Urban Fantasy discussion

Please post spoilerish comments in this topic.

I finished it this morning.

Why does she need to make sure her blood is burned? What will happen if it isn't?

Is the whole blood thing purposely vague because of the "who's her daddy?" mystery that will be solved in the future or did I miss something?

Her blood marks her as a VIP, lol. Anyone paranormal stumbling across her blood would realize her true identity and want her for her power, at least that was the impression I got. Her identity is the mystery (and her daddy, lol).

I got the impression her blood could identify her (and who her father really is) by anyone with any magical ability.

Who wants to bet her dad is the "all-powerful" Roland - the one who originally made vampires?

well that's the impression that's given in the book.I just want to know how.Also I wonder if the Doctor going to come back for some revenge since Kate thought he was the killer.

I think the Doctor character was there to stir things up with Curran. He was also one more character to second guess and make us think he was the bad guy. I'm thinking he could be useful in the future though. He has access to the morgue and such.

I agree with everyone about her blood identifying her and the power she really has. I look forward to finding out what makes her so powerful.

I really liked this book. I thought the author created a decent world and I like Kate and Curran. I like the shifters overall. I thought the necromancy with the vamps was kind of cool. Not sure I fully understand the vamps though. I have the second book and I think I'll start it right away. I liked how this one ended with her about to start another case/job.

Yeah, I really liked the shifters in Bites too, although I was kind of put off by the fact every guy that Kate came across exchanged catty (flirtation, apparently) remarks in their first exchange. That didn't fit with the dr's mild personality or Curran's generally serious one.

After a while, though, Andrews really developed these guys, which I appreciated. I like Curran and I think another purpose for the dr was as a contrast to Curran, as the mild, sweet guy that Kate thinks she wants vs. the stronger, undaunted character of Curran who can survive her grim reality and whom perhaps she really needs. And I totally didn't see them getting together in the beginning, lol. (Who would have thought?) But a nice match.

I enjoyed the book. I like the main character, she's strong and she doesn't take crap from anyone. And she has a lot of witty comebacks. It surprised me who the upir turned out to be. In fact, this is the first time I've ever heard of an upir. Has anyone else heard of these creatures?

I liked the shapeshifters as well. I'd expect there would be more dialog/interaction with Curran in her next book. Overall I thought it was a good first novel. I would read another book in the series by this author.

Yeah, I didn't see it coming either, Petunia. Quite a shock. And this is only the second time I've read about upir in fiction. I believe the first was in Masques by Patricia Briggs. They were pretty mindless though. It's kind of disturbing to think of one as devious and sociopathic as the one in Bites.

I do have to say I liked the shapeshifters, the way their groups are structured kept with a pack mentality.

I did like that the Upir was someone Kate had dismissed as "insignificant" in the grander scheme.

The blood thing and the identity of her father were a little to plot hookish for me. It almost felt like they were grabbing you by the nose and leading you somewhere. I mean, even if you don't like your father, or are ashamed of him, when you think of him you wouldn't think of his name or what he really did? I felt like the author knew it, the charachter knew the answer, and in a first person the reader should have known, but the identity was withheld just to make us want to know. I guess, what I am saying is the withholding of the information felt forced---and took me out of the charachters point of view.

Kate, Curran, the Doctor, that magician who can alter his appearance, all seemed very stock---I mean Kate and Curran are basically the same charachter but one had hair and claws and the other a sword and magic. The Crusader at the end was also fairly stock for the "lone ranger" type charachter mentality. It was the lack of developed charachters that made me lose interest in the book. I have the 2nd one and will probably read it at some time.

I really enjoyed this book, more than I thought I would from the first few chapters. I think that Andrews has the opportunity to take this series and do with it what LKH should have done with Anita Blake (ie. not the painful gratuitous sex scenes). I look forward to reading the second (and any forthcoming books) in the series.

I was annoyed with how Kate kept hinting around how her dad was some big powerful dude, but never coming out and giving us any more information on it. I understand that it's a ploy to draw us in and keep us reading (beyond Bites, that is).

In the scene where Kate asks Curran if his "lady" is inside the compound and he looked at her and said "she is" I just about squealed. Even though it wasn't apparent that he would be the love interest at first, I had kind of hoped that he would be. I suppose that it will be interesting to see where Andrews takes it in Burns.

Jason - I understand what you're saying about how some of the characters seem to be stock characters. I found Kate to be all "tough girl" with funny quips and a bad attitude. I felt like I had read her before. However, I didn't feel distracted by it, and was able to get over that. Perhaps I am not a very demanding reader? Oh well.

I also liked that the Upir was someone insignificant in the scheme of things.

Yeah, Kate could be annoying at points with her moping, but I guess she had reason, and the daddy plot was pretty much a marketing ploy, lol, but the pacing/wittiness kept me interested.

There is a great review of Magic Bites at this blog...

Review

And there is a comment posted after the review by Ilona Andrews, the author of the book. She explains why the book was so short.

I thought she always burned her blood so that no one else could use it. A common magical theme is that if you have someone's hair, blood, or some other personal item you can use it in a spell against them. That was what I thought anyway...

I agree with you Jennifer. I assumed it was her way of protecting herself from others.