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Pax Arcana #4
In Shining Armor
This fairy godmother's got claws. When someone kidnaps the last surviving descendant of the Grandmaster of the Knights Templar, it's bad news. When the baby is the key to the tenuous alliance between a large werewolf pack and the knights, it's even worse news. They're at each other's throats before they've even begun to look for baby Constance. But whoever kidnapped Constance didn't count on one she's also the goddaughter of John Charming. Modern-day descendant of a long line of famous dragon slayers, witch finders, and wrong righters. John may not have any experience being a parent, but someone is about to find out that he can be one mean mother. . .In is the fourth novel in a series which gives a new twist to the Prince Charming tale.
464 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 26, 2016
118 people are currently reading
1250 people want to read
About the author
Elliott James
20 books729 followersAn army brat and gypsy scholar, ELLIOTT JAMES is currently living in the blueridge mountains of southwest Virginia. An avid reader since the age of three (or that's what his family swears anyhow), he has an abiding interest in mythology, martial arts, live music, hiking, and used bookstores.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
February 6, 2017
John Charming is, well pretty charming. I like his attitude, snark and I really enjoy the dialogue in the books. I enjoy the romantic interest Sig and how it took a little time for them to get to the together part of them. The only thing the reduces my enjoyment of this series is the amount of fighting. I hate to say it because it totally makes me sound all girly but there is a lot of fighting in this book and sometimes that is just boring to me that is really the only reason that this is more of a 3.5 read then a 4.5 read in my opinion.
I used to watch Burn Notice and I really liked that way that as something actiony (totally a word) was happening the MC Michael would explain to you the viewer that during a car chase it isn’t about going fast it is about maneuvering or When faced with superior force, you can do two things. You can retreat quietly, or you can attack with as much fanfare as possible. John does this really well throughout this series with fighting or just trash talking the other guy or buying time. I like this part of the narrative and usually laugh at many of the things that he lets the reader know.
Sig and John are really fun together. She keeps him on his toes and even when they argue it is entertaining.
They have this kinda light and bantery relationship that I like and even when Sig is mad at John she is still there in the middle of everything with him tabling their disagreement for later. I like Sig for the most part and John has made her life a bit interesting.
But then there is all the other stuff going on too. John not only is a Knight Templare tasked with saving the world from the supernatural bad guys and even from knowing about the supernatural at all. He is also a werewolf and so he has some divided loyalties trying to figure out how he is supposed to be both things. Add on to the he has his own Scooby-doo squad of friends and associates that include a Valkery, Super Witch, Naga, ex-Military kill everything guy and someone just on this side of being a vampire (it’s complicated) and you have a lot of things going on.
For some reason I always laugh and really enjoy this series while I’ reading it but sometimes it is hard for me to put all the supernatural pieces together. I always enjoy the ride but the journey is sometimes a blur and then we are at the end. Still this is one of the male main character UFs that I continue to read on in probably because I enjoy the dialogue and the premise so much. It is always interesting to say the least but I continually rate each book as only about 3.5 stars. *shrugs* I do what I want.
Great interpretation of lore and melding of the different creatures from so many different lores into one series. I think I continue reading just to see what crazy things Elliot James will come up with next.
I used to watch Burn Notice and I really liked that way that as something actiony (totally a word) was happening the MC Michael would explain to you the viewer that during a car chase it isn’t about going fast it is about maneuvering or When faced with superior force, you can do two things. You can retreat quietly, or you can attack with as much fanfare as possible. John does this really well throughout this series with fighting or just trash talking the other guy or buying time. I like this part of the narrative and usually laugh at many of the things that he lets the reader know.
Sig and John are really fun together. She keeps him on his toes and even when they argue it is entertaining.
“That’s the problem with arguing with Sig. We start at point A and then go straight to step thirteen and wind up in phase orange and then, you know, we’re in the linen aisle looking for windshield wipers…”
They have this kinda light and bantery relationship that I like and even when Sig is mad at John she is still there in the middle of everything with him tabling their disagreement for later. I like Sig for the most part and John has made her life a bit interesting.
“Ever since I started hanging around you, it's more like 'Oh, look, something messed up is going on. Let's poke it And see what happens. Wow, it's even bigger and more messed-up than it looked like. Let's poke it again. Oh my God, where did those giant flaming woodchucks come from?”
But then there is all the other stuff going on too. John not only is a Knight Templare tasked with saving the world from the supernatural bad guys and even from knowing about the supernatural at all. He is also a werewolf and so he has some divided loyalties trying to figure out how he is supposed to be both things. Add on to the he has his own Scooby-doo squad of friends and associates that include a Valkery, Super Witch, Naga, ex-Military kill everything guy and someone just on this side of being a vampire (it’s complicated) and you have a lot of things going on.
For some reason I always laugh and really enjoy this series while I’ reading it but sometimes it is hard for me to put all the supernatural pieces together. I always enjoy the ride but the journey is sometimes a blur and then we are at the end. Still this is one of the male main character UFs that I continue to read on in probably because I enjoy the dialogue and the premise so much. It is always interesting to say the least but I continually rate each book as only about 3.5 stars. *shrugs* I do what I want.
Great interpretation of lore and melding of the different creatures from so many different lores into one series. I think I continue reading just to see what crazy things Elliot James will come up with next.
April 21, 2016
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads.
As a whole, this series has been a fun read; the hero is charismatic, Elliott James is a fellow geek, and there’s werewolves. Those points aside, I’m at a loss at to what the underlying story arc is that ties the four books together other than the animosity between the Knights Templar and the pack which in and of itself isn’t a big enough driving force IMO. I like that each installment can stand on its own, but I’m a big picture kind of girl, and I just don’t see what John Charming’s end game is.
I’ve found that these novels have gotten progressively less humorous which makes me sad because the author’s writing style was one of the first elements that ensnared me. This volume still had its moments, however they were few and far between when compared to CHARMING. The chapter titles were probably the most entertaining aspect with my favourite being #20: “So, we weren’t dead. We were just in Canada.” I appreciated the shout out, and the Anne of Green Gables reference, although the author made a mistake—the iconic L.M. Montgomery heroine is from PEI not Nova Scotia.
The plot surrounding Constance, John’s goddaughter, led us on a merry chase. The world was expanded upon quite a bit with a bunch of different supernatural types being brought into the light, and a trip to another dimension. The circumstances were comparable to one of the protagonist’s previous missions that went down in 1965, so the flashback to a younger Charming was also a perk. And, I have to give props to James for his villains because each one has been bigger, badder, and creepier than the last, and this latest batch was the stuff of horror films.
The romance between the lead and Sig seems to have found its sweet spot which I couldn’t be happier about because it was touch and go there for a while. I enjoy their lively banter, and how they both have their strengths and weaknesses, but that as a couple they are on even ground. I wish that this series had a more regular cast of secondary characters though considering that only John and the Valkyrie seem to appear on a continual basis. As much as I love them, it takes more than two leads to carry a book as well as a seemingly aimless overarching story.
IN SHINING ARMOR was another straight-shooting Urban Fantasy tale by Elliott James. ~ 3.5 Stars
As a whole, this series has been a fun read; the hero is charismatic, Elliott James is a fellow geek, and there’s werewolves. Those points aside, I’m at a loss at to what the underlying story arc is that ties the four books together other than the animosity between the Knights Templar and the pack which in and of itself isn’t a big enough driving force IMO. I like that each installment can stand on its own, but I’m a big picture kind of girl, and I just don’t see what John Charming’s end game is.
I’ve found that these novels have gotten progressively less humorous which makes me sad because the author’s writing style was one of the first elements that ensnared me. This volume still had its moments, however they were few and far between when compared to CHARMING. The chapter titles were probably the most entertaining aspect with my favourite being #20: “So, we weren’t dead. We were just in Canada.” I appreciated the shout out, and the Anne of Green Gables reference, although the author made a mistake—the iconic L.M. Montgomery heroine is from PEI not Nova Scotia.
The plot surrounding Constance, John’s goddaughter, led us on a merry chase. The world was expanded upon quite a bit with a bunch of different supernatural types being brought into the light, and a trip to another dimension. The circumstances were comparable to one of the protagonist’s previous missions that went down in 1965, so the flashback to a younger Charming was also a perk. And, I have to give props to James for his villains because each one has been bigger, badder, and creepier than the last, and this latest batch was the stuff of horror films.
The romance between the lead and Sig seems to have found its sweet spot which I couldn’t be happier about because it was touch and go there for a while. I enjoy their lively banter, and how they both have their strengths and weaknesses, but that as a couple they are on even ground. I wish that this series had a more regular cast of secondary characters though considering that only John and the Valkyrie seem to appear on a continual basis. As much as I love them, it takes more than two leads to carry a book as well as a seemingly aimless overarching story.
IN SHINING ARMOR was another straight-shooting Urban Fantasy tale by Elliott James. ~ 3.5 Stars
December 22, 2018
This review was originally posted at The Book Nympho
Now at Books of My Heart
I love John Charming. He’s funny, smart, badass and even a faithful lover. Pax Arcana series is always humorous which is amazing. The chapter titles in In Shining Armor are great. I was giggling away over them.
This is a world with a wide variety of supernatural characters. These are not your typical supes. They are built with a broad imagination and various mythologies. John is not typical, not even close. But heroes are often unique with a special something. The wide-ranging supes give us a chance to see how smart John is. He has studied up on them and their idiosyncrasies. And he remembers these details!
John is a rather fearless and badass fighter. Since he has knowledge from his research on supes, he is able to better plan and fight them as needed. This has allowed him to be successful and has been key to his survival. Between the geas as a knight and his protection of his commitments, he ends up in many crusades as a helper who makes a big difference.
I was glad to see John and Sig continue to develop their relationship. They work well together and have each other’s back. Their communication is improving as their relationship progresses. He is falling in love with Sig and has supported her causes with his entire being. In this story, Sig is supporting him and a cause important to him.
THIS is the bottom line. In spite of no one really supporting or loving John, in pretty much his whole life, John supports, and loves. He puts himself out there, and often for others, all the freaking time. He allows himself to be vulnerable, body and heart. That, right there, is why he is collecting his odd band of allies, as all great heroes do.
So what happens now? Is it a world where the werewolves and knights continue to have issues? (John is both) Do John and Sig and their group fight whatever battles occur or do they have a plan? I am enjoying each story in the series, and they tie together chronologically but as to the overall meaning of life, I don’t know where we are going here. I am just happy to be on the ride. Recommended series.
Giggle worthy quotes:
Now at Books of My Heart
I love John Charming. He’s funny, smart, badass and even a faithful lover. Pax Arcana series is always humorous which is amazing. The chapter titles in In Shining Armor are great. I was giggling away over them.
This is a world with a wide variety of supernatural characters. These are not your typical supes. They are built with a broad imagination and various mythologies. John is not typical, not even close. But heroes are often unique with a special something. The wide-ranging supes give us a chance to see how smart John is. He has studied up on them and their idiosyncrasies. And he remembers these details!
John is a rather fearless and badass fighter. Since he has knowledge from his research on supes, he is able to better plan and fight them as needed. This has allowed him to be successful and has been key to his survival. Between the geas as a knight and his protection of his commitments, he ends up in many crusades as a helper who makes a big difference.
I was glad to see John and Sig continue to develop their relationship. They work well together and have each other’s back. Their communication is improving as their relationship progresses. He is falling in love with Sig and has supported her causes with his entire being. In this story, Sig is supporting him and a cause important to him.
THIS is the bottom line. In spite of no one really supporting or loving John, in pretty much his whole life, John supports, and loves. He puts himself out there, and often for others, all the freaking time. He allows himself to be vulnerable, body and heart. That, right there, is why he is collecting his odd band of allies, as all great heroes do.
So what happens now? Is it a world where the werewolves and knights continue to have issues? (John is both) Do John and Sig and their group fight whatever battles occur or do they have a plan? I am enjoying each story in the series, and they tie together chronologically but as to the overall meaning of life, I don’t know where we are going here. I am just happy to be on the ride. Recommended series.
Giggle worthy quotes:
Some chapter titles – Out of Hot Water and into the Hot Tub, Bullshittin’ on the Dock of the Bay, Dead Men Behaving Badly, Se We Weren’t Dead We Were Were Just in Canada, Annnnnnnd… Action!
“But let’s make sure we understand each other. This alliance between theOrder and the werewolves is a fragile thing. If we screw this up, you could wind up being hunted again.”
I slapped the SUV. “This SUV is red.”
Simon waited for me to expand on that point.
“It’s cold outside,” I said.
Simon still stared at me.
“You’re kind of acting like a dick,” I tried.
“What are you doing?” Simon demanded.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought we were playing some weird game where we made completely obvious statements,” I explained.
“Shush, John,” Sig cautioned. “You’re about to get Parth started on what constitutes reality.”
That was actually one of the most effective threats I’ve ever received. I shut up.
January 7, 2017
My problem with this series is that I really like John but I don't like Sig (the love interest) and any of the sidekicks. I feel there's enough meat for a series here (him belonging to two different groups which were sort of enemies) without having John belonging to a THIRD group of uninteresting people who happen to hunt monsters.
I felt lost through half of In Shining Armor like I really didn't know where the story was going. There were just too many weird monsters, so after a while, I totally forgot what their powers were. That, plus the author's penchant of changing the known mythology of popular monsters (Banshees are not what you thought they were!) makes for a very convoluted plot where you really don't know what to expect from anybody.
I also didn't like how there was no mention whatsoever of John's struggles with being a werewolf. In fact, I don't think he shifted even once. It seems as if he can turn it on and off whenever he wants, which seems completely unbelievable.
Not sure if I'll continue the series.
I felt lost through half of In Shining Armor like I really didn't know where the story was going. There were just too many weird monsters, so after a while, I totally forgot what their powers were. That, plus the author's penchant of changing the known mythology of popular monsters (Banshees are not what you thought they were!) makes for a very convoluted plot where you really don't know what to expect from anybody.
I also didn't like how there was no mention whatsoever of John's struggles with being a werewolf. In fact, I don't think he shifted even once. It seems as if he can turn it on and off whenever he wants, which seems completely unbelievable.
Not sure if I'll continue the series.
September 29, 2017
4 1/2 but I didn't stop once I started. A really good read. All the characters and new character are great and the set up of someone trying to set the werewolves against the knights right when they have a fragile alliance. Then we find that every step seems to be known ahead of time. Is it precognitive or a traitor among them. I loved the characters interactions and the storyline. Just a little issue with the relationship between Sig and John as she always seems so stand offish. So really am loving the series.
May 2, 2016
This continues to be a strong and enjoyable series.
A little background: John Charming was born into an ancient line of knights who are geas-bound to continue to hide the presence of magic and the paranormal and who traditionally view the paranormal as evil and anathema. When John, through an incident prior to his birth, manifests as a werewolf, he flees the Order and tries his best to blend in with humans. His sarcastic and often self-deprecating wit add a lot of humor to the first-person narrative.
This is the fourth full-length book, along with numerous short stories, in the Pax Arcana series, and this one is as action-packed and fun as the rest. John's god-daughter is kidnapped by forces unknown, and John not only must rescue her but must unravel a wide-ranging conspiracy which lies behind it. His relationship with Sig (a great kick-ass Valkyrie who keeps John on his toes) is evolving nicely as are John's relationships with both the Order and the werewolves. The bad guys and their motivations are challenging to uncover and make for a satisfying read.
A year until the next book is a long time to wait, but the author's terrific short stories make the wait more fun and bearable.
A little background: John Charming was born into an ancient line of knights who are geas-bound to continue to hide the presence of magic and the paranormal and who traditionally view the paranormal as evil and anathema. When John, through an incident prior to his birth, manifests as a werewolf, he flees the Order and tries his best to blend in with humans. His sarcastic and often self-deprecating wit add a lot of humor to the first-person narrative.
This is the fourth full-length book, along with numerous short stories, in the Pax Arcana series, and this one is as action-packed and fun as the rest. John's god-daughter is kidnapped by forces unknown, and John not only must rescue her but must unravel a wide-ranging conspiracy which lies behind it. His relationship with Sig (a great kick-ass Valkyrie who keeps John on his toes) is evolving nicely as are John's relationships with both the Order and the werewolves. The bad guys and their motivations are challenging to uncover and make for a satisfying read.
A year until the next book is a long time to wait, but the author's terrific short stories make the wait more fun and bearable.
September 4, 2025
After re-listening 2023:
Wow, that review I wrote in 2016 was quite good. After I listened this time I cannot really add much to it. It is not my fav of the books, it does not come together as well for me as the ones before did. It feels a little disjointed, although it IS all linked.
I would have liked to stay longer with the goddaughter situation, but apparently John is waiting for her to be older. And as we now know, there wont be any books about that future. I wish the series had been more successful, forcing Elliott James to give us many more books about John and Sig and the rest of the huge cast.
What makes this book special to me is the relationship stuff. Seeing them together is everything to me.
Review from 2016:
I have been waiting a looong time for this book, because of not wanting to read it before having it read to me by Roger Wayne.
And now it is over. And I do not quite know how I feel about that. Probably slightly shell shocked? It is too early for me to say if I like this book as much as the others. But I know I liked it. And there are some scenes so perfect... I wish I could talk to someone who understands.
So. This is the fourth In the series. Vol one I will always love because it introduced me to John and Sig and some other great characters. And because John came back from the brink of self-destruction. Vol 2 has some big emotions for me - and I seriously love the werewolf aspects of Johns struggles.
Vol 3 seemed different to me, with so many monsters and battles and riddles and the really bad guy who orchestrates it all.
Vol 4 is similar to vol 3, with different monsters, a different really bad guy, bigger stakes and bigger battles... The ending is a bit similar too, in that John does not tell us about all his preparations, so that some things come as a surprise to us.
There is a lot of action in this one, and I had to concentrate real hard while listening, or I would get lost in the who was doing what when and where of it. Probably reading it would have been easier.
I know John heals fast, and he uses this as an asset. But it does not mean it does not hurt and damage him. Sometimes it was quite hard listening to the horrible stuff happening to him. Sig once says "we get mauled even more than usual" or something similar. To me the fights and the bad things happening always feel very real and while it is interesting, I do suffer. So I was always kind of glad when one of the (many) fight scenes was over, so I (and the heroes) could have a breather.
And so we come to the big difference in this book to the ones before. John and Sig are together now, officially a couple, and it changes things.
I lived for those quiet moments between the action, because those scenes were incredible. There is so much going on in the relationship, and how this is shown and described... I so wish that someone would write a Romance like this. There are no long winded descriptions of body parts, no over the top analysis of feelings. But some really good dialogue and setting. I do not have the words to describe what that scene in the shower did to me. It must be one of my all time favorite scenes in a book. It is funny and real and honest and respectful and and and... As I said, I cannot explain it. But I would love to know if anyone out there feels like I do about this.
Those two. I love them so much.
How will I survive the wait for vol 5????
Probably by finally buying the paperbacks and doing my next re-read with my eyes instead of with my ears.
And hoping for some of those incredibly well crafted short stories from Johns past.
And I trust that there will always be more monsters. Elliott James has a never ending supply of those. No worries.
And I will listen to some more Dresden Files and hopefully some Aaronovitch in the near future. Those two series work very well for me too, although in a very different way from the Pax Arcana series. Which is great. I love how those writers all do their thing in the Urban Fantasy setting, do it well, and each in his very own, very unique way.
Wow, that review I wrote in 2016 was quite good. After I listened this time I cannot really add much to it. It is not my fav of the books, it does not come together as well for me as the ones before did. It feels a little disjointed, although it IS all linked.
I would have liked to stay longer with the goddaughter situation, but apparently John is waiting for her to be older. And as we now know, there wont be any books about that future. I wish the series had been more successful, forcing Elliott James to give us many more books about John and Sig and the rest of the huge cast.
What makes this book special to me is the relationship stuff. Seeing them together is everything to me.
Review from 2016:
I have been waiting a looong time for this book, because of not wanting to read it before having it read to me by Roger Wayne.
And now it is over. And I do not quite know how I feel about that. Probably slightly shell shocked? It is too early for me to say if I like this book as much as the others. But I know I liked it. And there are some scenes so perfect... I wish I could talk to someone who understands.
So. This is the fourth In the series. Vol one I will always love because it introduced me to John and Sig and some other great characters. And because John came back from the brink of self-destruction. Vol 2 has some big emotions for me - and I seriously love the werewolf aspects of Johns struggles.
Vol 3 seemed different to me, with so many monsters and battles and riddles and the really bad guy who orchestrates it all.
Vol 4 is similar to vol 3, with different monsters, a different really bad guy, bigger stakes and bigger battles... The ending is a bit similar too, in that John does not tell us about all his preparations, so that some things come as a surprise to us.
There is a lot of action in this one, and I had to concentrate real hard while listening, or I would get lost in the who was doing what when and where of it. Probably reading it would have been easier.
I know John heals fast, and he uses this as an asset. But it does not mean it does not hurt and damage him. Sometimes it was quite hard listening to the horrible stuff happening to him. Sig once says "we get mauled even more than usual" or something similar. To me the fights and the bad things happening always feel very real and while it is interesting, I do suffer. So I was always kind of glad when one of the (many) fight scenes was over, so I (and the heroes) could have a breather.
And so we come to the big difference in this book to the ones before. John and Sig are together now, officially a couple, and it changes things.
I lived for those quiet moments between the action, because those scenes were incredible. There is so much going on in the relationship, and how this is shown and described... I so wish that someone would write a Romance like this. There are no long winded descriptions of body parts, no over the top analysis of feelings. But some really good dialogue and setting. I do not have the words to describe what that scene in the shower did to me. It must be one of my all time favorite scenes in a book. It is funny and real and honest and respectful and and and... As I said, I cannot explain it. But I would love to know if anyone out there feels like I do about this.
Those two. I love them so much.
How will I survive the wait for vol 5????
Probably by finally buying the paperbacks and doing my next re-read with my eyes instead of with my ears.
And hoping for some of those incredibly well crafted short stories from Johns past.
And I trust that there will always be more monsters. Elliott James has a never ending supply of those. No worries.
And I will listen to some more Dresden Files and hopefully some Aaronovitch in the near future. Those two series work very well for me too, although in a very different way from the Pax Arcana series. Which is great. I love how those writers all do their thing in the Urban Fantasy setting, do it well, and each in his very own, very unique way.
January 1, 2017
So ... I pre-ordered this book and then waited eight months to read it!
Someone is trying to upset the fledgling alliance between the knights and the werewolf pack by kidnapping the last surviving descendant of the Grandmaster of the Knights Templar and making suspicion rest on the werewolf who was supposed to be guarding the baby. As the godfather of the baby, John Charming is called in and soon finds out that things are not what they seem. Soon John and Sig are knee deep in factions, otherworld creatures and skinwalkers. John Charming is a descendant of the Prince Charming from all the fairytales. He is also a former knight AND a werewolf which gives him a foot in both camps but trusted by neither. Oh, and his girlfriend Sig is a valkyrie.
John Charming always reminds me of those fast-talking 1930s American detectives like Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade. He's full of zippy one-liners and self-deprecating humour, with a sword and a gun. Each of the chapter titles is a play on words, for example chapter 15 is titled "Is it two door, three door, more door, or Mordor?" If that sort of thing works for you then I highly recommend this series to you. And if you liked the previous three - I think this one is the best yet.
I had felt that he and Sig had fallen into a bit of a rut in the previous books in which they either split up at the end of the book or had mysteriously separated by the start of the next book, in this book we see Sig and John together throughout - although the relationship gets rocky when Sig finds out he's been keeping secrets.
Someone is trying to upset the fledgling alliance between the knights and the werewolf pack by kidnapping the last surviving descendant of the Grandmaster of the Knights Templar and making suspicion rest on the werewolf who was supposed to be guarding the baby. As the godfather of the baby, John Charming is called in and soon finds out that things are not what they seem. Soon John and Sig are knee deep in factions, otherworld creatures and skinwalkers. John Charming is a descendant of the Prince Charming from all the fairytales. He is also a former knight AND a werewolf which gives him a foot in both camps but trusted by neither. Oh, and his girlfriend Sig is a valkyrie.
John Charming always reminds me of those fast-talking 1930s American detectives like Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade. He's full of zippy one-liners and self-deprecating humour, with a sword and a gun. Each of the chapter titles is a play on words, for example chapter 15 is titled "Is it two door, three door, more door, or Mordor?" If that sort of thing works for you then I highly recommend this series to you. And if you liked the previous three - I think this one is the best yet.
I had felt that he and Sig had fallen into a bit of a rut in the previous books in which they either split up at the end of the book or had mysteriously separated by the start of the next book, in this book we see Sig and John together throughout - although the relationship gets rocky when Sig finds out he's been keeping secrets.
October 13, 2017
Mini-Review:
A fun ride full of suspense, action and mystery. This was not my favorite narration by Roger Wayne but he is still the best voice of John Charming to me. I'm not sure if I will dive into the next book because the audiobook for it is not available but I am super curious to see how the new plot points will bear fruit.
Twisty, sardonic and interesting slant on Fae origins. I loved it!
I just have to decide if I want to tear into the next book right now or wait for another book to be published first. =)
A fun ride full of suspense, action and mystery. This was not my favorite narration by Roger Wayne but he is still the best voice of John Charming to me. I'm not sure if I will dive into the next book because the audiobook for it is not available but I am super curious to see how the new plot points will bear fruit.
Twisty, sardonic and interesting slant on Fae origins. I loved it!
I just have to decide if I want to tear into the next book right now or wait for another book to be published first. =)
March 24, 2017
The Knights and Round Table werewolves are trying to solidify their alliance. When John's goddaughter is kidnapped, that tentative alliance frays even further. John and Sig are called to help find her. What they find can only mean that there is a traitor. But, is the traitor a Knight or a Wolf? These books just keep getting better!!!
March 31, 2017
Originally published at Reading Reality
Actually, John Charming is a knight in rather tarnished and bloodstained armor. It also seems to be covered in slime and shit all-too-frequently. But he’s still a knight, even if he is also a werewolf. And based on his adventures in his first three books, Charming, Daringand Fearless, that contradiction he embodies seems to be getting both more and less contradictory at the same time.
But the moral of this particular fairy tale (because the fae are always in the background in this series, somewhere, even if it’s fairly deep background) revolves around that tried and true old saw, “ Assume makes an ASS out of U and ME. Because everything that goes wrong in this story begins with John (and everyone else) making a very big assumption that turns out to be far from true.
Even professional paranoids, like the Knights Templar in general and John Charming in particular, occasionally can’t manage to be paranoid enough. And in this case it very nearly bites all of them, along with the werewolves, in their collective (and extremely well-muscled) asses.
At the end of Fearless, a very, very tenuous peace has finally broken out between the Knights Templar and the werewolves. It’s so tenuous because until very, very recently, the Knights’ first response to a werewolf was to kill it on sight as an automatic violation of the Pax Arcana that prevents us normals from finding out that there really is a whole lot of magic out there.
But most werewolves (and vampires, and even naga and gorgons) are just like everyone else, they want to live in peace, hold down a job, raise their kids and participate in the American dream. Or whatever the dream is wherever they happen to live. They have even less desire to reveal the magic in the world than the Knights do, because they know they’ll probably be first on the firing line when the mundanes bring out the contemporary equivalent of torches and pitchforks.
And the Knights have just realized (a very few of them, all at the top) that they are really only geas-bound to enforce the Pax, and that as long as any magical creatures don’t violate the Pax, there is no obligation whatsoever to hunt them down and kill them. And, of course, a lot of them don’t want to give up the status quo.
Human beings are still human, extra power, extra knowledge, extra whatever, or not. And some humans are still arseholes.
The literal embodiment of this tenuous peace is little baby Constance. She’s the last descendant of the Grandmaster of the Knights Templar. And she’s going to be a werewolf when she grows up. Just like John Charming, little Constance has a tiny foot in both worlds. And both the Knights and the werewolves have been pledged to protect her. She’s the hidden little darling of both camps.
Until someone nefarious and unknown decides to disrupt that detente for reasons that, while obviously nefarious, remain nebulous and hidden for most of the story. The (very bad) idea was to kidnap little Constance and make the werewolves look guilty and responsible. Detente instantly explodes, werewolves hide far away from the Knights and whatever the evildoer wants hidden.
But evil never seems to reckon on John Charming. And he intends to wreck a reckoning on them. Just as soon as he figures out who they are, what they want, and what’s the best way to kill them very, very dead.
If they don’t kill him first.
Escape Rating B+: I liked this, but saying I enjoyed it doesn’t feel quite right. There are a lot of points in the story where things are very, very dark, to that point where it feels like things are getting darker just before they turn completely black. Which doesn’t quite happen, but gets really, really close. And occasionally feels like it’s dragging its feet just a bit.
For anyone wondering about the baby being in danger through the book, it doesn’t work that way. Constance is the catalyst but not the point, and John rescues her fairly early on. It’s never really about the baby. It’s always about breaking up the tentative peace between the Knights and the werewolves, even if John can’t put his finger on why for nearly the entire book.
And the reader can’t either. The hidden motives remain hidden until the very end. The plot in this plot turns out to be incredibly convoluted, and unlike a mystery, in spite of the first person singular perspective the reader is not privy to everything that John Charming knows or does. In fact, he makes a habit of reaching his resolution and only then revealing all of the secret things he did to make it all work out in his favor. After they work. Sort of.
If he wasn’t one of the good guys, he’d be downright annoying. A fact which his partner reminds him of on frequent occasions. One of the great things about this book, and the series, is John’s relationship with his partner and lover, Sig. Who is a valkyrie, and therefore even more badass than John is, with powers (and problems) of her own. They balance each other out, support each other, protect each other, and sometimes drive each other crazy. It’s terrific to see an urban fantasy where the protagonist both manages to have a fairly successful and monogamous relationship, and where the woman is every bit the equal of the man. That mix still feels rare, and is always welcome.
But as straightforward as John’s and Sig’s relationship is, the plot (and counterplot, and counter-counterplot) in this one seems almost overly twisted. In the end, the reader is just along for the wild ride, without much ability to see the twists and turns or even process all the changes. There’s a LOT going on in this story. But once John and Sig and the Knights get to the final battle, it’s a race to see if the reader can turn the pages fast enough.
As someone who has read the entire series, I have to say that I really missed the gang that John and Sig created (or that grew around them) in the first three books. And I missed those people, and the feeling of family and friends that they developed. But even though In Shining Armor pulls them completely out of their trusted sphere, it is still very grounded in the world that has been created, to the point where I don’t think In Shining Armor is the best place for someone to start this series. The operation of the Knights Templar is very complicated, and seems to get more so all the time. So start with Charming.
But speaking of that group of familiar faces, I’m really looking forward to the next book, Legend Has It, so John and Sig can get back to their extremely motley band of monster hunters and do what they do best all together – try to out-snark each other while racing to eliminate the most (and worst) monsters they can find.
Actually, John Charming is a knight in rather tarnished and bloodstained armor. It also seems to be covered in slime and shit all-too-frequently. But he’s still a knight, even if he is also a werewolf. And based on his adventures in his first three books, Charming, Daringand Fearless, that contradiction he embodies seems to be getting both more and less contradictory at the same time.
But the moral of this particular fairy tale (because the fae are always in the background in this series, somewhere, even if it’s fairly deep background) revolves around that tried and true old saw, “ Assume makes an ASS out of U and ME. Because everything that goes wrong in this story begins with John (and everyone else) making a very big assumption that turns out to be far from true.
Even professional paranoids, like the Knights Templar in general and John Charming in particular, occasionally can’t manage to be paranoid enough. And in this case it very nearly bites all of them, along with the werewolves, in their collective (and extremely well-muscled) asses.
At the end of Fearless, a very, very tenuous peace has finally broken out between the Knights Templar and the werewolves. It’s so tenuous because until very, very recently, the Knights’ first response to a werewolf was to kill it on sight as an automatic violation of the Pax Arcana that prevents us normals from finding out that there really is a whole lot of magic out there.
But most werewolves (and vampires, and even naga and gorgons) are just like everyone else, they want to live in peace, hold down a job, raise their kids and participate in the American dream. Or whatever the dream is wherever they happen to live. They have even less desire to reveal the magic in the world than the Knights do, because they know they’ll probably be first on the firing line when the mundanes bring out the contemporary equivalent of torches and pitchforks.
And the Knights have just realized (a very few of them, all at the top) that they are really only geas-bound to enforce the Pax, and that as long as any magical creatures don’t violate the Pax, there is no obligation whatsoever to hunt them down and kill them. And, of course, a lot of them don’t want to give up the status quo.
Human beings are still human, extra power, extra knowledge, extra whatever, or not. And some humans are still arseholes.
The literal embodiment of this tenuous peace is little baby Constance. She’s the last descendant of the Grandmaster of the Knights Templar. And she’s going to be a werewolf when she grows up. Just like John Charming, little Constance has a tiny foot in both worlds. And both the Knights and the werewolves have been pledged to protect her. She’s the hidden little darling of both camps.
Until someone nefarious and unknown decides to disrupt that detente for reasons that, while obviously nefarious, remain nebulous and hidden for most of the story. The (very bad) idea was to kidnap little Constance and make the werewolves look guilty and responsible. Detente instantly explodes, werewolves hide far away from the Knights and whatever the evildoer wants hidden.
But evil never seems to reckon on John Charming. And he intends to wreck a reckoning on them. Just as soon as he figures out who they are, what they want, and what’s the best way to kill them very, very dead.
If they don’t kill him first.
Escape Rating B+: I liked this, but saying I enjoyed it doesn’t feel quite right. There are a lot of points in the story where things are very, very dark, to that point where it feels like things are getting darker just before they turn completely black. Which doesn’t quite happen, but gets really, really close. And occasionally feels like it’s dragging its feet just a bit.
For anyone wondering about the baby being in danger through the book, it doesn’t work that way. Constance is the catalyst but not the point, and John rescues her fairly early on. It’s never really about the baby. It’s always about breaking up the tentative peace between the Knights and the werewolves, even if John can’t put his finger on why for nearly the entire book.
And the reader can’t either. The hidden motives remain hidden until the very end. The plot in this plot turns out to be incredibly convoluted, and unlike a mystery, in spite of the first person singular perspective the reader is not privy to everything that John Charming knows or does. In fact, he makes a habit of reaching his resolution and only then revealing all of the secret things he did to make it all work out in his favor. After they work. Sort of.
If he wasn’t one of the good guys, he’d be downright annoying. A fact which his partner reminds him of on frequent occasions. One of the great things about this book, and the series, is John’s relationship with his partner and lover, Sig. Who is a valkyrie, and therefore even more badass than John is, with powers (and problems) of her own. They balance each other out, support each other, protect each other, and sometimes drive each other crazy. It’s terrific to see an urban fantasy where the protagonist both manages to have a fairly successful and monogamous relationship, and where the woman is every bit the equal of the man. That mix still feels rare, and is always welcome.
But as straightforward as John’s and Sig’s relationship is, the plot (and counterplot, and counter-counterplot) in this one seems almost overly twisted. In the end, the reader is just along for the wild ride, without much ability to see the twists and turns or even process all the changes. There’s a LOT going on in this story. But once John and Sig and the Knights get to the final battle, it’s a race to see if the reader can turn the pages fast enough.
As someone who has read the entire series, I have to say that I really missed the gang that John and Sig created (or that grew around them) in the first three books. And I missed those people, and the feeling of family and friends that they developed. But even though In Shining Armor pulls them completely out of their trusted sphere, it is still very grounded in the world that has been created, to the point where I don’t think In Shining Armor is the best place for someone to start this series. The operation of the Knights Templar is very complicated, and seems to get more so all the time. So start with Charming.
But speaking of that group of familiar faces, I’m really looking forward to the next book, Legend Has It, so John and Sig can get back to their extremely motley band of monster hunters and do what they do best all together – try to out-snark each other while racing to eliminate the most (and worst) monsters they can find.
January 9, 2018
I really enjoy this series. In Shining Armor, book four, is just as intriguing, funny, witty and entertaining as the other three books. Definitely not a stand alone book though. The writing, dialogue, characters, and plot are memorable and well done. Besides the witty writing and dialogue, there are the chapter titles that are the punchline that always has me piecing together the joke. Love it!
Examples:
“The Truth, The Hole In The Truth, And Something Like The Truth”
“So We Weren’t Dead, We Were Just In Canada”
“Is It Two Door, Three Door, More Door, Or Mordor?”
My only complaint is when major plot points are hidden unnecessarily. A simple line like “I had Virgil run some errands for me.” Turns into life saving action five chapters later that we know nothing about. It won’t stop me from reading the next book but it dropped one star from a five star read. Well recommended!
Examples:
“The Truth, The Hole In The Truth, And Something Like The Truth”
“So We Weren’t Dead, We Were Just In Canada”
“Is It Two Door, Three Door, More Door, Or Mordor?”
My only complaint is when major plot points are hidden unnecessarily. A simple line like “I had Virgil run some errands for me.” Turns into life saving action five chapters later that we know nothing about. It won’t stop me from reading the next book but it dropped one star from a five star read. Well recommended!
April 13, 2023
I confess for a lot of this book I wasn't bored, but I did feel I was treading familiar territory. John, alongside Sig fight, various strange beasties, which John has encyclopaedic knowledge of.
There is a bit more Knight involvement in this book which if that's people's think then all g.
I also have to say I find the Sig/John romance actually quite favourably written, in that its a subplot with a few intriguing points, but it never feels overblown. It seems like many urban fantasies need to deeply intertwine their romances with the main plot and it always seems a bit silly (sure the world was ending but I needed to resolve my conflict with XXX). In the Pax series this problem isn't present.
Obviously I can't really review the ending that much cos spoilers, but I feel like the conclusion of Shining Armour was a bit of a step above the other books, it doesn't rely too heavily on 'magic' but does pull on mythology previously introduced in the book in a way that works well.
There is a bit more Knight involvement in this book which if that's people's think then all g.
I also have to say I find the Sig/John romance actually quite favourably written, in that its a subplot with a few intriguing points, but it never feels overblown. It seems like many urban fantasies need to deeply intertwine their romances with the main plot and it always seems a bit silly (sure the world was ending but I needed to resolve my conflict with XXX). In the Pax series this problem isn't present.
Obviously I can't really review the ending that much cos spoilers, but I feel like the conclusion of Shining Armour was a bit of a step above the other books, it doesn't rely too heavily on 'magic' but does pull on mythology previously introduced in the book in a way that works well.
May 15, 2016
In a word: Relieved.
I really liked the first book in this series, but the second book was just okay and the third was so frustratingly subpar that I started to wonder if this was really a sustainable concept for more than a book or two.
So I was greatly relieved by Book 4, which is actually outstanding. Finally, we have a continued plot that seems to be going somewhere, a welcome surprise after Book 3, which gave the impression that the author was really writing a series of one-offs that he couldn't adequately connect together in any sort of meaningful, continuous narrative.
In this installment, we finally get some live connections to both previous plots and a bigger-picture story that compels the reader to truly look forward to What Comes Next.
This is a longer book than any of the previous novels in the series, and that's a good thing. It's complex, intricate, and a much smarter book than the two that immediately preceded it.
My only gripe was that a hefty clue was dropped early in the narrative that made it pretty obvious who the villain was, but it's still an excellent read and bodes very well for the continuation of the series.
I really liked the first book in this series, but the second book was just okay and the third was so frustratingly subpar that I started to wonder if this was really a sustainable concept for more than a book or two.
So I was greatly relieved by Book 4, which is actually outstanding. Finally, we have a continued plot that seems to be going somewhere, a welcome surprise after Book 3, which gave the impression that the author was really writing a series of one-offs that he couldn't adequately connect together in any sort of meaningful, continuous narrative.
In this installment, we finally get some live connections to both previous plots and a bigger-picture story that compels the reader to truly look forward to What Comes Next.
This is a longer book than any of the previous novels in the series, and that's a good thing. It's complex, intricate, and a much smarter book than the two that immediately preceded it.
My only gripe was that a hefty clue was dropped early in the narrative that made it pretty obvious who the villain was, but it's still an excellent read and bodes very well for the continuation of the series.
June 25, 2016
Pax Arcana: 4
This story picks up plot threads from Book 2. The baby John agreed to become a godfather to along with Ben Lafontaine finally has a name - Constance. Still not buying the romance between John and Sig. He's stupidly besotted for a man of his age over a woman who is determined to know everything about him because she's selfishly nosy and can't appreciate necessary secrets which aren't fully his to tell. She spends a lot of her screen time basically being hypocritically annoyed with John. Seriously, no idea why he puts up with her other than he's in love with the idea of being in love. Other than that, this is a pretty action-packed story. After the initial excitement, it turns into a bit of a mystery story and there it bogs down with everyone running around and haphazardly stumbling across the next big clue in the midst of dancing around various political interests. Overall, plotting could have been tighter, but John is as amusing as ever. The author's underlying series threads are holding up pretty well, unlike for Alex Verus, where the author seems to have lost control. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
This story picks up plot threads from Book 2. The baby John agreed to become a godfather to along with Ben Lafontaine finally has a name - Constance. Still not buying the romance between John and Sig. He's stupidly besotted for a man of his age over a woman who is determined to know everything about him because she's selfishly nosy and can't appreciate necessary secrets which aren't fully his to tell. She spends a lot of her screen time basically being hypocritically annoyed with John. Seriously, no idea why he puts up with her other than he's in love with the idea of being in love. Other than that, this is a pretty action-packed story. After the initial excitement, it turns into a bit of a mystery story and there it bogs down with everyone running around and haphazardly stumbling across the next big clue in the midst of dancing around various political interests. Overall, plotting could have been tighter, but John is as amusing as ever. The author's underlying series threads are holding up pretty well, unlike for Alex Verus, where the author seems to have lost control. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
January 9, 2018
Hmmm. I'm a little confused. Was this book shorter than the previous three? Granted it was still full of creature features, but it seemed that the plot was over before it started.
Anyone who enjoys: Jim Butcher, Kevin Hearn, or Seanan McGuire; should check this series out. It's definately worth the time.
June 8, 2016
I love John Charming
Elliot pulls you in and takes you on this rollercoaster ride that has you laughing and loving all the action and character by play. Just know if you love Butcher's Dresden, you will love Charming too.
Elliot pulls you in and takes you on this rollercoaster ride that has you laughing and loving all the action and character by play. Just know if you love Butcher's Dresden, you will love Charming too.
July 30, 2016
Great series with good myth. Not only Knights Templar descendants, but werewolves in the mix.
May 17, 2016
better and better each book gets. I expect soon to see one of the future books in Hardcover at this rate. I would love to have the e-books all in one book for the shelf.
July 29, 2016
Still really enjoying this series and cannot wait till the next one.
May 21, 2018
Will review at www.fantasyliterature.com.
June 14, 2016
Believe it or not... I'm getting tired of urban fantasy... you go to the Sci-Fi/Fantasy section of your local bookstore and it seems like 3/4 of the selection is taken up with urban fantasy novels. Having said that, some of my favourite authors write in this genre - Butcher, Aaronovitch, and Jacka (to name my favourites) have all taken the core conceit and done something interesting with it If I was to create a hierarchy, however, this series would definitely be on the second highest tier and quickly clawing its way to the top tier. This series just keeps getting better - and this book is the best so far in the series.
John Charming is enjoying some well deserved R&R when his god-daughter (the keystone to the alliance between the Templars and the Werewolfs) is kidnapped... and all hell breaks loose (figuratively, not literally... yet).
James' protagonist is continues to be the best thing about these books... a sarcastic, self-aware smart-ass. He is however starting to improve in the creation of his secondary characters and the sketching out of his world (although I like Sig, she is far from his strongest character; I definitely want to see more of Nick and his mortal girlfriend, the Templars are, to my surprise, actually becoming interesting).
John Charming is enjoying some well deserved R&R when his god-daughter (the keystone to the alliance between the Templars and the Werewolfs) is kidnapped... and all hell breaks loose (figuratively, not literally... yet).
James' protagonist is continues to be the best thing about these books... a sarcastic, self-aware smart-ass. He is however starting to improve in the creation of his secondary characters and the sketching out of his world (although I like Sig, she is far from his strongest character; I definitely want to see more of Nick and his mortal girlfriend, the Templars are, to my surprise, actually becoming interesting).
July 29, 2017
Still having fun with this series. I will say I like seeing more of Sig's powers, and she won me over with that Jiminy Bitchit line.
February 16, 2019
I really enjoyed the book. I liked getting to see more of the characters were already knew, and meeting new ones as well. What I didn't like was the too-easy healing from massive wounds. Yes, that is part of being a werewolf. And yes, I know that we tend to skip over time in which the narrative character is not conscious. However, either too little time was taken to heal from various injuries or there wasn't a good enough job done to convince me of the passage of time.
Charming himself is also starting to really get on my nerves. Nothing I can point to, just a nebulous eye-roll feeling.
However, this is a worthwhile installment of a good series, and I look forward to seeing where the series plot is going. I think I can catch a glimpse of it, but I'm not sure. I'll need at least one more book to be sure (at least in part because Mr. James is very good at hiding twists within twists, so that you figure out one part of the puzzle and miss a second part hidden deeper within the same clue).
(This is not really the Audio CD version, it's the Audible version - which isn't on Goodreads yet. If I remember I'll change it later.)
Charming himself is also starting to really get on my nerves. Nothing I can point to, just a nebulous eye-roll feeling.
However, this is a worthwhile installment of a good series, and I look forward to seeing where the series plot is going. I think I can catch a glimpse of it, but I'm not sure. I'll need at least one more book to be sure (at least in part because Mr. James is very good at hiding twists within twists, so that you figure out one part of the puzzle and miss a second part hidden deeper within the same clue).
(This is not really the Audio CD version, it's the Audible version - which isn't on Goodreads yet. If I remember I'll change it later.)
January 1, 2024
I love this series for many reasons. One being that the lore/mythology/creatures that James uses to draw his characters from is unique in the fact that a lot of authors won’t touch unknown mythologies and stick to the well-known ones. How many other stories that you’ve read take beings from geographically different regions and mush them together to create a cohesive and interesting story? Folklore from the Philippines, Ireland, and old European myths are just a few of the ones James used here.
John and Sig take a spot in my favorite couples list. They’re not the typical, insta love, fated mates, or any of the other known ways that couples tend to be made in this genre and their journey is another one of the awesome things I love about this series. This book was another great addition.
I can go on forever about what, how, and why I love this series, but I will say first and foremost that if you don’t read it you are missing out on a great series. I highly recommend reading the short stories also. John’s outlook on things, along with his sense of humor, is priceless.
John and Sig take a spot in my favorite couples list. They’re not the typical, insta love, fated mates, or any of the other known ways that couples tend to be made in this genre and their journey is another one of the awesome things I love about this series. This book was another great addition.
I can go on forever about what, how, and why I love this series, but I will say first and foremost that if you don’t read it you are missing out on a great series. I highly recommend reading the short stories also. John’s outlook on things, along with his sense of humor, is priceless.
Read
July 30, 2016 This book was an engrossing tale of magical beings, werewolves and the Knights Templar. Since I'm a huge fan of the supernatural genre, this book was immediately interesting to me.
The main character, John Charming, and his girlfriend Sig barrel along getting into on scrape after another. It's a very good thing John can regenerate and Sig is a Valkyrie because they get injured while fighting a lot!
John is a werewolf and a Knight so he has a unique position to fill. When his goddaughter Constance is kidnapped, it starts a series of non-stop action which includes doors between worlds and the eventual rescue of Constance. Tensions between the wolves and the Knights rise as someone seems to be making a real effort to cause friction in their shaky treaty.
I really enjoyed reading this story. The mix of magical characters, such as Redcaps and gorgons, was intriguing. The action was exceptionally done, and it was hard to set this book down to accomplish...well, anything! Recommended summer reading for sure.
The main character, John Charming, and his girlfriend Sig barrel along getting into on scrape after another. It's a very good thing John can regenerate and Sig is a Valkyrie because they get injured while fighting a lot!
John is a werewolf and a Knight so he has a unique position to fill. When his goddaughter Constance is kidnapped, it starts a series of non-stop action which includes doors between worlds and the eventual rescue of Constance. Tensions between the wolves and the Knights rise as someone seems to be making a real effort to cause friction in their shaky treaty.
I really enjoyed reading this story. The mix of magical characters, such as Redcaps and gorgons, was intriguing. The action was exceptionally done, and it was hard to set this book down to accomplish...well, anything! Recommended summer reading for sure.
May 2, 2016
Ok, NOW you should go read this series. I mentioned how good the first book was, but then I shut up because I'd made a strategic error: I blasted through the first three books and had to wait TWO WEEKS for the fourth to come out. Now two months, which is long enough to move on and read a different series, and not two days, which is short enough to complain and wait. Two weeks. It was tough.
But now there are four complete novels (and quite a few shorts/novellas, which I haven't gotten around to yet). If you like smart-ass ass-kicking urban fantasy with actual character development and a relationship between badass equals, you'll like Pax Arcana.
I thought I knew where the meta-plot was headed with this installment, but I wasn't right. Not totally off base, but I certainly didn't have it all figured out. Good stuff.
But now there are four complete novels (and quite a few shorts/novellas, which I haven't gotten around to yet). If you like smart-ass ass-kicking urban fantasy with actual character development and a relationship between badass equals, you'll like Pax Arcana.
I thought I knew where the meta-plot was headed with this installment, but I wasn't right. Not totally off base, but I certainly didn't have it all figured out. Good stuff.
May 20, 2016
John Charming is a hero worth your time in reading every word in every book and crying like a baby when you have to wait so long for the next one to come out. In this one, his goddaughter is kidnapped and finding her sets loose a chain of events that leads to drugs that give future visions, banshees, traitors, double agents, skinwalkers and portals to other dimensions. Even the chapter heading were hilarious. I love these and can't hardly put them down. The author keeps raising the stakes until John is trying to save the world - again. The last fifty pages I was nailed to my chair reading as fast as I could turn the pages. Nicely enough, there is a snippet of book five in the back, so I'm already ready for the next one.
December 4, 2016
I adore this series.
Normally, I am not someone regulated by admirable impulse control. New book? Series I love? Buying it as soon as possible is a matter of manifest destiny. But, the print release of In Shining Armor didn't coincide with an audiobook release. Worried queries by other audience members weren't getting much of a response as I searched from site to site. Tantor Audio released it mid-November 2016, six months after Orbit published the book in late April 2016.
I adore it to a logarithmic degree when Roger Wayne performs the audiobook narrative, imbuing John Charming's voice with just the right sense of humor. I'm looking forward to the next installment. Please, sign Wayne to the contract in time to release the audiobook with the print version!
January 5, 2017
Wow! What a ride! So much becomes clear in this book. The "big bad" in this novel is really bad. The author plays fair and all the signs are there in retrospect, but I didn't see it coming.
One of the things I really enjoy about this series is the incorporation of mythology. I was more familiar with the creatures this time (last time it was Japanese mythology), but since the myth is integral to the plot, that's all I'll say on that matter.
You really need all of the background of the other novels for this one to make complete sense. That said, I loved it. If you are a fan of the series, you definitely need to get this one.
One of the things I really enjoy about this series is the incorporation of mythology. I was more familiar with the creatures this time (last time it was Japanese mythology), but since the myth is integral to the plot, that's all I'll say on that matter.
You really need all of the background of the other novels for this one to make complete sense. That said, I loved it. If you are a fan of the series, you definitely need to get this one.
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