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Into the Fire
Samantha Kane is struggling with this thing called ‘her life’, and how it can be completely turned upside down in the span of one week. Her partner and mentor is hospitalized, followed quickly by her father, who slips into a coma, her teenage brother decides now is the perfect time to rebel, and her mom lays the guilt on thick as molasses every chance she gets. Work isn’t much better. Recently promoted to detective, her job is suddenly in jeopardy, and the cops she’s worked with for years, no longer respect her or want her around. Not to mention the fact that Ghosts, Vampires, and Werewolves are real, and apparently want her dead.
Why?
According to a crazy man who showed up out of nowhere, Sam was never meant to be a cop. She’s supposed to be a Wizard.
Why?
According to a crazy man who showed up out of nowhere, Sam was never meant to be a cop. She’s supposed to be a Wizard.
- GenresUrban Fantasy
351 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 29, 2017
About the author
Patrick Hester
11 books102 followersPatrick Hester is an author, blogger and two-time Hugo Award Winner. He lives in Colorado, writes science fiction and fantasy, and can usually be found hanging out on his Twitter feed - @atfmb. His novel, SAMANTHA KANE: INTO THE FIRE is available at all major retailers. His short fiction can be found in the anthologies Space Battles: Full-Throttle Space Tales #6 and An Uncommon Collection, as well as the eBooks Conversations with my Cat, Witchcraft & Satyrs, Consumption, Cahill's Homecoming and Cahill's Unfinished Business. His Functional Nerds and SF Signal weekly podcasts have both been nominated for multiple Parsec and Hugo Awards.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 19, 2017
I came to know of Patrick Hester a couple of years ago, when he and John Anealio, who together give the world The Functional Nerds podcast, were Media Guests of Honor at Capricon 35. He is a two time Hugo Award winner for his work on the SFSignal Podcast and SFSignal.com. He's written several pieces of self-published sf and fantasy, and INTO THE FIRE, SAMANTHA KANE #1 is his first published novel.
Samantha Kane (we'll call her Sam - that's what she would want us to do) is a cop. To be specific, a detective in what we presume is the Denver police department. As the book opens, Sam is in trouble with her captain. It seems she had rushed in to a place she shouldn't have gone following a lead she shouldn't have followed because she and her partner Jorge had been reassigned. Now Jorge is in the hospital hanging on for dear life and Sam is getting read the riot act by her captain when a fellow by the name of Jack Mayfair walks in and announces that Sam has been reassigned - to him. There is the usual amount of discussion, hemming and hawing, but in the end, Sam goes
with Jack. And that's just the beginning of Sam's work life issues.
And then there's her family. Sam's father, a retired cop, is in the hospital in a coma. Her younger teenage brother is acting like, well, a teenager. And mom isn't too happy about any of this, and she's certainly not happy with Sam, who she feels has been shirking her familial duties.
Indeed, Sam's life is a bit of a mess - and then she finds out she may be a cop, but she's really a Wizard (as is her new boss, Jack Mayfair). And that Vampires, Werewolves, Golems, Elves, and all sorts of other creatures exist. Worse yet, most of them are not happy that Sam is alive. Finally, because we really need to have a story to support all the weirdness is Sam's life, there are a bunch of big, bad, Evil Dudes out there trying to Take Over, and Sam is heavily involved in the attempt to Stop It From Happening.
I put all that stuff in capital letters because this is, above all, and urban fantasy where the bad guys are trying to take over and our hero - or in this case heroine - is in the middle of the fray trying to stop the world from ending. But I used the caps to emphasize that this is a fun novel and a terrific read on many levels.
While we've seen these kinds of stories before, what sets this apart, I like to think (and again, urban fantasy isn't my thing), is the breadth and depth of characterization. Hester gives the reader a great deal of background about Sam, about Sam's family, how the family affects her actions, and how the family has been involved in this since Sam was a small child. We see Sam's best friend Jenni getting involved because she's a nerd and loves this type of stuff, and above all, she loves Sam as a friend. It's clear that Sam loves Jenni just as much, and cares for her to the point that she doesn't want Jenni involved. We also learn about Sam's most recent ex, and how he has, and still is, affecting her life.
Sam's discovery that she is really a Wizard is a turning point in her life, and Hester guides her through the transformation from someone how doesn't want to be a Wizard to someone who accepts her role and eventually relishes it with gusto. Hester wants the reader to root for her, but also wants the reader to know that this is really a tough thing that Sam is trying to do - and on the way shows us the parallels between Sam and our own real lives when we have to make transformations that we are neither ready, willing, nor necessarily able to make, but we're sure going to try.
It's been said that an author should write about what one knows. Hester lives in Colorado, and liberally sprinkles pop culture and Colorado references into the story (as I've visited the other half of the Duel Fish Codices who lives in Colorado numerous times and am thus somewhat familiar with the area, it was fun to recognize a few of the places Hester referred to in the story) in a fashion similar to the way Robert J. Sawyer includes Canadian references in his stories. Yes, I've been up and down I-25 a number of times and recognize a number of places that are referenced in the novel.
It's clear that Hester has done a great deal of world building behind the scenes, and that there is a lot more for the reader to learn. He starts out slowly introducing the complex society of supernatural beings, but as the story goes on we are given more of the background and we realize that it's a lot more complex than we first thought. I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff, so Hester succeeded in drawing me in, wanting to know what's happening next and what more there is in the Wizarding World (yeah, I went there, and I'm not sorry about it either).
All in all, INTO THE FIRE is a good first novel and a very fun read. If you like urban fantasy, I believe you'll enjoy this one. I know I did. I'm looking forward to the second book (as I understand it, the book is being written but has not yet been purchased by Word Fire Press). I recommend you all run out to your favorite purveyor of books, pick it up, and give it a read.
Samantha Kane (we'll call her Sam - that's what she would want us to do) is a cop. To be specific, a detective in what we presume is the Denver police department. As the book opens, Sam is in trouble with her captain. It seems she had rushed in to a place she shouldn't have gone following a lead she shouldn't have followed because she and her partner Jorge had been reassigned. Now Jorge is in the hospital hanging on for dear life and Sam is getting read the riot act by her captain when a fellow by the name of Jack Mayfair walks in and announces that Sam has been reassigned - to him. There is the usual amount of discussion, hemming and hawing, but in the end, Sam goes
with Jack. And that's just the beginning of Sam's work life issues.
And then there's her family. Sam's father, a retired cop, is in the hospital in a coma. Her younger teenage brother is acting like, well, a teenager. And mom isn't too happy about any of this, and she's certainly not happy with Sam, who she feels has been shirking her familial duties.
Indeed, Sam's life is a bit of a mess - and then she finds out she may be a cop, but she's really a Wizard (as is her new boss, Jack Mayfair). And that Vampires, Werewolves, Golems, Elves, and all sorts of other creatures exist. Worse yet, most of them are not happy that Sam is alive. Finally, because we really need to have a story to support all the weirdness is Sam's life, there are a bunch of big, bad, Evil Dudes out there trying to Take Over, and Sam is heavily involved in the attempt to Stop It From Happening.
I put all that stuff in capital letters because this is, above all, and urban fantasy where the bad guys are trying to take over and our hero - or in this case heroine - is in the middle of the fray trying to stop the world from ending. But I used the caps to emphasize that this is a fun novel and a terrific read on many levels.
While we've seen these kinds of stories before, what sets this apart, I like to think (and again, urban fantasy isn't my thing), is the breadth and depth of characterization. Hester gives the reader a great deal of background about Sam, about Sam's family, how the family affects her actions, and how the family has been involved in this since Sam was a small child. We see Sam's best friend Jenni getting involved because she's a nerd and loves this type of stuff, and above all, she loves Sam as a friend. It's clear that Sam loves Jenni just as much, and cares for her to the point that she doesn't want Jenni involved. We also learn about Sam's most recent ex, and how he has, and still is, affecting her life.
Sam's discovery that she is really a Wizard is a turning point in her life, and Hester guides her through the transformation from someone how doesn't want to be a Wizard to someone who accepts her role and eventually relishes it with gusto. Hester wants the reader to root for her, but also wants the reader to know that this is really a tough thing that Sam is trying to do - and on the way shows us the parallels between Sam and our own real lives when we have to make transformations that we are neither ready, willing, nor necessarily able to make, but we're sure going to try.
It's been said that an author should write about what one knows. Hester lives in Colorado, and liberally sprinkles pop culture and Colorado references into the story (as I've visited the other half of the Duel Fish Codices who lives in Colorado numerous times and am thus somewhat familiar with the area, it was fun to recognize a few of the places Hester referred to in the story) in a fashion similar to the way Robert J. Sawyer includes Canadian references in his stories. Yes, I've been up and down I-25 a number of times and recognize a number of places that are referenced in the novel.
It's clear that Hester has done a great deal of world building behind the scenes, and that there is a lot more for the reader to learn. He starts out slowly introducing the complex society of supernatural beings, but as the story goes on we are given more of the background and we realize that it's a lot more complex than we first thought. I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff, so Hester succeeded in drawing me in, wanting to know what's happening next and what more there is in the Wizarding World (yeah, I went there, and I'm not sorry about it either).
All in all, INTO THE FIRE is a good first novel and a very fun read. If you like urban fantasy, I believe you'll enjoy this one. I know I did. I'm looking forward to the second book (as I understand it, the book is being written but has not yet been purchased by Word Fire Press). I recommend you all run out to your favorite purveyor of books, pick it up, and give it a read.
April 10, 2017
As an origin story, Into the Fire is a terrific read. Hester has done a nice job of making Samantha Kane a character the reader can root for and get behind, and a character with whom it is easy to empathize as she discovers not only that there is a hidden world, but that she’s part of it. There are dual mysteries here; what is the nature of Samantha’s magic and who is the serial killer leaving bodies in their wake? Very little time passes before Samantha realizes she might be a wizard that vapires soon show up, in particular a very old and powerful Russian vampire who has a great deal of power in the Denver area, where the novel takes place.
Samantha’s mentor, Jack Mayfair, comes across like a world-worn gumshoe. He’s suitably vague in what information he shares with Samantha, but he clearly cares for her. A name like Mayfair seems perfect for a character in this role, too. Hester leads in enough details about the man and his past that further exploration of this character would be welcome.
here are some clear homages and/or nods to Jim Butcher’s hugely popular Dresden Files (both Patrick and I are big fans of those books), like the mystery/supernatural hybrid and the antagonistic relationship between Wizards and Vampires. There’s enough in Samantha, and the story itself, to set it apart as something its own, which is a more difficult trick to pull off than it might seem.
The only issue I had was that it seemed Mayfair, and a few other characters, were withholding information from Samantha longer than necessary only to lengthen the dramatic tension about her past. The mentor-hero/heroine dynamic is often cast in this light, where the heroine must be “ready” to accept the knowledge, but the trope is often my least favorite element of that dynamic. Fortunately, that withholding doesn’t last too long or become an overbearing weight on the novel.
Into the Fire is an excellent series-starter and an engrossing read altogether.
Full, original review appears at SFFWorld
Samantha’s mentor, Jack Mayfair, comes across like a world-worn gumshoe. He’s suitably vague in what information he shares with Samantha, but he clearly cares for her. A name like Mayfair seems perfect for a character in this role, too. Hester leads in enough details about the man and his past that further exploration of this character would be welcome.
here are some clear homages and/or nods to Jim Butcher’s hugely popular Dresden Files (both Patrick and I are big fans of those books), like the mystery/supernatural hybrid and the antagonistic relationship between Wizards and Vampires. There’s enough in Samantha, and the story itself, to set it apart as something its own, which is a more difficult trick to pull off than it might seem.
The only issue I had was that it seemed Mayfair, and a few other characters, were withholding information from Samantha longer than necessary only to lengthen the dramatic tension about her past. The mentor-hero/heroine dynamic is often cast in this light, where the heroine must be “ready” to accept the knowledge, but the trope is often my least favorite element of that dynamic. Fortunately, that withholding doesn’t last too long or become an overbearing weight on the novel.
Into the Fire is an excellent series-starter and an engrossing read altogether.
Full, original review appears at SFFWorld
May 10, 2017
Samantha Kane is a detective in her mid-thirties who suddenly discovers that she's a wizard. And unlike most wizards, who, at a very young age, learn from other wizards how to use their magic, she's completely clueless. Enter Jack Mayfair, local wizard with a "special department" of DPD who has the chops to teach an out-of-control Samantha how not to blow up the planet.
I went into this story expecting a lot of similarities to Jim Butcher, but like I said, Patrick Hester broke away from a lot of the urban fantasy tropes. The story arc hits a couple of "typical" waypoints for the genre, but rather than sticking with the gritty cop story, this feels more like Charlaine Harris' take on the noir/magic genre. Samantha's voice and personality are unique, and she stands out as a great character, and rather than compare this story to the other UF books I've read, I think this one deserves to be talked about on its own merit. It doesn't NEED the comparison.
One of the great things about this story is it felt like it really takes place IN Denver. More than that, the descriptions, character depth, and fun use of magic made me LONG to jump into a new role playing campaign, both as a player and a GM.
My only "complaint" is that I never got a sense of HOW magic works in this world. As a roleplaying nerd and consumer of fantasy, I often want to see a lot of the rules in a fantasy world's magic system. A "science" with internal logic and consistency. While I'm sure it exists in the author's notes and mind, I didn't see enough of that for my personal taste. With that being said, I strongly recommend this book, and I think the publisher needs to push for a sequel as soon as possible.
I went into this story expecting a lot of similarities to Jim Butcher, but like I said, Patrick Hester broke away from a lot of the urban fantasy tropes. The story arc hits a couple of "typical" waypoints for the genre, but rather than sticking with the gritty cop story, this feels more like Charlaine Harris' take on the noir/magic genre. Samantha's voice and personality are unique, and she stands out as a great character, and rather than compare this story to the other UF books I've read, I think this one deserves to be talked about on its own merit. It doesn't NEED the comparison.
One of the great things about this story is it felt like it really takes place IN Denver. More than that, the descriptions, character depth, and fun use of magic made me LONG to jump into a new role playing campaign, both as a player and a GM.
My only "complaint" is that I never got a sense of HOW magic works in this world. As a roleplaying nerd and consumer of fantasy, I often want to see a lot of the rules in a fantasy world's magic system. A "science" with internal logic and consistency. While I'm sure it exists in the author's notes and mind, I didn't see enough of that for my personal taste. With that being said, I strongly recommend this book, and I think the publisher needs to push for a sequel as soon as possible.
May 11, 2017
This is some good, old-fashioned urban fantasy in the vein of Dresden Files. Even though this book has a female protagonist it is not a Paranormal Romance. I had fun reading this. I won’t lie and say this was an awe-inspiring work of fiction like ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ or the works of William Shakespeare. This book does exactly what it set out to do: be a fun romp with some feels on the side. And the character’s voice is Genuine Sarcastic Urban Fantasy Protagonist™ at it’s finest.
For the rest of my review, feel free to check out my blog.
https://scribbler.john-mendez.com/201...
For the rest of my review, feel free to check out my blog.
https://scribbler.john-mendez.com/201...
May 24, 2017
Detective Samantha Kane just saw a ghost, a werewolf eviscerated her partner, and she burned down a building with magic. But not a bad day…all things considered.
Patrick Hester’s full length debut novel is full of the characteristic humor that you’ve grown to love on his multitude of podcasts and in his written word. An admitted fan of Butcher’s Dresden Files (shall we say Devoted Fan?), Detective Samantha Kane’s world is Hester’s own playground built in mimicry of Butcher’s. For fans of the genre he hits all the right points and has his own style and touches to make it authentic.
I went into the novel immediately enjoying Samantha Kane’s attitude and sarcastic wit, but it grew overbearing at times, distracting from the story; just as the story sometimes wandered. As Sam’s magic surfaces and the shield that kept her hidden from the things that go bump in the night starts to fail, it is made quite apparent that she must learn to control her powers and she must learn fast. Her life and that of all those that she loves hangs in the balance. So when even mentor, Jack Mayfair, seems to forget, finding more interest in tossing back a few bottles of whiskey, one has to wonder at the logic.
Not to mention that when a powerful vampire makes Sam’s acquaintance and attacks Mayfair standing right next to her, you’d think they would be a tad more cautious about sending her home and away from the powerful protections that encase the hodgepodge estate of Banba.
I would have liked more time spent developing some of the side characters, so that the double-cross had more impact. Ronan, the elf, was a fun addition to the crew—handy in a fight—but I have to wonder what he’s been doing for the last hundred years or so that he doesn’t know about burritos? Odd qualms like this offer distraction from an otherwise interesting story, a great reveal and sacrifice from Sam’s father, with the novel ending a whole lot stronger than it starts to meander off to.
Bottom Line: If you’re a Hester Fan, Into the Fire is another enjoyable piece of work and as the series grows and matures I anticipate good things to come. There are a number of unresolved questions that I look forward to uncovering that will (I think) further separate this from the Dresden Files that may have very well inspired Hester’s hand.
For the critical reader, looking for a rock-solid plot, delivery can, at times, be as disorienting as Mayfair’s teleportation ride through the disco-rainbow tunnel that he calls “alternate” transportation.
A solid 3.5 stars, this series has promise for greatness.
(For those of you that have read the book: Can I just say *ouch* about his character nod to Butcher, and to that character’s end? As if a gauntlet was thrown to the ground, I must say. Too oblique? Read Into the Fire and see for yourself.)
© 2017 Clifton Hill - Author of the Fantastical and sometimes reviewer.
CliftonH.com
Patrick Hester’s Website: http://www.atfmb.com
Author Book Page: http://www.atfmb.com/2017/02/06/into-...
For the person looking to support someone other than the Mighty Zon (Amazon), you can buy non DRM locked content for reasonable prices on Baen’s website: http://www.baen.com/into-the-fire.html
Full Disclaimer: I know the author from online interactions and collaborated on the www.ShadowBytes.com webcomic with Hester, but this has not factored into my review or rating.
Patrick Hester’s full length debut novel is full of the characteristic humor that you’ve grown to love on his multitude of podcasts and in his written word. An admitted fan of Butcher’s Dresden Files (shall we say Devoted Fan?), Detective Samantha Kane’s world is Hester’s own playground built in mimicry of Butcher’s. For fans of the genre he hits all the right points and has his own style and touches to make it authentic.
I went into the novel immediately enjoying Samantha Kane’s attitude and sarcastic wit, but it grew overbearing at times, distracting from the story; just as the story sometimes wandered. As Sam’s magic surfaces and the shield that kept her hidden from the things that go bump in the night starts to fail, it is made quite apparent that she must learn to control her powers and she must learn fast. Her life and that of all those that she loves hangs in the balance. So when even mentor, Jack Mayfair, seems to forget, finding more interest in tossing back a few bottles of whiskey, one has to wonder at the logic.
Not to mention that when a powerful vampire makes Sam’s acquaintance and attacks Mayfair standing right next to her, you’d think they would be a tad more cautious about sending her home and away from the powerful protections that encase the hodgepodge estate of Banba.
I would have liked more time spent developing some of the side characters, so that the double-cross had more impact. Ronan, the elf, was a fun addition to the crew—handy in a fight—but I have to wonder what he’s been doing for the last hundred years or so that he doesn’t know about burritos? Odd qualms like this offer distraction from an otherwise interesting story, a great reveal and sacrifice from Sam’s father, with the novel ending a whole lot stronger than it starts to meander off to.
Bottom Line: If you’re a Hester Fan, Into the Fire is another enjoyable piece of work and as the series grows and matures I anticipate good things to come. There are a number of unresolved questions that I look forward to uncovering that will (I think) further separate this from the Dresden Files that may have very well inspired Hester’s hand.
For the critical reader, looking for a rock-solid plot, delivery can, at times, be as disorienting as Mayfair’s teleportation ride through the disco-rainbow tunnel that he calls “alternate” transportation.
A solid 3.5 stars, this series has promise for greatness.
(For those of you that have read the book: Can I just say *ouch* about his character nod to Butcher, and to that character’s end? As if a gauntlet was thrown to the ground, I must say. Too oblique? Read Into the Fire and see for yourself.)
© 2017 Clifton Hill - Author of the Fantastical and sometimes reviewer.
CliftonH.com
Patrick Hester’s Website: http://www.atfmb.com
Author Book Page: http://www.atfmb.com/2017/02/06/into-...
For the person looking to support someone other than the Mighty Zon (Amazon), you can buy non DRM locked content for reasonable prices on Baen’s website: http://www.baen.com/into-the-fire.html
Full Disclaimer: I know the author from online interactions and collaborated on the www.ShadowBytes.com webcomic with Hester, but this has not factored into my review or rating.
December 7, 2017
I was browsing around for something new to read when stumbling onto this one. With new I mean something not part of any book series that I have going currently. It is stated that the book is part of a series called Samantha Kane. Starting to read it is a bit of a gamble though since there is only one book published so far in the series. After having read it I do hope that the author continues the series.
The blurb pretty much describes the start of the story. Luckily there is much more happening in the book than Samantha’s personal issues with family and colleagues. The crazy man is, of course, far from crazy and I did quite quickly take a liking to him. Unfortunately I am not to happy about some of the events concerning him and his possible role in future books.
The core of the story is one I like quite a lot. Young person, Samantha Kane, discovers that there are things that go bump in the night and that she is part of the ones doing the bumping. I always like to read these “surprise” stories.
I also liked the main protagonist. She is quite likable, can stand her ground and do not go around whining about how unfair life is all the time.
Apart from wizards and magic there are vampires, werewolves and such like magical creatures roaming around. The book provides us with yet another take on what vampires are and how they tick. I cannot say that this one is significantly better or worse than a lot of the ones I have read before but it is plausible, in the context of a fantasy book, and it is always nice with some new ideas.
A lot of the book, pretty much all of it actually, is universe building and setting up the scene for future stories. There is still quite a bit of action going on though. Should I complain about anything it is that the author is rushing things a bit. Samantha goes a wee bit quickly from magical newbie to serious ass-kicker. I would have liked a bit more time spent in training.
Overall it is an enjoyable read. I hope the author publishes more books about Samantha Kane since I quite liked this one.
The blurb pretty much describes the start of the story. Luckily there is much more happening in the book than Samantha’s personal issues with family and colleagues. The crazy man is, of course, far from crazy and I did quite quickly take a liking to him. Unfortunately I am not to happy about some of the events concerning him and his possible role in future books.
The core of the story is one I like quite a lot. Young person, Samantha Kane, discovers that there are things that go bump in the night and that she is part of the ones doing the bumping. I always like to read these “surprise” stories.
I also liked the main protagonist. She is quite likable, can stand her ground and do not go around whining about how unfair life is all the time.
Apart from wizards and magic there are vampires, werewolves and such like magical creatures roaming around. The book provides us with yet another take on what vampires are and how they tick. I cannot say that this one is significantly better or worse than a lot of the ones I have read before but it is plausible, in the context of a fantasy book, and it is always nice with some new ideas.
A lot of the book, pretty much all of it actually, is universe building and setting up the scene for future stories. There is still quite a bit of action going on though. Should I complain about anything it is that the author is rushing things a bit. Samantha goes a wee bit quickly from magical newbie to serious ass-kicker. I would have liked a bit more time spent in training.
Overall it is an enjoyable read. I hope the author publishes more books about Samantha Kane since I quite liked this one.
December 15, 2017
A solid first entry in the Samantha Kane series. The reader is quickly plunged into Sam's new world as she discovers she's a wizard with magical powers, though her new abilities come with complications. At the same time, she must help solve a magical crime spree involving human sacrifice.
Good pacing and fun references to familiar speculative worlds, like Dresden Files. Sam is an interesting character with plenty left to explore, and I look forward to following her story.
Good pacing and fun references to familiar speculative worlds, like Dresden Files. Sam is an interesting character with plenty left to explore, and I look forward to following her story.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews