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Evie Scelan #1
Spiral Hunt
Some people have the Sight. Genevieve Scelan has the Scent.
They call her "Hound," and with her unique supernatural sense Evie can track nearly anything—lost keys, vanished family heirlooms . . . even missing people. And though she knows to stay out of the magical undercurrent that runs beneath Boston's historic streets, a midnight phone call from a long-vanished lover will destroy the careful boundaries she has drawn. Now, to pay a years-old debt, Evie must venture into the shadowy world that lies between myth and reality, where she will find betrayal, conspiracies, and revelations that will shatter all she believes about herself and the city she claims as home.
When the Hunt is on, the Hound must run . . .
They call her "Hound," and with her unique supernatural sense Evie can track nearly anything—lost keys, vanished family heirlooms . . . even missing people. And though she knows to stay out of the magical undercurrent that runs beneath Boston's historic streets, a midnight phone call from a long-vanished lover will destroy the careful boundaries she has drawn. Now, to pay a years-old debt, Evie must venture into the shadowy world that lies between myth and reality, where she will find betrayal, conspiracies, and revelations that will shatter all she believes about herself and the city she claims as home.
When the Hunt is on, the Hound must run . . .
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 21, 2009
14 people are currently reading
1023 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Ronald
46 books58 followersMargaret Ronald learned to read on a blend of The Adventures of Tintin, Greek mythology, and Bloom County compilations. Her vocabulary never quite recovered. Her fiction has appeared in Realms of Fantasy, Strange Horizons, Baen's Universe, and Fantasy Magazine. Spiral Hunt is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
May 23, 2011
Maybe a 3.75 star book because it doesn't quite have that level of "wow" that makes me want to force everyone I know to rush out out start reading it right away, but it's very solid storytelling that I thoroughly enjoyed. Evie is smart, level-headed and likable, the system of magic is interesting, and the mythological elements are included in an original way. Some of the double crosses I expected and others snuck up on me, and things being more complicated than I expected meant that they were also more interesting. I also enjoyed how the city of Boston was showcased, that always makes a book more interesting when it's done well and adds a level of realism to a fantasy novel. Even if they are all Red Sox fans!
Overall it was a very good book and a promising start to the series as well. I'm lucky that the series came to my attention after the 3rd book was published, so now I can read the 1st three very quickly at least. I just reserved 2 and 3 today and look forward to reading them soon.
Overall it was a very good book and a promising start to the series as well. I'm lucky that the series came to my attention after the 3rd book was published, so now I can read the 1st three very quickly at least. I just reserved 2 and 3 today and look forward to reading them soon.
January 6, 2015
This was a really great read, totally enjoyable. I was pleasantly surprised, and considering it's a Harper Collins novel had to wonder what sort of marketing they employed, it has so few reads and books 2 and 3 have barely sold on Amazon.
The main character is realistic and I appreciated her sense of confusion with her knowledge constantly evolving, challenged with so much complexity.
The support characters are both useful in the story, and appropriate to the situations they are pulled into.
I absolutely recommend this novel, particularly to lovers of Jennifer Estep, Rachel Morgan, Chloe Neill and so forth.
The main character is realistic and I appreciated her sense of confusion with her knowledge constantly evolving, challenged with so much complexity.
The support characters are both useful in the story, and appropriate to the situations they are pulled into.
I absolutely recommend this novel, particularly to lovers of Jennifer Estep, Rachel Morgan, Chloe Neill and so forth.
March 15, 2009
The setting is Boston, where a large Irish migrant population goes hand in hand with this urban fantasy moving away from the usual werewolves and vampires, and takes it's supernatural aspects from celtic mythology. Evie Scelan is a bike messenger with a side business as a Finder. Her nickname is Hound because Evie has an ability to track things with scent. At the start of this book, Evie gets a mysterious phone call from ex-lover Frank. Despite her reservations with who he may be mixed up with, and the warning on the phone, she begins to investigate his disappearance.
Evie is a relatable heroine who thankfully doesn't do overly idiotic things, she goes into situations with her eyes open, but still gets into trouble despite her best intentions. She is a no nonsense, working class gal, trying to survive on her own who has a hard time letting other's in because of her talent. Her soft spot seems to be kids and older people, which shows itself through the course of the story. Her circle of friends is small - a couple of people she knew in school, a black-market magic associate, and a brief mention of coworkers at her messenger job, but I hope that as the series continues that Evie will start to open herself up to others. I thought I saw a lowering of walls in a couple of instances in this book and the hint of a possible romance. Her character was my favorite part of the book.
I don't know much about celtic myths, but I knew enough to recognize some of the names of the major dieties, so it was a refreshing experience to read an urban fantasy that references that mythology and I wanted to know more about it after finishing the story. While the bad guys in this tale seemed to be shrouded in mystery until the second half of the book, once all the parties involved in the mystery that Evie unravels show up, this becomes an absorbing read.
I felt that this book had a satisfying ending (I saw this mentioned elsewhere and I agree), even though it is the start of a series. I was happy where it stopped with the promise of more to come. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens to Evie and her friends in book 2. I'd recommend this one to urban fantasy fans.
This is an edited version of my full review here - http://janicu.livejournal.com/51121.html
Evie is a relatable heroine who thankfully doesn't do overly idiotic things, she goes into situations with her eyes open, but still gets into trouble despite her best intentions. She is a no nonsense, working class gal, trying to survive on her own who has a hard time letting other's in because of her talent. Her soft spot seems to be kids and older people, which shows itself through the course of the story. Her circle of friends is small - a couple of people she knew in school, a black-market magic associate, and a brief mention of coworkers at her messenger job, but I hope that as the series continues that Evie will start to open herself up to others. I thought I saw a lowering of walls in a couple of instances in this book and the hint of a possible romance. Her character was my favorite part of the book.
I don't know much about celtic myths, but I knew enough to recognize some of the names of the major dieties, so it was a refreshing experience to read an urban fantasy that references that mythology and I wanted to know more about it after finishing the story. While the bad guys in this tale seemed to be shrouded in mystery until the second half of the book, once all the parties involved in the mystery that Evie unravels show up, this becomes an absorbing read.
I felt that this book had a satisfying ending (I saw this mentioned elsewhere and I agree), even though it is the start of a series. I was happy where it stopped with the promise of more to come. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens to Evie and her friends in book 2. I'd recommend this one to urban fantasy fans.
This is an edited version of my full review here - http://janicu.livejournal.com/51121.html
May 19, 2009
I'm certainly in a reading rut right now, because I cannot seem to find a book that satisfies. My last "failure" was David Willimas "The Mirrored Heavens". I bailed after 150 pages.
I switched to Margaret Ronald's "Spiral Hunt" and it hasnt' gotten any better. Ronald was mentioned to me as a refreshing newcomer to the glutted urban fantasy market. I've read many of these the past few years, and have grown increasingly unsatisfied with the lack of growth in the genre as a whole. Just how many ways can the field write about an spunky, tough female protagonist tossing witty one-liners while fighting off supernatural horrors--and of course while dating a rotating group of dreamy vampires, werewolves, and so forth.
To say it has grown tiresome is an understatement.
"Spiral Hunt" features a messenger named Evie, who is also a supernaturally gifted tracker. Nicknamed the Hound, she can find anything. Set in Boston and featuring a Celtic influence, the novel certainly has a different feel than many other urban fantasies. Ronald's method of storytelling is not "by the numbers". She has some writing chops.
I've seen loads of positive recommendations for this novel, but I have to admit I have had trouble following what exactly is happening in the story. I understand the basic plot, but the story seems a bit scattered to me. Instead of me complaining about a predictable plot, now I'm complaining that I'm not sure what's going on.
Sigh. I will toss this on the maybe later pile of books. With all the positive reviews, hopefully it will be something that delights me down the road.
I switched to Margaret Ronald's "Spiral Hunt" and it hasnt' gotten any better. Ronald was mentioned to me as a refreshing newcomer to the glutted urban fantasy market. I've read many of these the past few years, and have grown increasingly unsatisfied with the lack of growth in the genre as a whole. Just how many ways can the field write about an spunky, tough female protagonist tossing witty one-liners while fighting off supernatural horrors--and of course while dating a rotating group of dreamy vampires, werewolves, and so forth.
To say it has grown tiresome is an understatement.
"Spiral Hunt" features a messenger named Evie, who is also a supernaturally gifted tracker. Nicknamed the Hound, she can find anything. Set in Boston and featuring a Celtic influence, the novel certainly has a different feel than many other urban fantasies. Ronald's method of storytelling is not "by the numbers". She has some writing chops.
I've seen loads of positive recommendations for this novel, but I have to admit I have had trouble following what exactly is happening in the story. I understand the basic plot, but the story seems a bit scattered to me. Instead of me complaining about a predictable plot, now I'm complaining that I'm not sure what's going on.
Sigh. I will toss this on the maybe later pile of books. With all the positive reviews, hopefully it will be something that delights me down the road.
January 24, 2010
First of all I am an amateur Ancient Celtic Myth and Historian and this book...wow. Ronald did her research and her homework and she owned it. The history and the myths come out strong without sounding like they were planted in the plot to explain something (while sounding like an encyclopedia) but both were woven into the story and the characters and became one.
Evie Scelan is a Hound - her magic is of the olfactory kind. She can smell a 'church by daylight" (to quote Shakespeare) and due to her magic/talent she is sought by those that know her talent to find lost things; things like manuscripts, stones, books.
Until her first love calls her in the middle of the night to say good-bye while a voice that is his but it not his warns her that the Hunt is on. The Brotherhood of Light - a group of "magicians" who have taken the Fiana name and bastardized it are after her and her talent. They are creating loci and avatars and they will bind them to their corrupted will.
Evie, messenger by day, sometimes police consultant and PI of sorts, must choose a side in the dark undercurrent that is fast threatening to enshroud everything she has ever known She must choose a side or run.
There are a cast of supporting characters that shine just as well as Evie, even those that are merely fringe characters and the betrayals and the twists are made even more real for it.
With a mysterious but attractive magic adept, her best friend and hedge-witch and a friend who could/might've been so much more offering you something you can't take. Who do you trust when anyone could be a bad guy?
Evie Scelan is a Hound - her magic is of the olfactory kind. She can smell a 'church by daylight" (to quote Shakespeare) and due to her magic/talent she is sought by those that know her talent to find lost things; things like manuscripts, stones, books.
Until her first love calls her in the middle of the night to say good-bye while a voice that is his but it not his warns her that the Hunt is on. The Brotherhood of Light - a group of "magicians" who have taken the Fiana name and bastardized it are after her and her talent. They are creating loci and avatars and they will bind them to their corrupted will.
Evie, messenger by day, sometimes police consultant and PI of sorts, must choose a side in the dark undercurrent that is fast threatening to enshroud everything she has ever known She must choose a side or run.
There are a cast of supporting characters that shine just as well as Evie, even those that are merely fringe characters and the betrayals and the twists are made even more real for it.
With a mysterious but attractive magic adept, her best friend and hedge-witch and a friend who could/might've been so much more offering you something you can't take. Who do you trust when anyone could be a bad guy?
January 24, 2011
I would never have picked up this book if I hadn't gone to a panel at Arisia, a convention in Boston, about setting stories in Boston. I went into the book, therefore, with the expectation that it put one of my favorite cities to good use. In that, it did not disappoint.
The city of Boston is practically its own character in this book. Its strange history is put to good use, and its oddities are far better explained through magic than the true history. Ms. Ronald does an excellent job making the reader feel like they're in Boston, flashing just enough detail to make one feel like they're there. The main character processes the world through scent, mostly, and I thought the author did an excellent job of involving all five senses.
The characters were interesting, and the conflict was compelling, original and interesting, but I thought the ending sagged a bit. It felt like there were two separate climaxes to the novel. There are two instances where the bad guys kidnap people she cares about to lure her in, and I felt like one should have sufficed. I don't know why it was so drawn-out.
The ending felt very neatly wrapped up, to the point where I'm confused about what a second and third book in this world could possibly cover. I'll find out, but I'm not in any huge hurry.
The city of Boston is practically its own character in this book. Its strange history is put to good use, and its oddities are far better explained through magic than the true history. Ms. Ronald does an excellent job making the reader feel like they're in Boston, flashing just enough detail to make one feel like they're there. The main character processes the world through scent, mostly, and I thought the author did an excellent job of involving all five senses.
The characters were interesting, and the conflict was compelling, original and interesting, but I thought the ending sagged a bit. It felt like there were two separate climaxes to the novel. There are two instances where the bad guys kidnap people she cares about to lure her in, and I felt like one should have sufficed. I don't know why it was so drawn-out.
The ending felt very neatly wrapped up, to the point where I'm confused about what a second and third book in this world could possibly cover. I'll find out, but I'm not in any huge hurry.
February 5, 2010
This book was pretty good. I liked the location (Being a Masshole) and I enjoyed, for the most part, Evie's character. The world held my attention, but sometimes felt almost vague, in the magic aspect. I sometimes felt confused on what terms meant, for example Loci(and it's variants used) It was used a lot in the first few chapters, but no explanation given for a while, I found myself thinking.. what the heck is it? and I hate that. I own the next one, and will read that as well. I hope there is more love in store for Evie tho, I do enjoy a bit of romance in my stories :)
June 30, 2010
Okay, this book was definitely a sleeper. It was sorta/kinda interesting and I would pick it up, read a few chapters and become distracted....until about chapter four, that is.
The main character, Evie Scelan has an extraordinary sense of smell. In magic rich Boston this equals a side job as a PI of sorts, known to a few as the Hound, finding lost objects. She has to be careful how she exhibits her talents, there are supernatural baddies who make magic users of all kinds disappear.
This book owes me a good nights sleep! I forced myself to put it away in the wee hours only to dream of the characters and torture myself until I woke up (still in the wee hours) to finish it.
There are a mish-mash of magics in this book: Mythological beings, witches, wizards/warlocks, allusions to certain shifters, magic relics and more. Even the bad guys are likable, well, sorta.
Bottom line: This ones a keeper that will definitely go on the bedside table to be re-read.
The main character, Evie Scelan has an extraordinary sense of smell. In magic rich Boston this equals a side job as a PI of sorts, known to a few as the Hound, finding lost objects. She has to be careful how she exhibits her talents, there are supernatural baddies who make magic users of all kinds disappear.
This book owes me a good nights sleep! I forced myself to put it away in the wee hours only to dream of the characters and torture myself until I woke up (still in the wee hours) to finish it.
There are a mish-mash of magics in this book: Mythological beings, witches, wizards/warlocks, allusions to certain shifters, magic relics and more. Even the bad guys are likable, well, sorta.
Bottom line: This ones a keeper that will definitely go on the bedside table to be re-read.
March 13, 2009
I have to admit: this book is written by a friend, so my opinion may be biased!
The two best things about this book are the protagonist, who I find to be a very solid, believable character; and the world, which I'm hoping Ronald is going to continue shaping in future books. I also appreciate that the book involves a healthy amount of mythology that I'm not really familiar with--but didn't feel I needed to be to understand the book.
The two best things about this book are the protagonist, who I find to be a very solid, believable character; and the world, which I'm hoping Ronald is going to continue shaping in future books. I also appreciate that the book involves a healthy amount of mythology that I'm not really familiar with--but didn't feel I needed to be to understand the book.
December 31, 2018
It's fun enough to read books based on cities I know. I went through a real Baltimore thing. A Real. Baltimore. Thing. So, I'm branching out to the city that is just always there for me and maybe 96% of my life, Old Boston Town.
I chose the book because I filtered a list of Boston-based books and fantasy/science fiction, it seemed interesting enough- a secret world unknown to the rest of the world (a regular destination of mine), a female protagonist who takes NO SHIT, and as I said before, Boston.
Soooo, I did enjoy some new life the story breathes into fantasy. The last third of the book got much more interesting as it started to unfold Celtic mythology. I kind of muddled through the magic stuff, I'm not that into magic, it can make the story cheat. However, the Celtic aspects were a worthwhile payoff and made it worth it.
I liked the site-seeing aspect of the novel, its neighborhoods and places I know and travel for work and lived when I was in graduate school and after.
It did play up some of the stereotypes about Bostonians to which I don't subscribe-really embracing the Irish American Southie culture non-Bostonians associate with the entire city. It ends up being justified because, Celtic, but I'm hoping future novels branch out into the array of cultures and races that live and work in the city; it would be more interesting than the St. Patty's Day Pahty. Also, this book fucking loves Boston sports, and I'd rather not. Oddly enough, also justified in the narrative, but I find the whole sports culture just so aggressive and aggressively boring, I personally could have done without it. I wish there was more ktsch and fun things to Boston culture, hopefully some of my memories of things like Spags, WLVI Kids Club and the Children's Museum can show up.
So, as far as the book goes, it's a fun enough world, I hope it expands to include some more kinds of people. The pacing was decent, characters interesting enough, if not terribly sympathetic. Reccomend for fantasy/detective types. And you know who you are.
I chose the book because I filtered a list of Boston-based books and fantasy/science fiction, it seemed interesting enough- a secret world unknown to the rest of the world (a regular destination of mine), a female protagonist who takes NO SHIT, and as I said before, Boston.
Soooo, I did enjoy some new life the story breathes into fantasy. The last third of the book got much more interesting as it started to unfold Celtic mythology. I kind of muddled through the magic stuff, I'm not that into magic, it can make the story cheat. However, the Celtic aspects were a worthwhile payoff and made it worth it.
I liked the site-seeing aspect of the novel, its neighborhoods and places I know and travel for work and lived when I was in graduate school and after.
It did play up some of the stereotypes about Bostonians to which I don't subscribe-really embracing the Irish American Southie culture non-Bostonians associate with the entire city. It ends up being justified because, Celtic, but I'm hoping future novels branch out into the array of cultures and races that live and work in the city; it would be more interesting than the St. Patty's Day Pahty. Also, this book fucking loves Boston sports, and I'd rather not. Oddly enough, also justified in the narrative, but I find the whole sports culture just so aggressive and aggressively boring, I personally could have done without it. I wish there was more ktsch and fun things to Boston culture, hopefully some of my memories of things like Spags, WLVI Kids Club and the Children's Museum can show up.
So, as far as the book goes, it's a fun enough world, I hope it expands to include some more kinds of people. The pacing was decent, characters interesting enough, if not terribly sympathetic. Reccomend for fantasy/detective types. And you know who you are.
January 31, 2010
Disclosure: The author is a friend. And an adorable drunk.
Yay, it's Maggie's first book! Noirish paranormal mystery with Irish mythology, set in Boston. First-person female narrator, cool magic powers, you know the sort of thing.
Things I liked: Boston – this book has an excellent sense of place, and it made me want to spend more time there, maybe even sober this time. Female friendships, which make up a lot of the tension in the book, and these relationships are not about men and are about women dealing and taking names, and men respecting their strengths and decisions. The magic system and myth source make a nice change from your standard issue urban fantasy, and the last third of the book is a sprint of magic and action and a bunch of cool shit ™.
Things I thought were meh: It takes a while to rev up, and the plot depends at a few junctures on coincidence in that first novel way, you know? But my chief problem is the protagonist, because aside from her unusual magical attributes, she didn't really distinguish herself in my head from the other dozen tough loner urban fantasy heroines I've met recently. But that's what a series is for, I suppose, and I think this one is heading very good places.
Go buy Maggie's book!
Yay, it's Maggie's first book! Noirish paranormal mystery with Irish mythology, set in Boston. First-person female narrator, cool magic powers, you know the sort of thing.
Things I liked: Boston – this book has an excellent sense of place, and it made me want to spend more time there, maybe even sober this time. Female friendships, which make up a lot of the tension in the book, and these relationships are not about men and are about women dealing and taking names, and men respecting their strengths and decisions. The magic system and myth source make a nice change from your standard issue urban fantasy, and the last third of the book is a sprint of magic and action and a bunch of cool shit ™.
Things I thought were meh: It takes a while to rev up, and the plot depends at a few junctures on coincidence in that first novel way, you know? But my chief problem is the protagonist, because aside from her unusual magical attributes, she didn't really distinguish herself in my head from the other dozen tough loner urban fantasy heroines I've met recently. But that's what a series is for, I suppose, and I think this one is heading very good places.
Go buy Maggie's book!
March 29, 2011
Evie, the heroine, has been named the Hound for her magical ability to find things through their scent. She hides her talent, somewhat, because that's what her mother taught her to do. Then she receives a phone call from a boy she knew in her past, and everything pretty much falls apart. The Fae in Boston have the city in an iron grip and Evie's afraid they want to put her on a leash. This is a tough book to summarize, because there are so many little threads, so much subtlety.
Evie has dreams that play on her guilt, she tries to help her friends, befriends people who may not be so friendly, and fights to stay free. I liked her. I liked the book. A lot.
Evie has dreams that play on her guilt, she tries to help her friends, befriends people who may not be so friendly, and fights to stay free. I liked her. I liked the book. A lot.
June 9, 2015
Urban fantasy set in Boston. I've shied away from that subgenre in recent years, since it became a code name for "romances with a touch of the supernatural" which I rarely enjoy. "Spiral Hunt" (and its sequels) include romantic subplots, but the urban and fantastic elements are much more important; they also take a harder look than usual at American clichés about Irish/"Celtic" magic. I enjoyed this series enormously.
February 1, 2009
OMG. This is solid urban fantasy with a major dollop of Irish mythology thrown in. Great characters, fantastic sense of place and setting, and many great lines. The first half was maybe a tad slow - though compelling - and the second half was basically un-put-down-able. Definitely read this. (Disclaimer: I know the author, but not all that well. So I don't think I'm all that biased.)
June 28, 2018
It was just an okay read. I had no idea what was happening in the beginning and I also had trouble keeping track of the characters. There aren’t even that many but I didn’t care about any of them.
I enjoyed the book enough to read it in a day. It wasn’t that great. I didn’t like it, but I didn’t hate it either. I will be picking up the next book soon. Hopefully it’s better.
I enjoyed the book enough to read it in a day. It wasn’t that great. I didn’t like it, but I didn’t hate it either. I will be picking up the next book soon. Hopefully it’s better.
Read
July 20, 2011Excellent new voice in urban fantasy with a celtic twist. Well written, interesting characters, a protagonist with something new.
December 12, 2010
I just could not get into this book. The world is confusing and many things are not being explained. I tried to stick with it, but now I'm moving on to something else.
Read
January 11, 2021Ok, one of my New Year's resolutions was to review more books, so here we go. As a rule, I find it difficult to assign books a numerical rating, I would just rather talk about the book itself and what I liked and did not like.
This is one of the better urban fantasy books out there, in my humble opinion. A lot of the more popular urban fantasy series veer off more into paranormal romance territory than I would like (not that there's anything bad about the romance genre, it's just not my thing. At all.) Spiral Hunt, though it contains something of a romantic subplot, is very much more cast in the urban fantasy mode. If pretty vamps and hunky were-people are your thing (not that there's anything wrong with that! Far be it from me to kink-shame anyone), then you may not like this. This novel is centered on Celtic Mythology, but unlike many books that deal with Irish folklore, it does not devolve into twee woo-woo territory.
The magic system here is well-developed. There are rules and consequences for using magic; it isn't like a magic-user can casually sling fireballs at opponents with impunity. This means that in order to overcome challenges, characters have find creative methods of working.
Evie is refreshing in a way, because she is not your stereotypical urban fantasy heroine. She isn't a tramp-stamped vixen who supernatural males are falling over themselves to date. She is an average young woman with a not-so-average talent.
My only quibbles with this book is that sometimes it got a little info-dumpy and I sometimes wanted the pace to pick up a bit.
This is one of the better urban fantasy books out there, in my humble opinion. A lot of the more popular urban fantasy series veer off more into paranormal romance territory than I would like (not that there's anything bad about the romance genre, it's just not my thing. At all.) Spiral Hunt, though it contains something of a romantic subplot, is very much more cast in the urban fantasy mode. If pretty vamps and hunky were-people are your thing (not that there's anything wrong with that! Far be it from me to kink-shame anyone), then you may not like this. This novel is centered on Celtic Mythology, but unlike many books that deal with Irish folklore, it does not devolve into twee woo-woo territory.
The magic system here is well-developed. There are rules and consequences for using magic; it isn't like a magic-user can casually sling fireballs at opponents with impunity. This means that in order to overcome challenges, characters have find creative methods of working.
Evie is refreshing in a way, because she is not your stereotypical urban fantasy heroine. She isn't a tramp-stamped vixen who supernatural males are falling over themselves to date. She is an average young woman with a not-so-average talent.
My only quibbles with this book is that sometimes it got a little info-dumpy and I sometimes wanted the pace to pick up a bit.
November 29, 2025
Spiral Hunt has some interesting characters and roots in mythology, but the book could have benefitted from some extra exposition and explanation early on. The threat of magic hangs over Boston from the very early pages of the book, but it's never really explained how or why until the narrative gets going on later.
It resolves well in the end, but without a good handle on Celtic/Irish mythology, it's still kind of difficult to follow. Also, if you're not familiar with Boston and its geography (which I'm not) place names and features of the city that townies might inherently understand are otherwise lost.
Not a bad book, just some extra clarity would have made it better and easier to digest .
It resolves well in the end, but without a good handle on Celtic/Irish mythology, it's still kind of difficult to follow. Also, if you're not familiar with Boston and its geography (which I'm not) place names and features of the city that townies might inherently understand are otherwise lost.
Not a bad book, just some extra clarity would have made it better and easier to digest .
November 11, 2019
Although it starts slow, this urban fantasy finishes strong with plenty of action and includes an engaging heroine, a different take on magic and folklore than the usual, and throughout does a great job making the Boston setting an integral part of the story. Recommended, and I'll be looking for the next book in the series.
July 11, 2024
This was a complicated and hard book to follow. I'm usually all in for urban fantasy genre but this one just did not pull me in.
The characters were hard to get into and the whole Irish and Celtic mythology was to foreign for me to follow all the symbolism the author created.
It was a different tone of the book from what I am usually into...
The characters were hard to get into and the whole Irish and Celtic mythology was to foreign for me to follow all the symbolism the author created.
It was a different tone of the book from what I am usually into...
September 2, 2017
Pretty interesting, some parts were a bit slow, but mostly very interesting
September 29, 2018
Although the story line is very intriguing, I just couldn't connect with the main character.
November 23, 2018
Awesome!
August 27, 2019
Magic in Boston Entertaining with a little Red Sox History thrown in
September 6, 2022
This was ok, however my library doesn’t carry the other two books in the trilogy so not sure if I feel driven to continue the series.
February 3, 2014
Genevieve “Evie” Scelan is a bike messenger for her daily job and a private investigator using her nose to find lost things or people on the side. Her world is a dangerous world, where using magic will get you the attention of the Fiana, and that is not something you want. They are like a magical mafia, and they control everyone who uses magic.
When Evie gets a phone call in the middle of the night, from an almost forgotten ex-boyfriend, the trouble starts. Somehow, Frank is not the only one talking to her, and while he seems determined to get out of Boston, she needs to find out if he succeeded. But following Frank’s scent is bringing back more memories than she cares for, and gets her into contact with some old classmates.
While visiting Frank’s parents, to see if they know anything, she walks into Brendan Corrigan, who seems to be clueless about the magic regime in Boston, and who saves her life when one of her informants tries to pull a gun on her. She doesn’t understand how he can be so powerful, without using the normal loci.
When her best friend Rena, who is a police officer, asks her to come and look at something, that something is Frank’s corpse, completely covered in blue runes. His head had aged way beyond normal, while his body was still young and strong. They have no idea what to make of that, but when Rena digs into the police archives; she stumbles upon some similar cold cases from 30 years ago.
Evies other good friend Sarah hires her to find some chainstones, and it all gets more complicated when Evie smells them in the nursing home she and Rena are visiting, to get some more information from the previous coroner of the cases.
Mrs. Crowe, the old woman who smells like the chainstones, goes missing from the nursing home the next day, and when Evie smells Sarah, she feels betrayed by her friend. Why would she do something like that? And is that old lady really the Goddess Brigid?
Evie stumbles upon the horrible truth when she gets caught by the Fiana herself, but she also learns more about her own past and her ancestors. What should she believe, what should she do? Who can she trust?
I have to admit, I had a very hard time finishing this book. If not Melissa from My World in Words and Pages had told me to continue reading, as the next two books will be very good and unique, this would have become a DNF. But I finished the book, and I really did not like it very much. There is just too little explained about the world, the bad guys and what is really happening. It is all very sparsely discovered by Evie and to me; it doesn’t make a lot of sense. Even though I really like Celtic mythology, it is just too unreal, to0 difficult/strange to believe in.
I do have the rest of the series, so I will probably read them, but that won’t be soon.
I did like Evie for her perseverance, but there is so little background on her, I don’t know enough about her to really like her and root for her. She cared for her mother, who made her promise again and again to be careful, and when she became mortally ill, she helped her terminate herself, if we have to believe Evie’s nightmares. It all gets mixed up with her dreams of the old Mrs. Crowe, who is more than she seems to be.
There are some guys in the book, Nate, a friend who is acting like a father to his much younger sister now their mother is dead. Will, another friend who gets under the spell of the Fiana and suffers for it. Brendan, who was posing as a possible love interest and who was anything but. And her two female friends, a police officer and the owner of a magic shop who wants to be more than a hedge witch.
And lots of scary powerful bad people.
If I did make you curious, you should try this book. If you can’t make head or tails from my review, I don’t blame you. It is not an easy book to read.
6 stars.
When Evie gets a phone call in the middle of the night, from an almost forgotten ex-boyfriend, the trouble starts. Somehow, Frank is not the only one talking to her, and while he seems determined to get out of Boston, she needs to find out if he succeeded. But following Frank’s scent is bringing back more memories than she cares for, and gets her into contact with some old classmates.
While visiting Frank’s parents, to see if they know anything, she walks into Brendan Corrigan, who seems to be clueless about the magic regime in Boston, and who saves her life when one of her informants tries to pull a gun on her. She doesn’t understand how he can be so powerful, without using the normal loci.
When her best friend Rena, who is a police officer, asks her to come and look at something, that something is Frank’s corpse, completely covered in blue runes. His head had aged way beyond normal, while his body was still young and strong. They have no idea what to make of that, but when Rena digs into the police archives; she stumbles upon some similar cold cases from 30 years ago.
Evies other good friend Sarah hires her to find some chainstones, and it all gets more complicated when Evie smells them in the nursing home she and Rena are visiting, to get some more information from the previous coroner of the cases.
Mrs. Crowe, the old woman who smells like the chainstones, goes missing from the nursing home the next day, and when Evie smells Sarah, she feels betrayed by her friend. Why would she do something like that? And is that old lady really the Goddess Brigid?
Evie stumbles upon the horrible truth when she gets caught by the Fiana herself, but she also learns more about her own past and her ancestors. What should she believe, what should she do? Who can she trust?
I have to admit, I had a very hard time finishing this book. If not Melissa from My World in Words and Pages had told me to continue reading, as the next two books will be very good and unique, this would have become a DNF. But I finished the book, and I really did not like it very much. There is just too little explained about the world, the bad guys and what is really happening. It is all very sparsely discovered by Evie and to me; it doesn’t make a lot of sense. Even though I really like Celtic mythology, it is just too unreal, to0 difficult/strange to believe in.
I do have the rest of the series, so I will probably read them, but that won’t be soon.
I did like Evie for her perseverance, but there is so little background on her, I don’t know enough about her to really like her and root for her. She cared for her mother, who made her promise again and again to be careful, and when she became mortally ill, she helped her terminate herself, if we have to believe Evie’s nightmares. It all gets mixed up with her dreams of the old Mrs. Crowe, who is more than she seems to be.
There are some guys in the book, Nate, a friend who is acting like a father to his much younger sister now their mother is dead. Will, another friend who gets under the spell of the Fiana and suffers for it. Brendan, who was posing as a possible love interest and who was anything but. And her two female friends, a police officer and the owner of a magic shop who wants to be more than a hedge witch.
And lots of scary powerful bad people.
If I did make you curious, you should try this book. If you can’t make head or tails from my review, I don’t blame you. It is not an easy book to read.
6 stars.
© 2014 Reviews by Aurian
August 5, 2020
Spiral Hunt is a first novel, but it has a very strong and well-defined presence, with an engaging style and interesting characters. This book was also something of a surprise, since most of the urban fantasy I’ve been seeing lately has been urban fantasy romance, where most of the action and characterization is based off of getting the female protagonist hitched up with a male character as quickly as possible. (I’m amazed at how few of these “urban fantasy romances” have anything to do with actual “courtship” or romance. I much prefer a slow build up over the course of a longer story.) This is a straight fantasy adventure with mystery elements, and is very reminiscent of Emma Bull or Charles de Lint’s style of writing.
This is an urban fantasy of the “hidden in mundania” type, where most people are ignorant of the fact that the world is full of magic. You might also say that it’s an “urban faerie” novel, since the story is mostly grounded in Celtic mythology and folklore. (And Evie’s ties to Celtic mythology/folklore, specifically to Finn Mac Cool is a major plot point in the book.)
Our Heroine is Evie Scelan, a bicycle messenger living in Boston, who is making use of her unusually keen (and supernatural) sense of smell to work part time as a private investigator occasionally known as The Hound. A mysterious phone call from someone she thought was dead (and probably was at the time of the phone call) drags her into the path of a secret society of mages called “The Bright Brotherhood,” or the Fiana. (The group was Irish, and had named themselves after Finn Mac Cool’s band of warriors.) The secret society had supposedly been dismantled around the time Evie was a kid, but apparently they’d just gone into hiding. Now they’re back, and causing a great deal of trouble, and Evie has to find a way to stop them, before they the city–and her–over.
Ronald does some interesting things with the magic system. Magicians need something called loci in order to work magic. Loci are spirits or souls of some kind that are collected by the magic user. Magic is coded as a “drug” in some ways, and magic users as junkies. (The television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer did something similar but I feel that Ronald does a better job of it. There is a definite echo of the “things man was not meant to know because it will drive him bonkers” meme in this book, which is how the junkie meme is worked into the worldbuilding.)
The story had some interesting twists and turns, and the city of Boston and the history Ronald creates feels real and compelling. I like the slow build up of the relationship between Evie and her friend Nate, and her interactions with her friend Sarah, and a police investigator. (The police character and the detective work involved felt real and authentic to me.) I really enjoyed this book, which was a very fast read for me. The pacing is excellent and I was reluctant to put the book down.
This is an urban fantasy of the “hidden in mundania” type, where most people are ignorant of the fact that the world is full of magic. You might also say that it’s an “urban faerie” novel, since the story is mostly grounded in Celtic mythology and folklore. (And Evie’s ties to Celtic mythology/folklore, specifically to Finn Mac Cool is a major plot point in the book.)
Our Heroine is Evie Scelan, a bicycle messenger living in Boston, who is making use of her unusually keen (and supernatural) sense of smell to work part time as a private investigator occasionally known as The Hound. A mysterious phone call from someone she thought was dead (and probably was at the time of the phone call) drags her into the path of a secret society of mages called “The Bright Brotherhood,” or the Fiana. (The group was Irish, and had named themselves after Finn Mac Cool’s band of warriors.) The secret society had supposedly been dismantled around the time Evie was a kid, but apparently they’d just gone into hiding. Now they’re back, and causing a great deal of trouble, and Evie has to find a way to stop them, before they the city–and her–over.
Ronald does some interesting things with the magic system. Magicians need something called loci in order to work magic. Loci are spirits or souls of some kind that are collected by the magic user. Magic is coded as a “drug” in some ways, and magic users as junkies. (The television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer did something similar but I feel that Ronald does a better job of it. There is a definite echo of the “things man was not meant to know because it will drive him bonkers” meme in this book, which is how the junkie meme is worked into the worldbuilding.)
The story had some interesting twists and turns, and the city of Boston and the history Ronald creates feels real and compelling. I like the slow build up of the relationship between Evie and her friend Nate, and her interactions with her friend Sarah, and a police investigator. (The police character and the detective work involved felt real and authentic to me.) I really enjoyed this book, which was a very fast read for me. The pacing is excellent and I was reluctant to put the book down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2014
I read this one while I was out of town for business and I must say while I'm not head over heels in love with it, I'm pretty damn close. This was an interesting introduction to a new series that will have a long, and prosperous futures, at least I'm hoping so. As some of you may know, I'm a little new to the world of urban fantasy, and while I sill prefer traditional or high fantasy, I'm learning to love the world of magic and monsters set in our modern world.
Evie is a unique character even in the world of urban fantasy, well at least for me she is. I've never run across another character who's sole magical ability seems to be a really strong sense of smell. She can sense the scent of anything, whether it's a person, object, or even an event. Everything, and I mean everything, leaves behind an odor and Evie can pick up on it. She uses this ability as a detective to supplement her income as a bicycle messenger.
Evie has been straddling the world we all know and that of magic all her life, never really fully in one of the other. The magic world is controlled by the Bright Brotherhood, a cabal of magicians that seeks to control everything that goes on in the city of Boston. She has tried to stay out of their way and as a result, while she may know about the world they inhabit, she really doesn't understand the rules. When she gets that late night call from her ex lover, Evie is forced to learn those rules really quickly.
Outside of a few close friends, Evie is a loner. She prefers her own company and that of a Red Sox game most of the time so when she is forced to team up with a sexy magician, she isn't sure whether or not to trust him. He seems to be all right and is always there to get her back, but is he who he claims to be? Or should she trust the guy she's known for years who is raising his kid sister, who seems to have talent of her own, but is unaware of the world that Evie is finding herself being enveloped by. The back and forth pull that Evie feels for both of these men is an interesting dynamic to the book, and one that I thought the author did a wonderful job in portraying.
This book is flavored by Irish and Celtic mythology, which the author must have spent an inordinate amount of time researching. Fin Mac Cool makes an appearance and he is actually the vehicle to explain Evie's ability. I won't go into too much detail of what happens in the book, though there is a lot of action and characters making decisions, that while you many not completely understand at the time, all make sense by the end of the book.
Evie is a unique character even in the world of urban fantasy, well at least for me she is. I've never run across another character who's sole magical ability seems to be a really strong sense of smell. She can sense the scent of anything, whether it's a person, object, or even an event. Everything, and I mean everything, leaves behind an odor and Evie can pick up on it. She uses this ability as a detective to supplement her income as a bicycle messenger.
Evie has been straddling the world we all know and that of magic all her life, never really fully in one of the other. The magic world is controlled by the Bright Brotherhood, a cabal of magicians that seeks to control everything that goes on in the city of Boston. She has tried to stay out of their way and as a result, while she may know about the world they inhabit, she really doesn't understand the rules. When she gets that late night call from her ex lover, Evie is forced to learn those rules really quickly.
Outside of a few close friends, Evie is a loner. She prefers her own company and that of a Red Sox game most of the time so when she is forced to team up with a sexy magician, she isn't sure whether or not to trust him. He seems to be all right and is always there to get her back, but is he who he claims to be? Or should she trust the guy she's known for years who is raising his kid sister, who seems to have talent of her own, but is unaware of the world that Evie is finding herself being enveloped by. The back and forth pull that Evie feels for both of these men is an interesting dynamic to the book, and one that I thought the author did a wonderful job in portraying.
This book is flavored by Irish and Celtic mythology, which the author must have spent an inordinate amount of time researching. Fin Mac Cool makes an appearance and he is actually the vehicle to explain Evie's ability. I won't go into too much detail of what happens in the book, though there is a lot of action and characters making decisions, that while you many not completely understand at the time, all make sense by the end of the book.
March 11, 2010
Genevieve, or Evie as friend from school call her, works as a bike courier in Boston. But, on the side works to help recover, or find, items for people - for a fee to help pay rent. Evie has a special ability passed down in her family blood of years past, she can smell scents even almost taste them at times. Evie has the nick name in the Undercurrent of Hound. But one night, after midnight she receives a call from a friend of the past who Evie thought was gone or dead. Frank, someone Evie had not talked to in fifteen years which didn't end on best of terms, calls to say he has found a way out and is leaving. But the coversation changes and Evie now can taste the scent of a hunt. She receives a warning from another through Frank. Because Frank was once a friend, and possibly more, she feels she owes him and decides to hunt him since no one knows where he is, and there was something in his voice which she feared he would be in trouble.
The story caught my attention at the beginning. The mystery started right off from page one. Then as I read more questions surfaced to me. I love mystery with my urban fantasy, and this book had it. Fifty pages into the book I was caught up with many questions and wondering how they will tie together. From here on out I started to get the pieces and the puzzel was coming together.
There is magic, Celtic mythology, and a dark side mixed in here. The magic is defined in this story as three different categories and what would fall in those areas. The Irish mythology is added in and blended with the gods and magic together to come to the end of the book.
I enjoyed reading this book, although I did at times stumble over a few words I was not sure of. My confusion was only because I was not quite sure what some words were, ones used in the magic world, which I am sure many of you would know them. These words did get defined in the book.
I have book two here and will be getting to it as well!
The story caught my attention at the beginning. The mystery started right off from page one. Then as I read more questions surfaced to me. I love mystery with my urban fantasy, and this book had it. Fifty pages into the book I was caught up with many questions and wondering how they will tie together. From here on out I started to get the pieces and the puzzel was coming together.
There is magic, Celtic mythology, and a dark side mixed in here. The magic is defined in this story as three different categories and what would fall in those areas. The Irish mythology is added in and blended with the gods and magic together to come to the end of the book.
I enjoyed reading this book, although I did at times stumble over a few words I was not sure of. My confusion was only because I was not quite sure what some words were, ones used in the magic world, which I am sure many of you would know them. These words did get defined in the book.
I have book two here and will be getting to it as well!
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