Taken

Taken (2012) Benedict Jacka

After a terrible apprenticeship, Alex Verus hasn’t wanted much to do with other mages, and the Light Council in particular. But he’s starting to get a reputation, and it’s a reputation of someone whose enemies tend to end up missing or dead. None of this is really Alex’s fault, but it means that more and more mages are coming to him for assistance or projects that no one else seems to want. You know, the dangerous ones.

Currently, he’s been asked to look into the problem of disappearing apprentices, and considering his past, it’s something he’d probably do without being asked.

In this story we get a glance at how light apprentices are trained, but not really enough to really understand it. Which, I suppose makes sense, since we primarily spend our time with Alex and not Luna (the apprentice).

I’m really coming to like Talisid, and I really hope that he’s truly one of the good guys (as opposed to the typical member of the Light Council).

Talisid sighed. “Please try not to do anything stupid.”

“When have I ever done that?”

“I’ll let you fill in the response to that yourself.”

One of the things I like is how Light and Dark really aren’t that different, but even more how Alex, in attempting to do go, frequently has to come to terms with actions that aren’t particularly good or nice. But more importantly, Alex doesn’t take these actions without consideration–both before and after.

I will say that I was CERTAIN something was going to happen by the end of the book, and was irritated when it didn’t. But there were good reasons given for things going they way they did, and it did make sense the way it was explained.

There’s a bit at the beginning you’ll want to look out for: the explanation as to why vampires don’t exist. I thought it was well considered and a very good answer as to how some magical creatures exist and others don’t.

I’m really enjoying this series, and can definitely recommend it.

Oh, one thing I hadn’t mentioned before is how much I really like these covers. They’re minimalist, but they’re also atmospheric, and–to me–gorgeous.

Kudos to Ace for a fabulous series of covers.
Rating: 8/10

Published by Ace

 
 

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