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The Grave Report #1
Grave Beginnings
“Quick, clean action, solid character work and pacing. This series is worth your time.” — Jim Butcher, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Dresden Files
Another day, another hijacked body. And just 13 hours to solve a murder…
Detective Vincent Graves has made a habit of dying. Waking up in someone else’s body isn’t pleasant, especially when it's inside a coffin with tons of dirt pressing down on it. Once he’s out, he learns his soul has 13 hours to find the borrowed body’s killer.
With the help of a brilliant FBI agent, Vincent’s quest for clues leads to a looming supernatural presence. And escaping the dark threat may be impossible with his ever-ticking clock…
Can Vincent close the case in time, or will a powerful being make him rest in peace for good?
Grave Beginnings is the first book in The Grave Report urban fantasy detective series. If you like paranormal twists, hard-boiled investigators, and noir-style magic, then you’ll love R.R. Virdi’s paranormal investigator series.
Another day, another hijacked body. And just 13 hours to solve a murder…
Detective Vincent Graves has made a habit of dying. Waking up in someone else’s body isn’t pleasant, especially when it's inside a coffin with tons of dirt pressing down on it. Once he’s out, he learns his soul has 13 hours to find the borrowed body’s killer.
With the help of a brilliant FBI agent, Vincent’s quest for clues leads to a looming supernatural presence. And escaping the dark threat may be impossible with his ever-ticking clock…
Can Vincent close the case in time, or will a powerful being make him rest in peace for good?
Grave Beginnings is the first book in The Grave Report urban fantasy detective series. If you like paranormal twists, hard-boiled investigators, and noir-style magic, then you’ll love R.R. Virdi’s paranormal investigator series.
310 pages, Paperback
First published December 19, 2013
154 people are currently reading
2111 people want to read
About the author
R.R. Virdi
26 books768 followersR.R. Virdi is a USA Today Bestselling author, two-time Dragon Award finalist, and a Nebula Award finalist. He is the author of two urban fantasy series, The Grave Report, and The Books of Winter. The author of the LitRPG/portal fantasy series, Monster Slayer Online. And the author of a space western/sci fi series, Shepherd of Light. He has worked in the automotive industry as a mechanic, retail, and in the custom gaming computer world. He's an avid car nut with a special love for American classics.
The hardest challenge for him up to this point has been fooling most of society into believing he's a completely sane member of the general public.
The hardest challenge for him up to this point has been fooling most of society into believing he's a completely sane member of the general public.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 311 reviews
September 17, 2017
I've read and loved the first few Dresden Files books as well as the show Quantum Leap, which a lot of people are comparing this series too, and I must admit that it kinda intimidated me to think about it because I wasn't quite certain how it would work out. Still, the concept and the blurb hooked me and so I finally sat down to read it.
Loved it! Monsters based on mythological lore, believable details about how supernatural entities live along-side humans and a kick-ass, smart-ass character who can't remember much about his life before his died, but helps solves the mystery of other people's deaths? Hell yes! Bring it on! I've placed the next book in my cart already to purchase (come on, payday!) and can't wait to find out what murder Graves will have to solve next. Great start to what I see being an awesome series.
I really enjoyed it when Graves woke back up with Church and he had died (basically failed round one with the monster). It was so different than most urban fantasy where the characters are overpowered and manage to beat the odds because of the amount of power they have. It was a nice change to see a more mundane(ish?) urban fantasy character who didn't have a bunch of fancy powers to save him. He had knowledge and sources for more knowledge, and while he had extensive healing abilities, and his borrowed body could withstand more than the average human, these were more survival traits than offensive traits.
Loved it! Monsters based on mythological lore, believable details about how supernatural entities live along-side humans and a kick-ass, smart-ass character who can't remember much about his life before his died, but helps solves the mystery of other people's deaths? Hell yes! Bring it on! I've placed the next book in my cart already to purchase (come on, payday!) and can't wait to find out what murder Graves will have to solve next. Great start to what I see being an awesome series.
I really enjoyed it when Graves woke back up with Church and he had died (basically failed round one with the monster). It was so different than most urban fantasy where the characters are overpowered and manage to beat the odds because of the amount of power they have. It was a nice change to see a more mundane(ish?) urban fantasy character who didn't have a bunch of fancy powers to save him. He had knowledge and sources for more knowledge, and while he had extensive healing abilities, and his borrowed body could withstand more than the average human, these were more survival traits than offensive traits.
September 15, 2017
Oh my god, Jim Butcher wearing a fancy pirate outfit and hat sold me this book at DragonCon, and he got the author to sign it for me.
It was hyped as Jim's Dresden Files meets Quantum Leap, and it delivers. It's hilarious, full of action, and really reminds me of Storm Front, except the main character isn't a wizard, he's a soul without a body. Vincent Graves wakes up in the bodies of people killed by monsters and has to use their bodies, minds, and skills to solve their murders.
It's a fresh take on urban fantasy, one I'm enjoying. And I got to see Jim Butcher! I didn't have any of his books to get signed, and the booth was sold out. :(
Maybe next time. But I walked away with this. Thank you. A great read!
It was hyped as Jim's Dresden Files meets Quantum Leap, and it delivers. It's hilarious, full of action, and really reminds me of Storm Front, except the main character isn't a wizard, he's a soul without a body. Vincent Graves wakes up in the bodies of people killed by monsters and has to use their bodies, minds, and skills to solve their murders.
It's a fresh take on urban fantasy, one I'm enjoying. And I got to see Jim Butcher! I didn't have any of his books to get signed, and the booth was sold out. :(
Maybe next time. But I walked away with this. Thank you. A great read!
September 10, 2020
Grave Beginnings
Grave Report, Book 1
By: R.R. Virdi
Narrated by: Travis Baldree
I was immediately hooked on this story and stayed intrigued until the very end! Vincent Graves is the main character who comes into the story in the most unusual fashion, by coffin! This guy's soul is put in recently deceased people who have been killed. Not just killed like the Butler with the candlestick in the parlor! No, killed by supernatural creatures or means! He is a supernatural hunter. He is given a time limit and must figure out who's body he is in, how he died, what killed them, and track and kill the supernatural being that did the deed! Very exciting and fresh new fantasy! Love it!
Travis Baldree is one of favorite narrators and was excellent! What a win/win book!
Grave Report, Book 1
By: R.R. Virdi
Narrated by: Travis Baldree
I was immediately hooked on this story and stayed intrigued until the very end! Vincent Graves is the main character who comes into the story in the most unusual fashion, by coffin! This guy's soul is put in recently deceased people who have been killed. Not just killed like the Butler with the candlestick in the parlor! No, killed by supernatural creatures or means! He is a supernatural hunter. He is given a time limit and must figure out who's body he is in, how he died, what killed them, and track and kill the supernatural being that did the deed! Very exciting and fresh new fantasy! Love it!
Travis Baldree is one of favorite narrators and was excellent! What a win/win book!
May 4, 2014
R.R. Virdi has managed to craft a story that is thrilling, accessible, and intelligent without forgetting that these types of books are supposed to be, above all, fun. Grave Beginnings is instantly fun and thrilling in the first paragraph and doesn't stop until the end.
First of all the plot is wonderful in its simplicity, it doesn't try to bash you over with exposition like some eBook authors have a tendency to do. He shoves you right into the plot and expects you to keep up and figure the world out as you go along through the characters words, conversations, and experiences, like only the best authors know how.
Second off these characters are real, they react the way they should, not like some over stylized archetypes that can be predictable and boring.
Third, this is just fun, he never forgets that these books should be enjoyable and that makes a book a cant put down, adventure, mystery that this undoubtedly is.
So in short, do yourself a favor and read this book because this world and author is only going to get better and better as time goes by.
First of all the plot is wonderful in its simplicity, it doesn't try to bash you over with exposition like some eBook authors have a tendency to do. He shoves you right into the plot and expects you to keep up and figure the world out as you go along through the characters words, conversations, and experiences, like only the best authors know how.
Second off these characters are real, they react the way they should, not like some over stylized archetypes that can be predictable and boring.
Third, this is just fun, he never forgets that these books should be enjoyable and that makes a book a cant put down, adventure, mystery that this undoubtedly is.
So in short, do yourself a favor and read this book because this world and author is only going to get better and better as time goes by.
September 30, 2023
Vincent Graves is a detective who inhabits the body of a murdered human. He woke up in the body of Museum Curator Norman Smith. Now he must break his way out of Norman's coffin in order to investigate what paranormal entity killed him. Graves' contact is a guy named Church who is a powerful entity that sets a time limit. In this case, Graves has thirteen hours to discover exactly what killed Norman.
This is the first book in The Grave Report series. Graves is a witty, sarcastic, and very likable character. He doesn't remember much of his life before he died. He just knows that when he wakes up in a body, he must contact Church to get his marching orders. Graves is working the case, talking to Norman's co-workers, when he clashes with FBI Agent Camilla Ortiz. She has a lot of questions about an incident with a tiger, but when she witnesses something you don't see every day, she begins to help Graves with his investigation.
As many reviewers have said, this series reminds me of The Dresden Files. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Travis Baldree who was the perfect voice for Graves. I want to go back and listen to it again sometime. I'm sure I missed many details in the story because my mind was on something else. I have to say I was entertained by the story and plan to continue the series. My rating: 4 Stars.
This is the first book in The Grave Report series. Graves is a witty, sarcastic, and very likable character. He doesn't remember much of his life before he died. He just knows that when he wakes up in a body, he must contact Church to get his marching orders. Graves is working the case, talking to Norman's co-workers, when he clashes with FBI Agent Camilla Ortiz. She has a lot of questions about an incident with a tiger, but when she witnesses something you don't see every day, she begins to help Graves with his investigation.
As many reviewers have said, this series reminds me of The Dresden Files. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Travis Baldree who was the perfect voice for Graves. I want to go back and listen to it again sometime. I'm sure I missed many details in the story because my mind was on something else. I have to say I was entertained by the story and plan to continue the series. My rating: 4 Stars.
April 20, 2015
Just like you can't look at lobsters the same way after biology class, you can't look at others' writing the same way once it's what you spend your time doing. It's kind of a curse. But, once in a while, a story exceeds your expectations and makes you forget to take your writerly notes and just enjoy it. The Grave Report is one of those stories! I loved the main character's sense of humor through all that he goes through, showing he's been in tighter places than this. But even a seasoned, accomplished supernatural detective can be vulnerable, and that's where I should've remembered to take notes, because he's so relatable! (Guess I'll be rereading!) I'm dying to know more about Vincent's past, Church's mission, and... Ortiz spoilers. ;) Can't wait for book #2!
October 30, 2024
Supernatural meets A Night in the Museum meets The Dresden Files.
Vincent Graves is a supernatural investigator, who must solve a murder mystery… only the victim is the body he is currently inhabiting.
Sarcastic, wry wit, smart-aleck characters will always equal a fun time. Even if you can’t get behind the story, the characters comments will still keep you engaged and rooting for them.
Oh, there was also a really disconcerting musty and rotting smell as well as very little air, which meant I was dead and buried in a coffin…again.
I was running out of air fast and I couldn’t see a thing, not exactly a great combination of circumstances. Fortunately I’ve been in a few of these situations before, so I know how to get out of them.
This was soooo different to The First Binding by RR Virdi. The writing was more on the nose and action based rather than the slow, purposeful, beautiful prose I adored previously. Of course, this snappy pace fit this story and the characters!
Some of the dialogue was eye-roll worthy, the inner thoughts of the protagonist cringy, yet again, if you enjoy any kind of Urban fantasy books, you will love this!
- The Dresden Files
- Rivers of London
- Supernatural
- Benedict Jacka
Bookstagram
Vincent Graves is a supernatural investigator, who must solve a murder mystery… only the victim is the body he is currently inhabiting.
Sarcastic, wry wit, smart-aleck characters will always equal a fun time. Even if you can’t get behind the story, the characters comments will still keep you engaged and rooting for them.
Oh, there was also a really disconcerting musty and rotting smell as well as very little air, which meant I was dead and buried in a coffin…again.
I was running out of air fast and I couldn’t see a thing, not exactly a great combination of circumstances. Fortunately I’ve been in a few of these situations before, so I know how to get out of them.
This was soooo different to The First Binding by RR Virdi. The writing was more on the nose and action based rather than the slow, purposeful, beautiful prose I adored previously. Of course, this snappy pace fit this story and the characters!
Some of the dialogue was eye-roll worthy, the inner thoughts of the protagonist cringy, yet again, if you enjoy any kind of Urban fantasy books, you will love this!
- The Dresden Files
- Rivers of London
- Supernatural
- Benedict Jacka
Bookstagram
July 11, 2015
Grave Beginnings is a high octane adventure that keeps the hits coming from page one. Most Urban Fantasy books have close to the same gimmicks. Wizards, Witches, Vampire Hunters.
R.R. Virdi, though, gives a unique protagonist that can take a hit as good as Harry Dresden, has the smarts of Anita Blake, and the tenacity to keep going to the very end.
The Antagonist also ends up being a unique being who throws our Hero some curve balls in his search for answers and it doesn't help that our Heroes boss has a time limit on his search.
This book keeps giving till the very last page and then you ask yourself, where can I get more?
If you love Urban Fantasy, then this is definitely a must read.
R.R. Virdi, though, gives a unique protagonist that can take a hit as good as Harry Dresden, has the smarts of Anita Blake, and the tenacity to keep going to the very end.
The Antagonist also ends up being a unique being who throws our Hero some curve balls in his search for answers and it doesn't help that our Heroes boss has a time limit on his search.
This book keeps giving till the very last page and then you ask yourself, where can I get more?
If you love Urban Fantasy, then this is definitely a must read.
June 3, 2017
What do you get when you join some big community and make a review for review deal?
A below mediocre book with about 4.5 rating on goodreads.
The bit about communities and reviews for reviews is just conjecture on my part, especially after going through most comments with 5 stars where other authors have posted links to their blogs etcetera.
The review may contain some spoilers so you may not want to read after this point.
There is a lot that's wrong with this book.
Vincent Graves is a horribly written MC who has been in the paranormal investigation business since longer than he can remember, but doesn't know much about how to handle paranormal creatures. The only thing he is certain he is good at is smart-alecky comments. And only he thinks that, apart from the author I guess. Some of those comments riled me up real bad. There are scenes with hellspawns at his tail/time running out, and in such situations there are multiple pages of conversations between him and his sidekick, loaded with what was supposed to be smartassery. He often sounded like Peter Pettigrew's half-assed attempt at dropping Deadpool lines.
And then his voice is so tentative. He says one thing, then corrects himself. For me as a reader, that tentativeness in the voice would not let me believe in Graves' skills. For example:
I felt the heat rising in my face, feeling angry and a fair bit guilty as well, those people died because of the Elemental, no, the Ifrit.
There are many instances like this. Horribly worse than this one but i cannot be arsed to find those.
Here's a gem from the first chapter though:
Paragraph 1 - 2
.....Oh, there was also a really disconcerting musty and rotting smell as well as very little air, which meant I was dead and buried in a coffin…again.
I was running out of air fast and I couldn’t see a thing, not exactly a great combination of circumstances. Fortunately I’ve been in a few of these situations before, so I know how to get out of them.
A paragraph or two later...
I was buried in somebody else’s coffin, which was my first clue that I was probably buried quickly and rather unceremoniously, which meant there might be a way out of there…hopefully.
Do you or do you not know how to get out of a coffin? Make up your damn mind Graves. I do not want to do it for you.
Honestly, this should've been my cue to slap the book shut and not bother with it anymore. But I just thought of it as a rookie mistake of a first-time author, and kept reading. And shit like this kept happening. And I kept ignoring it.
And then out of nowhere, bizarre shit started showing up, for instance:
I snorted and followed her out, leaving the brightly coloured hospital room behind.
This book, it's an urban fantasy set in New York. Last I checked, brightly coloured hospital rooms did not exist. Maybe the author meant to write 'brightly lit'? Which tells us so much about the level of proofing and editing that has gone into the book.
On the topic of editing, I do not think much work was done in that regard.
The same ideas/thoughts/statements get repeated over and over again.
Then there is this weird habit the narrator has of overexplaining everything.
And then there are threads that weren't closed (I am wondering what became of those white salamanders. One minute they were chasing and spitting on the hero and the sidekick, the next they were gone and did not reappear once during that extremely unnecessarily stretched out final encounter with the ifrit.
But the thing, the one thing that really took the jam out of my donut was the incorrect usage of words.
The author needs to learn the difference between there/their/they're, your/you're, here/hear etcetera. The book is plagued with such transgressions.
Here's a chart that the author may want to keep handy.
The Author had a good idea in place, but his execution is horribly flawed. 2 stars because of the concept (and the fact that I've read worse books)
A below mediocre book with about 4.5 rating on goodreads.
The bit about communities and reviews for reviews is just conjecture on my part, especially after going through most comments with 5 stars where other authors have posted links to their blogs etcetera.
The review may contain some spoilers so you may not want to read after this point.
There is a lot that's wrong with this book.
Vincent Graves is a horribly written MC who has been in the paranormal investigation business since longer than he can remember, but doesn't know much about how to handle paranormal creatures. The only thing he is certain he is good at is smart-alecky comments. And only he thinks that, apart from the author I guess. Some of those comments riled me up real bad. There are scenes with hellspawns at his tail/time running out, and in such situations there are multiple pages of conversations between him and his sidekick, loaded with what was supposed to be smartassery. He often sounded like Peter Pettigrew's half-assed attempt at dropping Deadpool lines.
And then his voice is so tentative. He says one thing, then corrects himself. For me as a reader, that tentativeness in the voice would not let me believe in Graves' skills. For example:
I felt the heat rising in my face, feeling angry and a fair bit guilty as well, those people died because of the Elemental, no, the Ifrit.
There are many instances like this. Horribly worse than this one but i cannot be arsed to find those.
Here's a gem from the first chapter though:
Paragraph 1 - 2
.....Oh, there was also a really disconcerting musty and rotting smell as well as very little air, which meant I was dead and buried in a coffin…again.
I was running out of air fast and I couldn’t see a thing, not exactly a great combination of circumstances. Fortunately I’ve been in a few of these situations before, so I know how to get out of them.
A paragraph or two later...
I was buried in somebody else’s coffin, which was my first clue that I was probably buried quickly and rather unceremoniously, which meant there might be a way out of there…hopefully.
Do you or do you not know how to get out of a coffin? Make up your damn mind Graves. I do not want to do it for you.
Honestly, this should've been my cue to slap the book shut and not bother with it anymore. But I just thought of it as a rookie mistake of a first-time author, and kept reading. And shit like this kept happening. And I kept ignoring it.
And then out of nowhere, bizarre shit started showing up, for instance:
I snorted and followed her out, leaving the brightly coloured hospital room behind.
This book, it's an urban fantasy set in New York. Last I checked, brightly coloured hospital rooms did not exist. Maybe the author meant to write 'brightly lit'? Which tells us so much about the level of proofing and editing that has gone into the book.
On the topic of editing, I do not think much work was done in that regard.
The same ideas/thoughts/statements get repeated over and over again.
Then there is this weird habit the narrator has of overexplaining everything.
And then there are threads that weren't closed (I am wondering what became of those white salamanders. One minute they were chasing and spitting on the hero and the sidekick, the next they were gone and did not reappear once during that extremely unnecessarily stretched out final encounter with the ifrit.
But the thing, the one thing that really took the jam out of my donut was the incorrect usage of words.
The author needs to learn the difference between there/their/they're, your/you're, here/hear etcetera. The book is plagued with such transgressions.
Here's a chart that the author may want to keep handy.
The Author had a good idea in place, but his execution is horribly flawed. 2 stars because of the concept (and the fact that I've read worse books)
May 12, 2014
I absolutely love paranormal reads I'm what you would call a paranormal fangirl, but they were becoming boring and repetitive. Grave Beginnings reawakened my love and passion for this particular genre. The plot and concept grabbed me right from the start.I could not turn the pages fast enough. In this story we follow a soul stuck in limbo who calls himself Vincent Graves a paranormal investigator. He is tasked with solving the murders of those killed by the supernatural by inhabiting their bodies and putting them through their paces, reliving their memories and more until he finds the monster responsible. I will stop there so I don't give away spoilers. I recommend to all paranormal lovers! You will not be disappointed with this read. I look forward to seeing more of Virdi's work!
June 4, 2017
This book is what made me fall in love with urban fantasy. As an introduction to the genre, to the Grave Report series, and to R. R. Virdi's work, "Grave Beginnings" is edge of your seat storytelling that I couldn't put down the moment I started. The characters have just enough snark to balance the dangerous situations with humor; the pace is set steadily, with enough of a suspenseful slow burn to keep my attention and never guess what's coming around the corner.
Highly recommend this book and series to fans of a late night read or afternoon mystery. Vincent Graves is a hero well worth following, with adventures you don't want to miss.
Highly recommend this book and series to fans of a late night read or afternoon mystery. Vincent Graves is a hero well worth following, with adventures you don't want to miss.
January 8, 2015
Right from the opening chapter I was grabbed by the collar and thrown into a wild ride of a story. This was a really, really fun read! The concept was unique and that opening chapter was the perfect way to introduce us to Vincent Graves. Graves (not his real name) is a paranormal investigator who soul hops into the bodies of those murdered/killed through supernatural means. His task is to solve the crime, but there's a catch! He has only a certain amount of time to break the case. In this story he's given a mere 13 hours, which makes for a breakneck, hectic, sleuthing adventure. Graves is an intensely likable protagonist, witty, and a bit of a wise-ass. The references sprinkled through-out this book were like delicious little morsels adding an extra note of giggly fan-girl enjoyment to the mix. I seriously loved the character Church...I want to see more Church next time. So yeah, on that note I'm absolutely looking forward to reading more from this author. This was a fun, enjoyable and imaginative Debut.
July 23, 2017
This book is painfully bad. How on Earth does it have so many 5 star reviews?! Repetitive over-explanation, dodgy dialogue, exceptionally dodgy interior monologue, a female character that constantly flops between badass and incredibly fragile, just buckets and buckets of male gaze and gender stereotyping... I feel like the author's friends failed him in their reviews, failed to point out major writing flaws before publication. I picked this up from the author at AwesomeCon, and he was very nice and enthusiastic. But I am really regretting this purchase. I rarely fail to finish a book, but I don't see the point in continuing.
September 30, 2017
Every Jim Butcher fan needs to read this book! I bought a copy from the same booth he was signing at at DragonCon and he recommended it!
Anything good enough for him is good enough for me. It follows a lot in his vein and writing style. It's hilarious first person dialogue that's reminiscient of Harry Dresden without being a copy like so many others cropping up in the genre. Vincent Graves is unique, an amalgamation of so many other memories, thoughts, and quirks from the people he's inhabited. That makes him carry a deeper complexity I really like. Through it all, the lost soul is trying to piece together his own life and identity.
The opening is very fast past and Dresden-esque, Butcher would be proud. Vincent starts of suffocating having woken up in the body of someone buried alive in a casket left to die. He's low on oxygen and trying to struggle recalling how to escape. It took me a moment to realize the reason he couldn't remember how to do this is because of all the memories he has and the fact they're not static. He has to sort through them, claw and dig for the right ones, and that's not easy when you have who knows how many people's memories inside you.
It raises the tension as the suffocation continues and he has to punch his way out, crippling his hand in the process--an intro to how he isn't exactly normal. He has slight recuperative powers by a higher power that puts him in these bodies. They're pretty weak in comparison to most comic characters. My guess is that he can't withstand bullets like some heroes, but can heal from most minor to deeper injuries in minutes to hours. Enough to keep him in the game and fighting monsters.
The case is a bit easy to figure out, but it's well-executed. That too reminds me of the first Dresden book. We're handed who the big baddie is pretty early, but it's how Jim Butcher delivers that matters. It's sort of the same, easy to guess, but it's a fun ride all the way through. I'm reviewing this after having read book two, and I can say by then Virdi has jumped in skill. I couldn't guess the monster/villain through the whole novel, but it all added up all the way through once the reveal happened.
5 ***** all the way. The urban fantasy series to keep your eyes on.
Anything good enough for him is good enough for me. It follows a lot in his vein and writing style. It's hilarious first person dialogue that's reminiscient of Harry Dresden without being a copy like so many others cropping up in the genre. Vincent Graves is unique, an amalgamation of so many other memories, thoughts, and quirks from the people he's inhabited. That makes him carry a deeper complexity I really like. Through it all, the lost soul is trying to piece together his own life and identity.
The opening is very fast past and Dresden-esque, Butcher would be proud. Vincent starts of suffocating having woken up in the body of someone buried alive in a casket left to die. He's low on oxygen and trying to struggle recalling how to escape. It took me a moment to realize the reason he couldn't remember how to do this is because of all the memories he has and the fact they're not static. He has to sort through them, claw and dig for the right ones, and that's not easy when you have who knows how many people's memories inside you.
It raises the tension as the suffocation continues and he has to punch his way out, crippling his hand in the process--an intro to how he isn't exactly normal. He has slight recuperative powers by a higher power that puts him in these bodies. They're pretty weak in comparison to most comic characters. My guess is that he can't withstand bullets like some heroes, but can heal from most minor to deeper injuries in minutes to hours. Enough to keep him in the game and fighting monsters.
The case is a bit easy to figure out, but it's well-executed. That too reminds me of the first Dresden book. We're handed who the big baddie is pretty early, but it's how Jim Butcher delivers that matters. It's sort of the same, easy to guess, but it's a fun ride all the way through. I'm reviewing this after having read book two, and I can say by then Virdi has jumped in skill. I couldn't guess the monster/villain through the whole novel, but it all added up all the way through once the reveal happened.
5 ***** all the way. The urban fantasy series to keep your eyes on.
December 19, 2014
Grave Beginnings is the start to what I hope becomes a new successful paranormal series. Break neck pacing, cutting witty dialogue and boundless sarcasm. What's not to love? The main character is a disembodied soul named Vincent Graves, but wait, that's not his real name! It's one he's conjured up himself. He's forgotten his own name and identity. Why? Because he's a soul forced to hop into the bodies of those murdered by monsters. His job, obvious! He takes over the bodies of those recently killed (don't worry folks he's not a zombie, the bodies he inhabits heal. Sort of his own superpower. Some supernatural P.I's are animators like Anita Blake, others can shoot fire pillars like Harry Dresden. Vincent Graves can get the crap kicked out of him and come back for more. It's why I love him) and he goes around hunting for clues for what monster did the person in and GANKS 'EM! his words, not mine and I love them.
SPOILERS!
It goes down like this. He wakes up trapped in the coffin of someone else, first clue whatever body he's in, was murdered and obviously buried in secret. After literally busting his way out of the coffin, (think Kill Bill, an amazing reference and well done with a very plausible explanation) he finds himself in New York. Upper Manhattan mostly. From there he goes to meet his mysterious and man of little words, contact, named Church. A man who literally only meets Graves, in Churches. The scene explaining why he goes by Church had me sputtering with laughter! Like I said, R.R. Virdi has a knack for brilliant witty, laugh out loud snarky dialogue. With a few pointers and more questions than answers, Vincent sets out to unravel the mystery surrounding Norman Smith, the identity of the man who's body he's in. (Genius premise makes me agree with what everyone else is saying on the reviews, Quantum Leap, Dresden Files smash up and done expertly.)
He arrives at the townhouse belonging to Mr. Smith and has a quick flash, what are explained to be memories of the deceased. A tool he sort of has access to, just not at his own control. Memories pop in and out at random, offering clues, distractions or whatever as memories often to. He gets into the home and eventually comes face to face with a mirror where he realizes something is way off. The body he's in is that of a late fifties man who's out of shape. However, the man looking back at him is a twenty year with the face and figure of a model. Not to mention the fact it's revealed that he's a museum curator but is living in a multimillion dollar home and driving a classic lambo. Something is wrong here. Quick, to the lambo! He heads to the museum to check out Norman's work where he eventually starts putting the pieces together, well sort of. Before he can uncover the identity of the monster responsible, he's knocked out and rescued by the enigmatic Church. From there the story only picks up even faster in pace, leaving you breathless as you turn the pages. He goes on to a late at night secretive meeting in central park with a snide and condescending Gnome. Gnosis, the origin of all gnomes in this world and his name literally translates in Greek to knowledge. A being of knowledge and information broker. I loved that twist off mythology there, as gnosis is the origin for the word gnome and knowledge, both! He sort of pulls a blackmail card to get information by telling Gnosis he is owed a favor. The gnome grudgingly agrees and works to make good on his promise. When leaving the park, he realizes hes being followed and sets off after the punk. That goes well...
Instead he ends up being chases by an animated tiger statue, except, this one still retains its metal make up, in a fashion. It goes from being a bronze statue to a solid gold monster chasing him! (the explanation behind the animation is revealed at the end and fits perfectly with the monster responsible) from there vincents luck turns worse as he's arrested by the fbi. Caught naked in the bathroom by a wraith ( a supernatural horror and the pitbull/hitmen of this world) nearly immolated by an elemental, (in this case one of fire) nearly reduced to a pile goo by acid spitting salamanders and more! I cannot get over the amazing collection of mythological creatures, their lore and back stories peppered so well throughout the novel. The solid plot, lovable and unique characters and the interactions between them all. I swear, it's like watching a good HBO show! I would soooooo watch this. This is a novel and hopefully series, you will love, cherish reread and love to see in many forms. I'd read it as a graphic novel, id watch it as a show. Its fun, fast paced, there are heart breaking moments and conversations. Action, and the human element is very strong in here. It may have monsters in it, but its clearly about people as well. Read it!
SPOILERS!
It goes down like this. He wakes up trapped in the coffin of someone else, first clue whatever body he's in, was murdered and obviously buried in secret. After literally busting his way out of the coffin, (think Kill Bill, an amazing reference and well done with a very plausible explanation) he finds himself in New York. Upper Manhattan mostly. From there he goes to meet his mysterious and man of little words, contact, named Church. A man who literally only meets Graves, in Churches. The scene explaining why he goes by Church had me sputtering with laughter! Like I said, R.R. Virdi has a knack for brilliant witty, laugh out loud snarky dialogue. With a few pointers and more questions than answers, Vincent sets out to unravel the mystery surrounding Norman Smith, the identity of the man who's body he's in. (Genius premise makes me agree with what everyone else is saying on the reviews, Quantum Leap, Dresden Files smash up and done expertly.)
He arrives at the townhouse belonging to Mr. Smith and has a quick flash, what are explained to be memories of the deceased. A tool he sort of has access to, just not at his own control. Memories pop in and out at random, offering clues, distractions or whatever as memories often to. He gets into the home and eventually comes face to face with a mirror where he realizes something is way off. The body he's in is that of a late fifties man who's out of shape. However, the man looking back at him is a twenty year with the face and figure of a model. Not to mention the fact it's revealed that he's a museum curator but is living in a multimillion dollar home and driving a classic lambo. Something is wrong here. Quick, to the lambo! He heads to the museum to check out Norman's work where he eventually starts putting the pieces together, well sort of. Before he can uncover the identity of the monster responsible, he's knocked out and rescued by the enigmatic Church. From there the story only picks up even faster in pace, leaving you breathless as you turn the pages. He goes on to a late at night secretive meeting in central park with a snide and condescending Gnome. Gnosis, the origin of all gnomes in this world and his name literally translates in Greek to knowledge. A being of knowledge and information broker. I loved that twist off mythology there, as gnosis is the origin for the word gnome and knowledge, both! He sort of pulls a blackmail card to get information by telling Gnosis he is owed a favor. The gnome grudgingly agrees and works to make good on his promise. When leaving the park, he realizes hes being followed and sets off after the punk. That goes well...
Instead he ends up being chases by an animated tiger statue, except, this one still retains its metal make up, in a fashion. It goes from being a bronze statue to a solid gold monster chasing him! (the explanation behind the animation is revealed at the end and fits perfectly with the monster responsible) from there vincents luck turns worse as he's arrested by the fbi. Caught naked in the bathroom by a wraith ( a supernatural horror and the pitbull/hitmen of this world) nearly immolated by an elemental, (in this case one of fire) nearly reduced to a pile goo by acid spitting salamanders and more! I cannot get over the amazing collection of mythological creatures, their lore and back stories peppered so well throughout the novel. The solid plot, lovable and unique characters and the interactions between them all. I swear, it's like watching a good HBO show! I would soooooo watch this. This is a novel and hopefully series, you will love, cherish reread and love to see in many forms. I'd read it as a graphic novel, id watch it as a show. Its fun, fast paced, there are heart breaking moments and conversations. Action, and the human element is very strong in here. It may have monsters in it, but its clearly about people as well. Read it!
August 1, 2017
The next jim butcher. Is going to be a blowup new york times best-seller? I'm not sure, but I can hope. Virdi I think is going to do what Butcher did for urban fantasy and breathe some fresh air into the genre. Sure, his first book is like Storm Front in quality. It's a little rough, but the story is all there and deserves a glowing five. It makes up for the few things I noticed like in Butcher's first book: a few redundant lines through chapters, some ramblings, but it's first person, so that happens with real people all the time. Plus, his character has mind and memory issues. That's not me being a jerk, it's established. I'll explain and it's what brings me to saying Virdi's bringing new things to the genre.
His character is a bodiless soul who is forced into bodies (once again made whole for his use) murdered by the paranormal. You'll see countless reviews mentioning Quantum Leap, it's a fair comparison but with a metaphysical twist instead of science. With that, he suffers catches. One being he keeps memories of the people he's been in and their skills at the cost of his original own. The series starts with him having done it long enough (no timeline given yet) to have lost his original identity.
He gets jumbled memories, skillsets and thought patterns to go with it. And, yet, as hard as that would be to pull off, the author did a fantastic job in the first book.
It's a departure from the deluge you're seeing pop up in the genre (other reviewers have noted) where everyone is another shifter, mage, wizard, witch, warlock, whatever. It's all the same, the plots are reskinned.
This reads more like a detectives paranormal case by case files. Each (I'm on book two right now) reads like a standalone monsters of the week novel, and the series plot is still threaded through the books so far from what I've seen.
By book two, his craft is far above book one. It's a good leap that has sold me on the series.
Now, for book one: the pacing is perfect, it's not a crazed rollercoaster of just plot tools and action fights for no reason. The story begins with breaking out of a coffin, well done and realistic with the damage I'd expect. From there, Vincent rushes to get his bearings. He knows he's on a case and takes the right measures to proceed. He meets his handler, gets his timeline and works on his first clue, investigating the body and life of the man he is now. From there things get dicier. He finds the man's home and the way inside only to discover clues about his work, and head there.
This is where the paranormal plot really starts coming in. I loved this build up because it wasn't the traditional monsters lurking at work and fights ensue. It was a suspense build up that was believable. Orienting yourself in a new persons life and figuring out who the daily players are you in your routine. Find suspects, and then, the story goes on.
No spoilers.
If you read this review, take this away from it. He's an author to watch. The first book again has the signs of a first book. Rough around the edges, but that's it. Book two is highly polished. Book three, I can only imagine!
His character is a bodiless soul who is forced into bodies (once again made whole for his use) murdered by the paranormal. You'll see countless reviews mentioning Quantum Leap, it's a fair comparison but with a metaphysical twist instead of science. With that, he suffers catches. One being he keeps memories of the people he's been in and their skills at the cost of his original own. The series starts with him having done it long enough (no timeline given yet) to have lost his original identity.
He gets jumbled memories, skillsets and thought patterns to go with it. And, yet, as hard as that would be to pull off, the author did a fantastic job in the first book.
It's a departure from the deluge you're seeing pop up in the genre (other reviewers have noted) where everyone is another shifter, mage, wizard, witch, warlock, whatever. It's all the same, the plots are reskinned.
This reads more like a detectives paranormal case by case files. Each (I'm on book two right now) reads like a standalone monsters of the week novel, and the series plot is still threaded through the books so far from what I've seen.
By book two, his craft is far above book one. It's a good leap that has sold me on the series.
Now, for book one: the pacing is perfect, it's not a crazed rollercoaster of just plot tools and action fights for no reason. The story begins with breaking out of a coffin, well done and realistic with the damage I'd expect. From there, Vincent rushes to get his bearings. He knows he's on a case and takes the right measures to proceed. He meets his handler, gets his timeline and works on his first clue, investigating the body and life of the man he is now. From there things get dicier. He finds the man's home and the way inside only to discover clues about his work, and head there.
This is where the paranormal plot really starts coming in. I loved this build up because it wasn't the traditional monsters lurking at work and fights ensue. It was a suspense build up that was believable. Orienting yourself in a new persons life and figuring out who the daily players are you in your routine. Find suspects, and then, the story goes on.
No spoilers.
If you read this review, take this away from it. He's an author to watch. The first book again has the signs of a first book. Rough around the edges, but that's it. Book two is highly polished. Book three, I can only imagine!
December 3, 2015
As intrigued as I was by the blurb, I have to say, it did the job of drawing interest while revealing nothing of the impending adventure awaiting!
Vincent Graves typically begins each of his countless lives in a grave. His body died long ago, but his soul lives on at the behest of a higher power that commissions him to inhabit a recently-deceased-by-mysterious-supernatural-causes body and interact with beings of supernatural lore to solve the murder and catch the killer.
Oh, and he has a time limit for the investigation, or his soul dies forever.
From the instant Vincent bursts out of the grave of his latest body, Virdi hurls the reader into a spectacular world through the eyes of a character whose appearance and thus identity is not his own, with characters so vivid that I felt like I was .... [Read the whole review on http://www.upstreamwriter.blogspot.com
Vincent Graves typically begins each of his countless lives in a grave. His body died long ago, but his soul lives on at the behest of a higher power that commissions him to inhabit a recently-deceased-by-mysterious-supernatural-causes body and interact with beings of supernatural lore to solve the murder and catch the killer.
Oh, and he has a time limit for the investigation, or his soul dies forever.
From the instant Vincent bursts out of the grave of his latest body, Virdi hurls the reader into a spectacular world through the eyes of a character whose appearance and thus identity is not his own, with characters so vivid that I felt like I was .... [Read the whole review on http://www.upstreamwriter.blogspot.com
January 10, 2018
Fun and quick read
First foray into urban fantasy, and to be honest it was a great ride. The main character is a bit of a smart a, something I've been accused of more than once, and I found myself really pulling for him. Enjoyed it and I look forward to reading the next two installments in the series.
First foray into urban fantasy, and to be honest it was a great ride. The main character is a bit of a smart a, something I've been accused of more than once, and I found myself really pulling for him. Enjoyed it and I look forward to reading the next two installments in the series.
January 4, 2017
Holy Urban Fantasy Batman!
This is exactly what I wanted. The characters are amazing, and believable. Their dialogue is what I would hope people would say while fighting the supernatural, instead of the almost comical TBS grade censoring you get on t.v.
It's funny, dark, tragic, frightening and did I mention funny? Because holy crap was I laughing at Vincent a lot.
The story is also unique. Right from the first paragraph it is clear this is not the average "hardboiled, supernatural detective, film-noir" urban fantasy story.
I've seen many comparisons to Jim Butcher for Mr. Virdi's work. Honestly, this feels a little more real. And I thoroughly enjoy Butcher.
This book has clawed its way into my top five for best series. Knocking down a classic (Sorry Lewis...)
This is exactly what I wanted. The characters are amazing, and believable. Their dialogue is what I would hope people would say while fighting the supernatural, instead of the almost comical TBS grade censoring you get on t.v.
It's funny, dark, tragic, frightening and did I mention funny? Because holy crap was I laughing at Vincent a lot.
The story is also unique. Right from the first paragraph it is clear this is not the average "hardboiled, supernatural detective, film-noir" urban fantasy story.
I've seen many comparisons to Jim Butcher for Mr. Virdi's work. Honestly, this feels a little more real. And I thoroughly enjoy Butcher.
This book has clawed its way into my top five for best series. Knocking down a classic (Sorry Lewis...)
March 10, 2014
Vincent Graves probably isn’t his real name. But he’s used it so many years he’d forgotten his own. He’s a soul and he investigates murders using memories of the deceased.
This latest case is driving him bonkers though. Someone is trying to kill him. Again.
Fast paced, humorous, with action and drama on every page and paragraph, this paranormal thriller is reminiscent of one of my all-time favorite authors. I absolutely agree with one of the reviews. This is like Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files but with a flavor all its own. Skilled writing makes this book shine.
It’s been many a moon since I’ve found a book that held my interest. Grave Beginnings is just that book.
This latest case is driving him bonkers though. Someone is trying to kill him. Again.
Fast paced, humorous, with action and drama on every page and paragraph, this paranormal thriller is reminiscent of one of my all-time favorite authors. I absolutely agree with one of the reviews. This is like Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files but with a flavor all its own. Skilled writing makes this book shine.
It’s been many a moon since I’ve found a book that held my interest. Grave Beginnings is just that book.
February 11, 2018
Kindle Unlimited, didn't notice reviews until after because 1 never look for them and 2 personal opinion of other reviwers is just that AND for those reviews that don't actually say why they did or did not like a book are useless. In my case, I read though only part of it on ku...THEN stopped and BOUGHT the book, and will look in to getting the others. It is somewhat like Butcher, and it somewhat like Quantum Leap {I should know, watched every episone, all of them more than once} and even a touch of Supernatural in there, plus probably some other things I might have missed in reviewing, but also some bits of pop culture such as wanting to have come back as a Ginger {Doctor Who fans will know what saying, rest won't and won't care}. It was all that, and more, was higly entertained, and as for issues with any typos or grammar, well I proof ARCs for writers and didn't catch anything wrong, though as soon as could got the tablet audio restarted but still, unless brings story to halt, get over yourselves.
Thirteen...
As far as numbers go, it isn't a great one. Hell, it's not even a good one and Vincent Graves is going to find out just how unlucky of a number it can be. Because someone, or something, is killing people in the Empire state, and whatever it is, it gives people everything they ever desired and more. And it's the more that's the problem!
Well...it's one of the problems.
Vincent's investigation also seems to have drawn the attention of a relentless FBI agent and then there's the little bit where he has only thirteen hours to solve the case, or he dies.
Talk about your literal deadlines...
...No pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What is The Grave Report?
A: The Grave Report is a paranormal investigator series inspired by Jim Butcher's Dresden Files and the show, Quantum Leap. It follows Vincent Graves, a soul murdered by the paranormal and forced to inhabit the bodies of others killed by monsters. He's tasked with using their minds, memories, and bodies to find the monsters responsible and gank them. The series focuses heavily on creative twists on well-known and more obscure mythologies. For fans of a monster of the week vibe, this is for you.
Q: How should I read these case files?
A: Each novel in The Grave Report is written both to progress a series meta plot as well as serve as a standalone monster of the week read if you want. The series order is listed below, but you can read them however you want. Jump in and enjoy.
Who says you can only die once?
Grave Beginnings
Grave Measures
Grave Dealings
Book Four TBA
Thirteen...
As far as numbers go, it isn't a great one. Hell, it's not even a good one and Vincent Graves is going to find out just how unlucky of a number it can be. Because someone, or something, is killing people in the Empire state, and whatever it is, it gives people everything they ever desired and more. And it's the more that's the problem!
Well...it's one of the problems.
Vincent's investigation also seems to have drawn the attention of a relentless FBI agent and then there's the little bit where he has only thirteen hours to solve the case, or he dies.
Talk about your literal deadlines...
...No pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What is The Grave Report?
A: The Grave Report is a paranormal investigator series inspired by Jim Butcher's Dresden Files and the show, Quantum Leap. It follows Vincent Graves, a soul murdered by the paranormal and forced to inhabit the bodies of others killed by monsters. He's tasked with using their minds, memories, and bodies to find the monsters responsible and gank them. The series focuses heavily on creative twists on well-known and more obscure mythologies. For fans of a monster of the week vibe, this is for you.
Q: How should I read these case files?
A: Each novel in The Grave Report is written both to progress a series meta plot as well as serve as a standalone monster of the week read if you want. The series order is listed below, but you can read them however you want. Jump in and enjoy.
Who says you can only die once?
Grave Beginnings
Grave Measures
Grave Dealings
Book Four TBA
December 10, 2015
I hardly ever breeze through books anymore. That's not an indictment of the quality of the books I read, but between a full-time job, writing/editing three manuscripts at once, and several other interests, it takes a bit to hold my interest and focus enough to actually tackle something on my TBR list.
But Grave Beginnings sucked me in immediately, and I found myself reading one of the best, most interesting murder mysteries I've read in a long, long time. R.R. Virdi has created a fantastic world and -- perhaps more impressively -- a protagonist that has no solid identity, yet is easy to root for. I've read my share of novels written in first-person that don't quite measure up, but the first-person narrative is perfect for this book; the nature of the protagonist allows for narrative freedom in first-person that likely would not be present if this were a third-person book.
The marriage of murder mystery and supernatural works far better than it might seem in theory, and the result is a fast-paced, irreverent read. The cast of characters is relatively small, as the book focuses more on moving things along and less on making sure we keep track of all the particulars. In the mystery genre, it is far too easy for a case to either be wrapped up too quickly or to drag on too long, but the case in Grave Beginnings doesn't suffer from that, and the conclusion of the case itself was satisfying like an old-school episode of Buffy.
(Aside: it occurs to me that, technically, every episode of Buffy can be considered old school nowadays. Yeah, I feel old...)
The best part to me, though, was the teeth the end of the novel provided the character. It was a clear direction moving forward for the series, and it has me looking forward to the next installment. I read the Kindle version of this novel, but now that a paperback edition is available, I'll be adding that to my collection in the near future.
Long and short of it, Grave Beginnings is one of the best books I've read in a long time, and I wholeheartedly recommend it for fans of mysteries, supernatural stories, both, or neither. This is simply a fantastic book, and I can't wait to see what comes next.
But Grave Beginnings sucked me in immediately, and I found myself reading one of the best, most interesting murder mysteries I've read in a long, long time. R.R. Virdi has created a fantastic world and -- perhaps more impressively -- a protagonist that has no solid identity, yet is easy to root for. I've read my share of novels written in first-person that don't quite measure up, but the first-person narrative is perfect for this book; the nature of the protagonist allows for narrative freedom in first-person that likely would not be present if this were a third-person book.
The marriage of murder mystery and supernatural works far better than it might seem in theory, and the result is a fast-paced, irreverent read. The cast of characters is relatively small, as the book focuses more on moving things along and less on making sure we keep track of all the particulars. In the mystery genre, it is far too easy for a case to either be wrapped up too quickly or to drag on too long, but the case in Grave Beginnings doesn't suffer from that, and the conclusion of the case itself was satisfying like an old-school episode of Buffy.
(Aside: it occurs to me that, technically, every episode of Buffy can be considered old school nowadays. Yeah, I feel old...)
The best part to me, though, was the teeth the end of the novel provided the character. It was a clear direction moving forward for the series, and it has me looking forward to the next installment. I read the Kindle version of this novel, but now that a paperback edition is available, I'll be adding that to my collection in the near future.
Long and short of it, Grave Beginnings is one of the best books I've read in a long time, and I wholeheartedly recommend it for fans of mysteries, supernatural stories, both, or neither. This is simply a fantastic book, and I can't wait to see what comes next.
July 15, 2014
This book had bee hooked from the first page. The concept is original but familiar at the same time. The pace of the book was good over all. Although a couple places dragged. The mystery was complex enough I almost didn't figure it out. It was close though.
I loved the character of Graves. You can tell that he was well thought out. Church is a wonderful sidekick type. The interactions between them were some of my favorites.
My only compliant is there isn't another book. I would love to read more about Graves and his search for supernatural killers.
I would/will recommend this book to anyone looking for a great read.
I loved the character of Graves. You can tell that he was well thought out. Church is a wonderful sidekick type. The interactions between them were some of my favorites.
My only compliant is there isn't another book. I would love to read more about Graves and his search for supernatural killers.
I would/will recommend this book to anyone looking for a great read.
January 13, 2017
I think the concept is intriguing. A bit like Quantum Leap meets supernatural procedural crime drama.
However the execution leaves a lot to be desired.
The narrative is like reading the unfiltered mental dialogue of a man with ADHD, with a compulsive need to explain absolutely everything.
Supposedly centuries old, Vincent Graves instead comes across like a puppy on a sugar rush.
I'm sure the plot eventually goes somewhere but unfortunately I couldn't finish it. Less would definitely be more here.
However the execution leaves a lot to be desired.
The narrative is like reading the unfiltered mental dialogue of a man with ADHD, with a compulsive need to explain absolutely everything.
Supposedly centuries old, Vincent Graves instead comes across like a puppy on a sugar rush.
I'm sure the plot eventually goes somewhere but unfortunately I couldn't finish it. Less would definitely be more here.
February 23, 2019
Vincent Graves has a rather interesting "job". He wakes up in someone's dead body and has to solve which supernatural being killed the person. This time around he finds himself in the body of Norman, a curator at the museum. Vincent is just beginning to piece together what happened to Norman, when things start trying to kill him, drawing the FBI's attention to him. He teams up with Agent Ortiz who is curious about the supernatural world. Together, they solve the case. Yay.
I liked the premise of this book. My only complaint is that But that said, it was still a fun and entertaining read. I liked the characters and am looking forward to seeing them develop a little more in the next adventure. I hope Ortiz returns for the sequel; I liked the way she balances out Vincent.
I liked the premise of this book. My only complaint is that But that said, it was still a fun and entertaining read. I liked the characters and am looking forward to seeing them develop a little more in the next adventure. I hope Ortiz returns for the sequel; I liked the way she balances out Vincent.
August 24, 2017
I see the Jim Butcher Dresden comparisons in the novel. They're fair to make, however, the book and author do carry their own voice, so I'll address that. It has the similar first person, and snarky tone that's common in first novels in the urban fantasy genre. I'm saying this having read book two. There's some roughness: repetition, a bit too much snark in places (not a bad thing if you like that and wiseass characters), some waffling on some parts, but it's minor. Reads more like first published book syndrome. I've seen it in every genre fiction author, and the second novel is smoother by far. So I'm sticking with the series.
Vincent Graves, the main character, is a bodiless protagonist relegated to inhabiting bodies of those killed by the supernatural. You can pick up the general gist from other reviewers. The premise is unique, like others have said. The plot is a little predictable, but it didn't lessen the enjoyment because the characters and delivery of it all was great. That's what carries the story and series far I am noting. Characters.
And they're well worth it.
By book two, I do want to note the author has improved vastly and I couldn't guess the plot, but all the clues were there for the reveal. Very well done.
Book one has a few moments where the pacing could be improved, the dialogue tightened, but it didn't stop me.
I noted it in Storm Front, Hounded, Moon Called, and other Urban Fantasy books. First person gets a lot of authors starting out. I think the only author who I've seen do it flawlessly the first time around is Patrick Rothfuss. But, this isn't a comparison.
Overall, I'll say Grave Beginnings is well worth the money. Not just for the book, 2.99 on kindle, but for the series it introduces and promises. It's a different take, more heavily vested in people and their lives, than the normal paranormal series.
I'm enjoying it. I think you will to if you like any of the novels I've mentioned in the review.
Vincent Graves, the main character, is a bodiless protagonist relegated to inhabiting bodies of those killed by the supernatural. You can pick up the general gist from other reviewers. The premise is unique, like others have said. The plot is a little predictable, but it didn't lessen the enjoyment because the characters and delivery of it all was great. That's what carries the story and series far I am noting. Characters.
And they're well worth it.
By book two, I do want to note the author has improved vastly and I couldn't guess the plot, but all the clues were there for the reveal. Very well done.
Book one has a few moments where the pacing could be improved, the dialogue tightened, but it didn't stop me.
I noted it in Storm Front, Hounded, Moon Called, and other Urban Fantasy books. First person gets a lot of authors starting out. I think the only author who I've seen do it flawlessly the first time around is Patrick Rothfuss. But, this isn't a comparison.
Overall, I'll say Grave Beginnings is well worth the money. Not just for the book, 2.99 on kindle, but for the series it introduces and promises. It's a different take, more heavily vested in people and their lives, than the normal paranormal series.
I'm enjoying it. I think you will to if you like any of the novels I've mentioned in the review.
March 1, 2019
Let me start by stating that I hardly ever write reviews because I am way too busy reading. But this book forced me to put aside a couple of minutes to warn future readers of what they are about to endure.
MIGHT CONTAIN MINOR SPOILERS.
(TL;DR : Not proofread at all; all the five stars are either given by friends and family, idiots, people who were paid to do so or all of the above, you will keep rolling your eyes so much that your eyes might get stuck to the back of ya head! You have been warned!)
Well, truth be told I liked the concept and the idea the author was trying to establish through this first book of the series, that involve a paranormal investigator who awakens in a dead man's body with a mission to solve the murder of the said dead man. All the crimes are supernatural in nature, hence he's given a few supernatural powers of his own to battle them. See, the concept is really intriguing. (1 star for the concept)
That's all the good I can say about this novel, because it gets real bad real fast. GOD! The never ending repetitive inner monologues! It goes on and on! Forever! Never ending! See what I did there? I just repeated a fact I have already established. Didn't need to repeat myself, did I? So when you keep doing that in a book for pages on end, you force the readers to skim through the bullshit.
Also for God's sake, someone please lend this man some money to invest in a proofreader! The innumerable amount of grammatical mistakes made me want to whack the guy in the head with my phone. I read this on my phone, so unfortunately, I didn't have the luxury of taking a red pen and correcting everything as I read along, gah. A small typo here and there is somewhat acceptable (it's really not ok but after reading this book, I am never going to complain about another). This book is constantly littered with misplaced words, incomplete sentences missing words, constant confusions between words like your/you're and so forth.
The main character is written as an extremely sarcastic dude who is losing his identity but regularly keep telling the readers that he knows things from before but keeps forgetting or failing at things he supposedly knows. The only thing he seems to be good at is getting splinters in his knuckles, having lengthy repetitive dialogues in the middle of running away from supernatural entities and getting burnt. Oh on the point of burning, there is a scene where they are getting through a building on fire and having coherent and lengthy conversations, with no mention whatsoever of fumes and smoke that would probably not have made all those conversations possible due to the fire that was described in the book. It is practically impossible!
I'm not proud to say this but I did skim whole sections of the book to get to the end but I am not a quitter, so I did finish it. But no amount of coaxing would ever compel me to pick up another book by this author or ever recommend him to another person. Maybe to an enemy, but I don't think I could be that cruel.
MIGHT CONTAIN MINOR SPOILERS.
(TL;DR : Not proofread at all; all the five stars are either given by friends and family, idiots, people who were paid to do so or all of the above, you will keep rolling your eyes so much that your eyes might get stuck to the back of ya head! You have been warned!)
Well, truth be told I liked the concept and the idea the author was trying to establish through this first book of the series, that involve a paranormal investigator who awakens in a dead man's body with a mission to solve the murder of the said dead man. All the crimes are supernatural in nature, hence he's given a few supernatural powers of his own to battle them. See, the concept is really intriguing. (1 star for the concept)
That's all the good I can say about this novel, because it gets real bad real fast. GOD! The never ending repetitive inner monologues! It goes on and on! Forever! Never ending! See what I did there? I just repeated a fact I have already established. Didn't need to repeat myself, did I? So when you keep doing that in a book for pages on end, you force the readers to skim through the bullshit.
Also for God's sake, someone please lend this man some money to invest in a proofreader! The innumerable amount of grammatical mistakes made me want to whack the guy in the head with my phone. I read this on my phone, so unfortunately, I didn't have the luxury of taking a red pen and correcting everything as I read along, gah. A small typo here and there is somewhat acceptable (it's really not ok but after reading this book, I am never going to complain about another). This book is constantly littered with misplaced words, incomplete sentences missing words, constant confusions between words like your/you're and so forth.
The main character is written as an extremely sarcastic dude who is losing his identity but regularly keep telling the readers that he knows things from before but keeps forgetting or failing at things he supposedly knows. The only thing he seems to be good at is getting splinters in his knuckles, having lengthy repetitive dialogues in the middle of running away from supernatural entities and getting burnt. Oh on the point of burning, there is a scene where they are getting through a building on fire and having coherent and lengthy conversations, with no mention whatsoever of fumes and smoke that would probably not have made all those conversations possible due to the fire that was described in the book. It is practically impossible!
I'm not proud to say this but I did skim whole sections of the book to get to the end but I am not a quitter, so I did finish it. But no amount of coaxing would ever compel me to pick up another book by this author or ever recommend him to another person. Maybe to an enemy, but I don't think I could be that cruel.
September 23, 2016
*Received Free during a promotion*
I got this book in exchange for an honest review. Where to start? First person is not something I'm used to and it was a bit jarring at first. Pretty soon though I was caught up in it. It's like reading a comic honestly. You get descriptions of what's going on as well as the main characters thoughts and point of view on things. It took a while but now I'm a fan.
Honestly I thought this book was a mystery at first and very quickly it started seeming like Buffy or Supernatural. That's what sold it to me. The main character is hilarious and a bit of a smartass even at the worst of times. It was annoying at first but it grew on me because it sort of makes sense. He gets scared at times and doesn't know what else to do when dealing with monsters. He resorts to silly humor. Some of us can relate.
He's a soul and stuck inside bodies of people killed monsters and has to use their bodies to solve their murders. The first book is a bit of a mystery revolving around hunting down who killed the person he's occupying. The identity of the killer isn't a big surprise, but it's what they are that is. I couldn't have guessed that. It's an interesting thing, you have a pretty good idea who the villain is early on even if the main character doesn't but you don't know what they are and you only have a feeling they're the bad guy, there's no evidence until later.
It's a fun story and after I got into it I was totally sucked in losing hours until I finished it. I went out bought the second book because I have to know more. I'm now a fan of whatever this genre is.
It's supernatural mystery like scooby doo for adults.
I got this book in exchange for an honest review. Where to start? First person is not something I'm used to and it was a bit jarring at first. Pretty soon though I was caught up in it. It's like reading a comic honestly. You get descriptions of what's going on as well as the main characters thoughts and point of view on things. It took a while but now I'm a fan.
Honestly I thought this book was a mystery at first and very quickly it started seeming like Buffy or Supernatural. That's what sold it to me. The main character is hilarious and a bit of a smartass even at the worst of times. It was annoying at first but it grew on me because it sort of makes sense. He gets scared at times and doesn't know what else to do when dealing with monsters. He resorts to silly humor. Some of us can relate.
He's a soul and stuck inside bodies of people killed monsters and has to use their bodies to solve their murders. The first book is a bit of a mystery revolving around hunting down who killed the person he's occupying. The identity of the killer isn't a big surprise, but it's what they are that is. I couldn't have guessed that. It's an interesting thing, you have a pretty good idea who the villain is early on even if the main character doesn't but you don't know what they are and you only have a feeling they're the bad guy, there's no evidence until later.
It's a fun story and after I got into it I was totally sucked in losing hours until I finished it. I went out bought the second book because I have to know more. I'm now a fan of whatever this genre is.
It's supernatural mystery like scooby doo for adults.
March 29, 2015
I fell in love with this book and feel so sorry for Vincent, the main character, I didn't know an author could be so cruel to their characters! Poor Vincent is a man with serious memory issues, so like most men. He is a soul who if forced to go into the bodies of people murdered by monsters, solve their murders for them all while trying to figure out what killed him in the first place. He's done it so much that he's collected so many of other peoples memories, that he doesn't have any left of his original own, so the series starts with him working under the adopted name of Vincent Graves, a name hes given himself to i guess help him cope? Help him stay sane? You feel sorry for him but root for him all the while, while he goes around kicking butt and sleuthing for clues. He his adorabley witty, the class clown who cant shut up even when faced with danger! Tough, smart, resourceful and gets the job done, I love him. Then there's his partner, Agent Ortiz, she's a compilation of every awesome Joss Whedon woman rolled into one and I might have a teensy girl crush on her. The characters in this made this novel but thats not to say the story wasnt exciting because it was! Action Action Action till the very end! I plan on rereading this several more times!
September 14, 2017
Reminds of an old anime: Yu-yu Hakasho. The main character (Vincent Graves) is someone who was murdered sometime ago (we're not given the time as uncovering this is part of the series plot it seems) and left as nothing but a soul. Some higher power forces him to inhabit the bodies of others killed like him and use their restored bodies to pursue the paranormal creatures that killed them.
It's a very interesting premise. The series feel touches notes upon many others in the genre: The Dresden Files, The Iron Druid Chronicles, Mercy Thompson, Anita Blake.
It's familiar writing, though book one has a few redundant lines here and there, the writing could have been smoother in places. But, I had similar criticisms of many first books in long genre fiction series. First books are particularly rough, sometimes, the first few. I let it pass and enjoyed the novel.
It's very high on humor, even in the darkest of moments, which I found to be a good balance and something needed to keep things from going too dark. Otherwise, without this books fun quirks, this would have become horror really fast.
If you like things Supernatural/X-Files, Buffy, Dresden, Iron Druid, you might really enjoy this series.
It's a very interesting premise. The series feel touches notes upon many others in the genre: The Dresden Files, The Iron Druid Chronicles, Mercy Thompson, Anita Blake.
It's familiar writing, though book one has a few redundant lines here and there, the writing could have been smoother in places. But, I had similar criticisms of many first books in long genre fiction series. First books are particularly rough, sometimes, the first few. I let it pass and enjoyed the novel.
It's very high on humor, even in the darkest of moments, which I found to be a good balance and something needed to keep things from going too dark. Otherwise, without this books fun quirks, this would have become horror really fast.
If you like things Supernatural/X-Files, Buffy, Dresden, Iron Druid, you might really enjoy this series.
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