Debbie's Spurts

• This reader's personal opinion, ©2014, all rights reserved, not to be quoted, clipped or used in any way by Google Play, amazon.com or other commercial booksellers*

This has been one of those "watercooler" types of series.  You know, the ones everyone seems to be talking about.  Where you feel left out of the conversation by not having read. It's been on my TBR forever with good intentions to start.

I'm glad I did because I did like it.  Not completely hooked where I'm in withdrawal if I don't immediately start the next book.  But I liked it.

PROs:

Harry.  I liked Harry, the character, the voice, the worldview, the humor, the way he got into situations.  The worldbuilding was interesting and I can see it developing as the series goes on.  Ditto for the side characters.  And I definitely like the writing style.  The ending was very action packed and delightfully fast-paced.

CONs:

All sorts of plot convienent crap.  Rules apply when they do and don't when they don't.  Spend part of book protecting people then blithely toss into danger when convenient.

The story.  I just don't care for that detective, private-dick style of thing.  Or the possibility that books in the series, even with an overall story arc developing, might be case file after case file.   That's just personal taste.  I kept expecting Harry to don a fedora and start calling the women "dames" with "gams."  Fans of STNG Captain Picard holodeck episodes where he is a hard boiled detective in the forties will likely find this quite appealing. 

Doesn't hold tigether well.

VERDICT:

So for me, I'm still undecided on the series.  If it keeps going more towards "wizard" in the style of the most recent "Sorcerer's Apprentice" remake or imaginative escapades, I'm in. More case file after they case file, cops, robbers, murder, mysteries -- not so much.

Time will tell.  And it will give me great pleasure to eat my words from the review of this first book if I do find myself hooked where I can't wait to start the next book.

Reading progress at 5%:

Okay, I am already liking this book.  For the humor and the M.C. voice.  But, I can see where I am still in danger of not continuing because I don't like detective novels.  It's going to really have to keep up with the me liking Harry, the humor, the worldbuilding, and other aspects to balance out the detective/mystery bits.

Update at 1%:

Well, well, well.  Look what just became available from the local library ebook waiting list for me.  

One of the most recommended to me series ever (I've hesitated to start because sounds a little detective-y or steampunk-y for my tastes).

Right when a Taste of Darkness is un-put-down-able, with A Wind in the Night preorder just about to download, and while I was going to start my 2014 Wimpy Challenge January read (Lord of The Changing Wind) — all at once, feast or famine just like dates when I was single.

No decision to make; I always read library book first because if I don't the specter of the other readers next on waiting list haunts me and I feel guilty.  But I will finish a Taste of Darkness since should only take a few hours more.

*©2013.  All rights reserved except permission is granted to author or publisher to reprint/quote in whole or in part. Copyrightholder posted on booklikes, BookRabbit, Leafmarks, The Reading Room and may have cross-posted to other book sites. Posting on any site does not grant that site permission to share with any third parties.

Also used for:

see challenge details at http://www.parajunkee.com/2013/12/21/vampire-challenge-2014/

Ratings scale used in absence of a booklikes suggested rating scale:

★★★★★ = All Time Favorite 
★★★★½ = Extraordinary Book. Really Loved It.
★★★★☆ = Loved It.
★★★½☆ = Really Liked.
★★★☆☆ = Liked.
★★½☆☆ = Liked parts; parts only okay. Would read more by author.
★★☆☆☆ = Meh. Okay. 
★½☆☆☆ = Disliked but kept me reading in hopes would get better.
★☆☆☆☆ = Loathed It. Possibly DNF and a torturous read.
½☆☆☆☆ = So vile was a DNF or should have been. Cannot imagine anyone liking.  (Might also be just an "uploaded" word spew or collection that should not be dignified by calling itself a "published book." Or author should take remedial classes for language written in until basic concepts like using sentences sink in. Is author even old enough to sign a publishing contract or do they need a legal guardian to sign for them?)