Marking Territory

Freelance Familiars #2

by Daniel Potter

Power corrupts. Can Thomas resist the lure?

Thomas may be the first magical cougar to go freelance, but he still has a lot to learn about selecting clients. Guilty over the injuries suffered by his friend and client O’Meara, Thomas resolves to collect enough magical essence to get her healed. Teaming up with an under-appreciated cabal of technomagi, Thomas finds himself battling encroaching mages, vicious spirits, and the forces of the multiverse itself to gather the energy mysteriously popping up all over Grantsville.

Will the promise of absolute power corrupt the people and town he cares for, or will Thomas overcome his own obsession in time to save the people most in danger?

Marking Territory continues Thomas’ adventures in the second installment of Freelance Familiars. If you like the Dresden Files, you’ll love this darkly humorous urban fantasy with an animal twist.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Fiction, Animals, Anthropomorphic

380 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 23, 2016

About the author

There is more than one author with this name

Daniel Potter has always been inspired by the mysteries of the world. His early interest lead him to become avid researcher as well as gamer and writer. After obtaining his PhD in vascular biology, he began exploring fictional magic and spiritualism using his own particular scientific lense. Daniel published the webcomic Walking the Lethe from 2010-2012 and is an active member of the East Bay Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Meet-up group. His debut novel, Off Leash, is just the first in his Freelance Familiar series.
When he's not chasing his imagination, Daniel works as a vascular biologist in the Bay Area. He shares an apartment with his wife, two cats, and a large collection of video games.

Reviews

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know. Had a struggle gettibg invested in the audiobook but could be because I'm currently in the process to change my reading/multitasking habits. But will most likely continue with the series rather soon hopefully

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot darker than it's predecessor, This sequel in the Freelance Familiars series is not quite just as fun but equally gripping and addictive.



This time around Thomas must face the consequences of his lack of trust in O'Meara. She is now crippled and unable to channel any magic. And that is something that O'Meara cannot cope with. Because she has no purpose without magic. And the fact that she cannot even stand on her own doesn't help.

For Thomas, it hurts every time he enters O'Meara's room, seeing her in a hospital bed. He could still imagine her as that brash and passionate woman who'd addressed him as a person and not some intelligent pet from the very first moment they met. And he couldn't help feeling guilty, because her injury was his fault.
Help isn't coming for O'Meara, since she's in disgrace, so Thomas decides to take matters into his own paws and fix what he'd broken. But for that he'll need a lot of tass (magical essence that is). And luckily for him, he knows just the way to find it. Of course it is reckless and dangerous and even downright stupid. And of course O'Meara doesn't like it. But Thomas has made up his mind and wouldn't be deterred from his... a little insane plan. Not even by the temptation of thumbs - which is the only thing he's been dreaming about from the time he exchanged them with paws.

A 'snake oil lady can fix O'Meara's mojo' and Thomas partners up with the nutcake Rudy, to make sure the snake oil lady gets the tass she needs. They team up with an under-appreciated cabal of technomagi, and find themselves battling encroaching mages, vicious spirits, and the forces of the multiverse itself to gather the tass mysteriously popping up all over Grantsville.
Suicidal guinea pigs and carnivorous toddlers are the least of what Thomas must face.

'First carnivorous toddlers and then I'm dodging vomit. It's straight out of Dirty Jobs in there. Mike Rowe would have a field day.'



Getting the tass to fix O'Meara slowly turns into an obsession that Thomas can't let go. But the price may be too high and the people of Grantsville are the ones who will need to pay.

Marking Territory is perhaps a little more fast paced than Off Leash. Darker and with a more serious note, it focuses on claiming and defending said claims. It expands the society and goes deep within, revealing moral and ethical issues, as well as motivations.
What starts as a tass hunt turns into a mad race for power with very high stakes that innocents are bound to pay.

Now don't get me wrong. We do get to chuckle every now and then. Especially when Rudy's involved. Because...
'Cats, Rudy grumped. You guys are never any fun unless your tail's on fire.'

And if that didn't make you smile, him leaping on the windowsill, chittering and looking for an invisible acorn to throw while calling his offender a 'gluttonous fuzzbutt' is sure to do the trick.



We get to meet new characters like Tom Dick and Harry (and NOPE - not joking here). We get to learn more of the magic and planes, as well as the intrigue in the world of magi. We get to witness a LOT of crazy action and see the characters grow. Intrigue and cunningness, friendship, love and betrayal.... all of it in a 'holy caramel roasted nutbags!' I did not see that coming type of twisted and downright fabulous tale.

I finished Marking Teritory in one single sitting and am now diving into the sequel. Because this cuddly cougar here's a keeper.

Find this review and more on my book review and cover art blog The Magic Book Corner

[William Bitner Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading “Marking Territory” (Freelance Familiars Book 2), by Daniel Potter. While the first installment of this series was lighthearted and humorous, this one is a bit more serious and a lot more adventurous with just enough humor to get a chuckle every now and again. We meet new characters, such as Tom, Dick (sorry that’s Richard), and Harry, who in the beginning seem to be on the side of Thomas and Rudy...but (well, you’ll have to give it a read to find out what happens)...A fun adventure fantasy romp, looking forward to much more.

“Power corrupts. Can Thomas resist the lure?

Thomas may be the first magical cougar to go freelance, but he still has a lot to learn about selecting clients. Guilty over the injuries suffered by his friend and client O’Meara, Thomas resolves to collect enough magical essence to get her healed. Teaming up with an under-appreciated cabal of technomagi, Thomas finds himself battling encroaching mages, vicious spirits, and the forces of the multiverse itself to gather the energy mysteriously popping up all over Grantsville.

Will the promise of absolute power corrupt the people and town he cares for, or will Thomas overcome his own obsession in time to save the people most in danger?”

[Skye Lansing · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found that I enjoyed this book much more than the first installment of the Freelance Familiars series, largely because it didn't have to deal with the transformation aspects that were presented in the first book.

Marking Territory is less of a mystery novel than its predecessor and more a story about a "gold" rush, focusing on staking claims and defending them. This is then used as a vehicle to explore the world revealed in the first book, expending on the society of mages built within and the inequalities that result.

Perhaps the part I enjoyed most about this book was the investigation on how different people are motivated, and how those motives can evolve or twist as events play out. Thomas is looking to secure wealth so he can help his friend and client from the previous book, O'Meara. To this end he partners up with some technomagi, who initially view this as a business partnership but ultimately hope to establish their own house in order to secure equality with other mages.

At its core the story focuses on this partnership and how the relationship evolves in response to events outside their control, opposition to a group of mages that challenges their claims, and decisions they make which impact the well-being of the normal humans that are caught in the crossfire.

[J.E. Hannaford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast, funny and much slicker than book 1. Really enjoyable romp with Thomas. I love that Rudy comes more into his own in this book and it sets up nicely for further adventures.

[Cherry Mischievous · Rating 5 out of 5]

Noise as a cow-wolf

My Thoughts:
In this installment, the lines between the good guys and the bad guys gets blurred as our hero tries to save the world. Well, his town really, to be more precise... And my question of what happened to the tree that enabled the dragon to escape got answered. Sort of... Still... Kudos to this book!

Another thing I like about this series is that it has images of scenes and characters in the ebook version. It just makes the story come to 3D life more vividly while my imagination does the rest.

Pace-wise though, it is still not that brilliant. I still find myself needing breaks every now and then. However, it gets better the further I go into the book.

This series is growing on me...

Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4.5
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4.5
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 4.5
Pace = (10 hrs & 6 mins listening time)
Plot = 3
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5

[John Reimers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as good as the first wondrous tale

Like the first in the series, this imaginative tale kept me glued to the page. I'm losing sleep but it is worth it!

[Wampuscat · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I need to point out that I was given an advanced reader copy of this novel for free in exchange for an honest review. But, my reviews are always honest, so…

Things in Granstville are getting really complicated. They were complicated enough already, but now…

Thomas Khatt, Freelance Familiiar, and his pal Rudy, the Pyrotechnic Squirrel, are on a quest to earn enough magic coin (tass) to help their friend O’Meara recover from her injuries suffered on the first novel in the series. Thomas allies himself with the Technomagi ‘friend’ he’s made in order to achieve his goal quickly, but is pulled into the war of Houses and Cabals that form the politics of the world behind the Veil. Thomas soon finds that his own moral compass is still out of alignment with the Magi, both friend and foe, who soon engage in a turf war that threatens the lives of all the residents of Grantsville.

This sequel is an action packed romp from start to finish. From fire elemental powered hot air balloons, to squirrel piloted robots, to a love affair between a mountain lion and a were-wolf turned were-cow, to… well just read the book. If you have not read the first book in the series, I highly recommend that you go read it first, though. And you should read it because it is amazing! The world of magic is very complicated, and you learn much of this in the first novel. You will need that information coming in to this book, because it gets even MORE complicated here.

You learn more about various forms that the magic can take and how the various planes of magic are used, and how they affect the environment around them. You learn of the major Houses and the intrigue and politics they employ. You find out some new MAJOR secrets. In fact, that was probably the one ‘issue’ I had with the novel because it set so much stuff on its head. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you what it is without spoiling, so you’ll have to read for yourself. Despite that fact, you also learn tiny snippets of various ideas that will make you want to read the next one just to see more.

I give this book 4 stars, and call it a Fantastic Read!

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and unique story. This is unlike anything I've ever read. I didn't get a chance to read the first one but I could pick up some of what happened from this and it didn't really affect the story for me.
I enjoyed reading the characters. They each had their own unique and witty personality. The characters were also a little different from what I'm used to but it was a fun read.
I enjoyed the journey and am interested to discover more. I will admit some of the technical aspects of the world were a little hard to follow but overall fun, different, and an entertaining read.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review

[Ed Helms · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

Enjoyed reading marking territory. Read in two days. Waiting for book 3 to come out thanks for an enjoyable read

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me preface by saying I enjoyed this continued adventure of Thomas in this world of magi and magic. I do believe the story needed more editing before publication, but I do appreciate the fantastic world that is being constructed.

The typos in this volume were even more prevalent than in the last one, I felt. They happened throughout, from the beginning to the end, and began to be quite distracting to me. Not so much misspelled words, but words left out of a sentence and repeat words in the same sentence. The story should definitely have been run by a few more line editors once reaching final draft status.

For the new characters added to this volume, I did really enjoy the Blackwings, and the new technomagis. But I felt it was a lot of new characters to fling at us. I had trouble keeping some of them straight, especially all the different Blackwings and their different familiars. I feel like the author would improve the writing if he added more description to the characters when they talk. He often described the new character when they were first introduced, but then never again.

For example, one of the familiars is Tack, a german shepherd. He appears throughout the story but is pretty much only described when he is introduced. Throughout the rest of the story, the author just says "Tack followed" or "Tack said, etc." If you throw in an occasional "The german shepherd followed his mistress" or "The german shepherd spoke," instead of just using the character's name, would help us remember how the characters look as the story goes.

That being said, it was an interesting story and I appreciated more development of the world. I liked that the villains of the story weren't completely evil but just valued other things over human life. It made them a bit more than one dimensional villains.

With the way this volume ended, with so much destruction and mayhem, I'm very curious about how the next volume will start and where the characters will go.

[Kayla (krakentoagoodbook) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This continues to be a fun premise for a series. We get alternate dimensions creating problems in this book! I really enjoyed seeing how these dimensions end up changing those who get caught up in them. The technomagi were awesome, and I liked this sort of magic associated with them. We learn more about bonds and magic, so that was great. I also enjoyed seeing Thomas explore the possibilities of being a freelance familiar.

I felt a bit more confused in this one than the first book. I think I maybe just missed the explanation of tass/groats, but I'm still not entirely sure how all of this works. Generally, I did struggle a little to keep everyone straight. I did feel like characters had abrupt personality shifts again here, so I was a bit confused as to why people suddenly acted in certain ways.

I received a copy of this for review from the author - thank you! All opinions are my own.

[Aleksandar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thomas the newly-minted cougar is freelancing as a Familiar to get enough resources for the treatment of O'Meara, who is still toast from their previous adventure. He teems up with old friends, as the poor city that houses the broken dragon torture chamber from book one starts suffering strange transitions to other worlds. Much like the Upside Down on steroids, but with a silver lining - much resource called tass can be gathered in such transitions. But another House of wizards wants it - leading to much trouble, a duel...Really after that point i was somewhat lost, as the system of magic keeps getting more complicated and now Familiars can do magic too, but they haven't been told that (on purpose). Hopefully the next book clarifies things on that front; in the meanwhile, Rudy the piro-squirrel is back and that alone is enough of a reason to read the book.

[Smalltowncat · Rating 4 out of 5]

You never know how a sequel will turn out, but don't miss this one. Thomas ends up creating monsters, trying to help O'Mara recover. In this story he learns more about the lack of concern the magi have for mundanes. He also must reconcile his moral issues with decisions that he makes. Friends become foes, enemies become allies and Grantsville is forever changed. Rudy is as feisty as ever and Thomas discovers a little more about his friend's past. The only jarring note was when Thomas met his other self; the one with whom he exchanged bodies. The meeting was not the first for them, but nothing was mentioned in the first book about a body switch or any meeting of the two characters. It just didn't flow smoothly like the rest of the story. That said, it's a great adventure and I'm starting the third book.

[Francesco Tehrani · Rating 5 out of 5]

This will turn out to be another series that I will fall in love with! Like the first story, this one had even bigger stakes and consequences! That had always been what I looked for in stories; truth and consequences. This story, among many others, had plenty. Once again, I love the characters and find them real and relatable to me. The plot had me on edge and was nowhere close to being predictable. I would go as far as to say there was a twist or two! Daniel Potter has fully cemented himself as my all-time favorite author!

[Bolajide Adeyoye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply Magical

I like this series it has this vibe to it that is hard to hate. It's fun and infectious and the mood always feels just a little epic in scale for all that the plots are small involving only a few individuals and characters, versus stories that involve entire nations. The plot flows in a way that's pleasant and the dynamics between the characters is simply lovely to watch. This is one very entertaining read.

[Larry Don Block · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mountain lion returns to setting the magic world on its ear.

Thomas and the squirrel shaped Rudy have their paws full of power hungry magi. Friends become enemies in their desire to set up their own house of magic and enemies become convenient comrades. Into this maelstrom Thomas, Rudy and Noise do their best to survive and provide some protection for the mundane humans caught in the middle of the ambitious magi's conflict.

[Andrea Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent follow-up!

This adventure just keeps growing! I love the characters, especially Thomas and Rudy. There's so much action in this book that I can't really pick a favorite moment. If you've read "Off Leash," I highly recommend that you dive right into this book. You can read "Marking Territory" without having read "Off Leash," but it'll make a lot more sense if you read them in order.

[Frank Bertino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Read

Thomas is trying to find a magical cure for O'Mera's crippling condition. He will do anything to accomplish his goal, or will he? He discovers conflicting goals and moral restraints. Allegiances change as he finds out that power corrupts and some supposed friends don't share his moral compass. I like the action, humor, and wierd romance. I look forward to the next book.

[Natty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even better than the first novel. The writing has improved and tightened up so that the story flows naturally. The characters continue to be charming, they're flawed and funny and not stereotypical. Good action, good storyline, just good.

[Marilyn Geary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Further adventures of kitty

Ok, I'm hooked on this series. I got the first book as a freebie, have been buying the rest. I don't read much Fantasy, but this bizarre take on the magical world has it all. It's a good summer read.

[Maureen Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun read

Has a good pace, actually some twists, and overall redemption. I enjoyed it. Also, Tom Khatt has an excellent sense of snark. I'll be buying the next.
(and the audible is good, too!)

[Debra Dill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Thomas

Like all cats Thomas seems to land on his feet, regardless of how much trouble he gets into. He finds his share in this book and learns a few new tricks in the process

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This bloated novel features a ridiculous plot and only a few instances of character interaction that I enjoyed. Even skimming, I found numerous typos that should have been caught.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Editing issues continued in this book, but so did the fun, so I can't be mad. Enjoyable read :)

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read

[Anne Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as High Steaks

[D · Rating 2 out of 5]

Liked the first book.

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and exciting read!

[Altivo Overo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having immensely enjoyed the first book in the series, Off Leash, I was eager to read the continuation, and this tale (tail?) did not disappoint. I nabbed it just a day after it was released, and must point out that the Kindle e-book contained many typos and omissions that were a bit distracting. It was still readable, though, and a group of eager volunteers has apparently helped the author to track down these errors for correction. One hopes a revised e-book will be released eventually.

In any case, even as it stands, this is great fun and a very well-designed plot. I would recommend reading the first book in the series before tackling this one, however. Protagonist Thomas Khatt was involuntarily transformed into a cougar (puma, mountain lion depending on where you live) and is still dealing with the disorientation and inconveniences associated with that. In particular, he misses having opposable thumbs. Other gifts, such as the ability to see magic in operation and communicate telepathically with other magically gifted individuals, help to compensate.

In this novel, Thomas must find the right side in a battle of magi that threatens the very existence and all the mundane citizenry of his home town of Grantsville. It's a difficult problem to resolve and involves a lot of risk for him and for his various magical friends and patrons, not to mention his werewolf girlfriend Noise and fellow independent talking animal, Rudy the pyrotechnically obsessed squirrel.

You'll have to read the book to get the rest of the details, but I promise it is worth the trouble.