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White Dragon Black #2
Bindings & Spines
A slave is a slave, whether living or undead, so Jonathan Alvey bristles when an unknown novice necromancer turns up in New Hades. Despite their obvious talent, Alvey is forced to clean up the messes the rogue leaves behind. He must find the culprit and put an end to their attempts, before they succeed and put an end to Jonathan himself.
But Alvey has problems enough of his own. As he battles his addiction to magic, and the withdrawals that may very well kill him, malignant gnomes infest his building and are out for his blood. A simple divorce case turns into a murder investigation. Why would the victim, a meticulous practitioner, create a spell book pocked with inaccuracies? Why would an unknown assailant do anything to get it? Alvey must solve the mystery, and keep himself and his client alive until he can.
But Alvey has problems enough of his own. As he battles his addiction to magic, and the withdrawals that may very well kill him, malignant gnomes infest his building and are out for his blood. A simple divorce case turns into a murder investigation. Why would the victim, a meticulous practitioner, create a spell book pocked with inaccuracies? Why would an unknown assailant do anything to get it? Alvey must solve the mystery, and keep himself and his client alive until he can.
482 pages, Paperback
Published December 1, 2016
About the author
R.M. Ridley
7 books25 followersR. M. Ridley lives in Ontario, Canada and, from his front porch, can see the middle of nowhere. His yard is filled with fowl and, despite having a green thumb, not much else.
Married to a woman patient enough to listen about plot ideas over morning coffee, he is truly blessed. He carries a flashlight with him to the bathroom as to not trip over when his St. Bernard who always sleeps in the most inconvenient places, and to avoid the four cats who fling themselves between his legs, for the shear joy of watching him fail his arms wildly against gravity.
Currently, R. M. Ridley is working on writing the sixth novel in the White Dragon Black world, and has a few short stories in various states of completion making him feel guilty that they are unfinished.
When not writing a fictional world, Ridley lives in one, by being a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism – a historical recreation group. His hobby with-in this hobby, is spending time building calluses on his fingers, in the hopes of producing pretty things for people to wear. Never satisfied with really knowing how to do one thing, when he can know a little of everything, he flings himself into new challenges constantly. He has never quite mastered the following skills; blacksmithing, bone carving, jewelry making, and lapidary work – and is still looking for more things he can dabble in.
The SCA also helps allow Ridley try to keep a physical a shape that isn’t pear. He accomplishes this by spending a number of hours every week, widely flailing a rapier about, picturing himself as D’Artagnan while appearing more as a ten year old with a stick. But the sound of steel clashing on steel gets his blood pumping and, with a sword in one hand, and a dagger in the other, there is always a wide grin on his face.
To those who call Ridley an escapist from reality – he has only one response, ‘From what?’ Reality isn’t always kind to Ridley, as he suffers from severe bipolar disorder – that is thankfully well controlled due to proper medication. R. M. Ridley believes wholeheartedly in being open about his mental health issues because myths should be kept to stories.
Married to a woman patient enough to listen about plot ideas over morning coffee, he is truly blessed. He carries a flashlight with him to the bathroom as to not trip over when his St. Bernard who always sleeps in the most inconvenient places, and to avoid the four cats who fling themselves between his legs, for the shear joy of watching him fail his arms wildly against gravity.
Currently, R. M. Ridley is working on writing the sixth novel in the White Dragon Black world, and has a few short stories in various states of completion making him feel guilty that they are unfinished.
When not writing a fictional world, Ridley lives in one, by being a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism – a historical recreation group. His hobby with-in this hobby, is spending time building calluses on his fingers, in the hopes of producing pretty things for people to wear. Never satisfied with really knowing how to do one thing, when he can know a little of everything, he flings himself into new challenges constantly. He has never quite mastered the following skills; blacksmithing, bone carving, jewelry making, and lapidary work – and is still looking for more things he can dabble in.
The SCA also helps allow Ridley try to keep a physical a shape that isn’t pear. He accomplishes this by spending a number of hours every week, widely flailing a rapier about, picturing himself as D’Artagnan while appearing more as a ten year old with a stick. But the sound of steel clashing on steel gets his blood pumping and, with a sword in one hand, and a dagger in the other, there is always a wide grin on his face.
To those who call Ridley an escapist from reality – he has only one response, ‘From what?’ Reality isn’t always kind to Ridley, as he suffers from severe bipolar disorder – that is thankfully well controlled due to proper medication. R. M. Ridley believes wholeheartedly in being open about his mental health issues because myths should be kept to stories.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 5, 2017
R. M. Ridley resides in Ontario Canada, where he creates his own fictional worlds through the medium of writing. His novel, Bindings and Spines was a thrilling read that kept me hooked throughout. Set in New Hades, New York, we follow Jonathan Alvey, a Private Investigator, and Magic Practitioner as he does his utmost to give up the tools of his craft.
His running antics with the devilish Fae Redcaps provide a slice of humour, which helps to lighten the overall story, as do Jonathan's witty and often sarcastic remarks. I found this to be a fast-paced read and struggled to put the book down. The plot was well thought out, with plenty of delicious surprises and tense moments, which kept me guessing who the villain might be.
I loved the balance between the two sides of magic, or Dragons, as the Author describes it. There is a Yin Yang type of contrast with the White Dragon representing Jonathan's release of magical power, inundating him with positive feelings, and the Black Dragon representing the life energy used in such magical spells. The Black Dragon sucks energy from Jonathan's form and leaves him, as he is often found by others in the story, to look most bedraggled and unseemly.
Jonathan's relationships with the other main characters show a humorous and sometimes serious side to his character. He is not a man to be trifled with, but nor is he a merciless human being.
There is a strong theme of mortality throughout, with death often acting as a catalyst for main events, or some otherworldly secret that we uncover at a later point in the novel.
The author really knows what he's doing. As soon as you think you've solved the mystery, Ridley weaves in another plot twist to take you off track. I would recommend this to all lovers of the paranormal, mystery, and thriller genres. Bindings and Spines is a remarkable read that is well worth your time.
His running antics with the devilish Fae Redcaps provide a slice of humour, which helps to lighten the overall story, as do Jonathan's witty and often sarcastic remarks. I found this to be a fast-paced read and struggled to put the book down. The plot was well thought out, with plenty of delicious surprises and tense moments, which kept me guessing who the villain might be.
I loved the balance between the two sides of magic, or Dragons, as the Author describes it. There is a Yin Yang type of contrast with the White Dragon representing Jonathan's release of magical power, inundating him with positive feelings, and the Black Dragon representing the life energy used in such magical spells. The Black Dragon sucks energy from Jonathan's form and leaves him, as he is often found by others in the story, to look most bedraggled and unseemly.
Jonathan's relationships with the other main characters show a humorous and sometimes serious side to his character. He is not a man to be trifled with, but nor is he a merciless human being.
There is a strong theme of mortality throughout, with death often acting as a catalyst for main events, or some otherworldly secret that we uncover at a later point in the novel.
The author really knows what he's doing. As soon as you think you've solved the mystery, Ridley weaves in another plot twist to take you off track. I would recommend this to all lovers of the paranormal, mystery, and thriller genres. Bindings and Spines is a remarkable read that is well worth your time.
January 20, 2017
I received the e-ARC of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review.
Since reading the first volume of this Urban Fantasy series, Tomorrow Wendell, and the short stories collection set in the same world, Blondes, Books and Bourbon, I’ve wanted to know more about the main character’s journey, so that when the author offered me the opportunity of reading the ARC for this second book, I was more than delighted to accept.
The main character of this series, Jonathan Alvey, is a private investigator and a practitioner, i.e. a magic wielder. In the course of his chosen work he therefore deals more frequently with the occult than with run-of-the-mill cases of stolen objects or unfaithful spouses, although even some of the more mundane assignments he handles sometimes turn out to be anything but.
There is something that distinguishes Alvey from the other PIs in any Urban Fantasy context: the use of magic not only saps energy from the wielders, but also makes them addicts and ultimately kills them. So Alvey, like his brethren, must be very careful in channeling the powers at his disposal a.k.a. the White Dragon, to avoid falling prey to the deadly demands of its counterpart, the Dragon Black. These two opposing forces are represented by the well-known yin-yang symbol, the one that marks every practitioner.
As Binding & Spines opens, Jonathan Alvey does not find himself in a very good place: his long-time friend Mary, worried for his health, has convinced (or rather, strong-armed) him into refraining from the use of magic, and he’s now deep into the throes of withdrawal. Just like it happens to any substance abuser, his body is reacting violently to abstinence, with devastating physical and psychological side effects that all but make him unable to function normally. The only means Alvey has to stave off the worst of the symptoms are the ones he uses to keep the need to use magic at bay: chain-smoking and heavy drinking, whose long-term consequences are just as bad as those of magic itself. Just imagine someone who indulges in terrible (and even disgusting…) habits like preparing instant coffee with bourbon in place of water, or eats his cereals with beer in place of milk – this man really knows how to punish himself…
If use of magic is bound to have deadly consequences on his body, it’s also true that the alcohol and nicotine abuse he employs as a countermeasure are just as lethal: while I at first thought that the costs of wielding magic were a nice counterbalance to the character’s abilities, here I felt there was an unavoidable downward spiral to his journey that was really painful to witness, especially when coupled with the pervasive feelings of hopelessness and resignation that seemed to have ensconced themselves deeply in Alvey’s behavior. I previously remarked on the character’s apparent self-destructive attitude, but while before it felt more like the cynical attitude typical of his chosen profession, here it looked like he’d given up and didn’t care what happened to him either way.
Luckily, two new cases come knocking on Alvey’s door, with the promise of a fleeting distraction from his troubles: a man hires him to confirm his suspicions on his wife’s infidelity, and a series of botched resurrections of the dead points to a new necromancer in town, one who could create a great deal of trouble. Hampered by the impossibility to use his powers, the detective struggles in search of clues while battling with the treacherous reactions of his magic-starved body, while the two seemingly unrelated cases start showing some possible points of contact, especially when a much sought-after grimoire makes its appearance on the scene.
As the investigation progresses (and as a reader it was fun to “connect the dots” together with Alvey) a little more light is shed on the life of practitioners, the spells they use and the outlandish materials needed to complete the task, adding more substance and detail to the city of New Hades where the action unfolds: as a fictional location, New Hades is an interesting mix of modern and weird, where everyday activities like restaurants or libraries coexist with places such as the Blacklight, an area where I would not feel safe even in an armored tank. The overall mood of these stories always makes me imagine these locations in sepia tones, never in color: New Hades seems to live in perpetual twilight, even in the middle of the day – or at least this is how I keep perceiving it while immersed in the story.
There is no lack of humor in these pages, however: it’s of the subdued kind, so as not to contrast with the overall dark mood, but for this very reason it’s even more effective. We go from small touches as the street names, like Marlowe Avenue or Lorre Way, that give an amused nod to the two genres this series takes inspiration from, to the Redcaps infestation plaguing Alvey’s office building. Redcaps are small, vicious creatures that remind me of the garden trolls you sometimes find on unfortunate lawns, and the dichotomy between the small size of the creatures and the very nasty danger they represent – not to mention the creative ways employed by the detective to keep them at arm’s length – is the very reason Alvey’s encounters with them offer the necessary relief from the darker aspects of the story.
While this new case is successfully brought to a close, it’s clear from a few details that further and darker clouds loom on the character’s horizon, especially after the warning from a dead man who tells Alvey that "beyond even the darkness through which I traveled to return, somethings howls your name". He will need all his wits, and all his staunch friends, to face those dangers and survive another day.
I, for one, will welcome more stories from New Hades and this very peculiar detective.
Originally posted at SPACE and SORCERY BLOG
Since reading the first volume of this Urban Fantasy series, Tomorrow Wendell, and the short stories collection set in the same world, Blondes, Books and Bourbon, I’ve wanted to know more about the main character’s journey, so that when the author offered me the opportunity of reading the ARC for this second book, I was more than delighted to accept.
The main character of this series, Jonathan Alvey, is a private investigator and a practitioner, i.e. a magic wielder. In the course of his chosen work he therefore deals more frequently with the occult than with run-of-the-mill cases of stolen objects or unfaithful spouses, although even some of the more mundane assignments he handles sometimes turn out to be anything but.
There is something that distinguishes Alvey from the other PIs in any Urban Fantasy context: the use of magic not only saps energy from the wielders, but also makes them addicts and ultimately kills them. So Alvey, like his brethren, must be very careful in channeling the powers at his disposal a.k.a. the White Dragon, to avoid falling prey to the deadly demands of its counterpart, the Dragon Black. These two opposing forces are represented by the well-known yin-yang symbol, the one that marks every practitioner.
As Binding & Spines opens, Jonathan Alvey does not find himself in a very good place: his long-time friend Mary, worried for his health, has convinced (or rather, strong-armed) him into refraining from the use of magic, and he’s now deep into the throes of withdrawal. Just like it happens to any substance abuser, his body is reacting violently to abstinence, with devastating physical and psychological side effects that all but make him unable to function normally. The only means Alvey has to stave off the worst of the symptoms are the ones he uses to keep the need to use magic at bay: chain-smoking and heavy drinking, whose long-term consequences are just as bad as those of magic itself. Just imagine someone who indulges in terrible (and even disgusting…) habits like preparing instant coffee with bourbon in place of water, or eats his cereals with beer in place of milk – this man really knows how to punish himself…
If use of magic is bound to have deadly consequences on his body, it’s also true that the alcohol and nicotine abuse he employs as a countermeasure are just as lethal: while I at first thought that the costs of wielding magic were a nice counterbalance to the character’s abilities, here I felt there was an unavoidable downward spiral to his journey that was really painful to witness, especially when coupled with the pervasive feelings of hopelessness and resignation that seemed to have ensconced themselves deeply in Alvey’s behavior. I previously remarked on the character’s apparent self-destructive attitude, but while before it felt more like the cynical attitude typical of his chosen profession, here it looked like he’d given up and didn’t care what happened to him either way.
Luckily, two new cases come knocking on Alvey’s door, with the promise of a fleeting distraction from his troubles: a man hires him to confirm his suspicions on his wife’s infidelity, and a series of botched resurrections of the dead points to a new necromancer in town, one who could create a great deal of trouble. Hampered by the impossibility to use his powers, the detective struggles in search of clues while battling with the treacherous reactions of his magic-starved body, while the two seemingly unrelated cases start showing some possible points of contact, especially when a much sought-after grimoire makes its appearance on the scene.
As the investigation progresses (and as a reader it was fun to “connect the dots” together with Alvey) a little more light is shed on the life of practitioners, the spells they use and the outlandish materials needed to complete the task, adding more substance and detail to the city of New Hades where the action unfolds: as a fictional location, New Hades is an interesting mix of modern and weird, where everyday activities like restaurants or libraries coexist with places such as the Blacklight, an area where I would not feel safe even in an armored tank. The overall mood of these stories always makes me imagine these locations in sepia tones, never in color: New Hades seems to live in perpetual twilight, even in the middle of the day – or at least this is how I keep perceiving it while immersed in the story.
There is no lack of humor in these pages, however: it’s of the subdued kind, so as not to contrast with the overall dark mood, but for this very reason it’s even more effective. We go from small touches as the street names, like Marlowe Avenue or Lorre Way, that give an amused nod to the two genres this series takes inspiration from, to the Redcaps infestation plaguing Alvey’s office building. Redcaps are small, vicious creatures that remind me of the garden trolls you sometimes find on unfortunate lawns, and the dichotomy between the small size of the creatures and the very nasty danger they represent – not to mention the creative ways employed by the detective to keep them at arm’s length – is the very reason Alvey’s encounters with them offer the necessary relief from the darker aspects of the story.
While this new case is successfully brought to a close, it’s clear from a few details that further and darker clouds loom on the character’s horizon, especially after the warning from a dead man who tells Alvey that "beyond even the darkness through which I traveled to return, somethings howls your name". He will need all his wits, and all his staunch friends, to face those dangers and survive another day.
I, for one, will welcome more stories from New Hades and this very peculiar detective.
Originally posted at SPACE and SORCERY BLOG
May 16, 2017
Many thanks to the author, who provided a free copy of this work in exchange for an honest review. Hopefully he can forgive my lateness, as I am massively behind on reviews.
When I first heard of this novel, I was immediately intrigued, and my mind drew a straight connecting line between Jonathan Alvey and Constantine, of comic book fame. (What? You don’t know who Constantine is? **side eye**)
Alvey is a magic practitioner, and one who is having the worst case of withdrawal ever. In this word magic is similar to a drug, in that it is addicting as well as helpful and powerful. When one commits to riding the dragon, you can never really get back off again. Alvey makes a valiant effort, and the descriptions of his pain are just pitiful. Seriously, I wanted to offer the guy a hit of something just to take the edge off.
But life rolls on, and Alvey finds 2 cases dropped in his lap. What starts out as a simple catch-a-cheater case turns into a rabbit hole of lies and deceit. A woman is being stalked and threatened for her father’s handwritten grimoire, which someone is desperate to possess. Alvey studies the grimoire, and finds it full of tiny mistakes in the spells. Such carelessness would be completely out of character for him, by his daughter’s description. Could it be a code? And who would possibly want it this badly?
Also, some lunatic is raising the dead around the city without the proper training, which is resulting in some very nasty consequences. Bloodthirsty, flesh eating consequences. Alvey soon finds himself up to his ears in the one thing he was trying to avoid - magic. Rogue necromancers are dangerous by nature and bad business for other practitioners in general. With each resurrection the perp is getting more skilled, and it’s just a matter of time before Alvey will have a full grown problem on his hands.
And if all this was not enough, a group of Redcaps (small goblins with a very nasty attitude) have invaded his office building and have declared war on him. Good times.
This was a great entry into the “hard boiled” detective genre that had a side of magic that added just the right spice. The lack of a central romance didn’t detract from the story a bit. It was strong enough to stand on its own. This is just my first foray into Alvey’s world, and I am looking forward to a second visit.
When I first heard of this novel, I was immediately intrigued, and my mind drew a straight connecting line between Jonathan Alvey and Constantine, of comic book fame. (What? You don’t know who Constantine is? **side eye**)
Alvey is a magic practitioner, and one who is having the worst case of withdrawal ever. In this word magic is similar to a drug, in that it is addicting as well as helpful and powerful. When one commits to riding the dragon, you can never really get back off again. Alvey makes a valiant effort, and the descriptions of his pain are just pitiful. Seriously, I wanted to offer the guy a hit of something just to take the edge off.
But life rolls on, and Alvey finds 2 cases dropped in his lap. What starts out as a simple catch-a-cheater case turns into a rabbit hole of lies and deceit. A woman is being stalked and threatened for her father’s handwritten grimoire, which someone is desperate to possess. Alvey studies the grimoire, and finds it full of tiny mistakes in the spells. Such carelessness would be completely out of character for him, by his daughter’s description. Could it be a code? And who would possibly want it this badly?
Also, some lunatic is raising the dead around the city without the proper training, which is resulting in some very nasty consequences. Bloodthirsty, flesh eating consequences. Alvey soon finds himself up to his ears in the one thing he was trying to avoid - magic. Rogue necromancers are dangerous by nature and bad business for other practitioners in general. With each resurrection the perp is getting more skilled, and it’s just a matter of time before Alvey will have a full grown problem on his hands.
And if all this was not enough, a group of Redcaps (small goblins with a very nasty attitude) have invaded his office building and have declared war on him. Good times.
This was a great entry into the “hard boiled” detective genre that had a side of magic that added just the right spice. The lack of a central romance didn’t detract from the story a bit. It was strong enough to stand on its own. This is just my first foray into Alvey’s world, and I am looking forward to a second visit.
April 19, 2017
Before I start, I just wanted to say that I've read this book twice with only a couple of weeks apart, that's how much I love and enjoyed this book :D I've read Ridley's first book and I loved it, so when the author came to me and asked for an honest review, I knew that I would love this book as well.
The story takes place in New Hades, which is very similar to New York. It's a very modern, dark place. Ridley shows us a place where normal people live and do normal things and near them, there are places and people you will not want to go near, ever. The entire vibe of this place is dark and scary but with it, so normal.
The main character, Jonathan who is a private investigator. I love how Jonathan carries himself through his job and all things magical. He is my favorite character, so tortured and real, he is a perfectly made character. From the start, Jonathan finds himself in a very rough situation of quitting magic all at once and he is not going through this easily at all and just then, life came knocking on his door with a case to solve.
I loved how the author showed the yin yang dragon balance as the author showed so well. Jonathan vs. Magic, just perfect. Jonathan gets to see through others in the story and throughout his own addiction, just how corrupted the magic is and what it does to the body.
Ridley did a great job keeping me glued to the story, and every time I thought I solved the mystery, it turned up to be far from it.
I love the author's writing style and the overall theme of this book.
Ridley's dark humor and has a good eye for details, this is also a book full of emotions, dark thoughts and tons of dark humor.
If you love suspense and paranormal, you'll love this book a lot. This was a fast read book, full of plot twists and wonderful story telling and... The cover is gorgeous ;)
As always, thank you so much for reading <3
Galit
More on my blog at Coffe n' Notes
The story takes place in New Hades, which is very similar to New York. It's a very modern, dark place. Ridley shows us a place where normal people live and do normal things and near them, there are places and people you will not want to go near, ever. The entire vibe of this place is dark and scary but with it, so normal.
The main character, Jonathan who is a private investigator. I love how Jonathan carries himself through his job and all things magical. He is my favorite character, so tortured and real, he is a perfectly made character. From the start, Jonathan finds himself in a very rough situation of quitting magic all at once and he is not going through this easily at all and just then, life came knocking on his door with a case to solve.
I loved how the author showed the yin yang dragon balance as the author showed so well. Jonathan vs. Magic, just perfect. Jonathan gets to see through others in the story and throughout his own addiction, just how corrupted the magic is and what it does to the body.
Ridley did a great job keeping me glued to the story, and every time I thought I solved the mystery, it turned up to be far from it.
I love the author's writing style and the overall theme of this book.
Ridley's dark humor and has a good eye for details, this is also a book full of emotions, dark thoughts and tons of dark humor.
If you love suspense and paranormal, you'll love this book a lot. This was a fast read book, full of plot twists and wonderful story telling and... The cover is gorgeous ;)
As always, thank you so much for reading <3
Galit
More on my blog at Coffe n' Notes
December 17, 2016
what can I say? I love Alvey! yet another great Novel by Sir Ridley!
August 11, 2017
Magic must come at a cost. Otherwise, everyone would be doing it and then it would need another name. R. M. Ridley’s P.I./Magic Practioner Jonathan Alvey is paying that cost in a way that feels familiar to each of us in some way: addiction. In Bindings and Spings, Jonathan is undergoing a withdrawal from magic use that Ridley describes with masterful, hard-boiled similes which illicit more humor than sympathy for poor Alvey, who somehow works through the pain enough to land and work a case which, as you might imagine, turns out to be more than it seems.
It’s hard to describe how good a story this is without spoiling it. I’ll just say that I thought I was done with urban fantasy after finishing Harry Potter. I thought I’d seen enough mystery shows to spot things a mile away. Somehow, Ridley has combined the two so seamlessly, that both genres are made once more interesting. The characters are memorable without being caricatures. The magic and the powers behind it are interesting, while the cost involved makes me want to avoid magic as I would a syringe of heroin.
I have not read the other Jonathan Alvey novel Tomorrow Wendell. I got an advanced reader copy of Bindings from my publisher and asked her for Tomorrow before I had finished. I’m living proof that the second book is completely enjoyable by itself.
It’s hard to describe how good a story this is without spoiling it. I’ll just say that I thought I was done with urban fantasy after finishing Harry Potter. I thought I’d seen enough mystery shows to spot things a mile away. Somehow, Ridley has combined the two so seamlessly, that both genres are made once more interesting. The characters are memorable without being caricatures. The magic and the powers behind it are interesting, while the cost involved makes me want to avoid magic as I would a syringe of heroin.
I have not read the other Jonathan Alvey novel Tomorrow Wendell. I got an advanced reader copy of Bindings from my publisher and asked her for Tomorrow before I had finished. I’m living proof that the second book is completely enjoyable by itself.
Read
December 2, 2016As editor and publisher of this book, I will refrain from giving it a star rating in order to keep it as unbiased as possible. However, readers who enjoy suspenseful paranormal fare with plenty of heart and lots of mystery will find a great deal to like about this book. Jonathan Alvey is one of my favorite characters of all those beneath the Xchyler Publishing umbrella, flawed as he is. In Bindings and Spines, Mr. Ridley has again lifts him off the page and into the bleak reality of cold and damp New Hades, to score one for the bourbon-saturated, nicotine-stained good guys.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews