Customer Reviews
Clever, but intimidating book... - By: F. Hanna, 26 Aug 2008 
Magical Bites is a magical mercenary-detective type story that takes a bit of determination to get through the first few chapters. Let me explain; it is a tough talking, well written book but the author initially gives little understanding into some of the concepts, terminologies, & character background - so much so that I kept wondering if I'd picked up a sequel & was thereforein the dark for a reason. After I'd persevered through a hundred or so pages, I became a bit more aware of what was going on & began to enjoy the plot. It is a good book that has a complex storyline & an engagingly tough heroine, Kate. Her story is unravelled slowly throughout the book & the reader begins to learn more about her "special" magically enhanced bloodline. Hopefully, the next book (Magic Burns) will delve deeper into the evolving relationship between Kate & Curran as well as explore her heredity to a greater degree. I have enjoyed reading / decoding this book & now that I have gained some understanding of the author's style & imagination, will press on to the sequal happilly!
A Series With Potential - By: J. Bowen, 23 Jul 2008 
In this book, we see technogoly duel with magic. It's set some timein the near future & sees magic work somewhat like magnetism. When the "magic field" is strong, the world goes dark, technology (everything from phones to cars) doesn't work, & skyscrapers colapse. The problem is that the "magic field" isn't always present, so there are times when you need the old fashioned techology that we all rely on today.
Since the rise of magic, beings like werewolves, magicians & vampires have come to the fore. It is those beings that we see do battle when the "magic field" is on. In this book, Kate Morgan looks into who killed her guardian (who was a chief magician, for want of a better description).
The story reminds me of Laurel K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series, but with the key difference that it focuses on story, rather than who the central characters fancy. Because of that I'd say the series has potential. It should attract the Hamilton readers who actually believein storylines.
This having been said, the book is far from perfect. It's good, but it can be a bit busyin places. It's a short book, but Ilona Andrews (the author) seems to have attempted to pack as much story as possible into the book. You want to say "enough already" on occasions, but that having been said, the series is one worth watching.
Quick, summer read - By: Louise Amkaer, 08 Jul 2008 In a future Atlanta, where magic & techology have difficulty co-existing, buildings fall apart & cars, running on water & magic are an alternative means of transportation - as are horses.
In this Atlanta, Kate is a mercenary with the Guild. Her guardian is brutally murdered, & Kate wants to solve the crime. It turns out that someone - or something - is trying to start a war between the Pack (shapeshifters lead by the Beast Lord, an impressive man/lion by the name Curren) & the People (vampires or necromancers).
"Magic Bites" is a fast-paced action fantasy with Kate as a kick-a** woman who knows how to handle herself. The novel is a quick read, especially the last half, when you've accustomed yourself to Ilona Andrews' world of magic.
Right now, having finished "Magic Bites" last night, I would call this book great, but I doubt I will remember the particularsin a month's time. Although, "Magic Bites" is a thrilling ride, I am not buying nr. 2in the series. As quick as it is, "Magic Bites" looses momentum.
"Magic Bites" is an entertaining Summer read - & I suggest, that if you want a real treat, that you buy the sequel at the same time & read them together.
Louise
Magic BITES alright - great book :) - By: Elizabeth, 24 Jun 2008 
Magic Bites is the first bookin the new Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. After reading the reviews here, I decided to buy this book, being desperate for new material to get into. And I'm so glad I did! Would DEFINITELY recommend this book; unlike the length (260 pages or so), cover & title suggest, it is well written, fast paced, original ideas & exciting action scenes, with just enough romance to keep it from being an all-action kinda book.
A previous reviewer said that kate is another typical ballsey heroine with something to prove; on the contrary, I wold say she goes about her jobin a logical & professional manner (as professional as you can be when your a magic mercenaryin a fantasy novel). Her witty come-backs are a joy to read because they are actually funny, & when you think as a reader that she has over-stepped the mark, she admits it herself too. Its refreshing to have a confident lead caracter who has a bit of humility. Also, i would say that rather than having something to prove, she almost tries to hide what she can do, & I'm looking forward to all the hints about who her father is & the source of her immense magical powers being made clearerin the sequal 'Magic Burns' (which I went online & bought as soon as I finished this book by the way - I'd recomend buying both at the same time!)
Allin all, yes it is a fantasy book with werewolves & vimpires an magic, but I think Andrews creates a refreshing new world that is full of original ideas & spins on old & much over-done fantasy classics. On the surface it might not sound that original-gutsy heroine saves the day with her powers against the odds-but it really doesnt feel like that. Some people might not like how it opens, the new world is explainedin drips & drabs throuhgout the book rather than a detailed explanation at the beginning, but I enjoyed this change as well. the book hits the ground running & expects you to keep up with the info & the action. It was a good reading-workout after all the tosh I have been coming across recently!
Love this book & loved the author - will buy anything from herin the future!!!
Don't judge a book by its cover - or you'd run a mile from this! - By: _*, 29 Mar 2008 I liked this book very much. It has a likeable heroine, though I would be delighted, just once, to read a book of this sort that doesn't have a mouthy, belligerent, desperate to prove something female lead! (See also Stray by Rachel Vincent & Dime Store Magic & Haunted by Kelley Armstrong - I adore her werewolf books though.) This has many other good characters, I particularly liked the King of the Beasts & the crazy Gunslinger-esque character, lots of action, humour & style - & an unusual otherworld. I thought though, that the supernatural world should have been better described to allow the reader to get a feel for it, as the method of just carrying on as though the reader knows all about it already was confusing. There's nothing wrong with a bit of mystery, but when the reader gets lost & has to backtrack, then it's going too far. I think this could have been made a lot clearer with a bit more attention paid to setting the scenein the beginning, which would have helped draw the reader in, & I would have loved a bit more detail on magic taking over technology, & a but more background about Kate herself. I suppose this is being held back for revelations laterin the series, but I found references to the power of her blood tantalising, & was frustrated when these references remained oblique throughout. I would read the next one to find out more about this, & I hope that as the author gets more into her world, she'll putin a bit more preamble so that everyone knows what is going on.
One other thing that rankled, though it has nothing to do with the quality of the writing - was that the book jacket is one of the worst I have seenin a long time! It is dated, ugly & actually made me ashamed to read this on the bus. This was mainly due to the fact that it looked like the worst kind of soft porn supernatural fantasy, which the book isn't at all. In fact, had this jacket been on the front of one the later Anita Blake books, the tone would have fitted perfectly (if not the subject). If publishers are willing to spend money on re-branding romance novels into chick-lit, to make them look fresh, stylish & classy, why can't the same be done with fantasy, considering the writing is often of a better standard & the plots & characters usually far more believable? It is a lot easier to believein Andrews' world than the fantasy world that chick-lit heroines inhabit, where misunderstanding is rife & unrealistic coincidences abound!
