Flights of Fantasy discussion

Sorry we're a few days late - MrsJ is dealing with some real life stuff, and the rest of us are like "How do we start threads again?" :P

So here we go! Magic Bites! Remember to mark all spoilers and happy reading, and for those of us in the U.S. - Happy Independence Day (hopefully long) weekend! :D

I love this book...so, what did I do? Bought the rest of the series....Ilona Andrews rights some good fantasy fiction. Kate Daniels was new to me. I had read other IA books and like their style. Thanks for this selection.

I started this over the weekend, but didn't get very far. Like maybe one chapter. I don't know how I feel about it so far though. In a way, it's the usual female badass UF... *shrug*

I remember reading this entire series. I think I made some of you read it too. But I just don't have any urge to re-read.

It really is the usual "female badass UF" story and I enjoyed it for what it was, but it's nothing special.

Ala wrote: "I remember reading this entire series. I think I made some of you read it too. But I just don't have any urge to re-read.

It really is the usual "female badass UF" story and I enjoyed it for what ..."

Ala, I am disappoint. You were the sole reason I even picked up this book or any Ilona Andrews book.

:-(

I haven't read this series since the beginning since Ala first talked me into it, lol.

I'm totally hoping to get my life cleared up asap because I'm hoping this book gets me to finish the series (she was at book 5 when I was reading and I've not read the rest).

I'm still a little tied up IRL so, I hope yall have some happy reading!!

I just ordered the book, and then I read through the comments.

I hope I'm not disappointed. We'll see.

I haven't read a lot of urban fantasy, mostly Charles de Lint because my daughter loves him. Maybe it'll be new and shiny for me.

MrsJoseph wrote: "I haven't read this series since the beginning since Ala first talked me into it, lol.

I'm totally hoping to get my life cleared up asap because I'm hoping this book gets me to finish the series ..."

I hope things settle down soon. Sending good thoughts your way.

I'm almost positive that this is nothing at all like de Lint, who I've always seen tagged on the "Magical Realism" end of the Urban Fantasy spectrum.

This book is on the pulpy side of things. Don't get me wrong, it is enjoyable and all. If you embrace the pulpy nature of it, it's a great ride especially if it's your first foray into "badass female" side of the Urban Fantasy landscape.

I think this series is part "badass woman" but it has a bit more. Andrews' characters have growth (at least through the 5 I've read) and her world-concept is pretty unique. I also enjoy her unique take on shifters & vampires, magic, tech and history.

This first book was released 12 years ago - so she's a forerunner The series finally finished last year.

Thanks for further explanations. I'm willing to embrace pulp, and I like unique world concepts. So, I'm all in. I'll start it tonight and see how it goes.

I don't know that I would agree with her being a forerunner of the genre... There were a lot of vampires, shifters, magic, etc stuff in fiction before 2007. Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series was out in the early 90s, and of course there was Anne Rice long before that. But the early 2000s was really popular for urban fantasy with magic, shifters, vampires, etc... I can think of several off the top of my head that came out prior to 2007.

Unless that's not what you meant and you were referring to something else. Not trying to discount her (them? IA is a team, right?) as an author, but I just don't know that I would agree with that description.

Becky wrote: "I don't know that I would agree with her being a forerunner of the genre... There were a lot of vampires, shifters, magic, etc stuff in fiction before 2007. Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series..."

I simply meant that she was one of the first out when she first dropped this series. There was Blake but Rice focuses more on men (Lestat is her husband) and her vamps are humans. UF did make its big push during this time but all UF does not equal kickass female. There was also Briggs starting at the same time as well Vaughn and Harris. But 5 is not a big number so I consider the duo to be one of the first.

ETA: If we want to discuss THE FORERUNNER...that would probably be Mercedes Lackey. A lot of people discount her but she's been breaking boundaries since the 80s.

LOL I'm not trying to give you (or IA) a hard time, it just struck me weird.

I'm about 40% into the book. I'm seeing what some of you meant by the typical badass protagonist.

I'm enjoying the story and the world concept. I especially like the world Andrews created. I'm new to the genre, so I don't know much. This world may be typical. :)

Unfortunately, I haven't gotten attached to Kate, but there's still hope. I've read other books in which the main character grows on me.

In the beginning, there were a couple of scenes that made me chuckle and wondered if I was reading parody, but I quickly realized I was wrong.

I haven't read these yet but whenever I see Urban Fantasy I immediately think of shifters and then the Sookie Stackhouse books. Ahhhh I wasted so much time on those. And the show. It ended so badly. How sad. But I kinda wanna rewatch it now. Hmmmm.

Don't do it, Felina. It's not worth it.

I didn't reread this, but I will say that this was a fairly mediocre start to what turned out to be one of my favourite series. This book was just okay, but things definitely improved.

I just realized I didn't post my final thoughts. I was disappointed. The protagonist wasn't engaging. I kept reading hoping that I'd get invested in her, but that never happened. I can't even remember her name, which is telling. Overall the book was okay. Except for the story world, which I liked, nothing grabbed me enough to want to keep reading the series.

I didn't make it very far in this one before I set it down, but I'm going to give it another try soon I think. I was intrigued by the concept, but it just wasn't grabbing my interest. (Not that much of anything has lately.)

Becky wrote: "I didn't make it very far in this one before I set it down, but I'm going to give it another try soon I think. I was intrigued by the concept, but it just wasn't grabbing my interest. (Not that muc..."

I really like the concept too. Although I wasn't crazy about the protagonist, I'm considering reading the next book because people say it gets better.

Cora wrote: "I just realized I didn't post my final thoughts. I was disappointed. The protagonist wasn't engaging. I kept reading hoping that I'd get invested in her, but that never happened. I can't even remem..."

Awww. I'm sorry you didn't enjoy. Kate's fun - for me - but I've been reading this series since 2012ish (or earlier). I'm invested.

I do think the story gets better as it goes along. Kate and her world gets fleshed out. Also, the authors sold well enough the Pub extended the series out by 3 or 4 books.