URBAN FANTASY REVIEW: Mistification - Kaaron Warren

Release Date: 02/06/11

SYNOPSIS:

An intriguing modern fantasy from the award-winning writer of Slights . Marvo is a stage magician. His magic is real. Marvo grows up without knowing his parents, without knowing his heritage, without knowing much about life. The magicians have always been with us, since the beginning of civilisation. They fill our heads with the mist, keeping us from witnessing the stark reality of existence. But are things so bad that Marvo will bring it down on all of us, forever? Marvo begins to understand those around him, and his place in the world; he discovers that his remarkable powers can be put to good, or to evil. He only has to choose -


REVIEW:

As a reader of quite a lot of Urban Fantasy I’m always on the lookout for something either a little different or something that will capture the imagination to take me on a special journey of discovery. It’s one reason Angry Robot are always on my To Watch lists as they bring something unique to the cooking pot and present titles quite unlike anyone else. A lot of the time this is successful, occasionally however it fails as was sadly the case with this, the new book by Kaaron Warren.

For me whilst the premise and concept were ideal for my type of tastes it was the execution of this that left it feeling rather flat. The characters felt more like they were there to further a story rather than be the story and when you added the collection of tales from passing cast members it felt more like the author tried to interlink a number of short tales in one big book that sadly failed on so many levels as I didn’t have the connection that I desire in such a book.

Whilst Kaaron is a talented author I would sadly have to say that this title is middle of the road for the genre and as such there are better books out there including Kaaron’s own Slights which was pretty imagination busting at its release. All in with luck, Kaaron’s next title will concentrate on getting back to what she does well and with a bit more character development which is what I demand from any book that I read, as after all, if I can’t empathise why should I care about their fates?