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Black Dog #7
Copper Mountain
An immense demon lies asleep beneath Copper Mountain in Colorado. Sooner or later, it's going to wake up.
Unscrupulous black witches hope to use long-forgotten magic to harness the demon's power. Colonel Herrod of the Special Forces has more than one plan for dealing with both the demon and any witches who make an attempt to bind it. But Miguel Toland is pretty sure that no matter what else might happen, eventually Dimilioc is going to have to deal with that demon . . . and it looks like that means he's going to have to deal with it himself.
No matter what the cost.
Unscrupulous black witches hope to use long-forgotten magic to harness the demon's power. Colonel Herrod of the Special Forces has more than one plan for dealing with both the demon and any witches who make an attempt to bind it. But Miguel Toland is pretty sure that no matter what else might happen, eventually Dimilioc is going to have to deal with that demon . . . and it looks like that means he's going to have to deal with it himself.
No matter what the cost.
403 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 27, 2020
27 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Neumeier
56 books580 followersRachel Neumeier started writing fiction to relax when she was a graduate student and needed a hobby unrelated to her research. Prior to selling her first fantasy novel, she had published only a few articles in venues such as The American Journal of Botany. However, finding that her interests did not lie in research, Rachel left academia and began to let her hobbies take over her life instead.
She now raises and shows dogs, gardens, cooks, and occasionally finds time to read. She works part-time for a tutoring program, though she tutors far more students in Math and Chemistry than in English Composition.
She now raises and shows dogs, gardens, cooks, and occasionally finds time to read. She works part-time for a tutoring program, though she tutors far more students in Math and Chemistry than in English Composition.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
November 3, 2020
Four stars because this kept me up into the "I'm glad we're falling back tonight" hours.
But I'm not so sure this is a four-star book. For one thing, all the concerns I've been expressing since the second book are still here: the undercutting of strong characters - new mythology - and in this book, there's a new one, repetition.
This series is still compelling, especially when it plays to its strengths and examines its established hierarchy, and the way newcomers slot in, and the unexpected roles people take upon themselves. Ethan, for example: what a great arc of character growth.
One of the strongest moments here is Miguel having to break down his reactions - yikes, good stuff. I was riveted. I'm glad he got this type of focus: - really a perfect use of the new mythology: to build on a character.
And right after that, when Natividad realizes YES. It's such a great moment.
And yet one major flaw with this book is that every good aspect has a counterpoint. I think Ethan is great - but we're going to need some explanation for why he can get away with behaving the way he does. He worked it out with Thaddeus, fine. But here, with Etienne and Ezekiel? We need more explanation.
And Natividad, one of my favorite characters! Why is she still making the same sorts of mistakes she's been making since the first book? In moments when she doesn't make mistakes relating to magic, but almost makes the mistake of commenting when she shouldn't, she's stopped by Ezekiel. That's... not a sign of growth.
Ezekiel's my other favorite character, and I've been asserting for books now that his strength has been built up only to be undercut. That continues here, to the point where I was really nervous about Santibanez's plan. (Partly that was because the author had them discuss it on page without revealing any of the dialogue: "It took just half a minute for Santibanez to lay it out." LAY WHAT OUT? DON'T DO THIS.) And I shouldn't have been nervous! And I LOVE how Grayson ends up handling it! And yet, even as it plays out in a way mostly consistent with the worldbuilding and the character development, it undercuts Ezekiel to an extent.
There are also too many "can I trust you at my back?" scenes; this was handled already, in that incredible moment when Ezekiel came back from Colorado! Why are we rehashing it? And then there's this, right at the beginning, almost a throwaway line: "Thaddeus Williams was definitely the strongest Dimilioc wolf - even stronger than Grayson, probably." Grrrrrrrr.
The problems of new mythology and repetition dovetail, I think. Truthfully, the mythology isn't entirely new. It was the focus of the previous book (a stronger entry in the series, I think, when everything was brand new - and shocking). And yet the mythology still doesn't sit right with me. Obviously a good series expands its world - but has this one expanded too far away from what made it compelling in the first place?
And in exploring this expansion, allowing it to occupy two books now, has it become impossible for the series to return to its strengths? I like Miguel's point a lot, about
Added to that, there's the problem of repetition. This book repeats a lot of the previous conflicts, especially with Grayson's character and the magic with shadows. The one exception to these repeated beats is when the focus is on Miguel - it's the best part of the mythology because it ties into this series' strength, which is Dimilioc. Some of the strongest scenes in the book are , but there's repetition of that, too, in this very book, which might lessen some of the impact.
The book also recaps some short stories in a way I found unnecessary. (And it brings back the text messaging... they couldn't just talk on the phone?!) We also see Colorado and Colonel Herrod again, and the book brings them back days after we've last seen them in the timeline... All of this is happening so fast, and none of it gives enough breathing room for any kind of character development except the kind that comes when their backs are up against the wall.
I sound pretty down on this book, but I'm not, really. In a way this entire series is about having their backs up against the wall. But somehow there's a difference when it's focused on Dimilioc and their internal politics, and when it's focused on Herrod, Special Forces, and (of all things) the United States Senate instead. The contrast isn't quite as sharp as I think the book thinks it is.
So I'm critical because I expect so much from this world. I have absolutely no idea where this series is going now, which I find both fascinating and terrifying - I guess we'll get some idea with the next short story volume? - and if anything leaves me wanting more story, I consider it successful.
But I'm not so sure this is a four-star book. For one thing, all the concerns I've been expressing since the second book are still here: the undercutting of strong characters - new mythology - and in this book, there's a new one, repetition.
This series is still compelling, especially when it plays to its strengths and examines its established hierarchy, and the way newcomers slot in, and the unexpected roles people take upon themselves. Ethan, for example: what a great arc of character growth.
"Over the past year or so, Ethan has shouldered a good deal of the burden of schooling newly arrived wolves in Dimilioc expectations, an effort he may believe, mistakenly, that I haven't noticed."Ahahahaha. I cackled. That, combined with "the office on the second floor" stuff... Did I expect him to become such an interesting character? Nope! Do almost all the great plotlines feature Ethan? Yup!
One of the strongest moments here is Miguel having to break down his reactions - yikes, good stuff. I was riveted. I'm glad he got this type of focus: - really a perfect use of the new mythology: to build on a character.
And right after that, when Natividad realizes YES. It's such a great moment.
And yet one major flaw with this book is that every good aspect has a counterpoint. I think Ethan is great - but we're going to need some explanation for why he can get away with behaving the way he does. He worked it out with Thaddeus, fine. But here, with Etienne and Ezekiel? We need more explanation.
And Natividad, one of my favorite characters! Why is she still making the same sorts of mistakes she's been making since the first book? In moments when she doesn't make mistakes relating to magic, but almost makes the mistake of commenting when she shouldn't, she's stopped by Ezekiel. That's... not a sign of growth.
Ezekiel's my other favorite character, and I've been asserting for books now that his strength has been built up only to be undercut. That continues here, to the point where I was really nervous about Santibanez's plan. (Partly that was because the author had them discuss it on page without revealing any of the dialogue: "It took just half a minute for Santibanez to lay it out." LAY WHAT OUT? DON'T DO THIS.) And I shouldn't have been nervous! And I LOVE how Grayson ends up handling it! And yet, even as it plays out in a way mostly consistent with the worldbuilding and the character development, it undercuts Ezekiel to an extent.
There are also too many "can I trust you at my back?" scenes; this was handled already, in that incredible moment when Ezekiel came back from Colorado! Why are we rehashing it? And then there's this, right at the beginning, almost a throwaway line: "Thaddeus Williams was definitely the strongest Dimilioc wolf - even stronger than Grayson, probably." Grrrrrrrr.
The problems of new mythology and repetition dovetail, I think. Truthfully, the mythology isn't entirely new. It was the focus of the previous book (a stronger entry in the series, I think, when everything was brand new - and shocking). And yet the mythology still doesn't sit right with me. Obviously a good series expands its world - but has this one expanded too far away from what made it compelling in the first place?
And in exploring this expansion, allowing it to occupy two books now, has it become impossible for the series to return to its strengths? I like Miguel's point a lot, about
Added to that, there's the problem of repetition. This book repeats a lot of the previous conflicts, especially with Grayson's character and the magic with shadows. The one exception to these repeated beats is when the focus is on Miguel - it's the best part of the mythology because it ties into this series' strength, which is Dimilioc. Some of the strongest scenes in the book are , but there's repetition of that, too, in this very book, which might lessen some of the impact.
The book also recaps some short stories in a way I found unnecessary. (And it brings back the text messaging... they couldn't just talk on the phone?!) We also see Colorado and Colonel Herrod again, and the book brings them back days after we've last seen them in the timeline... All of this is happening so fast, and none of it gives enough breathing room for any kind of character development except the kind that comes when their backs are up against the wall.
I sound pretty down on this book, but I'm not, really. In a way this entire series is about having their backs up against the wall. But somehow there's a difference when it's focused on Dimilioc and their internal politics, and when it's focused on Herrod, Special Forces, and (of all things) the United States Senate instead. The contrast isn't quite as sharp as I think the book thinks it is.
So I'm critical because I expect so much from this world. I have absolutely no idea where this series is going now, which I find both fascinating and terrifying - I guess we'll get some idea with the next short story volume? - and if anything leaves me wanting more story, I consider it successful.
December 26, 2022
TFW a book is so good that you start reading the whole series again from the beginning...
COPPER MOUNTAIN isn't without its flaws, but it pushed all the right buttons for me - found family feels, characters growing into their potential, and escalating stakes, all set against some really good worldbuilding.
COPPER MOUNTAIN isn't without its flaws, but it pushed all the right buttons for me - found family feels, characters growing into their potential, and escalating stakes, all set against some really good worldbuilding.
September 30, 2020
Another fine story in the Black Dog series, this time with Miguel as the lead character. In an earlier century, the novel might have been named
"Copper Mountain,
or
The Temptation of Miguel"
[Mi
Volume 3 of this story closed on a cliffhanger: there was an escaped demon "encysted" in the Copper Mountain resort. This state does not hold for long, and it is left to Miguel to research how to return the demon to the fell dark. Unfortunately his only sources are notes and grimoires written by black witches, the mere possession of which leaves stains on the soul...
Note: I proofread the manuscript prior to publication.
"Copper Mountain,
or
The Temptation of Miguel"
[Mi
Volume 3 of this story closed on a cliffhanger: there was an escaped demon "encysted" in the Copper Mountain resort. This state does not hold for long, and it is left to Miguel to research how to return the demon to the fell dark. Unfortunately his only sources are notes and grimoires written by black witches, the mere possession of which leaves stains on the soul...
Note: I proofread the manuscript prior to publication.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2023
Always exciting to get another Black Dog book!
This is a book where multiple people have to admit to Grayson that they've been affected in some way. A lot of the story is about trust. Can Dimilioc trust you? Can you trust Grayson? Do you trust others when things are going wrong?
The story does weave together lots of pieces from other books, so it's best read as book #4, not as your first book in this series.
The focus is on Grayson, Ezekiel, Natividad, Alejandro, and Miguel. Etienne, Ethan, and Frederic have significant air time. Cassie's there some in the beginning. The others aren't really part of it.
This is a book where multiple people have to admit to Grayson that they've been affected in some way. A lot of the story is about trust. Can Dimilioc trust you? Can you trust Grayson? Do you trust others when things are going wrong?
The story does weave together lots of pieces from other books, so it's best read as book #4, not as your first book in this series.
The focus is on Grayson, Ezekiel, Natividad, Alejandro, and Miguel. Etienne, Ethan, and Frederic have significant air time. Cassie's there some in the beginning. The others aren't really part of it.
November 6, 2020
Outstanding Series!
Well written storytelling at its best. Fast paced and each novel and short story held my attention. Really cool theory of magic. She did not romanticize vampires or witches or black magic. I will read all of her other books.
Well written storytelling at its best. Fast paced and each novel and short story held my attention. Really cool theory of magic. She did not romanticize vampires or witches or black magic. I will read all of her other books.
May 24, 2025
While I’m still enjoying the series, this book was a little less enjoyable than the others. I’d like to note that I’m binging the books and it’s possible that I’m irritated due to overexposure. So take this all with a grain of salt.
I do want to be fair and note that I go through something like 20 books a week (including DNFs). I’m really hard to please these days. I almost never binge anything anymore and I rarely make it past book 2 in any series. So that really says something about how good this story is.
First, the texting sections are incredibly annoying. I have Alexa read me books out loud and it makes it nonsensical. Even if I were reading visually, I’m not up to date on all the abbreviations. I’m an old millennial. Don’t make my life more frustrating than it already is. My texts have full sentences in them most of the time.. it just wouldn’t be that hard to make those sections less irritating.
I gave up on Alexa and visually skimmed about 50% of the book (which is what I do when I’m frustrated; she just doesn’t read very quickly). The inner monologues were excessive. The plot in this one was pretty predictable, so I was impatient to just get there.
Natividad is getting on my last nerve. She’s constantly bumbling around, apparently unconcerned with the fact that two other people have lives bound to hers. At one point she does something so shockingly stupid that one character calls her out on it, but Ezekiel’s defense is ‘oh she knows I’ll stop her so it’s fine’??? That’s the wisdom we’re going with? Her pattern of thinking and talking used to be cute but now it’s wishy washy and childish. People are asking her life and death, apocalyptic questions and she’s full of ‘maybe’ and ‘probably’ this and that. I don’t know why they’re asking her for anything, since she’s done nothing but make situations exponentially worse for 2 books. She’s the one who let this demon out in the first place. Her most brilliant idea lately came directly from a 5 year old.
Throughout the whole series I’ve been completely grossed out by the whole 15 yo child being romantically involved with a 21 yo man. I guess I should be grateful they waited until she was 16 to have sex?? I keep trying to get over it, since I genuinely like the plots and characters, but instead of the child maturing, she sounds more and more like a 12 yo. Making ridiculously stupid decisions and being incapable of speaking decisively..
This is obviously a book for adults. There are scenes that are too brutal for YA stories. People are being crucified. Innocent people are being gutted. One of our main characters went through long term torture and we somehow squeezed in implications that he was raped/SA’d. Not that we’re addressing it, apparently. My point is, this is is not a fluffy coming of age story. We didn’t need our FMC to be 15.
I think I just get madder and madder about it as each book goes by because it was so incredibly unnecessary. I (mostly) like both characters. I like them together. I like their story. I don’t even mind an age gap. All you had to do was add a couple of years to both characters. Or make the 21 yo a little younger. I cannot understand why any author would decide to go with a 15 year old. Just why?? Even if 90% of your audience doesn’t care, why piss off the other 10% if you don’t have to? And I think more than 10% of the audience would agree that they were a child at 15 and an adult at 21. Gross.
But dammit I still like these characters and I enjoy the unique world building. The plots are still mostly engaging, so I’ll read the next one.
I do want to be fair and note that I go through something like 20 books a week (including DNFs). I’m really hard to please these days. I almost never binge anything anymore and I rarely make it past book 2 in any series. So that really says something about how good this story is.
First, the texting sections are incredibly annoying. I have Alexa read me books out loud and it makes it nonsensical. Even if I were reading visually, I’m not up to date on all the abbreviations. I’m an old millennial. Don’t make my life more frustrating than it already is. My texts have full sentences in them most of the time.. it just wouldn’t be that hard to make those sections less irritating.
I gave up on Alexa and visually skimmed about 50% of the book (which is what I do when I’m frustrated; she just doesn’t read very quickly). The inner monologues were excessive. The plot in this one was pretty predictable, so I was impatient to just get there.
Natividad is getting on my last nerve. She’s constantly bumbling around, apparently unconcerned with the fact that two other people have lives bound to hers. At one point she does something so shockingly stupid that one character calls her out on it, but Ezekiel’s defense is ‘oh she knows I’ll stop her so it’s fine’??? That’s the wisdom we’re going with? Her pattern of thinking and talking used to be cute but now it’s wishy washy and childish. People are asking her life and death, apocalyptic questions and she’s full of ‘maybe’ and ‘probably’ this and that. I don’t know why they’re asking her for anything, since she’s done nothing but make situations exponentially worse for 2 books. She’s the one who let this demon out in the first place. Her most brilliant idea lately came directly from a 5 year old.
Throughout the whole series I’ve been completely grossed out by the whole 15 yo child being romantically involved with a 21 yo man. I guess I should be grateful they waited until she was 16 to have sex?? I keep trying to get over it, since I genuinely like the plots and characters, but instead of the child maturing, she sounds more and more like a 12 yo. Making ridiculously stupid decisions and being incapable of speaking decisively..
This is obviously a book for adults. There are scenes that are too brutal for YA stories. People are being crucified. Innocent people are being gutted. One of our main characters went through long term torture and we somehow squeezed in implications that he was raped/SA’d. Not that we’re addressing it, apparently. My point is, this is is not a fluffy coming of age story. We didn’t need our FMC to be 15.
I think I just get madder and madder about it as each book goes by because it was so incredibly unnecessary. I (mostly) like both characters. I like them together. I like their story. I don’t even mind an age gap. All you had to do was add a couple of years to both characters. Or make the 21 yo a little younger. I cannot understand why any author would decide to go with a 15 year old. Just why?? Even if 90% of your audience doesn’t care, why piss off the other 10% if you don’t have to? And I think more than 10% of the audience would agree that they were a child at 15 and an adult at 21. Gross.
But dammit I still like these characters and I enjoy the unique world building. The plots are still mostly engaging, so I’ll read the next one.
November 10, 2020
Another good installment
The Black Dog series is one of my favorites. One I usually pull out and read every year. This latest installment was good. It continued right where the last book left off.
I bumped a star off because while I enjoy Miguel, there were quite a few parts of his chapters that felt too long winded, too much reminder and reminder of etiquette and politics, etc. also whenever he texted with Cassie was cringeworthy. Too many acronyms.
I do also think that Natividad stalled in her character growth.
I hope that the next book focuses more
Besides that I loved this installment and can’t wait for the next one.
The Black Dog series is one of my favorites. One I usually pull out and read every year. This latest installment was good. It continued right where the last book left off.
I bumped a star off because while I enjoy Miguel, there were quite a few parts of his chapters that felt too long winded, too much reminder and reminder of etiquette and politics, etc. also whenever he texted with Cassie was cringeworthy. Too many acronyms.
I do also think that Natividad stalled in her character growth.
I hope that the next book focuses more
Besides that I loved this installment and can’t wait for the next one.
January 26, 2021
As always a great read
I gave this 4 stars only in comparison to the 5 star ratings on the first books. I found the character building more interesting than the action. A personal preference. Start with book one for entrance into a world both familiar and yet utterly reimagined. Beautifully written and fully formed characters that will draw the reader in from the first page. The kind of books that leave you wondering what the characters are doing while you wait for the next book. As a voracious reader I have devoured hundreds of pages, good bad and exceptional. Rachel Neumeier
is exceptional.
I gave this 4 stars only in comparison to the 5 star ratings on the first books. I found the character building more interesting than the action. A personal preference. Start with book one for entrance into a world both familiar and yet utterly reimagined. Beautifully written and fully formed characters that will draw the reader in from the first page. The kind of books that leave you wondering what the characters are doing while you wait for the next book. As a voracious reader I have devoured hundreds of pages, good bad and exceptional. Rachel Neumeier
is exceptional.
April 24, 2021
This exciting story kept my attention all the way through. Through this whole series, I've been impressed at how the author has been able to come up with a new villain that is just as deadly as the previous ones in each book. The stakes and tension always stay high. This is definitely not one of those series where things taper off from book to book! I recommend this one as highly as the others.
August 9, 2022
Solid
As expected, another solid installment in the Black Dog series. Smoothly progresses to an end I hoped for but was afraid to expect. Too often authors have joined the shock my readers bandwagon. I truly care for these characters and was glad to read how the puzzled their way through an insurmountable complication.
As expected, another solid installment in the Black Dog series. Smoothly progresses to an end I hoped for but was afraid to expect. Too often authors have joined the shock my readers bandwagon. I truly care for these characters and was glad to read how the puzzled their way through an insurmountable complication.
March 18, 2023
Wow, just wow
So much excitement in a story! This was a real adrenaline rush. Kept catching my breath! Demons, witches and all sorts of evil against our favorite Black dogs and their cohorts. Makes for a great read!
So much excitement in a story! This was a real adrenaline rush. Kept catching my breath! Demons, witches and all sorts of evil against our favorite Black dogs and their cohorts. Makes for a great read!
November 5, 2020
What an excellent series. 10/10 recommend.
February 26, 2021
Oh my GOD I heart this series
March 15, 2022
intense
All of the Black Dog books are intense read, and this one even more so, I felt. Really enjoy the character development.
All of the Black Dog books are intense read, and this one even more so, I felt. Really enjoy the character development.
December 15, 2022
Bought myself this book as a reward. I'm very invested in this series and characters. The story was thoroughly engrossing. The focus is on Natividad and even more on Miguel this book.
February 28, 2025
An excellent continuation.
I read this in two days. The whole day at work in between evening reading sessions I was just thinking, "Tonight I get to keep reading the next Black Dog book!" But now I have to wait for the next one. I am very impatient.
I would definitely recommend starting at the beginning of the series for these books, and don't skip the short stories! They are fabulous anyway, but also very helpful for understanding the events of this book.
I read this in two days. The whole day at work in between evening reading sessions I was just thinking, "Tonight I get to keep reading the next Black Dog book!" But now I have to wait for the next one. I am very impatient.
I would definitely recommend starting at the beginning of the series for these books, and don't skip the short stories! They are fabulous anyway, but also very helpful for understanding the events of this book.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews