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Dog Days #4
Play Dead
Mason used to be an enforcer, ensuring that those magic practitioners without a moral compass walked the straight and narrow. But now he just wants to keep his head down, play guitar, and maintain a low profile with Lou, his magical canine companion. But Mason is down on his luck, and when a job with a large payout comes along, he finds the offer hard to resist-not knowing it might mean sacrificing what both man and his best friend hold most dear.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 10, 2010
7 people are currently reading
246 people want to read
About the author
John Levitt
15 books98 followersAbout the Author - from his website:
I grew up in New York City. After a stint at the University of Chicago (I didn’t graduate–I had things to do) I traveled around the country and ended up in San Francisco. Drugs and rock ‘n roll. Did some light shows for bands, learned to play guitar – the usual stuff. I forgot all about writing.
A few years later, while working at a ski lodge in Alta, Utah, I found I was getting bored. So I looked around for the most unlikely thing I could think of, and joined the Salt Lake City Police Department. I only planned to do it for a year, just for the experience. That year turned into seven.
When I left, I had enough material to fill a book. So I wrote one, a police thriller. Then another.
Dog Days was my first Urban Fantasy, followed by New Tricks and Unleashed. Play Dead is the latest in the series and the last, at least for a while.
I split my time these days between Alta, Utah, and San Francisco, and when I’m not working or writing, play guitar with my band in SF, The Procrastinistas.
The character of the dog, Lou – well, he’s sort of a dog – is based on a real dog. Big surprise there. I personally have one cat and no dogs -- but my girlfriend now has four.
I grew up in New York City. After a stint at the University of Chicago (I didn’t graduate–I had things to do) I traveled around the country and ended up in San Francisco. Drugs and rock ‘n roll. Did some light shows for bands, learned to play guitar – the usual stuff. I forgot all about writing.
A few years later, while working at a ski lodge in Alta, Utah, I found I was getting bored. So I looked around for the most unlikely thing I could think of, and joined the Salt Lake City Police Department. I only planned to do it for a year, just for the experience. That year turned into seven.
When I left, I had enough material to fill a book. So I wrote one, a police thriller. Then another.
Dog Days was my first Urban Fantasy, followed by New Tricks and Unleashed. Play Dead is the latest in the series and the last, at least for a while.
I split my time these days between Alta, Utah, and San Francisco, and when I’m not working or writing, play guitar with my band in SF, The Procrastinistas.
The character of the dog, Lou – well, he’s sort of a dog – is based on a real dog. Big surprise there. I personally have one cat and no dogs -- but my girlfriend now has four.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
February 6, 2011
Please bear with me as I ramble my way through this review.
As I was reading this book I had a discussion about my reaction to it with one of my friends on Goodreads. I wasn’t very into the book and found myself disappointed because I had unconsciously expected something different. I am a huge fan of the Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher. I discovered the series at the same time I discovered the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton. That was years ago, way before I had read any other Urban Fantasy or Paranormal Romance book.
I read the summary of this book and saw that it had a male main character written by a male author. I’ve recently begun trying to find more of these that interest me because I love the way Harry Dresden comes off. He seems like an actual guy, not just a guy seen through a girl’s filter. (So if you have rec’s for this type—pass them on in the comments!) So I snapped this book up because I had been contemplating buying the first book in the series for a while. I figured there was no time like the present to test the waters, and I’ve been trying to break my OCD need to read series in order with no exceptions.
Anyway, back on track. While I was expressing my disappointment my friend clarified something for me. Sometimes your first experiences with a particular type or genre will mold your expectations. Even if you don’t see a direct correlation between the books you expect something similar. I guess I saw the male lead paired with him being a magic user and assumed it would be in the vein of the Dresden series even though I didn’t mean to. I expected depth and intensity and growth and struggle and lots of magic. I don’t feel I got that here and I was unreasonably let down because of it.
I can’t say this is a bad book, because it’s not. But it wasn’t a good one for me either. At the most it was meh. It took me a couple days to get through because I found the style kind of monotone. There were no real highs and lows for me to sink into. Even when the big confrontation came at the end it felt matter of fact instead of intense. I just kept waiting for something to draw me into the action and it never happened.
I found the idea of some of the magic interesting. One of the characters has the talent to create a singularity.
The secondary characters didn’t have much dimension and I honestly didn’t sense much of a connection between them and Mason (other than the fact that they pow-wowed frequently). Possibly that connection would have been stronger if I had started at book one. I think that might be the only thing that would prevent someone from reading this series out of order. Other than that I felt it was pretty standalone.
I think I might have liked this book a bit more despite the unexciting events if I had liked Mason more. I didn’t dislike him, but it was just another case of being sort of meh about it. I found his character pretty boring and occasionally irritating. He had nothing that really drew me in. (This could be different with a music lover because there are details of that in here that may draw some of you in.) I also found his method of investigating haphazard, bordering on ridiculous. He’d just walk into situations (or even search them out) knowing he had no plan or information to give him a slight advantage. It’s just frustrating because something bad always happened. He was also waaay friendlier than I would expect with people who had screwed with him in the past. I just couldn’t respect him much.
While I can’t recommend this book I can’t not recommend it either. The most I can say is that it just wasn’t my style. I think if you like your books a little slower paced with less action then you may enjoy this more than me.
Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen.
As I was reading this book I had a discussion about my reaction to it with one of my friends on Goodreads. I wasn’t very into the book and found myself disappointed because I had unconsciously expected something different. I am a huge fan of the Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher. I discovered the series at the same time I discovered the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton. That was years ago, way before I had read any other Urban Fantasy or Paranormal Romance book.
I read the summary of this book and saw that it had a male main character written by a male author. I’ve recently begun trying to find more of these that interest me because I love the way Harry Dresden comes off. He seems like an actual guy, not just a guy seen through a girl’s filter. (So if you have rec’s for this type—pass them on in the comments!) So I snapped this book up because I had been contemplating buying the first book in the series for a while. I figured there was no time like the present to test the waters, and I’ve been trying to break my OCD need to read series in order with no exceptions.
Anyway, back on track. While I was expressing my disappointment my friend clarified something for me. Sometimes your first experiences with a particular type or genre will mold your expectations. Even if you don’t see a direct correlation between the books you expect something similar. I guess I saw the male lead paired with him being a magic user and assumed it would be in the vein of the Dresden series even though I didn’t mean to. I expected depth and intensity and growth and struggle and lots of magic. I don’t feel I got that here and I was unreasonably let down because of it.
I can’t say this is a bad book, because it’s not. But it wasn’t a good one for me either. At the most it was meh. It took me a couple days to get through because I found the style kind of monotone. There were no real highs and lows for me to sink into. Even when the big confrontation came at the end it felt matter of fact instead of intense. I just kept waiting for something to draw me into the action and it never happened.
I found the idea of some of the magic interesting. One of the characters has the talent to create a singularity.
”one of those odd constructs that mirror the real world, but aren't entirely real themselves"I thought that was a pretty neat idea, especially when we got further insight into it and other areas like it that can be accessed.
”Almost like a wiki,” said Jackie. “It’s already in place, but anyone can make changes to it, and sometimes those changes can be extensive.”
The secondary characters didn’t have much dimension and I honestly didn’t sense much of a connection between them and Mason (other than the fact that they pow-wowed frequently). Possibly that connection would have been stronger if I had started at book one. I think that might be the only thing that would prevent someone from reading this series out of order. Other than that I felt it was pretty standalone.
I think I might have liked this book a bit more despite the unexciting events if I had liked Mason more. I didn’t dislike him, but it was just another case of being sort of meh about it. I found his character pretty boring and occasionally irritating. He had nothing that really drew me in. (This could be different with a music lover because there are details of that in here that may draw some of you in.) I also found his method of investigating haphazard, bordering on ridiculous. He’d just walk into situations (or even search them out) knowing he had no plan or information to give him a slight advantage. It’s just frustrating because something bad always happened. He was also waaay friendlier than I would expect with people who had screwed with him in the past. I just couldn’t respect him much.
While I can’t recommend this book I can’t not recommend it either. The most I can say is that it just wasn’t my style. I think if you like your books a little slower paced with less action then you may enjoy this more than me.
Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen.
Read
April 4, 2011It is a special pleasure when an author draws both the mundane and the fantastic into their writing. In this fourth installment in the Dog Days series, John Levitt thrilled me with the magical world he created, the mystery that drives the plot, and a number of sweet little details about the day to day of being a musician.
Despite this being the first of the Dog Days books I’ve read, I found it both accessible and pleasant to jump into the action from Mason’s perspective. Information was given about both Mason’s confederates and the magical variations they practice without any sort of data dump. The sympathetic magic Mason practices was particularly interesting, especially the details about how his jazz background lent itself to an improvisational magical style.
And Mason needed all the improv skills he could muster to unravel the threats he faced. The mystery elements of PLAY DEAD held hints of our favorite Chicago wizard, if only because Mason shared Harry Dresden’s inability to see danger in the form of a beautiful woman. Levitt does a good job of making the story his own, however, and I found the similarities with Dresden superficial if anything. I wouldn’t have minded a bit more of Dresden, though, when Mason had moments of immaturity where he exposed himself to additional danger. While these episodes didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book, they certainly helped me understand why all the women in Mason’s life are of the ex- variety.
The one relationship Mason seems to do well with maintaining is his partnership with Lou, his canine Ifrit companion. I particularly liked that, despite being a mysterious magical creature, Lou was still a dog that loves bacon, squirrels, and bad smells. Lou sometimes has a hard time getting his blockhead owner to understand what he was “saying,” and I thought that added a great dynamic between him and Mason. Rather than taking all the guess work out of the mystery, Lou added another level of interpretation for Mason (and thus the reader) to navigate.
Playing along with Lou and Mason was both a satisfying read and a great introduction to the Dog Days world. While I’m not yet ready to commit to a pre-order, I am going to head back to the eponymous first book, DOG DAYS, to see where Lou and Mason got their start.
Sexual Content: A mildly graphic sex scene.
Despite this being the first of the Dog Days books I’ve read, I found it both accessible and pleasant to jump into the action from Mason’s perspective. Information was given about both Mason’s confederates and the magical variations they practice without any sort of data dump. The sympathetic magic Mason practices was particularly interesting, especially the details about how his jazz background lent itself to an improvisational magical style.
And Mason needed all the improv skills he could muster to unravel the threats he faced. The mystery elements of PLAY DEAD held hints of our favorite Chicago wizard, if only because Mason shared Harry Dresden’s inability to see danger in the form of a beautiful woman. Levitt does a good job of making the story his own, however, and I found the similarities with Dresden superficial if anything. I wouldn’t have minded a bit more of Dresden, though, when Mason had moments of immaturity where he exposed himself to additional danger. While these episodes didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book, they certainly helped me understand why all the women in Mason’s life are of the ex- variety.
The one relationship Mason seems to do well with maintaining is his partnership with Lou, his canine Ifrit companion. I particularly liked that, despite being a mysterious magical creature, Lou was still a dog that loves bacon, squirrels, and bad smells. Lou sometimes has a hard time getting his blockhead owner to understand what he was “saying,” and I thought that added a great dynamic between him and Mason. Rather than taking all the guess work out of the mystery, Lou added another level of interpretation for Mason (and thus the reader) to navigate.
Playing along with Lou and Mason was both a satisfying read and a great introduction to the Dog Days world. While I’m not yet ready to commit to a pre-order, I am going to head back to the eponymous first book, DOG DAYS, to see where Lou and Mason got their start.
Sexual Content: A mildly graphic sex scene.
September 27, 2011
I found this book a bit hard to get into at times, which is why I didn't rate it higher. But I did like some things about it:
*Lou--I loved him. He's not just an ifrit, he's a dog, and he's adorable in his dogness.
*Good humor bits. It had me laughing out loud, which is good!
*Interesting magic system
*The musical aspects were authentic, enlightening, and fascinating.
*The look at San Francisco, which is a beautiful town that I have had the pleasure to visit and would love to go back to. And soon!
Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars. I'll definitely be following this series.
Reviewed for Bitten by Books. Http://bittenbybooks.com.
*Lou--I loved him. He's not just an ifrit, he's a dog, and he's adorable in his dogness.
*Good humor bits. It had me laughing out loud, which is good!
*Interesting magic system
*The musical aspects were authentic, enlightening, and fascinating.
*The look at San Francisco, which is a beautiful town that I have had the pleasure to visit and would love to go back to. And soon!
Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars. I'll definitely be following this series.
Reviewed for Bitten by Books. Http://bittenbybooks.com.
January 31, 2011
Unbelievably, Levitt captures the essence of dogs and their magical qualities even better in Play Dead than the previous books in the series. Lou is *always* a dog, ever ready to abandon Mason for a quick snack of bacon or ham–but ever mindful that he is Mason’s protection, friend, and loyal companion. There is something more to Lou, just like most dogs; that keen intelligence that shines from their eyes, the unquestioning loyalty and a happiness that radiates. Lou may be an Ifrit, but as you read Play Dead, you start to believe that…just maybe, all good dogs have a little Ifrit in them. From the tilt of his head to Lou’s fierce defense of Mason, he is a dog, he is magic, and his is a story that is easy to love.
Mason is Mason; he’d be more admirable if he weren’t *quite* so careless, but he gets talked into things too easily, whether it’s a job or the fact that no one in their right might should donate even a drop of blood to a black practitioner–not in the name of learning, not in the name of…anything. Because in the end, forwarding black magic always goes bad. It isn’t that Mason is stupid, but his decision-making borders on “for the sake of the plot” in a couple of instances. Mason redeems himself just in time…only to get careless again, in a cycle that has the reader wanting him to just once keep it all together. One of the things that saves the plot is that Levitt takes the time to draw complex characters; ones you aren’t sure are all bad. In fact, you see the good. Just like in real life, you’re dealing with lots of variables and lots of hope. And Mason has stayed in character throughout the series; he’s basically a good guy, and he means well, he just sometimes wants annoyances to go away so he does something “quick” instead of smart.
Mason really shines in his love of music and improvising spells. He’s unique in the way his magic is layered, and Levitt always takes time to create the magic rather than wave a wand–you’re there, you’re watching the elements come together like the notes come together in a song. There’s no sloppiness there, and I love the cleverness.
Levitt is the only writer I read or have read who makes the villain entirely too human. Instead of feeling a complete lack of empathy–hatred even–for the bad guys, when the time comes for justice, you feel their pain. You watch their loss with a sense of…but if only. The villains are evil, sometimes insane–but you know who they are, how they got where they are and the complex good and bad inside each character. You may not like them, but the sense of loss is there nonetheless. This is a skill that captures war or death as the real necessary evil–even as we suddenly realize that the guy on the other side could be us and is us.
The mystery plot is always good; there are miscellaneous clues here and there brought together in a knot that gets tighter throughout the book rather than tied neatly at the end. This book also visits “fantasy” with a touch of quest without the urban, but it works.
There’s talk/rumor that this might be the last in the series; that would be a shame because there’s still a lot of heart and soul here. There’s a magic that merges the real world into something special. This will no doubt make my top ten of the year, not because it is perfect but because, in the end, this book ended with such poignancy, I couldn’t help but love it.
And Mr. Levitt, you owe me a pan of brownies. Mine seem to have overcooked while I was reading.
Mason is Mason; he’d be more admirable if he weren’t *quite* so careless, but he gets talked into things too easily, whether it’s a job or the fact that no one in their right might should donate even a drop of blood to a black practitioner–not in the name of learning, not in the name of…anything. Because in the end, forwarding black magic always goes bad. It isn’t that Mason is stupid, but his decision-making borders on “for the sake of the plot” in a couple of instances. Mason redeems himself just in time…only to get careless again, in a cycle that has the reader wanting him to just once keep it all together. One of the things that saves the plot is that Levitt takes the time to draw complex characters; ones you aren’t sure are all bad. In fact, you see the good. Just like in real life, you’re dealing with lots of variables and lots of hope. And Mason has stayed in character throughout the series; he’s basically a good guy, and he means well, he just sometimes wants annoyances to go away so he does something “quick” instead of smart.
Mason really shines in his love of music and improvising spells. He’s unique in the way his magic is layered, and Levitt always takes time to create the magic rather than wave a wand–you’re there, you’re watching the elements come together like the notes come together in a song. There’s no sloppiness there, and I love the cleverness.
Levitt is the only writer I read or have read who makes the villain entirely too human. Instead of feeling a complete lack of empathy–hatred even–for the bad guys, when the time comes for justice, you feel their pain. You watch their loss with a sense of…but if only. The villains are evil, sometimes insane–but you know who they are, how they got where they are and the complex good and bad inside each character. You may not like them, but the sense of loss is there nonetheless. This is a skill that captures war or death as the real necessary evil–even as we suddenly realize that the guy on the other side could be us and is us.
The mystery plot is always good; there are miscellaneous clues here and there brought together in a knot that gets tighter throughout the book rather than tied neatly at the end. This book also visits “fantasy” with a touch of quest without the urban, but it works.
There’s talk/rumor that this might be the last in the series; that would be a shame because there’s still a lot of heart and soul here. There’s a magic that merges the real world into something special. This will no doubt make my top ten of the year, not because it is perfect but because, in the end, this book ended with such poignancy, I couldn’t help but love it.
And Mr. Levitt, you owe me a pan of brownies. Mine seem to have overcooked while I was reading.
July 15, 2019
Play Dead is the fourth and final book in the Dog Days series written by John Levitt and centered on Mason, a former enforcer of magic turned jazz musician and Louie, his ifrit, which looks like a dog.
Down on his luck, Mason, the guitarist, magical practitioner, and former Enforcer needs a gig or job desperately. In walked Jessica Alexander, a practitioner of dark magic, who task him with finding a missing woman and supposed thief. However, the case leads to a bigger mystery involving an ancient spell book that can open paths to different worlds – something most practitioners would kill to possess. Mason and Lou are determined to keep the spell book out of the wrong hands, but that could mean sacrificing what both man and his best friend hold most dear.
Play Dead is written mediocrity well – better than previous installments. Levitt's writing has improved significantly since his previous installments. The pacing of the narrative is a tad slower and laid back than I expected in the typical urban fantasy, but it is less noticeable in this installment. Once again, Levitt's description of San Francisco and music – particularly guitar are well done, if a tad too descriptive at times.
Overall, the Dog Days series is written mediocrity well. Levitt's writing has gotten better throughout the short series. It is difficult not to draw comparison to a similar, but better executed series, The Dresden Files written by Jim Butcher, but despite the location, different magical system, and different sort of protagonist, they are virtually the same. Unfortunately for Levitt, Henry Dresden is a far better protagonist than Mason with a better character arc, which may have colored my enjoyment of the series.
All in all, Play Dead is written rather well and is a good conclusion to a somewhat good series.
Down on his luck, Mason, the guitarist, magical practitioner, and former Enforcer needs a gig or job desperately. In walked Jessica Alexander, a practitioner of dark magic, who task him with finding a missing woman and supposed thief. However, the case leads to a bigger mystery involving an ancient spell book that can open paths to different worlds – something most practitioners would kill to possess. Mason and Lou are determined to keep the spell book out of the wrong hands, but that could mean sacrificing what both man and his best friend hold most dear.
Play Dead is written mediocrity well – better than previous installments. Levitt's writing has improved significantly since his previous installments. The pacing of the narrative is a tad slower and laid back than I expected in the typical urban fantasy, but it is less noticeable in this installment. Once again, Levitt's description of San Francisco and music – particularly guitar are well done, if a tad too descriptive at times.
Overall, the Dog Days series is written mediocrity well. Levitt's writing has gotten better throughout the short series. It is difficult not to draw comparison to a similar, but better executed series, The Dresden Files written by Jim Butcher, but despite the location, different magical system, and different sort of protagonist, they are virtually the same. Unfortunately for Levitt, Henry Dresden is a far better protagonist than Mason with a better character arc, which may have colored my enjoyment of the series.
All in all, Play Dead is written rather well and is a good conclusion to a somewhat good series.
October 31, 2011
Structurally, it's definitely moving in the right direction. #4 has a complex plot and nicely nuanced villains. But why is Mason so damned reckless and stupid? It's hard to get immersed in the story when you're thinking "Wow, that's dumb!" every 20 minutes.
As for that cliffhanger ending, I didn't really feel a sense of urgency to find out what happened to Mason and Lou. When you've had four books to endear the characters to the reader, that's not a good sign. I might read a fifth one if I come across it sometime. Or maybe not, since it doesn't sound like Levitt's in any hurry to write it.
As for that cliffhanger ending, I didn't really feel a sense of urgency to find out what happened to Mason and Lou. When you've had four books to endear the characters to the reader, that's not a good sign. I might read a fifth one if I come across it sometime. Or maybe not, since it doesn't sound like Levitt's in any hurry to write it.
April 27, 2011
Good story, lots of action, but what a cliffhanger at the end.
May 18, 2017
From what I have heard, this will be the last Dog Days book. This makes me sad. Louie is one of my most favorite magical secondary characters. Why? Probably because he’s so mysterious and yet still predictable and interesting in all sorts of ways. Nobody knows exactly what he is or why he’s with Mason so he’s a mystery. But, everyone knows his prowess in searching out things and helping Mason out of trouble so he’s predictable as well. In any case, I will miss reading more stories about Mason and Louie.
What I expected: Since this is the fourth in a series, what I expected was more of the same, for the most part. I expected that there was going to be some sort of magical trouble that Mason and Louie would have to go out and work to fix. Levitt has done a great job of making each situation very different and this was no exception. I expected freelance musical references that wouldn’t overpower the plot but also give the reader some insight into that world. I expected some magical confrontations that weren’t horribly graphic but that conveyed the seriousness of the plot.
What I got: I got a lot more than I expected. Mason’s magic use was always improvised by the environment around him and it seemed that he fought that impetus a great deal because it was different than the way everyone else did it. This time the reader can feel that Mason is finally comfortable with the way he uses magic and how it is both better and worse than the way everyone else does it. He also seems to have grown up a bit when it comes to working with his fellow magic users and respects their methodology and even seems to understand the reasoning behind a lot that they say and do. I also got a very interesting plot interweaving environmentalism, utopianism and probably several other isms that flew over my head. I really liked the fact that, like we sometimes find in our own world, people do bad things for good reasons and this is an interesting look at that. While there wasn’t as many action scenes as you may have found in previous books, there was plenty to enjoy.
What I enjoyed: I loved that the interplay of the ifrits was almost a second plot. They are the most interesting part of this world Mr. Levitt has built and I love reading about them. I also liked that Mason seems to have learned a great deal from the past and plays things more cautiously and smartly than he has before. I liked that the bad guys were good guys and the good guys were also bad guys. Just a little nudge at our culture – all of us have the capacity for good and evil and our choices define us.
What I did not: I was a little distressed by Mason’s seeming disinterest in a dead body. I found it to be particularly cold that he was able to just leave it and assume it could stay in stasis for as long as he wanted it to. It seemed like a short cut for plot availability and out of character for Mason. I think that was probably my only quibble with the entire story. Pretty good, no?
Would I recommend and if so, to whom? Most definitely. Fans of the earlier books would of course be interested but also anyone who has not encountered this series, since it is now complete you could get them all and read them back to back. People who like the Dresden Files or Kim Harrison’s Hollows series would mostly likely enjoy this one.
Cover Thoughts: The cover was very much like the first three though Mason seems to have gotten either more good looking or this was his best angle. I’ve never liked the blue (and once green) glow behind Louie. I’ve always felt that it was too much. I understand the compunction to put something on the cover to convey that the story deals with magic but there must have been a better way than making Louie look radioactive. Otherwise the covers are nice looking, not ugly or horribly misleading or anything. Nice, attractive covers – but they would have been better without the glow.
What I expected: Since this is the fourth in a series, what I expected was more of the same, for the most part. I expected that there was going to be some sort of magical trouble that Mason and Louie would have to go out and work to fix. Levitt has done a great job of making each situation very different and this was no exception. I expected freelance musical references that wouldn’t overpower the plot but also give the reader some insight into that world. I expected some magical confrontations that weren’t horribly graphic but that conveyed the seriousness of the plot.
What I got: I got a lot more than I expected. Mason’s magic use was always improvised by the environment around him and it seemed that he fought that impetus a great deal because it was different than the way everyone else did it. This time the reader can feel that Mason is finally comfortable with the way he uses magic and how it is both better and worse than the way everyone else does it. He also seems to have grown up a bit when it comes to working with his fellow magic users and respects their methodology and even seems to understand the reasoning behind a lot that they say and do. I also got a very interesting plot interweaving environmentalism, utopianism and probably several other isms that flew over my head. I really liked the fact that, like we sometimes find in our own world, people do bad things for good reasons and this is an interesting look at that. While there wasn’t as many action scenes as you may have found in previous books, there was plenty to enjoy.
What I enjoyed: I loved that the interplay of the ifrits was almost a second plot. They are the most interesting part of this world Mr. Levitt has built and I love reading about them. I also liked that Mason seems to have learned a great deal from the past and plays things more cautiously and smartly than he has before. I liked that the bad guys were good guys and the good guys were also bad guys. Just a little nudge at our culture – all of us have the capacity for good and evil and our choices define us.
What I did not: I was a little distressed by Mason’s seeming disinterest in a dead body. I found it to be particularly cold that he was able to just leave it and assume it could stay in stasis for as long as he wanted it to. It seemed like a short cut for plot availability and out of character for Mason. I think that was probably my only quibble with the entire story. Pretty good, no?
Would I recommend and if so, to whom? Most definitely. Fans of the earlier books would of course be interested but also anyone who has not encountered this series, since it is now complete you could get them all and read them back to back. People who like the Dresden Files or Kim Harrison’s Hollows series would mostly likely enjoy this one.
Cover Thoughts: The cover was very much like the first three though Mason seems to have gotten either more good looking or this was his best angle. I’ve never liked the blue (and once green) glow behind Louie. I’ve always felt that it was too much. I understand the compunction to put something on the cover to convey that the story deals with magic but there must have been a better way than making Louie look radioactive. Otherwise the covers are nice looking, not ugly or horribly misleading or anything. Nice, attractive covers – but they would have been better without the glow.
January 28, 2019
Took me a while to get going on this one, but the last half of the book made up for the relatively slow start.
There's a touch of the procedural with these books in that they seem to start out the same way (generally) and you don't really need to have read the earlier volumes to understand what's going on after the first chapter or so.
Mason remains likable enough as a protagonist, but it's a little frustrating to see him essentially treading water from a life standpoint, considering he seems to have gone through a great deal of personal growth over the last several books. Maybe this is part of the whole procedural aspect, where characters are fairly static until a big plot point forces a change. (or more accurately, a change becomes a plot point) Lou the Ifrit (in the form of a most lovable mutt) remains a fine costar, even without ever saying a word.
The plot is pretty big, and the whole thing ends with a pretty enormous change to the status quo, which I presume was intended to drive the plot of the next book...but it sounds like that book isn't going to happen.
Too bad, these are enjoyable, if not revolutionary books and it would have been nice to get a more satisfying conclusion for Mason, Lou, and friends.
There's a touch of the procedural with these books in that they seem to start out the same way (generally) and you don't really need to have read the earlier volumes to understand what's going on after the first chapter or so.
Mason remains likable enough as a protagonist, but it's a little frustrating to see him essentially treading water from a life standpoint, considering he seems to have gone through a great deal of personal growth over the last several books. Maybe this is part of the whole procedural aspect, where characters are fairly static until a big plot point forces a change. (or more accurately, a change becomes a plot point) Lou the Ifrit (in the form of a most lovable mutt) remains a fine costar, even without ever saying a word.
The plot is pretty big, and the whole thing ends with a pretty enormous change to the status quo, which I presume was intended to drive the plot of the next book...but it sounds like that book isn't going to happen.
Too bad, these are enjoyable, if not revolutionary books and it would have been nice to get a more satisfying conclusion for Mason, Lou, and friends.
October 2, 2022
Great book, horrible ending
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2023
Hated the ending!! Really?!? Where is the next book?? Can’t end it like this!!! Ugh!!
August 6, 2025
A sad ending.
The battle won, but at a terrible price. I didn't expect that particular outcome. A good book though and I wish it came in audiobook format too.
The battle won, but at a terrible price. I didn't expect that particular outcome. A good book though and I wish it came in audiobook format too.
February 19, 2021
Disappointing
Might be good if you’re 12 years old, but otherwise disappointing. Not sure the target audience but it was too simplistic and immature for my taste.
Might be good if you’re 12 years old, but otherwise disappointing. Not sure the target audience but it was too simplistic and immature for my taste.
August 31, 2011
John told me this was likely to be the last in the series -- and that the ending was final and very serious, to I rushed to find out what he meant. In fact, I can't imagine anything worse happening to Mason and Lou. It made me cry. I won't spoil it for you.
I like that Mason continues not to be the sharpest tool in the chest, but that he's the one everyone reaches for when they need something done. This book had a twist that I did not see coming, which was fun. (Again, no spoilers.) I enjoyed the down-and-dirty magic this time around, too. The bad guys were more fun in this book, even as the stakes they are playing are higher.
I'll miss poking around San Francisco with Mason and Lou. I loved John's descriptions of hiking around Mount Sutro in the fog and running through the Tenderloin. I was pleased when I recognized the site of the final confrontation down near Half Moon Bay. I wish I could spend more time with them.
I raced through the book while on vacation, so I look forward to rereading the whole series when I get a minute. That will have to satisfy me for now.
I like that Mason continues not to be the sharpest tool in the chest, but that he's the one everyone reaches for when they need something done. This book had a twist that I did not see coming, which was fun. (Again, no spoilers.) I enjoyed the down-and-dirty magic this time around, too. The bad guys were more fun in this book, even as the stakes they are playing are higher.
I'll miss poking around San Francisco with Mason and Lou. I loved John's descriptions of hiking around Mount Sutro in the fog and running through the Tenderloin. I was pleased when I recognized the site of the final confrontation down near Half Moon Bay. I wish I could spend more time with them.
I raced through the book while on vacation, so I look forward to rereading the whole series when I get a minute. That will have to satisfy me for now.
March 3, 2011
I enjoyed the writing style in this book. Despite this being the first I'd read i the series, viewing the world through Mason's thoughts was both satisfying and informative. I particularly enjoyed the brand of sympathetic magic Mason practices, as well as the relationship between him and his Ifrit. Lou is a magical companion in dog form, capable of greater than average problem solving and comprehension, but he and Mason, literally, don't speak each other's language. Mason's communication with Lou is three parts guesswork and one part personification, making their partnership fun to follow along with.
See my full review at All Things Urban Fantasy.
See my full review at All Things Urban Fantasy.
May 15, 2011
Mason is a jazz guitarist in San Francisco and a magical practitioner. Lou is his magical canine companion, an ifrit, who seems more magically talented and smarter than Mason. Jessie, a black arts practioner hires Mason to look for a woman who stole from her, who is also a jazz musician. She says she'll pay him a lot. Unfortunately, what Jackie has stolen -- with Mason's help, what was he thinking? -- promises to remake the world, and will make him sacrifice what is most dear to him.
This ends in a cliffhanger and may be the last of the books in the series. I hope that's not so...
This ends in a cliffhanger and may be the last of the books in the series. I hope that's not so...
May 26, 2012
PB/Urban Fantasy: Book 4 of the Dog Days series. In his novel, Mason is more of a PI solving a case. Only he's reporting ever thing back to his real "boss" Victor. Lou, of course is the best part. He's the ifrit in the form of a dog and Mason best friend. There is a lot of chasing and searching for the bad guy and a lot of losing the bad guy. The bad guy righteously thinks she's doing the right thing, but in doing so will destroy the world.
Spoiler/Warning: the ending is a devastating cliffhanger. I was looking on Amazon to see when the next book is coming out. As far as I can tell, there isn't a fifth book.
Spoiler/Warning: the ending is a devastating cliffhanger. I was looking on Amazon to see when the next book is coming out. As far as I can tell, there isn't a fifth book.
February 13, 2014
Not a bad end to the series (or the first major arc; the author could return to it), but the conclusion does feel a bit abrupt. There's nothing specific I can point to as to why I gave it three stars instead of four, other than that it just felt rather perfunctory as a novel. There were some pretty big possibilities that only got skimmed over, and the lead character spends a bit too much time in the dark, being led around by his nose by the plot.
All things considered, it may not be a bad idea to let sleeping dogs lie here.
All things considered, it may not be a bad idea to let sleeping dogs lie here.
November 4, 2016
Presumably the last in the series given the length of time that has passed, which leaves either an unresolved cliff hanger or sad ending to deal with. To be honest I could definitely have read more. These books haven't been absolute first rank but they are good and were on a generally upwards trajectory from the start. I'll certainly miss them.
The main character is likable and anything but perfect, the secondary characters are pretty well drawn and do the job they are there to do, and Lou is a delight.
Sad to see them finish.
The main character is likable and anything but perfect, the secondary characters are pretty well drawn and do the job they are there to do, and Lou is a delight.
Sad to see them finish.
June 13, 2011
I finished reading Play Dead by John Levitt not too long ago. This was book four in Levitt’s “Dog Days” series, and Levitt says it’ll be the last, “at least for a while”.
This was a fun series; I enjoyed all four books and I’ll miss it. Levitt made me care about the characters and I'll miss them too.
Considering the lurch he left them in at the end of this book, I'll probably wonder occasionally whatever happened to them.
This was a fun series; I enjoyed all four books and I’ll miss it. Levitt made me care about the characters and I'll miss them too.
Considering the lurch he left them in at the end of this book, I'll probably wonder occasionally whatever happened to them.
April 30, 2011
This series has grown on me. By this 4th book the author has hit his stride and the story moves along and keeps my interest. I've also come to like the characters especially Mason the jazz musician/magic user's familiar min-pin, Lou, who is probably the best part of the story (hence the dog days theme.)
Romantic relations but not heavy on the sex or strong language so excellent choice for school libraries.
Romantic relations but not heavy on the sex or strong language so excellent choice for school libraries.
October 12, 2016
This tale ends darkly as a wave of magical energy suddenly dissipates on the ocean side of San Francisco, much like the even-year Giants losing to the Cubs in the ninth inning of a series-ending game. Mason and his four-legged magical partner for once deliberately takes the lead unravelling the web around this missing person case, instead of tagging along with the rest of the Scooby-Doo team.
March 19, 2011
Gotta love Lou he almost always saves the day or at least tries to do it. This wasn't as exciting as the book before. And the ending kind of sucked for them. I guess I'll have to read another if I want to know what happens. But that will wait till it's published.
April 11, 2011
Another book with lots of twists and turns and an excellent, though sad ending. It's probably made a bit worse, because the publisher may not agree to continue the series, according to a review I looked over earlier this week. I really have enjoyed the series.
January 6, 2013
Series is good. The magic system is well developed and the characterization of Lou is cool.
Mason is oddly dumb and never seems to learn. Feels more like a walking plot device.
The cliffhanger this book ends on is painful, and there's probably no more books coming. Ow.
Mason is oddly dumb and never seems to learn. Feels more like a walking plot device.
The cliffhanger this book ends on is painful, and there's probably no more books coming. Ow.
February 1, 2014
Not as engaging as the previous entries in the series - though still quite the good read. The ending, though - if there isn't a sequel to resolve this new turn of events, I shall be quite put out. LOU! *wails*
February 4, 2011
I really enjoyed it, but I was surprised by the author's non-characteristic cliff hanger ending. Now I can't wait for the next one!
August 1, 2011
GAAAHHHHH!!!! Between First Dresden died. Then Drood died. Now Mason has this happen to him? Are all the authors in on it?
February 10, 2011
Pretty fast-paced story that ties in nicely with the previous books. The cliff-hanger at the end is going to kill me until the next book comes out.
April 24, 2011
Sad to hear that this is the end of Mason and Lou's story. I look forward to their return one day soon.
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