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Freelance Familiars #1
Off Leash
Thomas just wants a simple, stable existence, but saddled with unemployment, an absentee girlfriend, and the impending unpaid rent, change is hurtling down on him whether he likes it or not. Following the sudden murder of his strange elderly neighbor, He awakens on wrong side of the Veil transformed into a mountain lion and thrust into a dangerous world of magic. Does he have what it takes to survive on his own? Or will he be collared by an eager magi?
Thomas must team up with a disgraced Inquisitor and a pyromaniac squirrel to dodge the fate pushed upon him by haughty mages, manipulative union leaders, and violent werewolves. Does Thomas have the will to take control of his life through wit and claw to become the first Freelance Familiar?
Off Leash is the first book in Daniel Potter's Freelance Familiars series, a humorous adventure story beset by immoral mages and fast-talking animals. If you enjoyed the Dresden Files and want an overtone of Discworld, you'll love this rollicking urban fantasy adventure.
Thomas must team up with a disgraced Inquisitor and a pyromaniac squirrel to dodge the fate pushed upon him by haughty mages, manipulative union leaders, and violent werewolves. Does Thomas have the will to take control of his life through wit and claw to become the first Freelance Familiar?
Off Leash is the first book in Daniel Potter's Freelance Familiars series, a humorous adventure story beset by immoral mages and fast-talking animals. If you enjoyed the Dresden Files and want an overtone of Discworld, you'll love this rollicking urban fantasy adventure.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 12, 2015
936 people are currently reading
1032 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Potter
20 books71 followersThere is more than one author with this name
Daniel Potter has always been inspired by the mysteries of the world. His early interest lead him to become avid researcher as well as gamer and writer. After obtaining his PhD in vascular biology, he began exploring fictional magic and spiritualism using his own particular scientific lense. Daniel published the webcomic Walking the Lethe from 2010-2012 and is an active member of the East Bay Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Meet-up group. His debut novel, Off Leash, is just the first in his Freelance Familiar series.
When he's not chasing his imagination, Daniel works as a vascular biologist in the Bay Area. He shares an apartment with his wife, two cats, and a large collection of video games.
Daniel Potter has always been inspired by the mysteries of the world. His early interest lead him to become avid researcher as well as gamer and writer. After obtaining his PhD in vascular biology, he began exploring fictional magic and spiritualism using his own particular scientific lense. Daniel published the webcomic Walking the Lethe from 2010-2012 and is an active member of the East Bay Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Meet-up group. His debut novel, Off Leash, is just the first in his Freelance Familiar series.
When he's not chasing his imagination, Daniel works as a vascular biologist in the Bay Area. He shares an apartment with his wife, two cats, and a large collection of video games.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
June 12, 2020
5 magic stars
And... Flying fur balls! This was AWESOME!
Imagine you wake up one morning and notice your hand is not a hand at all, but a very large cat paw. Because that's exactly what our MC here goes through.
Thomas Khatt awakens to the magical world following the sudden, violent death of his elderly Archmagus neighbor. A rather sudden awakening I might add, that Thomas doesn't handle pretty well. I mean, who would?! Trading thumbs in for a tail, tawny fur and four feet with a very low co-efficient of friction on linoleum is not a very good bargain after all. Especially when the very next moment, squirrels are not only talking to him but also coolly letting him know, he is to be sold at auction and bonded to some pimply faced apprentice for life.
What do you think our man-turned-cougar's reaction was? After 'waiting for a while for the men in white coats to burst through the door and take him away,' that is? :D
Panic of course. And even quite a bit of fear, after watching a lightning-bolt throwing granny 'arrange furniture with tai-chi moves.' Quite a bit of denial too, because everything seemed a little bit absurd. And then determination. Because one thing was crystal clear - Thomas wanted no part of this new Real World.
Armed only with an impressive set of chompers and buckets of snark, he decides to make his own choices.
'This cat won't be bagged.'
In other words, Thomas has to accept that 'his life jumped down a green pipe into crazy land' and embrace his new furry four-footed existence. He has to deal with the talking weasels and angry little Scottish cats who wanted to box him off and erase his life; and at times, even make sure to 'Don't use the brain!' Especially when a little pyromanic squirrel is involved.
He obviously cannot lay low and spend his life hunting in the woods, since, as the 'bushy-tailed maniac' aka talking squirrel nicely points out, 'the deer would die of laughter with his pouncing accuracy.' So Thomas decides to grab the proverbial bull by the horns and try his damnedest to stay off the leash.
For that, he will have to take advantage of the chaos caused by the Archmagus’ death and help the local Inquisition solve his murder. And all the while escape the clutches of the lightning-bolt throwing granny and a sexy union recruiter for the TAU, who want him to be a good kitty and behave. Religious werewolves, and cat-hating cops all add to the chaos as Thomas attempts to become the first Freelance Familiar.
Off Leash is a fun, fast-paced adventure from cover to cover. It had me hooked from the very first chapter and I didn't want to set it down until I reached the end. Full of snark and chuckle worthy moments, this clever little tale will give the readers not only fun and laughter but also an impressive magic system and wonderful characters to root for. They may be furry and four-footed, but still beautifully drawn.
And that is by far not all. Underneath all that mayhem and trouble you'll get to read between the lines and decide about the use of power mages revel in, with only a certain amount of responsibility. And you will also get to see what a leash or cage may mean to certain creatures, even if they're supposedly meant for the creatures' own good.
The prose is a pleasure, the wordbuilding is great and the magic system impressive. But the highlight of the book for me were the characters themselves. That struggle in between human mind and animal body, the behavior and little quips - so typical to the animal species. And don't even let me get started on the description of the bond... to me, that was extraordinary!
Superb characterization, unique concept, a complex plot full of unexpected twists and impressive magic, complete with a whole load of snark and humor - this book has it all.
This one's A MUST READ my friends!
Find this review and more on my book review and cover art blog The Magic Book Corner
And... Flying fur balls! This was AWESOME!
Imagine you wake up one morning and notice your hand is not a hand at all, but a very large cat paw. Because that's exactly what our MC here goes through.
Thomas Khatt awakens to the magical world following the sudden, violent death of his elderly Archmagus neighbor. A rather sudden awakening I might add, that Thomas doesn't handle pretty well. I mean, who would?! Trading thumbs in for a tail, tawny fur and four feet with a very low co-efficient of friction on linoleum is not a very good bargain after all. Especially when the very next moment, squirrels are not only talking to him but also coolly letting him know, he is to be sold at auction and bonded to some pimply faced apprentice for life.
What do you think our man-turned-cougar's reaction was? After 'waiting for a while for the men in white coats to burst through the door and take him away,' that is? :D
Panic of course. And even quite a bit of fear, after watching a lightning-bolt throwing granny 'arrange furniture with tai-chi moves.' Quite a bit of denial too, because everything seemed a little bit absurd. And then determination. Because one thing was crystal clear - Thomas wanted no part of this new Real World.
Armed only with an impressive set of chompers and buckets of snark, he decides to make his own choices.
'This cat won't be bagged.'
In other words, Thomas has to accept that 'his life jumped down a green pipe into crazy land' and embrace his new furry four-footed existence. He has to deal with the talking weasels and angry little Scottish cats who wanted to box him off and erase his life; and at times, even make sure to 'Don't use the brain!' Especially when a little pyromanic squirrel is involved.
He obviously cannot lay low and spend his life hunting in the woods, since, as the 'bushy-tailed maniac' aka talking squirrel nicely points out, 'the deer would die of laughter with his pouncing accuracy.' So Thomas decides to grab the proverbial bull by the horns and try his damnedest to stay off the leash.
For that, he will have to take advantage of the chaos caused by the Archmagus’ death and help the local Inquisition solve his murder. And all the while escape the clutches of the lightning-bolt throwing granny and a sexy union recruiter for the TAU, who want him to be a good kitty and behave. Religious werewolves, and cat-hating cops all add to the chaos as Thomas attempts to become the first Freelance Familiar.
Off Leash is a fun, fast-paced adventure from cover to cover. It had me hooked from the very first chapter and I didn't want to set it down until I reached the end. Full of snark and chuckle worthy moments, this clever little tale will give the readers not only fun and laughter but also an impressive magic system and wonderful characters to root for. They may be furry and four-footed, but still beautifully drawn.
And that is by far not all. Underneath all that mayhem and trouble you'll get to read between the lines and decide about the use of power mages revel in, with only a certain amount of responsibility. And you will also get to see what a leash or cage may mean to certain creatures, even if they're supposedly meant for the creatures' own good.
The prose is a pleasure, the wordbuilding is great and the magic system impressive. But the highlight of the book for me were the characters themselves. That struggle in between human mind and animal body, the behavior and little quips - so typical to the animal species. And don't even let me get started on the description of the bond... to me, that was extraordinary!
Superb characterization, unique concept, a complex plot full of unexpected twists and impressive magic, complete with a whole load of snark and humor - this book has it all.
This one's A MUST READ my friends!
Find this review and more on my book review and cover art blog The Magic Book Corner
October 1, 2017
Great wacky fun. A fresh twist on urban fantasy, fast-paced and funny as hell. I have to mention Potter's terrific ability to write what I can only describe as incredibly trippy sequences of magical immersion into other dimensions / minds of monsters. That might not make much sense, you'll just have to read it to see what I mean. Magic, a magicians guild, people getting turned into animals against their will, a squirrel buddy character, and a dragon. Nuff said!
November 23, 2022
I didn't think I would enjoy this as much as I did. The cover drove me in yes but I didn't really know what I was going into. Already on book two
October 25, 2016
Off Leash was a semi-finalist in the 2nd annual Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off. Full review on Fantasy-Faction.
March 12, 2017
This book has a fantastic start. Thomas Khatt (did you cat that?) wakes one day and has turned into a cougar. He can't speak or shapeshift back. He's now a feline for the rest of his life.
Just great. I lose my voice but I get to keep my spare tire? Further proof that the universe itself is a sadistic bastard.
He tries to use a computer, wash and plenty of other things. It was pretty hilarious and curious his situation that you can't help but keep reading.
One or two more days and I'd be sticking my tongue where the sun don't shine without a thought about it.
"Thomas is still very much at war with the idea that grooming with his tongue is sanitary. I know he'd love a good brushing."
Fantastic.
But then the book starts spending a huge amount of time... explaining the magic system.
How or why people can turn into a familiar. The politics of the magi world. Bonding contracts. Wards, runes and other stuff. The Council of whoever.
So instead of just playing along with the hilarious and lighthearted approach, the book starts trying to be too serious.
I think there's a problem nowadays when people think that magic needs to be almost scientifically explained instead of it just existing. To simply have the story not solve everything with it or just keeping the limits/explanations with the author.
Then a lot of meandering around and what sealed the deal, introducing too many characters left and right without giving them much page time, and consequently, depth.
For example, the book begins when Archmage Archibald dies in front of Thomas and he becomes a cat. It's clear later he was murdered? But who was he? We don't really know. He wanted to kill the council? For what? And we never even see this council.
Then Sabrina appears and puts a spell on Thomas to allow him to talk. After a little while she disappears from the story until the very end.
Angelica is Thomas' girlfriend who is mentioned in the beginning as Thomas thinks how she's gonna see the situation. Then she is forgotten, appears near the end, disappears again, reappears. The same goes for Rudy, a pyromaniac squirrel that shooks small fireworks like bazookas.
Then Cornealius, Cindy, Oric, O'Meara, a pack of werewolves, a dragon (!), some other familiars and stuff keep appearing very briefly and fading.
The dragon was curious and O'Meara had the most page time for a secondary character. But she also disappears for a lot of time.
I think that's the problem after the beginning. The idea was great but then the story didn't know where it wanted to go from there.
I even forgot who some of those characters were. When we discover who killed Archibald I didn't had emotional investment neither on him nor on the killer. The Council of Magi by the end had three open spots and that meant utter chaos for them but it was just impossible to connect with the event.
I think that the story lacked focus. It was too disperse and the secondary characters too many with very little page time, which in turn also affected Thomas' characterization as he never got to be close with anyone except O'Meara... who also disappears for a huge part of the story just when they had started going.
Catnapped. I was getting catnapped! The fucking bastards were catnapping me!"
The concept was pretty good, the humor is great and the beginning is fantastic. I also appreciated Thomas refusal to simply bow down and accept things thrown at him.
Unfortunately after that it tried to do too many things at once and none got the depth it deserved, specially considering the short length of the book.
I received this from NetGalley, so thanks to them for the read.
Just great. I lose my voice but I get to keep my spare tire? Further proof that the universe itself is a sadistic bastard.
He tries to use a computer, wash and plenty of other things. It was pretty hilarious and curious his situation that you can't help but keep reading.
One or two more days and I'd be sticking my tongue where the sun don't shine without a thought about it.
"Thomas is still very much at war with the idea that grooming with his tongue is sanitary. I know he'd love a good brushing."
Fantastic.
But then the book starts spending a huge amount of time... explaining the magic system.
How or why people can turn into a familiar. The politics of the magi world. Bonding contracts. Wards, runes and other stuff. The Council of whoever.
So instead of just playing along with the hilarious and lighthearted approach, the book starts trying to be too serious.
I think there's a problem nowadays when people think that magic needs to be almost scientifically explained instead of it just existing. To simply have the story not solve everything with it or just keeping the limits/explanations with the author.
Then a lot of meandering around and what sealed the deal, introducing too many characters left and right without giving them much page time, and consequently, depth.
For example, the book begins when Archmage Archibald dies in front of Thomas and he becomes a cat. It's clear later he was murdered? But who was he? We don't really know. He wanted to kill the council? For what? And we never even see this council.
Then Sabrina appears and puts a spell on Thomas to allow him to talk. After a little while she disappears from the story until the very end.
Angelica is Thomas' girlfriend who is mentioned in the beginning as Thomas thinks how she's gonna see the situation. Then she is forgotten, appears near the end, disappears again, reappears. The same goes for Rudy, a pyromaniac squirrel that shooks small fireworks like bazookas.
Then Cornealius, Cindy, Oric, O'Meara, a pack of werewolves, a dragon (!), some other familiars and stuff keep appearing very briefly and fading.
The dragon was curious and O'Meara had the most page time for a secondary character. But she also disappears for a lot of time.
I think that's the problem after the beginning. The idea was great but then the story didn't know where it wanted to go from there.
I even forgot who some of those characters were. When we discover who killed Archibald I didn't had emotional investment neither on him nor on the killer. The Council of Magi by the end had three open spots and that meant utter chaos for them but it was just impossible to connect with the event.
I think that the story lacked focus. It was too disperse and the secondary characters too many with very little page time, which in turn also affected Thomas' characterization as he never got to be close with anyone except O'Meara... who also disappears for a huge part of the story just when they had started going.
Catnapped. I was getting catnapped! The fucking bastards were catnapping me!"
The concept was pretty good, the humor is great and the beginning is fantastic. I also appreciated Thomas refusal to simply bow down and accept things thrown at him.
Unfortunately after that it tried to do too many things at once and none got the depth it deserved, specially considering the short length of the book.
I received this from NetGalley, so thanks to them for the read.
July 13, 2018
This started off brilliantly - clever writing, a great protagonist, some wonderful use of humour -- and I was thoroughly enjoying it for the first third.
Then it became a little too 'wordy' for me - long, complicated accounts of how magic worked etc ( I ended up skimming those parts) and at one stage I nearly abandoned it. but the humour was still there and I carried on reading/skimming.
Its a difficult book to rate. The first few chapters are s definite 5 star, some of the middle bits are 1 star, but I did read to the end and I have to say I will probably read the next book in the series so it gets 3 and a half stars, rounded up to 4 simply because I read to the end.
Then it became a little too 'wordy' for me - long, complicated accounts of how magic worked etc ( I ended up skimming those parts) and at one stage I nearly abandoned it. but the humour was still there and I carried on reading/skimming.
Its a difficult book to rate. The first few chapters are s definite 5 star, some of the middle bits are 1 star, but I did read to the end and I have to say I will probably read the next book in the series so it gets 3 and a half stars, rounded up to 4 simply because I read to the end.
October 20, 2016
3.5
I was charmed by Off Leash. I enjoyed Thomas' refusal to accept his given situation and insistence on doing the right thing. The magic was surprisingly well developed and there was an interesting and amusing set of characters that were largely more than shadows on the page.
However, I thought that as hard as Thomas tried to get his human self back, we never fully came to grips with him. I never missed him as anything other than an idea.
Further, I thought the plot took so long to become apparent that it felt non-existent. Let me clarify that. There is a plot, but it ties itself together at the end and up until the last few pages, when all the decisions Thomas makes throughout the book culminate, it just felt like he was running around randomly reacting to stimuli placed before him. It seemed a bit scattered.
Lastly, I had a little trouble placing the genre. It's fantasy certainly, and if it weren't for the cursing and oblique references to sex I'd call it upper Middle Grade Fantasy (especially with the illustrations that feel geared toward young readers) but there is cursing and references to sex (though not a lot), so...not MG despite feeling MG. The whole thing had a bit of a Terry Pratchett feel, in the sense that it's sometimes ridiculous just for the sake of ridiculousness. There were a few delicious ironies, humor and some very readable writing. So, if you like that sort of book, pick this one up.
I was charmed by Off Leash. I enjoyed Thomas' refusal to accept his given situation and insistence on doing the right thing. The magic was surprisingly well developed and there was an interesting and amusing set of characters that were largely more than shadows on the page.
However, I thought that as hard as Thomas tried to get his human self back, we never fully came to grips with him. I never missed him as anything other than an idea.
Further, I thought the plot took so long to become apparent that it felt non-existent. Let me clarify that. There is a plot, but it ties itself together at the end and up until the last few pages, when all the decisions Thomas makes throughout the book culminate, it just felt like he was running around randomly reacting to stimuli placed before him. It seemed a bit scattered.
Lastly, I had a little trouble placing the genre. It's fantasy certainly, and if it weren't for the cursing and oblique references to sex I'd call it upper Middle Grade Fantasy (especially with the illustrations that feel geared toward young readers) but there is cursing and references to sex (though not a lot), so...not MG despite feeling MG. The whole thing had a bit of a Terry Pratchett feel, in the sense that it's sometimes ridiculous just for the sake of ridiculousness. There were a few delicious ironies, humor and some very readable writing. So, if you like that sort of book, pick this one up.
September 13, 2016
The SPFBO review will appear on Fantasy-Faction.
February 26, 2016
Absolutely fun read. I was reminded of Barking in the amount of humorous references and clever twists on common folk wisdom. Currently a bargain price, too.
Thomas Khatt has a disturbing experience when he witnesses the death by hit and run of his elderly neighbor. The next morning he wakes up in a new body, having been somehow transformed into a cougar. As you can imagine, this takes some "getting used to." Before very long, though, he is introduced to a mostly hidden world of wizards and mages, talking animal familiars, towering egos and power rivalries, and the TAU. TAU is the Talking Animals Union, a powerful cohort of familiars ostensibly created to protect the lives and rights of its members but just possibly also a cartel that sells them into slavery for its own profit.
Much fun, some of it rather scary, is bound to follow. Thomas first meets the pyromaniac squirrel Rudy, who keeps predators at bay by using fireworks. Various human and non-human factions, inquisitors, and slave traders are close on the squirrel's tail. A pack of hill billy werewolves, a manic war between two powerful witches, and a huge dragon who has been trapped and abused for at least a century enter the fray.
After numerous confrontations and conflagrations things do come to a satisfying conclusion, but additional novels are promised. I'll be looking for them, I promise.
This is a very promising first novel, and I recommend it. A very few small typos and glitches in the ebook text did not seriously detract from the experience.
Thomas Khatt has a disturbing experience when he witnesses the death by hit and run of his elderly neighbor. The next morning he wakes up in a new body, having been somehow transformed into a cougar. As you can imagine, this takes some "getting used to." Before very long, though, he is introduced to a mostly hidden world of wizards and mages, talking animal familiars, towering egos and power rivalries, and the TAU. TAU is the Talking Animals Union, a powerful cohort of familiars ostensibly created to protect the lives and rights of its members but just possibly also a cartel that sells them into slavery for its own profit.
Much fun, some of it rather scary, is bound to follow. Thomas first meets the pyromaniac squirrel Rudy, who keeps predators at bay by using fireworks. Various human and non-human factions, inquisitors, and slave traders are close on the squirrel's tail. A pack of hill billy werewolves, a manic war between two powerful witches, and a huge dragon who has been trapped and abused for at least a century enter the fray.
After numerous confrontations and conflagrations things do come to a satisfying conclusion, but additional novels are promised. I'll be looking for them, I promise.
This is a very promising first novel, and I recommend it. A very few small typos and glitches in the ebook text did not seriously detract from the experience.
May 20, 2019
Full review is here, on my blog!~
This was a fun book, with a very interesting premise.
Thomas Khatt is a regular guy in a regular town when suddenly his secretly-magical neighbor dies, and he wakes up the next day as a cougar. He’s in a magical world and is a familiar, an animal companion to a magus. Usually they are auctioned off and bonded to some apprentice or other, but Thomas has other ideas, because eff all that noise. He’s not bonding to anyone forever, but to stay freelance, he’ll have to help the local magical detectives solve the murder of his neighbor the Archmagus.
Yep. Interesting premise, as I said.
This book made me chuckle quite a few times, and any book that does that is generally looking to be a pretty good book. It was well written, well paced and the mystery stayed a mystery throughout most of the book. I was more interested in seeing Thomas navigate this new and mysterious world with his new and sometimes-awkward feline body than I was interested in the whodunnit, but that didn’t make this book any less interesting.
Thomas was a character that I could easily cheer for, as his whole world is suddenly thrown into chaos, and everything is magical, there are pyromaniac squirrels and fanatic werewolves, among other things. Some of the background characters were often hilarious, but never stole the show, so to speak.
The narrator, Jonathan Waters, did a pretty great job in my opinion. He made each character unique and made the story come to life. Some of the accents seemed a little forced, but this book has a lot of accents peppered through it, and so for someone to do more than one capably is actually quite amazing to me just for starters.
So, all told, this was a quick, fun listen that served to make a nice Sunday afternoon of listening and giggling while I worked on a cross stitch.
This was a fun book, with a very interesting premise.
Thomas Khatt is a regular guy in a regular town when suddenly his secretly-magical neighbor dies, and he wakes up the next day as a cougar. He’s in a magical world and is a familiar, an animal companion to a magus. Usually they are auctioned off and bonded to some apprentice or other, but Thomas has other ideas, because eff all that noise. He’s not bonding to anyone forever, but to stay freelance, he’ll have to help the local magical detectives solve the murder of his neighbor the Archmagus.
Yep. Interesting premise, as I said.
This book made me chuckle quite a few times, and any book that does that is generally looking to be a pretty good book. It was well written, well paced and the mystery stayed a mystery throughout most of the book. I was more interested in seeing Thomas navigate this new and mysterious world with his new and sometimes-awkward feline body than I was interested in the whodunnit, but that didn’t make this book any less interesting.
Thomas was a character that I could easily cheer for, as his whole world is suddenly thrown into chaos, and everything is magical, there are pyromaniac squirrels and fanatic werewolves, among other things. Some of the background characters were often hilarious, but never stole the show, so to speak.
The narrator, Jonathan Waters, did a pretty great job in my opinion. He made each character unique and made the story come to life. Some of the accents seemed a little forced, but this book has a lot of accents peppered through it, and so for someone to do more than one capably is actually quite amazing to me just for starters.
So, all told, this was a quick, fun listen that served to make a nice Sunday afternoon of listening and giggling while I worked on a cross stitch.
August 18, 2018
Different
Fun and LOTS of action, unusual point of view. Not a exactly a cliffhanger but enough unresolved arcs to support a series.
Fun and LOTS of action, unusual point of view. Not a exactly a cliffhanger but enough unresolved arcs to support a series.
November 13, 2017
With a sizable amount of highly-toted fantasy novels on my to be read list, I have no idea why I decided to try Daniel Potter's Off Leash. I heard about it through Fantasy Faction's review during the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off 2 and it did not sound like my sort of thing. I think part of it was that I was reading Guy Gavriel Kay's Tigana at the time and wanted something a little lighter, softer and sillier.
Off Leash was lots of fun. I felt Potter had lots of carefully-considered prose at his disposal and at least ten moments that drew a respectful chuckle for a display of cleverness. He was especially good at imagining everything as a cat, never once forgetting about the whiskers and claws and tail accompanying the human mind telling the tale. An example of this would be Thomas's impromptu naps. Wonderful. I also thought there was a lot of work put into the world and the magic system.
I would say it's clever but not directly funny. I find there's a tendency for comedic books to fall into that category more often than not: everything is phrased in a funny manner, but funny things aren't happening frequently. Funny events or dialogue. A hard balance to find.
Off Leash was lots of fun. I felt Potter had lots of carefully-considered prose at his disposal and at least ten moments that drew a respectful chuckle for a display of cleverness. He was especially good at imagining everything as a cat, never once forgetting about the whiskers and claws and tail accompanying the human mind telling the tale. An example of this would be Thomas's impromptu naps. Wonderful. I also thought there was a lot of work put into the world and the magic system.
I would say it's clever but not directly funny. I find there's a tendency for comedic books to fall into that category more often than not: everything is phrased in a funny manner, but funny things aren't happening frequently. Funny events or dialogue. A hard balance to find.
January 27, 2018
I loved this book! It had shifters, intelligent talking animals, mages, and sly humor. (The toaster threatened to sing, but I gave it a stern look.) Someone wakes up one morning to discover himself in a complex magical world, and there's no going back to his old life.
I could have done with less description, which I often skimmed.
A second reading (in preparation for the sequels) was just as enjoyable. Several typos, including lightening for lightning and break for brake.
I could have done with less description, which I often skimmed.
A second reading (in preparation for the sequels) was just as enjoyable. Several typos, including lightening for lightning and break for brake.
May 14, 2019
I think the writing style itself is not bad, but the story wasn't progressing fast enough for my taste. Too many details explained, boring dialogues... I am sorry, but I couldn't finish the book that way. Maybe it gets better, but I had to stop at 7 %. Maybe I am not doing it justice, but I need an interesting start which makes me want to continue reading.
September 11, 2015
One of the most enjoyable books I've read in ages. Superb characterization, a complex twist-filled plot, a unique setting, and lots and lots of action. What's not to like?
August 31, 2017
I thought this was a fun, fresh urban fantasy read. The concept of the main character being a familiar up for hire is great. The magic system was unique if somewhat complicated.
October 27, 2017
This is an extremely fun book. I plan to read the next one soon.
October 14, 2018
Originally posted on Tales to Tide You Over
I met Daniel Potter at BayCon 2018 and based on his pitch, gave Off Leash a try. The book took a bit to reach the top of my pile, but when I started reading, I expected to be entertained and wasn’t disappointed. This novel introduces a world in which magic and mundane exist on top of each other, the magic concealed with a veil created in early history by the Fey. The veil has the interesting property of extrapolating a mundane answer to display to those blind to magic based on cues from the magical people. This is not the only aspect of the world Potter builds I found intriguing either.
The writing has rough spots and the main character is everything I should find annoying, but between Thomas’ character growth once attaining his “true” self and the mix of a chirpy tone with heavy questions, it worked. I even enjoyed how Thomas (the first person main character) narrated events with a grumpy, often sarcastic, tone. Watching him come to terms with his new reality, and his reactions to the setup everyone magical accepted (no matter how reluctantly) as the way things should be were well worth the stumbles.
The description is creative and fun. For example, Thomas has to reinterpret everything about the town he lives in once he is transformed into a familiar. A puma might be coveted by the magi, but becoming one leaves much to be desired. He has to navigate a mundane world full of police officers and humans who find a large predatory cat disturbing all the while trying to figure out who is on his side, or at least not actively against him.
Despite my comment about rough writing, the plot seeding is well done. I could guess at some answers because of the clues left in the text and experienced Thomas’ confusion about who was trying to help or harm him as though I shared it. Without understanding the situation, he doesn’t know who to trust or whether the person “protecting” him from someone is working in his best interests. I’m avoiding names so you can have the same experience, but it was worth going through it to get a nuanced picture of the power struggles in the magic world.
Speaking of Thomas, he starts out as a whiny, sarcastic puma…who tries to eat other people when hungry (and the puma instincts overcome the person). He’s a self-proclaimed doormat, especially where his girlfriend is concerned. I could have stopped there, but at the same time, his base principles of loyalty and how to treat people are solid. From the first chapter, we see him holding a door for his elderly neighbor, for example, a simple act, but one not every person would bother with.
I think it’s obvious I enjoyed the book a lot, so I’ll leave with this: The resolution was better than I’d expected in some ways, on both the global and personal level, and yet it still worked within the book and the world nicely. The novel is both silly and campy. Thomas is really dumb at times, but his stubbornness, even when he doesn’t know what’s going on, makes things possible that weren’t before. I barely noticed the depth underlying the story because I was enjoying the world and fun tale, but it’s there when you want to see it.
I met Daniel Potter at BayCon 2018 and based on his pitch, gave Off Leash a try. The book took a bit to reach the top of my pile, but when I started reading, I expected to be entertained and wasn’t disappointed. This novel introduces a world in which magic and mundane exist on top of each other, the magic concealed with a veil created in early history by the Fey. The veil has the interesting property of extrapolating a mundane answer to display to those blind to magic based on cues from the magical people. This is not the only aspect of the world Potter builds I found intriguing either.
The writing has rough spots and the main character is everything I should find annoying, but between Thomas’ character growth once attaining his “true” self and the mix of a chirpy tone with heavy questions, it worked. I even enjoyed how Thomas (the first person main character) narrated events with a grumpy, often sarcastic, tone. Watching him come to terms with his new reality, and his reactions to the setup everyone magical accepted (no matter how reluctantly) as the way things should be were well worth the stumbles.
The description is creative and fun. For example, Thomas has to reinterpret everything about the town he lives in once he is transformed into a familiar. A puma might be coveted by the magi, but becoming one leaves much to be desired. He has to navigate a mundane world full of police officers and humans who find a large predatory cat disturbing all the while trying to figure out who is on his side, or at least not actively against him.
Despite my comment about rough writing, the plot seeding is well done. I could guess at some answers because of the clues left in the text and experienced Thomas’ confusion about who was trying to help or harm him as though I shared it. Without understanding the situation, he doesn’t know who to trust or whether the person “protecting” him from someone is working in his best interests. I’m avoiding names so you can have the same experience, but it was worth going through it to get a nuanced picture of the power struggles in the magic world.
Speaking of Thomas, he starts out as a whiny, sarcastic puma…who tries to eat other people when hungry (and the puma instincts overcome the person). He’s a self-proclaimed doormat, especially where his girlfriend is concerned. I could have stopped there, but at the same time, his base principles of loyalty and how to treat people are solid. From the first chapter, we see him holding a door for his elderly neighbor, for example, a simple act, but one not every person would bother with.
I think it’s obvious I enjoyed the book a lot, so I’ll leave with this: The resolution was better than I’d expected in some ways, on both the global and personal level, and yet it still worked within the book and the world nicely. The novel is both silly and campy. Thomas is really dumb at times, but his stubbornness, even when he doesn’t know what’s going on, makes things possible that weren’t before. I barely noticed the depth underlying the story because I was enjoying the world and fun tale, but it’s there when you want to see it.
November 5, 2019
Well, I feel bad giving an average review to a book which the author offered up for free, but this book didn't quite work for me. Part of that was expectations. The book came recommended by J. Zachary Pike, author of the soon to be Orconomics Trilogy (third book pending) and sported an excellent cover, both of which seemed to be hinting at loads of laughs. While the book was mildly amusing at times, it wasn't laugh-out-loud funny. There was lots of good action/adventure sequences and Potter's world-building was pretty good "show not tell" so there weren't any noticeable info-dumps that I was aware of. The magic system isn't explained very much, but obviously with a series you can build as you go.
So here's the good, the bad and the ugly — in reverse order. First there were typos, not a lot, but when a trunk screams at you from the darkness during a car chase it can throw you for a loop. There were also some editing issues. My Kobo wouldn't save any highlights I made in the book so I can't site exact examples but there were more than one occasion where "the" "it" or some other connective word was missing which stopped the smooth flow of my reading.
As to the contents, a big problem I had with the book was that almost no one was likeable. For some this isn't a problem, but I have always maintained that if I wouldn't want to hang out with these guys at an office party, why would I want to hang out with them for an extended time? (Hours of reading/days of subjective story time.) Thomas wasn't a very likable person at best, and neither was almost anyone in the story. O'Meara was the most likeable character and she had some major moral compass issues although most of that seemed cleared up by the end of the book.
Finally, the scenes where O'Meara and Thomas bonded for the first time and also when they were working spells together on the wheel in O'Meara's office were very original and almost poetic. I was so spellbound (literally and figuratively) that I almost missed my stop on the way to work (two-hour commute).
Daniel Potter has some real talent and for a first outing this is quite a good book. I don't know if I'll read any more of the series, again because all the wizards are ******, but if he does any stand-alone novels or other works, I'd certainly plunk down some dollars for that.
So here's the good, the bad and the ugly — in reverse order. First there were typos, not a lot, but when a trunk screams at you from the darkness during a car chase it can throw you for a loop. There were also some editing issues. My Kobo wouldn't save any highlights I made in the book so I can't site exact examples but there were more than one occasion where "the" "it" or some other connective word was missing which stopped the smooth flow of my reading.
As to the contents, a big problem I had with the book was that almost no one was likeable. For some this isn't a problem, but I have always maintained that if I wouldn't want to hang out with these guys at an office party, why would I want to hang out with them for an extended time? (Hours of reading/days of subjective story time.) Thomas wasn't a very likable person at best, and neither was almost anyone in the story. O'Meara was the most likeable character and she had some major moral compass issues although most of that seemed cleared up by the end of the book.
Finally, the scenes where O'Meara and Thomas bonded for the first time and also when they were working spells together on the wheel in O'Meara's office were very original and almost poetic. I was so spellbound (literally and figuratively) that I almost missed my stop on the way to work (two-hour commute).
Daniel Potter has some real talent and for a first outing this is quite a good book. I don't know if I'll read any more of the series, again because all the wizards are ******, but if he does any stand-alone novels or other works, I'd certainly plunk down some dollars for that.
July 14, 2018
Thomas Khatt is unemployed and growing more desperate for a job when the unthinkable happens. His elderly neighbor is murdered, he's somehow been turned into a cougar, and now he's expected to enter the magical society that's always existed in his town on the other side of the Veil. But Thomas rebels against being auctioned off to become someone's familiar, and he's determined to take charge of his own life one way or another . . .
This book managed to tie in a number of my favorite subjects: shapeshifting, extra-dimensional beings / abilities, big cats, and werewolves.
I liked the view of magic as something that breeches dimensions, probably taught by aliens or other-planar beings, and complex enough that few humans would conceivably be practitioners. (Thomas is quite disappointed it's not just chanting from some old book.) In fact that's one of the main reasons for familiars: to provide an extra set of senses so the mage can calculate the multi-dimensional shapes accurately.
And the dragon was awesome. I hope we meet more multi-dimensional beings in the future.
The magical society as a whole, though, isn't quite as nice. The mages are corrupt, the familiars have unionized (TAU), and anyone like Thomas who decides he'd rather stay outside the system is going to have an extremely hard time. In fact neither side is interested in leaving him alone---not complying results in him repeatedly being accosted so that someone else can profit off his existence.
It was nice to see a few of the worst offenders neutralized by the end, but it's unclear Thomas can do much of anything to change the way things are. He might be able to keep himself more to the fringes, but if there is a major upheaval it will be a long time coming. I'm not terribly fond of these super dysfunctional societies, so I hope this one gets dismantled in flaming pieces. Because worlds where everyone is moderately to majorly sociopathic are harder for me to read because I get angry at so many of the cast and am just waiting for them to die in the most horrible way possible.
So overall I liked a lot of the elements in this world, and plan to continue the series sooner or later. I do hope Thomas can find a mage who is more willing to help him with his ideas to reform the magical world. I rate this book Recommended.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
This book managed to tie in a number of my favorite subjects: shapeshifting, extra-dimensional beings / abilities, big cats, and werewolves.
I liked the view of magic as something that breeches dimensions, probably taught by aliens or other-planar beings, and complex enough that few humans would conceivably be practitioners. (Thomas is quite disappointed it's not just chanting from some old book.) In fact that's one of the main reasons for familiars: to provide an extra set of senses so the mage can calculate the multi-dimensional shapes accurately.
And the dragon was awesome. I hope we meet more multi-dimensional beings in the future.
The magical society as a whole, though, isn't quite as nice. The mages are corrupt, the familiars have unionized (TAU), and anyone like Thomas who decides he'd rather stay outside the system is going to have an extremely hard time. In fact neither side is interested in leaving him alone---not complying results in him repeatedly being accosted so that someone else can profit off his existence.
It was nice to see a few of the worst offenders neutralized by the end, but it's unclear Thomas can do much of anything to change the way things are. He might be able to keep himself more to the fringes, but if there is a major upheaval it will be a long time coming. I'm not terribly fond of these super dysfunctional societies, so I hope this one gets dismantled in flaming pieces. Because worlds where everyone is moderately to majorly sociopathic are harder for me to read because I get angry at so many of the cast and am just waiting for them to die in the most horrible way possible.
So overall I liked a lot of the elements in this world, and plan to continue the series sooner or later. I do hope Thomas can find a mage who is more willing to help him with his ideas to reform the magical world. I rate this book Recommended.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
August 31, 2018
I rarely read fantasies that have humans morphing into animals, but this one sounded interesting so I thought I’d give it a try. Author Daniel Potter has wisely taken a light, humorous approach to his plot, and especially the protagonist Thomas, which works well.
The story is imaginative and filled with interesting rules and events on the other side of a veil that separates the fantastical from the mundane. It’s interesting that not all questions are answered about how this world came to be, but we’re given a little info. I just wish there’d been more.
I’d also like to know more about the ramifications for Thomas, given that he broke a lot of rules and angered a lot of powerful folk by his actions throughout the story, however, I expect that can be found in future installments. Off Leash is the first installment of the Freelance Familiars series, but there appears to be at least one other. I’m sure it’ll be as much fun as the first.
The story is imaginative and filled with interesting rules and events on the other side of a veil that separates the fantastical from the mundane. It’s interesting that not all questions are answered about how this world came to be, but we’re given a little info. I just wish there’d been more.
I’d also like to know more about the ramifications for Thomas, given that he broke a lot of rules and angered a lot of powerful folk by his actions throughout the story, however, I expect that can be found in future installments. Off Leash is the first installment of the Freelance Familiars series, but there appears to be at least one other. I’m sure it’ll be as much fun as the first.
July 18, 2018
3.5 stars Thomas's life, not the greatest, but his, is turned upside down when he wakes up one day and discovers himself metamorphed into a cougar and that he can see magic. What's worse, he finds his life is no longer his own as strangers try to take over his life, tell him he's a familiar to be exploited (at least that's the way he sees it, others do not), and his old life no longer matters. Thomas, however, is stubborn and not willing to put up with anyone telling him what to do - within reason. A gift left by the archmage who helped him cross the Veil into this new, unwanted, life, will give him a chance to make his own decisions.
I like Thomas and look forward to reading the next book in the series.
My only complaint is that Thomas's reaction seems to be a little too mild to having his life uprooted.
I like Thomas and look forward to reading the next book in the series.
My only complaint is that Thomas's reaction seems to be a little too mild to having his life uprooted.
July 23, 2018
Unusual and unique story about a familiar.
A human helps this old man that is dying and then ends up being a cougar by way of magic. He is told that he is a familiar and he's to be trained as a familiar to warlock or witches. He doesn't want to be a familiar and tries to find a way out of it. That's begins his adventure in the World of magic.
The characters are interesting and the plot is fascinating. Highly recommended. I know I am going to continue reading the series.
bookwormsuzy
A human helps this old man that is dying and then ends up being a cougar by way of magic. He is told that he is a familiar and he's to be trained as a familiar to warlock or witches. He doesn't want to be a familiar and tries to find a way out of it. That's begins his adventure in the World of magic.
The characters are interesting and the plot is fascinating. Highly recommended. I know I am going to continue reading the series.
bookwormsuzy
August 21, 2018
Anthropomorphic Animal Fiction on par with _Watership Down_ and Brian Jaques "Redwall" series.
Though given that the primary character of the novel starts as a human being, it stretches the definition of "Anthropomorphic Animal" a bit. The point is that if you like animal protagonists, you will probably like this story.
Though given that the primary character of the novel starts as a human being, it stretches the definition of "Anthropomorphic Animal" a bit. The point is that if you like animal protagonists, you will probably like this story.
July 13, 2018
Different. Strange. Fun. And totally awesome. I really enjoyed reading this story. Full of twists and snark and humor, but not total fluff. I picked this up as a free deal the other day, but I'm buying the next one. I'm hooked.
July 17, 2018
A fun story.
July 23, 2018
Good fun
If I were to select a genre i think I i would have to create a New one. Plenty of fantasy lots of mAgic , but it a new approach.. Easy and lighthearted fun.
If I were to select a genre i think I i would have to create a New one. Plenty of fantasy lots of mAgic , but it a new approach.. Easy and lighthearted fun.
July 24, 2018
A fun, humorous read. I was charmed by Thomas and his squirrel sidekick and entertained by the action. I took off one star because the transitions in some spots could have been smoother but overall, fantastic urban fantasy. I'll be reading this entire series.
Read
September 22, 2018I really liked it ,kind of slow starting into the story,could have had more ending ...but a good rainy day read
January 31, 2020
It took a little bit for me to get into but once I did the story was fast-paced and super entertaining. Rudy and Thomas were a ton of fun (especially Rudy)
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