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Bookburners #3.3
Hard Bargain
Magic is real, and hungry--trapped in ancient texts and artifacts. Only a few who discover it survive to fight back.
Join Detective Sal Brooks, newest recruit to a black-ops magic hunting team backed by the Vatican, as she travels the world to keep the supernatural in check. Just remember: watch your back and don't touch anything.
Fans of Supernatural, The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Da Vinci Code will love this epic urban fantasy. Bookburners Season 3 is written by Max Gladstone, Margaret Dunlap, Brian Francis Slattery, Andrea Phillips, and Mur Lafferty and presented by Serial Box Publishing.
- GenresFantasyUrban Fantasy
43 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 2, 2017
31 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 5, 2017
Hard Bargain by Andrea Phillips is episode 3(of 13) for season 3 of Max Gladstone's ongoing serial the Bookburners. Each episode is... A very Quick read. A dangerous investigation. An On-going storyline leading to the next episode/book. Father Menchú and Liam Doyle are recovering from werewolves. Sal Brooks still without the rest of Team Three. With Grace, from Team One, she will represent the Societas Librorum Occultorum—Vatican backed black-ops anti-magic squads—at this year's Market Arcanum. An annual, invitation only, market for all things magic. A deal made last year may be more difficult then expected. If the trade is not completed, dire consequences. A theft and the unraveling begins. Who to trust?!? Which outcomes to choose?!? Once again Sal and Gface must have faith in each other. And where will this dangerous disturbance lead?!? Entertaining path toward episode 4... I received this book from Serial Box Publishing through NetGalley.
August 9, 2017
The annual invitation to the Market Arcanum has arrived, but Ashanti’s still barred from fieldwork. With Liam and Menchú still recovering from last episode, it’s up to Sal to represent Team Three. Only, she won’t be going alone. Fox assigns Grace to join her.
“Hard Bargain” feels like a change of pace. While Sal and Grace encounter some obstacles at the Market Arcanum (and some sleuthing results), this episode generally feels like a moment for the characters to catch their breaths and reflect before the presumable storm hits. There’s definitely the sense that this episode is building up to something bigger.
Grace continues to make my heart hurt. I’ve gotten a firmer handle on what’s going through her head. While I don’t like it, I can see how she got to this point. I think the only thing that would snap her out of this (potentially depressive?) funk is if Sal and co find a way to cure her for good and let her live a normal life. Grace needs to think of herself as a person first and foremost, not a weapon.
Meanwhile, Menchú is pensive. While he doesn’t encounter much action in this episode, he spends a fair bit of time worrying over his encounter with a certain individual from last episode. The questions of who she is and what she’s up to hang over this entire episode. The tension is palpable. I think we’ve met the season three villain, and I think she’s going to be memorable.
I have a feeling things are going to get worse before they get better.
I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
“Hard Bargain” feels like a change of pace. While Sal and Grace encounter some obstacles at the Market Arcanum (and some sleuthing results), this episode generally feels like a moment for the characters to catch their breaths and reflect before the presumable storm hits. There’s definitely the sense that this episode is building up to something bigger.
Grace continues to make my heart hurt. I’ve gotten a firmer handle on what’s going through her head. While I don’t like it, I can see how she got to this point. I think the only thing that would snap her out of this (potentially depressive?) funk is if Sal and co find a way to cure her for good and let her live a normal life. Grace needs to think of herself as a person first and foremost, not a weapon.
Meanwhile, Menchú is pensive. While he doesn’t encounter much action in this episode, he spends a fair bit of time worrying over his encounter with a certain individual from last episode. The questions of who she is and what she’s up to hang over this entire episode. The tension is palpable. I think we’ve met the season three villain, and I think she’s going to be memorable.
I have a feeling things are going to get worse before they get better.
I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
July 25, 2017
Another great chapter - thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for making this available in return for an honest review.
The Market Arcanum is back, albeit slightly less chaotic this year. Though the potential is certainly there when what should have been a simple trade goes awry.
Back in Rome, Father Menchu is slowly piecing together the puzzle pieces; we're definitely building towards something, but we're still too close up to see the picture they make.
The Market Arcanum is back, albeit slightly less chaotic this year. Though the potential is certainly there when what should have been a simple trade goes awry.
Back in Rome, Father Menchu is slowly piecing together the puzzle pieces; we're definitely building towards something, but we're still too close up to see the picture they make.
February 8, 2020
A most enjoyable series.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews