What do you think?
Rate this book
Golgotham #1
Right Hand Magic
Like most Manhattanites, aspiring artist Tate can't resist a good rental deal-even if it's in the city's strangest neighborhood, Golgotham, where for centuries werewolves, centaurs, and countless other creatures have roamed the streets. Her new landlord is a sorcerer name Hexe, who is determined to build his reputation without using dark, left-hand magic. As Tate is drawn into Hexe's fascinating world, they both find that the right hand does not always know what the left hand is doing-and avoiding darkness is no easy trick...View our feature on Nancy A Collins' Right Hand Magic.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 28, 2010
23 people are currently reading
1264 people want to read
About the author
Nancy A. Collins
337 books671 followersNancy A. Collins (born 10 September 1959) is a United States horror fiction writer best known for her series of vampire novels featuring her character Sonja Blue. Collins has also written for comic books, including the Swamp Thing series, Jason Vs. Leatherface, Predator: Hell Come A Walkin and her own one-shot Dhampire: Stillborn.
Collins was born in McGehee, Arkansas, United States. She lived in New Orleans, Louisiana in the 1980s; after time in New York City and Atlanta, Georgia she settled in Wilmington, North Carolina in the late 2000s.
Collins has written twenty novels since 1989, many of which refer to and directly include races of creatures the author calls Pretenders, monsters from myth and legend passing as human to better hunt their prey.
Collins has also written a number of highly acclaimed Southern Gothic short stories and novellas, most of which are set in Seven Devils, Arkansas, a highly fictionalized version of her hometown.
Most recently, she has focused her attention onto the Golgotham urban fantasy series,published by Penguin. Golgotham is the 'supernatural' ghetto of New York City, where creatures from myth and folklore--including witches,shapeshifters,leprechauns and centaurs--live and work in uneasy alliance with mankind.
Collins was born in McGehee, Arkansas, United States. She lived in New Orleans, Louisiana in the 1980s; after time in New York City and Atlanta, Georgia she settled in Wilmington, North Carolina in the late 2000s.
Collins has written twenty novels since 1989, many of which refer to and directly include races of creatures the author calls Pretenders, monsters from myth and legend passing as human to better hunt their prey.
Collins has also written a number of highly acclaimed Southern Gothic short stories and novellas, most of which are set in Seven Devils, Arkansas, a highly fictionalized version of her hometown.
Most recently, she has focused her attention onto the Golgotham urban fantasy series,published by Penguin. Golgotham is the 'supernatural' ghetto of New York City, where creatures from myth and folklore--including witches,shapeshifters,leprechauns and centaurs--live and work in uneasy alliance with mankind.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
December 22, 2010
Once again I have encountered a book that I just cannot work up the energy to finish. I was going to struggle through it, but after thinking about it I just couldn’t make myself. I can (usually) overlook thin characters and crappy worldbuilding by focusing on the good features of the book, but I just cannot overlook a writing style that I find, frankly, horrible. There’s no looking past that. It’s everywhere.
I made it to page 100 before giving up. By page 15 I was already doing a status update (on Goodreads) complaining about the rushed feel of the pacing and the way the writing felt like it was skimming the surface of everything without any real depth. By page 36 I was cringing over the awkward, forced feeling of the dialogue. Things still seemed skimmed over on the whole, but the author also over explained things that really should have been cut.
I thought that this must have been a first book for the author so I looked at her booklist on Goodreads to check—because I’m inclined to be a bit more understanding to first time authors--but it’s actually not. That really makes me feel that appreciating the author’s style must just be a matter of taste. Obviously there’s a market for it out there. I’m just not part of it.
By page 100 nothing had really happened. Tate had moved into Golgotham and hung out constantly with her new landlord, Hexe. She marvels at his colorful hair and his sixth finger for each hand. She makes a lot of “nump” (equivalent to a Muggle) comments that have her blushing and apologizing constantly, but that’s about it. I was still waiting to stumble upon a plot.
Also, who rents a room and then spends every waking hour with the landlord that they just met? And what landlord lets them? It just seemed really bizarre. I eventually checked to make sure I hadn’t accidentally chosen a YA book. It wasn’t, but the characters really felt young. Especially Tate.
One other thing I need to point out—dialog tags are really, really irritating when they are used constantly. Everything was said ‘sheepishly’ or ‘heatedly.’ It was quite annoying. Also, the author had Tate do huge info dumps in her dialogue. See the quote below. The initial question is posed by Hexe, but the next couple paragraphs of dialogue are all Tate. Until the next question, of course.
So, read over the quoted pieces. If they didn’t bother you then chances are this book might be more to your taste.
Review originally posted at Fiction Vixen.
I made it to page 100 before giving up. By page 15 I was already doing a status update (on Goodreads) complaining about the rushed feel of the pacing and the way the writing felt like it was skimming the surface of everything without any real depth. By page 36 I was cringing over the awkward, forced feeling of the dialogue. Things still seemed skimmed over on the whole, but the author also over explained things that really should have been cut.
Pg. 1 - 2
The flyer on the bulletin board at Strega Nona's Pizza Oven read "Room for Rent: $750 per Month." At the bottom of the page was a line of tear-away slips bearing a handwritten phone number, several of which were already taken.
I happened to be at Strega Nona's that particular day because I was looking at a loft in Tribeca. Since I was nearby, I decided to grab a slice. Located at Broadway and Perdition, on the border of Golgotham, it's one of the best pizza joints in the city.
Sounds too good to be true, I thought to myself as I tore off the next tab in line.
Housing at that price, just for a single room in a larger apartment, was hard to come by. I knew this because I'd been hunting for a new place for several weeks, without any luck. Even though I had a tidy quarterly income, courtesy of robber baron ancestors, I still had to watch my budget. The materials used in my work were far from cheap, and the last thing I wanted was to have to go to my parents, hat in hand, halfway through a project and beg for an advance on my next trust fund payment.
The reason behind my need to relocate was that the management of my so-called artist's loft in SoHo, where I both worked and lived, had recently informed me that the amount of noise I generated creating my metal sculptures was in violation of their most recent tenancy rules and that I was to cease immediately or face the termination of my lease. Apparently, the investment bankers and junior-level stockbrokers who lived on my floor didn't appreciate the sound of twenty-gauge steel being hammered into twenty-first-century art.
I decided it was far easier to move in toto than to either argue the point with the condo board or find separate studio space elsewhere in the city. As it was, there were some unpleasant memories associated with my current digs, all of them involving a certain ex-boyfriend, that made relocating attractive to me.
I checked the time on my cell phone as I shoveled a slice of pepperoni-and-andouille-sausage into my mouth. I had a meeting at three with Derrick Templeton, a Chelsea gallery owner interested in showing my sculptures. Since there were no subway stops in Golgotham, I had to walk either to Chambers or Wall Street if I wanted to catch a train uptown.
After all, time and gallery owners wait for no woman.
I thought that this must have been a first book for the author so I looked at her booklist on Goodreads to check—because I’m inclined to be a bit more understanding to first time authors--but it’s actually not. That really makes me feel that appreciating the author’s style must just be a matter of taste. Obviously there’s a market for it out there. I’m just not part of it.
By page 100 nothing had really happened. Tate had moved into Golgotham and hung out constantly with her new landlord, Hexe. She marvels at his colorful hair and his sixth finger for each hand. She makes a lot of “nump” (equivalent to a Muggle) comments that have her blushing and apologizing constantly, but that’s about it. I was still waiting to stumble upon a plot.
Also, who rents a room and then spends every waking hour with the landlord that they just met? And what landlord lets them? It just seemed really bizarre. I eventually checked to make sure I hadn’t accidentally chosen a YA book. It wasn’t, but the characters really felt young. Especially Tate.
One other thing I need to point out—dialog tags are really, really irritating when they are used constantly. Everything was said ‘sheepishly’ or ‘heatedly.’ It was quite annoying. Also, the author had Tate do huge info dumps in her dialogue. See the quote below. The initial question is posed by Hexe, but the next couple paragraphs of dialogue are all Tate. Until the next question, of course.
Pg. 42 - 43
"What made you decide to become an artist?"
We were walking back to the house when he asked me that. I paused in midstep, forcing Hexe to turn and look back at me as I spoke.
"I've always had a creative bent, even as a toddler. At least that's what my nanny claimed. The first time I realized I wanted to be an artist was in middle school. My school took a day trip to the Guggenheim. I was fascinated by the exhibits--enough that I went back on my own every weekend for nearly three months. When we studied sculpting in art class, I tried to re-create this statue I'd seen there called The Dying Gaul, in modeling clay, no less. It was awful, of course, but there was something about creating something from nothing, using only my hands and will, which was very--gratifying. After that, I was hooked.
"As you may have guess, I grew up rich. Filthy, stinking rich. All that was expected of me was to grow up, marry someone else who grew up filthy, stinking rich and have a couple of filthy, stinking rich kids to inherit the family fortune. I knew so many brats with Roman numerals behind their names who had no reason or desire to make anything of themselves besides what they were the minute they were born, it was disgusting. The last thing I want to do is add to that 'tradition.'
"The trouble with that lifestyle is this: Hanging around doing nothing while waiting for an inheritance is boring. So many of my old schoolmates got fucked up on drugs and alcohol, mainly out of boredom. I swear, half of the girls in my graduating class in high school developed eating disorders simply to have something to do! The sick thing is, my mother wouldn't have any problems with my being anorexic--after all, that's expected from someone of my background."
"I take it your parents don't approve of your career choice?"
"They like to call it a 'phase.' I'm going through, like I'm the moon. I guess they think I'll eventually grow out of it--kind of like baby teeth. They keep saying they don't want to see me get my hopes up and end up hurt, which is another way of saying they're expecting me to fail--at least, that's what they're hoping for."
So, read over the quoted pieces. If they didn’t bother you then chances are this book might be more to your taste.
Review originally posted at Fiction Vixen.
February 1, 2011
It wasn't awful, but it wasn't good either. It was an easy read as I wasn't terribly bored, but there wasn't anything exciting either. It's very shallow. I felt no emotional connection to anything happening. And almost nothing happened, it was mosly a neighborhood tour of the area of town where the paranormal folks all live. There were some nice images, but the action was confined to a few pages beginning after page 200. I laughed when I realizes that Simon R. Green wrote the blurb on the cover because most of his books are also neighborhood tours of whatever bizzarities he imagined for that book, the story takes second place. This isn't quite so extreme, but it's more about the author's imagined fantasy world than the story.
And there were a lot of little annoyances. Like how Tate could identify the 3 obscure scents that each Kylmeran smells of, or that she was kicked out of her old apartment for making so much noise with her art but never asked if it would be an issue at the new place and no one there minds at all. I was still leaning toward 3 stars, despite Tate's often too stupid to live behavior, but when she kicked the hugely powerful magical gang lord in the shins and said, "Take that you creepy bastard...No one makes my friends fight to the death!" that was it for me. What crap!
The whole thing reads like a first novel, and if it were I'd give it and the author the benefit of the doubt. But since it's her 15th or something, I just can't recommend it. Like I said, there are some good images and ideas. If you are for some reason very I intrigued, then go for it. But if you're on the fence then skip it.
And there were a lot of little annoyances. Like how Tate could identify the 3 obscure scents that each Kylmeran smells of, or that she was kicked out of her old apartment for making so much noise with her art but never asked if it would be an issue at the new place and no one there minds at all. I was still leaning toward 3 stars, despite Tate's often too stupid to live behavior, but when she kicked the hugely powerful magical gang lord in the shins and said, "Take that you creepy bastard...No one makes my friends fight to the death!" that was it for me. What crap!
The whole thing reads like a first novel, and if it were I'd give it and the author the benefit of the doubt. But since it's her 15th or something, I just can't recommend it. Like I said, there are some good images and ideas. If you are for some reason very I intrigued, then go for it. But if you're on the fence then skip it.
December 23, 2015
There is that rare time when you find a book you cannot put down and can race through - enjoying every page as you go. There is no reason or explanation you just connect, and that is what happened to me reading Right Hand Magic from Nancy Collins - an author who I first came to love and admire while she was writing the Sonja Blue series of book. A series I see I have now got more books to read - and who for me (and I do not care if she invented or simply jumped on the bang wagon) the hero Vampire protecting mankind - in her own particular style. Anyway I had heard of the Golgotham series but this was the first time I thought of giving it a go and well as the saying goes the rest was history.
The book is easy and accessible to read the characters fun and sympathetic to read if a little colourful and the storyline faced paced (I can see why it has been optioned for TV). The story is not very subtle and to be honest after 100 or so pages you could sort of see where it was all going - but you know what I didnt care I was just along for the ride and boy was it worth it.
The book is easy and accessible to read the characters fun and sympathetic to read if a little colourful and the storyline faced paced (I can see why it has been optioned for TV). The story is not very subtle and to be honest after 100 or so pages you could sort of see where it was all going - but you know what I didnt care I was just along for the ride and boy was it worth it.
October 13, 2018
This is a fun and easy-to-read urban fantasy. I expected something a bit more dark and edgy based on my memory of the Sonja Blue books, but this was a light and fluffy... nothing wrong with that once in a while, it was a relaxing read. There was nothing too remarkable with the story or characters, but it was good entertainment.
December 4, 2010
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
Whenever a series is named after its location, I expect that location to be as much a character as the protagonist. And the new Golgotham urban fantasy series delivers. The fictitious New York city of Golgotham is a strange and wonderful place populated by centaur cabbies, Amazon bikers, and warlocks for hire. I loved everything about Golgotham, if only the rest of the book had been as good as its setting.
Most urban fantasy titles fall into two camps: open world (the supernatural elements are common knowledge) or closed world (most of the population has no clue that supernatural creatures exist). In RIGHT HAND MAGIC we get the best of both worlds. Magic and supernatural beings are openly known to exist, but they are essentially segregated from the main population. Humans, or numps as they are derogatorily referred to, are largely ignorant of magical culture and what is and isn’t possible. When Tate moves to Golgotham she’s as clueless about her new surroundings as we are. She has to learn everything, but gets to avoid those often tedious ‘I can’t believe this is real’ passages that often drag down other books.
For a book with a gritty and immersive world as Golgotham, I found the writing, specifically the dialogue, to be lacking. I’d be reading about some very cool underground were fight club, and someone would say something so redundant or over the top maniacal that I got completely pulled out of the scene.
Weak dialogue aside, I did like the character of Tate and her romantic interest Hexe. The romance isn’t overpowering and does build credibly (none of that instant love at first sight). Even the supporting characters including a teenage werecougar and a demon/cat familiar were entertaining comic relief. The real selling point of RIGHT HAND MAGIC is Golgotham, and it’s strong enough that I’ll be checking out the sequels LEFT HAND MAGIC followed by MAGIC AND LOSS sometime next year.
Sexual Content: A brief, non graphic sex scene.
Whenever a series is named after its location, I expect that location to be as much a character as the protagonist. And the new Golgotham urban fantasy series delivers. The fictitious New York city of Golgotham is a strange and wonderful place populated by centaur cabbies, Amazon bikers, and warlocks for hire. I loved everything about Golgotham, if only the rest of the book had been as good as its setting.
Most urban fantasy titles fall into two camps: open world (the supernatural elements are common knowledge) or closed world (most of the population has no clue that supernatural creatures exist). In RIGHT HAND MAGIC we get the best of both worlds. Magic and supernatural beings are openly known to exist, but they are essentially segregated from the main population. Humans, or numps as they are derogatorily referred to, are largely ignorant of magical culture and what is and isn’t possible. When Tate moves to Golgotham she’s as clueless about her new surroundings as we are. She has to learn everything, but gets to avoid those often tedious ‘I can’t believe this is real’ passages that often drag down other books.
For a book with a gritty and immersive world as Golgotham, I found the writing, specifically the dialogue, to be lacking. I’d be reading about some very cool underground were fight club, and someone would say something so redundant or over the top maniacal that I got completely pulled out of the scene.
Weak dialogue aside, I did like the character of Tate and her romantic interest Hexe. The romance isn’t overpowering and does build credibly (none of that instant love at first sight). Even the supporting characters including a teenage werecougar and a demon/cat familiar were entertaining comic relief. The real selling point of RIGHT HAND MAGIC is Golgotham, and it’s strong enough that I’ll be checking out the sequels LEFT HAND MAGIC followed by MAGIC AND LOSS sometime next year.
Sexual Content: A brief, non graphic sex scene.
December 29, 2010
We have a love story between two beautiful young overprivileged folks who are slumming it and playing at trying to make a living on their own instead of living on their parents' wealth and fame. Not that I'm sure one could even classify living off trust fund payments while making sculpture to be an honest attempt at earning a living. Honestly, neither one of them have any real problems. Their lives are pretty easy compared to most everyone else on the planet, and even when the conflict finally arrives right at the end, they aren't the ones in any real trouble, they are just trying to save an acquaintance, who does have real trouble.
Tate's father is one of the wealthiest men in the country, and she has a comfortable income from her trust fund. She lives in Manhattan and likes making metal sculptures, but her neighbors don't like the noise of her metalwork, so she decides to find a new place. She sees an ad for a room for rent in Golgotham, the neighborhood where all the magical folks live, and decides to go look at it. The landlord, Hexe, is a Kymeran, a sort of elf-like creature who is exotic in ways that human women find extremely attractive. He works as a right-hand sorcerer, practicing white magic and unravelling curses placed by those who do left-hand magic. The house belongs to his family, and was given to him to help him support himself. Though it is supposedly a boarding house, and the place is very large, Tate is the only tenant except for a fellow who lives in the basement in a self-contained apartment and is never seen. The room she rents at a ridiculously good price is much bigger than her old place, and ideal for her metalwork. Odd that she saw the place and decided to move in without ever mentioning to the landlord that she's going to be welding and hammering metal in his spare bedroom ... One would think it's the sort of thing a reasonable person would make clear in advance, so there are no nasty surprises later.
Anyway, she moves to Golgotham and Hexe invites her to spend a lot of time with him and shows her around and introduces her to people and takes her out to dinner and helps her solve all her problems. Oddly enough, she doesn't figure out that he's attracted to her until someone tells her, near the end. Does she think that is normal behavior for a landlord? Tate keeps making stupid assumptions that are awkward and embarrassing. One might hope that she would learn to keep her eyes open and her mouth shut, but she never does. That, and her obnoxious ex-boyfriend who seems to have a lot more power over her than she should allow him to have, are the only real problems in her otherwise idyllic life.
It seems that the entire novel is just going to be a travelogue of what a cool place Golgotham is, until finally near the end a friend of theirs is abducted and they need to rescue him. This was extremely predictable, and I figured out that was going to be the problem the plot centered around about 80 or 100 pages in. It was just a matter of waiting for it to happen, since it was obvious it would. And then it was obvious they would succeed, so it was just a matter of skimming through to find out what happened afterward.
Right Hand Magic was oddly paced, predictable, and shallow. Nothing much happens until the last couple of chapters, and then it's a rush to solve the problem. Tate is not a character I can really care about, because her life is so artificial and easy there's nothing to sympathize with. Was I supposed to feel sorry for her that she didn't have the balls to kick free of the smarmy ex? Was I supposed to be pleased that she found a man so perfect he wasn't any more believable than she was? Mostly I was just rolling my eyes at how everything aligns so perfectly for the two of them in their perfect little lives. Right Hand Magic isn't terrible, the writing is fine at a sentence level, but the pacing is wrong and the characters not at all compelling. It was like a soft serve vanilla cone--sort of smooth and fake and sweet but also dull and not good enough to be worth the calories. I prefer something rich and interesting.
Tate's father is one of the wealthiest men in the country, and she has a comfortable income from her trust fund. She lives in Manhattan and likes making metal sculptures, but her neighbors don't like the noise of her metalwork, so she decides to find a new place. She sees an ad for a room for rent in Golgotham, the neighborhood where all the magical folks live, and decides to go look at it. The landlord, Hexe, is a Kymeran, a sort of elf-like creature who is exotic in ways that human women find extremely attractive. He works as a right-hand sorcerer, practicing white magic and unravelling curses placed by those who do left-hand magic. The house belongs to his family, and was given to him to help him support himself. Though it is supposedly a boarding house, and the place is very large, Tate is the only tenant except for a fellow who lives in the basement in a self-contained apartment and is never seen. The room she rents at a ridiculously good price is much bigger than her old place, and ideal for her metalwork. Odd that she saw the place and decided to move in without ever mentioning to the landlord that she's going to be welding and hammering metal in his spare bedroom ... One would think it's the sort of thing a reasonable person would make clear in advance, so there are no nasty surprises later.
Anyway, she moves to Golgotham and Hexe invites her to spend a lot of time with him and shows her around and introduces her to people and takes her out to dinner and helps her solve all her problems. Oddly enough, she doesn't figure out that he's attracted to her until someone tells her, near the end. Does she think that is normal behavior for a landlord? Tate keeps making stupid assumptions that are awkward and embarrassing. One might hope that she would learn to keep her eyes open and her mouth shut, but she never does. That, and her obnoxious ex-boyfriend who seems to have a lot more power over her than she should allow him to have, are the only real problems in her otherwise idyllic life.
It seems that the entire novel is just going to be a travelogue of what a cool place Golgotham is, until finally near the end a friend of theirs is abducted and they need to rescue him. This was extremely predictable, and I figured out that was going to be the problem the plot centered around about 80 or 100 pages in. It was just a matter of waiting for it to happen, since it was obvious it would. And then it was obvious they would succeed, so it was just a matter of skimming through to find out what happened afterward.
Right Hand Magic was oddly paced, predictable, and shallow. Nothing much happens until the last couple of chapters, and then it's a rush to solve the problem. Tate is not a character I can really care about, because her life is so artificial and easy there's nothing to sympathize with. Was I supposed to feel sorry for her that she didn't have the balls to kick free of the smarmy ex? Was I supposed to be pleased that she found a man so perfect he wasn't any more believable than she was? Mostly I was just rolling my eyes at how everything aligns so perfectly for the two of them in their perfect little lives. Right Hand Magic isn't terrible, the writing is fine at a sentence level, but the pacing is wrong and the characters not at all compelling. It was like a soft serve vanilla cone--sort of smooth and fake and sweet but also dull and not good enough to be worth the calories. I prefer something rich and interesting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2010
(3.5 stars) Tate, a young New York artist, needs a new apartment right away. She makes metal sculptures out of car parts and other odds and ends, and it seems her landlord isn’t too happy with the noise level. Tate discovers an available room at a reasonable price and jumps at the chance, even though the building is in Golgotham, New York’s magical neighborhood.
Golgotham itself is a fantastically intriguing setting and the best part of Right Hand Magic. It inspires a sense of wonder akin to what you might have felt when first discovering Diagon Alley. Nancy A. Collins stocks Golgotham with a wealth of detail, from leprechaun pubs to secret subway tunnels to huldra strip clubs to Tate’s new landlord, Hexe, a handsome sorcerer. I wish Golgotham were real so I could go there and wander around for a day. Golgotham traces its history to a centuries-old conflict (and resultant prejudice) between humans and the magically-gifted, Technicolor-haired Kymeran race.
Tate and Hexe, it turns out, are both scions of wealthy families trying to make it on their own rather than coasting on their famous names. They learn they have a lot in common, and a cute romance begins. They court danger, though, when they take in a teenage were-cougar who has escaped from a fighting arena owned by Golgotham’s magical mob boss.
Right Hand Magic has its ups and downs. On the one hand, it’s always nice to see an artist heroine, and I love the way Tate’s work eventually ties in with the main plot. And if you don’t think you could become emotionally attached to a statue, you might be surprised!
On the other hand, there’s some clunky dialogue and several scenes around the middle of the book that don’t seem to advance the story much. Most problematically, Tate is underpowered. She isn’t able to do much during the climactic scene, a scene that ends up requiring several dei ex machina. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing in the first book of a series. It’s not uncommon for a character to start out on the weak side. I’m worried, though, about whether Tate will have a chance to — pardon the RPG terminology — level up. The way the world is set up, there’s a fundamental divide between Kymerans, who can use magic, and humans, who can’t. It doesn’t appear that humans can simply learn magic through practice. She doesn’t have mundane fighting skills either, and the one way she does contribute to the final fight — while admittedly awesome — is something that can’t be done on the spur of the moment and requires Hexe’s assistance.
The Golgotham series shows a lot of promise. The setting is fascinating, and it’s peopled with interesting characters. I only hope Collins will find a way for Tate to become stronger as the series goes on.
Review written for Fantasy Literature
Golgotham itself is a fantastically intriguing setting and the best part of Right Hand Magic. It inspires a sense of wonder akin to what you might have felt when first discovering Diagon Alley. Nancy A. Collins stocks Golgotham with a wealth of detail, from leprechaun pubs to secret subway tunnels to huldra strip clubs to Tate’s new landlord, Hexe, a handsome sorcerer. I wish Golgotham were real so I could go there and wander around for a day. Golgotham traces its history to a centuries-old conflict (and resultant prejudice) between humans and the magically-gifted, Technicolor-haired Kymeran race.
Tate and Hexe, it turns out, are both scions of wealthy families trying to make it on their own rather than coasting on their famous names. They learn they have a lot in common, and a cute romance begins. They court danger, though, when they take in a teenage were-cougar who has escaped from a fighting arena owned by Golgotham’s magical mob boss.
Right Hand Magic has its ups and downs. On the one hand, it’s always nice to see an artist heroine, and I love the way Tate’s work eventually ties in with the main plot. And if you don’t think you could become emotionally attached to a statue, you might be surprised!
On the other hand, there’s some clunky dialogue and several scenes around the middle of the book that don’t seem to advance the story much. Most problematically, Tate is underpowered. She isn’t able to do much during the climactic scene, a scene that ends up requiring several dei ex machina. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing in the first book of a series. It’s not uncommon for a character to start out on the weak side. I’m worried, though, about whether Tate will have a chance to — pardon the RPG terminology — level up. The way the world is set up, there’s a fundamental divide between Kymerans, who can use magic, and humans, who can’t. It doesn’t appear that humans can simply learn magic through practice. She doesn’t have mundane fighting skills either, and the one way she does contribute to the final fight — while admittedly awesome — is something that can’t be done on the spur of the moment and requires Hexe’s assistance.
The Golgotham series shows a lot of promise. The setting is fascinating, and it’s peopled with interesting characters. I only hope Collins will find a way for Tate to become stronger as the series goes on.
Review written for Fantasy Literature
January 8, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. It had a fresh new taste to it, for an urban fantasy. Also, the girl on the cover is modestly dressed for the genre's covers. I think the world is something new and the characters are well written and people (and beings) that I would be happy to know and be friends with, well most of them.
I like the oddities of the characters in this story. They each have their own thing and it makes them more real to the reader's eyes. I enjoyed traveling through NYC and Golgotham. Although, I couldn't help but think of batman as I read the name sometimes (don't judge).
I enjoyed the whole two people from two worlds, yet similar feel for Tate and Hexe (and I just heart Hexe, he is pretty bad-ass). I think that this series has a TON of potential and I will keep a watch out for future installments.
I like the oddities of the characters in this story. They each have their own thing and it makes them more real to the reader's eyes. I enjoyed traveling through NYC and Golgotham. Although, I couldn't help but think of batman as I read the name sometimes (don't judge).
I enjoyed the whole two people from two worlds, yet similar feel for Tate and Hexe (and I just heart Hexe, he is pretty bad-ass). I think that this series has a TON of potential and I will keep a watch out for future installments.
May 31, 2022
I re-read this book a second time, but 20 years after. Weirdly enough time has been gentle with it and it doesn’t suffer with time-related probs. Unfortunately it wasn’t a great book to start with. It has an amazing idea, but a watered down plot. A decent world building, but cardboard characters (and let’s not talk about the poor rich girl/boy… groan).
The book is all but tight and the dialogue is simply cringe-worthty. Overall is very very shallow. There is no chance I’m going on with the series.
The book is all but tight and the dialogue is simply cringe-worthty. Overall is very very shallow. There is no chance I’m going on with the series.
August 22, 2025
I hadn't read anything by Nancy A. Collins before, but I have heard of you being a solid writer of fiction, so when I saw this book I quickly picked it up.
This is the first in a trilogy that focuses on artist Tate, who rents a room in Golgotham, the large borough of New York where magic users and magical creatures reside. Tate wants a large space to create her large metallic sculptures an Kymeran sorcerer Hexe's place seems great. It doesn't hurt that he's gorgeous and seems to be attracted to her as well. The borough is heavily explored as friends, and foes, of Hexe are introduced. The book is primarily focused on showing off the environment, but things take a turn towards the plot when a young were-cougar is introduced who escaped from a local crime lord's battle pits. It was only a matter of time before he was recaptured and a rescue mission is undertaken.
The story is very minimal, but the setting is so fun, as are the majority of the characters, I really liked this book. I am definitely going to seek out the two sequels. I do find myself disappointed that there are only two more books with these characters as I was hoping that Tate and her friends' exploits were still ongoing.
This is the first in a trilogy that focuses on artist Tate, who rents a room in Golgotham, the large borough of New York where magic users and magical creatures reside. Tate wants a large space to create her large metallic sculptures an Kymeran sorcerer Hexe's place seems great. It doesn't hurt that he's gorgeous and seems to be attracted to her as well. The borough is heavily explored as friends, and foes, of Hexe are introduced. The book is primarily focused on showing off the environment, but things take a turn towards the plot when a young were-cougar is introduced who escaped from a local crime lord's battle pits. It was only a matter of time before he was recaptured and a rescue mission is undertaken.
The story is very minimal, but the setting is so fun, as are the majority of the characters, I really liked this book. I am definitely going to seek out the two sequels. I do find myself disappointed that there are only two more books with these characters as I was hoping that Tate and her friends' exploits were still ongoing.
August 19, 2011
review posted at Alternative read.com
More like a 3,75
It was just something about the style of this book that made me fall for it. It is urban fantasy, but different than the rest because the heroine is not kick-ass. Instead the whole tone feels real as she explores a world she has not entered before.
Tate as she calls herself is an artist, who welds things together and her blue blood family is not too happy about it. But she loves art and to find a new place to live she heads to Golgatham. She is mostly used to her own safe New York and the city part known as Golgatham is new to her. Sure she knows what lives there but she has not associated with beings like that before.
That is why this book felt so real. Everything she saw was knew to her and she said the wrong things, she feared. She was freaking normal. Who would not think leprechauns, satyrs and werewolves are weird?! Her landlord is one of them, belonging to a sorcerer race that has 12 fingers, cat like eyes and freaky hair. But he is one of the good guys, and does not deal in curses. So yes she felt out of place and after she found out more about this world she felt more at home, even if there were some anti-human feelings against her.
Therefore I liked Tate, she was real. As for Hexe, yes I had to like him too because he was not like your typical hero either, all alpha and strong. No, he was more nerdy, cool, calm, really sweet and nice, but with one good talent of magic. He can still hold his own.
There is a romance part, but it takes time, just as it should. There is also some action but that also takes some time to come, which was good. Tate and Hexe stumble upon something sinister and they do not rush into it. Now, they deal with it when it comes along.
I do recommend this book. It was a different sort of urban fantasy and after I finished I wanted more of Hexe and Tate. I sure enjoyed it and I had a hard time putting it down.
More like a 3,75
It was just something about the style of this book that made me fall for it. It is urban fantasy, but different than the rest because the heroine is not kick-ass. Instead the whole tone feels real as she explores a world she has not entered before.
Tate as she calls herself is an artist, who welds things together and her blue blood family is not too happy about it. But she loves art and to find a new place to live she heads to Golgatham. She is mostly used to her own safe New York and the city part known as Golgatham is new to her. Sure she knows what lives there but she has not associated with beings like that before.
That is why this book felt so real. Everything she saw was knew to her and she said the wrong things, she feared. She was freaking normal. Who would not think leprechauns, satyrs and werewolves are weird?! Her landlord is one of them, belonging to a sorcerer race that has 12 fingers, cat like eyes and freaky hair. But he is one of the good guys, and does not deal in curses. So yes she felt out of place and after she found out more about this world she felt more at home, even if there were some anti-human feelings against her.
Therefore I liked Tate, she was real. As for Hexe, yes I had to like him too because he was not like your typical hero either, all alpha and strong. No, he was more nerdy, cool, calm, really sweet and nice, but with one good talent of magic. He can still hold his own.
There is a romance part, but it takes time, just as it should. There is also some action but that also takes some time to come, which was good. Tate and Hexe stumble upon something sinister and they do not rush into it. Now, they deal with it when it comes along.
I do recommend this book. It was a different sort of urban fantasy and after I finished I wanted more of Hexe and Tate. I sure enjoyed it and I had a hard time putting it down.
July 13, 2020
3 and a bit stars.
I remember reading this before, and I got the two sequels; I guess I must have liked it back then *shrugs*. I mean, I still like it now, just not as much.
Aspiring artist Tate is looking for a new place to live since the philistines in her block of flats (what are they called in the US? Americans let me know, please!) don't appreciate an artist who sculpts in metal working late at night when they're trying to get some sleep (I never tried to sculpt metal, but I imagine it's impossible to do it quietly). Barbarians! They should accept that art is more important than having a good night's sleep so you can do your job the next day! So, about to be kicked out of her apartment, she finds a new reasonably price room in Golgotham. The only problem is, Golgotham is the 'faery' part of town, where humans aren't especially welcome. But her new landlord seems nice enough - a hot Kymeran (sort of a race of fae wizards), and she soon gets enmeshed in various scraps.
Meh. This was okay, just fairly predictable. The naive human in a new community of non-humans, the obvious love interest and the fairly predictable danger and the (relatively easy) resolution, yes, all the familiar points are present and correct.The non-humans are the usual mix and match bunch - Irish fae with centaurs, satyrs and dwarves that sound like they're taking a break from Middle-Earth.
It's not bad, just rather too familiar, perhaps. If you want a rather comfortable urban fantasy read with familiar vibes you may enjoy it. I'll probably read the sequels at some point now I have them, but I'm honestly in no rush.
I remember reading this before, and I got the two sequels; I guess I must have liked it back then *shrugs*. I mean, I still like it now, just not as much.
Aspiring artist Tate is looking for a new place to live since the philistines in her block of flats (what are they called in the US? Americans let me know, please!) don't appreciate an artist who sculpts in metal working late at night when they're trying to get some sleep (I never tried to sculpt metal, but I imagine it's impossible to do it quietly). Barbarians! They should accept that art is more important than having a good night's sleep so you can do your job the next day! So, about to be kicked out of her apartment, she finds a new reasonably price room in Golgotham. The only problem is, Golgotham is the 'faery' part of town, where humans aren't especially welcome. But her new landlord seems nice enough - a hot Kymeran (sort of a race of fae wizards), and she soon gets enmeshed in various scraps.
Meh. This was okay, just fairly predictable. The naive human in a new community of non-humans, the obvious love interest and the fairly predictable danger and the (relatively easy) resolution, yes, all the familiar points are present and correct.The non-humans are the usual mix and match bunch - Irish fae with centaurs, satyrs and dwarves that sound like they're taking a break from Middle-Earth.
It's not bad, just rather too familiar, perhaps. If you want a rather comfortable urban fantasy read with familiar vibes you may enjoy it. I'll probably read the sequels at some point now I have them, but I'm honestly in no rush.
January 24, 2020
First DNF of the year, yeah this one is tough, I managed to go about 60/70% of the book before realizing this wasn't for me, the characters are very paper-thin. Our heroine is annoying at best, she doesn't have much of a character and the other one Hexe he is pretty cool actually but still, he feels very underdeveloped, nothing ever happens in this story, it just a slice of life kinda thing.
The magic is never explored, we know there was a war between the magical races and the human race and we see some of its effects but other than that is meaningless, i like this author but this one was a hard miss for me, 2 disappointing stars on this one.
The magic is never explored, we know there was a war between the magical races and the human race and we see some of its effects but other than that is meaningless, i like this author but this one was a hard miss for me, 2 disappointing stars on this one.
January 28, 2011
4.5 Stars
Nancy Collin’s inventive urban fantasy is amazing wrought as her characters both mundane and magically-inclined, intertwine in the most notorious and guarded suburb of New York, Golgotham. When trust fund baby and industrial artist Tate Eresby ventures to find an apartment in the largely magically populated Golgotham, she has no idea that she will embark on an adventure that will change her entire world, put her at death’s door, and perhaps find her true calling. And maybe….just maybe…love.
Collin’s Golgotham is rich, fetid, humming with environment, and my only comparison on the level of atmosphere is Downside, my favorite series by Stacia Kane. Collin’s imagery invokes similar edgy themes, a press of races diverging on a portion of a city rife with crime, magic both benign and malicious, where you can get fried gator-on-a-stick as well as essentials to replenish your magical arsenal. Flavor reigns heavily in The Right Hand of Magic, and of course, the simmering attraction between its two leads: Tate and Hexe.
When Tate moves into Hexe’s family mansion (aka the Boardinghouse), she’s overjoyed by the space she��s rented, a place where she can create her art in peace. But peace is in short supply. With Scratch, Hexe’s familiar that shapeshifts into a diminutive hairless cat with wings, a shadowy oracle bunkered down in the basement, and an Uncle who despises humans…Hexe and Tate have a lot of nonsense to deal with in the beginning-least of all his being a Kymeran prince who only uses right-hand magic to heal and heir to the realm, and her rather annoying human status.
Life in the otherworldly borough hits critical mass when they rescue Lukas a were-couger, whose plucky escape from the fighting pits of the Malandanti overlord Boss Marz forces them to engage the magical cabal head on as he tries to retrieve his property. Despite Tate’s lack of magical ability, Collin’s manages still to pull off a coup de grace full of action by allowing Tate’s creations to be imbued by Hexe’s magic with the foreshadowing of a cryptic prophecy, half of which is yet to be fulfilled. Now that has whetted my appetite for the sequel.
I was in a perpetual state of amazement reading The Right Hand of Magic, it was engrossing, fueled by Collins’ storytelling verve, pitch perfect, and with all the elements that urban fantasy buffs hunger for. Loved it!
A Fiendishly Bookish Review (and one grumpy cat)
Nancy Collin’s inventive urban fantasy is amazing wrought as her characters both mundane and magically-inclined, intertwine in the most notorious and guarded suburb of New York, Golgotham. When trust fund baby and industrial artist Tate Eresby ventures to find an apartment in the largely magically populated Golgotham, she has no idea that she will embark on an adventure that will change her entire world, put her at death’s door, and perhaps find her true calling. And maybe….just maybe…love.
Collin’s Golgotham is rich, fetid, humming with environment, and my only comparison on the level of atmosphere is Downside, my favorite series by Stacia Kane. Collin’s imagery invokes similar edgy themes, a press of races diverging on a portion of a city rife with crime, magic both benign and malicious, where you can get fried gator-on-a-stick as well as essentials to replenish your magical arsenal. Flavor reigns heavily in The Right Hand of Magic, and of course, the simmering attraction between its two leads: Tate and Hexe.
When Tate moves into Hexe’s family mansion (aka the Boardinghouse), she’s overjoyed by the space she��s rented, a place where she can create her art in peace. But peace is in short supply. With Scratch, Hexe’s familiar that shapeshifts into a diminutive hairless cat with wings, a shadowy oracle bunkered down in the basement, and an Uncle who despises humans…Hexe and Tate have a lot of nonsense to deal with in the beginning-least of all his being a Kymeran prince who only uses right-hand magic to heal and heir to the realm, and her rather annoying human status.
Life in the otherworldly borough hits critical mass when they rescue Lukas a were-couger, whose plucky escape from the fighting pits of the Malandanti overlord Boss Marz forces them to engage the magical cabal head on as he tries to retrieve his property. Despite Tate’s lack of magical ability, Collin’s manages still to pull off a coup de grace full of action by allowing Tate’s creations to be imbued by Hexe’s magic with the foreshadowing of a cryptic prophecy, half of which is yet to be fulfilled. Now that has whetted my appetite for the sequel.
I was in a perpetual state of amazement reading The Right Hand of Magic, it was engrossing, fueled by Collins’ storytelling verve, pitch perfect, and with all the elements that urban fantasy buffs hunger for. Loved it!
A Fiendishly Bookish Review (and one grumpy cat)
November 30, 2010
Tate is a trust fund baby, but wants to make her own life as a metal sculptor instead of killing time with drugs and partying. After being kicked out of her old apartment, Tate moves to Golgotham because of its cheap rent and large space for her sculptures. But life in Golgotham is definitely different than what she's used to.
When I first began Right Hand Magic the thought of the race card being dealt came across my mind. Here was the race card disguised as a fantastical community (rainbow colored hair anyone?). This community is perceived to the rest of the city as a dangerous because of the people, culture, and generally the unknown. But there’s the possibly of me thinking too much of it having spent the semester learning about race in a class.
Watching Collins build the world of Golgotham was an enjoyment to read because here was a community that fascinated with every turn of the page. Black bird pie, 6 fingered hands (the extra finger is the magic finger), terms such as a right hand magic and left hand magic, witches, warlocks, etc. It is more than what meets the eye as the world expands underground, through alleyways, behind closed doors. There are the good people and the evil people and Boss Marz falls into the latter category. I mean, the name speaks EVIL and MAFIA.
The gradual buildup from tenant and landlord to friendship to something more was an ongoing thing rather than an explosive of random feelings suddenly combusting into the perfect love. That’s not to say there wasn’t some sexual tension. For some reason when they describe Hexe I pictured him with an Oriental appearance especially with those golden cat eyes. I like to imagine him that way *smiles*
However, there were at times when I was bored. The dialogue can be very dry at times and the comical relief, usually in the form of some animalesque being, wasn’t really funny…. The action and the high level of adrenaline were structured to be in three parts and in between those parts were dull.
When I first began Right Hand Magic the thought of the race card being dealt came across my mind. Here was the race card disguised as a fantastical community (rainbow colored hair anyone?). This community is perceived to the rest of the city as a dangerous because of the people, culture, and generally the unknown. But there’s the possibly of me thinking too much of it having spent the semester learning about race in a class.
Watching Collins build the world of Golgotham was an enjoyment to read because here was a community that fascinated with every turn of the page. Black bird pie, 6 fingered hands (the extra finger is the magic finger), terms such as a right hand magic and left hand magic, witches, warlocks, etc. It is more than what meets the eye as the world expands underground, through alleyways, behind closed doors. There are the good people and the evil people and Boss Marz falls into the latter category. I mean, the name speaks EVIL and MAFIA.
The gradual buildup from tenant and landlord to friendship to something more was an ongoing thing rather than an explosive of random feelings suddenly combusting into the perfect love. That’s not to say there wasn’t some sexual tension. For some reason when they describe Hexe I pictured him with an Oriental appearance especially with those golden cat eyes. I like to imagine him that way *smiles*
However, there were at times when I was bored. The dialogue can be very dry at times and the comical relief, usually in the form of some animalesque being, wasn’t really funny…. The action and the high level of adrenaline were structured to be in three parts and in between those parts were dull.
December 13, 2010
Felt a little too lighthearted and convenient for the subject matter.
January 20, 2022
2022 bk 1 - A re-read. Nancy A. Collins has built an intriguing alternate universe with her Golgotham series. In this book we find slightly rebellious artist, TATE moving into an apartment in the non-human portion of New York City. She must confront her own misunderstandings of other cultures and use her skills to help a young shapeshifter escape his demons, all this while finding a new love.
January 18, 2011
Originally posted at http://www.smexybooks.com/2011/01/rev...
Favorite Quote: “If I hadn’t known he was a were-cougar, my only thought upon seeing him was that he was in desperate need of a brow wax...”
When Timothea Alda Talmadge Eresby aka Tate needs more space in order to create her sculptures she finds a deal to good to be true. The problem? It’s located in Golgotham. A magical section of New York, Golgotham is home to all supernatural creatures. Tate takes a chance and arranges to see the apartment for rent. There she meets the landlord-super sexy Hexe. A true blood Kymeran, Hexe is a witch and a healer who wants to build his own reputation by practicing only right hand magic (clean magic). As Tate is drawn deeper into Hexe’s world, they are dragged into supernatural fight that will take everything they have to survive.
Nancy Collins’ Right-Hand Magic is the first in a series a delightful Paranormal Fantasy who’s strength lies in its world building. Golgotham is a fascinatingly rich world set in New York City. Rather like an adult version of Diagon’s Alley from the Harry Potter books, we are shown an elaborate set up featuring cab driving Centaurs, wise cracking pixies, and bar owning leprechauns. We follow Tate as she is introduced to all the sights the city has to offer and I found myself enchanted with this city within a city.
The story reads smoothly but the plot and characters are weak. They didn’t evolve much beyond the introductions. More background was needed.
Tate and Hexe are astonishing alike in that they are from wealthy families, last in line, and are doing jobs their families don’t approve of. When they first meet, you get a young adult feeling from the inner monologue that Tate gives us. When she is thinking about Hexe - He’s good looking. He’s hunky. As they spend more time together, the more YA it gets (on Tate’s side) when she is discussing him with two friends and the conversation revolves around kissing and, “You think he likes me? Really likes me?” The inevitable romance between Hexe and Tate is slow and sweet as it evolves through the entire book-only becoming verbally apparent at the end.
One concern I have is the innate differences between Tate and Hexe. She is human and therefore weak in Golgotham. In paranormal romance, the hero and heroine may not be equal but they can each hold their own. We don’t see Tate holding her own beyond a mental level. But her heart is in the right place and no matter what, she will do anything for her friends. I am very curious to see how Ms. Collins equates these two characters.
The plot was interesting and some areas were fast paced with action while others dragged causing a breakdown in the presentation of the events. Scenes could have exploded off the page were weighed down by repetitive dialog and actions. Again, Tate’s humanity works against her here. Not a lot of conflict or angst and sometimes I felt like I was reading a synopsis of the book. The dialogue is humorous at times and dry others. As I said earlier, there is a young adult feel to it that doesn’t quite fit in the general make up of the story.
All in all, while the characters and arc left me feeling a bit ambiguous, the city of Golgotham is significantly fascinating enough to sell me on reading the next one in the series-Left-Hand Magic-which is set to release next year sometime.
Rating: C
Favorite Quote: “If I hadn’t known he was a were-cougar, my only thought upon seeing him was that he was in desperate need of a brow wax...”
When Timothea Alda Talmadge Eresby aka Tate needs more space in order to create her sculptures she finds a deal to good to be true. The problem? It’s located in Golgotham. A magical section of New York, Golgotham is home to all supernatural creatures. Tate takes a chance and arranges to see the apartment for rent. There she meets the landlord-super sexy Hexe. A true blood Kymeran, Hexe is a witch and a healer who wants to build his own reputation by practicing only right hand magic (clean magic). As Tate is drawn deeper into Hexe’s world, they are dragged into supernatural fight that will take everything they have to survive.
Nancy Collins’ Right-Hand Magic is the first in a series a delightful Paranormal Fantasy who’s strength lies in its world building. Golgotham is a fascinatingly rich world set in New York City. Rather like an adult version of Diagon’s Alley from the Harry Potter books, we are shown an elaborate set up featuring cab driving Centaurs, wise cracking pixies, and bar owning leprechauns. We follow Tate as she is introduced to all the sights the city has to offer and I found myself enchanted with this city within a city.
The story reads smoothly but the plot and characters are weak. They didn’t evolve much beyond the introductions. More background was needed.
Tate and Hexe are astonishing alike in that they are from wealthy families, last in line, and are doing jobs their families don’t approve of. When they first meet, you get a young adult feeling from the inner monologue that Tate gives us. When she is thinking about Hexe - He’s good looking. He’s hunky. As they spend more time together, the more YA it gets (on Tate’s side) when she is discussing him with two friends and the conversation revolves around kissing and, “You think he likes me? Really likes me?” The inevitable romance between Hexe and Tate is slow and sweet as it evolves through the entire book-only becoming verbally apparent at the end.
One concern I have is the innate differences between Tate and Hexe. She is human and therefore weak in Golgotham. In paranormal romance, the hero and heroine may not be equal but they can each hold their own. We don’t see Tate holding her own beyond a mental level. But her heart is in the right place and no matter what, she will do anything for her friends. I am very curious to see how Ms. Collins equates these two characters.
The plot was interesting and some areas were fast paced with action while others dragged causing a breakdown in the presentation of the events. Scenes could have exploded off the page were weighed down by repetitive dialog and actions. Again, Tate’s humanity works against her here. Not a lot of conflict or angst and sometimes I felt like I was reading a synopsis of the book. The dialogue is humorous at times and dry others. As I said earlier, there is a young adult feel to it that doesn’t quite fit in the general make up of the story.
All in all, while the characters and arc left me feeling a bit ambiguous, the city of Golgotham is significantly fascinating enough to sell me on reading the next one in the series-Left-Hand Magic-which is set to release next year sometime.
Rating: C
July 25, 2011
(May contain spoilers)
Cover: Photo style cover with some graphic novel leanings. VERY nice. The sepia old world city backdrop with the urban chick in the front totally rocks. I’m not much for the color yellow in general, but this is VERY appealing. I will admit, the name drew me the most.
First off, I need to mention that this is the first book in this series. I couldn’t find an actual website for the author, Nancy Collins save for one with Harper Collins. She appears to have a MySpace page though. Anyway, I found the characters of this book very well thought out. The story is done in first person, which seems to be the going thing now. (shrugs) It’s easier following only one person anyway.
The world in this book is simply AMAZING. (I will admit to never actually going to NY, so all my knowledge is TV and movie based.) I had no problems ‘following’ where the characters went. Golgotham itself is a fantasy marvel. I loved the very well researched and thought-out fantasy species that she populated her world with. Centaur taxi-drivers! Haha! I laughed at the leprechaun pub and had to tell my one friend from Ireland about the scene. I won’t give any spoilers here but I Loved it! Her pubs and markets had history that she developed with a wonderful richness. My inner gamer was panting with excitement.
My love of stories that put our own society in the spotlight through fantasy or sci-fi was enamored from the first chapter. Ms Collins did a wonderful of social parallels whether she meant to or not.
Ms Collins plot is very fluid and I didn’t have to go back to understand what was going on. THANK YOU! Books that make me hunt for a dictionary drive me nuts. So do vague colloquialisms and slang. Hers were all explained AND she has a glossary in the back of the book. THANK YOU again! Her grammar and sentence structure made for a very easy read. (Could not put it down.)
Since this isn’t a mystery, she tells us straight up who the bad and good guys are. Her good guys are endearing and quirky. Her bad guys are evil as all get-out.
Two thumbs up. Overall, I’d say that Nancy Collins has hooked another fan in me.
Cover: Photo style cover with some graphic novel leanings. VERY nice. The sepia old world city backdrop with the urban chick in the front totally rocks. I’m not much for the color yellow in general, but this is VERY appealing. I will admit, the name drew me the most.
First off, I need to mention that this is the first book in this series. I couldn’t find an actual website for the author, Nancy Collins save for one with Harper Collins. She appears to have a MySpace page though. Anyway, I found the characters of this book very well thought out. The story is done in first person, which seems to be the going thing now. (shrugs) It’s easier following only one person anyway.
The world in this book is simply AMAZING. (I will admit to never actually going to NY, so all my knowledge is TV and movie based.) I had no problems ‘following’ where the characters went. Golgotham itself is a fantasy marvel. I loved the very well researched and thought-out fantasy species that she populated her world with. Centaur taxi-drivers! Haha! I laughed at the leprechaun pub and had to tell my one friend from Ireland about the scene. I won’t give any spoilers here but I Loved it! Her pubs and markets had history that she developed with a wonderful richness. My inner gamer was panting with excitement.
My love of stories that put our own society in the spotlight through fantasy or sci-fi was enamored from the first chapter. Ms Collins did a wonderful of social parallels whether she meant to or not.
Ms Collins plot is very fluid and I didn’t have to go back to understand what was going on. THANK YOU! Books that make me hunt for a dictionary drive me nuts. So do vague colloquialisms and slang. Hers were all explained AND she has a glossary in the back of the book. THANK YOU again! Her grammar and sentence structure made for a very easy read. (Could not put it down.)
Since this isn’t a mystery, she tells us straight up who the bad and good guys are. Her good guys are endearing and quirky. Her bad guys are evil as all get-out.
Two thumbs up. Overall, I’d say that Nancy Collins has hooked another fan in me.
February 3, 2011
You can read the entire review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/02/...
I was iffy on this one to start, but as I read on, it kind of grew on me. Kind of.Tate is a trust fund baby, rebelling against the trappings of her wealthy parents by pursuing a career that her parents find beneath her. She’s an artist, specializing in sculpture (of the metal kind), and the thought of her in a welder’s helmet, wielding a torch, is just too much for her blue blood parents to bear. After a bitter breakup with her boyfriend, she decides to move into Golgotham, New York’s home to witches, warlocks, satyrs, and all manner of magical creatures. The rent is cheap, and her handsome landlord Hexe, a Kymeran, is nothing to sniff at either. When she’s attacked in the garden one night by a young were-cougar, and discovers the plot of an evil, Golgotham underworld boss, she knows her stay in Golgotham might be more than she bargained for!
Right Hand Magic was a light, fun read. It moves along nicely, and Tate , Hexe, and Lukas (the were-cougar), were fun characters to get to know. Collins’ description of Golgotham sometimes made me think of the goblin market scene in Hellboy 2, and I enjoyed the adventure and light romance. I found the anti-prejudice message getting a little heavy-handed at times (Golgotham residents tend to be very wary of humans, and otherwise), and sometimes the dialogue was a bit trite, but all in all, it was a light, fun, diverting read, and a good break between “heavy” novels.
I was iffy on this one to start, but as I read on, it kind of grew on me. Kind of.Tate is a trust fund baby, rebelling against the trappings of her wealthy parents by pursuing a career that her parents find beneath her. She’s an artist, specializing in sculpture (of the metal kind), and the thought of her in a welder’s helmet, wielding a torch, is just too much for her blue blood parents to bear. After a bitter breakup with her boyfriend, she decides to move into Golgotham, New York’s home to witches, warlocks, satyrs, and all manner of magical creatures. The rent is cheap, and her handsome landlord Hexe, a Kymeran, is nothing to sniff at either. When she’s attacked in the garden one night by a young were-cougar, and discovers the plot of an evil, Golgotham underworld boss, she knows her stay in Golgotham might be more than she bargained for!
Right Hand Magic was a light, fun read. It moves along nicely, and Tate , Hexe, and Lukas (the were-cougar), were fun characters to get to know. Collins’ description of Golgotham sometimes made me think of the goblin market scene in Hellboy 2, and I enjoyed the adventure and light romance. I found the anti-prejudice message getting a little heavy-handed at times (Golgotham residents tend to be very wary of humans, and otherwise), and sometimes the dialogue was a bit trite, but all in all, it was a light, fun, diverting read, and a good break between “heavy” novels.
September 22, 2013
Mini Review: Right Hand Magic (Goghotam 01) by Nancy A. Collins My impressions
If a novel is described as “vampiric, postpunk, metal-fanged, dark-doomed romance at its best” it makes me interested almost despite myself. I grant it - Golgotham is a very original setting. So original, in fact, that it overshadowed a bit the main characters and the action; mind you the action, although sensibly paced, still seemed more important than the whole romance between Hexe and Tate.
I was really strange – the pair of protagonists were simply lost among all those colourful Kymerans, maenads, centaurs, werewolves, changelings and satyrs. I really loved the fact that the author knew her mythology but wasn’t this novel supposed to be about an interracial romance? Dark-doomed to boot, whatever it means? And let me assure you that I haven’t noticed one single vampire, at least not in the first part of this series.
What’s more the narration left plenty to be desired, with smaller and bigger infodumps here and there. The baddies were cardboard-thin and, when I come to think about it, the world build had to save the day too many times.
Final verdict:
Would I like to revisit Golgotham? Maybe, providing that there is more character development in the next parts and the writing style is better..
If a novel is described as “vampiric, postpunk, metal-fanged, dark-doomed romance at its best” it makes me interested almost despite myself. I grant it - Golgotham is a very original setting. So original, in fact, that it overshadowed a bit the main characters and the action; mind you the action, although sensibly paced, still seemed more important than the whole romance between Hexe and Tate.
I was really strange – the pair of protagonists were simply lost among all those colourful Kymerans, maenads, centaurs, werewolves, changelings and satyrs. I really loved the fact that the author knew her mythology but wasn’t this novel supposed to be about an interracial romance? Dark-doomed to boot, whatever it means? And let me assure you that I haven’t noticed one single vampire, at least not in the first part of this series.
What’s more the narration left plenty to be desired, with smaller and bigger infodumps here and there. The baddies were cardboard-thin and, when I come to think about it, the world build had to save the day too many times.
Final verdict:
Would I like to revisit Golgotham? Maybe, providing that there is more character development in the next parts and the writing style is better..
February 10, 2012
First of all, I'd like to say that I really liked the world the story was set in. Golgotham is a part of New York where all the supernatural and magical beings live. You can find pretty much everything from centaurs to satyrs, leprechauns to shifters, dryads to crazy biker chicks.
Unfortunately that was the only thing this book had going for it. I didn't connect to any of the characters, in fact I'm not even sure if I even liked our heroine, Tate. Her love interest was a nice guy, but pretty bland and the budding love story just a bit boring. I may have been able to live with that if there would have been an actual story, but unfortunately there wasn't one for the longest time. There was a bit of action in a couple of chapters towards the end, but the rest pretty much just described Tate's daily life. The writing was another thing that really didn't work for me. The conversations felt very forced and fake and sometimes I was actually wondering if this was a young adult novel.
I'm not too sure if I will pick up the next book in the series.
Unfortunately that was the only thing this book had going for it. I didn't connect to any of the characters, in fact I'm not even sure if I even liked our heroine, Tate. Her love interest was a nice guy, but pretty bland and the budding love story just a bit boring. I may have been able to live with that if there would have been an actual story, but unfortunately there wasn't one for the longest time. There was a bit of action in a couple of chapters towards the end, but the rest pretty much just described Tate's daily life. The writing was another thing that really didn't work for me. The conversations felt very forced and fake and sometimes I was actually wondering if this was a young adult novel.
I'm not too sure if I will pick up the next book in the series.
August 3, 2016
Tate is an artist who works in metal and is still trying to make it big. When she's asked to leave the condo she currently lives in because of the "noise" she makes while creating her art, she calls a number she finds advertising a room for rent. She goes to the house to see the room and finds out it's in Golgotham, where humans are outnumbered and the world works differently. Tate finds herself wanting to know more about the world of her landlord, Hexe, but she just might be in over her head...
I absolutely loved this book! I enjoyed the complex settings and characters, the magic and fantastical realism, and everything else! At first, Tate's not sure what to make of Hexe and his familiar, but as time passes, she finds herself drawn to him and to learning about his world. When circumstances push them closer together to save a young boy, will Tate be able to hold her own in a world of magic where she has none?
Golgotham series: Right Hand Magic (1), Left Hand Magic (2), Magic and Loss (3)
I absolutely loved this book! I enjoyed the complex settings and characters, the magic and fantastical realism, and everything else! At first, Tate's not sure what to make of Hexe and his familiar, but as time passes, she finds herself drawn to him and to learning about his world. When circumstances push them closer together to save a young boy, will Tate be able to hold her own in a world of magic where she has none?
Golgotham series: Right Hand Magic (1), Left Hand Magic (2), Magic and Loss (3)
April 1, 2011
I felt that this series had great possibilities and perhaps it still does but with all the awesome books I have waiting for me on my TBR shelf, I doubt I will find out.
Tate is an artist who's specializes in metal sculpture. She decides to move to Golgotham which is in New York and has been home to many kinds of supernatural beings for hundreds of years. Her landlord is a hunky wizard. She struggles with being the only human living in Golgotham but feels at home there.
One of the big problems I had with this is not only did much of nothing actually happen but Tate is only human with no magical powers at all. She doesn't even seem to belong in this book. Maybe it's just me and I have become a paranormal snob. I don't know. All the action, not much of it, is at the end of the book and the most interesting thing seems to be whether or not she can get movers to deliver to Golgothom.
Tate is an artist who's specializes in metal sculpture. She decides to move to Golgotham which is in New York and has been home to many kinds of supernatural beings for hundreds of years. Her landlord is a hunky wizard. She struggles with being the only human living in Golgotham but feels at home there.
One of the big problems I had with this is not only did much of nothing actually happen but Tate is only human with no magical powers at all. She doesn't even seem to belong in this book. Maybe it's just me and I have become a paranormal snob. I don't know. All the action, not much of it, is at the end of the book and the most interesting thing seems to be whether or not she can get movers to deliver to Golgothom.
March 12, 2015
I know a lot of reviewers didn't like this book because the characters didn't really develop, and though there was "action" in this book nothing really happened, but that's why I loved it. Sometimes I just need to a book that lets me shut my brain off and enjoy it. The world was awesome (giant skull gate!), the characters/races new and interesting, and the story was thoroughly enjoyable. If you’re looking for a work of great depth, this is not it. But if you’re looking for something better written than a Harlequin novel, with an interesting world that’s lots of fun this is a great read.
March 7, 2012
Golgotham is itself a major character in the story. The author has developed a wonderful, vivid and entertaining world around the city. Found the plot a little underdeveloped, some of the plot threads were fairly common in the genre but the characters were well developed, even many of the minor supporting characters quickly but vividly drawn with a minimum of description.
I find so much of the current urban fantasy to be so dark, so I'm always pleased to find a light, entertaining series that reads smoothly. I've already downloaded the second of the series.
I find so much of the current urban fantasy to be so dark, so I'm always pleased to find a light, entertaining series that reads smoothly. I've already downloaded the second of the series.
December 30, 2015
Not a bad story, but I had thought Tate would get or discover some kind of power of her own. Not the case.
Kind of slow in parts, but good world building.
Decent action after the 70% Mark.
Not at all like the Sonja Blue series by the same author.
This was pretty much YA reading.
HFN
Recommended as filler.
Kind of slow in parts, but good world building.
Decent action after the 70% Mark.
Not at all like the Sonja Blue series by the same author.
This was pretty much YA reading.
HFN
Recommended as filler.
August 25, 2014
Right Hand Magic takes place in Golgotham, a neighborhood of NYC, where witches, were animals and other strange folks live! It has great characters! The author had me compulsively reading up until the end! But I was put off by the mutual bigotry between the humans and the citizens of Golgotham.
zz-dnf
December 27, 2016The writing felt awkward and a bit amateurish. So pass.
December 6, 2017
First off, I am a huge fan of Nancy A. Collins and the world of her Sonja Blue novels. (From Sunglasses After Dark to Darkest Heart). I found Right Hand Magic to be a very nice introduction to her new world and as always her world building was fantastic. I felt the racism and prejudice thrown about in this world came across loud and clear. Tate and Hexe were very likable characters and Hexe's heritage was interesting.
Now, some bad stuff! I felt the book travelled along at a very slow pace and I found myself putting this book down continuously and trying to find something else to do instead of continuing to read it. I didn't particulary find myself hooked into the plot or storylines and was dissapointed that this just felt like a YA book focusing on a blooming Romance between characters which I do not feel Nancy A. Collins (Bram Stoker Award Winner) is very comfortable with. This is an author that is used to hitting you with very adult, violent and descriptive scenes that have you page turning like there is no tomorrow (Sonja Blue Series). I would of preferred to have seen a follow up book to (Angels On Fire) and experienced the world of Lucy and Joth a bit more instead or enjoyed another dark (Sonja Blue) novel or another Skinner Cade (Wild Blood) book as I was not gripped with this book. I enjoyed it for the world building and will probably read the 2nd book in the series (Left Hand Magic) to see where it goes but for now I will enjoy some other books before returning to Golgotham.
Now, some bad stuff! I felt the book travelled along at a very slow pace and I found myself putting this book down continuously and trying to find something else to do instead of continuing to read it. I didn't particulary find myself hooked into the plot or storylines and was dissapointed that this just felt like a YA book focusing on a blooming Romance between characters which I do not feel Nancy A. Collins (Bram Stoker Award Winner) is very comfortable with. This is an author that is used to hitting you with very adult, violent and descriptive scenes that have you page turning like there is no tomorrow (Sonja Blue Series). I would of preferred to have seen a follow up book to (Angels On Fire) and experienced the world of Lucy and Joth a bit more instead or enjoyed another dark (Sonja Blue) novel or another Skinner Cade (Wild Blood) book as I was not gripped with this book. I enjoyed it for the world building and will probably read the 2nd book in the series (Left Hand Magic) to see where it goes but for now I will enjoy some other books before returning to Golgotham.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews