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Desdaemona #1
Desdaemona
Jordan helps kids on the run find their way back home. He’s good at that. He should be – he’s a runaway himself. Sometimes he helps the kids in other, stranger ways. He looks like a regular teenager, but he’s not. He acts like he’s not exactly human, but he is. He treads the line between mundane reality and the world of the supernatural, including the awesome Powers That Be.
Desdaemona also knows the non-human world far too well. She tracks Jordan down and enlists his aid in searching for her lost sister Fay, who did a Very Bad Thing involving an immortal. This may be a mistake – for both of them. Too many people are interested now, and some of them are not people at all!
Ben Macallan’s urban fantasy debut takes you on a terrifying journey, lifting the curtain on what really walks our city streets.
Desdaemona also knows the non-human world far too well. She tracks Jordan down and enlists his aid in searching for her lost sister Fay, who did a Very Bad Thing involving an immortal. This may be a mistake – for both of them. Too many people are interested now, and some of them are not people at all!
Ben Macallan’s urban fantasy debut takes you on a terrifying journey, lifting the curtain on what really walks our city streets.
336 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 31, 2011
10 people are currently reading
555 people want to read
About the author
Ben Macallan
3 books12 followersBen Macallan is the boy your mother warned you about, the one with the motorbike and the cool clothes and the dangerous superpowers. He shoots round corners without looking, can put on his socks without bending and finds new planets as a Sunday afternoon hobby. He sometimes hangs out in smoky bars, where he plays saxophone and talks philosophy. Several schools claim to have taught him, but he never turns up for Speech Day. He may be watching you, but you'll never know. He lives where he lives, and always stops to speak to cats and Big Issue vendors.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
September 16, 2013
This book could have been a lot better. I had more excitement reading the book description than I did reading the book itself. Oh, there were exciting parts in the book but they were scarce. Most of the book was about the characters’ emo issues. *rolls eyes* It was not what I signed up for.
+ the characters
Jordan was the main character and the narrator. I didn’t mind how he deliberately kept the reader in the dark about his identity... at first. It was not until the middle of the book that I came to realize there was absolutely NO reason for him to do so. Most of the characters knew who he was from the start. When he finally told the reader who he was, it came as a passing matter of fact, not as a plot twist or like anything that was supposed to astound the reader. My patience with Jordan quickly wore thin, and I was already struggling with his long-winded narration. On the bright side, I was glad he actually did things beside just running away and hiding behind Desdaemona and used his brain.
Desdaemona, I liked. I found consolation in the familiarity of her attitude as a kickass heroine. I loved how she was utterly confident in her abilities to kick ass and protect Jordan. She cautiously approached danger and fought enemies strategically. What happened at the climax, I didn’t fault Desi for becoming the person she wanted to be and why she what she did.
+ the world building
The world building was murky as shit. It was a chore to even learn surface details. Surface. For example, readers learn a small group of powerful families ruled over the hidden magical world. What readers do not learn are who all of them were, what they ruled over, why they ruled over what they ruled, and so forth. Learning a few of their names and that that their names were not to be spoken lightly should not (seemingly at least) constitute HALF of the information given about these families.
Underdeveloped world building is rarely ever an issue for me because my imagination can fill in the gaps, but these weren’t gaps. They were fucking canyons. The world building was very disjointed.
+ the ending
The ending was a PISSER. The bad guy our characters fought wasn’t EVEN the main bad guy, and formidable as that bad guy was, the battle should have been a simple case of numbers. The book spent an inordinate amount of time building how each of those characters were powerful, but when it came to the final battle those characterizations were thrown to the wind.
To add insult to injury, the book had the audacity to end abruptly with nothing resolved and a new issue at the last minute. The “The End” mocked the reader. It FUCKING mocked me. If I didn’t have book 2 on hand and value my stuff, I would have spent days cursing the book out and smashing things.
In Conclusion
I rate Desdaemona 2-stars for it was okay. I was never so bored that I felt compelled to skim (the pacing was surprisingly brisk), but I was annoyed with the narration and angered by the ending. The 2-stars is conditional on the fact that I had book 2 on hand to read next.
After reading book 2 and thus finishing the series, I can firmly say I do not recommend the series whatsoever. Avoid.
+ the characters
Jordan was the main character and the narrator. I didn’t mind how he deliberately kept the reader in the dark about his identity... at first. It was not until the middle of the book that I came to realize there was absolutely NO reason for him to do so. Most of the characters knew who he was from the start. When he finally told the reader who he was, it came as a passing matter of fact, not as a plot twist or like anything that was supposed to astound the reader. My patience with Jordan quickly wore thin, and I was already struggling with his long-winded narration. On the bright side, I was glad he actually did things beside just running away and hiding behind Desdaemona and used his brain.
Desdaemona, I liked. I found consolation in the familiarity of her attitude as a kickass heroine. I loved how she was utterly confident in her abilities to kick ass and protect Jordan. She cautiously approached danger and fought enemies strategically. What happened at the climax, I didn’t fault Desi for becoming the person she wanted to be and why she what she did.
+ the world building
The world building was murky as shit. It was a chore to even learn surface details. Surface. For example, readers learn a small group of powerful families ruled over the hidden magical world. What readers do not learn are who all of them were, what they ruled over, why they ruled over what they ruled, and so forth. Learning a few of their names and that that their names were not to be spoken lightly should not (seemingly at least) constitute HALF of the information given about these families.
Underdeveloped world building is rarely ever an issue for me because my imagination can fill in the gaps, but these weren’t gaps. They were fucking canyons. The world building was very disjointed.
+ the ending
The ending was a PISSER. The bad guy our characters fought wasn’t EVEN the main bad guy, and formidable as that bad guy was, the battle should have been a simple case of numbers. The book spent an inordinate amount of time building how each of those characters were powerful, but when it came to the final battle those characterizations were thrown to the wind.
To add insult to injury, the book had the audacity to end abruptly with nothing resolved and a new issue at the last minute. The “The End” mocked the reader. It FUCKING mocked me. If I didn’t have book 2 on hand and value my stuff, I would have spent days cursing the book out and smashing things.
In Conclusion
I rate Desdaemona 2-stars for it was okay. I was never so bored that I felt compelled to skim (the pacing was surprisingly brisk), but I was annoyed with the narration and angered by the ending. The 2-stars is conditional on the fact that I had book 2 on hand to read next.
After reading book 2 and thus finishing the series, I can firmly say I do not recommend the series whatsoever. Avoid.
June 18, 2011
"They'd tempted fate, and here she came."
Brilliant! Macallan is a wickedly talented story teller that immediately pulled me in with his clever and engaging writing style. The story was well-constructed, full of action, intrigue, and numerous surprises that left no room for dull moments.
We are first introduced to Jordan, a man on the run. A survivor. He spends time aiding in the recovery of lost children and teens whenever and wherever he can.
In a world of Powers he's not the strongest or the fiercest. Not even the bravest. His most defineable traits are simply his determination and his solid grip on humanity.
Jordan isn't your typical Urban Fantasy leading man that will have you swooning. He's more likely to make you want to curl up on the couch and cuddle . . . and there's definitely nothing wrong with that.
"I keep saying, don't have me down as a hero. I was in this for the long run, survival; heroics were a luxury I couldn't afford."
He lives his life with caution, constantly watching his steps, and learning to perfect the art of evasion. Until Desdaemona.
The rules quickly change when challenged by the attention of a beautiful woman, a large helping of male hormones, and the commanding force of a daemon's Aspect.
"All my body was electric, alive with the charge of her, tingling and straining to be closer. It was an effort to stand where I was, to hold still, to stop my feet dragging towards her; it was an impossibility even to think of looking away. She drew all the light and heat there was; the pull of gravity and the strength of stone, all was hers. There was nothing in the world now, except Desi."
I was extremely surprised by how much I enjoyed this story, mostly because there haven't been a large number of readers or reviews. Desdaemona certainly hasn't been given the attention it deserves.
I can only hope that Macallan is out there somewhere, working feverishly on his laptop, drinking his coffee, producing more fantastic stories at an inhuman speed.
"Besides, she really was very good to look at. Black brows, pale skin, cheekbones that could lay waste to a city. One last glimpse of a fierce beauty, something worth remembering."
Brilliant! Macallan is a wickedly talented story teller that immediately pulled me in with his clever and engaging writing style. The story was well-constructed, full of action, intrigue, and numerous surprises that left no room for dull moments.
We are first introduced to Jordan, a man on the run. A survivor. He spends time aiding in the recovery of lost children and teens whenever and wherever he can.
In a world of Powers he's not the strongest or the fiercest. Not even the bravest. His most defineable traits are simply his determination and his solid grip on humanity.
Jordan isn't your typical Urban Fantasy leading man that will have you swooning. He's more likely to make you want to curl up on the couch and cuddle . . . and there's definitely nothing wrong with that.
"I keep saying, don't have me down as a hero. I was in this for the long run, survival; heroics were a luxury I couldn't afford."
He lives his life with caution, constantly watching his steps, and learning to perfect the art of evasion. Until Desdaemona.
The rules quickly change when challenged by the attention of a beautiful woman, a large helping of male hormones, and the commanding force of a daemon's Aspect.
"All my body was electric, alive with the charge of her, tingling and straining to be closer. It was an effort to stand where I was, to hold still, to stop my feet dragging towards her; it was an impossibility even to think of looking away. She drew all the light and heat there was; the pull of gravity and the strength of stone, all was hers. There was nothing in the world now, except Desi."
I was extremely surprised by how much I enjoyed this story, mostly because there haven't been a large number of readers or reviews. Desdaemona certainly hasn't been given the attention it deserves.
I can only hope that Macallan is out there somewhere, working feverishly on his laptop, drinking his coffee, producing more fantastic stories at an inhuman speed.
"Besides, she really was very good to look at. Black brows, pale skin, cheekbones that could lay waste to a city. One last glimpse of a fierce beauty, something worth remembering."
April 7, 2011
I was asked if I'd read, and if I liked, to blurb Ben's book. So I read, and I LOVED, and so here's the blurb! :-)
"Ben Macallan masterfully weaves myth, magic and the mundane to create a world where dangerous supernaturals control the shadows in a superbly realized English landscape. With its deft plotting, evocative prose, and the unique pairing of Jay, the plucky, engaging narrator, with the cool, take-no-prisoners Desdaemona, Macallan’s tale is smart, witty, full of surprises, and grips until the very last shock. Desdaemona Rocks! I can’t wait for the next book!"
Ben is a.k.a. the inimitable Chaz Brenchley, and while I know Chaz from chatting occasionally on LJ, and at conferences, I have to confess I've never read any of his books before. After reading Desdaemona, I'm searching out his other books, and eagerly hoping that 'Ben Macallan' writes many more wonderful stories in Desdaemona's world!
(There is one slightly odd thing I want to add about the cover, which I love . . . but, despite the fab werewolf lurking in the background, werewolves only play a very small part in the book, so . . . don't expect lots of werewolf action :-))
"Ben Macallan masterfully weaves myth, magic and the mundane to create a world where dangerous supernaturals control the shadows in a superbly realized English landscape. With its deft plotting, evocative prose, and the unique pairing of Jay, the plucky, engaging narrator, with the cool, take-no-prisoners Desdaemona, Macallan’s tale is smart, witty, full of surprises, and grips until the very last shock. Desdaemona Rocks! I can’t wait for the next book!"
Ben is a.k.a. the inimitable Chaz Brenchley, and while I know Chaz from chatting occasionally on LJ, and at conferences, I have to confess I've never read any of his books before. After reading Desdaemona, I'm searching out his other books, and eagerly hoping that 'Ben Macallan' writes many more wonderful stories in Desdaemona's world!
(There is one slightly odd thing I want to add about the cover, which I love . . . but, despite the fab werewolf lurking in the background, werewolves only play a very small part in the book, so . . . don't expect lots of werewolf action :-))
September 22, 2019
This is not marketed as YA, but it really probably should be. Not that there's anything wrong with YA, but I read enough YA when I was YA and even middle-A, but now I'm older-A I was looking for an older-A book.
Anyway, an easy, fairly predictable Urban Fantasy with some fun fast-paced action. Great for a train ride, or a boat ride, or a day in the sun.
Anyway, an easy, fairly predictable Urban Fantasy with some fun fast-paced action. Great for a train ride, or a boat ride, or a day in the sun.
July 12, 2011
"Lonely's okay, truly, until it goes away."
Let me start by saying that I do plan on reading the next book in this series. How could I not after that ending.
Most of the book, I would give a 3 star rating, the end I'd give a 4 star, even though I figured out the main mystery before it was revealed.
The main character is Jay, a runaway who is helping runaways out of trouble and returning them to their loved ones. Jay is perpetually 17-years-old (which is explained later) and weak. He is on the small side, not strong, scared, lonely, hungry and poor. He meets Desi when she asks him to help her find her sister.
Ah, Desi. Beautiful, strong, kick-ass, self-sufficient Desi. Desi is the opposite of Jay - beautiful, strong, in control, etc. He seems like a wimp next to her. I think she was a great character until the end. I don't know what I think of her now. I can't decide whether I hate her or respect her even more. She obviously had a "thing" for Jay, but by the end, it kind of seemed like she was making her way back to Jacey, which I think sucks for Jay. Jay is obviously mooning over her throughout the entire book. She is the first female and friend that he's had in several years of life on the run. Unfortunately, Jay is a wimp. For example, the author writes that Jay is holding on to her for dear life on the back of her motorcycle. He just seems un-masculine to me at this point. But, he really grew on me by the end of this book. I understood his reasoning, what he was doing by running away, and why he was so scared while he was on the run.
My biggest problem with this book was the over explanation of everything. Details, which I enjoy to a point, were written about way too much. There were entire paragraphs I was skimming over, because I was sick of reading a description. Also, in the beginning of this book, the main characters enter a vampire house. Maybe I was skimming too much, because I'm still not sure exactly why they did this. I was confused, but continued reading.
The book picks up with the addition a new character, who I really enjoyed. I loved the relationship between Jay and this character. I wish this character has been around for longer in this book.
The ending was great. I'm hoping that some of the events can be reversed, but I'm doubtful. The book ends on a cliff hanger, so I'm definitely reading book two in this series. I can't be left hanging like that :)
"Some are born great; some achieve greatness; some have greatness thrust upon them."
"I was in front, but even so I felt it, when Desi took her Aspect on her. Felt it? I was undone by it. This was the real thing, full-focus. It ripped my breath away."
Let me start by saying that I do plan on reading the next book in this series. How could I not after that ending.
Most of the book, I would give a 3 star rating, the end I'd give a 4 star, even though I figured out the main mystery before it was revealed.
The main character is Jay, a runaway who is helping runaways out of trouble and returning them to their loved ones. Jay is perpetually 17-years-old (which is explained later) and weak. He is on the small side, not strong, scared, lonely, hungry and poor. He meets Desi when she asks him to help her find her sister.
Ah, Desi. Beautiful, strong, kick-ass, self-sufficient Desi. Desi is the opposite of Jay - beautiful, strong, in control, etc. He seems like a wimp next to her. I think she was a great character until the end. I don't know what I think of her now. I can't decide whether I hate her or respect her even more. She obviously had a "thing" for Jay, but by the end, it kind of seemed like she was making her way back to Jacey, which I think sucks for Jay. Jay is obviously mooning over her throughout the entire book. She is the first female and friend that he's had in several years of life on the run. Unfortunately, Jay is a wimp. For example, the author writes that Jay is holding on to her for dear life on the back of her motorcycle. He just seems un-masculine to me at this point. But, he really grew on me by the end of this book. I understood his reasoning, what he was doing by running away, and why he was so scared while he was on the run.
My biggest problem with this book was the over explanation of everything. Details, which I enjoy to a point, were written about way too much. There were entire paragraphs I was skimming over, because I was sick of reading a description. Also, in the beginning of this book, the main characters enter a vampire house. Maybe I was skimming too much, because I'm still not sure exactly why they did this. I was confused, but continued reading.
The book picks up with the addition a new character, who I really enjoyed. I loved the relationship between Jay and this character. I wish this character has been around for longer in this book.
The ending was great. I'm hoping that some of the events can be reversed, but I'm doubtful. The book ends on a cliff hanger, so I'm definitely reading book two in this series. I can't be left hanging like that :)
"Some are born great; some achieve greatness; some have greatness thrust upon them."
"I was in front, but even so I felt it, when Desi took her Aspect on her. Felt it? I was undone by it. This was the real thing, full-focus. It ripped my breath away."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2011
I'm not going to lie - I give the first two-thirds of this book two stars and the last one-third of this book five stars. So I'm averaging it to three and a half stars.
Jordan is a runaway - running from what we don't quite know - who is found by Desdaemona, Desi for short. She knows a little about him and also knows that he helps other runaways occasionally. She needs his help in finding her sister Fay, who disappeared while Desi was off becoming a daemon. Being a daemon means that Desi possesses something called an Aspect. This makes her stronger and faster than a normal human, but even still she cannot figure out what happened to her sister. So she ropes a reluctant Jordan into helping her. She doesn't have to do much...expect give him a smile and a muffin. He is charmed by her even though he doesn't really want to be. He can't help it, he is forever 17 years old and stuck with the hormones of a 17 year old.
Confused? Yes, me too.
This book unfolds a little at a time. And when I say little, I mean LITTLE. Nothing about the cover of this book or the first chapters of the book is right. You think you are getting into an entirely different story than what you are actually getting. This isn't really a werewolf story or a vampire story. I don't actually even know what kind of story this is, to be honest!
This is the third book in a row that I haven't loved until more than halfway through. I'm sure this is just a coincidence, but I find it really annoying. I almost stopped reading this book two or three times because I just didn't really connect to it. I didn't love the relationship between Desi and Jordan in this book. Maybe it was just because it was different than what I am used to reading, but I just didn't really connect with their relationship at all. That was a bit of a downfall for me. When we finally do begin to get their stories, a LITTLE bit at a time, the book becomes much more intriguing and I became hooked. I just don't think any author should wait that damn long to hook the audience!
The book finally picked up (for me at least) around the appearance of a new character who comes 200 pages in. It wasn't necessarily that I loved this new character so much, but rather that we started to find out a little more about Jordan when this character appeared. Also, the action in the story picks up considerably with his appearance.
All in all I can say I'd recommend this book to others, but with reservations. It is a different style of writing and a different kind of story than most of the other UF books I've read, and I still haven't really decided if that's a good or bad thing!
Jordan is a runaway - running from what we don't quite know - who is found by Desdaemona, Desi for short. She knows a little about him and also knows that he helps other runaways occasionally. She needs his help in finding her sister Fay, who disappeared while Desi was off becoming a daemon. Being a daemon means that Desi possesses something called an Aspect. This makes her stronger and faster than a normal human, but even still she cannot figure out what happened to her sister. So she ropes a reluctant Jordan into helping her. She doesn't have to do much...expect give him a smile and a muffin. He is charmed by her even though he doesn't really want to be. He can't help it, he is forever 17 years old and stuck with the hormones of a 17 year old.
Confused? Yes, me too.
This book unfolds a little at a time. And when I say little, I mean LITTLE. Nothing about the cover of this book or the first chapters of the book is right. You think you are getting into an entirely different story than what you are actually getting. This isn't really a werewolf story or a vampire story. I don't actually even know what kind of story this is, to be honest!
This is the third book in a row that I haven't loved until more than halfway through. I'm sure this is just a coincidence, but I find it really annoying. I almost stopped reading this book two or three times because I just didn't really connect to it. I didn't love the relationship between Desi and Jordan in this book. Maybe it was just because it was different than what I am used to reading, but I just didn't really connect with their relationship at all. That was a bit of a downfall for me. When we finally do begin to get their stories, a LITTLE bit at a time, the book becomes much more intriguing and I became hooked. I just don't think any author should wait that damn long to hook the audience!
The book finally picked up (for me at least) around the appearance of a new character who comes 200 pages in. It wasn't necessarily that I loved this new character so much, but rather that we started to find out a little more about Jordan when this character appeared. Also, the action in the story picks up considerably with his appearance.
All in all I can say I'd recommend this book to others, but with reservations. It is a different style of writing and a different kind of story than most of the other UF books I've read, and I still haven't really decided if that's a good or bad thing!
December 11, 2012
Ben Macallan is another pseduonym for Chaz Brenchley ( I believe he's got at least 2 more). He's using this name for a foray into urban fantasy.
I was willing to go along for the ride, but about 130 pages into the book I realized that I didn't have it in me to read through the next 200 pages, so I skimmed. I feel that was the right decision.
Basic premise: young man (or something more?) on the run is recruited by a girl (who's definitely more) to find the girl's missing sister. There is, of course, a twist. Or two. It's a good urban fantasy, with lots of mythology on top of the normal vampires and werewolves, like dryads/shapeshifters and sort of a Faerie world.
This author can craft a sentence. You'll be reading along for the story, and a phrase will come out of the blue and make you stop and think. I don't have a good example in front of me, but the process of reading is a pleasure. It feels higher grade than a lot of the urban fantasy being churned out right now.
However, the book does suffer a bit from lack of context. There's lots of atmosphere being set, so everything is powerful, fraught and grim. For example, during the first fight scene we're told that Desdaemona has her Aspect (the supernatural side of her) powered "up to 11". That's as far as it can go, right? But no. Three times after this ( so far ) the main character is amazed by how much more powerful Desi's Aspect is than he's ever seen. If you've ratcheted up to 11 out of 10 in the first 50 pages, you'd think you'd have nowhere to go, but that's not the way the book goes. After a while, everything and everyone, protagonist and antagonist, is so powerful and overwhelming that it becomes meaningless. All sense of scale is lost. Everything is so over the top that nothing's over the top, if you take my meaning.
But there will be plenty of people who enjoy the book, and it is a cut above the average UF.
I was willing to go along for the ride, but about 130 pages into the book I realized that I didn't have it in me to read through the next 200 pages, so I skimmed. I feel that was the right decision.
Basic premise: young man (or something more?) on the run is recruited by a girl (who's definitely more) to find the girl's missing sister. There is, of course, a twist. Or two. It's a good urban fantasy, with lots of mythology on top of the normal vampires and werewolves, like dryads/shapeshifters and sort of a Faerie world.
This author can craft a sentence. You'll be reading along for the story, and a phrase will come out of the blue and make you stop and think. I don't have a good example in front of me, but the process of reading is a pleasure. It feels higher grade than a lot of the urban fantasy being churned out right now.
However, the book does suffer a bit from lack of context. There's lots of atmosphere being set, so everything is powerful, fraught and grim. For example, during the first fight scene we're told that Desdaemona has her Aspect (the supernatural side of her) powered "up to 11". That's as far as it can go, right? But no. Three times after this ( so far ) the main character is amazed by how much more powerful Desi's Aspect is than he's ever seen. If you've ratcheted up to 11 out of 10 in the first 50 pages, you'd think you'd have nowhere to go, but that's not the way the book goes. After a while, everything and everyone, protagonist and antagonist, is so powerful and overwhelming that it becomes meaningless. All sense of scale is lost. Everything is so over the top that nothing's over the top, if you take my meaning.
But there will be plenty of people who enjoy the book, and it is a cut above the average UF.
September 21, 2013
One blurb says something like "Not a syllable is wasted.". Ummm. I skipped. Quite a bit. When you are at the cusp of an exciting showdown and there are a page a half of "details" and "back story" you kind of want to get to the good stuff. This kind of description should have been saved for a little later or perhaps introduced earlier. Whichever would fit that particular scene. I skipped. Quite a bit. Okay it might be my adult ADD at work, but there are some authors who just get it. Ever read "It" or "Pillars of the Earth" or "Outlander"? There is description and story galore, but never at an inopportune moment. Never when you are on the edge of you seat (finally).
Other than that I did enjoy the characters. I would have loved to have known a little more about them, even if they weren't able to know each other that well.
Great surprise ending.
Other than that I did enjoy the characters. I would have loved to have known a little more about them, even if they weren't able to know each other that well.
Great surprise ending.
March 15, 2016
I've never been a fan of books with huge info dumps that swamp the reader and drown us in pointless description. This book however, goes to the other extreme and barely tells us anything about anything and that was just as frustrating. Everything seemed to be a secret that the author wanted to keep from the reader to leave us in the dark. I don't mind hiding a few things to surprise us with later, but c'mon give us something! I drifted along in the book wondering what was happening and losing interest page by page, while struggling to give a damn about the characters. This was just bland, dull and confusing.
October 2, 2012
Enjoyable Urban Fantasy read - both the setting in England and the fact that it's narrated by a 17-yr-old boy rather than the kick-ass female main character make it somewhat different than most of the UF I've read. Looking forward to book 2!
December 1, 2011
I really liked this one. The characters were strong, the adventure was fun and there is a lot of "British" language I definitely don't hear every day in the United States. And even after the end, I have questions...and hope that means there will be a sequel coming my way soon.
July 27, 2016
Not liking this one so far. I've read 80 pages and I just want to put it down and move onto a better book.
It annoys me.
But I will finish it, just slowly...very slowly
It annoys me.
But I will finish it, just slowly...very slowly
June 1, 2024
This is my favourite book of all time. It brings urban fantasy alive in an accurate-unless-fantastical representation of London and surrounding areas. While the characters are young and brooding, they are so well written that you can't help but get caught up in their allure. Lame as it may be to say it, I think the main two characters are so "cool" and I dive into this fantasy right along with them.
I adore the range of creatures and characters we meet in this book. Always on the go, always something happening, always a new danger around every corner but (nearly) always in the confidence that Desi can handle it. Desi was an absolute role model for younger me. Unattainable, yes, but she leant me a great deal of confidence of knowing your intrinsic power.
This book inspired me to write, and I re-read it time after time. The author's writing style drew in the 17-year-old me who read it first, and continues to grip the 27-year-old me reading it again today. Macallan excellently balances mystery, action, suspense, wit, sarcasm, and a little bit of romance.
I adore the range of creatures and characters we meet in this book. Always on the go, always something happening, always a new danger around every corner but (nearly) always in the confidence that Desi can handle it. Desi was an absolute role model for younger me. Unattainable, yes, but she leant me a great deal of confidence of knowing your intrinsic power.
This book inspired me to write, and I re-read it time after time. The author's writing style drew in the 17-year-old me who read it first, and continues to grip the 27-year-old me reading it again today. Macallan excellently balances mystery, action, suspense, wit, sarcasm, and a little bit of romance.
January 8, 2022
A free listen on Audible. Once in a while you find something among the freebies that’s not half bad. This wasn’t one of those times. The narrator didn’t help any - although a professional sounding voice - he was “one note.” If there was a point to the book beyond a romp through teenage fantasyland - it was lost on me. Some folks love just that. Maybe you will. At least it didn’t end up on my “abandoned” shelf - which means I didn’t think it was terrible.
June 13, 2022
I feel like it would have been better if they edited out most of the protagonist's inner monologues. It was clearly a self-insert and the protagonist was trying too hard to sound clever. Very hetro man describing woman in a cringy way energy too. With that being said, I really, really liked the descriptions of the mythical creatures (especially the vampires). He is extremely good at that and the twist in the end was nice. 2.5 stars.
May 3, 2021
The story was interesting and kept me going. Worldbuilding is pretty good, if nothing special for the Urban Fantasy genre. My main hangup was that once we discover the protagonist's motivation for going on the run, it doesn't seem that compelling. Sure, his fate if captured will be unpleasant, but the results aren't exactly detrimental and may even help him with his apparent life's calling.
January 11, 2019
Twisty little passages
There is no such thing as a straight line in Desdaemona. The hints are sometimes easy to pick up, and other times so obscure you just wait for the reveal, and for every person which is which will be different
There is no such thing as a straight line in Desdaemona. The hints are sometimes easy to pick up, and other times so obscure you just wait for the reveal, and for every person which is which will be different
November 10, 2022
What a ride! At first I was thrown by the first person pov,but as the story moved along I had fully bought into it. I enjoyed the characters and the story was great. The ending was a surprise, though a I might have figured it out sooner if I had not been so fully immersed in the character.
April 1, 2023
🎧📚
Narrated by Richard Hughes
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Twists and turns.
Someone you could see coming, others were surprises.
Desdaemona wasn't really about her. She was a side character, so the title is a bit misleading.
Great narration!
Narrated by Richard Hughes
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Twists and turns.
Someone you could see coming, others were surprises.
Desdaemona wasn't really about her. She was a side character, so the title is a bit misleading.
Great narration!
June 26, 2018
Was written in Jordan's POV. Des is a strong female lead. I did not see that ending coming. Next book please.
April 20, 2019
I really liked the characters, and could relate. There was also a nice style to this book. It really fits in the UF genre.
July 29, 2021
Humorous, fantastical, a touch of horror, and exciting to read. Good enough to send me looking for the sequel.
June 14, 2022
3.5*. This was different. I liked it.
September 26, 2022
Only got until chapter 3 on audible. This book is not for me, can't even finish..
April 23, 2023
Surprisingly, I really liked this book, but the ending left me with my jaw on the floor! But it was good in overall.
April 25, 2023
Listened to on audible. Really enjoyed this book
Read
October 31, 2023Book description didn't indicate it would have demons. Not something I care to read about.
April 16, 2023
An intriguing supernatural world, which this first book in the series does little to expand on. The descriptions are good but also very long - long enough to lose track of what was happening. Narration is good enough
July 8, 2011
Desdaemona is the debut novel (here in the US) for Ben Macallan. It's an urban fantasy, and most of you know that I generally don't read urban fantasy. I just don't get caught up in it. I received this book as an eARC before it was published and read at least half of it then. I bought the book when it came out and finished it up just now. Out of the urban fantasies I've read, I'd say that this one has a few qualities that will make it stick out in the urban fantasy field.
Here's the idea behind the book: Jordan is on the run from him parents who intend, when he comes of age, to kill him and make him immortal. They are immortals, and as you've probably guessed, all of the immortals (and nearly all of the legends and folklore characters and myths) are alive and well and living among us, as with most urban fantasies. Jordan has managed to elude them for years, time for him suspended by an amulet he wears around his neck so that he will not come of age (and thus be easier to find). Most of the immortal world is on the hunt for him, since his parents have offered an award for his capture. While on the run, Jordan finds himself helping other runaways, mostly helping them out of trouble (usually the paranormal kind) and getting them back home where they belong. That's how the book starts--with Jordan helping a young girl escape from some werewolves--and then Jordan meets Desdaemona, a woman who's made a deal with daemons and so possesses some exceptional powers and who also needs Jordan's help finding her lost sister, Fay.
The rest of the novel is filled with Jordan and Desi searching for Fay, following the trail, all while attempting to escape all of the people looking for Jordan . . . and it turns out, for Desi as well. They're both mixed up with some pretty bad people in the immortal world, and everyone is out to get the reward for both their heads. So what makes this novel stick out in the urban fantasy field?
First and foremost is the voice of the main character. This is, of course, written in first person and so you get a strong sense of the main character, Jordan. For the US readers out there, this is set in England, and the characters are all, thus, English, which means that the text is (rightfully) written with all of the English idioms and such. This certainly gives it a unique tone in the US market. For the most part, it's easily read and I didn't have any issues with this style, except in one or two places where the phrasing was just enough off that I had to pause briefly while reading to parse out the sentence. But overall it's not intrusive to the experience and it does keep you firmly in the appropriate setting.
We also get a slew of bad creatures in this novel that you don't find in many other urban fantasies out there. And when I say a slew, I mean a slew. We start off with werewolves and vampires, but I think the author mostly put these in to get them out of the way, and to provide an easy entrance into the novel for the typical urban fantasy reader out there. After that, we get a mix of other creatures--harpies, undine, Morrismen, etc. And the final Big Bad that I can't reveal without spoiling things. These creatures were interesting because they were different and because the author puts his own slant on them, but i will say that in the end there were so many, none of them really tied to the others, that I felt somewhat scattered. I also wonder what the author intends to use in the NEXT novel, since it seems so much was used in this one. But I suppose I'll find out.
Overall, it's a solid venture into the urban fantasy field, definitely a good debut novel. The voice is distinct, and after an initial rockiness at the beginning of the book, it settles into a strong story. It really is about Desdaemona, so the title is appropriate, and yet it is more about Jordan and his own plight as the runaway. And the best thing about the book is the ending. Initially I thought it would end as most urban fantasies end--it heads in that direction--but then there's a twist that sets this urban fantasy above most of the others I've read. The twist kicks it to a higher level, one where the main character is forced to change. I hope that Ben Macallan continues this is his future novels, since one of the things I don't like about urban fantasies is that the main character never seems to change from book to book, only meeting bigger and badder bad guys.
Here's the idea behind the book: Jordan is on the run from him parents who intend, when he comes of age, to kill him and make him immortal. They are immortals, and as you've probably guessed, all of the immortals (and nearly all of the legends and folklore characters and myths) are alive and well and living among us, as with most urban fantasies. Jordan has managed to elude them for years, time for him suspended by an amulet he wears around his neck so that he will not come of age (and thus be easier to find). Most of the immortal world is on the hunt for him, since his parents have offered an award for his capture. While on the run, Jordan finds himself helping other runaways, mostly helping them out of trouble (usually the paranormal kind) and getting them back home where they belong. That's how the book starts--with Jordan helping a young girl escape from some werewolves--and then Jordan meets Desdaemona, a woman who's made a deal with daemons and so possesses some exceptional powers and who also needs Jordan's help finding her lost sister, Fay.
The rest of the novel is filled with Jordan and Desi searching for Fay, following the trail, all while attempting to escape all of the people looking for Jordan . . . and it turns out, for Desi as well. They're both mixed up with some pretty bad people in the immortal world, and everyone is out to get the reward for both their heads. So what makes this novel stick out in the urban fantasy field?
First and foremost is the voice of the main character. This is, of course, written in first person and so you get a strong sense of the main character, Jordan. For the US readers out there, this is set in England, and the characters are all, thus, English, which means that the text is (rightfully) written with all of the English idioms and such. This certainly gives it a unique tone in the US market. For the most part, it's easily read and I didn't have any issues with this style, except in one or two places where the phrasing was just enough off that I had to pause briefly while reading to parse out the sentence. But overall it's not intrusive to the experience and it does keep you firmly in the appropriate setting.
We also get a slew of bad creatures in this novel that you don't find in many other urban fantasies out there. And when I say a slew, I mean a slew. We start off with werewolves and vampires, but I think the author mostly put these in to get them out of the way, and to provide an easy entrance into the novel for the typical urban fantasy reader out there. After that, we get a mix of other creatures--harpies, undine, Morrismen, etc. And the final Big Bad that I can't reveal without spoiling things. These creatures were interesting because they were different and because the author puts his own slant on them, but i will say that in the end there were so many, none of them really tied to the others, that I felt somewhat scattered. I also wonder what the author intends to use in the NEXT novel, since it seems so much was used in this one. But I suppose I'll find out.
Overall, it's a solid venture into the urban fantasy field, definitely a good debut novel. The voice is distinct, and after an initial rockiness at the beginning of the book, it settles into a strong story. It really is about Desdaemona, so the title is appropriate, and yet it is more about Jordan and his own plight as the runaway. And the best thing about the book is the ending. Initially I thought it would end as most urban fantasies end--it heads in that direction--but then there's a twist that sets this urban fantasy above most of the others I've read. The twist kicks it to a higher level, one where the main character is forced to change. I hope that Ben Macallan continues this is his future novels, since one of the things I don't like about urban fantasies is that the main character never seems to change from book to book, only meeting bigger and badder bad guys.
July 14, 2012
A welcome return to dark urban fantasy for Chaz Brenchley, writing under the name of Ben Macallan. If that pen name sounds vaguely familiar, it's because Brenchley previously used it for the lead character in a much earlier novel; and his usage here is more than whimsy, because this is exactly the sort of novel that the hero of Dead of Light would write. Jordan's a runaway teenager who makes a habit of helping the lost, both other runaways and those who've simply strayed into the world of the supernatural. Jordan's clinging to an existence somewhere on the border between the mundane and the magical, moving on to the next town whenever the hunters on his trail get too close. He's doing pretty well at it, until Desdaemona tracks him down and drags him into her quest for her runaway sister Fay. Desdaemona's something of a mystery herself -- she's a Daemon, a human who has been rewarded with occult power for contracted services to a Power, but she's barely more than a teenager herself. How and why Desi contracted herself so young is just as much of a puzzle for Jordan to solve as is the mystery of Fay's whereabouts.[return][return]Fay's got good reason to have hidden herself as well as she has, and Jordan and Desi aren't the only ones hunting her. As they search for Fay, they find all too many enemies amongst the world of the supernatural -- the hunters on Fay's trail, the hunters on Jordan's trail, and the enemies Jordan and Desi make along the way. The result is an ever-increasing escalation of power and Powers they have to defeat or escape from, and a roller-coaster ride through a sharply crafted world where the supernatural can be found down any alley.[return][return]What makes this book so good for me is that Macallan/Brenchley takes British and Irish mythology, polishes new facets on it, and sets it to perfection in a contemporary urban English landscape. And he does it with strong characters and snappy social observation, in a story that unfolds to show rather than tell exactly who and what Jordan and Desi really are. It's often very funny, and sometimes terrifying, and occasionally heartbreaking; all the more so because it shows how the monsters can be only too human.[return][return]The ending begs for another novel, and indeed there are the concepts for two more living inside the author's head, though whether they see the light of day is another matter. But the book is complete in itself, a fabulous modern twist on old fables.
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