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Justis Fearsson #1
Spell Blind
Book #1 in The Case Files of Justis Fearsson, a new contemporary fantasy series from fantasy all-star David B. Coe. A hardboiled, magic-using private detective hunts a serial killer in Phoenix, Arizona.
Justis Fearsson is a private investigator on the trail of a serial killer in Phoenix, Arizona. Justis is also a weremyste—a person with a wizard’s gifts and the ability to see into the paranormal world. Unfortunately, weremystes also tend to go crazy on the full moon—which is why Justis is no longer a cop. Hard to explain those absences as anything but mental breakdown. But now an old case from his police detective days has come back to haunt him, literally, as a serial killer known as the Blind Angel strikes again. His signature stroke: burning out the victims’ eyes with magic. Now the victims are piling up, including the daughter of a senator, and Justis must race to stop the Blind Angel before he, she, or it kills again. There’s only one clue he’s got to go on: the Blind Angel is using the most powerful magic Justis has ever encountered, and if he doesn’t watch his own magical step, he may end up just as dead as the other vics.
Justis Fearsson is a private investigator on the trail of a serial killer in Phoenix, Arizona. Justis is also a weremyste—a person with a wizard’s gifts and the ability to see into the paranormal world. Unfortunately, weremystes also tend to go crazy on the full moon—which is why Justis is no longer a cop. Hard to explain those absences as anything but mental breakdown. But now an old case from his police detective days has come back to haunt him, literally, as a serial killer known as the Blind Angel strikes again. His signature stroke: burning out the victims’ eyes with magic. Now the victims are piling up, including the daughter of a senator, and Justis must race to stop the Blind Angel before he, she, or it kills again. There’s only one clue he’s got to go on: the Blind Angel is using the most powerful magic Justis has ever encountered, and if he doesn’t watch his own magical step, he may end up just as dead as the other vics.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published December 15, 2014
19 people are currently reading
486 people want to read
About the author
David B. Coe
66 books260 followersDavid B. Coe is an author of fantasy novels and short stories. He lives with his wife, Nancy Berner, and their two daughters on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee.
He has begun writing a new historical fantasy series under the pen name D.B. Jackson. The first one is titled Thieftaker, published in 2012.
He has begun writing a new historical fantasy series under the pen name D.B. Jackson. The first one is titled Thieftaker, published in 2012.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
February 27, 2018
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths Reviews
Urban fantasy is not a genre I’m well read in. Anyone who casually scans my usual book choices can ascertain as much. But in the last year, I’ve tried to change that by reading the first Harry Dresden novel Storm Front, as well as Hounded and a few short stories set in Hearne’s The Iron Druid Universe. I mention that so that you know I do have a couple Urban Fantasy books to compare Spell Blind to, and in my opinion, this first installment of the Justis Fearsson series really stacked up well against them.
Spell Blind tells the story of Justis Fearsson, former investigator with the Phoenix, Arizona police force and current private investigator. But, naturally, there is more to Justis that it appears; in reality, he is a weremyste!
In this world, weremystes are a unique form of werewolf. They appear perfectly normal, act perfectly normal, and don’t seem to turn all hairy on certain nights. What makes them extraordinary is their magical ability, which depends on the moon for its power. The only drawback to the magic is that when the moon becomes full weremystes basically go insane. All semblance of reality fleeing them even as they reach their maximum magical apex.
Justis is no exception to this curse. But like his father before him, the magic means too much for him to take the drugs that would let him lead a normal life. The specter of its lose nearly as terrifying to him as the dementia and Alzheimer-like symptoms it finally inflicted upon his father. Plus, Justis really needs the magic to continue to do his job?
But why does a P.I. need magic, you ask?
Well, normally, Justis doesn’t – the insurance claims and adulterous spouse cases not requiring anything other than his law enforcement skills, but occasionally, he finds himself mixed up in crimes that defy explanation, called in as a consultant by his former partner, Kona Shaw, to aid Phoenix P.D. in their ongoing investigations. And since Kona is the only person other than his father who knows his secret – and because he really needs the money – Justis takes on these cases, utilizing his magical powers to aid his previous employer. And as Spell Blind begins that is exactly what is transpiring.
You see, before his termination from the force, Justis and Kona were investigators on the worst serial killer case in Phoenix history. An especially nasty murderer who preyed on troubled teens and college students, burned out their eyes while torturing them, and always dumped their bodies in the desert. The gruesome nature of the deaths caused the local media to dub the assailant the Blind Angel Killer. And though Justis never got close to apprehending this psycho, he always suspected the killings had something to do with magic but could never prove it.
Fast forward to now. There has been another Blind Angel murder. This time the daughter of an immensely powerful state politician has been found tortured, blinded, and dead in the desert. The Feds have been called in to find the killer and do it fast. But Phoenix P.D. wants to apprehend him first, so that they will not be labeled incompetent, and soon Justis finds his phone ringing. But even as he agrees to help Kona Shaw out, he wonders if his weremyste powers are strong enough to deal with exactly what he is stepping into?
Overall, Spell Blind was a really solid Urban Fantasy story. It had all the requisite elements: urban setting, supernatural creatures, magic, romantic entanglements, and mysterious plots. And David B. Coe weaves all of them together into a seamlessly entertaining novel that is never dull, constantly develops its characters, deftly reveals its mysteries, and wraps things up with a nice, realistic ending. Without a doubt, it is pure Urban Fantasy fun. Really.
The only criticism I could cast on the book is that it isn’t brimming with originality. I mean, even I (a UF newbie) have read and seen UF characters similar to those presented here, plots close to this one, and magical creatures related to weremystes, so none of the elements themselves surprised me. So if a perspective reader comes to Spell Blind searching for some re-invention of the Urban Fantasy formula, I could see them being sorely disappointed by this novel.
With that negative aside, however, I really enjoyed this first installment of the Justis Fearsson series. As I mentioned earlier, it was pure page turning fun, and I fully intend to pick up the next book to see what adventures have been sprung upon my favorite weremyste P.I..
Baen Publishing and Netgalley provided this book to me for free in return for an honest review. The review above was not paid for or influenced in any way by any person, entity or organization, but is my own personal opinions.
Urban fantasy is not a genre I’m well read in. Anyone who casually scans my usual book choices can ascertain as much. But in the last year, I’ve tried to change that by reading the first Harry Dresden novel Storm Front, as well as Hounded and a few short stories set in Hearne’s The Iron Druid Universe. I mention that so that you know I do have a couple Urban Fantasy books to compare Spell Blind to, and in my opinion, this first installment of the Justis Fearsson series really stacked up well against them.
Spell Blind tells the story of Justis Fearsson, former investigator with the Phoenix, Arizona police force and current private investigator. But, naturally, there is more to Justis that it appears; in reality, he is a weremyste!
In this world, weremystes are a unique form of werewolf. They appear perfectly normal, act perfectly normal, and don’t seem to turn all hairy on certain nights. What makes them extraordinary is their magical ability, which depends on the moon for its power. The only drawback to the magic is that when the moon becomes full weremystes basically go insane. All semblance of reality fleeing them even as they reach their maximum magical apex.
Justis is no exception to this curse. But like his father before him, the magic means too much for him to take the drugs that would let him lead a normal life. The specter of its lose nearly as terrifying to him as the dementia and Alzheimer-like symptoms it finally inflicted upon his father. Plus, Justis really needs the magic to continue to do his job?
But why does a P.I. need magic, you ask?
Well, normally, Justis doesn’t – the insurance claims and adulterous spouse cases not requiring anything other than his law enforcement skills, but occasionally, he finds himself mixed up in crimes that defy explanation, called in as a consultant by his former partner, Kona Shaw, to aid Phoenix P.D. in their ongoing investigations. And since Kona is the only person other than his father who knows his secret – and because he really needs the money – Justis takes on these cases, utilizing his magical powers to aid his previous employer. And as Spell Blind begins that is exactly what is transpiring.
You see, before his termination from the force, Justis and Kona were investigators on the worst serial killer case in Phoenix history. An especially nasty murderer who preyed on troubled teens and college students, burned out their eyes while torturing them, and always dumped their bodies in the desert. The gruesome nature of the deaths caused the local media to dub the assailant the Blind Angel Killer. And though Justis never got close to apprehending this psycho, he always suspected the killings had something to do with magic but could never prove it.
Fast forward to now. There has been another Blind Angel murder. This time the daughter of an immensely powerful state politician has been found tortured, blinded, and dead in the desert. The Feds have been called in to find the killer and do it fast. But Phoenix P.D. wants to apprehend him first, so that they will not be labeled incompetent, and soon Justis finds his phone ringing. But even as he agrees to help Kona Shaw out, he wonders if his weremyste powers are strong enough to deal with exactly what he is stepping into?
Overall, Spell Blind was a really solid Urban Fantasy story. It had all the requisite elements: urban setting, supernatural creatures, magic, romantic entanglements, and mysterious plots. And David B. Coe weaves all of them together into a seamlessly entertaining novel that is never dull, constantly develops its characters, deftly reveals its mysteries, and wraps things up with a nice, realistic ending. Without a doubt, it is pure Urban Fantasy fun. Really.
The only criticism I could cast on the book is that it isn’t brimming with originality. I mean, even I (a UF newbie) have read and seen UF characters similar to those presented here, plots close to this one, and magical creatures related to weremystes, so none of the elements themselves surprised me. So if a perspective reader comes to Spell Blind searching for some re-invention of the Urban Fantasy formula, I could see them being sorely disappointed by this novel.
With that negative aside, however, I really enjoyed this first installment of the Justis Fearsson series. As I mentioned earlier, it was pure page turning fun, and I fully intend to pick up the next book to see what adventures have been sprung upon my favorite weremyste P.I..
Baen Publishing and Netgalley provided this book to me for free in return for an honest review. The review above was not paid for or influenced in any way by any person, entity or organization, but is my own personal opinions.
February 22, 2018
I know Coe as a fantasy author, but found this urban fantasy pretty good, a 3.5 star read that I'll bump since it's the first of a series & my wife liked the second book even more. The system of magic is interesting, if rather obscure. The murder mystery was pretty good, too. The characters were well done.
I had a little trouble suspending my belief over the way the other characters handle magic. They're a bit too dense too often, but that was my biggest complaint.
On the plus side, the way magic's mental anguish was aligned with the moon cycle & compared to alcoholism was very good. It's quite a quandary. Excellent.
I'll definitely read more in this series.
I had a little trouble suspending my belief over the way the other characters handle magic. They're a bit too dense too often, but that was my biggest complaint.
On the plus side, the way magic's mental anguish was aligned with the moon cycle & compared to alcoholism was very good. It's quite a quandary. Excellent.
I'll definitely read more in this series.
January 18, 2015
David Coe's latest novel is Spellblind, another murder mystery set in a urban fantasy setting. Justis Fearsson is a weremyste, a wizard who suffers psychosis attacks during the three days of the full moon. Fearson used to be a cop, before his episodic breakdowns forced him from the police force. Fearsson is still learning about his powers and his runecrafting or spellcasting. His teacher is Namid, an otherworldly and ghostly runemyste, from the counsel of weremystes. Now he makes his living as a private investigator finding lost kids, but he still has friends on the force, like his ex-partner Kona Shaw. The fact that Fearsson has episodic breaks with reality is an interesting built in conceit, but seems added to the story to make being a weremyste that much harder. It forms a central element of the story hindering Fearsson's relationships, life and taking a toll on his father as well.
After finding a missing girl, Fearsson receives a call from Shaw. A serial killer who killed 30 people that Shaw and Fearsson had been tracking before Fearsson was forced off the force has struck again. Shaw, who knows about Fearsson's powers wants him to examine the murder scene to see if it bears the killer's magical signature. Unlike most of the victims of the killer, this victim is important because her father is a powerful Senator.
Fearsson gets hired by an aide to the Senator to investigate the case from the outside. The killer, another weremyste seems to be getting stronger as he kills. Fearsson uncovers clues to the mysterious killer by tracking down other magic users. Namid also helps because the killer seems to be targeting Fearsson, so Coe gets to show how Fearsson trains to use his magic.
While investigating, he gets involved with a pretty blogger. Is she the one, or just using him for a story.
The story has a few red herrings as the cops capture someone, who they want to believe is the killer, but is not.
Soon the killer is after Fearsson, who will have the battle of his life to stop him. He will have to harness his growing power to battle the much stronger wizard.
While Fearsson is an interesting character, battling the demons of his weremyste life, some of the plot twists did not work for me. The killer toys with Fearsson in one scene, and a woman dies in another. More importantly the end confrontation did not ring true.
Spellblind is a good start to this urban fantasy story, but in this over-saturated field, Coe will need to up his game to hook more readers to his latest series.
After finding a missing girl, Fearsson receives a call from Shaw. A serial killer who killed 30 people that Shaw and Fearsson had been tracking before Fearsson was forced off the force has struck again. Shaw, who knows about Fearsson's powers wants him to examine the murder scene to see if it bears the killer's magical signature. Unlike most of the victims of the killer, this victim is important because her father is a powerful Senator.
Fearsson gets hired by an aide to the Senator to investigate the case from the outside. The killer, another weremyste seems to be getting stronger as he kills. Fearsson uncovers clues to the mysterious killer by tracking down other magic users. Namid also helps because the killer seems to be targeting Fearsson, so Coe gets to show how Fearsson trains to use his magic.
While investigating, he gets involved with a pretty blogger. Is she the one, or just using him for a story.
The story has a few red herrings as the cops capture someone, who they want to believe is the killer, but is not.
Soon the killer is after Fearsson, who will have the battle of his life to stop him. He will have to harness his growing power to battle the much stronger wizard.
While Fearsson is an interesting character, battling the demons of his weremyste life, some of the plot twists did not work for me. The killer toys with Fearsson in one scene, and a woman dies in another. More importantly the end confrontation did not ring true.
Spellblind is a good start to this urban fantasy story, but in this over-saturated field, Coe will need to up his game to hook more readers to his latest series.
January 27, 2022
Notes:
Great concepts and core set of characters. I loved the way Coe presented Arizona as the setting. The case had a strong start, but floundered towards the end. I wasn't a fan of the see-saw effect of solid writing & plot flow mixed with stuttered writing & what seemed to be rushed segments.
I enjoyed the story enough to try the next book. Hopefully, I can find it at the library. =)
Great concepts and core set of characters. I loved the way Coe presented Arizona as the setting. The case had a strong start, but floundered towards the end. I wasn't a fan of the see-saw effect of solid writing & plot flow mixed with stuttered writing & what seemed to be rushed segments.
I enjoyed the story enough to try the next book. Hopefully, I can find it at the library. =)
February 11, 2015
This was such an awesome book!! I absolutely flew through the pages and didn't want it to end.
Justis is an amazing character. He is strong, smart but also flawed. He is an ex cop turned private eye. He is also a weremyste. He is called by his ex partner one night to come and help with a high profile case. When he gets there he realises that it's another Blind Angel kill because he can see the magical signature left behind. He was working the case before he was fired and they have been looking for the culprit for nearly 3 years now. Every month at the same time he strikes, Justis knows, he hasn't long left before the killer will strike again.
What I loved most about the book was the lore. The author has created a unique and fantastic world and one I loved being in. The whole idea of the weremystes was fascinating. Weremystes are magic users but with a difference. They can do magic all the time but when the moon is full they turn crazy for those 3 days. The moon changes them into something unreliable and dangerous. They loose their mind even though they are at their strongest, magic wise, for those 3 days. That was the reason Justis lost his job, because for 3 nights out of a month, he was gone.
I also loved Namid. He trains Justis in the use of magic, but he is a kind of ghost!! See, fascinating ;)
The plot was really fast paced as well. The Blind Angel killer has been killing for years but they never had a lead, until now. The killer kills with magic and the victims are left with their eyes burnt out. How can you stop a killer when, with every kill, he gets stronger??
Anyway, overall I loved Spell Blind. It's one of those gems that, when you start you don't expect much, but as you read it just blows you away! I flew through the book, which at over 350 pages is a feat, and loved every word. I can not wait for more from this world and Justis!! Roll on book 2.
Justis is an amazing character. He is strong, smart but also flawed. He is an ex cop turned private eye. He is also a weremyste. He is called by his ex partner one night to come and help with a high profile case. When he gets there he realises that it's another Blind Angel kill because he can see the magical signature left behind. He was working the case before he was fired and they have been looking for the culprit for nearly 3 years now. Every month at the same time he strikes, Justis knows, he hasn't long left before the killer will strike again.
What I loved most about the book was the lore. The author has created a unique and fantastic world and one I loved being in. The whole idea of the weremystes was fascinating. Weremystes are magic users but with a difference. They can do magic all the time but when the moon is full they turn crazy for those 3 days. The moon changes them into something unreliable and dangerous. They loose their mind even though they are at their strongest, magic wise, for those 3 days. That was the reason Justis lost his job, because for 3 nights out of a month, he was gone.
I also loved Namid. He trains Justis in the use of magic, but he is a kind of ghost!! See, fascinating ;)
The plot was really fast paced as well. The Blind Angel killer has been killing for years but they never had a lead, until now. The killer kills with magic and the victims are left with their eyes burnt out. How can you stop a killer when, with every kill, he gets stronger??
Anyway, overall I loved Spell Blind. It's one of those gems that, when you start you don't expect much, but as you read it just blows you away! I flew through the book, which at over 350 pages is a feat, and loved every word. I can not wait for more from this world and Justis!! Roll on book 2.
February 11, 2016
I am not going to lie, I feel like I should have been paid to have read this. Not that it was totally bad, but it should never be compared to the Dresden Files! I do believe that the author mirrored some of the key "jewels" of the Dresden Files.
The story was like a middle school read. You know how you use to take lunch outside on the steps reading a book and you have the "cheese sandwich" smell wafting out of the school! Yep, this is a cheesy read! Justis didn't whine as much as a lot of reviews said but he was too one dimensional to make me even like or listen to him. I kept find myself wonder what I would cook for dinner or which class I was going to do at the gym! That is how boring he is. The supporting characters are just as bad and lack any kind of emotion at all! Well, maybe his ex-partner; what’s her name….yep….nope. See that is how I feel about all the characters, they are forgettable and lacking layers! And the falling in love part was werid also, they fall in love very quick and even that was dry!!! The plot was will predictable and again missing something. The only really good thing about this book was mist part (or however you spell it). I might give this series another try, but haven’t decided yet
The story was like a middle school read. You know how you use to take lunch outside on the steps reading a book and you have the "cheese sandwich" smell wafting out of the school! Yep, this is a cheesy read! Justis didn't whine as much as a lot of reviews said but he was too one dimensional to make me even like or listen to him. I kept find myself wonder what I would cook for dinner or which class I was going to do at the gym! That is how boring he is. The supporting characters are just as bad and lack any kind of emotion at all! Well, maybe his ex-partner; what’s her name….yep….nope. See that is how I feel about all the characters, they are forgettable and lacking layers! And the falling in love part was werid also, they fall in love very quick and even that was dry!!! The plot was will predictable and again missing something. The only really good thing about this book was mist part (or however you spell it). I might give this series another try, but haven’t decided yet
February 27, 2015
I love David's books anyhow, but this was truly different for him. It's a mystery and urban fantasy and a bit of a police procedural. I like the characters, the fact that they were well-developed, likeable and flawed. I am looking forward to learning more of how the magic works, about Justis' dad, about weremystes in general, and I'm looking forward to Justis making progress in his life, now that's he's embraced certain things, and also see how he manages as he grows stronger.
April 21, 2017
Good urban fantasy about a former cop turned PI whose magical abilities come with a price - a price that cost him his job as a cop.
April 2, 2016
I knew I was going to enjoy this book within the first couple of pages; with a hiatus for doing work, I stayed up late to finish it.
Justis (Jay) Fearsson is an ex-cop turned PI, and his ability to do magic is not only an advantage in his line of work, but also the reason why he's ex-, rather than just cop. Magic has a pretty steep price, but Fearsson is willing to pay it, and keep paying.
A serial killer who is also a powerful weremyste (sorcerer) is on the loose, killing a person every moon. Fearsson worked the case while he was a cop; his ex-partner, still on the case, needs his input when there is a new murder.
The action plays out over a few days, with much excitement and danger, and an increasing awareness that Fearsson is in way over his head (of course, it wouldn't be a very exciting novel if he wasn't).
Fearsson's love interest, I liked. Other reviewer(s) didn't, but I found her to be exactly the sort of woman who would do well with him: smart, driven, honourable, and not willing to take any crap from him or anyone else, but also capable of having fun. She's got her own priorities, and (thank you, David B. Coe) she doesn't gratuitously interfere in Fearsson's investigation or put herself or him in danger through being an idiot.
For that matter, Fearsson's ex-partner, Kona (nicknamed after the coffee, because that's what she always drinks) Shaw, was another great character. One thing I particularly appreciated was that Coe has a gay black policewoman without waving a big flag saying "Hey! Diversity credentials!" Kona is who she is, and the most important thing about her is that she's a really good policewoman and a really good friend to Fearsson - not her race or her sexuality, which are very much in the background. She's in the book to do her job, not to be a representative character.
Coe also managed the ending very well. I was wondering how he would do it, given how deep the doo-doo was in which Fearsson was swimming/drowning.
So, all in all, an excellent start to a series. I'm going to start reading the second book, His Father's Eyes, which just came out recently. I want to know what happens next...
Justis (Jay) Fearsson is an ex-cop turned PI, and his ability to do magic is not only an advantage in his line of work, but also the reason why he's ex-, rather than just cop. Magic has a pretty steep price, but Fearsson is willing to pay it, and keep paying.
A serial killer who is also a powerful weremyste (sorcerer) is on the loose, killing a person every moon. Fearsson worked the case while he was a cop; his ex-partner, still on the case, needs his input when there is a new murder.
The action plays out over a few days, with much excitement and danger, and an increasing awareness that Fearsson is in way over his head (of course, it wouldn't be a very exciting novel if he wasn't).
Fearsson's love interest, I liked. Other reviewer(s) didn't, but I found her to be exactly the sort of woman who would do well with him: smart, driven, honourable, and not willing to take any crap from him or anyone else, but also capable of having fun. She's got her own priorities, and (thank you, David B. Coe) she doesn't gratuitously interfere in Fearsson's investigation or put herself or him in danger through being an idiot.
For that matter, Fearsson's ex-partner, Kona (nicknamed after the coffee, because that's what she always drinks) Shaw, was another great character. One thing I particularly appreciated was that Coe has a gay black policewoman without waving a big flag saying "Hey! Diversity credentials!" Kona is who she is, and the most important thing about her is that she's a really good policewoman and a really good friend to Fearsson - not her race or her sexuality, which are very much in the background. She's in the book to do her job, not to be a representative character.
Coe also managed the ending very well. I was wondering how he would do it, given how deep the doo-doo was in which Fearsson was swimming/drowning.
So, all in all, an excellent start to a series. I'm going to start reading the second book, His Father's Eyes, which just came out recently. I want to know what happens next...
August 22, 2016
Justis Fearsson always wanted to be cop, but because of circumstances beyond his control, he is kicked off the force and becomes a private investigator. What he can’t control is his actions for a three-day period around the time of the full moon. He is a weremyste, a person who can do magic, but magic with a price. He goes a bit insane around the time of the full moon, and indeed, some day, it may become a permanent thing. He has a teacher, a superior being who can help him hone his craft. But he has a long way to go and he is short on time. A serial killer, who also is magical, is loose in Phoenix, and Justis wants to stop him before he kills again. This gripping tale is well crafted with fascinating characters in an intricate plot. This novel has it all – suspense, mystery, romance, and intrigue, and they are all blended and balanced together. It’s like magic.
February 9, 2022
I picked this series up at a friend’s recommendation. I come to Justus Fearson following Dresden and Castor. As others have mentioned, Spell Blind is very much a degraded copy of the former. This is formulaic and unoriginal. The romantic relationship unbelievable (and not in the good sense) and moves at a high schooler’s 0-60 speed. Their dialogue is cringy and often left me physically rolling my eyes.
This is my first book by Coe, so I don’t know how it fares compares with his others. I’ll finish the series, because that’s what you do, but I’m not exactly looking forward to jumping back in.
This is my first book by Coe, so I don’t know how it fares compares with his others. I’ll finish the series, because that’s what you do, but I’m not exactly looking forward to jumping back in.
February 13, 2015
I liked this book a great deal. I'm still relatively new to Mr. Coe and his work, but I'll definitely be reading more of it.
The book didn't slow down with too much description of the magic system, but it did explain things nicely.
Justis Fearsson is a likeable protagonist. You root for him from the very beginning.
I'm looking forward to the next book to see what new supporting characters he introduces.
The book didn't slow down with too much description of the magic system, but it did explain things nicely.
Justis Fearsson is a likeable protagonist. You root for him from the very beginning.
I'm looking forward to the next book to see what new supporting characters he introduces.
January 30, 2015
This is the first book in a new series by an excellent author. The protagonist is a weremyste (a werewolf who is also a sorcerer) private investigator. I was a little leery at first because I'm not real into werewolves and the gore that usually follows, but this had a compelling plot that kept me going even when some gore showed up. Another interesting and fun read by David Coe.
June 22, 2015
A fun urban fantasy with an interesting protagonist (a weremyste, whose magical powers wax and wane with the moon, with some unpleasant side effects). I particularly liked Justis's interactions with his friends and family--the sense of him being grounded in the milieu gave the story an added energy. I look forward to reading more in the series.
January 3, 2020
I like the idea of dectective and P.I. stories but most contemporary or old pulp fiction don't work for me. Add urban fantasy in and i'm ready to go. This hit me just right.
The cover drew me and i had to read it. Justis Fearsson is illustrated in agony on the cover with his vintage Z-ster in the background. That headache is not of the normal kind and only a select few have to endure every month during the full moon. You see Justis is a weremyste. A practicioner of magic with natural born powers, their power is at full strengh during the full moon but at price. The full moon causes someone to slip from reality , to be disillusioned the sameway with werewolves. This losing of reality are called phasing. Fearsson uses his magic to solve cases but the phasings became to much and had to leave the police force, the same reason his father did. Because his magic is kept a secret the force thinks it was because psychological reasons. Now being a P.I for a few years now a case began again where a politician's daughter was murdered by magic in a similar way other victims where.The poor on the street living youth and sexworkers is a stark contrast.
can fearsson stop the sorcessor
I immediately liked Fearrson the first page. He's doing his best, he might not the strongest using his magic but boy is he resourceful and not a quitter. I love how Coe wrote him. Coe characterised him as stand up guy without being a ' nice guy'.
Fearsson is similar to dresden but without the dresden sexist tendencies and eye fuckery. I love Harry Dresden but you have to admit Butcher writes him in away that is very male gazy when he's around female characters. This is where i'll stop comparing Fearrson to Dresden and only focus on Jay.
We see Jay grow in his magic and as character and I can't wait to see him grow further in the rest of the trilogy. Jay has a great support system in Kona, Namid, Billie and his dad to a lesser extend. His best friend friend and former parter in the force, his magical ghost mentor and what could potentially be his female love interest in the future, respectively.
This is a very grounded urban fantasy. It sparks joy everytime i see that magic has different colors in books. Jay has glimmering Aqua green, it was a treat to imagine when reading.
The magic used through will power, mental images ( elements) and words. Magic users' individual magic glows and has a halo effect on objects and the user.
A Zuni practioner has a large part in the novel. The Zuni ( A'shiwi) are Native American Pueblo peoples native to the Zuni River valley. Namid is Jay ghost mentor and was his father's mentor before him.
Being indiginous myself i pay close attention to how people like and similar to me are portrayed.I'm Lokono and not from the Zuni nation and can't speak for how they portrayed. It appeared respectful to me at least. Jay uses his quick witt to his advantage to deveat his more powerfull enemies but he could never have done it alone without Kona and Namid.
Not only has Coe written an amazingly entertaining book, and proven that urban fantasy doesn't have to have constant profanity & sex scenes. I appreciate the craft in written sex scenes but was shocked after putting the book down having read none. I'm pro sex positivity but being ace is difficult in an allosexual focused world. Spell blind was a pleasure to read and i can't wait to finish the trilogy and to read more about Jay , his adventures and about his close ones.
Stray thoughts
I love how Coe added queer representation with Kona. A bad ass Black lesbian cop and i hope to see more of Margarette and their relationship in the future. I loll'ed internally reading the jay & billie date scenes. Jay was so adorable around her, intrigued and scared how smart she is. She's a reporter.
I often try to imagine KJ Apa ( my favorite actor , Gyllenhaal 2nd ) playing a character after reading a book. I never imagine him as the character when reading. He would be a great Justis, a problem is he's to young. Jay is in his early 30s and KJ is only 22. Who knows what could happen in the future.
The cover drew me and i had to read it. Justis Fearsson is illustrated in agony on the cover with his vintage Z-ster in the background. That headache is not of the normal kind and only a select few have to endure every month during the full moon. You see Justis is a weremyste. A practicioner of magic with natural born powers, their power is at full strengh during the full moon but at price. The full moon causes someone to slip from reality , to be disillusioned the sameway with werewolves. This losing of reality are called phasing. Fearsson uses his magic to solve cases but the phasings became to much and had to leave the police force, the same reason his father did. Because his magic is kept a secret the force thinks it was because psychological reasons. Now being a P.I for a few years now a case began again where a politician's daughter was murdered by magic in a similar way other victims where.The poor on the street living youth and sexworkers is a stark contrast.
can fearsson stop the sorcessor
I immediately liked Fearrson the first page. He's doing his best, he might not the strongest using his magic but boy is he resourceful and not a quitter. I love how Coe wrote him. Coe characterised him as stand up guy without being a ' nice guy'.
Fearsson is similar to dresden but without the dresden sexist tendencies and eye fuckery. I love Harry Dresden but you have to admit Butcher writes him in away that is very male gazy when he's around female characters. This is where i'll stop comparing Fearrson to Dresden and only focus on Jay.
We see Jay grow in his magic and as character and I can't wait to see him grow further in the rest of the trilogy. Jay has a great support system in Kona, Namid, Billie and his dad to a lesser extend. His best friend friend and former parter in the force, his magical ghost mentor and what could potentially be his female love interest in the future, respectively.
This is a very grounded urban fantasy. It sparks joy everytime i see that magic has different colors in books. Jay has glimmering Aqua green, it was a treat to imagine when reading.
The magic used through will power, mental images ( elements) and words. Magic users' individual magic glows and has a halo effect on objects and the user.
A Zuni practioner has a large part in the novel. The Zuni ( A'shiwi) are Native American Pueblo peoples native to the Zuni River valley. Namid is Jay ghost mentor and was his father's mentor before him.
Being indiginous myself i pay close attention to how people like and similar to me are portrayed.I'm Lokono and not from the Zuni nation and can't speak for how they portrayed. It appeared respectful to me at least. Jay uses his quick witt to his advantage to deveat his more powerfull enemies but he could never have done it alone without Kona and Namid.
Not only has Coe written an amazingly entertaining book, and proven that urban fantasy doesn't have to have constant profanity & sex scenes. I appreciate the craft in written sex scenes but was shocked after putting the book down having read none. I'm pro sex positivity but being ace is difficult in an allosexual focused world. Spell blind was a pleasure to read and i can't wait to finish the trilogy and to read more about Jay , his adventures and about his close ones.
Stray thoughts
I love how Coe added queer representation with Kona. A bad ass Black lesbian cop and i hope to see more of Margarette and their relationship in the future. I loll'ed internally reading the jay & billie date scenes. Jay was so adorable around her, intrigued and scared how smart she is. She's a reporter.
I often try to imagine KJ Apa ( my favorite actor , Gyllenhaal 2nd ) playing a character after reading a book. I never imagine him as the character when reading. He would be a great Justis, a problem is he's to young. Jay is in his early 30s and KJ is only 22. Who knows what could happen in the future.
April 26, 2022
This is not a final review. I am still listening to the book... But there are certain aspects... that make me want to beat o the author with a nerf bat for a good five minutes solid...
Whew. Okay. I really needed to vent that. And yeah it's only my personal opinion. Maybe there are plenty of literary rules and precedent that make it okay for everyone else... But damn I hate it. I don't normally read stories about prepubescent children as the MC. I hate seeing authors turn otherwise intelligent and interesting characters into that or just flat inexcusable morons for the purpose to push some plot that.... if you can't find a more reasonable, fluid way to insert just might not belong in the story.
Whew. Okay. I really needed to vent that. And yeah it's only my personal opinion. Maybe there are plenty of literary rules and precedent that make it okay for everyone else... But damn I hate it. I don't normally read stories about prepubescent children as the MC. I hate seeing authors turn otherwise intelligent and interesting characters into that or just flat inexcusable morons for the purpose to push some plot that.... if you can't find a more reasonable, fluid way to insert just might not belong in the story.
July 26, 2017
I've been reading this book in between working on my own editing, so have picked it up and put it down over the last several weeks. Things I liked: the pacing, how the backstory and info about the characters was revealed, the premise/storyline (I really like the premise). I liked also that - although this is a series - this was a stand-alone book, not a cliff-hanger. Even so, it set everything up so that when you start the second book you'll have an idea of things that could happen without knowing for sure how it'll end up. And I'm really looking forward to reading the second book, His Father's Eyes.
November 8, 2017
For fans of Kevin Hearne’s The Iron Druid series and Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files. David B. Coe’s protagonist Justis Fearsson is the best of a long line of Private Detectives stretching back to MacDonald and Hammett with just enough of a magical twist to keep the world interesting and just enough flawed humanity to make you wish he was your friend.
February 5, 2017
This was solid book and the pages passed very quickly for me. This series consist a great set of characters & also excellent story line too.
Definitely interested in seeing where will the story goes from book 1 and will defintely continue to read the series.
Simply 5/5.
Definitely interested in seeing where will the story goes from book 1 and will defintely continue to read the series.
Simply 5/5.
February 23, 2018
David B. Coe is an author who never disappoints when it comes to telling stories. His blend of magic, detective work, and the mythos of the were- is wonderful. I'm not usually one for political or police genre, but he did a very good job and I cannot wait for the next installment.
June 9, 2023
Eye read 2023
9/10 Kinda like the dresden files, but i liked the Phoenix city backdrop more. Love the characters and story. Mostly easy to read and i think i’m interested to be reading the 2nd book some time in the future. :)
9/10 Kinda like the dresden files, but i liked the Phoenix city backdrop more. Love the characters and story. Mostly easy to read and i think i’m interested to be reading the 2nd book some time in the future. :)
October 16, 2017
Not bad. It got better toward the end. Sort of similar to the Dresden Files series, but I enjoy the limitations of this world a bit better. It makes it harder to jump the shark.
November 9, 2017
Wow, I really enjoyed this book. It have a lot of interesting characters, really interesting magic system, and good writing. I started and I did not stop until I finished.
July 29, 2019
Reads like normal crime thriller with magic adding an extra dimension to the story. Well presented.
November 4, 2019
Listened to audiobook.
June 9, 2022
Just struck me as dull and the reader's voice didn't help. Found myself zoning way out listening.
January 13, 2023
A Fast paced fantasy mystery/ crime novel. Will magic help this ex-police officer catch a serial killer?
July 22, 2024
I really enjoyed this series opener. I am hoping that the characters will develop the way they did in the very similar Dresden Files. Hoping for another solid wizard/detective series. Stay tuned.
November 20, 2025
Solid debut urban fantasy! Good characters, pace and overall story. Just wish it was a whodunit on top of everything.
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