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Behindbeyond #1
Got Luck
Police-officer-turned-private-investigator Goethe “Got” Luck is known for rolling with the punches and never taking anything too seriously. When he picks up a seemingly dead-end murder case, his life begins to take a crazy turn. Shot at, chased by people he has never met, and attacked by an invisible liondog, Got quickly learns that there is more to this world than meets the eye.
He discovers the Fae. The Eternals. They who dwell in the Behindbeyond. Once, they ruled over ancient realms, but over the centuries, their power dwindled. Now someone wants to restore their rule and subjugate humankind. All it will cost is thousands of human lives.
The clock is ticking. Getting the world out of this one will take a couple friends, more than a few well-placed insults, and a whole lot of Luck.
He discovers the Fae. The Eternals. They who dwell in the Behindbeyond. Once, they ruled over ancient realms, but over the centuries, their power dwindled. Now someone wants to restore their rule and subjugate humankind. All it will cost is thousands of human lives.
The clock is ticking. Getting the world out of this one will take a couple friends, more than a few well-placed insults, and a whole lot of Luck.
259 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2016
113 people are currently reading
1029 people want to read
About the author
Michael Darling
18 books140 followersBestselling author Michael Darling has worked as a butcher, a librarian, and a magician, which turned out to be an ideal set of skills for a fiction writer. He lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains with his wife and kids where he writes award-winning stories beside his big buddy, a St. Bernese dog named Appa. While best known for his Tales from the Behindbeyond urban fantasy novels, Michael writes across all the best genres. His most recent work includes Hollowfall, a cyberpunk, sci-fi adventure, and Sailing on the Tides of Burning Sand, a collection of fantastic short stories.
Michael graduated from Weber State University with a degree in English Literature and loves to blend the classic with the contemporary in his writing. His early work included several plays that were professionally produced along with a number of radio programs that aired in 80 markets around the world. Besides writing, Michael also loves to travel, dabble in languages, and cook tasty gluten-free dinners.
Please visit Michael at www.michaelcdarling.com where you can find more information about his current work. You'll also find suspiciously easy instructions for stalking Michael on social media.
Michael graduated from Weber State University with a degree in English Literature and loves to blend the classic with the contemporary in his writing. His early work included several plays that were professionally produced along with a number of radio programs that aired in 80 markets around the world. Besides writing, Michael also loves to travel, dabble in languages, and cook tasty gluten-free dinners.
Please visit Michael at www.michaelcdarling.com where you can find more information about his current work. You'll also find suspiciously easy instructions for stalking Michael on social media.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
March 25, 2016
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My rating falls around a 3.5.
It's taken some doing to pull my thoughts together on this book because those thoughts are very polarized. There are some things I really loved, and some complete book throwing offenses (Even if I was reading on a tablet!). So I'll try to cover some of the highlights and lowlights and leave it to you to decide if you want to give Luck a try.
The highlights:
Miami! It's nice to see a less common setting for a Urban Fantasy, and fun to see Got driving around with the top down and enjoying a different environment. I can't complain about his choice of car either. It's no Batmobile, but it's much more fun and apparently home to all the 80s music.
A unique Fae mythos and worldbuilding. I really liked the focus on the three realms and the way they interconnect. While I still don't understand a lot of the rules of the fae they were internally consistent enough that I bought into the world and would be interested in learning more. The magic system made sense though I did have a lot of questions about how far it went and the difference between Eternal magic and Halfling magics which I feel weren't ever answered. I'm not listing that as a bad because it certainly left a lot of space for future books in the world to explore some of that more thoroughly.
Keeper. While he was maybe a little too convenient a source for answers I loved Keeper as a character. People who produce root beer floats from thin air are awesome.
Internal over all plot consistency. All the pieces fit together and made sense. I wasn't really shocked by who the bad guys were and where folks fell when the battle lines were drawn, but it made sense within the world of the story and the set up information which was given.
The lowlights:
I very nearly quit reading this book after the first chapter. The self appreciative humor and pop culture references are SO heavy handed and abundant that it's annoying. It's not cute, it's not appealing, and even though it gets better as the book goes that first chapter sets a tone that says Got is a jerk and more of a caricature of the best of the 1930-40s noir and current Urban Fantasy heroes than something unique and clever in his own right.
Which carries into the next point. That problem with character exists through the whole book and across many characters. Got complains all the time about how much lying he has to do, especially to his best friend but at no point does he even consider leveling with the man. Likewise when Got receives a big revelation about his whole life he just kinda nods and shrugs it off. He rarely feels real to me and because of that I have problems buying into him as a character even though I like his place as a plot point and the POTENTIAL of him as a character. Erin the girlfriend is worse. How I wanted to like her. She has a cool job, and for a change she's the woman who is already in the know about the supernatural and gets to train him! How awesome could that be? Except... Most of the focus on her is tied into how beautiful she is. He says she's smart but she doesn't really do that much to prove it. Mostly she shows up in tight dresses and heels and cool make up because she's a product of her environment and expectations. Then she's continually put in situations where events and others manipulate her/kidnap her/, and she does nothing except to shrug and go, Well the Fae world is still really backwards when it comes to equality. And even when Got manipulates her she shrugs it off with tears and snuggles. For heaven sakes woman... And don't get me started on her big secret twist, melodrama for the sake of melodrama with an epilogue of melodrama on top. Most of the other characters, including Nat though it pains me to say so, are very two dimensional. They are given defining characteristics, but they are not characters and they feel tacked on for stuff that Got mostly does himself anyway.
Must Got have ALL the powers? Really?
And lastly... I can see the author wanting Got to use his cool powers and not something as mundane as a gun. Okay, that's fine. However, the ways used to keep the gun out of play in the hands of an ex military, ex police officer private eye make him look like an idiot. He is not Steph Plum who is afraid of her gun and hides it in the freezer. He has no excuse to consistently have put his firearm someplace stupid. If you have a permit, you're carrying and you're comfortable with a weapon you don't treat it like an after thought.
So all in all it was an decent debut and will appeal to fans of authors like Kevin Herne and Anton Strout as there are a lot of similar beats as far as the humor and pop culture style. There's some great raw talent and potential here and I'll be keeping an eye on the author but I want to see this rise to the challenge!
My rating falls around a 3.5.
It's taken some doing to pull my thoughts together on this book because those thoughts are very polarized. There are some things I really loved, and some complete book throwing offenses (Even if I was reading on a tablet!). So I'll try to cover some of the highlights and lowlights and leave it to you to decide if you want to give Luck a try.
The highlights:
Miami! It's nice to see a less common setting for a Urban Fantasy, and fun to see Got driving around with the top down and enjoying a different environment. I can't complain about his choice of car either. It's no Batmobile, but it's much more fun and apparently home to all the 80s music.
A unique Fae mythos and worldbuilding. I really liked the focus on the three realms and the way they interconnect. While I still don't understand a lot of the rules of the fae they were internally consistent enough that I bought into the world and would be interested in learning more. The magic system made sense though I did have a lot of questions about how far it went and the difference between Eternal magic and Halfling magics which I feel weren't ever answered. I'm not listing that as a bad because it certainly left a lot of space for future books in the world to explore some of that more thoroughly.
Keeper. While he was maybe a little too convenient a source for answers I loved Keeper as a character. People who produce root beer floats from thin air are awesome.
Internal over all plot consistency. All the pieces fit together and made sense. I wasn't really shocked by who the bad guys were and where folks fell when the battle lines were drawn, but it made sense within the world of the story and the set up information which was given.
The lowlights:
I very nearly quit reading this book after the first chapter. The self appreciative humor and pop culture references are SO heavy handed and abundant that it's annoying. It's not cute, it's not appealing, and even though it gets better as the book goes that first chapter sets a tone that says Got is a jerk and more of a caricature of the best of the 1930-40s noir and current Urban Fantasy heroes than something unique and clever in his own right.
Which carries into the next point. That problem with character exists through the whole book and across many characters. Got complains all the time about how much lying he has to do, especially to his best friend but at no point does he even consider leveling with the man. Likewise when Got receives a big revelation about his whole life he just kinda nods and shrugs it off. He rarely feels real to me and because of that I have problems buying into him as a character even though I like his place as a plot point and the POTENTIAL of him as a character. Erin the girlfriend is worse. How I wanted to like her. She has a cool job, and for a change she's the woman who is already in the know about the supernatural and gets to train him! How awesome could that be? Except... Most of the focus on her is tied into how beautiful she is. He says she's smart but she doesn't really do that much to prove it. Mostly she shows up in tight dresses and heels and cool make up because she's a product of her environment and expectations. Then she's continually put in situations where events and others manipulate her/kidnap her/, and she does nothing except to shrug and go, Well the Fae world is still really backwards when it comes to equality. And even when Got manipulates her she shrugs it off with tears and snuggles. For heaven sakes woman... And don't get me started on her big secret twist, melodrama for the sake of melodrama with an epilogue of melodrama on top. Most of the other characters, including Nat though it pains me to say so, are very two dimensional. They are given defining characteristics, but they are not characters and they feel tacked on for stuff that Got mostly does himself anyway.
Must Got have ALL the powers? Really?
And lastly... I can see the author wanting Got to use his cool powers and not something as mundane as a gun. Okay, that's fine. However, the ways used to keep the gun out of play in the hands of an ex military, ex police officer private eye make him look like an idiot. He is not Steph Plum who is afraid of her gun and hides it in the freezer. He has no excuse to consistently have put his firearm someplace stupid. If you have a permit, you're carrying and you're comfortable with a weapon you don't treat it like an after thought.
So all in all it was an decent debut and will appeal to fans of authors like Kevin Herne and Anton Strout as there are a lot of similar beats as far as the humor and pop culture style. There's some great raw talent and potential here and I'll be keeping an eye on the author but I want to see this rise to the challenge!
March 22, 2016
“Got Luck is a hardboiled comedic detective novel in the awesome urban fantasy genre that takes you on a ride from Miami Beach to the land of the Fae. The novel is an adventure filled with magic, humor and a fascinating lead character who cracks jokes at every turn. Most importantly, he has no idea he’s about to save the world. Or get married.
I laughed a lot and found the whole thing extremely entertaining. I kept thinking that if you mixed Harry Potter and Harry Dresden, you would get the character, Goethe “Got” Luck. There were so many funny one-liners and the book never devolved into too much darkness. It’s safe for YA and adults alike. There is no adult language and I think this series will have broad appeal.
The story follows the European mythology of the Fae, though it’s set in Florida, which we learn is a veritable hotbed of the supernatural, including geriatric vampires. Hey, they have to retire somewhere, but they do not sparkle or twinkle in this book.
The award-winning author, Michael Darling is the real deal as far as writing and creativity. He puts some interesting twists on urban fantasy and provides depth and humanity, especially regarding the main character. Luck is a very good guy and earns his living helping average people, bending the rules whenever he has to. He’s always ready with a witty comeback, and is the foundation of what I am certain will be a wildly entertaining series.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
--Paul Genesse, author of the bestselling Iron Dragon Series
I laughed a lot and found the whole thing extremely entertaining. I kept thinking that if you mixed Harry Potter and Harry Dresden, you would get the character, Goethe “Got” Luck. There were so many funny one-liners and the book never devolved into too much darkness. It’s safe for YA and adults alike. There is no adult language and I think this series will have broad appeal.
The story follows the European mythology of the Fae, though it’s set in Florida, which we learn is a veritable hotbed of the supernatural, including geriatric vampires. Hey, they have to retire somewhere, but they do not sparkle or twinkle in this book.
The award-winning author, Michael Darling is the real deal as far as writing and creativity. He puts some interesting twists on urban fantasy and provides depth and humanity, especially regarding the main character. Luck is a very good guy and earns his living helping average people, bending the rules whenever he has to. He’s always ready with a witty comeback, and is the foundation of what I am certain will be a wildly entertaining series.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
--Paul Genesse, author of the bestselling Iron Dragon Series
March 10, 2018
Yep, it was a fun read. This book has the flavor of a Mickey Spillane novel and the smokey film noir detectives from the 1940's and 50's. The lead character is a smart-mouth sleuth with a penchant for getting himself in trouble. Mr. Darling (how could you not like this author's name) throws this old black and white genre smack in the middle of a fantasy flick filled with magical beings and a screen full of color. I especially liked the main character's love interest and the tension between the two.
The story breaks down a bit with the long intervals into the Behind/Beyond, which tended to distract me from the murder that Got Luck is hired to solve. Also, later in the story when there is so little time before a major event is about to occur the main characters seem to be more interested in their daily routine than in the plot they are trying to discover and bring to an end.
The story is unique and well worth the time to read it. The characters are the stars with plenty of personality to make it all very enjoyable. I love a good book to help me escape into another world. This book completes that task quite well. Thank you Mr. Darling.
The story breaks down a bit with the long intervals into the Behind/Beyond, which tended to distract me from the murder that Got Luck is hired to solve. Also, later in the story when there is so little time before a major event is about to occur the main characters seem to be more interested in their daily routine than in the plot they are trying to discover and bring to an end.
The story is unique and well worth the time to read it. The characters are the stars with plenty of personality to make it all very enjoyable. I love a good book to help me escape into another world. This book completes that task quite well. Thank you Mr. Darling.
June 23, 2025
I really enjoyed the heck out of this book! I read some of the reviews from people who didn't like it, because I was curious: how could somebody NOT enjoy this book and want to read more??
Turns out that the things several of them didn't like are things that I DO like, so I guess it makes perfect sense. :)
My thoughts:
- I LIKE that Got goes off on tangents (I do it myself, and so do most of my friends and favorite tv characters; think: Lorelei Gilmore)
- I LIKE Got's sense of humor and I laughed out many times
- I LIKE that he took things in stride when other people might not have
- I don't care that he didn't question some things that I might have; if I wanted a main character who reacted to everything the way I would, I would write a book about ME.
- I DID have a hard time with some of the pronunciations, even though there was a pronunciation guide at the beginning (If I'd bought a hard copy I would have flagged that and been able to flip to it whenever I needed to, but I hate jumping around in e-books because it's too hard to keep track of where I am. Yes, that's a personal issue, and not everyone will have it....)
- Speaking of the pronunciation guide: it didn't tell me how to pronounce Goethe's name!! I had to ask my husband, and then Google it, because I was sure he couldn't be right about that. (He was.)
Overall, as I've said, I really had fun reading it. I liked the characters, I liked the world, and I'm very much looking forward to more in the series!
Turns out that the things several of them didn't like are things that I DO like, so I guess it makes perfect sense. :)
My thoughts:
- I LIKE that Got goes off on tangents (I do it myself, and so do most of my friends and favorite tv characters; think: Lorelei Gilmore)
- I LIKE Got's sense of humor and I laughed out many times
- I LIKE that he took things in stride when other people might not have
- I don't care that he didn't question some things that I might have; if I wanted a main character who reacted to everything the way I would, I would write a book about ME.
- I DID have a hard time with some of the pronunciations, even though there was a pronunciation guide at the beginning (If I'd bought a hard copy I would have flagged that and been able to flip to it whenever I needed to, but I hate jumping around in e-books because it's too hard to keep track of where I am. Yes, that's a personal issue, and not everyone will have it....)
- Speaking of the pronunciation guide: it didn't tell me how to pronounce Goethe's name!! I had to ask my husband, and then Google it, because I was sure he couldn't be right about that. (He was.)
Overall, as I've said, I really had fun reading it. I liked the characters, I liked the world, and I'm very much looking forward to more in the series!
January 21, 2019
Got Luck
Luck has a wicked sense of humor and seems able to get himself into all sorts of trouble. An enjoyable read
Luck has a wicked sense of humor and seems able to get himself into all sorts of trouble. An enjoyable read
March 24, 2016
Not just a fantasy novel.
This is Gothic awesomeness with swagger. I read it twice--it's that good.
This is Gothic awesomeness with swagger. I read it twice--it's that good.
May 14, 2021
Good urban fantasy series about a PI who discovers there's a heckuva lot going on just below the surface of the world than he realized.
May 31, 2016
I received a free ARC copy of this book from Future House Publishing in exchange for an unbiased, honest review. Thanks Future House! The book is available starting Thursday March 24, 2016 and will be available on AMAZON for $0.99 until March 30. So if you are interested after reading my review put it on your calendar. There will also be an autographed copy giveaway on Future House's blog on the 24th here.
Honestly while reading this I've gone back and forth between 3 and 4 stars. I ended up rating it 4 which I'll explain in my review.
I loved the beginning, Luck was funny in a sarcastic and old style detective(think old black and white detective shows/movies) way. He was smart, from his perspective a great detective who didn't have too many friends on the police force. He was raised by "The Mama" at an orphanage type home. He has no recollections of who he was before he was 8 years old. All he knows about his past before living with "The Mama" is that he died and came back to life. He explains that to another character at the beginning of the novel but doesn't know details. The details about that are all revealed throughout the book of course.
The beginning of the book starts with a murder case...a young married woman's husband has been killed and she asks him to solve it for him because the police can't. The young lady's father was told by his former police chief to try the Detective Goethe Luck to help solve the case. The beginning is catchy and intriguing as Luck is piecing together clue. He gets shot at through the window at work, which once a detective starts getting death threats it usually means he's onto something and definitely stirring the hornet's nest.
Now this is also a fantasy novel and includes a new world in a different realm than Earth. Luck doesn't know anything about that other realm except at the beginning of the book he keeps mentioning the Stain. I was a little confused at first what he was talking about, this colored strip or ribbon around someone? But if you are reading this and you are not quite sure what it is just keep going it will be explained but the author does a good job of peeking your interest in what the Stain is.
Luck has a bizarre visit from some other worldly animal that attacks him in his home. He doesn't understand where this beast came from, why it attacked and what it was doing marking him then suddenly disappearing. Through this attack and some other circumstances Luck ends up in the BehindBeyond(the other realm-the realm of the Alder King). With no spoilers I am going to only say that there are several characters from that realm that are key throughout the story. There are several characters introduced when he goes into that realm and he finds himself completely overwhelmed trying to understand it all. Then suddenly that all shifts and he is ok with all the changes that occur and with being a part of the BehindBeyond realm and the Earth realm. Confused? I'm being very vague because if I explain it all there is little mystery or suspense or desire to read the book. So let's just say he ends up with the girl of his dreams from the Earth world and she is helping to teach him.
Now for my debating back and forth about what I really wanted to rate this book. As I said in the beginning of my review I loved the opening, it was catchy and fun, the new aspect of the Fae world was different but the author explained it well that I wanted to figure out who the bad guy was and how Luck was going to use his detective skills and his newly found powers to solve it all leaving us a nicely tied up detective/fantasy story. My thoughts on wanting to rate it 3 stars was the middle was a little bit harder to get through. Not that it wasn't detailed and explaining what the storyline needed to continue progressing towards the final climax/reveal, it was. I felt that the development of Luck was almost stopped or possibly reversing. At the beginning he was this carefree, funny character and completely devoted to his work. Well versed in life around him, yet there was a shift in the middle when he learned about who he was and as he was trying to learn about his powers. Maybe I'm the only one who feels that way but Luck didn't feel like the same character. Yes he grew and learned how to control his powers. Yes he continued learning about his new realm. Yes he kept searching to solve his case. Yes he kept moving towards this great evil that was lurking and coming. Yet I just felt like he wasn't all that he could be in the middle. Don't get me wrong after that personal spiel of my feelings for the character in the middle of the story, Luck has some great moments in the book where he overcomes some pretty interesting characters or obstacles(definitely very detective worthy).
Now onto why I ended up rating it 4. Maybe saying the middle isn't quite the best way to describe the part that felt slower. Let's say the middle third because the last third of the book picked up, Luck was definitely on the top of his game. There was another shift in the story when I got to the last third and I loved it. I had a really hard time putting the book down. Luck was awesome. The detective aspect was fabulous. Michael Darling did a great job with his sleuth writing. One of the characters from the BehindBeyond reveals a lot to Luck about who he is, why she is the way she is and it comes down to a deal made with a deamhan(demon-he uses gaelic words in the novel) and the main bad guys from his case of the young widow's murdered husband. At the end, Luck has to rescue several people and he comes up with a plan. I thought I had his plan figured out and kept thinking Luck was playing my plan to a "T" but then I wasn't sure because he would do one little thing to disrupt that. I know I'm being vague but I can't ruin the ending for you because it was really good! I loved the final showdown between good and evil. Michael Darling's deamhan was kinda scary to picture. If I tried to explain some of it to you without you knowing all the ins and outs of the world that Michael Darling has created it might be a little confusing but I do have to say that the author did a great job creating the different realms and the gateways between them.
What's your favorite part of a detective book? Mine is definitely the end where the detective gives his final overview of the case and how he came to solve it. I love Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot. He has some epic closing speeches. Luck did not disappoint in his closing speech to his client and to the reader as he summed up the case. I liked how he was able to mesh reality and fantasy together in a way that the humans would understand without making them think he was crazy with what really happened in the case and his involvement. I liked how he hated lying to the widow about what happened to her husband. He wanted to be completely honest with her but knew it wouldn't go over very well so he kept to the facts and omitted only the magical aspects.
If you are looking for a great detective story with fantasty/magic feel free to give "Got Luck" a try.
Happy Reading!!!
Honestly while reading this I've gone back and forth between 3 and 4 stars. I ended up rating it 4 which I'll explain in my review.
I loved the beginning, Luck was funny in a sarcastic and old style detective(think old black and white detective shows/movies) way. He was smart, from his perspective a great detective who didn't have too many friends on the police force. He was raised by "The Mama" at an orphanage type home. He has no recollections of who he was before he was 8 years old. All he knows about his past before living with "The Mama" is that he died and came back to life. He explains that to another character at the beginning of the novel but doesn't know details. The details about that are all revealed throughout the book of course.
The beginning of the book starts with a murder case...a young married woman's husband has been killed and she asks him to solve it for him because the police can't. The young lady's father was told by his former police chief to try the Detective Goethe Luck to help solve the case. The beginning is catchy and intriguing as Luck is piecing together clue. He gets shot at through the window at work, which once a detective starts getting death threats it usually means he's onto something and definitely stirring the hornet's nest.
Now this is also a fantasy novel and includes a new world in a different realm than Earth. Luck doesn't know anything about that other realm except at the beginning of the book he keeps mentioning the Stain. I was a little confused at first what he was talking about, this colored strip or ribbon around someone? But if you are reading this and you are not quite sure what it is just keep going it will be explained but the author does a good job of peeking your interest in what the Stain is.
Luck has a bizarre visit from some other worldly animal that attacks him in his home. He doesn't understand where this beast came from, why it attacked and what it was doing marking him then suddenly disappearing. Through this attack and some other circumstances Luck ends up in the BehindBeyond(the other realm-the realm of the Alder King). With no spoilers I am going to only say that there are several characters from that realm that are key throughout the story. There are several characters introduced when he goes into that realm and he finds himself completely overwhelmed trying to understand it all. Then suddenly that all shifts and he is ok with all the changes that occur and with being a part of the BehindBeyond realm and the Earth realm. Confused? I'm being very vague because if I explain it all there is little mystery or suspense or desire to read the book. So let's just say he ends up with the girl of his dreams from the Earth world and she is helping to teach him.
Now for my debating back and forth about what I really wanted to rate this book. As I said in the beginning of my review I loved the opening, it was catchy and fun, the new aspect of the Fae world was different but the author explained it well that I wanted to figure out who the bad guy was and how Luck was going to use his detective skills and his newly found powers to solve it all leaving us a nicely tied up detective/fantasy story. My thoughts on wanting to rate it 3 stars was the middle was a little bit harder to get through. Not that it wasn't detailed and explaining what the storyline needed to continue progressing towards the final climax/reveal, it was. I felt that the development of Luck was almost stopped or possibly reversing. At the beginning he was this carefree, funny character and completely devoted to his work. Well versed in life around him, yet there was a shift in the middle when he learned about who he was and as he was trying to learn about his powers. Maybe I'm the only one who feels that way but Luck didn't feel like the same character. Yes he grew and learned how to control his powers. Yes he continued learning about his new realm. Yes he kept searching to solve his case. Yes he kept moving towards this great evil that was lurking and coming. Yet I just felt like he wasn't all that he could be in the middle. Don't get me wrong after that personal spiel of my feelings for the character in the middle of the story, Luck has some great moments in the book where he overcomes some pretty interesting characters or obstacles(definitely very detective worthy).
Now onto why I ended up rating it 4. Maybe saying the middle isn't quite the best way to describe the part that felt slower. Let's say the middle third because the last third of the book picked up, Luck was definitely on the top of his game. There was another shift in the story when I got to the last third and I loved it. I had a really hard time putting the book down. Luck was awesome. The detective aspect was fabulous. Michael Darling did a great job with his sleuth writing. One of the characters from the BehindBeyond reveals a lot to Luck about who he is, why she is the way she is and it comes down to a deal made with a deamhan(demon-he uses gaelic words in the novel) and the main bad guys from his case of the young widow's murdered husband. At the end, Luck has to rescue several people and he comes up with a plan. I thought I had his plan figured out and kept thinking Luck was playing my plan to a "T" but then I wasn't sure because he would do one little thing to disrupt that. I know I'm being vague but I can't ruin the ending for you because it was really good! I loved the final showdown between good and evil. Michael Darling's deamhan was kinda scary to picture. If I tried to explain some of it to you without you knowing all the ins and outs of the world that Michael Darling has created it might be a little confusing but I do have to say that the author did a great job creating the different realms and the gateways between them.
What's your favorite part of a detective book? Mine is definitely the end where the detective gives his final overview of the case and how he came to solve it. I love Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot. He has some epic closing speeches. Luck did not disappoint in his closing speech to his client and to the reader as he summed up the case. I liked how he was able to mesh reality and fantasy together in a way that the humans would understand without making them think he was crazy with what really happened in the case and his involvement. I liked how he hated lying to the widow about what happened to her husband. He wanted to be completely honest with her but knew it wouldn't go over very well so he kept to the facts and omitted only the magical aspects.
If you are looking for a great detective story with fantasty/magic feel free to give "Got Luck" a try.
Happy Reading!!!
June 22, 2017
Goethe (Got) Luck is a private detective in Miami who always had a touch with the fantastical elements that most people never know about. He is telling his story about how he finds out more about who, and what he is. This is not fan fiction of someone else's world. Even though there are similarities to other books (Jim Butcher's Dresden series) Michael Darling creates his own setting and characters. A fun read that left me wanting to know what is going to happen next.
I decided to pick up this book after sitting in on a panel discussion about poetry at a writing convention where Michael Darling was one of the panelists. It was because he mentioned how he used the Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's poem "Der Erklonig" with the story. Upon reading the title I knew there was going to be a mixture of light heartedness to go along with the detective story. Seriously, with a title of Got Luck who didn't think of the milk ad campaign.
Early in the story I felt like things were moving along a little quickly and too easily accepted by our hero, but I came to understand that even though this is a fantastical twist in his life, it isn't as radical as it would be for us normal humans. Got's backstory is presented in a slow release in a past paced storyline. The slow release of information works well because Got doesn't take himself too seriously. If he did he would either consider himself crazy, or would go that route. What I was thinking would make me crazy was another layer of what he had grown up with. I know some readers are going to have a hard time with how this part of the story unfolds.
There are hints into the other character's histories. But, they can only be revealed as Got finds out about them. This unwinding of information presents kept me looking for the details.
The timeline of the story is quick. In true detective fashion we start when Got takes on a new case and the twists start dropping in. A major event is going to take place soon and Got finds out he is a major player in keeping the mortal realm safe. We know he succeeds because he is telling the story, but how he does it is the crux of the narrative.
I am not a fan of most first person narrative stories. For me they remove an element of risk of what could happen. I know that is one of my own failings because the story isn't about the success, but the how the success is accomplished. Darling does a wonderful job in building the details through his lead character. Got's personality is constantly intermixed, and he never breaks from his reality.
The architecture of the world provides a solid basis for the story. There is a reason for what is happening and how it is happening. Again, this stays consistent throughout. I liked the description of the realms because it gave a reasoning I could go with instead of the just because scenario I have seen used so many times. The use of old world mythologies fits well and ties the story together. It was fun to see how the Goethe poem was used to create a solid backbone.
Got Luck is a good read. It is something you can have your younger readers dig into without concern.
Originally written for Guild Master Gaming at guildmastergaming@blogspot.com
I decided to pick up this book after sitting in on a panel discussion about poetry at a writing convention where Michael Darling was one of the panelists. It was because he mentioned how he used the Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's poem "Der Erklonig" with the story. Upon reading the title I knew there was going to be a mixture of light heartedness to go along with the detective story. Seriously, with a title of Got Luck who didn't think of the milk ad campaign.
Early in the story I felt like things were moving along a little quickly and too easily accepted by our hero, but I came to understand that even though this is a fantastical twist in his life, it isn't as radical as it would be for us normal humans. Got's backstory is presented in a slow release in a past paced storyline. The slow release of information works well because Got doesn't take himself too seriously. If he did he would either consider himself crazy, or would go that route. What I was thinking would make me crazy was another layer of what he had grown up with. I know some readers are going to have a hard time with how this part of the story unfolds.
There are hints into the other character's histories. But, they can only be revealed as Got finds out about them. This unwinding of information presents kept me looking for the details.
The timeline of the story is quick. In true detective fashion we start when Got takes on a new case and the twists start dropping in. A major event is going to take place soon and Got finds out he is a major player in keeping the mortal realm safe. We know he succeeds because he is telling the story, but how he does it is the crux of the narrative.
I am not a fan of most first person narrative stories. For me they remove an element of risk of what could happen. I know that is one of my own failings because the story isn't about the success, but the how the success is accomplished. Darling does a wonderful job in building the details through his lead character. Got's personality is constantly intermixed, and he never breaks from his reality.
The architecture of the world provides a solid basis for the story. There is a reason for what is happening and how it is happening. Again, this stays consistent throughout. I liked the description of the realms because it gave a reasoning I could go with instead of the just because scenario I have seen used so many times. The use of old world mythologies fits well and ties the story together. It was fun to see how the Goethe poem was used to create a solid backbone.
Got Luck is a good read. It is something you can have your younger readers dig into without concern.
Originally written for Guild Master Gaming at guildmastergaming@blogspot.com
March 24, 2016
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
When we meet Goethe “Got” Luck, he's one part Harry Bosch (at least they both have unfortunate, yet cool, first names), two parts Elvis Cole. Seriously, he's a barely disguised Elvis pastiche -- his partner, Nat is about as close to Joe Pike as you could want (if you wanted to argue he's Hawk and Henry Cimoli rolled into one to go with Luck's Spenser, I wouldn't argue...much). If that's all that Luck was -- a wise-cracking, private eye in the Spenser/Elvis Cole mold -- I'd probably have been rather content. Darling appears to have the chops to have pulled off a compelling telling of the investigation into the death of Barry Mallondyke on behalf of his widow.
But wait, there's more -- before he gets too far into the investigation, some things begin to happen to Got that he really can't wrap his head around. And then -- he finds himself doing some things he can't explain, and before you can say An Taobh Thiar Agus Níos Faide he finds himself in The Behindbeyond, the land of the Fae. A land of magic, magic beings and many things beyond belief. Those he meets in the Behindbeyond are not the only supernatural beings around -- Luck is, too.
So, we get the origin story of a new Urban Fantasy hero -- he continues to investigate the murder, while learning about his new magic abilities and the new reality that he's now aware of. A pretty fun combination, if you ask me. He's not quite as reliant on his magic as say, Harry Dresden or Atticus O'Sullivan; but it's there, for him to use the way that most P.I.'s would use a pistol.
There's a promising set of supporting characters in both realities (hard to believe that I haven't even mentioned Erin, the drop-dead gorgeous medical examiner), a compelling killer, and a little boy who keeps showing up in just the right place. Even a lot of the "lesser" criminals that Luck and Nat have to contend with are pretty entertaining.
I didn't even finished the first chapter before I decided that Luck and I were going to be pretty good friends. And from about the mid-way point, on, I stopped reading the book because I was doing so because the publisher sent it to me, I really wasn't even reading it to post about it. I was reading it for the pure pleasure -- as a fan. That doesn't happen too often.
This is pretty clearly a first novel -- or at least one written early in a career -- so Darling's got room to grow in his craft. Got Luck could've been better, but -- man, oh, man, this hit all my buttons -- the characters, the world, the narrative voice, the magic -- and that ending. I hope this is the first of many. If we're lucky, it will be.
(ugh, sorry -- I don't know what came over me, that last line was shameless.)
Disclaimer: I received my copy of Got Luck from the friendly folks at Future House Publishing in exchange for an unbiased review.
---
When we meet Goethe “Got” Luck, he's one part Harry Bosch (at least they both have unfortunate, yet cool, first names), two parts Elvis Cole. Seriously, he's a barely disguised Elvis pastiche -- his partner, Nat is about as close to Joe Pike as you could want (if you wanted to argue he's Hawk and Henry Cimoli rolled into one to go with Luck's Spenser, I wouldn't argue...much). If that's all that Luck was -- a wise-cracking, private eye in the Spenser/Elvis Cole mold -- I'd probably have been rather content. Darling appears to have the chops to have pulled off a compelling telling of the investigation into the death of Barry Mallondyke on behalf of his widow.
But wait, there's more -- before he gets too far into the investigation, some things begin to happen to Got that he really can't wrap his head around. And then -- he finds himself doing some things he can't explain, and before you can say An Taobh Thiar Agus Níos Faide he finds himself in The Behindbeyond, the land of the Fae. A land of magic, magic beings and many things beyond belief. Those he meets in the Behindbeyond are not the only supernatural beings around -- Luck is, too.
So, we get the origin story of a new Urban Fantasy hero -- he continues to investigate the murder, while learning about his new magic abilities and the new reality that he's now aware of. A pretty fun combination, if you ask me. He's not quite as reliant on his magic as say, Harry Dresden or Atticus O'Sullivan; but it's there, for him to use the way that most P.I.'s would use a pistol.
There's a promising set of supporting characters in both realities (hard to believe that I haven't even mentioned Erin, the drop-dead gorgeous medical examiner), a compelling killer, and a little boy who keeps showing up in just the right place. Even a lot of the "lesser" criminals that Luck and Nat have to contend with are pretty entertaining.
I didn't even finished the first chapter before I decided that Luck and I were going to be pretty good friends. And from about the mid-way point, on, I stopped reading the book because I was doing so because the publisher sent it to me, I really wasn't even reading it to post about it. I was reading it for the pure pleasure -- as a fan. That doesn't happen too often.
This is pretty clearly a first novel -- or at least one written early in a career -- so Darling's got room to grow in his craft. Got Luck could've been better, but -- man, oh, man, this hit all my buttons -- the characters, the world, the narrative voice, the magic -- and that ending. I hope this is the first of many. If we're lucky, it will be.
(ugh, sorry -- I don't know what came over me, that last line was shameless.)
Disclaimer: I received my copy of Got Luck from the friendly folks at Future House Publishing in exchange for an unbiased review.
February 5, 2018
Any book that has magic, quotes from Casablanca and Princess Bride is enjoyable in my book.
March 22, 2016
It took me a few chapters to really get into the story and start to enjoy it. The protagonist, who narrates the story, has a very in-your-face sense of humor that annoyed me. It made him less than likable early on, though he improved on me by the end of the novel. The humor and sarcasm took the edge off some of the more thrilling moments in the book, and some of the names and explanations for faery-land (Behindbeyond?) were a little juvenile.
That said, the humor and language of the main character was the most annoying thing about the book. The plot itself was rather well laid. The story progressed well, building at a good tempo, and characters were introduced and tracked well. Most of the characters were well described and by the end of the book, I actually wanted to know more about some of them.
The fantasy element was introduced well, and any questions you may have about the faes were explained in the form of a dialogue between characters. There were some questions that remained unanswered at the end of the novel, which gave the feeling of loose threads the author forgot to tie up, but they were few.
The author has left the end open to a sequel, and so long as he curbs the protagonist's horrible humor, I would look forward to reading part II of this book should it be written. Overall, a good book. Not in the league of Harry Potter, but its a fun read. The author shows promise, and Im interested to see what else he has in his writing repertoire.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
That said, the humor and language of the main character was the most annoying thing about the book. The plot itself was rather well laid. The story progressed well, building at a good tempo, and characters were introduced and tracked well. Most of the characters were well described and by the end of the book, I actually wanted to know more about some of them.
The fantasy element was introduced well, and any questions you may have about the faes were explained in the form of a dialogue between characters. There were some questions that remained unanswered at the end of the novel, which gave the feeling of loose threads the author forgot to tie up, but they were few.
The author has left the end open to a sequel, and so long as he curbs the protagonist's horrible humor, I would look forward to reading part II of this book should it be written. Overall, a good book. Not in the league of Harry Potter, but its a fun read. The author shows promise, and Im interested to see what else he has in his writing repertoire.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 5, 2017
I had no expectations when I began reading Got Luck, by Michael Darling. It started as a quirky detective story, a "who done it?" mystery. I was mildly intrigued, but it was the character's voice, unique, charming, and irreverently sarcastic, that had me at hello. By the looks of the front cover, and the back blurb, I knew magic would appear eventually. It came in small doses at first. Gothe could see things others couldn't. It was an innocuous gift at first, hard to divine a purpose, but set the tone nonetheless. When he encounters his first magical being it took me by surprise, but it was over quickly and gave me time to recover. Then it came at me like a giant tidal wave, engulfing my imagination and changing the entire landscape of the world(s) Darling was creating in an instant.
Darling does an amazing job marrying his magical world(s) and the magic system, with our own world. I never stopped to think, "That won't work," as I often do with contemporary magic books. No, once the tidal wave set this rollercoaster a blazing, it took me on loops and turns that I did not see coming. I like to be surprised. I also admire that Darling was willing to allow his characters to become who they are, despite how much I, the reader, or he, the author, wants things to be different. It is an important element in writing that transforms a good story into a great one. It creates a make-believe-world that I can see, touch, and feel. It is a great rollercoaster ride/read that like the Never Ending Story, I am not entirely sure it's over yet.
Darling does an amazing job marrying his magical world(s) and the magic system, with our own world. I never stopped to think, "That won't work," as I often do with contemporary magic books. No, once the tidal wave set this rollercoaster a blazing, it took me on loops and turns that I did not see coming. I like to be surprised. I also admire that Darling was willing to allow his characters to become who they are, despite how much I, the reader, or he, the author, wants things to be different. It is an important element in writing that transforms a good story into a great one. It creates a make-believe-world that I can see, touch, and feel. It is a great rollercoaster ride/read that like the Never Ending Story, I am not entirely sure it's over yet.
January 31, 2017
This was a fun read with a great leading man. At first Got's flippant, smark-alec remarks turned me off but, after a few pages, either he toned it down or I caught up, and then I really began to like the humor. Got's character uses humor for a great many purposes, not the least of which is to relieve tension. And boy is there plenty of tension in this one! Got is thrown into the deep end with trying to learn all about the Fae culture, his own heritage, and how to do magic, all at once. Just when it seems that he's going to be able to take this a little at a time, he finds himself needing to save the world in two days! Of course there's a girl too, a beautiful half-Fae named Erin, and their relationship grows complicated fast. There are tons of cool things about the Behindbeyond and magic; I loved the worldbuilding there. The many layers of mystery are fun to work through too. I liked seeing Got do his PI thing quite a bit. A interesting, but not much used, character was Got's friend Nat, a man of very few words. For some reason Nat reminded me of the character of Hawk on the old PI tv show Spenser For Hire, that same kind of badass-coolcat combination. The way the story is left there is definitely a huge opening for a sequel and series, and it would be a shame not to run with that. I for one would definitely read it. My only disappointment is that this is Darling's first novel so I have nothing else of his to enjoy!
March 23, 2016
An enjoyable tale that appeals to all ages.
Love the dramatic introduction to the story and how easily the events that follow are consistent with the plot. At first glance you may feel that this could be an “arroz con mango”, but it clearly follows a path that evolves into something interesting and highly entertaining.
The main character is so sarcastic that is very hard not to laugh out loud, and the others are so enigmatic it is hard to know which is friend or foe.
Hope to see more of this Author and definitely more of Goethe Luck.
If you have a sense of humor, I highly recommend this book.
I received a copy of Got Luck from Future House Publishing in exchange for an unbiased review.
Love the dramatic introduction to the story and how easily the events that follow are consistent with the plot. At first glance you may feel that this could be an “arroz con mango”, but it clearly follows a path that evolves into something interesting and highly entertaining.
The main character is so sarcastic that is very hard not to laugh out loud, and the others are so enigmatic it is hard to know which is friend or foe.
Hope to see more of this Author and definitely more of Goethe Luck.
If you have a sense of humor, I highly recommend this book.
I received a copy of Got Luck from Future House Publishing in exchange for an unbiased review.
March 23, 2016
When Goethe "Got" Luck starts to work on a dead end murder case, his life is turned upside down. he never expected what was waiting aroud the next corner for him and it really adds to the suspense of the story. He really never expected the mythical creatures that he encounters along the way either. He better hope, he has a lot of luck on his side.
I found this book to be well written. the story seems plausible and the characters are enjoyable to read and to get to know. Once i started reading, i couldn't stop! I love the whole mythical creatures part of it and the fact that he truly had no idea, because he didn't believe they existed before taking the case!
I received this product in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion/review.
I found this book to be well written. the story seems plausible and the characters are enjoyable to read and to get to know. Once i started reading, i couldn't stop! I love the whole mythical creatures part of it and the fact that he truly had no idea, because he didn't believe they existed before taking the case!
I received this product in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion/review.
March 27, 2016
I loved this one from start to finish, which does not happen that often with me. The main character is witty and his descriptions of the various situations are just hilarious. I will not go into details because of possible spoilers but except for the usual whodunit, you can be looking forward to a bit of mystery :-D.
March 22, 2016
If you want a book you can't put down, this is the one that you'll want to pick up next. AMAZING!
April 8, 2019
Got is former military, a former cop, and a private detective. He gives off a kind of detective noir vibe ... right up until the moment he's attacked by an invisible creature and things go all fae. Paranormal crime fiction that crosses planes of existence. Quite likeable. If you like the Dresden Files, you'll like this.
March 31, 2017
Great start to a series new to me. It's a different take on fey/human interaction. I look forward to more from Michael Darling and fortunately the next book in the series Got Hope is just a few swipes away.
January 15, 2019
A fun romp with Fae and other creatures. Geothe “Got” Luck is a private investigator who probably can keep quiet, but doesn’t usually. He’s got a smart reply for everything. Got finds out he’s actually a halfling-half Fae and half human. He also gets an accidental wife- which is a story of its own.
Darling’s prose is witty and fast-paced. His story is original yet oddly familiar. Probably because so many stories have been written about the Fae as of late. No matter, this is a new take on it.
Few typos, a grammatical error or two, nothing to freak out about but I just wish they weren’t there.
Darling’s prose is witty and fast-paced. His story is original yet oddly familiar. Probably because so many stories have been written about the Fae as of late. No matter, this is a new take on it.
Few typos, a grammatical error or two, nothing to freak out about but I just wish they weren’t there.
January 19, 2019
Great book.
Fantasy meets funny. You're ok when you've Got Luck!
Two world's two sets of people. Life is weird when you're a halfling
Fantasy meets funny. You're ok when you've Got Luck!
Two world's two sets of people. Life is weird when you're a halfling
January 12, 2019
Fun
And entertaining. Got Luck, the main character is a hoot, although I did find his snark at times a little overdone. I still would Definitely recommend this book, and just bought book two.
And entertaining. Got Luck, the main character is a hoot, although I did find his snark at times a little overdone. I still would Definitely recommend this book, and just bought book two.
March 31, 2016
Okay, Michael Darling's (Is he related to Wendy? Has he, too, travelled to Neverland?) new work is a little like the eponymous hero's favorite kimchi - an odd concoction of sometimes left-over veggies, pickled to puckering perfection and highly flavored with exotic spices: not for everyone, but for the adventurous of taste, for the wannabe gourmet, for the wanderer into strange little side streets in the restaurant districts of large cities.
Got Luck (Got is short for Goethe - the first tantalizing thread of a clue that you are about to be led deep into the labyrinth) seems at first to be your typical wise-cracking gumshoe (shades of Sam Spade, with a maybe a little Han Solo thrown in for good measure). The wise cracks are good, curling your lips in amusement, and they continue throughout the story - which keeps you lightly anchored in "this world" (read the book; you'll see what I mean).
The story starts out just as typical as a Sam Spade story. Got is laid back at his desk (large, oaken, of course), feet up, when a beautiful woman walks in to ask for his help. (Ah, are we about to start on a hunt for the Maltese Falcon?) Not on your life. Her husband has been murdered, the cops are getting nowhere, and Got notices immediately that his beautiful client is capital "S" Stained - shadowy ribbons on certain people that only Got can see. (I have to say, I was immediately reminded of Dean Koontz' "Odd Thomas" character.)
Got is almost immediately hired after his impressive credentials are set forth (ex-cop, ex-military, ex-dead kid brought back to life and placed in a kind of foster care . . . ahhh - a hero with an unknown, or rather in-remembered father!) and he's got regular buddies: an ex-military personal trainer, and a friend (female) in the medical examiner's office. Keep your eye on both.
From the moment his gorgeous new client, Stains trailing like a scarf, leaves his office the hard core action begins and hurls us and Got hither and yon, here and elsewhere, dodging both bullets and mythical beasts. Mystery, sci-fi, fantasy-myth, even some romance.
Did I like the book, the story? Basically, yes. For the younger readers it has enough of the magic and fantasy it often takes to keep them engaged . . . and if they get curious, they might learn something about Norse/Germanic mythology, they may wander into the hero's journey, they may learn about Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell. They may stumble into the now classic worlds of Dashiell Hammett or Rex Stout. For the older, more widely-read reader, the story is entertaining, and only occasionally derivative feeling. I sometimes felt like maybe Darling had thrown a few too many ingredients into pot - but on the other hand, I like kimchi!
April 5, 2016
***I was given this as an e-book for an unbiased review***
it's more like a 2 1/2 almost a 3! again why can't we do half stars?!
When I first started the book, I liked Got's voice and his humor and how the story flowed well with his dialogue. It reminded me of being in an episode of Psych with Milly coming to him to find out who killed her husband. That's probably the only part I was really drawn to because I like the show.
After that things fell apart. The world the author created was interesting but complicated and confusing. And there were a lot of words that I couldn't pronounce which made the story not flow as well. I didn't really connect with Got, he wasn't completely likable just sort of. Since we were hearing the story through him, it didn't make me care what happened to him. He didn't have much feeling and was always sarcastic even when people were dying around him. He said he felt things but reading it, I didn't feel it from him. It all just fell flat. The bantering dialogue at the end was just annoying.
I can see that this will be a series and maybe reading more would help clear up some confusion. The one character I really wanted to like was Erin. She had the potential to be a strong person but we didn't get much information about her other than how beautiful she was and how amazing she looked in her clothes.
I'm not sure what audience this book is intended for. Hopefully not YA because the main character is in his 20's so the things he thinks about aren't age appropriate for a younger audience. There were way too many in depth descriptions about what the women were wearing and how sexy they were and too much talk about sleeping with women. I have to say for a fantasy book for adults, it was clean. If that is the intended audience, then that works well.
Really I just don't think it was my kind of book. There's promise, and maybe the rest of the series will help level it out.
it's more like a 2 1/2 almost a 3! again why can't we do half stars?!
When I first started the book, I liked Got's voice and his humor and how the story flowed well with his dialogue. It reminded me of being in an episode of Psych with Milly coming to him to find out who killed her husband. That's probably the only part I was really drawn to because I like the show.
After that things fell apart. The world the author created was interesting but complicated and confusing. And there were a lot of words that I couldn't pronounce which made the story not flow as well. I didn't really connect with Got, he wasn't completely likable just sort of. Since we were hearing the story through him, it didn't make me care what happened to him. He didn't have much feeling and was always sarcastic even when people were dying around him. He said he felt things but reading it, I didn't feel it from him. It all just fell flat. The bantering dialogue at the end was just annoying.
I can see that this will be a series and maybe reading more would help clear up some confusion. The one character I really wanted to like was Erin. She had the potential to be a strong person but we didn't get much information about her other than how beautiful she was and how amazing she looked in her clothes.
I'm not sure what audience this book is intended for. Hopefully not YA because the main character is in his 20's so the things he thinks about aren't age appropriate for a younger audience. There were way too many in depth descriptions about what the women were wearing and how sexy they were and too much talk about sleeping with women. I have to say for a fantasy book for adults, it was clean. If that is the intended audience, then that works well.
Really I just don't think it was my kind of book. There's promise, and maybe the rest of the series will help level it out.
March 24, 2016
I will have to say that Michael Darling did an amazing job writing this book! Got the elusive private detective get a job to find the killer of a young woman's husband. Can he solve it with so much happening to him.....It is got all the emotions rolled up in one! Magic, Murder, Mystery, Spells, Wards, Suspense, Love/Romance, Mystical, Fantasy, just all of them! I could not put it down. It's almost like you are in their world while you are reading the book. I wanted to travel with Got and Erin, to Fae... I wanted to be there with them and experience their travels to and from the mortal realm and to the Behind/beyond. I wanted to meet keeper with his wealth of knowledge. I love the witty sense of humor and the sarcasm that the halfling Got has, even when he was pushed in a corner he still had his humor and sarcasm while fighting his attackers! I love that type of humor. The Stains ... Oh the Stains. Do they all have them and what is their purpose? Why are all the stains so different and The tattoos. I literally busted out laughing when The Liondog attacked Got. Will he fall in love? This kept me in suspense the entire book. I want the sequel already! This by far is the best book I have read lately. I may even read it a second time in case I missed something. I Hope there is a sequel to this book because I most definitely want to read it. I LOVED this book and will be patiently waiting on the Sequel because I know without a doubt there will be one, He cant live is mortal life with that Crazy one!!! Thank you Michael Darling for writing such and amazing book and to Future House Publishing! You both did a great job!
August 23, 2016
Got Luck by: Michael Darling
Upon picking up Got Luck, a reader looking for the same old fantasy storyline will be surprised. Michael Darling jazzes things up with a quirky rhythm of comedy and intrigue. Readers definitely need to grasp Michael’s humor quickly while adjusting to his plot curveballs. As a reader looking at a seemingly straight fantasy novel, this momentarily threw me for a loop!
While initially this book seemed liked a cheesy murder mystery, author and reader have a meeting of the minds around chapter four and then Got Luck is absolutely riveting! At first glance, this book has the stereotypical cop turned detective, Goethe Luck, and a cheesy rich dame named Milly. Aside from the mention of Stain, fantasy doesn’t enter the equation until later. However, things change quickly when new characters enter the story and the plot thickens. This author has a knack for creating complex characters with dynamic qualities.
If you are a tried and true fantasy fan, your needs will be satisfied in the with the realm of the Behindbeyond and Fae, such as Faidh and Beil; who manage to exist in parallel worlds seamlessly. Mythical creatures such as the lion-dog-hyena, Madrasceartán, and the Deamhan enter in less than conventional moments and intrigued me so much that I had to finish the book before sleeping. If you are looking for a modern setting with a fantasy twist, this is the book for you!
Teaching points: character development, static-vs-dynamic characters, plot development, storyline, genre, poetry
Reading level: Flesch -Kincaid 4.9
Upon picking up Got Luck, a reader looking for the same old fantasy storyline will be surprised. Michael Darling jazzes things up with a quirky rhythm of comedy and intrigue. Readers definitely need to grasp Michael’s humor quickly while adjusting to his plot curveballs. As a reader looking at a seemingly straight fantasy novel, this momentarily threw me for a loop!
While initially this book seemed liked a cheesy murder mystery, author and reader have a meeting of the minds around chapter four and then Got Luck is absolutely riveting! At first glance, this book has the stereotypical cop turned detective, Goethe Luck, and a cheesy rich dame named Milly. Aside from the mention of Stain, fantasy doesn’t enter the equation until later. However, things change quickly when new characters enter the story and the plot thickens. This author has a knack for creating complex characters with dynamic qualities.
If you are a tried and true fantasy fan, your needs will be satisfied in the with the realm of the Behindbeyond and Fae, such as Faidh and Beil; who manage to exist in parallel worlds seamlessly. Mythical creatures such as the lion-dog-hyena, Madrasceartán, and the Deamhan enter in less than conventional moments and intrigued me so much that I had to finish the book before sleeping. If you are looking for a modern setting with a fantasy twist, this is the book for you!
Teaching points: character development, static-vs-dynamic characters, plot development, storyline, genre, poetry
Reading level: Flesch -Kincaid 4.9
December 23, 2016
Private Investigator Goethe (Got) Luck has always been a little strange, what with his ability to see dark writhing ribbons of color that he calls Stain on certain people...colors that he thinks are associated with magic. Raised in a foster home by The Mama, ex-military, ex-police, his latest case may prove to be more than he can handle. Shortly after meeting with the client, a bullet smashes through his office window, narrowly missing him, and then he is attacked in his home by a giant invisible lion. Do these incidents have anything to do with the bizarre death of his client's husband, Barry Mallondyke? He soon finds himself in the midst of a fight for his life, working together with medical examiner Erin O'Connell and his long-time friend, Nat, Got discovers a connection with the mysterious Fae. A connection that quickly proves to be personal in a way he never imagined. I really enjoyed this book, with its tale of the Alder King, Fae and magic and the ever-snarky Got. If you are a fan of Harry Dresden, then this story should appeal to you. The author has created a wonderfully detailed world full of fey lines and locations, delving into legends, and setting up a character that is memorable. The ending leaves the reader wanting more...one can only hope that there will be new books set in this world.
March 23, 2016
The story begins in Miami, Florida where former police-office-turned-private-detective Goethe Luck takes on a job that will forever change his life. What begins as murder investigation will have Luck chasing after leads while discovering his true identity and an entire world he never knew existed. Luck encounters magical creatures and learns a thing or two about magic.
I enjoyed the book very much. It starts out a little slow, but once I learned more about the story behind Luck, I became more intersted in his journey. As he uncovers more about the murder investigation and his own life, I couldn't help but want to know more. There are some really interesting characters in the book such as Max, Sandretta, and Beil. They all help Luck along his journey in their own unique way.
The author does a good job of keeping the story intersting throughout. He introduces new characters and elements throughout the story at a good pace. The inclusion of names and terms in the "Fae" language is not overdone, and the names are easy to remember. The ending was great and provided closure and did not leave me with feeling like something was missing. I received an Advanced Reader Copy in order to review, and I am providing an unbiased review.
I enjoyed the book very much. It starts out a little slow, but once I learned more about the story behind Luck, I became more intersted in his journey. As he uncovers more about the murder investigation and his own life, I couldn't help but want to know more. There are some really interesting characters in the book such as Max, Sandretta, and Beil. They all help Luck along his journey in their own unique way.
The author does a good job of keeping the story intersting throughout. He introduces new characters and elements throughout the story at a good pace. The inclusion of names and terms in the "Fae" language is not overdone, and the names are easy to remember. The ending was great and provided closure and did not leave me with feeling like something was missing. I received an Advanced Reader Copy in order to review, and I am providing an unbiased review.
March 25, 2016
First and foremost, both Darling and Future House Publishing deserve a huge thanks from me. The author for a superb job on this work, and to the publishers for allowing me to read this and give my review. This is my first book to actually read with the intentions on giving a review and I was truly and pleasantly surprised. From the very first of the story, I was especially drawn in by the style of writing the author uses. He immediately sets distinct attributes for each character. I liked the use of language that is easy for any reader to understand. I have found myself being turned off by most novels of this genre simply because of the overuse of different terms that are used much too frequently without any introduction to their meanings. However, that was not the case here. The author eloquently pieced together this story in a way that is easy on the reader, something that was a breath of fresh air to me. Overall, this story was exciting to say the least. Every chapter held something new and interesting. I will definitely be looking forward to more works by this author.
I received a copy of Got Luck from Future House Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of Got Luck from Future House Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
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