Stacia in Progress

I was a freak, but at least I was a meticulous freak.

Get. Your. Freak. On. This is the book for any person who (as a kid) took their Star Wars,  G.I. Joe, and Thundercat toys out into the backyard and found a way to invent a new world where they would battle each other. Unless you were me, and had to make due with a Strawberry Shortcake, My Little Ponies, and a generic She-Ra doll (hey, I was a sheltered kid. I only got to play army men and Star Wars at my friends' houses). 

Who was I? Why couldn't I remember anything before a year ago? Why didn't I stay dead?

Katanas, guns, wands, and staves. Gargoyles, dragons, lie-detecting ticks, and evil overlords. Strap on your seat belts, kids. This ride's about to get bumpy, especially when the man driving the bus has no clue who he is.

(btw - I think I was more scared of a lie-detecting tick than anything. Too many years spent at summer camp gave me a phobia of those horrific little shits.)

I hate to classify Urban Fantasy into either of the dreaded "romantic" vs. "action" categories because almost all (non-PNR) UF will have a fair amount of action and pseudo-fantasy happening. Some of my favorite UF series provide an equal dose of ass kicking and sexual tension.  However, this book landed closer to the "action" side of the spectrum. Fans of grittier, darker Urban Fantasy are going to be more likely to gravitate toward Dying. 

The last few male-driven UF series I've read have been somewhat snarkier. The tone of this book was firmly rooted in the mystery surrounding our main character and the obstacles he had to overcome on his path to finding out who he is. While humor isn't a strong element in Dying, there were random moments which amused me. When I stumbled across these moments, I smiled the smile of a person who got to be part of an inside joke. Either you'll find yourself amused, or you'll sail right on by, never the wiser. 

It's hard to write about the characters because they were hard to get to know at first, due to the fact that the main voice had absolutely no clue what was going on, but that sort of lent itself to the fun. I wanted to know why this person had landed himself in the middle of New York's seediest and scariest happenings, so I was willing to tag along and find out where we wound up. 

My one complaint would be that I wish there'd been more of a focus on a select group of paranormals, instead of this story being yet another version of paranormal stew. My shelf categories blew up again with the addition of this book. When there are too many things in a story which need to be explained, you tend to start tuning some of it out. A little more focus on a specific theme would take this series from good to great.

Even so, I'm in!

This book provided from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Quotes taken from the pre-published copy and may be altered or omitted from the final copy.