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Elemental #1
Dark Waters
Alternate Cover Edition can be found here.
Devon Sanders, a private investigator known for his efficiency and discretion, has no interest in getting involved with the paranormal community. Unfortunately for him, the paranormal community does have an interest in him, or at least in his secret. Devon is exceptional in solving cases using his uncanny intuition.
When Devon uncovers a violent murder, he knows it is not a natural crime. In order to solve this case and expose the murderer, he will have to go undercover as a wizard in the paranormal university, Quintessence. He soon discovers that his talent has more to do with supernatural forces than he ever knew.
Magic is elemental.
Devon Sanders, a private investigator known for his efficiency and discretion, has no interest in getting involved with the paranormal community. Unfortunately for him, the paranormal community does have an interest in him, or at least in his secret. Devon is exceptional in solving cases using his uncanny intuition.
When Devon uncovers a violent murder, he knows it is not a natural crime. In order to solve this case and expose the murderer, he will have to go undercover as a wizard in the paranormal university, Quintessence. He soon discovers that his talent has more to do with supernatural forces than he ever knew.
Magic is elemental.
287 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 28, 2015
69 people are currently reading
338 people want to read
About the author
Rain Oxford
84 books119 followersRain Oxford is a teacher who has been writing stories since she was twelve. She attended Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan. Some of her interests include magic, psychology, and ancient history. When she’s not creating worlds, she enjoys reading, playing the piano, or photographing exotic wildlife.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
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July 5, 2016DNF maybe about a third in.
Audio version. Narrator sounds good in little bits - has a very dramatic voice, like the cliche movie trailer voice. But he uses that level of drama for EVERYTHING, and emphasizes weird words, so there's really no sense of rising and falling tension or anything, and the meaning is sometimes actually obscured. (eg. in one scene the MC walks into a room and says something like "I found myself in a library" but the narrator randomly emphasizes "myself"... "I found MYSELF in a library" making it seem as if a doppleganger had been discovered or something.)
The writing itself? A bit hard to get to through the audio narration issues, but...it felt like a Harry Potter fanfic that was for some reason aged up to university, but possibly written by someone who's never been to university? I stopped reading when the 30-year-old MC was assigned detention, but there were quite a few other issues before that.
Overall a lot of jumpiness, with no clear transitions between scenes. The hero is a bit of a Marty Stu-despite his repetitions of "I'm not magic, I'm not magic" it's pretty clear he IS magic, with all his psychic communication and infallible intuition and ability to do water magic with no training or study, just one moment of fairly prosaic insight...
It was on super-sale at Audible. Still not worth the money, though.
Audio version. Narrator sounds good in little bits - has a very dramatic voice, like the cliche movie trailer voice. But he uses that level of drama for EVERYTHING, and emphasizes weird words, so there's really no sense of rising and falling tension or anything, and the meaning is sometimes actually obscured. (eg. in one scene the MC walks into a room and says something like "I found myself in a library" but the narrator randomly emphasizes "myself"... "I found MYSELF in a library" making it seem as if a doppleganger had been discovered or something.)
The writing itself? A bit hard to get to through the audio narration issues, but...it felt like a Harry Potter fanfic that was for some reason aged up to university, but possibly written by someone who's never been to university? I stopped reading when the 30-year-old MC was assigned detention, but there were quite a few other issues before that.
Overall a lot of jumpiness, with no clear transitions between scenes. The hero is a bit of a Marty Stu-despite his repetitions of "I'm not magic, I'm not magic" it's pretty clear he IS magic, with all his psychic communication and infallible intuition and ability to do water magic with no training or study, just one moment of fairly prosaic insight...
It was on super-sale at Audible. Still not worth the money, though.
October 1, 2016
What can I say? I did finish it. I was not bored. The idea of a wizard with a dark past who is also a private investigator is not exactly new. And the same can be said of the hidden magical school in an ever changing building. There are fay, and shifters and vampires... It was done ok, so was the murder mystery. But there was not enough "special" in it for me. Too similar but not equal to others. I also had a problem with the readers voice: he spoke the text well, with clear differences between voices, but the main character seemed just a bit off to me, too old maybe? And his female voices did not work for me at all.
July 3, 2015
I originally read Oxford's "The Guardian's Grimoire" series, which I loved. I noted in a couple of the reviews I posted for those books that I was especially happy to see various mythical creatures passing through the chapters, so it looks like I'm going to be helplessly in love with her new series. Shifters, Fae, Vampires, Wizards - the list goes on and I can't wait to see what's next!
You begin the story knowing less than the main character already does, so as it unfolds, you feel like you are learning along the way, solving the mystery with him but your mind is already turning wheels from the start. Equally interesting are the characters; you already expect to learn names and personalities of the new people you meet in the pages, but when they have unusual abilities and traits about them (for example, pack mentality among wolf shifters), you have to learn so much more and you can still be kept on your toes not knowing exactly how they will react to situations or each other. This is something I absolutely love. :)
I cannot wait until the next book for this series is released - I plan to read the entire way through it and keep it in my collection for a long time, and I can tell this already from book one!
You begin the story knowing less than the main character already does, so as it unfolds, you feel like you are learning along the way, solving the mystery with him but your mind is already turning wheels from the start. Equally interesting are the characters; you already expect to learn names and personalities of the new people you meet in the pages, but when they have unusual abilities and traits about them (for example, pack mentality among wolf shifters), you have to learn so much more and you can still be kept on your toes not knowing exactly how they will react to situations or each other. This is something I absolutely love. :)
I cannot wait until the next book for this series is released - I plan to read the entire way through it and keep it in my collection for a long time, and I can tell this already from book one!
July 1, 2016
I narrated the audiobook version...great story lots of characters and mystery. Really interesting plot...as always Rain Oxford creates a very believable world in her books.
September 9, 2019
Not a bad go around of an urban fantasy novel. Nothing new or exciting exists in here: there’s a magic school (but with a new spin! It’s a University!) and a magical private investigator (but new spin! He’s not “really” magical!) The plot is a straightforward who is trying to kill the good guys, with a side order of why can’t we all just get along? The character, who is apparently supposed to be in his 30s, spends much of his time acting like he’s 17, and the rest of secondary characters do similarly silly stuff.
Perhaps the most annoying thing is that there are certain bits that could do with a nice editing, like using break when speaking of a brake pedal. **shudder**
All that said, there’s a ghost of a good story here and if you’re looking for something to read, it’s not terrible.
Perhaps the most annoying thing is that there are certain bits that could do with a nice editing, like using break when speaking of a brake pedal. **shudder**
All that said, there’s a ghost of a good story here and if you’re looking for something to read, it’s not terrible.
March 3, 2016
os traigo un libro que me ha dejado PATIDIFUSA. Os cuento...La traductora de esta obra y yo ya habíamos tenido contacto con otras obras, y cuando me habló de una obra que NO ERA ROMÁNTICA, pero que me prometía un mundo paranormal los ojitos me hicieron chiribitas. No dude en decirle.. <>.
Después me quedé pensando que me había adelantado. Soy muy quisquillosa para todo lo referente a lo paranormal sea romántico o no, pero, sabía que la recomendación bien podía valer la pena.
¡Y lo ha hecho! Conocer Aguas Oscuras de Raian Oxford ha sido una experiencia satisfactoria y sorprendente.
Vamos a ambientar un poco. ¿A que os suena si menciono que hay una escuela de magia? ¿A quién recordáis si menciono hechiceros? ¿Maestros de pociones? ¿Un mundo dividido entre humanos y seres mágicos?
Si, lo sé. Estaréis pensando en Harry Potter y diréis. ¡Que esto esta muy visto y ha sido copiado! De hecho cuando comencé el libro fue lo primero que dije... Luego me arrepentí de haberlo dicho porque la historia a pesar de tener esta parte similar, no tiene ABSOLUTAMENTE NADA QUE VER CON ESTA SAGA.
Aguas Oscuras en un thriller paranormal, donde seres increíbles viven cerca de nosotros. Vampiros, hechiceros, hadas, cambiaformas son los protagonistas de esta obra trepidante que os hará estar necesitados de llegar hasta el final para poder desentrañar el misterio de esta obra.
Nuestro personaje central es Devon Sander. Un detective privado que sabe hacer muy bien su trabajo, cobra caro por eso, ya que sus resultados son brutales. Un hombre de principios, de mente aguda y sorpresiva. El es el que nos cuenta la historia. Al inicio pensé que sería muy al estilo detectivesco... ¡Nada mas lejos de la realidad!
Me encantaron los giros que daban. Cuando yo pensaba que ya estaba todo dicho, de repente algo sucedía que me dejaba preguntándome ¿Qué demonios iba a pasar ahora?
Con personajes bien perfilados, escenarios oscuros y peligrosos, la historia iba avanzando hasta que logré poner el punto final, solo para tomar un respiro y decir.. ¡Noooo, quiero más!
Un caso de un asesinato, una escuela de magia, extraños sueños con arañas, un mundo oculto y hadas pequeñas dispuestas a todo por ayudar a nuestro protagonista se dan cita aquí. La mano de la autora es tan maravillosa que no os daréis cuenta que ya os habéis terminado el libro en un visto y no visto.
Creo que tenemos una autora que va a dar mucho que hablar en el mundo paranormal y yo me quedé con ganas desesperadas de continuar con la siguiente parte, la que seguro cae más pronto que tarde.
Después me quedé pensando que me había adelantado. Soy muy quisquillosa para todo lo referente a lo paranormal sea romántico o no, pero, sabía que la recomendación bien podía valer la pena.
¡Y lo ha hecho! Conocer Aguas Oscuras de Raian Oxford ha sido una experiencia satisfactoria y sorprendente.
Vamos a ambientar un poco. ¿A que os suena si menciono que hay una escuela de magia? ¿A quién recordáis si menciono hechiceros? ¿Maestros de pociones? ¿Un mundo dividido entre humanos y seres mágicos?
Si, lo sé. Estaréis pensando en Harry Potter y diréis. ¡Que esto esta muy visto y ha sido copiado! De hecho cuando comencé el libro fue lo primero que dije... Luego me arrepentí de haberlo dicho porque la historia a pesar de tener esta parte similar, no tiene ABSOLUTAMENTE NADA QUE VER CON ESTA SAGA.
Aguas Oscuras en un thriller paranormal, donde seres increíbles viven cerca de nosotros. Vampiros, hechiceros, hadas, cambiaformas son los protagonistas de esta obra trepidante que os hará estar necesitados de llegar hasta el final para poder desentrañar el misterio de esta obra.
Nuestro personaje central es Devon Sander. Un detective privado que sabe hacer muy bien su trabajo, cobra caro por eso, ya que sus resultados son brutales. Un hombre de principios, de mente aguda y sorpresiva. El es el que nos cuenta la historia. Al inicio pensé que sería muy al estilo detectivesco... ¡Nada mas lejos de la realidad!
Me encantaron los giros que daban. Cuando yo pensaba que ya estaba todo dicho, de repente algo sucedía que me dejaba preguntándome ¿Qué demonios iba a pasar ahora?
Con personajes bien perfilados, escenarios oscuros y peligrosos, la historia iba avanzando hasta que logré poner el punto final, solo para tomar un respiro y decir.. ¡Noooo, quiero más!
Un caso de un asesinato, una escuela de magia, extraños sueños con arañas, un mundo oculto y hadas pequeñas dispuestas a todo por ayudar a nuestro protagonista se dan cita aquí. La mano de la autora es tan maravillosa que no os daréis cuenta que ya os habéis terminado el libro en un visto y no visto.
Creo que tenemos una autora que va a dar mucho que hablar en el mundo paranormal y yo me quedé con ganas desesperadas de continuar con la siguiente parte, la que seguro cae más pronto que tarde.
July 31, 2015
Wow! (Jack Dresden, Harry Reacher anybody?)
This book was awesome. I can't say some of the plot wasn't predictable, but a lot of it was not. The opening lack of information and the flashbacks were really well done, making it more of a thriller than I was expecting. Some of the side stories will be great for fleshing out in the future.
I read a lot of series and genres, and end up making comparisons among them. To me the elements felt like a mash up of Jack Reacher and Harry Dresden with more of an urban fantasy than Dresden. I can't wait for the next one.
This book was awesome. I can't say some of the plot wasn't predictable, but a lot of it was not. The opening lack of information and the flashbacks were really well done, making it more of a thriller than I was expecting. Some of the side stories will be great for fleshing out in the future.
I read a lot of series and genres, and end up making comparisons among them. To me the elements felt like a mash up of Jack Reacher and Harry Dresden with more of an urban fantasy than Dresden. I can't wait for the next one.
August 31, 2015
This is the first time I've read any book by Rain Oxford. He had me hooked from the very beginning. From his character development, to descriptions of places and situations, I felt as if I were one of his characters watching from the sideline.
Fast paced, intense and a great suspense story. I kept me wanting to read more and more, hard to put the book down.
Dark Waters was enjoyable and an entertaining read. It was nice in that the book engaged me and took my mind off of anything other than the book while I was reading it.
Fast paced, intense and a great suspense story. I kept me wanting to read more and more, hard to put the book down.
Dark Waters was enjoyable and an entertaining read. It was nice in that the book engaged me and took my mind off of anything other than the book while I was reading it.
October 21, 2018
Aguas oscuras es un libro de fantasía construido sobre los pilares de la existencia de un mundo paranormal aparte del humano.
Su protagonista principal es un investigador privado común y corriente: Devon Sanders, que a pesar de su intento de alejarse del mundo sobrenatural se ve envuelto en una investigación imposible de rechazar, que lo lleva a convertirse en alumno de la Universidad paranormal.
Durante el transcurso de la historia, Devon conoce a personajes del mundo fantástico con quienes tiene que entablar relaciones a pesar de la inherente desconfianza propia de su misión: investigar las extrañas muertes que ocurren dentro del recinto universitario. A eso hay que sumarle que se ve rodeado de criaturas desconocidas: cambiaformas, hadas, hechiceras, científicos "locos" y vampiros... por los cuales siente una particular aversión y muy justificada, por cierto.
Devon es quien narra la historia desde su presente y quien a su vez, en pequeñas dosis, rememora su pasado y los sucesos que le acontecieron para que esa sea su realidad.
Una de las cosas que me resultó muy interesante fue la voz sarcástica en off de Devon. Esto hizo que empatizara al instante con él y le dio un toque audaz al protagonista, lo que ayudó a que se destaque dentro de un mundo que a simple vista encandila por su peculiaridad.
Concluyendo, es un libro sorprendente y equilibrado, donde ninguna descripción falta o sobra y que a pesar de sus pocas páginas logra una estructura potente que hace que quieras terminar de leerlo y continuar con la saga.
Su protagonista principal es un investigador privado común y corriente: Devon Sanders, que a pesar de su intento de alejarse del mundo sobrenatural se ve envuelto en una investigación imposible de rechazar, que lo lleva a convertirse en alumno de la Universidad paranormal.
Durante el transcurso de la historia, Devon conoce a personajes del mundo fantástico con quienes tiene que entablar relaciones a pesar de la inherente desconfianza propia de su misión: investigar las extrañas muertes que ocurren dentro del recinto universitario. A eso hay que sumarle que se ve rodeado de criaturas desconocidas: cambiaformas, hadas, hechiceras, científicos "locos" y vampiros... por los cuales siente una particular aversión y muy justificada, por cierto.
Devon es quien narra la historia desde su presente y quien a su vez, en pequeñas dosis, rememora su pasado y los sucesos que le acontecieron para que esa sea su realidad.
Una de las cosas que me resultó muy interesante fue la voz sarcástica en off de Devon. Esto hizo que empatizara al instante con él y le dio un toque audaz al protagonista, lo que ayudó a que se destaque dentro de un mundo que a simple vista encandila por su peculiaridad.
Concluyendo, es un libro sorprendente y equilibrado, donde ninguna descripción falta o sobra y que a pesar de sus pocas páginas logra una estructura potente que hace que quieras terminar de leerlo y continuar con la saga.
April 28, 2016
A great start!
An excellent start to a new series with a genuinely likeable and realistic protagonist. The reader is given great background info that actually enhances and ties together the individual characters stories and plot of the book.
An excellent start to a new series with a genuinely likeable and realistic protagonist. The reader is given great background info that actually enhances and ties together the individual characters stories and plot of the book.
September 10, 2015
Great series!
This book started strong and continued to the end. I really enjoyed all the suspense. The characters were very unique and likeable. I recommend.
This book started strong and continued to the end. I really enjoyed all the suspense. The characters were very unique and likeable. I recommend.
October 18, 2015
Great book
Fast read, lots of action, very entertaining. I have already downloaded the next in the series and look forward to reading more.
Fast read, lots of action, very entertaining. I have already downloaded the next in the series and look forward to reading more.
February 20, 2023
I just found an awesome new series! Oxford is also new to me and I look forward to reading all of her stuff.
April 17, 2017
Enjoyable new urban fantasy series with a private detective, Devon Sanders, enrolling secretly as a new student in a supernatural university called Quintessence. A star for that name and the M C Escheresque architecture alone.
This may sound like a cross between the two Harrys, Potter and Dresden, but this book has its own original style and individuality, as well as introducing some less common fantasy creatures. Fast action, realistic dialogue, and humour as well as flashbacks for character background. I mostly dislike flashbacks so was pleased with the way these were introduced smoothly and kept brief.
I listened to the audible version and agree with others that the narrator, Todd Menesses, takes a while to get used to, although is good overall. His choice of narrative style for Devon, first person narrator, is gritty and staccato, and I agree with another reviewer, Chris,who likened it to Jack Reacher style. Although Devon is not young, he doesn't come over as that old or jaded. General narration fine, excellent at differentiating individual characters,of which there are many. He does noticeably well with the female ones, who often suffer with male narrators.
I am a devoted Dresden fan and did not expect to like this book as much as I did. Will definitely be reading more in the series soon.
This may sound like a cross between the two Harrys, Potter and Dresden, but this book has its own original style and individuality, as well as introducing some less common fantasy creatures. Fast action, realistic dialogue, and humour as well as flashbacks for character background. I mostly dislike flashbacks so was pleased with the way these were introduced smoothly and kept brief.
I listened to the audible version and agree with others that the narrator, Todd Menesses, takes a while to get used to, although is good overall. His choice of narrative style for Devon, first person narrator, is gritty and staccato, and I agree with another reviewer, Chris,who likened it to Jack Reacher style. Although Devon is not young, he doesn't come over as that old or jaded. General narration fine, excellent at differentiating individual characters,of which there are many. He does noticeably well with the female ones, who often suffer with male narrators.
I am a devoted Dresden fan and did not expect to like this book as much as I did. Will definitely be reading more in the series soon.
May 19, 2019
Este libro es una caja llena de sorpresas. Tiene un poco de todo, magia y clases que te recuerdan al mundo de Harry Potter, pasando por un poco de humor, situaciones tensas, muertes y ... Cambia formas, seres que me fascinan y que aquí tienen una buena participación.
Devon como personaje principal tiene su encanto, al igual que sus dos compañeros de cuarto. Los misterios a resolver te mantienen atrapada en la historia, en ningún momento me imaginé quién era él culpable, tampoco lo relacionado con él pasado de Devon.
A todo esto se suma que la narración es fluida, no hay exceso de detalles, ni páginas de relleno, al contrario es un continuo descubrimiento de lugares, personajes y situaciones que mantienen al lector interesado en la trama.
Si les gusta la magia, seres sobrenaturales y unas cuantas cosas por averiguar, tienen que darle una oportunidad a este libro.
Además me ayuda a avanzar con mi desafío #literigatos ya que aquí aparece un lindo garito.
"Él hechicero mismo estaba hojeando un libro... que tampoco estaba tocando. Sus manos estaban ocupadas sosteniendo al gato más grande, feo y sarnoso que había visto en mi vida."
Devon como personaje principal tiene su encanto, al igual que sus dos compañeros de cuarto. Los misterios a resolver te mantienen atrapada en la historia, en ningún momento me imaginé quién era él culpable, tampoco lo relacionado con él pasado de Devon.
A todo esto se suma que la narración es fluida, no hay exceso de detalles, ni páginas de relleno, al contrario es un continuo descubrimiento de lugares, personajes y situaciones que mantienen al lector interesado en la trama.
Si les gusta la magia, seres sobrenaturales y unas cuantas cosas por averiguar, tienen que darle una oportunidad a este libro.
Además me ayuda a avanzar con mi desafío #literigatos ya que aquí aparece un lindo garito.
"Él hechicero mismo estaba hojeando un libro... que tampoco estaba tocando. Sus manos estaban ocupadas sosteniendo al gato más grande, feo y sarnoso que había visto en mi vida."
July 26, 2016
This was a fun listen, though the narrator's hard-boiled detective voice got a little annoying at times. Still, I really enjoyed it. It was like Harry Dresden goes to Hogwarts. Looking forward to the rest of the books.
June 30, 2015
Very interesting read. Mystery, magic, and lots of supernatural... the beginning of a great book series. Looking forward to the next one!
April 5, 2017
***Listened to as an audiobook***
*** I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review***
Rain Oxford's writing was excellent. She does conversations between guys really well. It was an easy book to fall in love with and to want to listen to.
The narrator, Todd Menesses, took awhile to be able to deal with. I am used to modern day narrators that are very animated, lively, etc. Todd's brand of narration is so old school that it took me awhile to get really into. His voice is like watching an old black & white film noir movie. It's like watching Humphrey Bogart in the Maltese Falcon. His voice just has this deep, gritty, whodunnit type of cadence - which fits the main character perfectly...but took me at least an hour to get used to.
This book centers around Devon Sanders, a detective/private investigator, being hired to look into the killings at a paranormal school. There's a whole lot of layers to this book which makes it great. Even if you try and find the bad guy (which I love to do - I love to guess who the bad guy is) ... you won't feel like that's all there is to this book.
I wouldn't say that the twists and turns are surprising or shocking - but they are there and they do keep you on your feet.
My favorite secondary characters were the Kappa, a type of paranormal fish person that loves cucumbers, is able to communicate telepathically and seems to be sassy and full of spunk and intelligence.
I also really enjoyed the undines which are water fae and in this book are about 6" tall but able to grow and shrink as they see fit and are able to change their faces. Very cool.
All of the characters were really well written and the backstories are really well done.
I've already started on the second book!
If you like paranormal detectives & film noir - you'll love this book!
*** I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review***
Rain Oxford's writing was excellent. She does conversations between guys really well. It was an easy book to fall in love with and to want to listen to.
The narrator, Todd Menesses, took awhile to be able to deal with. I am used to modern day narrators that are very animated, lively, etc. Todd's brand of narration is so old school that it took me awhile to get really into. His voice is like watching an old black & white film noir movie. It's like watching Humphrey Bogart in the Maltese Falcon. His voice just has this deep, gritty, whodunnit type of cadence - which fits the main character perfectly...but took me at least an hour to get used to.
This book centers around Devon Sanders, a detective/private investigator, being hired to look into the killings at a paranormal school. There's a whole lot of layers to this book which makes it great. Even if you try and find the bad guy (which I love to do - I love to guess who the bad guy is) ... you won't feel like that's all there is to this book.
I wouldn't say that the twists and turns are surprising or shocking - but they are there and they do keep you on your feet.
My favorite secondary characters were the Kappa, a type of paranormal fish person that loves cucumbers, is able to communicate telepathically and seems to be sassy and full of spunk and intelligence.
I also really enjoyed the undines which are water fae and in this book are about 6" tall but able to grow and shrink as they see fit and are able to change their faces. Very cool.
All of the characters were really well written and the backstories are really well done.
I've already started on the second book!
If you like paranormal detectives & film noir - you'll love this book!
November 30, 2018
Franchement ce fut une belle surprise, je ne connaissais pas et le résumer m'a plus alors j'ai cliqué. J'ai hâte de voir la suite!
January 5, 2017
At first, I though this was going to be a good book with a bad narrator. As the book progressed, I realized it was a good premise with possibly interesting characters plagued by mediocre writing, nonexistent editing, weak and inconsistent world building, a confusing plot, and a bad narrator.
It was recommended for people who liked Dresden Files and Harry Potter, and I can see why. It is something like a cross between the two (closer to Dresden Files - possibly fan fiction?) but without any of the writing talent. This author certainly never got that lesson to show instead of tell. If I heard the exact phrase "You are a very powerful wizard" one more time....
The main character just comes across as stupid, dramatic, and whiny. The plot meanders and all opportunities for character building are lost. I spent the last 20% of the book seriously asking myself "Is this book still not over??"
It was recommended for people who liked Dresden Files and Harry Potter, and I can see why. It is something like a cross between the two (closer to Dresden Files - possibly fan fiction?) but without any of the writing talent. This author certainly never got that lesson to show instead of tell. If I heard the exact phrase "You are a very powerful wizard" one more time....
The main character just comes across as stupid, dramatic, and whiny. The plot meanders and all opportunities for character building are lost. I spent the last 20% of the book seriously asking myself "Is this book still not over??"
January 14, 2016
I'm somewhat disappointed with this book, not just because it was a mediocre read, but because it got my hopes up when I read the blurb. I was thinking the author was going for something original, but it's freaking Harry Potter 2.0. I was kinda hoping the protagonist would turn out to be something cool like a leprechaun. He wasn't...
The writing is fairly solid, but disjointed. The story seems to start in one place, a paragraph later, you'll be reading about the protagonist doing something completely different in a different part of the school. Not to mention the whole Astrid thing.... When they first talked about that, I had no clue that was a childhood flashback... <-not a spoiler. The author should have told you that himself.
The ending was so freaking artificial... I couldn't believe they pulled such a giant cliche right at the end too. They foreshadowed it, but you don't foreshadow a cliche then go through with the cliche. You're supposed to avoid the cliche somehow so the reader thinks you were clever.
The author fails to explain numerous mysteries. At one point Devon is certain he knows who the bad guy is, and he has all this evidence, but even after they switch suspects, they never explain why that person did all these suspicious things in the first place.
The luck aspect of Devon's powers are only partially explained and they sort of fade into the background as the novel progresses. The only explanation we get is the one we assume. Meaning, we don't actually get an explanation for it.
The writing is fairly solid, but disjointed. The story seems to start in one place, a paragraph later, you'll be reading about the protagonist doing something completely different in a different part of the school. Not to mention the whole Astrid thing.... When they first talked about that, I had no clue that was a childhood flashback... <-not a spoiler. The author should have told you that himself.
The ending was so freaking artificial... I couldn't believe they pulled such a giant cliche right at the end too. They foreshadowed it, but you don't foreshadow a cliche then go through with the cliche. You're supposed to avoid the cliche somehow so the reader thinks you were clever.
The author fails to explain numerous mysteries. At one point Devon is certain he knows who the bad guy is, and he has all this evidence, but even after they switch suspects, they never explain why that person did all these suspicious things in the first place.
The luck aspect of Devon's powers are only partially explained and they sort of fade into the background as the novel progresses. The only explanation we get is the one we assume. Meaning, we don't actually get an explanation for it.
February 9, 2017
It's a murder mystery with magic. What's not to love.
January 13, 2016
Harry Potter meets Underworld; great stuff!
December 6, 2019
Dark Waters: Elemental series book 1
Written by Rain Oxford
Narrated by: Todd Nemesses
When I started this book I wasn’t a huge fan, maybe it had to do with the fact that I was still immersed in the Guardian Series but according to the guide of the Author of these book Rain Oxford, This was the next book to read. So I decided to just struggle through it.
This story is about a guy, end his twenties, who is a private investigator. He is being asked to invest a murder that leads him to enroll into a school for Paranormals. While we follow him from time to time the stories jump over to him with a girl named Astrid. But it isn’t explained if these are dreams, or memories or if this is really happening at that moment. He drops a few times the age “10 years old” but it’s all very confusing. This is the part I don’t like. I don’t like it when authors make go back in a book to see if I missed something by accident.
Eventually about halfway through the book it finally becomes clear that those were memories/dreams and this back and forth shifting stops. This is the moment when the story picks up.
I don’t want to say too much about what happens further because I don’t want to have spoilers.
And if you’re like me and you’re hoping to see some cross over or any link to The Guardian series (Which you really should read before this book, Follow the guide) I have to disappoint you. While the crossovers will come, there are none in this book.
So how would I grade this book?
I loved the story, Except for the confusing parts about Astrid. So I would give the story 4 stars. Then there is the matter of the narrator. Just like in the Guardian Series. Rain Oxford opted for Todd Nemesses again. Which, in my opinion, was a great decision. I totally adore Todd Nemesses. So much so that he was able to lull me to sleep a few times. Hahah I guess that can be seen as a bad thing, But here this is a good thing. I was so relaxed and into the story that my body saw it as sleeping I think. Woops. I love how he puts every character down. Good or bad. So he deserves the full 5 stars.
To conclude the book should be getting 4.5 stars But since that isn’t a possibility I have decided to round it down to 4 since the story is still the most important factor here.
Time for the next book
March 13, 2022
It felt like an attempt at putting Robert Langdon at Hogwarts, if Hogwarts was a university. And I was pretty disappointed.
Also, got the feeling the author doesn't have a very high opinion of women, so I was pretty shocked to find out the author is a woman.
In reference to an ADULT woman who apparently looks young, the main character thinks: At least she didn't wear tube tops and mini skirts like some girls like to. Too many children thought dressing slutty was cool. I found it sad.
But she's not a child. She's an adult. Looking young does not make her young. And she's a professor! But his first impression of her during this faculty interview meeting is that she's probably thinking about hair and nails and stuff.... 😒
Another favorite: Some women should come with warning labels on their foreheads.
I'm not 100% sure why I finished this book, but it unfortunately did not redeem itself.
Also, got the feeling the author doesn't have a very high opinion of women, so I was pretty shocked to find out the author is a woman.
In reference to an ADULT woman who apparently looks young, the main character thinks: At least she didn't wear tube tops and mini skirts like some girls like to. Too many children thought dressing slutty was cool. I found it sad.
But she's not a child. She's an adult. Looking young does not make her young. And she's a professor! But his first impression of her during this faculty interview meeting is that she's probably thinking about hair and nails and stuff.... 😒
Another favorite: Some women should come with warning labels on their foreheads.
I'm not 100% sure why I finished this book, but it unfortunately did not redeem itself.
June 14, 2017
This book was ok. The story line was good and once i was halfway in i was compelled to read on. I did feel like parts were missing sometimes. Like there were bits of information just skipped over when i read it. As a result, i thought the writing was a bit incoherent and disjointed at times - didn't flow well for me. I listened to the audible version and even relistened to parts i thought i had missed - but nope, they just weren't there. Anyway, it was just ok. I would actually not recommend the audible version. The narrators voice was annoying at times and a bit too dramatic. Lead character is a cliche'd guy if ever there was one which made him kind of unbelievable at times. It was an ok read but i won't be picking up another one by this author.
March 30, 2018
Well this is a weird one. I’d like to be able to rate it very high, because the story was fun. But, the narrator was very distracting. He did an excellent job with all the characters, even the main character’s voice was very good, but the internal dialogue of the main character was very weird. It was like listening to a movie trailer. It was over dramatized and then sometimes it was just very dull. My mind would wonder. I had a hard time staying focused. I think this book would be better read on my Kindle, than as an audiobook
September 9, 2023
Yüzde dördünü okuyup bıraktım.
Çok acemice yazılmış. Kurgu, mevzuların bağıntıları vs. inandırıcı olmamanın ötesinde, enteresan bile değiller. Gene de yarısına kadar geldiğim ilk bölümde "uğraşsa güzel şeyler çıkartabilirmiş belki" dediğim ve çok daha kötü eserler gördüğüm için iki yıldız veriyorum.
Çok acemice yazılmış. Kurgu, mevzuların bağıntıları vs. inandırıcı olmamanın ötesinde, enteresan bile değiller. Gene de yarısına kadar geldiğim ilk bölümde "uğraşsa güzel şeyler çıkartabilirmiş belki" dediğim ve çok daha kötü eserler gördüğüm için iki yıldız veriyorum.
May 7, 2017
Cheesy. Narrator was over-dramatic. Ended with a whimper. Stopping this series now.
May 23, 2017
It jumped around at times but it was a good start to a series.
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