariah who belongs to both groups but is accepted by none, John is in a difficult position. (Rock meet Hard Place, Hard Place meet Rock.) Both leaders are charismatic men who always seem to have the right word to persuade John, either with their knowledge of John’s weaknesses or the logic of their arguments.
“Most people never question the core beliefs they grow up with,” Emil confirmed. “You can look back on any culture five hundred years later and wonder how they could have ever believed some of the contradictory or flat-out insane things they accepted as law or common sense.”
Growing up with the knights and their hatred for all things supernatural made John very distrustful of his animal nature. He has been suppressing his wolf for a very long time but being around werewolves is bringing those instincts to the forefront. At times, John is confused and afraid to let himself go because he doesn’t trust that part of himself. He has never fully accepted who he is and he doesn’t get there in this book but towards the end, you feel that he’s a bit more comfortable in his own skin.
In this book, we also get glimpses of important events that shaped John’s life: his childhood and training, his loneliness and ostrasism, his drive to be better and prove others wrong, the event that triggered his werewolf nature and meeting Allison, the woman he loved and lost. I confess I liked her a lot better than Sig and I’m sorry she’s dead.
This series has some similarities to the Iron Druid Chronicles: wise-ass male main character with a smart mouth, kick ass fighting skills plus lots of knoweledge about the supernatural world. But I’m liking John Charming a lot better because I see his vulnerable side more often. It’s not all quips.
I’m loving the narration by Roger Wayne (again, I see similarities to Luke Daniels, the narrator of IDC) . He has that mix of irreverent charm and humor that just drips from his voice. He has adequate female voices, he has decent accents and good pacing. I’m definitely adding him to my list of narrators to watch out.
Although the world building is not completely new, I’ve enjoyed how Mr. James has interwoven fairy tale elements in this story. I’m definitely looking forward to the next in this series.
December 24, 2014
I'll keep this simple: if you liked the first, chances are that you'll like this one, too. And if you haven't read the first, do so.
Not that this one is formulaic by any means. For one, Sig is absent for most of the book for reasons that make complete sense even if they're a little frustrating. As much as I loved Sig, John being on his own for most of this book worked out very well. If nothing else, it gave me a better baseline for what John is like on his own and how he really is a subtle leader and instigator. Seeing him in action (both on his own and with fluid groups of frenemies) was a joy. James is a better hand at action than I had realized in the first book.
And the complex interweaving of cultures and societies was very well done, as well. The story flowed naturally in and out of both personalities and clan loyalties in a way that kept the pace engaging without overwhelming character development. Very well-done.
And I'll leave it there. Most of my friends here on GoodReads didn't really like the first book so I'm not sure my pure enjoyment is representative at all. To me, this one had all the strengths of the first, some fewer of the weaknesses, and a non-predictable plot that kept me reading late into the night. I can't wait to pick up the next...
Not that this one is formulaic by any means. For one, Sig is absent for most of the book for reasons that make complete sense even if they're a little frustrating. As much as I loved Sig, John being on his own for most of this book worked out very well. If nothing else, it gave me a better baseline for what John is like on his own and how he really is a subtle leader and instigator. Seeing him in action (both on his own and with fluid groups of frenemies) was a joy. James is a better hand at action than I had realized in the first book.
And the complex interweaving of cultures and societies was very well done, as well. The story flowed naturally in and out of both personalities and clan loyalties in a way that kept the pace engaging without overwhelming character development. Very well-done.
And I'll leave it there. Most of my friends here on GoodReads didn't really like the first book so I'm not sure my pure enjoyment is representative at all. To me, this one had all the strengths of the first, some fewer of the weaknesses, and a non-predictable plot that kept me reading late into the night. I can't wait to pick up the next...
October 14, 2014
Even though I *loved* the first book in the Pax Arcana series and awaited this one with bated breath, I still resisted purchasing it when it was released. Why? Purely financial reasons. It cost too much. But, after wallowing around and suffering through too many successive paranormal romances, I was forced to re-evaluate and finally jumped in and made the purchase. I don’t regret it.
From the very beginning – and by that I mean the re-cap of the awesome first book, Charming - it made me smile. I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief and just jumped in and read. I was not disappointed.
John Charming may be male, but he is still snarky. And, the world that Mr. James has created is truly different with just enough tweaks to make this series NOT read like every other urban fantasy out there – of course, the male hero in the blowing coat rather than the gal in leather doesn’t hurt here. Sig, the Valkyrie, continues to entertain me. And, even though I *know* better, I still envision her as a petite little blonde thing, um think Melissa Rauch from The Big Bang Theory. For heaven’s sake, she is a VALKYRIE, she is NOT petite. This is repeated over and over again. So, why can’t I get past my visual? I need an update, please. :D
The last book involved vampires, this one is all about werewolves. I love that John is such a gentleman – and even though he has no idea where any relationship might be going, he refuses to jeopardize any chances with random gratuitous sex with someone else. This makes me love him all the more. I really appreciate that aspect. Immensely.
I have to admit, that I totally kicked myself with the reveal here. It totally caught me wrong-footed – I never saw it coming. I should have. The ground work was laid. I just wasn’t paying attention. I should have been.
But, I loved it. Can’t wait for the next. Probably won’t argue with myself as long before I purchase. 4.5 stars – rounded up to 5 - because I was just so HAPPY to read this.
From the very beginning – and by that I mean the re-cap of the awesome first book, Charming - it made me smile. I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief and just jumped in and read. I was not disappointed.
John Charming may be male, but he is still snarky. And, the world that Mr. James has created is truly different with just enough tweaks to make this series NOT read like every other urban fantasy out there – of course, the male hero in the blowing coat rather than the gal in leather doesn’t hurt here. Sig, the Valkyrie, continues to entertain me. And, even though I *know* better, I still envision her as a petite little blonde thing, um think Melissa Rauch from The Big Bang Theory. For heaven’s sake, she is a VALKYRIE, she is NOT petite. This is repeated over and over again. So, why can’t I get past my visual? I need an update, please. :D
The last book involved vampires, this one is all about werewolves. I love that John is such a gentleman – and even though he has no idea where any relationship might be going, he refuses to jeopardize any chances with random gratuitous sex with someone else. This makes me love him all the more. I really appreciate that aspect. Immensely.
I have to admit, that I totally kicked myself with the reveal here. It totally caught me wrong-footed – I never saw it coming. I should have. The ground work was laid. I just wasn’t paying attention. I should have been.
But, I loved it. Can’t wait for the next. Probably won’t argue with myself as long before I purchase. 4.5 stars – rounded up to 5 - because I was just so HAPPY to read this.
July 21, 2015
Just as much fun as the first one. John Charming is back, snarky as ever, with a whole new bunch of enemies, friends, and friends-who-might-turn-out-to-be-enemies. A new super-pack of werewolves is causing trouble for the knights, so all of a sudden John, the knight-turned-werewolf, is no longer persona non grata. He might be the only one that can infiltrate the new pack--but once in, John has to decide whose side he's really on.
Some great action, a lot of laughs, and a story that never slows down. This is a great series, and I'm looking forward to the next one already.
Some great action, a lot of laughs, and a story that never slows down. This is a great series, and I'm looking forward to the next one already.
October 10, 2017
If I have time, I'll write a full review. Roger Wayne does a great job of putting his own spin on this story. I'm not sure if I could listen to this series narrated by anyone else. =)
It's nice to dive into a story without reading the blurb and become immediately engaged by the tale. The first book in the series set a fun stage for a tale full of snark, sparks and adventures. This one ended up being much more than I had expected and took a few twists that made the story richer.
It's nice to dive into a story without reading the blurb and become immediately engaged by the tale. The first book in the series set a fun stage for a tale full of snark, sparks and adventures. This one ended up being much more than I had expected and took a few twists that made the story richer.
May 22, 2016
1.5 stars
The computers were down at work today, so there was nothing to do. My choices were to read this book or stare at the wall. I seriously considered staring at the wall as my best option.
Charming was good, different, and fun, but this wasn't any of those things. I knew going into this that the side characters from Charming wouldn't be in it, so I didn't expect it to be as good. I hadn't expected it to be so bad either.
John acted like an idiot repeatedly. He tried to make peace with the knights. That half assed plan failed miserably. His adventures with the werewolves weren’t a success either. How could he be so stupid? He was better off as a loner on the run that as a puppet for two factions of people who don’t completely trust him.
The werewolves were a bunch of freaking pansies! They were the most pathetic werewolves ever! They spent a bunch of time doing group therapy because supposedly it would make them better werewolves.
I would have cheered if the knights had found them and wiped them all out. Eventually some of them did die, but much to my dismay a new group of dumbass werewolves were introduced. I hated all of the werewolves not because they were evil but because they were boring and pathetic.
John needs to face it: he’s not normal. The knights will never like him. No matter what he does he’ll still be on their shit list. Some of the werewolves may accept him, but he can’t trust their advice because he is different. The same rules don’t apply.
Things did get marginally better when Sig reentered the story, but it was too little too late. I hated the direction things went in at the end. John isn’t unique anymore since he's not the only one, and he's not a loner. I so desperately wish he would have killed Emil. That guy is a bastard. I will read the next one eventually just because the people from Charming will be in it.
The computers were down at work today, so there was nothing to do. My choices were to read this book or stare at the wall. I seriously considered staring at the wall as my best option.
Charming was good, different, and fun, but this wasn't any of those things. I knew going into this that the side characters from Charming wouldn't be in it, so I didn't expect it to be as good. I hadn't expected it to be so bad either.
John acted like an idiot repeatedly. He tried to make peace with the knights. That half assed plan failed miserably. His adventures with the werewolves weren’t a success either. How could he be so stupid? He was better off as a loner on the run that as a puppet for two factions of people who don’t completely trust him.
The werewolves were a bunch of freaking pansies! They were the most pathetic werewolves ever! They spent a bunch of time doing group therapy because supposedly it would make them better werewolves.
I would have cheered if the knights had found them and wiped them all out. Eventually some of them did die, but much to my dismay a new group of dumbass werewolves were introduced. I hated all of the werewolves not because they were evil but because they were boring and pathetic.
John needs to face it: he’s not normal. The knights will never like him. No matter what he does he’ll still be on their shit list. Some of the werewolves may accept him, but he can’t trust their advice because he is different. The same rules don’t apply.
Things did get marginally better when Sig reentered the story, but it was too little too late. I hated the direction things went in at the end. John isn’t unique anymore since he's not the only one, and he's not a loner. I so desperately wish he would have killed Emil. That guy is a bastard. I will read the next one eventually just because the people from Charming will be in it.
October 16, 2014
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.
With DARING, the second book in the Pax Arcana series, Elliott James becomes an urban fantasy author to watch. DARING manages to take everything I liked about book one and keep it, chuck everything I hated, and not come across as a sophomore slump. It’s a surprisingly good read that really steps up the series.
The first time around, in CHARMING, John’s narration was very distracting and off-putting for me. This time around, it’s toned down, so there’s less addressing the reader directly, but still with quite a bit of snark and amusing one-liners. With an entirely different cast of characters, we get to see John in a different light, and he comes off far more sympathetic than he did in CHARMING. All in all, the John of DARING was a vast improvement of the John of CHARMING.
DARING was full of action and plot twists, just like CHARMING, and the plot was fast-paced and exciting for the most part. There was a lot less explanation of the Pax Arcana spell and the world itself, and more of things actually happening. The middle section got a little slow, but the beginning and ending more than made up for it, cramming in the action while managing not to feel like you were rushing through the good bits.
All in all, I was quite impressed with DARING. I know I’ll be picking up FEARLESS, the third book in the Pax Arcana series, when it comes out next August.
Sexual content: Kissing, intimate situations
With DARING, the second book in the Pax Arcana series, Elliott James becomes an urban fantasy author to watch. DARING manages to take everything I liked about book one and keep it, chuck everything I hated, and not come across as a sophomore slump. It’s a surprisingly good read that really steps up the series.
The first time around, in CHARMING, John’s narration was very distracting and off-putting for me. This time around, it’s toned down, so there’s less addressing the reader directly, but still with quite a bit of snark and amusing one-liners. With an entirely different cast of characters, we get to see John in a different light, and he comes off far more sympathetic than he did in CHARMING. All in all, the John of DARING was a vast improvement of the John of CHARMING.
DARING was full of action and plot twists, just like CHARMING, and the plot was fast-paced and exciting for the most part. There was a lot less explanation of the Pax Arcana spell and the world itself, and more of things actually happening. The middle section got a little slow, but the beginning and ending more than made up for it, cramming in the action while managing not to feel like you were rushing through the good bits.
All in all, I was quite impressed with DARING. I know I’ll be picking up FEARLESS, the third book in the Pax Arcana series, when it comes out next August.
Sexual content: Kissing, intimate situations
October 20, 2014
Daring absolutely rocks!! Do not think that means all is blue skies and daisies, because John Charming's life is not the poster child for happily ever after. People die in Daring; some are bad people, some are really evil people, some are people doing their job, and some are people you learn to like. I was totally surprised by the twists, and I did not want to stop reading to go to bed. Readers should know there are no slow spots, so getting to sleep when I stopped was difficult because my brain was still high on kool-aid in that brakeless car in the House of Horror. I missed Molly, Choo, and Cahill. Parth makes a cameo, and Sig is around. I really liked some of the new characters, and I hope they will appear in the next book. John's world is changing, and I cannot wait for book #3. A funny excerpt from book #3 is included at the end of Daring.
Book #3 is titled Fearless! I cannot wait!
Book #3 is titled Fearless! I cannot wait!
February 11, 2016
Rating 4.0
This book was a little better than the first book. There was not as much talk about romance in this book, though there was some. I think that angle was overplayed in the first book, but it worked well in this book. There was more background on the Knights and John's past and werewolves were the prominent story line in this book and they were hardly mentioned in the first book. It is interesting how John does not fit into the werewolf world or the knight world and yet he is a part of both. How do you work with a team that does not trust you? How do you lead people that already have a leader? How can you stay independent but still be part of the group? These are the questions that I feel John has to explore. Are the knights good or are they evil? Are the werewolves good or are they evil? It seems that everyone thinks in black and white on this issue in the book. With John being both knight and Werewolf, does that make him the best of both worlds, or the worst?
This book was a little better than the first book. There was not as much talk about romance in this book, though there was some. I think that angle was overplayed in the first book, but it worked well in this book. There was more background on the Knights and John's past and werewolves were the prominent story line in this book and they were hardly mentioned in the first book. It is interesting how John does not fit into the werewolf world or the knight world and yet he is a part of both. How do you work with a team that does not trust you? How do you lead people that already have a leader? How can you stay independent but still be part of the group? These are the questions that I feel John has to explore. Are the knights good or are they evil? Are the werewolves good or are they evil? It seems that everyone thinks in black and white on this issue in the book. With John being both knight and Werewolf, does that make him the best of both worlds, or the worst?
August 21, 2015
I enjoyed the second book in this series even more than the first. There was a lot of history and background that was caught up in this one. The second half of the story was where the adventure and excitement were at. Great book, ready for the next one.
December 30, 2021
I must admit, this was less enjoyable than the last installment.
Bunch of werewolves running around, playing group politics, and setting up dirty alliances with dark forces against - wait, I forgot. it was either humanity or knights or of equal importance.
I guess my main problem was for me was keeping track of who is who? So many people, so many NEW people introduced in this one, and after a while, I lost track and frankly, by that point, I was too tired to go back and try to figure it out. In the end, good guys won, bad guys lost - end of the story. But I am still not losing faith in this series. I already started with #3 and it is panning out better than this.
Hope this isn't my last review of the year. Man, that would suck!
Bunch of werewolves running around, playing group politics, and setting up dirty alliances with dark forces against - wait, I forgot. it was either humanity or knights or of equal importance.
I guess my main problem was for me was keeping track of who is who? So many people, so many NEW people introduced in this one, and after a while, I lost track and frankly, by that point, I was too tired to go back and try to figure it out. In the end, good guys won, bad guys lost - end of the story. But I am still not losing faith in this series. I already started with #3 and it is panning out better than this.
Hope this isn't my last review of the year. Man, that would suck!
January 29, 2015
Solid continuation of the John Charming story, learned a little more about his back story in this one and also met some new characters who I hope we will see more of in the future.
Loved John's scenes with the Templars, I was hoping for more of a glimpse into their society in this one. You hear about all these different factions within their group each with their own stance on how to handle the supernatural - but sadly we never get to find out more before wolves are at the door.
So this one focuses a lot more on the werewolves, not that I minded it. It was interesting reading about how this new society works, and as with any pack/clan there are betrayals, alliances and all through it John is learning to accept who he is. For someone who is well into his first century of his long life, John has not accepted his monster self. Crazy how the author shows his growth in this...
Onto John and Sig though, I like that the author isn't just throwing them together and deeming their meeting "fate" or what have you, since John's a wolf maybe "mate" would be the better term. You can see that they probably are "mates" as their few scenes together you can see how epic of a duo they make but its taking time to get to that point.
One thing I hope though in regards to John/Sig, with the brief glimpse at the end of this book of the next one...
Loved John's scenes with the Templars, I was hoping for more of a glimpse into their society in this one. You hear about all these different factions within their group each with their own stance on how to handle the supernatural - but sadly we never get to find out more before wolves are at the door.
So this one focuses a lot more on the werewolves, not that I minded it. It was interesting reading about how this new society works, and as with any pack/clan there are betrayals, alliances and all through it John is learning to accept who he is. For someone who is well into his first century of his long life, John has not accepted his monster self. Crazy how the author shows his growth in this...
Onto John and Sig though, I like that the author isn't just throwing them together and deeming their meeting "fate" or what have you, since John's a wolf maybe "mate" would be the better term. You can see that they probably are "mates" as their few scenes together you can see how epic of a duo they make but its taking time to get to that point.
One thing I hope though in regards to John/Sig, with the brief glimpse at the end of this book of the next one...
April 13, 2018
3.5 Stars
🎀 MacHalo BR¡ It's basically myself, Alicat & Angela
Spoiler Alert: Angela was AWOL for the whole thing & I'm 80% sure Ali just inhaled the damn thing without thinking 🎀
This was unexpected..
But I liked it either way.
Not gonna say much about this (surprise #notreally). The plot was predictable enough but the action was great when we had it. I liked how this focused where it did. . I loved the whole thing. Not remotely sad that characters from the previous book weren't there. New characters introduced were cool, some more than others. The writing was great and the humour and sarcasm were on point with the whole thing. Moving to the next one :D
P.S.: John is awesome ♥
🎀 MacHalo BR¡ It's basically myself, Alicat & Angela
Spoiler Alert: Angela was AWOL for the whole thing & I'm 80% sure Ali just inhaled the damn thing without thinking 🎀
This was unexpected..
But I liked it either way.
Not gonna say much about this (surprise #notreally). The plot was predictable enough but the action was great when we had it. I liked how this focused where it did. . I loved the whole thing. Not remotely sad that characters from the previous book weren't there. New characters introduced were cool, some more than others. The writing was great and the humour and sarcasm were on point with the whole thing. Moving to the next one :D
P.S.: John is awesome ♥
October 6, 2014
I'm enjoying these Pax Arcana books! This is the second in the series and I am still amused at the punnerific chapter titles and how James continually plays with tropes in the genre. John Charming has gone willingly to the Knights Templar to be questioned. When he provides clear and controvertible proof of his good motives, he is tasked with spying on and assassinating the new leader of the werewolf clans in the midwest. He resists this order, but ends up with the werewolf clans anyway. This gives him a chance to explore and test his werewolf nature somewhat. The overall feel of the book is almost spy genre, is he really spying on the werewolves for the Templars? Or did he truly cut ties with the Templars? And this novel also handles the relationship that was tentatively began with Sig in a relatively realistic and healthy way, which is unusual in these types of books. Refreshing!
November 24, 2015
Pax Arcana: 2
Set shortly after the events in the previous book. The author immediately takes the opportunity to do the background dump he hadn't managed before. There is a somewhat large cast of characters, but they are at least usually grouped together, timeline-wise. Still, I got a little mixed up, especially with the ones who hadn't been mentioned in a while. John isn't making stupid hormone-based decisions in this one, so he wasn't as frustrating. He still has Harry Dresden disease – an overblown sense of responsibility that makes him easy to manipulate by the bad guys; the most annoying character flaw was trusting in people who have already shown that they cannot keep their word – this after the author repeatedly emphasized the importance of this among the various powers of the world. John has a very distinctive voice and is as irreverently funny as in the last book. All the plot twists and turns made for an exciting read. Much better than the first book.
Set shortly after the events in the previous book. The author immediately takes the opportunity to do the background dump he hadn't managed before. There is a somewhat large cast of characters, but they are at least usually grouped together, timeline-wise. Still, I got a little mixed up, especially with the ones who hadn't been mentioned in a while. John isn't making stupid hormone-based decisions in this one, so he wasn't as frustrating. He still has Harry Dresden disease – an overblown sense of responsibility that makes him easy to manipulate by the bad guys; the most annoying character flaw was trusting in people who have already shown that they cannot keep their word – this after the author repeatedly emphasized the importance of this among the various powers of the world. John has a very distinctive voice and is as irreverently funny as in the last book. All the plot twists and turns made for an exciting read. Much better than the first book.
March 30, 2023
After re-listening in March 2023
Yes. Still amazing. And the part where he and Sig finally meet again is a sweet, sweet moment.
John gets his heart broken several times by different people throughout this story, and mine breaks right along with his. Every time.
Chapter 47 is a poem, by the way ;-) Not a very romantic one, though.
Review from August 2015
I love every book in the series. But if I had to chose a favorite it would be this one. I mean: Werewolves! Self sacrifice! A broken heart! Broken trust!
And although - again - there is no actual love making in the book, to me it is incredibly sexy.
Yes. Still amazing. And the part where he and Sig finally meet again is a sweet, sweet moment.
John gets his heart broken several times by different people throughout this story, and mine breaks right along with his. Every time.
Chapter 47 is a poem, by the way ;-) Not a very romantic one, though.
Review from August 2015
I love every book in the series. But if I had to chose a favorite it would be this one. I mean: Werewolves! Self sacrifice! A broken heart! Broken trust!
And although - again - there is no actual love making in the book, to me it is incredibly sexy.
September 25, 2015
The sense of humor in these books is awesome. I love it. The stories are pretty good too, but the wry, tongue in cheek ridiculous comments and statements make me laugh. Love it. I might need to read these again some day.
The action is fast, I got a little lost with names and who they belonged to, but I wasn't lost for too long. Though while there is humor, there is a lot of death and destruction and bad guys. And you kind of don't know who is bad and who isn't. So, that is fun too.
If you like urban fantasy with humor try this series out.
The action is fast, I got a little lost with names and who they belonged to, but I wasn't lost for too long. Though while there is humor, there is a lot of death and destruction and bad guys. And you kind of don't know who is bad and who isn't. So, that is fun too.
If you like urban fantasy with humor try this series out.
August 17, 2015
Originally published at Reading Reality
Although I read Daring before Fearless, I’m posting it after. I’ll be packing for WorldCon in Spokane when this posts, and frankly, I needed to have stuff pre-done for as much of this week as possible. Let’s face it, the odds on my managing to write up reviews and prep posts while at Sasquan are virtually nil. And so they should be.
But about this book...Daring is the second book in the Pax Arcana, and it helps to have read the first book, the surprisingly terrific Charming first. While the author does a pretty good job of summarizing the action so far, and in John Charming’s charmingly snarky voice, you always miss some of the nuance.
And Charming is damn good urban fantasy of the snarky hero/antihero school, so what’s not to love?
The concept of the Pax Arcana still feels like an awesome invention. It’s the concept that magic happens around us all the time, but because of a massive spell that the fae cast just before they left Earth, we can’t see it (unless it’s a question of survival). The fae also created a force of Pax cops - we know them best as the Knights Templar, and pretty much every other order of secret-keeping warriors that has ever been.
John Charming is a big problem for the knights, and it’s one that they created for themselves. John was trained as a knight, just like his father and his father and every other Charming before him. But John’s mother was bitten by a werewolf just before John was born, so John is also a werewolf. The Knights kill werewolves on sight, having decided somewhere in the way back that werewolves are ipso facto violations of the Pax just for existing.
Except that John breaks all the rules, because he is definitely a werewolf, but he is still bound by the geas that binds all knights to protect the Pax. If his existence were an automatic violation, he would have to off himself. But John feels no compulsion towards suicide. The powers-that-be in the Knights don’t want anyone exploring the walking contradiction that is John Charming.
This is also a story where the Knights are not necessarily good, and the monsters are not necessarily bad. They all still have all the messy motivations that regular humans do - so some on both sides are good, and some on both sides are rotten to the core. Except vampires, they’re just rotten, and sometimes rotting.
So when the Knights blackmail John into helping them with a werewolf problem, they do it in the nastiest way possible - they threaten the lives of all the friends that John made during the story in Charming. So John goes along, but also ties the Knights up in some interesting magical protections of his own, because John knows the Knights are not playing fair with him and his friends.
They never do.
But John’s insertion into the big werewolf clan goes even worse than the Knights' biggest fears - because there is way more going on than their limited perspective on anyone other than themselves is able to comprehend, and because they screw thing up again while they try to screw John over again. Along with everyone else.
Escape Rating A-: This series gets better and better as it goes along. I say that and I’m in the middle of book 3 as I write this review. The trajectory is definitely upwards.
One of the fun things in this story is just how screwed up the Knights are at this point in their history. They seem to be mostly following their leaders blindly, in a world that keeps changing out from under them. They have historically relied on the Pax and their ability to confuse mundanes through chemicals or spells, but the Earth’s population boom combined with the communication power of the Internet is breaking the Pax faster than they can repair it.
Also they have decided that some creatures are automatically their enemies that aren’t necessarily, but by being targeted they become enemies. That the Knights also don’t give a damn about any normal humans that they murder in their quests does not make them any friends, either. Eventually, people start to suspect. And resent. Definitely resent.
John is a werewolf, but he is also a Knight. However, the Knights murdered his lover to get at him, and are threatening the lives of his new friends. He is not kindly disposed towards them. When the werewolf clan takes him in, he gets involved because they seem to be mostly good people, and mostly just defending themselves, and it feels good to be all of who he really is, instead of having to hide parts of himself.
But while many of the werewolves are just good people, there are some who have a much bigger (and badder) agenda, using the general werewolf population as meat-shields and other, even worse, possibilities.
As the clusterfuck reaches epic proportions, John discovers that the sides he thought he was on are not as clearly defined as he thought - and that his own origin wasn’t the unhappy accident he believed.
There is a lot going on in this installment. John has to embrace both sides of his nature, and he does it by fits and starts. Mostly by fits. He also has to learn to not just be in a group, but also lead one, and it’s a demonstrably hard lesson for a man who has spent decades as a lone wolf.
It’s also a story where all the motives are murky on all sides. John knows that the Knights mostly mean well, for select definitions of the word well, but they often do badly and definitely believe that their supposedly righteous ends justify any means, when all it means is that they lose their humanity in the process of becoming Knights, sometimes even more so than the monsters they hunt.
John’s desire to believe in the werewolf cause constantly conflicts with his cynicism. He knows its too good to be true, even when some parts of it are demonstrably true. His conflict drives him to snark and frustration at every turn.
His story also shows that even for a sometimes monster, it is much easier to get by with a little help from your friends.
Although I read Daring before Fearless, I’m posting it after. I’ll be packing for WorldCon in Spokane when this posts, and frankly, I needed to have stuff pre-done for as much of this week as possible. Let’s face it, the odds on my managing to write up reviews and prep posts while at Sasquan are virtually nil. And so they should be.
But about this book...Daring is the second book in the Pax Arcana, and it helps to have read the first book, the surprisingly terrific Charming first. While the author does a pretty good job of summarizing the action so far, and in John Charming’s charmingly snarky voice, you always miss some of the nuance.
And Charming is damn good urban fantasy of the snarky hero/antihero school, so what’s not to love?
The concept of the Pax Arcana still feels like an awesome invention. It’s the concept that magic happens around us all the time, but because of a massive spell that the fae cast just before they left Earth, we can’t see it (unless it’s a question of survival). The fae also created a force of Pax cops - we know them best as the Knights Templar, and pretty much every other order of secret-keeping warriors that has ever been.
John Charming is a big problem for the knights, and it’s one that they created for themselves. John was trained as a knight, just like his father and his father and every other Charming before him. But John’s mother was bitten by a werewolf just before John was born, so John is also a werewolf. The Knights kill werewolves on sight, having decided somewhere in the way back that werewolves are ipso facto violations of the Pax just for existing.
Except that John breaks all the rules, because he is definitely a werewolf, but he is still bound by the geas that binds all knights to protect the Pax. If his existence were an automatic violation, he would have to off himself. But John feels no compulsion towards suicide. The powers-that-be in the Knights don’t want anyone exploring the walking contradiction that is John Charming.
This is also a story where the Knights are not necessarily good, and the monsters are not necessarily bad. They all still have all the messy motivations that regular humans do - so some on both sides are good, and some on both sides are rotten to the core. Except vampires, they’re just rotten, and sometimes rotting.
So when the Knights blackmail John into helping them with a werewolf problem, they do it in the nastiest way possible - they threaten the lives of all the friends that John made during the story in Charming. So John goes along, but also ties the Knights up in some interesting magical protections of his own, because John knows the Knights are not playing fair with him and his friends.
They never do.
But John’s insertion into the big werewolf clan goes even worse than the Knights' biggest fears - because there is way more going on than their limited perspective on anyone other than themselves is able to comprehend, and because they screw thing up again while they try to screw John over again. Along with everyone else.
Escape Rating A-: This series gets better and better as it goes along. I say that and I’m in the middle of book 3 as I write this review. The trajectory is definitely upwards.
One of the fun things in this story is just how screwed up the Knights are at this point in their history. They seem to be mostly following their leaders blindly, in a world that keeps changing out from under them. They have historically relied on the Pax and their ability to confuse mundanes through chemicals or spells, but the Earth’s population boom combined with the communication power of the Internet is breaking the Pax faster than they can repair it.
Also they have decided that some creatures are automatically their enemies that aren’t necessarily, but by being targeted they become enemies. That the Knights also don’t give a damn about any normal humans that they murder in their quests does not make them any friends, either. Eventually, people start to suspect. And resent. Definitely resent.
John is a werewolf, but he is also a Knight. However, the Knights murdered his lover to get at him, and are threatening the lives of his new friends. He is not kindly disposed towards them. When the werewolf clan takes him in, he gets involved because they seem to be mostly good people, and mostly just defending themselves, and it feels good to be all of who he really is, instead of having to hide parts of himself.
But while many of the werewolves are just good people, there are some who have a much bigger (and badder) agenda, using the general werewolf population as meat-shields and other, even worse, possibilities.
As the clusterfuck reaches epic proportions, John discovers that the sides he thought he was on are not as clearly defined as he thought - and that his own origin wasn’t the unhappy accident he believed.
There is a lot going on in this installment. John has to embrace both sides of his nature, and he does it by fits and starts. Mostly by fits. He also has to learn to not just be in a group, but also lead one, and it’s a demonstrably hard lesson for a man who has spent decades as a lone wolf.
It’s also a story where all the motives are murky on all sides. John knows that the Knights mostly mean well, for select definitions of the word well, but they often do badly and definitely believe that their supposedly righteous ends justify any means, when all it means is that they lose their humanity in the process of becoming Knights, sometimes even more so than the monsters they hunt.
John’s desire to believe in the werewolf cause constantly conflicts with his cynicism. He knows its too good to be true, even when some parts of it are demonstrably true. His conflict drives him to snark and frustration at every turn.
His story also shows that even for a sometimes monster, it is much easier to get by with a little help from your friends.
March 17, 2020
Really appreciated getting a more in-depth view of the Knights, their culture and prejudices. You get why John is torn between loving and hating them. They were all he knew growing up, yet they always held him at a distance. Now he has Sig and the gang though, but it comes down to trust and keeping everyone alive.
Wasn't sure how I felt about John splitting off and going undercover with the wolves, but by getting to know the 'enemy' John both discovers more about himself and begins to question why the Knights are so black and white - putting everything non-human into the needs to be killed bucket. John begins to take the first steps towards forgiving himself (for being a werewolf, for failing to be a Knight - even though none of it was ever his fault)
The above all sounds so serious but really there was loads of laughs, zingers and that slowly developing romance between John and Sig that is bubbling along nicely.
A creative world, loads of action, tons of fun and a flawed Hero and a kick ass heroine - loved it.
Wasn't sure how I felt about John splitting off and going undercover with the wolves, but by getting to know the 'enemy' John both discovers more about himself and begins to question why the Knights are so black and white - putting everything non-human into the needs to be killed bucket. John begins to take the first steps towards forgiving himself (for being a werewolf, for failing to be a Knight - even though none of it was ever his fault)
The above all sounds so serious but really there was loads of laughs, zingers and that slowly developing romance between John and Sig that is bubbling along nicely.
A creative world, loads of action, tons of fun and a flawed Hero and a kick ass heroine - loved it.
June 3, 2021
A good werewolf story woven along with native American folklore which makes it quite an exciting read. This book is all about the protagonist trying to deal with his dual nature and find acceptance. The action was slick and bloody. It is also a story about people being conflict with each other because of their ideals, beliefs, and power. I enjoyed it.
John Charming as the protagonist is quite likable, and I loved the parts where he interacted with his own werewolf brethren learning their ways. The most important thing for me was the relationship between John and Sig. It was good to see how they're falling for each other, but are confused because of their own insecurities and past mistakes. I love that Elliot James is building their romance in a slow- burn.
I think that this book has set up the overarching plot of the series, as many new characters are introduced, and plays a major role in the conflict that's brewing in the supernatural world. I'm most definitely going to finish the next three books.
John Charming as the protagonist is quite likable, and I loved the parts where he interacted with his own werewolf brethren learning their ways. The most important thing for me was the relationship between John and Sig. It was good to see how they're falling for each other, but are confused because of their own insecurities and past mistakes. I love that Elliot James is building their romance in a slow- burn.
I think that this book has set up the overarching plot of the series, as many new characters are introduced, and plays a major role in the conflict that's brewing in the supernatural world. I'm most definitely going to finish the next three books.
March 15, 2017
After the battle with the vampires, John said he would be leaving. He needed to figure out what to do about the Knights, and try to make them see that he still upholds the Pax Arcana even though he is part werewolf. The Knights have other ideas. Like using his friends as leverage against him. Meanwhile, werewolves from all over are coming together, and Knights are dying as a result. Who will he side with, the wolves or the knights? I really enjoyed this book. Never a dull moment, and lots of humor sprinkled in.
March 6, 2018
Just about perfect
An improvement over book one, and that was already pretty darn good. John takes on the knights vs wolves political conflict with...smashing...results. Loved it.
An improvement over book one, and that was already pretty darn good. John takes on the knights vs wolves political conflict with...smashing...results. Loved it.
October 9, 2014
Posted at Yummy Men & Kick Ass Chicks
Daring is the second book in Elliott James’ Pax Arcana series. Even with a 4star review, I placed Charmed, the first book of the series, on my favorite reads of 2013 list. I LOVED John’s voice and how he completely drew me into his world and his storytelling. I’m giving Daring 4stars as well even though I can’t say I feel as excited about this book as I did the first. This book is SO different from the first book, it really is hard to compare.
How is Daring completely different from Charming? In the first book we learn about the Knights (those who are responsible for maintaining the Pax Arcana, the spell that makes humans not notice the paranormal around them) and we see how John goes on to trust a small group of people, after not trusting anyone for ages, and help out one of the very causes he’s been hiding from for years. In Daring, we barely see the people from the first book – good or bad, I’ll get back to this in a minute. What we do see is a whole lot of John and a whole lot of werewolves.
John was born a werewolf and a Knight. He’s the only one of his kind. Growing up, he was raised by the Knights and learned to hate and ignore his werewolf side. In Daring, he is forced to learn to live with it while he learns about his werewolf ‘heritage’.
But let me break for a moment.
This book is actually multiple stories in one. It’s even separated into parts! The beginning is how John was forced into ‘being a werewolf more than a Knight’, next is how he embraces it and finally what it all means. That last part was left quite open so you know it will be touched on in the next book, Fearless, when it comes out August 2015. (Yes August. Of next year. *sigh*)
I loved John in the first book and still enjoy him in this latest book. He’s very smart, clever and sarcastic and those qualities work well in the world Elliott created. It’s no secret that I didn’t much like Sig, John’s love interest, in the first book. I didn’t ‘get’ why he was so into her. Well, Sig fans, rejoice…sort of. Sig is barely in this book! But I feel she will be in the next book but that’s okay. Everyone deserves a second chance and that will be her second chance for showing me she really does belong with my dear John.
If another beef you had with book one was the level of description and world building, you will like this one as it does not have nearly as much. There is no need really as the base world was established in the previous book.
I liked how we learned a lot more about John and his not-so-happy childhood. I was surprised by how ‘heavy’ this book felt as opposed to the first book. But really, it matched the tone. Believe me, after you read it and see the messed up things and creatures John and his friends meet you’ll realize that humor does not fit so well. That’s not to say the book is humorless – there are some pretty good funny moments – just not as many as in the first installment.
I quite enjoyed the ‘new’ crew John hung out with this time around. Jelly, Mayte, Chad, Chai…all brought something to the table and all managed to surprise me at least once. I’m curious to see if any will appear in the next book as the ‘crew’ John played with in the first book was barely at all in this latest one. Seems Elliott is all about keeping us on our toes.
The story this time around is rather complicated so I won’t go into it but it involves monsters then witches mixed with a bit of folklore and fighting and gore. So basically things you expect from an urban fantasy read. It was well done.
Seeing how different Daring read from Charming, I am very curious to see how the next installment will feel and how it will fit into the series. I think if you liked the first book, you should definitely read this one. And I think if you ‘sort-of’ liked the first book you should give this one a try. It does fill in a few holes and you get to know John a whole lot better. And seeing how John was my favorite part of the first book, Daring really worked for me.
4 stars
Daring is the second book in Elliott James’ Pax Arcana series. Even with a 4star review, I placed Charmed, the first book of the series, on my favorite reads of 2013 list. I LOVED John’s voice and how he completely drew me into his world and his storytelling. I’m giving Daring 4stars as well even though I can’t say I feel as excited about this book as I did the first. This book is SO different from the first book, it really is hard to compare.
How is Daring completely different from Charming? In the first book we learn about the Knights (those who are responsible for maintaining the Pax Arcana, the spell that makes humans not notice the paranormal around them) and we see how John goes on to trust a small group of people, after not trusting anyone for ages, and help out one of the very causes he’s been hiding from for years. In Daring, we barely see the people from the first book – good or bad, I’ll get back to this in a minute. What we do see is a whole lot of John and a whole lot of werewolves.
John was born a werewolf and a Knight. He’s the only one of his kind. Growing up, he was raised by the Knights and learned to hate and ignore his werewolf side. In Daring, he is forced to learn to live with it while he learns about his werewolf ‘heritage’.
But let me break for a moment.
This book is actually multiple stories in one. It’s even separated into parts! The beginning is how John was forced into ‘being a werewolf more than a Knight’, next is how he embraces it and finally what it all means. That last part was left quite open so you know it will be touched on in the next book, Fearless, when it comes out August 2015. (Yes August. Of next year. *sigh*)
I loved John in the first book and still enjoy him in this latest book. He’s very smart, clever and sarcastic and those qualities work well in the world Elliott created. It’s no secret that I didn’t much like Sig, John’s love interest, in the first book. I didn’t ‘get’ why he was so into her. Well, Sig fans, rejoice…sort of. Sig is barely in this book! But I feel she will be in the next book but that’s okay. Everyone deserves a second chance and that will be her second chance for showing me she really does belong with my dear John.
If another beef you had with book one was the level of description and world building, you will like this one as it does not have nearly as much. There is no need really as the base world was established in the previous book.
I liked how we learned a lot more about John and his not-so-happy childhood. I was surprised by how ‘heavy’ this book felt as opposed to the first book. But really, it matched the tone. Believe me, after you read it and see the messed up things and creatures John and his friends meet you’ll realize that humor does not fit so well. That’s not to say the book is humorless – there are some pretty good funny moments – just not as many as in the first installment.
I quite enjoyed the ‘new’ crew John hung out with this time around. Jelly, Mayte, Chad, Chai…all brought something to the table and all managed to surprise me at least once. I’m curious to see if any will appear in the next book as the ‘crew’ John played with in the first book was barely at all in this latest one. Seems Elliott is all about keeping us on our toes.
The story this time around is rather complicated so I won’t go into it but it involves monsters then witches mixed with a bit of folklore and fighting and gore. So basically things you expect from an urban fantasy read. It was well done.
Seeing how different Daring read from Charming, I am very curious to see how the next installment will feel and how it will fit into the series. I think if you liked the first book, you should definitely read this one. And I think if you ‘sort-of’ liked the first book you should give this one a try. It does fill in a few holes and you get to know John a whole lot better. And seeing how John was my favorite part of the first book, Daring really worked for me.
4 stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews