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Allie Beckstrom #5
Magic at the Gate
Allie Beckstrom's lover, Zayvion Jones, is a Guardian of the Gate, imbued with both light and dark magic and responsible for ensuring that those energies don't mix. But Zayvion lies in a coma, his soul trapped in death's realm. And when Allie discovers that the only way to save Zayvion is to sacrifice her very own magical essence, she makes a decision that may have grave consequences for the entire world.
346 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 29, 2010
53 people are currently reading
1877 people want to read
About the author
Devon Monk
88 books2,061 followersDevon Monk is a national best selling writer of urban fantasy. Her series include Ordinary Magic, House Immortal, Allie Beckstrom, Broken Magic and Shame and Terric. She also writes the Age of Steam steampunk series, and the occasional short story which can be found in her collection: A Cup of Normal, and in various anthologies. She has one husband, two sons, and lives in Oregon. When not writing, Devon is either drinking too much coffee or knitting silly things.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
February 9, 2022
More of a 2.5. It is the type of story I love, without actually being lovable.
The protagonist is a paper-thin "kickass" female. She makes weird financial decisions, like abandoning her apartment to move someplace new, even without new furniture. She inherits a business worth millions but takes no interest in the running of the business.
Then she makes questionable decisions about how to manage her magic. In this installment she gives up her magic early on for the sake of some guy. *Facepalm* Throughout all this, Allie has been weirdly okay with having the ghost of her dead father living inside her brain. And he has been living there rent free over the course of multiple books.
This is not a great series. The types of magic are pretty arbitrary. Blood, death, and "closing," and closing means forgetting. Lots of ghosts. Lots of characters who cast blood magic and have heightened senses of hearing and smell, calling themselves "hounds." I listen to this audiobook and don't care much what happens.
I'm not invested in the romance. Zayvion is a fairly wooden character, even when he isn't in a coma (as he was for the first quarter of this novel).
Allie is so busy interacting with the various magic-using factions in her city, she neglects to develop a real personality. All we know about her is that her dad was rich and controlling (and now lives in her head), Allie has worked as a "hound" for a while, she has been pretty talented at magic most of her life, and she has a weird tendency to forget to set a fixed cost for her magic even though she knows that she is supposed to do that EVERY SINGLE TIME. Allie sacrifices her magic for Zayvion early on in this novel, and she displays absolutely no consideration for the ramifications of this decision whatsoever.
Is it so bad to want a protagonist who thinks first and kicks ass later?
The protagonist is a paper-thin "kickass" female. She makes weird financial decisions, like abandoning her apartment to move someplace new, even without new furniture. She inherits a business worth millions but takes no interest in the running of the business.
Then she makes questionable decisions about how to manage her magic. In this installment she gives up her magic early on for the sake of some guy. *Facepalm* Throughout all this, Allie has been weirdly okay with having the ghost of her dead father living inside her brain. And he has been living there rent free over the course of multiple books.
This is not a great series. The types of magic are pretty arbitrary. Blood, death, and "closing," and closing means forgetting. Lots of ghosts. Lots of characters who cast blood magic and have heightened senses of hearing and smell, calling themselves "hounds." I listen to this audiobook and don't care much what happens.
I'm not invested in the romance. Zayvion is a fairly wooden character, even when he isn't in a coma (as he was for the first quarter of this novel).
Allie is so busy interacting with the various magic-using factions in her city, she neglects to develop a real personality. All we know about her is that her dad was rich and controlling (and now lives in her head), Allie has worked as a "hound" for a while, she has been pretty talented at magic most of her life, and she has a weird tendency to forget to set a fixed cost for her magic even though she knows that she is supposed to do that EVERY SINGLE TIME. Allie sacrifices her magic for Zayvion early on in this novel, and she displays absolutely no consideration for the ramifications of this decision whatsoever.
Is it so bad to want a protagonist who thinks first and kicks ass later?
February 21, 2015
This is probably the first time I have finished a book in this series without the burning desire to rip into the next one. Not that it was a bad book. It wasn’t. But I didn’t connect with it as much as with some previous installments. And I think that had a lot to do with the gaping hole in the story where Zayvion Jones usually lives.
Though Zay is a driving force in the story, his absence is a bigger factor than anything else. The story begins with Allie, her father, and her gargoyle Stone entering the realm of Death to rescue Zayvion. It wasn’t nearly as dark as I would have expected. Generally, this is a series that’s not afraid to “go there,” but I thought this world’s version of death was kind of weak. What really made an impact on me, however, was the continued insight we get into Allie’s dad. I am very intrigued by the way he was presented in this plane and while I still hate him with the fiery passion of a thousand suns, I want to know more about how he got this way.
I expected the rescue to take up a large part of the story, but it didn’t really. It’s much more about the fallout from the split in the Authority that happened during the climax of the last book. The other side is making use of those magic discs in new and frightening ways. And the big prize appears to be mastery over life and death… which brings us back around to Allie’s dad, who has wanted that all along.
There are some interesting clues about the holes in Allie’s memories that intrigued me. The glimpses she had of her mother and her childhood made me get misty. Shane and Terric continue to score points with their weird relationship. But otherwise, I was a little underwhelmed. The climax was only so-so. I missed my Zayvion time. And I was frustrated by Allie’s inability to prioritize the value of a life over keeping someone’s memories intact. I feel like she needs to work on choosing her battles.
Overall, I felt this was more of a bridge from one story to the next than a kick-ass installment. I am ready, though, to stay on this ride for a bit longer.
Rating: B/B-
Though Zay is a driving force in the story, his absence is a bigger factor than anything else. The story begins with Allie, her father, and her gargoyle Stone entering the realm of Death to rescue Zayvion. It wasn’t nearly as dark as I would have expected. Generally, this is a series that’s not afraid to “go there,” but I thought this world’s version of death was kind of weak. What really made an impact on me, however, was the continued insight we get into Allie’s dad. I am very intrigued by the way he was presented in this plane and while I still hate him with the fiery passion of a thousand suns, I want to know more about how he got this way.
I expected the rescue to take up a large part of the story, but it didn’t really. It’s much more about the fallout from the split in the Authority that happened during the climax of the last book. The other side is making use of those magic discs in new and frightening ways. And the big prize appears to be mastery over life and death… which brings us back around to Allie’s dad, who has wanted that all along.
There are some interesting clues about the holes in Allie’s memories that intrigued me. The glimpses she had of her mother and her childhood made me get misty. Shane and Terric continue to score points with their weird relationship. But otherwise, I was a little underwhelmed. The climax was only so-so. I missed my Zayvion time. And I was frustrated by Allie’s inability to prioritize the value of a life over keeping someone’s memories intact. I feel like she needs to work on choosing her battles.
Overall, I felt this was more of a bridge from one story to the next than a kick-ass installment. I am ready, though, to stay on this ride for a bit longer.
Rating: B/B-
March 2, 2016
Picking up from the massive cliffhanger at the end of book four, this one starts with Allie walking through the gate into death in order to find and retrieve Zayvion's soul. Recovering his soul and taking it back with her into the world of the living, however, has a price: Allie must give up the small magic she carries in her soul to get her lover back. Once returned from death, she is right back in the middle of the war that has broken out among the different factions of the Authority. While Zay remains in a coma, the small group around Maeve and her nearest and dearest is stretched almost to their limits closing down gates that are popping up all over the city. And a new danger in form of Veiled that have gotten their hands on the magic disks missing after the storm has arrived in Portland as well...
This one has a lot more action going on right off the bat, making it an altogether more exciting and satisfying read than the previous book. IMO it also didn't hurt to have Zayvion relegated to the sidelines for once - less relationship drama and Zay being irritating, more story and characters I'm actually interested in, yay! On the whole, I enjoyed this book a lot more than the last one, and it's gotten my hopes up for the remainder of the series. Really liked the ending on this one featuring the Hounds, I'd love to see them integrated into the rest of the story more in future.
This one has a lot more action going on right off the bat, making it an altogether more exciting and satisfying read than the previous book. IMO it also didn't hurt to have Zayvion relegated to the sidelines for once - less relationship drama and Zay being irritating, more story and characters I'm actually interested in, yay! On the whole, I enjoyed this book a lot more than the last one, and it's gotten my hopes up for the remainder of the series. Really liked the ending on this one featuring the Hounds, I'd love to see them integrated into the rest of the story more in future.
November 6, 2010
This book starts right up where the last one left off, with Allie, her father, and Stone traveling into death's realm to rescue Zayvion's soul. She succeeds, but at a terrible price, having to sacrifice the magic that belonged to her soul. As dangerous as things are for her in that realm, those dangers pale in comparison to what awaits her when she returns. Some of the most powerful veiled have gotten a hold of the disks that were charged with the wild magic. These disks give them corporeal bodies and make them almost indestructible since they can draw on magic without any price at all. Allie might just have to do something she vowed never to do to make it out of this mess alive, trust her father.
This book seemed like it was the calm before the storm, without really being calm. There was plenty of danger and action, but with the war really starting to brew, I fear they have only scraped the edge of what is in store. Not only do the remaining members of the Authority have to deal with the ones who rebelled, but also a new unknown threat that seems to have followed Allie out of the gate. They seem to be getting it from all sides, and it will be a miracle if the small band is able to hold things together. I think they might just have to rethink their idea of closing everyone outside of their circle. They will need all the help they can get, and there are several magic users that could really be useful if the members of the Authority only allow them to help. I guess only time will tell if their stubbornness holds, or they give in and do the right thing.
I really missed the interaction between Zayvion and Allie in this book. I understand the man was in a coma for most of it, but I just wish there could have been a little more time spent together. Their relationship is one of my favorite things about the series, and it made this book seem to be a little lacking compared to the rest. That being said however, I did enjoy the increased time with her friends Shame and Terric. I'm not sure the two will ever be able to be completely at peace with each other. However, with that being said, they did make major strides at being able to at least work together without killing the other person. Who knows, maybe someday a miracle will happen and Shame will pull his head out of his butt, anything is possible.
Overall, this felt like a transition book, but still had plenty of action to keep me entertained. Some questions were answered about her father and his "use" for her. His continued manipulation and use of her without her permission makes him really hard to trust, especially since he keeps his true motives always hidden from her. I just hope that somehow his ultimate plan ends up being for the good of the world and Allie. Hey, I can dream right? All in all, I enjoyed the book, and I look forward to the next one, especially if there is more quality time between Allie and Zayvion. I have a feeling things are headed to crazy town and the next book should be pretty jammed packed.
This book seemed like it was the calm before the storm, without really being calm. There was plenty of danger and action, but with the war really starting to brew, I fear they have only scraped the edge of what is in store. Not only do the remaining members of the Authority have to deal with the ones who rebelled, but also a new unknown threat that seems to have followed Allie out of the gate. They seem to be getting it from all sides, and it will be a miracle if the small band is able to hold things together. I think they might just have to rethink their idea of closing everyone outside of their circle. They will need all the help they can get, and there are several magic users that could really be useful if the members of the Authority only allow them to help. I guess only time will tell if their stubbornness holds, or they give in and do the right thing.
I really missed the interaction between Zayvion and Allie in this book. I understand the man was in a coma for most of it, but I just wish there could have been a little more time spent together. Their relationship is one of my favorite things about the series, and it made this book seem to be a little lacking compared to the rest. That being said however, I did enjoy the increased time with her friends Shame and Terric. I'm not sure the two will ever be able to be completely at peace with each other. However, with that being said, they did make major strides at being able to at least work together without killing the other person. Who knows, maybe someday a miracle will happen and Shame will pull his head out of his butt, anything is possible.
Overall, this felt like a transition book, but still had plenty of action to keep me entertained. Some questions were answered about her father and his "use" for her. His continued manipulation and use of her without her permission makes him really hard to trust, especially since he keeps his true motives always hidden from her. I just hope that somehow his ultimate plan ends up being for the good of the world and Allie. Hey, I can dream right? All in all, I enjoyed the book, and I look forward to the next one, especially if there is more quality time between Allie and Zayvion. I have a feeling things are headed to crazy town and the next book should be pretty jammed packed.
September 13, 2012
While entertaining and a fairly easy read, I had a hard time reading this book. Why? Because I have come to really really hate the characters. Every single choice made by Allie in this book upset me. But what upsets me more is what happens to her. I honestly cannot think of a character I hate more than her father. WHAT IS DANIEL BECKSTROM UP TO? How can he do this to his own child? He is so evil it is ridiculous to me. I don't know what his goal is, maybe he wants to save the world, but his possession of Allie is evil! Absolutely wicked and sick. WORSE FATHER EVER!
I honestly can't give a sane or rational review of this book, because I am so livid. The way the book ended it is clear that Allie is not going to get rid of her father any time soon. How can she allow herself to be used this way. I say allow, because she is not fighting back. She needs to demand that this guy be taken out of her head. It doesn't matter what kind of war or magical crisis is on the horizon she needs to be alone in her head. How can she let this go on? It makes me so angry.
I am also guessing that Daniel has been closing Allie all these years. Taking her memories away. Even the memory of her mother. God what a bastard.
Also, the Authority! MY GOD. I am sorry, you know that war is brewing, and you do nothing to defend yourself? You don't set up fail safes? You don't get yourself a new safe house that former members of the authority don't know about? You don't scatter the disks around the city or the country so that they're more difficult to find? Also, my god the stupidity of Violet (I am not 100% that she can be trusted, anyone who can love Daniel Beckstrom is probably an idiot or as evil as he is) and the Beckstrom corporation. Really your disks were stolen and used horribly and you keep hundreds of disks in one location the same location that already had a break in? On top of that, when she said she was going to make more disks, i wanted to jump through my nook screen and slap her. These people are supposed to be the top magic users, the captains of industry, the most powerful and intelligent people in the world and with every book they seem more and more idiotic and make stupid amateur moves. I don't get how they became soo blind to Jingo, let Daniel Beckstrom get away with all he has obviously gotten away from and allowed the Authority to be broken up so badly. Why do these people think they're gods? Why do they think that magic and the fate of the world is their business and feel the need to control who has it and who doesn't? It drives me insane. Why do Zayvion and Shame have such blind loyalty to these people? Shame makes sense because of his parents, but Zay, what is his excuse?
The saving graces of this book are definitely Shame and Terric. I want those two kids to work it out, be together and then kill Allie and Daniel Beckstrom. Then we can follow Shame as he fights the evil forces for the rest of the series.
I honestly can't give a sane or rational review of this book, because I am so livid. The way the book ended it is clear that Allie is not going to get rid of her father any time soon. How can she allow herself to be used this way. I say allow, because she is not fighting back. She needs to demand that this guy be taken out of her head. It doesn't matter what kind of war or magical crisis is on the horizon she needs to be alone in her head. How can she let this go on? It makes me so angry.
I am also guessing that Daniel has been closing Allie all these years. Taking her memories away. Even the memory of her mother. God what a bastard.
Also, the Authority! MY GOD. I am sorry, you know that war is brewing, and you do nothing to defend yourself? You don't set up fail safes? You don't get yourself a new safe house that former members of the authority don't know about? You don't scatter the disks around the city or the country so that they're more difficult to find? Also, my god the stupidity of Violet (I am not 100% that she can be trusted, anyone who can love Daniel Beckstrom is probably an idiot or as evil as he is) and the Beckstrom corporation. Really your disks were stolen and used horribly and you keep hundreds of disks in one location the same location that already had a break in? On top of that, when she said she was going to make more disks, i wanted to jump through my nook screen and slap her. These people are supposed to be the top magic users, the captains of industry, the most powerful and intelligent people in the world and with every book they seem more and more idiotic and make stupid amateur moves. I don't get how they became soo blind to Jingo, let Daniel Beckstrom get away with all he has obviously gotten away from and allowed the Authority to be broken up so badly. Why do these people think they're gods? Why do they think that magic and the fate of the world is their business and feel the need to control who has it and who doesn't? It drives me insane. Why do Zayvion and Shame have such blind loyalty to these people? Shame makes sense because of his parents, but Zay, what is his excuse?
The saving graces of this book are definitely Shame and Terric. I want those two kids to work it out, be together and then kill Allie and Daniel Beckstrom. Then we can follow Shame as he fights the evil forces for the rest of the series.
June 27, 2015
I am really hooked on this series. I kind of wish I had borrowed all of them at once so that I could keep reading one after another. It's good that I've only limited myself to read a few at a time otherwise I would never get any of my work done. I'd be reading all the time!
In this one, Allie is pretty screwed. It's fascinating what happens to her and it's also exhausting. This was another page turner for me as I'm trying to figure out what bad thing will happen next. Each reveal makes me want to turn the pages faster. Some of the big reveals, especially about Allie's missing memories are mind blowing. There are so many different subplots and alliances that I just don't know who is the good guy and who is the bad guy.
This one where Allie goes into death to retrieve Zay is pretty awesome. I keep thinking of Orpheus going into Hades to bring back Eurydice. It's a bit nerve racking. The more I learn about these Soul Complements, the more tragic it sounds. It is a Greek tragedy with a Chinese twist. The heroes die a miserable death.
Just when it seems like it can't get worse, the story does. My emotions and outrage are all over the place as I'm first glad about Allie's dad and then not. Happy about Zay and then not. It's a roller coaster for me and I love it. Can't wait to read the next book. Recommended for urban fantasy readers.
In this one, Allie is pretty screwed. It's fascinating what happens to her and it's also exhausting. This was another page turner for me as I'm trying to figure out what bad thing will happen next. Each reveal makes me want to turn the pages faster. Some of the big reveals, especially about Allie's missing memories are mind blowing. There are so many different subplots and alliances that I just don't know who is the good guy and who is the bad guy.
This one where Allie goes into death to retrieve Zay is pretty awesome. I keep thinking of Orpheus going into Hades to bring back Eurydice. It's a bit nerve racking. The more I learn about these Soul Complements, the more tragic it sounds. It is a Greek tragedy with a Chinese twist. The heroes die a miserable death.
Just when it seems like it can't get worse, the story does. My emotions and outrage are all over the place as I'm first glad about Allie's dad and then not. Happy about Zay and then not. It's a roller coaster for me and I love it. Can't wait to read the next book. Recommended for urban fantasy readers.
June 16, 2018
4.5 Stars... Here is what I love about this series (And this book did not disappoint), there is so much substance in the storylines of each book... With that substance you get a strong sense of your characters, their backstories, personalities, and their developing relationships; it allows me to fully connect with the overall story on a more intimate level... I was catapulted into this fantastic world that Devon Monk has created and I was captivated the entire time; she writes with a unique and beautiful sensuality that brings the entirety of this world to life as well as the depth of the character interactions... I found myself laughing a lot in this story due to the increased presence of Shamus; his wit and banter is definitely my kind of humor and I love his interactions with Terric (looking forward to the nature of this relationship as it progresses)… I just want more, more, more of this series:)
April 5, 2015
Fifth in the Allie Beckstrom urban fantasy series and revolving around Allie, a Hound involved in too many problems.
My Take
Dang, this is so confusing. On the one hand, I despise Daniel for his greed, his hunger for power, the way he'll use anyone (and I MEAN everyone) for his end goal. On the other hand, he says things that make me think he MIGHT be a good guy, somewhere under all that. Things like "I am on magic's side. To see it … whole — light and dark used equally…" I suspect it's the main reason I need to read the whole series. I want that question answered. God knows I don't like Allie.
Whine, whine, whine. Poor me, the fate of the world is on my shoulders. Even though I know nothing. And whose fault is that? Allie's. Okay, okay, her dad's as well since he kept her from learning anything about magic. God knows Allie wasn't too interested in learning more. And Allie's attitude does not help. She insists on running into any and all situations because she wants to be a part of it. She can take care of herself. Doesn't want to be left out, and then she bitches because why does everyone expect so much from her?
It seems as if every time Allie goes out with a team, bad things happen. Because Allie is there and is attracting the bad guys, and she's clueless about how to fight. Her dad has incredible skills that keep keeping her alive, and I do get that Allie wants her dad out of her, but when he can cast spells that will save her life, must she really refuse that help as well
Victor wants to know if her dad will be a problem. Naw, Allie "won't let him get in the way", well, other than every other time he's set her aside and used her body to cast spells, and she's been helpless to stop him.
I do like that Allie is so confident. I do wish she'd be smart about it. She fights her dad on absolutely everything. If he told her to drink water when she was dying of thirst, she'd refuse. Okay, she fights everybody on everything. With her dad, I can understand it, mostly, because he does betray her on anything important. But it drives me nuts.
She is consistent. She jumps to conclusions without thinking anything through.
Her dad, for all his intelligence, is so clueless about her as well. He keeps betraying her and then he wonders why she fights him. Well, duh.
Yep. Then we've got Allie ignoring the Hounds as she flits off to her newer, more important role in life. Oy. She's also too tough to be helped in any way. So there.
I do have to agree with Allie about the magic-user vultures who are sitting on the sidelines, waiting to see who wins, and Victor has a minor point as well.
It's an interesting conundrum Monk has set up with the fatal power of being Soul Complements. It sounds so wonderful on the one hand, but Monk has also made it treacherous. If the pair get too close, they go insane. There's that story Monk has created of why magic had to be broken, why dark and light had to be separated. It's not that believable, but okay, I'll suspend that belief, if only because the whole underlying story is so far beyond belief. That's not to say its premise isn't fascinating. I do like the idea of the world she has created, if only because it's so very different. And Monk has created some interesting spells.
Why didn't Old Dad tell Allie to bring a vessel with her?? I'm hoping Monk has a reason for this one.
Christ, Allie first says she'd give Zayvion up to save the world and in the next breath she's willing to let the world go to pot so she can have Zay. Make up your frickin' mind. Yes, I get that it's possible to be both heroic and selfish from one breath to the next, but Monk could at least make it believable.
I do appreciate that Allie wants to protect her friends, but must she be so stupid about preventing anyone getting Closed? She'll let her friends die to keep another friend's memories. I'm just not getting the reasoning behind this. Maybe it's that ethical issue of having to stand up for what you believe even when things are bad. But when the choice is between dying or losing some memories, I'm coming down on the side of losing those memories. That, or the Authority could take Stotts into their confidence. It'd keep him alive longer!
Oh gee, Allie is pissed because she thinks Shame ditched her. Well, all she did was purposely put Terric's life in danger. Why would he be mad about that???
Thank god we get some fun stuff. Turns out Shame can make some "pretty" art. Makes sense since he is a graphic designer.
The Story
Ever since the battle, gates have been opening all over town, and the Authority is splintered and much reduced.
What's worse is that the Veiled are coming alive, nearly indestructible. And Pike is back.
The Characters
Allie Beckstrom is a Hound with a large share of her deceased father's company, Beckstrom Enterprises. Stone is an Animate, a stone gargoyle that Allie brought to life, who protects her. Nola is her best friend and is caring for what's left of Cody Miller. Daniel Beckstrom is her dead father who wants to take over her magic. If she dies to fulfill his dreams…oh well. Violet is Daniel's pregnant widow and one of the scientists at Beckstrom. Kevin Cooper is the bodyguard who is secretly in love with her.
Zayvion Jones, Allie's love, is dying in our world while his soul has been shoved through the Gate into death.
The Authority…
…polices all magic users. They have no compunction about Closing someone down, whether it's through taking their memories or killing them. The Voices of the Authority are members who speak for a particular discipline of magic: Life, Faith, Death, Blood, and Flux. Metaphors are used to refer to the magic wells that correspond to the discipline: Winter for Death (and located in a cemetery), Spring for Faith, Summer for Life, and Autumn for Blood (it's under the inn).
The Portland Authority
Shamus Flynn uses Death magic like a master, and his boss was Jingo Jingo. In his regular life, he's a freelance graphic designer. Maeve, Shame's mother, was wounded on the battlefield in Magic on the Storm , 4. Dr. Gina Fisher cares for magic users. Melba Maide is Beckstrom Enterprises' highest-paid attorney.
Jenny is one of the waitresses in Maeve's restaurant.
The Seattle Authority
Some of the Seattle people have come down to help with this crisis and include Terric, Shame's Soul Complement whom he hurt; Hayden, the three Georgia sisters (who have no first names), Nik, Joshua Romero, Sunny, and the twins, Carl and La.
Magical Enforcement Response Corps (MERC) in Portland PD
Detective Paul Stotts is the head of MERC and in love with Nola.
The Hounds are…
…magic users with the ability to scent magic, to trail it back to the original caster. They work for the public and the police, but it forces them to use magic a lot, which means a lot of pain. Pain they deal with through drugs, alcohol, and self-abuse. Davy Silver is one of them and also fills in as Allie's secretary for the new pack HQ. He can also feel when one of them is hurting. Some of the Hounds include Sid Westerling, Bea, and Jamar. Pike was the oldest Hound who started the pack to help his fellow Hounds (see Magic in the Blood , 2).
Grant owns Get Mugged, Allie's favorite coffeeshop. He also bought the old warehouse next door and is leasing the top two floors to Allie for her pack.
Greyson is a Necromorph, half-beast, half-human with a desire for more power. His girlfriend, Chase, is a Closer and his Soul Complement. They both betrayed everything they stood for. They're alive and locked up in a special prison.
The betrayers in…
… Magic on the Storm include Jingo Jingo who wields Death magic and has betrayed the Authority. He kidnapped Sedra, the leader of the Authority, and used the magic disks Allie's dad invented to do it. Liddy is dead. Mike and Dane Lannister have disappeared.
Mikhail is dead in life, but alive in death. And the man Allie must satisfy to get Zay back.
Leander and Isabelle are a lesson in Soul Complements, what can go wrong. Leander's father was the Voice of magic for all of Greece; Isabelle's family were from England and had a knack for Blood magic.
The Veiled are…
…parts of dead magic users who don't know they're dead. And they're hungry for magic, anyone's magic.
The solid Veiled are…
…made whole with the magic disks. They include Truance Stimple; Elijah Hemming; Lauren Brown; and, Frank Gordon, the doctor who tried to kill Allie and resurrected her dad.
Hungers are beasts who feed on magic and magic users. Pillars are a thing of dark magic. Closers use Faith magic and are the assassins for the Authority. They'll also take away your memories.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a background of purples with a circular glow behind Allie filled with smoky runes. Allie herself is in jeans and a black tank top in the cemetery, holding Zay's sword upright, ready to slash at the enemy. I'm guessing that that tank top is handy for displaying the tattoos crawling up her arm. God knows Allie wouldn't normally be wearing it, as it's too cold in Portland in winter, and she normally dresses in multiple layers. Ahem.
The title is the crux of this story, for it's the Magic at the Gate that forces Allie to make a deadly decision.
My Take
Dang, this is so confusing. On the one hand, I despise Daniel for his greed, his hunger for power, the way he'll use anyone (and I MEAN everyone) for his end goal. On the other hand, he says things that make me think he MIGHT be a good guy, somewhere under all that. Things like "I am on magic's side. To see it … whole — light and dark used equally…" I suspect it's the main reason I need to read the whole series. I want that question answered. God knows I don't like Allie.
Whine, whine, whine. Poor me, the fate of the world is on my shoulders. Even though I know nothing. And whose fault is that? Allie's. Okay, okay, her dad's as well since he kept her from learning anything about magic. God knows Allie wasn't too interested in learning more. And Allie's attitude does not help. She insists on running into any and all situations because she wants to be a part of it. She can take care of herself. Doesn't want to be left out, and then she bitches because why does everyone expect so much from her?
It seems as if every time Allie goes out with a team, bad things happen. Because Allie is there and is attracting the bad guys, and she's clueless about how to fight. Her dad has incredible skills that keep keeping her alive, and I do get that Allie wants her dad out of her, but when he can cast spells that will save her life, must she really refuse that help as well
Victor wants to know if her dad will be a problem. Naw, Allie "won't let him get in the way", well, other than every other time he's set her aside and used her body to cast spells, and she's been helpless to stop him.
I do like that Allie is so confident. I do wish she'd be smart about it. She fights her dad on absolutely everything. If he told her to drink water when she was dying of thirst, she'd refuse. Okay, she fights everybody on everything. With her dad, I can understand it, mostly, because he does betray her on anything important. But it drives me nuts.
She is consistent. She jumps to conclusions without thinking anything through.
Her dad, for all his intelligence, is so clueless about her as well. He keeps betraying her and then he wonders why she fights him. Well, duh.
Yep. Then we've got Allie ignoring the Hounds as she flits off to her newer, more important role in life. Oy. She's also too tough to be helped in any way. So there.
I do have to agree with Allie about the magic-user vultures who are sitting on the sidelines, waiting to see who wins, and Victor has a minor point as well.
It's an interesting conundrum Monk has set up with the fatal power of being Soul Complements. It sounds so wonderful on the one hand, but Monk has also made it treacherous. If the pair get too close, they go insane. There's that story Monk has created of why magic had to be broken, why dark and light had to be separated. It's not that believable, but okay, I'll suspend that belief, if only because the whole underlying story is so far beyond belief. That's not to say its premise isn't fascinating. I do like the idea of the world she has created, if only because it's so very different. And Monk has created some interesting spells.
Why didn't Old Dad tell Allie to bring a vessel with her?? I'm hoping Monk has a reason for this one.
Christ, Allie first says she'd give Zayvion up to save the world and in the next breath she's willing to let the world go to pot so she can have Zay. Make up your frickin' mind. Yes, I get that it's possible to be both heroic and selfish from one breath to the next, but Monk could at least make it believable.
I do appreciate that Allie wants to protect her friends, but must she be so stupid about preventing anyone getting Closed? She'll let her friends die to keep another friend's memories. I'm just not getting the reasoning behind this. Maybe it's that ethical issue of having to stand up for what you believe even when things are bad. But when the choice is between dying or losing some memories, I'm coming down on the side of losing those memories. That, or the Authority could take Stotts into their confidence. It'd keep him alive longer!
Oh gee, Allie is pissed because she thinks Shame ditched her. Well, all she did was purposely put Terric's life in danger. Why would he be mad about that???
Thank god we get some fun stuff. Turns out Shame can make some "pretty" art. Makes sense since he is a graphic designer.
The Story
Ever since the battle, gates have been opening all over town, and the Authority is splintered and much reduced.
What's worse is that the Veiled are coming alive, nearly indestructible. And Pike is back.
The Characters
Allie Beckstrom is a Hound with a large share of her deceased father's company, Beckstrom Enterprises. Stone is an Animate, a stone gargoyle that Allie brought to life, who protects her. Nola is her best friend and is caring for what's left of Cody Miller. Daniel Beckstrom is her dead father who wants to take over her magic. If she dies to fulfill his dreams…oh well. Violet is Daniel's pregnant widow and one of the scientists at Beckstrom. Kevin Cooper is the bodyguard who is secretly in love with her.
Zayvion Jones, Allie's love, is dying in our world while his soul has been shoved through the Gate into death.
The Authority…
…polices all magic users. They have no compunction about Closing someone down, whether it's through taking their memories or killing them. The Voices of the Authority are members who speak for a particular discipline of magic: Life, Faith, Death, Blood, and Flux. Metaphors are used to refer to the magic wells that correspond to the discipline: Winter for Death (and located in a cemetery), Spring for Faith, Summer for Life, and Autumn for Blood (it's under the inn).
The Portland Authority
Shamus Flynn uses Death magic like a master, and his boss was Jingo Jingo. In his regular life, he's a freelance graphic designer. Maeve, Shame's mother, was wounded on the battlefield in Magic on the Storm , 4. Dr. Gina Fisher cares for magic users. Melba Maide is Beckstrom Enterprises' highest-paid attorney.
Jenny is one of the waitresses in Maeve's restaurant.
The Seattle Authority
Some of the Seattle people have come down to help with this crisis and include Terric, Shame's Soul Complement whom he hurt; Hayden, the three Georgia sisters (who have no first names), Nik, Joshua Romero, Sunny, and the twins, Carl and La.
Magical Enforcement Response Corps (MERC) in Portland PD
Detective Paul Stotts is the head of MERC and in love with Nola.
The Hounds are…
…magic users with the ability to scent magic, to trail it back to the original caster. They work for the public and the police, but it forces them to use magic a lot, which means a lot of pain. Pain they deal with through drugs, alcohol, and self-abuse. Davy Silver is one of them and also fills in as Allie's secretary for the new pack HQ. He can also feel when one of them is hurting. Some of the Hounds include Sid Westerling, Bea, and Jamar. Pike was the oldest Hound who started the pack to help his fellow Hounds (see Magic in the Blood , 2).
Grant owns Get Mugged, Allie's favorite coffeeshop. He also bought the old warehouse next door and is leasing the top two floors to Allie for her pack.
Greyson is a Necromorph, half-beast, half-human with a desire for more power. His girlfriend, Chase, is a Closer and his Soul Complement. They both betrayed everything they stood for. They're alive and locked up in a special prison.
The betrayers in…
… Magic on the Storm include Jingo Jingo who wields Death magic and has betrayed the Authority. He kidnapped Sedra, the leader of the Authority, and used the magic disks Allie's dad invented to do it. Liddy is dead. Mike and Dane Lannister have disappeared.
Mikhail is dead in life, but alive in death. And the man Allie must satisfy to get Zay back.
Leander and Isabelle are a lesson in Soul Complements, what can go wrong. Leander's father was the Voice of magic for all of Greece; Isabelle's family were from England and had a knack for Blood magic.
The Veiled are…
…parts of dead magic users who don't know they're dead. And they're hungry for magic, anyone's magic.
The solid Veiled are…
…made whole with the magic disks. They include Truance Stimple; Elijah Hemming; Lauren Brown; and, Frank Gordon, the doctor who tried to kill Allie and resurrected her dad.
Hungers are beasts who feed on magic and magic users. Pillars are a thing of dark magic. Closers use Faith magic and are the assassins for the Authority. They'll also take away your memories.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a background of purples with a circular glow behind Allie filled with smoky runes. Allie herself is in jeans and a black tank top in the cemetery, holding Zay's sword upright, ready to slash at the enemy. I'm guessing that that tank top is handy for displaying the tattoos crawling up her arm. God knows Allie wouldn't normally be wearing it, as it's too cold in Portland in winter, and she normally dresses in multiple layers. Ahem.
The title is the crux of this story, for it's the Magic at the Gate that forces Allie to make a deadly decision.
November 5, 2010
NOTE: I have not read the first four books in this series.
At first, not having read the first four books didn’t bother me - the action was exciting and plot was pretty interesting. I didn’t feel lost and could infer the meaning of most of the magical terminology. I loved Allie right from page one... she is snarky and sharp. She doesn’t take crap from her dad or anyone else. And although Zay wasn’t awake from most of this book, I got a sense of the love these two Soul Compliments share.
But as the story reached its climatic scenes, I noticed an emotional void within myself. The battles were intense, but at the pinnacle, when I should have cared more, I just didn’t. I think it’s because I didn’t know many of the characters. I learned to care about a few - Allie and her lover, Zay, friends Mauve, Victor, Shame & Terric. But the dozen or so others were just names to me. In addition, some of the complex politics of the Authority and magic users started to weigh down on me. This is where I think I may have enjoyed the story more if I had read the first four books, and I’d be interested in hearing from those that have read the series.
Magic at the Gate is typical of the Urban Fantasy genre: an exciting story that is left open for the next book. The Authority found some answers, but there is so much more going on... The “HOW” may have been answered, but the “WHY” and “what does it all mean?” questions remain. Who is good and who is bad? What is good/bad? I enjoyed the book and look forward to Ms. Monk’s next installment of Allie Beckstrom.
My Rating: 3.5 stars: Liked it a lot - recommend (B+)
For my full review please visit my blog at http://twimom227.blogspot.com on Friday Nov. 5, 2010.
At first, not having read the first four books didn’t bother me - the action was exciting and plot was pretty interesting. I didn’t feel lost and could infer the meaning of most of the magical terminology. I loved Allie right from page one... she is snarky and sharp. She doesn’t take crap from her dad or anyone else. And although Zay wasn’t awake from most of this book, I got a sense of the love these two Soul Compliments share.
But as the story reached its climatic scenes, I noticed an emotional void within myself. The battles were intense, but at the pinnacle, when I should have cared more, I just didn’t. I think it’s because I didn’t know many of the characters. I learned to care about a few - Allie and her lover, Zay, friends Mauve, Victor, Shame & Terric. But the dozen or so others were just names to me. In addition, some of the complex politics of the Authority and magic users started to weigh down on me. This is where I think I may have enjoyed the story more if I had read the first four books, and I’d be interested in hearing from those that have read the series.
Magic at the Gate is typical of the Urban Fantasy genre: an exciting story that is left open for the next book. The Authority found some answers, but there is so much more going on... The “HOW” may have been answered, but the “WHY” and “what does it all mean?” questions remain. Who is good and who is bad? What is good/bad? I enjoyed the book and look forward to Ms. Monk’s next installment of Allie Beckstrom.
My Rating: 3.5 stars: Liked it a lot - recommend (B+)
For my full review please visit my blog at http://twimom227.blogspot.com on Friday Nov. 5, 2010.
Read
April 4, 2011Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.
When considering the Allie Beckstrom series as a whole, MAGIC AT THE GATE was my slow point, as so much of the book revolved around the relationship between Allie and her father. While, by design, we don’t get much Zayvion (and more Daniel Beckstrom than I'd like), Shaymus and Allie and Stone have more than enough gravitas to carry a story on their own, enough so that I eagerly await MAGIC ON THE HUNT in April.
As you might have guessed from MAGIC ON THE STORM’s heart-pounding ending, MAGIC AT THE GATE starts with Allie and Stone in Death, looking for Zayvion’s soul. Despite the bickering between Allie and her father, I enjoyed this trip into Death. So much of the magical anomalies in Allie’s world seem tied to the balance of magic with this “other side”, it was great to get a first hand glimpse of what’s going on. Furthermore, Monk provides tantalizing and truly sinister hints regarding choices Daniel Beckstrom made when a young man, choices that may be the root of his troubled relationship with Allie.
Hints remain just that, however, as this book raises more questions than it answers. Monk doesn't rush the end game, but rather seems to be placing details and clues that suggest a much larger (and one would hope) more satisfying resolution to come. MAGIC AT THE GATE was a welcome dip back into the Allie Beckstrom series, and it raised so many questions I’m glad April isn’t too far off.
Sexual Content:
Sexual situations, sexual assault, and a reference to child abuse.
When considering the Allie Beckstrom series as a whole, MAGIC AT THE GATE was my slow point, as so much of the book revolved around the relationship between Allie and her father. While, by design, we don’t get much Zayvion (and more Daniel Beckstrom than I'd like), Shaymus and Allie and Stone have more than enough gravitas to carry a story on their own, enough so that I eagerly await MAGIC ON THE HUNT in April.
As you might have guessed from MAGIC ON THE STORM’s heart-pounding ending, MAGIC AT THE GATE starts with Allie and Stone in Death, looking for Zayvion’s soul. Despite the bickering between Allie and her father, I enjoyed this trip into Death. So much of the magical anomalies in Allie’s world seem tied to the balance of magic with this “other side”, it was great to get a first hand glimpse of what’s going on. Furthermore, Monk provides tantalizing and truly sinister hints regarding choices Daniel Beckstrom made when a young man, choices that may be the root of his troubled relationship with Allie.
Hints remain just that, however, as this book raises more questions than it answers. Monk doesn't rush the end game, but rather seems to be placing details and clues that suggest a much larger (and one would hope) more satisfying resolution to come. MAGIC AT THE GATE was a welcome dip back into the Allie Beckstrom series, and it raised so many questions I’m glad April isn’t too far off.
Sexual Content:
Sexual situations, sexual assault, and a reference to child abuse.
June 8, 2018
Consider Book 4 and 5 a two-parter because 4 has a doozy of a cliffhanger and will leave you ANTSY. Having said that, this is the perfect continuation/completion of this story arc. I feel like I'm finally truly immersed in the Allie Beckstrom universe.
August 17, 2012
I don't think it is too spoilerish to say that I knew when reading the end of the last book, "Magic on the Storm", that Allie would face down Death itself to fight for and retrieve her lover, Zayvion Jones. I like that theirs is an interracial love story and that it is completely insignificant to the story line, as if saying his eyes were brown and hers were hazel. It isn't a pro or a con, it just is.
I like that she doesn't always know what to do, who to trust, or how to fix things, she just knows that she'd die for Zayvion and he would for her. They don't talk about love, they live it.
In another article I have planned to write later I want to use these two characters as an example that authors don't have to keep coming up with devices to keep lovers from declaring themselves for fear it will destroy the sexual chemistry. These two are so loyal to each other it makes the books better and each book seems to get more intense. The secrets that came between them before seem to have been brought out into the light, leaving her with no more worries about who and what he is..
The covers are always gorgeous but a little misleading. I don't think of Allie as being particularly a sword master. She's learning how to fight but most of that has been spent grappling with Zayvion and then the two of them trying not to rip each other's clothes off. When he was "gone" in this book, she carried his sword around but I think that was more to remind herself of him then anything. Her great strength is her magic and the magic of her freaky dad who refuses to die and has possessed her. Let's just say...Allie has Daddy issues.
In the last book, Magic on the storm, Allie lives in a version of Portland Oregon where Magic is as out in the open and vital to the day-to-day running of the city as electricity. All Magic comes with a price however and a hound is used for their abilities to track magic back to its initial user (or mis-user as the case may be), and find out who is behaving badly. This is Allie's forte...something her Father hated as it is a dangerous, low paying and extremely painful job, something that exacts a heavy toll, leaving her with massive headaches, illnesses, and gaps in her memory. She has been recruited by her boyfriends group of magic users known as "The Authority."
Allie isn't a natural fit, what with her F you attitude towards authority in general (again...with the Daddy issues). She's inherited an enormous amount of money from her fathers death that she wants to refuse to spend because she hates him so much, due to the way he chose to handle magic, but she is growing up and you can see it over the course of the series. She's taken responsibility for the other hounds, bought them a home base where they can crash and be safe, and is even investing in medical care for them.
And she is letting herself get close to her step-mother, which given how many she has had, and how close in age she and her Step-mom are, is surprising to her as well, but she has a baby brother or sister on the way that Dad will never get the chance to see grow up, unless she can't ever get him to move out of her head, in which case he'll have a first hand view.
While working with Zayvion and the magic users secret group, "The Authority" in the last book, a huge betrayal and war broke out during a massive magical storm over Portland. Zayvion, in an attempt to close the gate to death and keep the bad things out, got sucked in. His body is on this side of things, in a coma, but his soul is in death where his body will soon join it if somebody doesn't do something rash. Allie doesn't really spend a lot of time wringing her hands over it. If she wants to live a life with Z, no matter how short it may be due to her damaging her health as a hound, and the two of them putting their lives in danger fighting against evil, on the living side of the gate, she is going to have to go into death to bring him back.
Magic at the Gate starts up immediately where Magic on the Storm left off. Allie, her father and her pet Gargoyle Stone, go into death and in an attempt to rescue her boyfriend's soul but she has serious doubts as to what Dad's agenda is, and has she brought something back with her, and will Z ever be the same? The one upside about traveling through death with her Father is she saw another side to him, a nicer side. It's kind of like he pulled a Horocrux and in doing so stripped away the nice part of him and she finally got to see it.
My only real complaint was that I missed the interaction between Allie and Z. By nature of the plot device of him spending a large part (almost all of it) in a coma, it cut down on their interactions, and I missed it. This book was in some respects darker than the others, and the over arcing storyline doesn't really show any signs of coming to a firm conclusion anytime soon....which is just fine with me. I also LOVE the character of Shame and would like to see some resolution to his situation, as in, does being a soul complement with someone from the same gender as yourself make you fall in love with them despite your sexuality?
I like that she doesn't always know what to do, who to trust, or how to fix things, she just knows that she'd die for Zayvion and he would for her. They don't talk about love, they live it.
In another article I have planned to write later I want to use these two characters as an example that authors don't have to keep coming up with devices to keep lovers from declaring themselves for fear it will destroy the sexual chemistry. These two are so loyal to each other it makes the books better and each book seems to get more intense. The secrets that came between them before seem to have been brought out into the light, leaving her with no more worries about who and what he is..
The covers are always gorgeous but a little misleading. I don't think of Allie as being particularly a sword master. She's learning how to fight but most of that has been spent grappling with Zayvion and then the two of them trying not to rip each other's clothes off. When he was "gone" in this book, she carried his sword around but I think that was more to remind herself of him then anything. Her great strength is her magic and the magic of her freaky dad who refuses to die and has possessed her. Let's just say...Allie has Daddy issues.
In the last book, Magic on the storm, Allie lives in a version of Portland Oregon where Magic is as out in the open and vital to the day-to-day running of the city as electricity. All Magic comes with a price however and a hound is used for their abilities to track magic back to its initial user (or mis-user as the case may be), and find out who is behaving badly. This is Allie's forte...something her Father hated as it is a dangerous, low paying and extremely painful job, something that exacts a heavy toll, leaving her with massive headaches, illnesses, and gaps in her memory. She has been recruited by her boyfriends group of magic users known as "The Authority."
Allie isn't a natural fit, what with her F you attitude towards authority in general (again...with the Daddy issues). She's inherited an enormous amount of money from her fathers death that she wants to refuse to spend because she hates him so much, due to the way he chose to handle magic, but she is growing up and you can see it over the course of the series. She's taken responsibility for the other hounds, bought them a home base where they can crash and be safe, and is even investing in medical care for them.
And she is letting herself get close to her step-mother, which given how many she has had, and how close in age she and her Step-mom are, is surprising to her as well, but she has a baby brother or sister on the way that Dad will never get the chance to see grow up, unless she can't ever get him to move out of her head, in which case he'll have a first hand view.
While working with Zayvion and the magic users secret group, "The Authority" in the last book, a huge betrayal and war broke out during a massive magical storm over Portland. Zayvion, in an attempt to close the gate to death and keep the bad things out, got sucked in. His body is on this side of things, in a coma, but his soul is in death where his body will soon join it if somebody doesn't do something rash. Allie doesn't really spend a lot of time wringing her hands over it. If she wants to live a life with Z, no matter how short it may be due to her damaging her health as a hound, and the two of them putting their lives in danger fighting against evil, on the living side of the gate, she is going to have to go into death to bring him back.
Magic at the Gate starts up immediately where Magic on the Storm left off. Allie, her father and her pet Gargoyle Stone, go into death and in an attempt to rescue her boyfriend's soul but she has serious doubts as to what Dad's agenda is, and has she brought something back with her, and will Z ever be the same? The one upside about traveling through death with her Father is she saw another side to him, a nicer side. It's kind of like he pulled a Horocrux and in doing so stripped away the nice part of him and she finally got to see it.
My only real complaint was that I missed the interaction between Allie and Z. By nature of the plot device of him spending a large part (almost all of it) in a coma, it cut down on their interactions, and I missed it. This book was in some respects darker than the others, and the over arcing storyline doesn't really show any signs of coming to a firm conclusion anytime soon....which is just fine with me. I also LOVE the character of Shame and would like to see some resolution to his situation, as in, does being a soul complement with someone from the same gender as yourself make you fall in love with them despite your sexuality?
February 9, 2025
Thankfully this one is not left off on a dangling cliffhanger. I really liked this one. Allie gets to Hound with Shame and Terric, and her friendship with them grows. She must juggle all the magical parts of her life while dealing with her dad in her head. It was emotionally exhausting. I just want to give her a hug. Things are looking up.
Mythical creatures reading challenge -ghost
Mythical creatures reading challenge -ghost
March 15, 2011
You can view the review in its entriety here: http://yummymenandkickasschicks.com/?...
Warning – Slight spoilers for the previous book in this series
Magic at the Gate is book five in Devon Monk’s awesome ‘Allie Beckstrom’ series. It starts off exactly where book four left us. Allie, her ‘dad’ and Stone (Love Stone!) are headed into death to retrieve Zayvion’s soul. Allie has to trust her father since he is the one who knows death and he can tell her what she needs to do in order to survive and go back to the living with Zay. Okay, that’s the setup.
Allie and her father have a past filled with distrust on her part and selfish motives on his part. I get all that, I really do. But I have to wonder if, even in death where it’s obvious that ‘father knows best’, was it absolutely necessary for Allie to fight him on everything? Yes, dad is slime. Yes, we really don’t know what the hell he is doing in Allie’s head and why he won’t just leave. But these two need to learn to work together or dad needs to leave for good. Often while reading this book, I wanted to smack Allie and tell her to ‘be the grown up here’ and just ‘give peace and chance.’ Then…Allie’s dad would take over and do or say something that would lead me to hate him all the more! I still want him out of Allie’s head, but I side completely with Allie and wish dad were dead. Well, dead-er.
That is just a taste of the ride my brain took while reading Magic at the Gate. A LOT happens in this book, and all of it quite important. In fact, just when you think you’re finished taking new info in, more comes up! So you can’t be drunk or overly tired when reading this or you’ll miss too many details.
One thing that is impossible to miss in this book is Shame. Shame! I love this character – and he is abundant in this installment! He’s changed, become more…just more. But don’t worry, he’s still as sexy as ever! And there’s Terric with his and Shame’s freaky bond thing. I really hope we learn more about their bond and continue seeing lots of these two in future books because the two of them together, when they are not scowling and flipping each other off, are wonderful. Actually, even when they are doing those things, they are wonderful.
One of the parts of this series that I find the most interesting is how Devon describes the member of the Authority as they cast magic. It’s such a visual description! You can truly visualize the glyphs and you can almost feel the magic being pulled. It’s really artful and really cool.
And Allie’s sarcastic wit and humor still something I love about this series. And every time she says “Go, me”…it always puts a smile on my face.
The entire time I was reading this book though, I was thinking that it seemed a little ‘different’. By book 5 in a series, you should sort of know what to expect and cruise comfortably along with the story. Well, that wasn’t really my experience this time around. It was sort of bothering me actually, not being able to pinpoint what was ‘different’ about this book. Then it hit me! Even though this is book five, it reads like a book two! Let me quickly explain… In an Urban Fantasy series, book two is usually the book that sets up the rest of the series. It’s the book that gives you an idea of where the story will ultimately go. This series already had a book 2. A good book 2. And now it has a book 5-2. All I can gather from that is that Magic at the Gate is setting us up for something cool. And since it’s Devon writing, it’s bound to be something awesome. We’ll soon find out if I’m correct. Book six, Magic on the Hunt, is hitting stores April 5th 2011.
Warning – Slight spoilers for the previous book in this series
Magic at the Gate is book five in Devon Monk’s awesome ‘Allie Beckstrom’ series. It starts off exactly where book four left us. Allie, her ‘dad’ and Stone (Love Stone!) are headed into death to retrieve Zayvion’s soul. Allie has to trust her father since he is the one who knows death and he can tell her what she needs to do in order to survive and go back to the living with Zay. Okay, that’s the setup.
Allie and her father have a past filled with distrust on her part and selfish motives on his part. I get all that, I really do. But I have to wonder if, even in death where it’s obvious that ‘father knows best’, was it absolutely necessary for Allie to fight him on everything? Yes, dad is slime. Yes, we really don’t know what the hell he is doing in Allie’s head and why he won’t just leave. But these two need to learn to work together or dad needs to leave for good. Often while reading this book, I wanted to smack Allie and tell her to ‘be the grown up here’ and just ‘give peace and chance.’ Then…Allie’s dad would take over and do or say something that would lead me to hate him all the more! I still want him out of Allie’s head, but I side completely with Allie and wish dad were dead. Well, dead-er.
That is just a taste of the ride my brain took while reading Magic at the Gate. A LOT happens in this book, and all of it quite important. In fact, just when you think you’re finished taking new info in, more comes up! So you can’t be drunk or overly tired when reading this or you’ll miss too many details.
One thing that is impossible to miss in this book is Shame. Shame! I love this character – and he is abundant in this installment! He’s changed, become more…just more. But don’t worry, he’s still as sexy as ever! And there’s Terric with his and Shame’s freaky bond thing. I really hope we learn more about their bond and continue seeing lots of these two in future books because the two of them together, when they are not scowling and flipping each other off, are wonderful. Actually, even when they are doing those things, they are wonderful.
One of the parts of this series that I find the most interesting is how Devon describes the member of the Authority as they cast magic. It’s such a visual description! You can truly visualize the glyphs and you can almost feel the magic being pulled. It’s really artful and really cool.
And Allie’s sarcastic wit and humor still something I love about this series. And every time she says “Go, me”…it always puts a smile on my face.
The entire time I was reading this book though, I was thinking that it seemed a little ‘different’. By book 5 in a series, you should sort of know what to expect and cruise comfortably along with the story. Well, that wasn’t really my experience this time around. It was sort of bothering me actually, not being able to pinpoint what was ‘different’ about this book. Then it hit me! Even though this is book five, it reads like a book two! Let me quickly explain… In an Urban Fantasy series, book two is usually the book that sets up the rest of the series. It’s the book that gives you an idea of where the story will ultimately go. This series already had a book 2. A good book 2. And now it has a book 5-2. All I can gather from that is that Magic at the Gate is setting us up for something cool. And since it’s Devon writing, it’s bound to be something awesome. We’ll soon find out if I’m correct. Book six, Magic on the Hunt, is hitting stores April 5th 2011.
September 19, 2015
After the events of the wild magic storm and the betrayal from trusted Authority members, most everyone escaped major harm. Battered, yes, as each member involved carries not only the memories of the battle, but some now carry small reminders of the events that transpired, mainly Shamus. The only member who didn't get so lucky is Zayvion. Now in a coma, his body may be here on the living realm, but his soul is trapped in Death. If his soul is recovered and brought back to him, there's a chance he too could recover. Albeit a small one, as one of the living would be responsible for retrieving the soul. The living and Death don't mix -- anyone who's tried to venture there never makes it out.
Love can make a person do crazy things, as is the case with Allie and Zay. Not only are they soul complements, they really are soulmates as well, cheesy as that may be. Allie knows that she is the one who must retrieve Zay's soul and against the wiser and better judgement of those around her, she takes on the task. Not without help, of course. Daniel Beckstrom is back, mostly in physical form since they are traveling in Death where he now resides. While his help and his word are never to be taken lightly, he does offer some assistance that helps Allie along the way. And as it turns out, dear old Dad isn't ready to hang up his villainous persona just yet -- he's got plans, big plans, and he's managed to ally with several other big magic users who want the same thing he does. This spells trouble for the Authority and the only thing they can do is bide their time, fighting along the way.
Daniel Beckstrom still continues to be one of the stand-out characters for me in this series. I loathe him, I really do, especially since he spends the majority of his time invading Allie's mind and using it as if it were his to use...and abuse. But along the way, he offers tidbits of Allie's life that she can't remember, he offers solid, strong advice and skills for Allie to use to better her magic, teaching her things that would take years to learn. But as with everything Daniel Beckstrom, nothing he does is to be trusted. He's out for one man and one man only -- Daniel. But I would like to think that he's does love Allie and the death of her mother may have broken him a little and slowly but surely, he's coming around and trying to mend what was once a beautiful thing. Too little to late as the saying goes, since Allie is well into adulthood. And Daniel is dead.
Despite the storm being over and despite Daniel being silent...for now, things are getting mighty serious for Allie and the rest of the crew. Jingo Jingo is still out there and he's recruited the help of someone both long gone and incredibly fearsome. War is coming and it's going to be one of the biggest battles yet and somehow, someway, they have to try and win something where the odds are incredibly stacked against them.
If you haven't yet started this series, give it a chance. I adore the magical, depressing Portland Monk created, along with the interesting and super creative magical structure that these stories are based on. It's definitely not a bubblegum and rainbows series, it's mostly dark and depressing, but the delightful characters add quite a bit of lightness and fun to the tone. It's certainly become a favorite of mine, and I look forward to the next book in this series.
Love can make a person do crazy things, as is the case with Allie and Zay. Not only are they soul complements, they really are soulmates as well, cheesy as that may be. Allie knows that she is the one who must retrieve Zay's soul and against the wiser and better judgement of those around her, she takes on the task. Not without help, of course. Daniel Beckstrom is back, mostly in physical form since they are traveling in Death where he now resides. While his help and his word are never to be taken lightly, he does offer some assistance that helps Allie along the way. And as it turns out, dear old Dad isn't ready to hang up his villainous persona just yet -- he's got plans, big plans, and he's managed to ally with several other big magic users who want the same thing he does. This spells trouble for the Authority and the only thing they can do is bide their time, fighting along the way.
Daniel Beckstrom still continues to be one of the stand-out characters for me in this series. I loathe him, I really do, especially since he spends the majority of his time invading Allie's mind and using it as if it were his to use...and abuse. But along the way, he offers tidbits of Allie's life that she can't remember, he offers solid, strong advice and skills for Allie to use to better her magic, teaching her things that would take years to learn. But as with everything Daniel Beckstrom, nothing he does is to be trusted. He's out for one man and one man only -- Daniel. But I would like to think that he's does love Allie and the death of her mother may have broken him a little and slowly but surely, he's coming around and trying to mend what was once a beautiful thing. Too little to late as the saying goes, since Allie is well into adulthood. And Daniel is dead.
Despite the storm being over and despite Daniel being silent...for now, things are getting mighty serious for Allie and the rest of the crew. Jingo Jingo is still out there and he's recruited the help of someone both long gone and incredibly fearsome. War is coming and it's going to be one of the biggest battles yet and somehow, someway, they have to try and win something where the odds are incredibly stacked against them.
If you haven't yet started this series, give it a chance. I adore the magical, depressing Portland Monk created, along with the interesting and super creative magical structure that these stories are based on. It's definitely not a bubblegum and rainbows series, it's mostly dark and depressing, but the delightful characters add quite a bit of lightness and fun to the tone. It's certainly become a favorite of mine, and I look forward to the next book in this series.
February 2, 2011
Allie Beckstrom is the kick ass heroine that keeps readers coming back for more. With such a talented author; Devon Monk writes this character as a powerful magical female that is not much different than you or me. Allie has more strength and endurance that imaginable, but Monk offers interpersonal characteristics that allow readers to really know her characters with stregnths and flaws. Allie is more powerful than she knows, but humble and modest to the core. The Allie Beckstrom series has had quite a journey in the past four books. Allie is what appears to be a loner, but as each passing book concludes I see that this character is no longer truely alone. Living a life as a Hound was hard enough; now with her fathers constant interference in her life she is finding herself in constant danger and turmoil. While Allie continues to try to find normalcy in this twisted world; trouble always seems to be just around this corner. Zayvion and Allie have had a very rough start, but it appears to be smoothing out for this couple. After having discovered themselves as soul compliments they must now be careful not to lose theirselves to their magic. Although, most of this novel Zayvion is in a coma it is obvious that the threat of loss is resolving at least for the moment. Monk offers adult novels with a clearn cut story. I appreciate an adult novel that offers suspense, romance, and action that can still be innocently written. Zayvion and Allie carry a very intense attraction that gives readers the mouth watering sexual charge and occasional intimate moment, but it is a welcomed addition to the story without turning the story into something erotic. Another dramatic aspect of the Allie books are the constant friction between Allie and her father. This book allowed a earnest twist to the ever growing dismay between these characters. Readers will find themselves wondering if this novel signifies a change in the future for these two important characters. Continueing an action packed journey through so many books has been a proven challenge for many authors. After five books some series will lose their mojo for such an addictive story; Monk seems to be overcoming this obstacle with each additional book. It appears as though she has much more to offer, and readers can rest assured they will not be disappointed.
November 9, 2010
Finished Devon Monk's Magic at the Gate today. I really couldn't put it down at all! Magic at the Gate picks up right where Magic on the Storm left off, which is a good thing, since Allie and her dad and Stone were just about to enter the other world, death! in order to save Zayvion's soul.
They didn't stay for as long as I thought they would, this is only takes up the first 60 pages. And the rest of what happens is just as exciting!!
I don't want to get too into what takes place but it's big and it involves everyone and has something to do with the disks that were mentioned in Magic on the Storm as well. Magic on the Storm set up the problems that occurred here and these events will likely only be the beginning to what's coming in future books!
And there was a lot of Shame in this book! Shame really started to grow on me in Magic on the Storm and having him back and right next to Allie during the thick of things was great! He was the comic relief for a lot of...or practically all of the intense moments when some laughter was needed! He can be very serious when the need calls though and I like that about him as well.
The action was well paced, for once Allie returns from death, the real problems start to occur that leave her running from one place to the next fighting for her life.
The only thing that saddened me about the book was that Zayvion was out for most of it. I won't get into the details again, but I needed me more Zay!
Overall I give the book 4.5/5 stars and I so can't wait to read Magic on the Hunt come April 5, 2011!
They didn't stay for as long as I thought they would, this is only takes up the first 60 pages. And the rest of what happens is just as exciting!!
I don't want to get too into what takes place but it's big and it involves everyone and has something to do with the disks that were mentioned in Magic on the Storm as well. Magic on the Storm set up the problems that occurred here and these events will likely only be the beginning to what's coming in future books!
And there was a lot of Shame in this book! Shame really started to grow on me in Magic on the Storm and having him back and right next to Allie during the thick of things was great! He was the comic relief for a lot of...or practically all of the intense moments when some laughter was needed! He can be very serious when the need calls though and I like that about him as well.
The action was well paced, for once Allie returns from death, the real problems start to occur that leave her running from one place to the next fighting for her life.
The only thing that saddened me about the book was that Zayvion was out for most of it. I won't get into the details again, but I needed me more Zay!
Overall I give the book 4.5/5 stars and I so can't wait to read Magic on the Hunt come April 5, 2011!
June 18, 2017
A rather lacklustre entry to the series. I had high hopes that the new setting, the trip into Death, would revive my waning interest in this series. Nothing like a change of scenery to perk you up, right?
Wrong!
Well, in Monk's hands it's wrong, anyway. The descriptions of the World of the Dead were so unimaginative it was almost laughable. Crumbling buildings was about the extent of it. Wow. So very vivid, it's like I can taste it.....only not.
The great rescue attempt of her lover, Zayvion was completed fairly early on so I was thinking we'd at least wrap that up and move on to a new mystery plot, but then he was in a coma for much of the book and without him, Allie really doesn't know her arse from her elbow, so she was pretty much just kicking around with Shame for the rest of the book.
In terms of plot- what little there was of it- there are previously dead folks walking around looking suspiciously more corporeal than they should. So it looks like the missing magic discs from the end of the last book have wandered into enemy hands. From here the plot was driven slowly and clumpily to the big end scene that wasn't. It had all the impact of a wet party popper.
This is where I get off the Allie Beckstom bus. I tried. I made it though five books but the character growth I needed to see hasn't happened and for once this one didn't end on a cliffhanger. So I'm outie. See ya. Bye, bye. Adios. Don't call me, I'll call you.
Wrong!
Well, in Monk's hands it's wrong, anyway. The descriptions of the World of the Dead were so unimaginative it was almost laughable. Crumbling buildings was about the extent of it. Wow. So very vivid, it's like I can taste it.....only not.
The great rescue attempt of her lover, Zayvion was completed fairly early on so I was thinking we'd at least wrap that up and move on to a new mystery plot, but then he was in a coma for much of the book and without him, Allie really doesn't know her arse from her elbow, so she was pretty much just kicking around with Shame for the rest of the book.
In terms of plot- what little there was of it- there are previously dead folks walking around looking suspiciously more corporeal than they should. So it looks like the missing magic discs from the end of the last book have wandered into enemy hands. From here the plot was driven slowly and clumpily to the big end scene that wasn't. It had all the impact of a wet party popper.
This is where I get off the Allie Beckstom bus. I tried. I made it though five books but the character growth I needed to see hasn't happened and for once this one didn't end on a cliffhanger. So I'm outie. See ya. Bye, bye. Adios. Don't call me, I'll call you.
February 8, 2011
Again it’s Allies inability to trust or listen to her dad that grated a little in the first 1/3 of this book. It slowly got worse as the story unfolded. Yes I know she could end up being right eventually; that daddy dearest could very well end up hurting her and her friends, but there has been tender moments from his part, yet she doesn’t even acknowledge them. Even when she has memories of him missing meetings to be with her on her birthday (there were a few other memories that proves this point but i forget), yet she pays them no attention. I rolled my eyes for most of the first 1/3 of the book. I was hoping she’d have learnt to listen a bit more or at least get her priorities right (particularly at the end of chapter 17. I was praying that Shame would flip her off) but even though my frustration made me pause many times, it didn’t stop me putting it down for good. I’m still interested. I just wish she’d stop pissing me off so much. I devoured books 2,3, and 4, and this one has been great in parts but if I’m being completely honest, she’s kinda ruining it a little for me now. And as much as I love Shame (including his history and relationship with Terric) , I found I was missing Zay. He was absent for the majority of this book and for that I was a little sad.
Saying that, I would really really enjoy reading a Shame/Terric/Stone spin-off
Saying that, I would really really enjoy reading a Shame/Terric/Stone spin-off
November 12, 2010
"When the action was present, it rocked. Sadly, it took a long time for the book to pick up and become interesting. This seems to be a common theme in this series" ... That was my opening lines for the review of the last book Magic On The Storm, and it's how I felt about this book too.
My thoughts about this book fall along the same lines as the previous books. Instead of repeating my self, I'll just break the stars down.
Plot 3 stars
Cover 3 stars
Writing 3 stars
Setting 3 stars
Originality 4 stars
Characters 3 stars
Romance / Chemistry 3 stars
Action : Romance Ratio 98:02
Ending 3 stars
Good enough to pick up again 2 stars
My thoughts about this book fall along the same lines as the previous books. Instead of repeating my self, I'll just break the stars down.
Plot 3 stars
Cover 3 stars
Writing 3 stars
Setting 3 stars
Originality 4 stars
Characters 3 stars
Romance / Chemistry 3 stars
Action : Romance Ratio 98:02
Ending 3 stars
Good enough to pick up again 2 stars
December 21, 2010
I finished this book today - I had been waiting a long time for it to come out - only to find out I have to drive out to SLC to buy it :( So I got it at the library - I had to wait 3 weeks for them to order it - but it was worth the wait -
I LOVE this book!
There is a lot of awesomeness in it! Stone is an awesome pet - I want a gargole so bad :)
And Shame is my hero - I hope he and Terrik become friends in the next book - I can't wait for it to come out next Spring 2011 :)
Hopefully things will start getting back on track with Allie and Zavion - not that they had any problems or anything - but with him being "dead" for so long then "comatose" for most of the rest of the book - they need more then 3 days in bed to rest before the next book starts :)
LOVE this series though - really recommend it to those who love the crazy heroin :)
I LOVE this book!
There is a lot of awesomeness in it! Stone is an awesome pet - I want a gargole so bad :)
And Shame is my hero - I hope he and Terrik become friends in the next book - I can't wait for it to come out next Spring 2011 :)
Hopefully things will start getting back on track with Allie and Zavion - not that they had any problems or anything - but with him being "dead" for so long then "comatose" for most of the rest of the book - they need more then 3 days in bed to rest before the next book starts :)
LOVE this series though - really recommend it to those who love the crazy heroin :)
February 5, 2022
Ratings - abandoned series:
#1 Magic to the Bone: ★★★★☆
#2 Magic in the Blood: ★★★☆☆
#3 Magic in the Shadows: ★★★☆☆
#4 Magic on the Storm: ★★★☆☆
#5 Magic at the Gate (this book): ★★☆☆☆
#6 Magic on the Hunt: ★☆☆☆☆ / DNF
#1 Magic to the Bone: ★★★★☆
#2 Magic in the Blood: ★★★☆☆
#3 Magic in the Shadows: ★★★☆☆
#4 Magic on the Storm: ★★★☆☆
#5 Magic at the Gate (this book): ★★☆☆☆
#6 Magic on the Hunt: ★☆☆☆☆ / DNF
Want to read
September 14, 2012Nov 2nd
November 7, 2010
Wow!! What more can I say? Roll around April 2011!
January 19, 2012
Ah Allie-girl what will you get up to next!
January 11, 2015
Slower than others in the series. Once it picked up, it was quite enjoyable.
January 24, 2016
As Zay is in a coma, Allie tries to muster the troops to battle the veiled who are suddenly solid and powerful. This book felt like a filler and I missed having Zay in on the action.
September 12, 2015
Really enjoyed this one - listened to it and loved the narrator. On to the next
April 6, 2016
Loved it! Never knowing for sure who's good or bad or entirely what Daddy Dearest's intentions are makes for quite a ride.
(4.5 stars)
(4.5 stars)
August 8, 2023
Beware… spoilers.
I will say that this series has improved over time. I think the world building is great and the story has become more exciting. I feel that my increasing enjoyment is also tied to the introduction of terrific supporting characters and often find that Allie’s interaction with them make me like her more which is helpful because I often find her annoying. I especially enjoy her budding friendship with Shame. It’s even more interesting than her relationship with Zayvion, her actual love interest
My conflicted feelings about Allie are tied directly to her tendency to make idiotic choices over the course of the series. These choices usually involve her wanting to traipse off by herself during dangerous situations because she can “handle herself.”. I get that Allie is supposed to be fiercely independent but I often find her actions not only stupid to the point of absurdity but also very irritating and off putting. Given this, I find myself more interested in other characters and feel these characters seem better developed. Their actions make sense!
I also find the excessive focus on the minutiae of Allie’s experiences and actions to be a little extreme. It’s tedious and it actually makes her seem more an observer than a participant in the story. (And if I have to listen to one more description of her taking a shower, I may scream and/or turn it into a drinking game) During magic showdowns, these details and her internal dialogue are so prolonged they make her seem like she is just standing around watching everyone else fight. When she expressed pride over helping save the city in the previous book, I thought to myself, what did she actually do?.
Having her dead Dad take over her body to use magic exacerbates this, I think. It would be cool if she learned something from these occurrences but, maddeningly, she doesn’t “see” what he did or her memory is altered. Her being possessed by her dead Dad has been interesting with regard to their complicated relationship but it’s way past time to remedy this situation.
It’s also past time to remedy the memory issue in general. Having your main character not remember important events that have transpired over the course of the series is also an odd choice, especially when other magic users seem to use magic and keep their memory. It diminishes their impact, I think. I hope at some point there will be an explanation. Maybe she’s been repeatedly closed by some unknown. I will be disappointed if this is never addressed.
Overall, I feel the series is worth a read since it has improved thus far and I am optimistic that this will continue.
I will say that this series has improved over time. I think the world building is great and the story has become more exciting. I feel that my increasing enjoyment is also tied to the introduction of terrific supporting characters and often find that Allie’s interaction with them make me like her more which is helpful because I often find her annoying. I especially enjoy her budding friendship with Shame. It’s even more interesting than her relationship with Zayvion, her actual love interest
My conflicted feelings about Allie are tied directly to her tendency to make idiotic choices over the course of the series. These choices usually involve her wanting to traipse off by herself during dangerous situations because she can “handle herself.”. I get that Allie is supposed to be fiercely independent but I often find her actions not only stupid to the point of absurdity but also very irritating and off putting. Given this, I find myself more interested in other characters and feel these characters seem better developed. Their actions make sense!
I also find the excessive focus on the minutiae of Allie’s experiences and actions to be a little extreme. It’s tedious and it actually makes her seem more an observer than a participant in the story. (And if I have to listen to one more description of her taking a shower, I may scream and/or turn it into a drinking game) During magic showdowns, these details and her internal dialogue are so prolonged they make her seem like she is just standing around watching everyone else fight. When she expressed pride over helping save the city in the previous book, I thought to myself, what did she actually do?.
Having her dead Dad take over her body to use magic exacerbates this, I think. It would be cool if she learned something from these occurrences but, maddeningly, she doesn’t “see” what he did or her memory is altered. Her being possessed by her dead Dad has been interesting with regard to their complicated relationship but it’s way past time to remedy this situation.
It’s also past time to remedy the memory issue in general. Having your main character not remember important events that have transpired over the course of the series is also an odd choice, especially when other magic users seem to use magic and keep their memory. It diminishes their impact, I think. I hope at some point there will be an explanation. Maybe she’s been repeatedly closed by some unknown. I will be disappointed if this is never addressed.
Overall, I feel the series is worth a read since it has improved thus far and I am optimistic that this will continue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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