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After the Fire #2
Magic after Midnight (After the Fire, #2)
Magic is real, and Marcia's life is a fairy tale. Except, according to her stepdaughter, she's the wicked stepmother. Undermined by a meddling godmother, Marcia is struggling to raise three teenagers in a world of enchantment and monsters. When she's introduced to a Night Elf who appears half her age, love is the last thing on her mind.
Count Darerick Razvano is a Night Elf--please don't call him a vampire! Fighting for the survival of his race, he has no time for matters of the heart. When a charming widow inadvertently threatens the Night Elves' most carefully guarded secret, Darerick must seek Marcia out to save his people.
Marcia's devoted to her children. Dare's determined to save his race. They aren't looking for love, but love might find them.
In a world of monsters, love may save Night Elves and humans alike.
A standalone, slow burn, paranormal romance in the world of I Bring the Fire.
Count Darerick Razvano is a Night Elf--please don't call him a vampire! Fighting for the survival of his race, he has no time for matters of the heart. When a charming widow inadvertently threatens the Night Elves' most carefully guarded secret, Darerick must seek Marcia out to save his people.
Marcia's devoted to her children. Dare's determined to save his race. They aren't looking for love, but love might find them.
In a world of monsters, love may save Night Elves and humans alike.
A standalone, slow burn, paranormal romance in the world of I Bring the Fire.
542 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 13, 2018
79 people are currently reading
174 people want to read
About the author
C. Gockel
67 books572 followersC. Gockel got her start writing fanfiction, and she is not ashamed! Much. She received emails, messages and reviews from her fans telling her she should 'do this professionally'. She didn't; because she is a coward and life as a digital designer, copywriter and coder is more dependable. But in the end, her husband's nagging wore her down: "You could be the next '50 Shades of Gray' and I could retire!" Unfortunately, the author isn't much for writing smut. She is sad about this; she'd love for her husband to be able to retire and just work for her so she could nag him.
At the moment, Ms. Gockel is working on the next installment of her Archangel Project series.
Ms. Gockel loves to hear from readers. She can be reached by email at: cgockel.publishing at gmail.com
Her Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/CGockelWrites
At the moment, Ms. Gockel is working on the next installment of her Archangel Project series.
Ms. Gockel loves to hear from readers. She can be reached by email at: cgockel.publishing at gmail.com
Her Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/CGockelWrites
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
July 3, 2018
I LOVED THIS BOOK.
What does a night elf (please don't call him a vampire, lol!) say when he's laying down a few curse words? "Sunshine and rainbows", of course... XD And not to mention Count Dare is convinced sprites are responsible for the workings of smartphones... Delightful!
Ms. Gockel skewers the unfortunate tropes that have invaded this genre such as Billionaire Alpha Male Vampires etc etc... and explores the questions that are really interesting to me, like how would someone who has lived 3000 years relate to a modern [older!] woman? How would they traverse those tricky issues like blood bonds and the possibility of compulsion, all while cultivating diplomatic relations between Magics and Humans in World-Gate ridden Chicago, and possibly fending off the attack of an old Norse goddess?
I love it that the heroine in this tale, Marcia (I adore Marcia!) is a bit older, sensible, and has her feet firmly planted in reality. Looking down the barrel of 32 years on this crazy planet, I relate more to a protagonist who is not in her twenties (and falling into all those silly pitfalls people in their twenties do, I'm sorry, it's boring now!) and who is feeling her age a bit, and is dealing with all the psychological fallback of a society who values the Maiden above the Mother, or even the wisdom of the Crone.
Count Dare is a gem. He's cultured and suave, but he's afraid of spiders. He looks 28 but he kind of acts like a crotchety old grandpa, and I loved it. C. Gockel is funny, creative, a wonderful writer, and has bestowed us with something entirely original while embracing the elements that make up an excellent vampire tale.
I've been craving a book like this one for a long time and I'm so happy to have finally found it! Bravo!
What does a night elf (please don't call him a vampire, lol!) say when he's laying down a few curse words? "Sunshine and rainbows", of course... XD And not to mention Count Dare is convinced sprites are responsible for the workings of smartphones... Delightful!
Ms. Gockel skewers the unfortunate tropes that have invaded this genre such as Billionaire Alpha Male Vampires etc etc... and explores the questions that are really interesting to me, like how would someone who has lived 3000 years relate to a modern [older!] woman? How would they traverse those tricky issues like blood bonds and the possibility of compulsion, all while cultivating diplomatic relations between Magics and Humans in World-Gate ridden Chicago, and possibly fending off the attack of an old Norse goddess?
I love it that the heroine in this tale, Marcia (I adore Marcia!) is a bit older, sensible, and has her feet firmly planted in reality. Looking down the barrel of 32 years on this crazy planet, I relate more to a protagonist who is not in her twenties (and falling into all those silly pitfalls people in their twenties do, I'm sorry, it's boring now!) and who is feeling her age a bit, and is dealing with all the psychological fallback of a society who values the Maiden above the Mother, or even the wisdom of the Crone.
Count Dare is a gem. He's cultured and suave, but he's afraid of spiders. He looks 28 but he kind of acts like a crotchety old grandpa, and I loved it. C. Gockel is funny, creative, a wonderful writer, and has bestowed us with something entirely original while embracing the elements that make up an excellent vampire tale.
I've been craving a book like this one for a long time and I'm so happy to have finally found it! Bravo!
May 5, 2018
I loved this book from start to finish. And I knew that I would, based on C. Gockel's EXCELLENT I Bring the Fire series, so much so that I sprung for the paperback, knowing I'm going to want to re-read it! You can read the summary to see for yourself what it's about, but let me address some reasons why you might be hesitating to hit 'purchase' and then DESTROY THEM WITH CAPITAL LETTERS AND PLEASE JUST BUY THIS BOOK ALREADY.
Ahem.
Are you hesitating to buy this book? You may be thinking...
1. "I'm not an older woman! I don't have children. How can I relate to the character?" Uh I'm in my mid-20's with no kids or pets (I'd really like some pets) and I freaking LOVED Marcia. She was a phenomenal character and her age/motherhood only added to her awesomeness and you really really don't need to be in the same demographic as your main character anyways dur.
2. "I haven't read the 'I Bring The Fire' series and I won't get the references!"
Ok, think of this book as a really excellent wine*. Like, a well-aged, full-bodied, fruity or non fruity, or light, or - ok you know what just insert the taste of your favorite wine. This is that. Does the wine taste a wee bit better if you've first eaten a well-matched cheese? Fancy people say so. Does that mean you need to eat cheese before you can enjoy the wine? NOPE. This was written (and the author states it explicitly!) to be a stand-alone that doesn't rely on prior knowledge of I Bring The Fire. The characters appear, if you've read the series you'll get some easter eggs, but that's about it.
*If you don't like wine replace this with hot chocolate. Or some other beverage of choice. It's a loose metaphor guys, ok?
3. "I don't like Cougars!" OK lemme-set-u-straight. Dare is like 10000 years old, and Marcia is 50. If anyone is a 'cougar' its totally him and I'm jealous of the gray streak in Marcia's hair anyways, have you seen Rogue in Xmen? I wonder if I could pull off that loo--oh sorry I'm digressing.
4. "OK is there a sequel because I love this and I need more!" That's me talking not you, hypothetical hesitating reader. I really liked this book. I'd really like a sequel.
5. "WHEN ARE WE GONNA GET A BOOK ABOUT CLAIRE???!?!?!?!" That's me again, just...putting that out there...CLAIRE IS AWESOME.
OK stop reading reviews now and go buy it ok thanx. PS my review was cross posted from where I reviewed on Amazon - I'm lazy.
Ahem.
Are you hesitating to buy this book? You may be thinking...
1. "I'm not an older woman! I don't have children. How can I relate to the character?" Uh I'm in my mid-20's with no kids or pets (I'd really like some pets) and I freaking LOVED Marcia. She was a phenomenal character and her age/motherhood only added to her awesomeness and you really really don't need to be in the same demographic as your main character anyways dur.
2. "I haven't read the 'I Bring The Fire' series and I won't get the references!"
Ok, think of this book as a really excellent wine*. Like, a well-aged, full-bodied, fruity or non fruity, or light, or - ok you know what just insert the taste of your favorite wine. This is that. Does the wine taste a wee bit better if you've first eaten a well-matched cheese? Fancy people say so. Does that mean you need to eat cheese before you can enjoy the wine? NOPE. This was written (and the author states it explicitly!) to be a stand-alone that doesn't rely on prior knowledge of I Bring The Fire. The characters appear, if you've read the series you'll get some easter eggs, but that's about it.
*If you don't like wine replace this with hot chocolate. Or some other beverage of choice. It's a loose metaphor guys, ok?
3. "I don't like Cougars!" OK lemme-set-u-straight. Dare is like 10000 years old, and Marcia is 50. If anyone is a 'cougar' its totally him and I'm jealous of the gray streak in Marcia's hair anyways, have you seen Rogue in Xmen? I wonder if I could pull off that loo--oh sorry I'm digressing.
4. "OK is there a sequel because I love this and I need more!" That's me talking not you, hypothetical hesitating reader. I really liked this book. I'd really like a sequel.
5. "WHEN ARE WE GONNA GET A BOOK ABOUT CLAIRE???!?!?!?!" That's me again, just...putting that out there...CLAIRE IS AWESOME.
OK stop reading reviews now and go buy it ok thanx. PS my review was cross posted from where I reviewed on Amazon - I'm lazy.
August 20, 2018
Slow burn but unique
This urban fantasy has a slow burn romance amid political turmoil between humans and those with magic.
I didn't care for the story being told in present tense, it was awkward. In the beginning, the same thing happens in two consecutive pages. Did anyone else notice?
I liked the complexity of the characters and the plot but did feel overwhelmed at times. I liked that the profanity was sparse and the bedroom door shut.
This urban fantasy has a slow burn romance amid political turmoil between humans and those with magic.
I didn't care for the story being told in present tense, it was awkward. In the beginning, the same thing happens in two consecutive pages. Did anyone else notice?
I liked the complexity of the characters and the plot but did feel overwhelmed at times. I liked that the profanity was sparse and the bedroom door shut.
May 7, 2018
I first encountered C. Gockel's work via her I Bring the Fire series. I never finished that series, even though the writing was good and I enjoyed the first few. A certain, er, thing happened to one of the main characters partway through that series and I was too heartbroken to continue. To be honest, it made me quite wary of this author because I was like WHAT IF I GET ATTACHED TO A CHARACTER AGAIN AND THE SAME THING HAPPENS? But then I kept seeing this book and I was like IT SOUNDS SO GOOD and I remembered how much I had loved this world before MY HEART BROKE and eventually I gave in and it was TOTALLY WORTH IT.
*Coughs* Er, ok, excessive preamble there. I just have a lot of feelings about the I Bring the Fire series. But this book is a standalone that doesn't have anything to do with that series other than that it's set in the same world after it takes place.
It's about Dare, a three-thousand-year-old Night Elf (aka Definitely Not A Vampire) who is the Night Elves' ambassador to earth after the veil between realms came down. And he is ADORABLE AND I LOVE HIM. He's mild-mannered, secretly more powerful than he lets on, competent, world-weary, looks like a hot twenty-something but is like your grandfather when it comes to computers and is also WAY TOO OLD FOR THIS SHIT.
And also Marcia, who is a fifty-something widow with three teenage kids who ends up having to teach Dare THE WAYS OF THE MYSTERIOUS COMPUTERS. She is awesome and such a refreshing change from your more typical younger heroine.
This is slow-burn romance with closed-door sex scenes but still lots of sexy UST. There's also many hilarious and interesting world building bits. Only down notes for me were the cameos from previous series because they reminded me of my COMPLICATED FEELINGS ABOUT THE PREVIOUS SERIES WE SHALL NOT NAME.
But if you like urban fantasy / paranormal romance, definitely recommend.
*Coughs* Er, ok, excessive preamble there. I just have a lot of feelings about the I Bring the Fire series. But this book is a standalone that doesn't have anything to do with that series other than that it's set in the same world after it takes place.
It's about Dare, a three-thousand-year-old Night Elf (aka Definitely Not A Vampire) who is the Night Elves' ambassador to earth after the veil between realms came down. And he is ADORABLE AND I LOVE HIM. He's mild-mannered, secretly more powerful than he lets on, competent, world-weary, looks like a hot twenty-something but is like your grandfather when it comes to computers and is also WAY TOO OLD FOR THIS SHIT.
And also Marcia, who is a fifty-something widow with three teenage kids who ends up having to teach Dare THE WAYS OF THE MYSTERIOUS COMPUTERS. She is awesome and such a refreshing change from your more typical younger heroine.
This is slow-burn romance with closed-door sex scenes but still lots of sexy UST. There's also many hilarious and interesting world building bits. Only down notes for me were the cameos from previous series because they reminded me of my COMPLICATED FEELINGS ABOUT THE PREVIOUS SERIES WE SHALL NOT NAME.
But if you like urban fantasy / paranormal romance, definitely recommend.
April 20, 2018
Magic After Midnight (After the Fire Book 2):
I am a big fan of this author's I Bring the Fire series; this is the second book in the After the Fire series-a series which looks at how Chicago and the world is changing later on as a result of having found out Norse Gods are real and that they are a part of the bigger nine realms which include other species such as light elves, night elves, dwarves, and frost giants and also the reality of magic. Not only do some of these other species/gods have magic but rumor has it that magic is spreading among the human population now. It is helpful but not necessary to have read the main series first, so you have the background of this world and the events that created this situation in Chicago, for instance loving Steve, Amy, and Bodhi from the main series turning up several times (Bodhi flicking his lighter compulsively throughout and generally being a little s*#t!) This book focuses on Marcia, a middle aged twice widowed mother of two of her own children and step-mother to her deceased husband's daughter and she is struggling to shepherd them through their difficult teen years in post Loki Chicago. Her most recently deceased husband died in one of the building collapse during Loki's time in the city and Life Insurance doesn't pay for Acts of God or God(s) or magical events or acts of war by night elf terrorists as a lot of families have found out. Then she meets Dare, a night elf, he is several hundred, almost a thousand years old I think or more but looks ageless like most elves and handsome and charming, he works for the Night Elf Prince Rayne at the embassy in Chicago and the night elves have come to earth in increasing numbers because of political oppression from the light elf queen and from Odin before he was replaced by "new and improved management" and also because they are dying due to needing human blood in non fatal amounts to survive and need to find a way to see if humans will willingly donate the blood they need to survive while trying to keep secret the fact that they actually have to drink blood to survive. This is a fairly "clean" romance, but I still found it to be a very romantic story and it was very great to read a romance for a change with a main character who was of a mature age shown as still desirable and still someone with romantic desires, very refreshing to read about someone who has lived some life, has teenage kids, and though people look at Dare as though he is too young for her, he is of course way, way older! He appreciates her age and maturity and where can I get one of these hot night elf men right now? The book like all of this author's stories, has lots of humour woven throughout it which I love, lots of suspense, real human emotion, elven emotion too I guess and it really does add to the overall story arc of I Bring the Fire too in an important way-you have to pay attention to the scheming Gods and Goddesses and not just the romance. I received a free ARC copy of this book for review and recommend it to anyone who loves mythology or a sweet romance where a woman over thirty actually has her dreams comes true.
I am a big fan of this author's I Bring the Fire series; this is the second book in the After the Fire series-a series which looks at how Chicago and the world is changing later on as a result of having found out Norse Gods are real and that they are a part of the bigger nine realms which include other species such as light elves, night elves, dwarves, and frost giants and also the reality of magic. Not only do some of these other species/gods have magic but rumor has it that magic is spreading among the human population now. It is helpful but not necessary to have read the main series first, so you have the background of this world and the events that created this situation in Chicago, for instance loving Steve, Amy, and Bodhi from the main series turning up several times (Bodhi flicking his lighter compulsively throughout and generally being a little s*#t!) This book focuses on Marcia, a middle aged twice widowed mother of two of her own children and step-mother to her deceased husband's daughter and she is struggling to shepherd them through their difficult teen years in post Loki Chicago. Her most recently deceased husband died in one of the building collapse during Loki's time in the city and Life Insurance doesn't pay for Acts of God or God(s) or magical events or acts of war by night elf terrorists as a lot of families have found out. Then she meets Dare, a night elf, he is several hundred, almost a thousand years old I think or more but looks ageless like most elves and handsome and charming, he works for the Night Elf Prince Rayne at the embassy in Chicago and the night elves have come to earth in increasing numbers because of political oppression from the light elf queen and from Odin before he was replaced by "new and improved management" and also because they are dying due to needing human blood in non fatal amounts to survive and need to find a way to see if humans will willingly donate the blood they need to survive while trying to keep secret the fact that they actually have to drink blood to survive. This is a fairly "clean" romance, but I still found it to be a very romantic story and it was very great to read a romance for a change with a main character who was of a mature age shown as still desirable and still someone with romantic desires, very refreshing to read about someone who has lived some life, has teenage kids, and though people look at Dare as though he is too young for her, he is of course way, way older! He appreciates her age and maturity and where can I get one of these hot night elf men right now? The book like all of this author's stories, has lots of humour woven throughout it which I love, lots of suspense, real human emotion, elven emotion too I guess and it really does add to the overall story arc of I Bring the Fire too in an important way-you have to pay attention to the scheming Gods and Goddesses and not just the romance. I received a free ARC copy of this book for review and recommend it to anyone who loves mythology or a sweet romance where a woman over thirty actually has her dreams comes true.
June 19, 2021
I almost didn't want the story to end
I almost didn't want the story to end. I really liked Marcia and Dare. They're both more than what they appear. Also I just love this series. A nice mix of Norse mythology and modern sci-fi.
I almost didn't want the story to end. I really liked Marcia and Dare. They're both more than what they appear. Also I just love this series. A nice mix of Norse mythology and modern sci-fi.
April 27, 2018
Wow, this story just blew me away. I read a short story about Marcia and Dare which seemed to be the basis for this novel, which I really enjoyed reading. I loved how all of the details about both of them were filled in by this novel.
This story gives you a good insight into Dare and why he is so secretive. You find yourself really liking Marcia and how she takes all of the bad things that her life has given her and overcomes them with grace. She is one very smart and determined lady. Throughout the story, you wonder if Marcia will come to see Dare in a different light or if she will continue to be wary of him. What was really fun was reading about two adults with having children when they are considering their decisions. That really brings a very realistic quality to the story because people do that every day.
Having read the I Bring the Fire series, I really enjoyed having Bodhi, Amy, Steve, Rush and the rest of the characters from that series as part of this story. By bringing in new characters to a very complex world adds depth to the series. What I found very interesting was the way that Dare and Marcia saw Bodhi, Amy and Steve. That added a lot to the story, in my opinion. But no spoilers here, if you enjoyed this story and have not read the I Bring the Fire series, you really should.
This story gives you a good insight into Dare and why he is so secretive. You find yourself really liking Marcia and how she takes all of the bad things that her life has given her and overcomes them with grace. She is one very smart and determined lady. Throughout the story, you wonder if Marcia will come to see Dare in a different light or if she will continue to be wary of him. What was really fun was reading about two adults with having children when they are considering their decisions. That really brings a very realistic quality to the story because people do that every day.
Having read the I Bring the Fire series, I really enjoyed having Bodhi, Amy, Steve, Rush and the rest of the characters from that series as part of this story. By bringing in new characters to a very complex world adds depth to the series. What I found very interesting was the way that Dare and Marcia saw Bodhi, Amy and Steve. That added a lot to the story, in my opinion. But no spoilers here, if you enjoyed this story and have not read the I Bring the Fire series, you really should.
April 18, 2018
Having read the I Bring the Fire Series, I have been enjoying the other stories that C. Gockel has written giving us more on characters we met during the series, and bringing back some of my favorites. This story is about Count Dare and Marcia. It is a fun twist, combining hints of Cinderella (Cindy)and the evil step-mother (Marcia, who isn't actually evil and her two children) and a godmother who is far from helpful, and Count Dracula. Amidst the action, danger, drama and romance, bits of humor are woven in that left me chuckling. The story caught my attention from the beginning and kept me reading well into the night. Looking forward to seeing what characters we will get to know better in the next story.
August 3, 2018
A very interesting story! I enjoyed reading about the Night Elves and their fight for survival. Dare is a Count and he is in contact with the City of Chicago. His people need human blood to survive and he is trying to negotiate a trade. Things get very interesting when you add in magic, Freyja, a mystery, romance and even humor. Mix well as the action is fast, plots twists will keep you busy and the romance will blossom with a few road blocks. Learn about vampires of a different nature, some nasty players and the old line is truths will carry the day. Marcia will learn to trust and give and take but things will work out for her and Dare.
I do recommend this book!
I do recommend this book!
October 12, 2018
I'd have given this slow-burn UF-w/romance story 3.75 stars rounded up to 4 (instead of 3.25 rounded down to 3) if C. Gockel didn't write in slightly-clunky present tense narration. 😕 I really liked some of the unusual choices C. Gockel made in this book, particularly the 50-ish, dedicated-mother heroine.
The secondary flipped-Cinderella trope is well done, occasionally amusingly lampshaded. The family is all still reeling from the death of her second husband, and coping with the straitened finances that resulted from how he died. The kids include quiet math whiz Alicia and colorfully flamboyant bully-target Joshua (Marcia's children with the first husband she lost), and pretty Cindy (her second husband's daughter, spoiled by her snobbish and flighty paternal aunt). Immature Cindy has become convinced that Marcia is an evil stepmother, but she's just trying to do her best for all three of her teenagers.
The Night Elves are a unique new approach to blood-drinkers (Don't say vampires, and especially don't expect the sexy-alpha-predator sort you find in recent fiction trends!). The hero, a millennia-old troubleshooter, in addition to fitting the classic Clark Kent/Sir Percy Blakeney deliberately-overlookable-and-underestimatable model I happen to love, is another dedicated parent, determined to save his waning race.
It's really cute and clever how in Night Elves' mental imagery and metaphors, "dark" (and "bloody") things are good, and "bright" things are bad. It's also funny to have a handsome, young-looking guy whose tech-savvy and other attitudes are often closer to a stubborn, elderly grandfather's, even if he does consider himself one of the most adaptable of his people. The relationship-dynamics are interesting and problematic: Night Elves generally find humans more attractive than their own people, and blood-bonding has a sexual component, but the two races are not interfertile.
There's a good balance of realistic emotional complications (just because you're attracted to someone doesn't mean all the other priorities and principles in your life fall aside) and exciting action conflicts. One global revelation causes a true dilemma of conflicting loyalties and doubts, added to Marcia's reasonable misgivings about tying her life to Dare, who has kept some pretty big secrets of his own.
N.b., said revelation may have already been known to readers who started with CG's earlier I Bring the Fire books, unlike me. I decided to dive into this story because it's described as a stand-alone, i.e., less commitment than a long series before getting resolution, and sounded interesting.
I did enjoy it (even if the tenses used kept making me mentally stumble), and the ending is satisfying and hopeful. It'd be interesting to see more of how things unfold, but it's not required. However, I definitely was at a bit of a handicap getting a handle on this world's twists on Norse and fey mythology, and learning all the secondary characters w/o knowing any more of their circumstances than the leads do. Though Dare can perceive more about the magical forces involved, even he, as a newly-arrived ambassador, doesn't have the backstories or know these people yet.
As for the editing, I didn't catch any places where tenses were misused rather than merely awkward (IMHO), but there were more than a handful of other things I noted, though most of them didn't much impair my enjoyment of the characters, plot, and moments of humor. I wish there were an easier way to share Kindle annotations, but I'll note them here, since indy e-published books can often be corrected.
I apologize for this section's length (I tend to over-explain), and I'll admit that as I went through my notebook and the list kept increasing, I was second-guessing myself: I did find the book quite entertaining, so maybe I should just message the author privately? But if the goofs bugged me, they'll bug other error-sensitive readers, too. At least I'm not putting this on Amazon as an official report, where their dopey new(ish) policy gives authors inadequate time and ability to respond.
* If you do the fixes [and/or make clarifications, as applicable], Ms. Gockel, let me know, and I'll adjust my review to reflect my appreciation of your attention to quality.
● I caught one passage where the same observation was made on two consecutive pages, "I know that we’re probably only here because the maid accidentally sent us an invitation—", though the second person to say roughly the same thing (Alicia) was present for the first time (Joshua), and it felt unintended.
● There's a dwarven character named Diamonds (with an S), but once it said "Diamond's voice".
● One "misspelling" may not be. When I saw "sapscull", I looked it up to check, and that version is indeed found: in an 1811 dictionary! It's an old-fashioned term, being used by Dare (and as I said, he's pretty old-fashioned, too), but the currently-accepted spelling is "sapskull". If it was an intentional authorial choice, okay ... but was it?
● "I outdid myself" is used once where "I overdid [things]" was intended.
● Ditto "Wee!" for (I assume) "Whee!"
● The phrase "erupt like a tender keg" clearly should be "powder keg". (It took me a moment to think of the proper idiom because I got stuck on "tinder keg", which still isn't a thing: that'd be a "tinderbox", which can catch fire, but probably not explode.)
● Switching around "seeking a cure for plague and immortality" would be better because, as is, it sounds like "a cure for immortality".
● "They’d drank his blood" should be either "They drank" or "They'd drunk": simple past tense, or the proper past participle in the compound-past construction.
● There's a verb missing in the sentence-starting clause "Which to Dare’s point," though I can't say precisely what it should be. Also, depending on the result, a comma might belong after "Which".
● Another spot where it needs fixing of some sort is "Granted—Stephan had been mostly ignored, too—but magic seems like a prerequisite," where the Stephan clause is not an omittable subordinate interjection, and thus requires different punctuation.
● J.K. Rowling's Voldemort is mentioned, but misspelled Voldermort, in reference to an offstage (deceased) character named Voldermore.
● OTOH, one problem I had was that the author named the more-than-he-seems Chicago mayor "Steve Rogers", when he's far from the white-bread Captain America. It kept making me do a double-take, and there's zero in-text mention of the coincidence. In other words, the ... what would you call it, genre blindness? is inconsistent: Harry Potter books and/or movies apparently exist, but not decades of Captain America comics and movies? Again, maybe it was already addressed in IBtF, but it felt odd here. Or maybe Ms. Gockel just didn't know or remember Cap's real name when she first created this character??
Okay, enough of that. My last comment is that the story ends at 94%, followed by not only an excerpt of the other After the Fire stand-alone story (which I want to read!) but also, past the excerpt, a brief guide to Names & Places! I'm glad I didn't exit the book without going all the way and discovering it, but I wish I'd noticed it in the Table of Contents, since it probably would have come in handy as I was reading!
The secondary flipped-Cinderella trope is well done, occasionally amusingly lampshaded. The family is all still reeling from the death of her second husband, and coping with the straitened finances that resulted from how he died. The kids include quiet math whiz Alicia and colorfully flamboyant bully-target Joshua (Marcia's children with the first husband she lost), and pretty Cindy (her second husband's daughter, spoiled by her snobbish and flighty paternal aunt). Immature Cindy has become convinced that Marcia is an evil stepmother, but she's just trying to do her best for all three of her teenagers.
The Night Elves are a unique new approach to blood-drinkers (Don't say vampires, and especially don't expect the sexy-alpha-predator sort you find in recent fiction trends!). The hero, a millennia-old troubleshooter, in addition to fitting the classic Clark Kent/Sir Percy Blakeney deliberately-overlookable-and-underestimatable model I happen to love, is another dedicated parent, determined to save his waning race.
It's really cute and clever how in Night Elves' mental imagery and metaphors, "dark" (and "bloody") things are good, and "bright" things are bad. It's also funny to have a handsome, young-looking guy whose tech-savvy and other attitudes are often closer to a stubborn, elderly grandfather's, even if he does consider himself one of the most adaptable of his people. The relationship-dynamics are interesting and problematic: Night Elves generally find humans more attractive than their own people, and blood-bonding has a sexual component, but the two races are not interfertile.
There's a good balance of realistic emotional complications (just because you're attracted to someone doesn't mean all the other priorities and principles in your life fall aside) and exciting action conflicts. One global revelation causes a true dilemma of conflicting loyalties and doubts, added to Marcia's reasonable misgivings about tying her life to Dare, who has kept some pretty big secrets of his own.
N.b., said revelation may have already been known to readers who started with CG's earlier I Bring the Fire books, unlike me. I decided to dive into this story because it's described as a stand-alone, i.e., less commitment than a long series before getting resolution, and sounded interesting.
I did enjoy it (even if the tenses used kept making me mentally stumble), and the ending is satisfying and hopeful. It'd be interesting to see more of how things unfold, but it's not required. However, I definitely was at a bit of a handicap getting a handle on this world's twists on Norse and fey mythology, and learning all the secondary characters w/o knowing any more of their circumstances than the leads do. Though Dare can perceive more about the magical forces involved, even he, as a newly-arrived ambassador, doesn't have the backstories or know these people yet.
As for the editing, I didn't catch any places where tenses were misused rather than merely awkward (IMHO), but there were more than a handful of other things I noted, though most of them didn't much impair my enjoyment of the characters, plot, and moments of humor. I wish there were an easier way to share Kindle annotations, but I'll note them here, since indy e-published books can often be corrected.
I apologize for this section's length (I tend to over-explain), and I'll admit that as I went through my notebook and the list kept increasing, I was second-guessing myself: I did find the book quite entertaining, so maybe I should just message the author privately? But if the goofs bugged me, they'll bug other error-sensitive readers, too. At least I'm not putting this on Amazon as an official report, where their dopey new(ish) policy gives authors inadequate time and ability to respond.
* If you do the fixes [and/or make clarifications, as applicable], Ms. Gockel, let me know, and I'll adjust my review to reflect my appreciation of your attention to quality.
● I caught one passage where the same observation was made on two consecutive pages, "I know that we’re probably only here because the maid accidentally sent us an invitation—", though the second person to say roughly the same thing (Alicia) was present for the first time (Joshua), and it felt unintended.
● There's a dwarven character named Diamonds (with an S), but once it said "Diamond's voice".
● One "misspelling" may not be. When I saw "sapscull", I looked it up to check, and that version is indeed found: in an 1811 dictionary! It's an old-fashioned term, being used by Dare (and as I said, he's pretty old-fashioned, too), but the currently-accepted spelling is "sapskull". If it was an intentional authorial choice, okay ... but was it?
● "I outdid myself" is used once where "I overdid [things]" was intended.
● Ditto "Wee!" for (I assume) "Whee!"
● The phrase "erupt like a tender keg" clearly should be "powder keg". (It took me a moment to think of the proper idiom because I got stuck on "tinder keg", which still isn't a thing: that'd be a "tinderbox", which can catch fire, but probably not explode.)
● Switching around "seeking a cure for plague and immortality" would be better because, as is, it sounds like "a cure for immortality".
● "They’d drank his blood" should be either "They drank" or "They'd drunk": simple past tense, or the proper past participle in the compound-past construction.
● There's a verb missing in the sentence-starting clause "Which to Dare’s point," though I can't say precisely what it should be. Also, depending on the result, a comma might belong after "Which".
● Another spot where it needs fixing of some sort is "Granted—Stephan had been mostly ignored, too—but magic seems like a prerequisite," where the Stephan clause is not an omittable subordinate interjection, and thus requires different punctuation.
● J.K. Rowling's Voldemort is mentioned, but misspelled Voldermort, in reference to an offstage (deceased) character named Voldermore.
● OTOH, one problem I had was that the author named the more-than-he-seems Chicago mayor "Steve Rogers", when he's far from the white-bread Captain America. It kept making me do a double-take, and there's zero in-text mention of the coincidence. In other words, the ... what would you call it, genre blindness? is inconsistent: Harry Potter books and/or movies apparently exist, but not decades of Captain America comics and movies? Again, maybe it was already addressed in IBtF, but it felt odd here. Or maybe Ms. Gockel just didn't know or remember Cap's real name when she first created this character??
Okay, enough of that. My last comment is that the story ends at 94%, followed by not only an excerpt of the other After the Fire stand-alone story (which I want to read!) but also, past the excerpt, a brief guide to Names & Places! I'm glad I didn't exit the book without going all the way and discovering it, but I wish I'd noticed it in the Table of Contents, since it probably would have come in handy as I was reading!
May 7, 2019
I love C. Gockel's I Bring The Fire series. After the main arc of the Loki and the rest of the Balance series, I was happy to jump back into their universe with Soul Marked, although it didn't quite scratch the itch the way I'd hoped (don't get me wrong, I loved Soul Marked and the new characters it introduced, it just felt like it stood more separate from the rest of the universe).
I was ready for Magic After Midnight to similarly deliver a great, but somewhat isolated story within the IBTF universe, but was pleasantly surprised with how directly it came back to the IBTF world at large and how much of the Post-Odin/New-Era culture we got to see in this story.
The protagonists are wonderful as well, well written and realistically jaded by life, trying to find their places in a newly changed world with understandable motivations and reservations.
A great read!
I was ready for Magic After Midnight to similarly deliver a great, but somewhat isolated story within the IBTF universe, but was pleasantly surprised with how directly it came back to the IBTF world at large and how much of the Post-Odin/New-Era culture we got to see in this story.
The protagonists are wonderful as well, well written and realistically jaded by life, trying to find their places in a newly changed world with understandable motivations and reservations.
A great read!
October 21, 2018
Dare and Marcia were a very unlikely pair since she had already been married twice but there was something that attracted to this night Elf. She knew when she first saw him that there was something wrong with her but she thought that her children should have seen what she saw but thought they did not and she didn't let them know what she knew until the next time she saw that man standing in the hallway of her building. He was so unlike some others of his kind like her in-laws who have come to earth now that the borders were opened again. Dare was so drawn to her as she to him but he shocked her on several occasions, she said she was frightened for her children. I enjoyed this short story because it got straight in and to the point. I characters were entertaining and you got a pretty quick but in depth look at everyone. It makes me want to go back and read the two books before. I was given a copy as a gift from the author without obligation.
February 20, 2022
This is a standalone story. Very interesting take on a long standing mythical being. We are introduced to the Night Elves. I really don't want to get into a lot of detail about that as I think it will spoil the read for you. I know it would have for me. This is kind of the takeoff on the age-old story of the single mother raising her children alone, and a man comes into her life. Form the epic changes and it is so interesting and engaging! Honestly when I read the title, I thought enough of that old adage of the woman being rescued by the man. I have read several of this author's novels and I decide to trust her. I am so glad I did! Now you can read this as a standalone, but I recommend that you read the rest of the series' first as they do play lesser parts in this novel. This was a great read! I recommend this novel. I received this novel from BookFunnel. This is my true and honest review.
February 25, 2021
This book probably could've been rated higher if I was even a little bit interested in the lead. She didn't fall prey to the TSTL thing, but she was somehow both overly cautious and reactionary. It was a bit of a slog if I'm being honest. I read this book's snippet as a short in an anthology series and it was a fun read. But the full blown version became a bit....less fun I guess. Not bad but not great. Maybe this could be a 3 but I'm still a bit disappointed b/c the condensed version was like a 4 star and I'm feeling a bit peevish. It was like Weetabix. The cereal. It's like shredded wheat and it should be familiar but you just don't like the texture or maybe the taste? There's nothing wrong...It's doing what it's supposed to do. But the whole time you're like - why do I want this to at least taste like shredded wheat?!
June 15, 2018
This book follows the life of a widower after the gates to other realms were opened by Loki, The Norse God of Asgard, in Chicago. Having a knowledge of the Gods that hail from Asgard, such as Thor, Loki, and Odin is a definite help when it comes to understanding what’s going on and whose involved.
The love story between the main character Marcia and the night elf Dare, is slow to pick up as well, once they do begin acting on their subtle feelings is when the book gets more interesting. This is also the point where the more dangerous and daring behavior of the characters begins.
I have given it 2 stars because it does lack exciting or juicy details that are key to keeping one hooked. It is a slow to pick up read and seems to drag on during the first 3/4 of the book.
The love story between the main character Marcia and the night elf Dare, is slow to pick up as well, once they do begin acting on their subtle feelings is when the book gets more interesting. This is also the point where the more dangerous and daring behavior of the characters begins.
I have given it 2 stars because it does lack exciting or juicy details that are key to keeping one hooked. It is a slow to pick up read and seems to drag on during the first 3/4 of the book.
March 13, 2022
Fantastic series!
I’ve now read all eight books plus all the associated short stories in this series. C. Gockel is among the best writers publishing in both fantasy dosed with science and science fiction dosed with fantasy. I discovered her SF world, then read the first book in this fantasy series and was hooked—had to buy the whole series and read it straight through. Books 7 and 8 feature characters met in passing (some very briefly) in the first six books, which feature the adventures of Amy, a vet student, and Loki. At the risk of spoilers, I’ll just leave it there. Well written, with deeply imagined characters who grow across the story arc, well edited, and just plain addicting. Would make a great video game!
I’ve now read all eight books plus all the associated short stories in this series. C. Gockel is among the best writers publishing in both fantasy dosed with science and science fiction dosed with fantasy. I discovered her SF world, then read the first book in this fantasy series and was hooked—had to buy the whole series and read it straight through. Books 7 and 8 feature characters met in passing (some very briefly) in the first six books, which feature the adventures of Amy, a vet student, and Loki. At the risk of spoilers, I’ll just leave it there. Well written, with deeply imagined characters who grow across the story arc, well edited, and just plain addicting. Would make a great video game!
May 28, 2018
Nice addition to the series
This is my 2nd book by this author. I enjoyed the romance with older characters and all that entails - kids - specifically teenagers, bills, the mechanics of every day life. Add to that 2 different species and possibly a species war. Talk about life's problems. The author did a good job weaving a story of seemingly a May -December, cross species romance amidst species prejudice, class prejudice, family drama, teenage drama, and and a species war.
This is my 2nd book by this author. I enjoyed the romance with older characters and all that entails - kids - specifically teenagers, bills, the mechanics of every day life. Add to that 2 different species and possibly a species war. Talk about life's problems. The author did a good job weaving a story of seemingly a May -December, cross species romance amidst species prejudice, class prejudice, family drama, teenage drama, and and a species war.
June 14, 2022
Fantastic Story teller!
I loved this novel, the whole series in fact. It kept me xoming back for more.
The author has a tendency to switch tense in the middle of a sentence and sometimes appears to not know what a word means in the context she's using, but those little 'bumps in the road ' do not detract from the story telling skills of a great writer!
I highly recommend this book!
I loved this novel, the whole series in fact. It kept me xoming back for more.
The author has a tendency to switch tense in the middle of a sentence and sometimes appears to not know what a word means in the context she's using, but those little 'bumps in the road ' do not detract from the story telling skills of a great writer!
I highly recommend this book!
December 28, 2019
Finally
The other did an excellent job portraying someone of middle years and all that entails in a romantic relationship the whole series is fabulous but I particularly enjoyed this one because I could really relate to the way main character felt. Insecurities and foibles we all go through we're so well written and made it very relatable and I just love this story
The other did an excellent job portraying someone of middle years and all that entails in a romantic relationship the whole series is fabulous but I particularly enjoyed this one because I could really relate to the way main character felt. Insecurities and foibles we all go through we're so well written and made it very relatable and I just love this story
December 22, 2018
Elves, elves ...
Loved this story. I especially liked the heroine and hero.
People from previous books but can totally stand alone.
Worth the time and money to be entertained with this read.
Loved this story. I especially liked the heroine and hero.
People from previous books but can totally stand alone.
Worth the time and money to be entertained with this read.
March 16, 2019
I loved it. It was very refreshing to see an adult woman in her 50s as a main character. The story was an easy read, not too complicated but not too predictable.
A book for when you don't want bloodshed and busy plots, but just want to relax and just enjoy the mood.
A book for when you don't want bloodshed and busy plots, but just want to relax and just enjoy the mood.
September 2, 2019
Read as part of the Once upon a curse box set
The best of all, not only because it is a bit longer. The first chapter drew me into this topsy-turvy funny Cinderella story and held my interest till the end.
The best of all, not only because it is a bit longer. The first chapter drew me into this topsy-turvy funny Cinderella story and held my interest till the end.
October 17, 2019
A delightful twist on the traditional vampire romance. Most of my least favorite tropes of the genre have been twisted to make them far less misogynistic. A fun romp with fun characters. Classic Gockel.
March 29, 2020
Awesome
Another part of this series comes to life, and I didn't know I needed it 😁
Marcia and Dare what a love story.
Marcia, wicked step mom, loving mother, in the end, a God killer.
Dare, unassuming Night Elf, little magic NOT! I
Great read 💖
Another part of this series comes to life, and I didn't know I needed it 😁
Marcia and Dare what a love story.
Marcia, wicked step mom, loving mother, in the end, a God killer.
Dare, unassuming Night Elf, little magic NOT! I
Great read 💖
May 30, 2021
Marcia, Dare, Alicia, Cindy, Duncan
Marcia continues to love Dare. She struggles with the differences between them, and the fact that her daughter Alicia has magical powers.
Characterization and plotting are excellent.
Marcia continues to love Dare. She struggles with the differences between them, and the fact that her daughter Alicia has magical powers.
Characterization and plotting are excellent.
September 15, 2018
Wonderful - as always
I love this series and this one didn't disappoint. Ups and downs, family getting in the way, felt very believable while still dipping into the fantastic.
I love this series and this one didn't disappoint. Ups and downs, family getting in the way, felt very believable while still dipping into the fantastic.
November 6, 2018
Great book
Love these books. They are really out there, but fun to read. I love Marcia and Dare, and was glad they worked out their problems.
Love these books. They are really out there, but fun to read. I love Marcia and Dare, and was glad they worked out their problems.
February 22, 2019
Thrilling. Not many romance style novels having older people falling in love and I loved it
May 23, 2020
Unpredictable
An unpredictable tale of a mom, her blended family and Count Dare, a Night Elf. The parallels to our reality were duly noted. I wish we could blame our current situation upon not so divine intervention. Another fine installment of I Bring the Fire.
An unpredictable tale of a mom, her blended family and Count Dare, a Night Elf. The parallels to our reality were duly noted. I wish we could blame our current situation upon not so divine intervention. Another fine installment of I Bring the Fire.
July 1, 2020
This is a cute little story.
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