Saturday 11 December 2010

Review: The Better Part of Darkness - Kelly Gay

Charlie Madigan 1

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 394
Published: 2009

Atlanta: it's the promised city for the off-worlders, foreigners from the alternate dimensions of heaven-like Elysia and hell-like Charbydon. Some bring good works and miracles. And some bring unimaginable evil....

Charlie Madigan is a divorced mother of one, and a kick-ass cop trained to take down the toughest human and off-world criminals. She's recently returned from the dead after a brutal attack, an unexplained revival that has left her plagued by ruthless nightmares and random outbursts of strength that make doing her job for Atlanta P.D.'s Integration Task Force even harder. Since the Revelation, the criminal element in Underground Atlanta has grown, leaving Charlie and her partner Hank to keep the chaos to a dull roar. But now an insidious new danger is descending on her city with terrifying speed, threatening innocent lives: a deadly, off-world narcotic known as ash. Charlie is determined to uncover the source of ash before it targets another victim — but can she protect those she loves from a force more powerful than heaven and hell combined?

Plot:
It has been over 10 years since the big revelation, that there are two other dimensions, what we used to call heaven and hell. But things are not that easy and not everything is black and white. Charlie Madigan is a cop, and single mum. She works on a special task force together with her partner trying to keep the city clean because the off-worlders do not always play nice. She also died 8 months ago and something is wrong with her, but what? Someone is selling a bad drug to the people of Atlanta and she needs every help she can get to stop it.

My thoughts:
New favourite UF author :D Yes I really want to dive right into book 2 but will stop myself. I would just read it in a day in a crazy haze like I did with this one. It was just that good.

Charlie is one kick-ass woman, and kick-ass and UF is what I love. She is a tough cop, but she does have nightmares from her death, and she has a strange super strength. I was so very curious about what was up with her. She has a sexy partner (sadly no action there), an ex she has not forgiven and an itch to scratch. Sadly not a hint of romance, but ok I can deal with that, still I hope an interest comes along. There were some good maybes in this book, and I wonder if the author will go down one of those roads.

Good cast, her partner Hank, a siren, her sister Bryn who practices magic, her kid, some bad guys, aye the bad guys are always the best. they bring the tension, they are evil, and I liked one of them. not gonna tell who now ;)

There is magic, and all kinds of cool off-worlders, she kicks ass, and there is plenty of action. The book ends kind of nicely too. Now big cliffhanger that makes me scream in protest, but I do want to know what happens. Cos oh my the changes at the end! The next book will have a lot to deal with.

This book had me glued to it from start to finish. The punches kept on rolling and being as curious as I am I did not want to put it down. I needed to know what was up.

Final thoughts and recommendation.
Hell yeah, read it, this is one UF book you should have a look at. Excellent world building, great characters and a promise of such cool things to come. I would love to just start book 2 at once and just eat it up.

Reason for reading:
I did think it sounded good

Cover:
Is that a necklace she is wearing? Hm

28 comments:

  1. It seems a nice book indeed - thanks for the review, I will check it out! Why Atlanta again? A coincidence? What is the title of the next part?

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  2. B,

    I love this series. I just finished the second book - and it is better than the first. :)

    I love that it is set in Atlanta - that is about an hour north of me - so I really get a kick out of local land marks.

    I'm glad you enjoyed this one.

    M

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  3. This sounds like a really interesting book. Very different from all the other urban fantasies that I've read, most of which have not impressed me very much. I think I'd like to give this book a try, particularly if it's impressed yoj enough to declare the author to be one of your favorites :)

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  4. Oh, I enjoyed this one too! Btw, I thought the second was even better! Can't wait for the 3rd!

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  5. You make these books sound so good! I really need to get back to reading Urban Fantasy. I'm so behind on reading.

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  6. Ana
    That was strange, since I just read about Atlanta. I guess that is where it's happening right now

    Michelle
    Oh oh!! I am so glad I have book 2, because else I would have gone insane.
    That's lucky, cos I have still not even come close to anything happening in these parts ;)
    So wanna go and read book 2 at once..but will try to wait a week if I can

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  7. Simcha
    It was just my fit. I know now that UF just, well I like it more than PNR. It has this totally different streak to it. And this one, I just enjoyed it so much. She is up there with Patricia Briggs whose books I just love. She is even better than Rachel Vincent, and as for Ilona Andrews, ohhh tricky, since I have only read one book so far. So yes I liked it :)

    Melissa
    So everyone is praising book 2 *eyes it on the corner* ;)

    Yvonne
    UF is great so yes you should totally get back to it

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  8. I need to go back and finish this one. I don't even know how I got sidetracked away from it. It was definitely better than average.

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  9. I love the Santa hat on your avatar!!

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  10. When you want to eat up a book that is a good thing. I have noted that this is your fave UF author and will try to read this next year!

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  11. SQT
    Sidetracked, oh that happens, I got sidetracked long long ago by Ann Aguirre's second book about Jax

    Thanks Chris ;D

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  12. Staci
    Hihi yes fave when I have only read one book, but what can I say, it was so good

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  13. This one does sound good. I'm glad it was such an awesome book for you!

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  14. Ah... thanks for your honest review.... Got my eye on this book for the longest time... your review helped me decide :) Won't read this book till I got the subsequent books as well so that I can read them one right after another... and something to look forward to! :)

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  15. Darlene
    It sure was :) And so hard to put down

    Cherry
    Good idea! Cos I know after I have read book 2 I will have to wait sooo long until book 3, and I do hate waiting.
    But yay for making you decide

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  16. Never heard of this one and it sounds good! Don't think I've ever read Urban Fantasy.

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  17. This sounds really good. I love when the heroines are the right kind of kickass. Sounds like a very interesting setting too. Why haven't I bought this one yet?

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  18. Elysium
    never! We must find a way to remedy that. Every woman needs a bit of UF

    Susi
    Aye what are you waiting for girl, go out and get it at once ;)

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  19. Wow, new fave uf author?? Sounds awesome!!

    Thanks for noticing my blog changes! I figured I needed to update to the new style blogger template. I just did it this weekend :)

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  20. Carrie
    Change is good, I sure like change on my own blog :) So great work on your own

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  21. I like your review and writing though not this genre!

    How is the weather in Finland now? When I think I feel the cold in Melbourne I always think of freezing Finland!!!

    My mailbox is up. Please come visit!

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  22. Mystica
    Lol, yes do not say it's cold there, Today I walked into town and it was -17c. So very cold, But I am used to it

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  23. Oi, not even a hint of a romance? That's not much, huh?

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  24. Janna
    Well ok she did start kissing someone but they were interrupted, and that was more lust ;)

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  25. I loved this one!! I read and reviewed it last December and was just blown away by how good it was! I haven't gotten the chance to pick up the next book in the series but I can't wait to read it =)

    I'm so glad to see you enjoyed this one. You'll probably review book 2 before I get a copy so I might just skim your review for it. But I hope it's just as good as this one.

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  26. Charlie sounds like a great character.
    It seems like a good series to get into.

    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

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  27. Mishel
    lol, yes I do fear I can't stop myself since I already got the book. So then it's just to come over and skim it. I do hear that it's even better

    Naida
    Just like UF should be like :) I am very happy to have found it

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  28. I enjoyed this one as well. I was a little surprised at times with what Kelly pulled out in the world or different beings. And common to the world she's created here. But I enjoyed the fast pacing and the characters. :)

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