A place to discuss Magic Triumphs for those who have read it.
Magic Triumphs: Spoiler Thread
ILONA ANDREWS
#1 New York Times Bestselling Author
ILONA ANDREWS
#1 New York Times Bestselling Author
A place to discuss Magic Triumphs for those who have read it.
Haven’t read it yet, am counting the days ?? and then when the emotions hit, I deeply suspect I’ll be migrating to the other thread. Thank you so very much for your wonderful work ??
I sneaked a peek in the hope I’d find some spoilers, as I have no legal (or illegal, or immoral) ways of getting an advanced copy. While I confess I’ve put some thought into a variety of ideas, they always end badly (with still no book). I have resigned myself to the wait.
End of academic year accounts and crates too small to fit the fragile museum objects they were apparently specifically made for have added up to the work-week from hell but has cunningly distracted me from the gnashing of teeth in greedy anticipation.
However, I may still have checked the blog several time a day for Innkeeper though 🙂 as while I’m maddened, overworked and distracted, I’m not dead yet!
I commiserate with your p!ight, and would love to know what your job is, than you need to cram – err, gently place – fragile museum objects into strangely shrunken crates? ?
me too,,, lol
Me three. although I can remember begging empty film canisters from photography shops back when I was a lowly scrubber in the lab at a small museum in VA. Some of the things that were found were interesting–but I was totally stunned at how much plastic garbage we were excavating in an area that had been relatively safe from hordes of humans for the last 50 years. It was part of a historic easement and it wasn’t until several small groups banded together that enough money was brought in to do the excavation that the county and state government had wanted us to do was actually accomplished. Well, that and having a college close by with an historic preservation degree program.
I’m the collections manager at the Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology in Cambridge- it basically does what is says on the tin!
We’re lending material from across the Pacific to London’s Royal Academy’s forthcoming Oceania exhibition which will be amazing! We’re sending objects from the time Europeans first encountered Pacific peoples on the voyage of Captain Cook in the 1770s through to the early 20th century with decorated barkcloths to cocoanut fibre armour though there will be lots of contemporary works on show too, from prints, linocuts to sculpture and I think a Steinway piano adapted by Maori artist Michael Parekowhai ( I hope!)
We got the nearly 4m long house post to finally fit in the crate by altering the packing foam inside the purpose built crate. The shippers got the dimensions wrong by about 10cm! Next lot to go in a week or so, but we’ve cross checked all the measurements about 5 times, then we have week of install with 4 of us in September, then we’ve scheduled a collapse 🙂
See https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/oceania for a sneak preview
It’s often manic but never dull, with amazing material and researchers and visitors coming from across the world- I’m always learning new things. Best job ever, apart form the admin and that’s the same everywhere I think!
I confess I ordered the hardback from Forbidden Planet after a comment in the Sadness thread but its only just shipped 2nd class, so the kindle version may get here quicker- sigh- so much for trying to cheat…
Rachel,
You’ve a lovely museum. We had a blast when we visited. I hope you get to read some copy of the book soon. I know you’ll enjoy it!
Hahahhaha I feel your pain. I just reread the innkeeper series because I just can’t handle the wait.
Glad it’s not just me. I love, love, love Maud and Arland. They are my fav, after Kate of course.
Also sign up for Grace Draven Ipos kings newsletter she started chp 1 this week?…. to help mitigate the symptoms of KD addiction withdrawal for BDH …..it is small but good comfort for the sadness that follows the end of a great journey? and i love Grace Draven books also
Thanks for the heads up! 🙂
Could not find the spoiler
The spoilers will be in the comments of those who have already read it, Susan.
The book dropped in Europe already so I guess this is for our European book devouring horse members to freely discuss the book with spoilers without pissing off everyone else who has to wait til next week to get the book.
WHAT??? I have not seen it available and I live smack in the middle of Europe —> hopping over to check Amazon ASAP.
I think it is physical bookstores that have gotten it, if I understand what my bookstore has explained before re garding how they get books from america because shipping over the atlantic means sending it to europe in last or this weeks shipments if they are to be sure to have it in the store by the release date. So I think maybe the stores aren’t supposed to put them out physically in the store before release dates (like they had to sit on Harry Potter until the exact same time all over the world, do you guys remember that?), even if they have to unpack the books when they come. Since they come in big boxes with hundreds of books, and they have to register them with the beepy thingy, and that puts all the newly arrived books in their store’s database, which means we who troll their homepage waiting for the book to come in can SEE that it has come in and therefore call and ask them to make sure to put one away for me, because I’m jumping on the subway and will be there in 45 minutes… And that’s how I got hold of my book yesterday at 15.45 lokal time… After checking their homepage status-page for Magic Triumphs like 10 times a day for a week… ?
But I don’t know how much trouble european bookstores will be in for letting us by books before official release dates. Hopefully not too much! Maybe the authorlords know more? ?
According to my local bookstore there is not a “hard” release date on MT, so the store can inform people who have reserved it or just put it on the shelf when they get it.
I think it’s fun that Europe has our book already.
*giggles*…. Horse … don’t you absolutely love autocorrect?
*teehee* I caught that, too. “horse”…. *giggle-snort* books have more bulk than hay so maybe MT will be quite filling.
Ok what kind of bribes do I need to find for the dark gods to grant me spoilers?
No idea but share when you find out! I know Iron and Magic comes after Kate 9 and we need to read it before Kate 10. I think those things that are combining through the portals will cause Roland and Kate , plus Hugh and Elara to band together. I keep remembering back to the story Era told Kate about the baddies who killed their family and started everything
You want spoilers? I got spoilers. But you don’t really want it to be spoiled though, do you?
Although I’ll tell you, Kate as a Mama was beautiful!
YES WE WANT SPOILERS! Because when it comes to the AuthorLords, there is NO SUCH THING as a spoiler….there are only delicious hints of goodies.
Yes, we want spoilers! Actually, that is a misnomer. Nothing will be spoiled! If you know, please spill!
Nobody that I was really invested in died. I was so relieved. Yes, there was death but nothing that made me sob and throw the book across the room. Nothing like Aunt B.
The scene where Kate and Curran meet Hugh was priceless. Am I allowed to actually quote text here? I can but don’t know if it’s acceptable.
I loved the Hugh scenes too!!! ❤
It feels so great that he was given a second chance with his own series, and I hope we gets to see how he feels about him and Kate. And if Julie gets him to meet Semiramis some time.
I loved how they all described themselves as family, the grandma thing with Erra, both Julie and Conlan’s, was both hilarious and sweet!
The chicken negotiation with Elara. LOL!!!
And when he was so offended with Dali just intruding into his “sister’s” house. He is just such a changed man. Love it and can’t wait to read the next two Hugh books.
Yeah, that chicken thing was GREAT!!!
It must have been conciously done on his part, don’t you think? He’s still a bastard after all, as he himself likes to point out… ? And making the whole room (and us readers…) go “what-the-?, did he just…” for a second, before their next words explained it, probably made him chuckle to himself ?
hahahaha yes!
Even after reading Iron and Magic it was just so surreal to have him sit down and eat pancakes with them! Then to see more of him being discussed by Christopher just really whet my appetite for more Iron Covenant.
They just seem like such a real life normal couple at times. Sitting in the driveway arguing in the SUV? Ha! They seem so normal at times! Surreal for me and ridiculous shocker for Kate!
How do ROBERT and DESSANDRA react to seeing Hugh?
We don’t get to see that, but now that you bring it up, they ran into him too didnt they, in Magic Breaks…
I just thought of some more Hugh-encounters of the first degree I’d like to be a fly on the wall for…
Julie and Hugh must have met before the book, since she knew where to find him. Maybe we’ll see it in the upcoming Iron covenant books? OR she knew via Ascanio, but haden’t met him? My money is on her having met him, especially since his wife was a part of Kates plan all along, and the witches dealt with that to keep the Hugh-connection secret. It would make sense for Edvioka and Sienna to clue Julie in, even if Asciano didn’t tell her. Come to think of it, Julie might have been the one with the idea to bring in Elara as the focus in the first place, just making the witches suggest it at the wedding to hide that Ascanio had told her about Hugh and she might have met him and figured out his wife could solve their focus problem… She is a sensate after all…
Derek. Did he already know, is my big question??? Because of his closeness to Julie, if she knew, he might have too… Would he have had a “talk” with Hugh? Or is he too together for that?
And if Julie kept it from Derek, could that be something that would sour their releationship and maybe make riding off into the sunset for fun adventures with gramma Erra sound enticing???
But I hope they keep Nick far from Hugh. Nick is an ass and nothing good would come from that… Did anyone else love how the mighty Order had fallen btw? I relished their disgrace, those racist, narrowminded, non-inclusive, human centric fanatics ?
Didn’t Hugh keep commenting in his book that the girl in the stable looked familiar? I wondered if it was Julie.
I feel like they have met but her meeting Hugh for the first time when she went to fetch him also seems equally as likely. We didn’t get much of Derek in this book and after she let Kate cool down with the Hugh surprise she slept over his house so I figure he had to have known or he got over it to the point where she was okay sleeping at his house that night… or he left the house in anger. Possibilities galore!!! lol.
And yes on the Order failing issue. I feel like it just couldn’t go on forever and the public just turning a blind eye. They finally crossed the line enough that people paid attention and reacted. FINALLY. But perhaps Nick can change that somehow??
I think Julie has been to Kentucky before the events of MT. Maybe a couple times. In Iron & Magic, Kate is pregnant. In MT, Conlan is 13 months old. So nearly two years have passed since Magic Binds. Ascanio, Raphael, and Andrea knew about Hugh from their encounters with him in Iron & Magic. I would imagine Julie heard about it from Ascanio. I think Julie recognizes that she and Hugh are basically the same, so I could understand her wanting to talk with him. Especially if he is exhibiting signs of being a changed man, based on how he interacted with the boudas.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Julie appears in one or the other of the remaining Iron Covenant books.
Nifty, I think you’re completely right!! Hope to see more of her in the next two Iron Covenant books!
I agree, Julie would make lots of sense for upcoming Hugh books as a visiting character ☺
Both b/c of the whole mirrot image with Hugh, that you described so well Nifty ☺
But she has very nifty powers too (get it, get it??) , what with being a sensate. She’s almost like the Eagles and Tolkien, I started thinking. Maybe that’s why she needs to be away with Curran and Erra on their god-eating-mission? You know, storry-telling-wise, b/c if she’d been there she’d cleared up things too soon? I got the idea from Luther asking after her and saying she would have been handy to have around…
Ohm and Joanne, I have wanted to talk more about the Order and if Nick will go down with the Titanic, save it from the iceberg or save some people in a lifeboat (ok, I might have pushed my allegory too far…), but this thread is wearing thin, so I’ll start a new one further down so it’ll be easier ☺
I did love Kate interrupting the lunch with the people from Tanglewood.
Me too, I’m so looking forward to reading how Hugh and Elara came to this point in their marriage we see in Magic Triumphs (that SUV-argument was brilliant!). ?
I must ask though, do you get the chicken thing?
Why the whole chicken?
If he is trying to feed her, would it matter WHAT he got her to eat? ?
Like say, if he’s worried about her health, or maybe he thinks she’s not eating enough for some stupid reason, like trying to loose weight or something.
That’s another fun thought, exactly WHY does he think she needs to be manipulated inte allowing him to take care of her in this specific manner???
She can’t be pregnant, can she? Aren’t pregnant women NOT supposed to eat loads of things that are ok or good for the rest of us, like certain kind of fish. And isn’t chicken like the most common reason for food poisoning because of salmonella? So no chicken for pregnant women right?
So if that logic holds true he can’t be feeding her for that, although I totally hope Hugh gets to a place where he wants to be a parent ?
So WHY why a WHOLE chicken??? Why not half a chicken breast for lunch, a steak for dinner and a nice desert? If it’s the calorific content he’s after. ?
Is the chicken magic? Like Currans god-gobbling… ?
I’m thinking the chicken thing may happen in book #2 or #3. The authorlords said there were things in Magic Triumphs that would make reading the other Hugh books more fun. And I don’t remember a chicken in Hugh #1.
That makes sense?
I hope we get an explanation to the chicken, now that I’ve gotten all broody about WHAT DOES IT MEAN, haha, talk about over-analyzing ?
So Barbaras feeds Christopher a TON of chicken soup to heal him later. I was wondering if it’s one of those chicken soup for the soul healing ideas but if he’s so adamant I feel like there is some sort of science behind it in this world.
If she was pregnant I don’t think they’d go through the Roland sleep idea with her. Would she risk or would Kate risk a pregnant woman with being a conduit for that much raw power?
My guess (guess is the key word) is that Elara HATES eating chicken with a passion but the consumption of chicken is known to speed up her healing esp after she drains her magic.
But no matter what… that was hilarious. I think we all just slow blinked for a second before continuing to read! 😀
Oooo, I found ANOTHER possible chicken magic scene!!! (Joanne, you really got me giggling with the magic chicken soop!)
One of the druids got accused of using chickens for divination (he had warned them the dragon was coming and the other druids haden’t listened), and he said, no, I just use their noice for sinking into the trance, the one you saw in my kitchen was dinner!
So I think you’re on to something Joanne, chicken are (or can be) magic…. ???
Hopefully we’ll see more chicken magic in the next Hugh books, haha ?
Can’t say how much credence I can lend to the chicken theory since it doesn’t seem to help his wing grow back at least in the beginning! I feel like the extent of magic is like eating carrots for the vitamins to make our vision better. Or oranges to cure colds for the vitamin c! 🙂
Yeah, maybe chicken soup DOESN’T cure all, not even in Kate-world ?
But I hope Christopher’s wing grows out, him finding flight again was so lovely!
Ps. Do they show QI where you live? I love it, I’m always collecting “quite interesting” facts ?… And in one episode they talked about vitsmin D and how the myth that it made you see well in the dark started. Aparently it was spread by British counter-intelligence as the reason why Brithis bombers were so VERY acurate, when im fact it was the invention by the Brits of the portable radar, which they wanted to keep the German’s from finding out they’d been able to mount in their planes (thereby increasing their accuracy in boming). So they spread about their pilots ate lots of carrots… ?
It is taking YEARS for George’s arm to regenerate so maybe it will just take more time for Christopher’s wing.
The danger with chicken and food poisoning is not cooking it long enough. I am sure the cooks at Baile know how to cook a chicken.
wait, what, Hugh’s SISTER’s house?!?! OMG, *foams at the mouth* where is that time travel machine!!! Must Have Book! LOL
Darlene, have you not read Iron & Magic? You need to read Iron & Magic before you read Magic Triumphs.
Oh yes, I’ve read IM many times already. I’m just referring to the scene in MT mentioned above, Want Book Now, lol
Yup, he refered to Kate as the closest thing he had to a sister! It was GREAT. ?
And then Kate made clear she considers him Rolands son, and that makes them “damaged siblings” ?
Especially Hugh related to Kate questions… 🙂 Just saying…
“Kate as a mama was beautiful.” that’s all I need. 🙂
She really was!!! They really managed to make her love for her child all consuming and her child her number one priority without Kate loosing her personality or it feeling contrived or over the top sweet.
And she seemed so relateably anxious as a first time-parent?
The continues jokes throughout the book about how many times she freaked out and rushed Conlan to Doolittle over minor things were SO funny, but I also felt a little like I wanted to shout at her hecklers that it’s better to be over cautioius than ignore a serious problem… Although I think that stems from me over-relating to poor Kate, since I very much fear I too would rush my baby to the doctor the first time he fell or sneezed…
And fierce. She was so fierce in protecting her baby. Often times, fictional parents who have children in peril doesn’t translate well. Seriously so well done here. It was amazing.
EXACTLY! It often feels stilted or contrived in books, even though mothers being likened to tigers, bears and wolfs in regard to their fierce love and prototection of their kids is so common that it’s probably a saying in most languages, right? At least the ones I speak…
But I’ll say it again, the characterization of Kate as a mother was fantastic! And I really loved the interaction between her an Curran as parents as well!
I think it might be culture-crash, but often the portrayal of fathers in american books make me irritated. But Curran seemed so involved and hands on, and a PARENT not just a father (my fellow swedes might get my reference to that famous and influential goverment report…?) and I think he is now my favourite fictional father ever!
Not everyone can write children well. Sometimes kids in books translate as caricatures or paragons, or way too saccharine and cutesy. They often lack authenticity in books, IMO. (One author who has always written kids well, in my opinion, is Nora Roberts.)
I’m looking forward to meeting Conlan. I’ve read nothing but good things about him so far in the reviews I’ve seen, etc.
Exactly, like they are so perfect you can’t like thenm because they don’t feel real.
But Conlan feels real, and reminds me, in the small scene-stealing moments they write for him, of my family’s rascal toddlers and overactive small children…?
Despite him being a magicly much stranger child than that worlds, to our standard, already strange hyena-were Baby B’s…
Good writing makes kids just kids, be they shapeshifters or magic users or “muggle”…
I loved it when Conlan was crying the car and Kate stopped and comforted him and then told him they needed to go. Conlan was singing the “sad song of his people” — I LOVED that scene.
Me too! ?
And Kate was like, yup, sometimes they cry…
I need a ticket to Europe, now! Barring that, Doctor Who where are you! I have a 3 day weekend coming up…and the book will hit my ereader the day after….sigh.
Usually I don’t mind spoilers, but having read MT, and this being the BIG FINISH, I would suggest letting the story unfold. I can say y’all will love it.
I got hold of my copy 24 hours ago, and have now finished re-reading it, and am contemplating if I should re-read a 5hird time or re-read Hugh’s book… (yes, yes, I know I’m weird, but I finished it late last night, and since I’m on vacation I feel justified in re-readng it today, so I can savour the last of the last Kate book!)
SPOILERS….
I can’t wait to read what other readers thought! Really want to discuss things, and most of all, being reasured that if someone weren’t mentioned as dead they’re alive. Right, you guys think so too right? Right?!?!?!
I hope they are, since I think the writing was very sneakily and concioiusly(?) vague, and focused on Kate’s grief, so I’m thinking most of her loved ones or those she cares about who wasn’t mentioned either as dead or survived must have survived. Or I’m hoping…
I think the “vauge-ness” that made me a bit ancious, you know, the narratives very narrow focus on Kate’s point of view in the last part, would serve well if short stories or books about other charaters might be written. I hope it was a concious writing trick, because then we might get more books from Kate’s world (Yay, fingers crossed…)
Is anyone else who is rooting for a Julie♡Derek thing worried btw? I think, after focusing on that during my re-read, that there are lots of room to interpet either way. Again, quite open if one was to write the event from either of those two’s point of view, since they only showed up now and then with Kate, and they could have gotten up to loads of things both good or bad for those of us rooting for them… And I really hope at least a scene with Julie’s Bilbo-ing it will be written, it would be a great treat, like for christmas (hint hint).
But what I want most after the vook ended is more Julie, regardless of what format, her with Erra, her with Hugh, of course I’d love something with her and Derek, but regardless, more Julie for the people!!!
Ps. Conlan was just unbearably squeelingly cute, SO cute!!! I loved how he just was there all the time, a glimpse here and there, a bit more here… Without it feeling like it was being forced into the story. Just two working parents (albeit with very dangerous vocations) going about their job (protecting Atlanta and basicly everyone) juggling how to look after their kid, which is rightly their first priority, while still doing their job of taking care of everyone else too…
I didn’t read any real spoilers. Sniff.
Sorry, tried to be a little unspecific, am a bit scared to upset anyone. But I guess if the authors set up this thread they are ok with us talking and analyzing and gushing… And I suppose those who read the thread are more than forewarned by the title… ?
I really hope so. I took the thread at face value for discussion of spoilers so I am hoping people who have not read the book and don’t want spoilers stay away because I’m dying to talk about this book. I’ve carried it around for a month not being able to discuss it and hoping to do that here.
… but now back reading through these comments I’m worried. Seems like there are people here who are reading looking for hints of spoilers but not actual spoilers and I don’t see a way to edit or delete my comment. I’d hate to ruin it for them with my overzealous comments.
Exactly what worried me a little.
But it’s so great to be able to “chat” with others who have read it, so I hope we can do that here ☺
It is a Spoiler thread… spoil away. If those of us who have not read it yet cannot take it, we should not be reading this …
And on that note I am going to stop reading. I can hold out a few more days…. right? Um I might need some sort of support group, but I can do this, yes I can!
Right?
lol RIGHT. It’s only one more week!!! Almost there!
Go reread the series! Have a marathon. If it’s not enough time then just read the one or two before so you’ll be ready for the release is what I’d do!!
Lol…I did that. Read it backwards (started at book 9) and then turned around and went forwards (just finished 9 – and over half-way through iron and magic)….I know it is only 3 more days….but MAN I can’t wait.
Don’t worry. This is the spoiler thread. We all read at our own risk. If someone doesn’t want a spoiler then they shouldn’t read the thread. I actually like spoilers before I read the book.
Spoilers don’t ruin books for me I love them I came over to get my fill until my Audible of Magic Truimphs release loving this site
Please please more spoilers, in detail! I can’t wait for the book and spoilers will not spoil anything for me! I really want a Julie?Derrick series!
Yes
Spoilers please
Just one Conlan quote too much too ask? We want just some little spoilers.
“Huny!”
You are so funny but I got what I asked for “a quote”. Love it.
You will LOVE that scene I think, I did!
Kate is trying to get Conlan to eat oatmeal for breakfast, but his grandparents have spoiled him ? so he wants “huny”!
It was just one of those scenes I adored, a quite short one, tucked into the rest of the bigger narrative, but it was so relateable, because who hasen’t tried to get a toddler to eat? ?
I loved the scene where Conlan slaps the vampire in the face several times and Kate tells him to stop and he doesn’t so then she uses a power word and he stops immediately. Conlan was unbearably cute.
The scene with the sahanu and the claws was probably my favorite Conlan moment. This kid is going to be awesome. I hope we see him grow up!
What does Conlan call Erra?
Erra LOVES Conlan.
He calls her Gama. She calls him “such a talented prince.”
Awwww!
(I thought what IA did with Erra in Magic Binds, by bringing her “back to life,” so to speak, was just a stroke of genius, and it MADE SENSE when they presented it in terms of Erra’s commitment to her bloodline. She was a formidable enemy in Book #4, and how could she be redeemed from that? But they did a great job, and I wound up really liking her and valuing her connection to Kate. I’m glad that in Erra, Kate has a mother figure, a connection to her family (that’s not trying to kill her or enslave her), and a teacher.)
I totally agree! It was brilliant and I really ended up liking Erra too!
Yeah, I LOVED the redemption of Erra that started last book! And she might not be cuddly and warm, but I loved that both she and Kate acknowledge their feelings for eachother. And that Erra could fill a need for motherless Kate, and evolve herself because of it. And become capable of seeing Julie and even Hugh as family of her blood because of it. Because all those characters need family, and they could be good for eachother (even though the thought of what Erra and Hugh could get up to if they bonded might be a bit scary for the rest of the family… Imagine the influence the city eater might have on Hugh the wrecking ball… ?)
Definitely so relate-able! I have a 7 month and a 2 year old and I found myself going oh man… I know the feeling! About the no eating honey rule, only eating what they want, and the talking and walking… not so much about the half-form though but yes at being surprised how smart they are and pick up things you wouldn’t think at that age!
I’m not worried for Julie and Derek because I’m sure of their pairing. Assuming that from his strong love for her from Magic Gifts and the fact that there was a Julie and Derek novella #2 that was supposed to happen at one point that I imagine they will definitely end up together. Couldn’t imagining having Dali and Jim or Andrea and Ralphael novellas and not have them ending up together. I feel like riots would ensue! 😀
Yeah I think I might riot ? or whatever the internet form of riot would be…
I also thought the “you belong to someone else” in his book meant Julie, but now that she’s riding into the sunset to find adventure with grandma, I worry… ?
Maybe she’s just finding herself? She’s only 18 after all…
Maybe she’ll come home soon and they can be caped cruzaders protecting Atlanta toghether? ?
I can’t imagine that line wasn’t meant about Julie!! But she is 18 and I forgot how old Catalina is going to be after the novella but most of the female heroines from Ilona and Gordon are older than that and have gone through some character defining moments in their life. I figure she needs to build up more of her character herself and prove herself (to herself) and gain more maturity before we see a full Derek and Julie novel?
Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking too…
And I totally look forward to what Julie and Erra could get up to!
Girlsnight out!!! ?
I really wouldn’t mind if Derek and Julie did not end up together. **ducks**
You better duck! 😀 Just kidding! It’s was hard to think about them together besides infatuation or young love since they’re so young but then in Magic Gifts it just seemed like such a budding true love romance.
And Julie is just SUCH an amazing girl and same with Derek. I feel like such an amazing guy needs an equally amazing girl who can just see past all of his scars. Which is why I’m all about this pairing!
I’m with you on that. I really liked the dynamic of Julie and the Dragon young man in Magic Test (Apple for the Creature).
I loved that Yu Fong came into play in this novel! It was a nice payoff for reading all the novellas. 🙂
Ooooo, I’m looking for things to throw!!!??
That some one else that Derrick is bound to could also be Kate. First she power worded him and then Curran bound him to her in the first book. Could also be Curran (the Dad who saved him). So many choices!
Yeah, that’s one of the way’s I sometimes worry about, that it will be “explained” to mean Kate in a re-narrating of the event in a possible future…
I don’t really think it can be Curran (or anyone non-female) though, because if I remember it correctly it was described as “opposit-sex-attraction” thst could only be overcome by deep love (so that’s why not-platonic love, like Derek’s for Kate, probably isn’t enough…)
ALTHOUGH as I write that, I wonder how that Star-womans power would effect non-heterosexuals? I mean, all the young men in the warrens, not even only the ones in gangs, can be straight, or only straight, right? But perhaps the evil gang-leader/warlock thinks they’ll be about as small a percentage as the young men in commited relationships that could protect them from that Star… (I think he would have miscalculated on that, but it’s a moot point now that Julie and Derek stopped him…)
Another thought, on the same lines.. Do you suppose lesbians would be effected the same way as heterosexual males? So would all the non-straight single women of the warren also have been killed in that evil plot? Or was the Star’s lust-indusing magic maybe a vey MAGIC-Y thing that ONLY effects males, maybe even disregarding sexual orientation?
That’s the beauty of magic I guess, it can sometimes walk around logic but still keep the narrative on the path of I’ll-by-that-narrative-twist… ?
Conlan was priceless, the things he can do and will do amaze me. He is the best of both Kate and Curran, like Roland mention in the previous book their family is of monsters, but Conlan is going to be the brightest and terrifying one we will see. He so cute. I loved his scenes and him babbling words.
I came to read this type of spoilers…that are not really spoilers lol
Thank you
I’m sure Curran is going to make it very clear to Conlan that what Mom says goes because no way Kate will be able to deal with a shapeshifter child if he doesn’t want to do something. If he’s 40 lbs now in half form he’ll be super heavy soon.
I managed to grab my copy on the weekend from an independent bookshop in London. I may have read it many times.
I loved the book and the epilogue was fab and left lots of scope for the author lords to go on with.
I agree with the squee about Conlan – for a character without much vocabulary yet he made me laugh.
It’s so nice to have a series finish on a high note. Here’s to another NY #1.
which bookshop was it please? I am in London tomorrow!
Forbidden Planet on Shaftesbury Avenue.
Thanks Kerri! They are holding a copy and am gonna pick it up after work! Yippee!
@Rif – so pleased you got the message. Hope you didn’t stay up all night reading 🙂
Kerri i totally stayed up all night and i was so glad i went to Forbidden Planet as I got a signed copy!
I LOVED the book, particularly that it felt like a proper farewell tour.
We got to check in on all the main characters and witness a really fitting resolution to the Roland problem. The only slightly sour note for me was Dali’s trajectory. I totally get that Jim’s influence/ Beast Lady role/ desire for child would have had an impact after two plus years. Yet I grieved the fact that she seems to have lost her endearing and kind Dali-ness. And also that we barely got to see Jim at all, or them interact with each other. I know that Jim has been showing who he really is for a while now. But i cant help but be fond of him. I am sad for him that his actions and behaviour created doubts about his allegiances and motivations.
That being said I completely understand and respect the direction and rationale for why Ilona and Gordon have taken Jim and Dali down this path, and at the end of the day it is the Kate Daniels series not the Dali series.
Thanks again for the bookshop tip 🙂
+1
Oh, and is anyone else curious to what must have happened between Ghastek and Rowena? I mean, in the previous book the shapeshifters said their spies had never seen them go in or out of eachothers houses. But those two have a thing, right? I’m not alone thinking that right? And if so, when did THAT happen? And do you think they’ll admitt it now? I think Ghastek seems to enjoy his monk-persona (I’m-only-in-it-for-the-science) a bit too much to be all lovey-dovey, but maybe he’ll grow a bit more as a person after everything, I kinda think he already has come a way, during the last couple of books…
So I thought it was pretty clear in a previous book in that one scene where Ghastek and Rowena held hands/ one of them laid their hands on the other when talking about not being able to bring children into a world with Roland.
Since then I’ve been hoping and hoping for their own series because if I remember correctly Ghastek is not extremely good looking and slightly balding. Rowena who is akin to Aphrodite in her looks and Siren like powers ends up with Ghastek secretly seems like it would be such a great read!! Plus he’s such a great deep character after all of the Gas-Tek revelations in Mishmar.
Oh I must go an re-read now. I really don’t remember that or any sneaky romantic tension between them- thank you Lina and Joanne!!
Not sure if it was actually obvious or not 🙂 But that little scene made an impression on me. Could have been wishful thinking that makes me remember it more as a sure romance than a hint!
Oh me too. That was so sweet when he carried her away. So fingers crossed for something about those two.
Oh, I totally agree! And sweet is not something one would have expected from Ghastek pre-ordeal…
Yes!! His fear for her and need to save her was so tangible! Loved it! Ghastek is so conscious of financial gains and losses ALL the time but immediately said to burn the bus to save Rowena… I feel like he would have burned anything and everything if it would have at all helped save Rowena. Loved it!!
And he is so privat too, but he really showed his emotions in that scene with her. So here’s hoping that means he will be more comfortable about being open about their relationship, so we get to see more glimpses of it ?
And now that Roland is out of the way his arguments for not having a family is gone, so maybe they could try? I really feel for Rowena, who has wanted a child for so long…
Will I get mauld by a Jaguar if I confess I didn’t like Dali’s behaviour, speaking of longing for a child…
Yes! He really did put it out all on display. I’m imaging people around them are going to be like WHAT when they talk about this at the water cooler later when everything dies down?! 😀
So I’ll reply about what I think about Dali on your post later on!
Yeah, those churchladies Raphael need to teach to gossip will have nothing on the water cooler at vampire-are-us ?
I hope they work out as a couple! They obviously worked well professionally and with office intrugue before Ghastek took over, ?for their romance…
And I hope Rowena gets a kid, Ghastek haven’t seemed interested, but he did tell Kate he sees marriage = family/children, and that was not wise with Roland in the world. But now that he’s not, maybe Ghastek and Rowena could adopt a little people orphan with good piloting potential to build up their own little dynasty… ? (or try for one, but Rowena said in an earlier book she’d tried for years, so maybe time to investigate new avenues of non-biological parenthood?)
Yes! I imagine Ghastek would be an amazing father and Rowena already shows how amazing she is with Conlan!
Rowena is the good side of wanting a child so bad but not being able to versus how Dali handed it!
I soooo agree ?
I don’t find Rowena’s longing for a child dificult to relate to or overtaking her personality, so it makes it easier to symphazise with, and apart from them having climbed to where they were in the People (which Kate seems to often hold against them, morality wise, so to speak…), I agree that they would probably be able to take good care of a kid, and that they would too, they seem to take their responsibilities seriously. And more importantly, I think they’re both capable of loving a child, which is most important, isn’t it? ?
Ghastek would have to shape up a bit, maybe, but he seems capable of love (his parents for example), he just needs to stop choosing power and knowledge and prestige over love (at least over his love for his kid, if he was to have one).
I’m with you! Would love to see more of that relationship in a short or snippet somewhere. 🙂
I am on vacation next week for just this reason. It was just going to be Tuesday, but I figured since the week was available……
Will still check the blog daily, but may not open the links until after reading the book.
oh goodness, it’s not in the US yet?! I’m not reading anything!!! enjoy y’all!!
Dear God, please grant me the SERENITY to accept that a week will pass in no time, the COURAGE to steer clear of the spoilers in the meantime…and the LUCK to find the book a couple days early.
(Or something like that!)
😀
+1
Honey you’re in the wrong place if you’re trying to avoid spoilers! Lol!
I know, I know. I have no willpower!
+1
best comment of the day 🙂
MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
I read the ARC and have read it three times now. It’s such a great book and really neatly solves the Roland issue. As you read all of the pieces start to come together like a puzzle by the end of the book! Honestly I’m glad it’s over because it stopped at a good point with the Roland and Kate problem and didn’t drag on forever like other series. Great ending and cannot wait to read more of this world. Not sad that Kate’s story is closed because there are so many avenues have opened up. My imagination is running wild!
Will the next books in Iron Covenant have Hugh fix Dali’s Fallopian tubes? I can’t imagine how over-protective Jim would be over any of his children if he has any. Will we learn more about Ghastek and Rowena now that they are free of the burden of the Legatus hierarchy or is Landon Nez going to ruin their HEA… or is he done now that his troops have been decimated? Will we see more of George’s pregnancy and the baby? Will we see Conlan grown up? How’s the world going to handle Conlan who is already a shiny prodigy with a half-form?! He’s going to be so powerful growing up! Will Roland ever cause a problem for Julie I wonder or is the Roland chapter completely shut? I figure he’s going to be a wealth of information/ the living library for Julie in her adventures. Julie and human Erra adventures? Erra? ERRA!!! OMG I cannot wait to read what I assume is going to be a new series. The journey to Mishmar to free Mother/ Grand grand mother! 😀 As you can tell… I loooove this world and love reading everything about it!
The final battle scene is EPIC! Like Lord of the Rings epic. It’s similar to how the races band together to fight in LoTR. All of the factions in Atlanta come together to fight and I loved how a lot of the more minor characters had a bigger role to play like Luthor or Shen Yu. I felt like cheering them on as they banded together!
I didn’t realize how attached I was to Saiman! I mourned his death and wanted to read more about how he died. I’m sad to see that he won’t be around for future books. Even the nameless people who died like Desandra’s beta couple or the two Clan Heavy characters that died I was sad for their loss. Is that weird? >.<
By the end of the battle there were a ton of deaths before Roland saved the day. How are all of the deaths going to affect the Pack, Atlanta, the Casino with most of their vampires gone? Would love to read more of the aftermath. And of course Roland would wait until the last minute to be the savior just like Kate mentioned earlier about him in the book. SIGH. He shows up exactly when everything utterly hopeless to be like that ray of sunshine (Gandalf coming down the hill at first light but he at least came as fast as he could). I'm sure Roland just waited until the most opportune time for him where he could guarantee an easy victory over Kate as well as the evil dragon. I imagine him just watching the battle saying "Let them kill each other and do the work for me. It'll be so easy to conquer whoever is left." I really hated him in that moment. I had a very bittersweet feeling when he saved the day. Hated him because if he came earlier a lot of deaths wouldn't have happened but thankful he came at all to save those alive. Hated how he betrayed Kate even even though I knew it was coming. But it's a good thing he did as it opened up a way to get rid him so Kate wouldn't have to look over her shoulder and go insane trying to protect Conlan from him.
Kate's relationships and how the other characters viewed her really strained her on an emotional level as the series went on. Loved the buildup of this throughout the series and then the ending of she's back to the beginning of being Just Kate albeit still with powers but with a family and peacefulish life. Yay happy ending!!! How many times did she have to save the fate of Atlanta before she's left alone?! And God Curran with the intention of reviving Kate… genius! It was hilarious to read on his journey to becoming a God, then horrifying to see it actually happen, then reading how this problem was solved and for the best…. I did not see that coming and it was such a great idea!
Ilona and Gordon are just very good in this book with making me go through so many emotions. Conlan was the best vehicle for comic relief. So cute and hilarious. Seemed like there were more witty and hilarious quotes and scenes among the serious situations they are in than other books and more fast paced that I really enjoyed this book so much!
I've been waiting so patiently for release day so my friend can read it and then I could finally discuss it with her. I'm so glad this thread opened up!
Squeee!!! Finally some decent spoilers :)) Sorry, can’t help myself.
I can’t wait to read the book so everything you said will make sense 😀
So far, I got that Curran was turning into a God (in my opinion, he already was one :p), a dragon attacks Atlanta and Saiman dies.
I can’t wait to read about the meeting between Kate, Curran, Hugh and Elara. To be honest, I expected that part of the solution to the Roland problem to be Elara eating part of his magic. From what I read in the Iron Covenant, that seems to be her superpower.
I’m the same way! 😀 But I say no more spoilers for you! Have to leave some stuff to shock and awe you!!
I could never have summed it up so neatly, great job ?
And I too shed a tear over Samain, I really liked his character for being so… shades of gray? Neither good nor really evil, just totally amoral… I was holding out a little hope for his redemption ?
Since both Hugh and Erra got a shot at it.
And when you think about it, many other characters.
Christopher, who remind Kate of his own heinious actions in the name of ambition pre-theosis. Kate herself, even if I agree with Hugh, herself, and other characters who have told her that any murders/killings she comitted as a child is on the shoulders of the adult who told her to kill and rewarded her afterwards…
Thknking about it, that may be one of the things I love most about the Kate world, that characters are allowed to be flawed and broken, but that they can find redemption for misstakes or previous crimes, without it being a consequense free-for-all, or forgivness exists only for the main characters (which it often does in other books or narratives on tv shows, where the main character can blunder about, causing end-of the world consequenses for untold thousands of unseen innocent bystanders, and still be considered “the good guy”, because she/he “meant well” or did it for love or whatever…)
Curran really captures the feeling I’m trying to analyze or describe in the writing, with håwhat he sais to Kate regarding hef possibly forgiving Hugh. He sais that’s what she does, give people second, and third, and forth, chances… ?
I agree! And I think Kate just is a good person. She believes people can be good no matter who they are. You know the type in the movies where the good guy tries to save the super bad guy when he’s about to die? She knew Roland would betray her and she still gives him a last chance. Everyone is convinced that there is an option that Jim has betrayed them and these people have been with Jim for so long in their lives (much longer than Kate) and she is still completely in denial when people were going over the facts.
I’ve mentioned it in a review before that the characters they write are not just pure evil or pure good. They’re rough and more realistic with flaws so it’s easier for people to relate. They have a reason for how they see the world and there are truly people like that in our real world. Not saying they aren’t evil but terrorists who believe that the world is a better place due to some traumatic situation in their lives or how they were raised like the Lighthouse Keepers. Or Julie who hoards food because she didn’t know where her next meal would be. It’s relate-able to the real world.
Exactly! You might not agree with that characters actions or choices, but you understand where they’re coming from or at least what they tell themselves…
And I too really like the flaws, but even more that there is still good and bad, that the “see both sides of the argument” and flawed but human characters doesn’t make the morals of the tale “just whatever, there is no right or wrong”. I think it’s a very humane world-view really, and Kate being able to be that accepting and open to people is kinda inspirational, not to sound cheesy, but she’s worked hard on herself to be able to love and trust, remember her in the first book? And she chose to try to change, and I think that’s not only why we as readers like her but also why I think many other characters have been able to start trying to redeem themselves. Like you (Joanne) and I have been talking about with Samain, that we felt he might have had a chance, that he was becoming “more”, if you know what I mean… I din’t feel like he was far along enough yet to have even decided on what “more”, but I felt like he was moving towards wanting to be more… And that’s like the key thing for Kate-world… Does that make sense?
Yes yes! Completely!!
And about our thoughts on Saiman… watch it be revealed that it’s something completely different than what we were thinking. He saw an opportunity for gain and accidentally got got in the crossfire and died. >.<
Then there goes my mourning for Saiman! XD
Uuuuu, no, I hope we don’t find that out! ?
Informed self-interest with a dash of conditional loyalty to a buisness partner he doesn’t even realize he respects… That is what I want his motivation to be… ⚘
Me too! But who knows!! I hope we get a small insight into that part of the battle. I really want to see Atlanta picking itself back up together and mend. Although they’re already at the core of how they were when they fought each other about who gets the dragon bones. Just share!! 🙂
OMW!!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!! You have made my day! In South Africa, we also have to wait until next week for the book to be released.
I must admit to 99% wanting to know if Conlan was ever going to shift!!! Considering his dad’s a First 🙂
LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVE
You’re welcome and thankfully there’s just SO MUCH MORE in the book that will make you laugh and cry when reading it! You will laugh and cry but rest assured he shifts… and it is quite hilarious how people react to it.
Luther* and not Shen Yu… Yu Fong (too many times have I stared at the Shen Yu performance ad on the metro train on my commute)
Very sad about Saiman. But, it wasn’t clear in this post, Roland lives? ARRGGH!!!
I’m afraid to say more!!! 😀 Just know it’s a good/happy ending… for now! DUN DUN DUN!
Wont,
No one answered you directly, but yes. It’s very very cool how things are accomplished.
Roland’s resolution is very satisfying.
I am pretty certain that the next two installments of Iron Covenant take place BEFORE the events in Magic Triumphs.
Hmm! I figured at least one but didn’t think about both!
From Iron Covenant book I, it’s at the beginning : “Questions about IRON AND MAGIC Technically this book is a spin-off from our Kate Daniels series; however, it can be read as a standalone work. For Kate Daniels fans: although this story is the first in the Iron Covenant trilogy, and the entire trilogy takes place before the events of Magic Triumphs, it is actually written to be read in the following order: Iron Covenant 1: Iron and Magic Magic Triumphs Iron Covenant 2 Iron Covenant 3 You don’t need to wait for Hugh’s entire story to be out. If you do, it won’t be as fun, because there are some revelations in Iron Covenant 2 that are best discovered after Magic Triumphs.”
So, the rest of Hugh’s books area AFTER the events in MT.
Ah! You are completely right. Props to you! I didn’t remember that at all!
“The events of the ENTIRE trilogy take place before Magic Triumphs.”
I loves you, but you have to reread what you quoted. How did you get after out of that?
?the deaths!! Saiman????
I’m not convinced we’ve seen the last of Saiman, what with the burial on Unicorn Lane and the very specific instructions that were followed… 😉
But even so, I was saddest about him. Or possibly Adora. That one sucked.
Yes! That’s what I was thinking – the deep magic of unicorn lane might be enough to revive him?!?
Adora’s death kind of bothered me. Saimann? Not so much. He made his choices.
I agree. Even when he does the right thing, it’s for his own interests, not because it’s the right thing. If he is resurrected, I’ll be okay with that too. If they can redeem Hugh, they can redeem Saiman.
Any tidbits about Christopher and Barabbas? Have they figured out how to make their relationship work?
Yes ?
Sorry, couldn’t help teasing a bit… ?
I think you will be happy for them, there are some scenes when they help the narrative along with important insights into the Pack and Hugh.
Also their “are they or aren’t they” thing gets settled. They are! ??
Yay!
Do you guys want a last spoiler about Christopher and Barbaras?
??????
They’re getting married??!?! Awww! I love it. I hope Kate is someone’s best man. LOL
Thank you Lina!!!
Linda, you are a doll. Thanks
Lina. Autocorrect strikes again.
Ok I got the most important part out of the way then. YAY!
I will resist and go nowhere near it! I’ve already scheduled next Tuesday as a vacation day so I can celebrate the end of this wonderful series. It continues to be (as all IA books are) my standard by which i judge all other books/ authors.
+1
I can’t believe it’s released in Europe already. My stomach is in knots waiting for this book, I know it’s going to be so amazing! Magic Triumphs is too important to me to read spoilers. Gosh, I think I’m getting teary eyed…
The book has not been release in Europe. Some booksellers are selling the hardcover early.
*released
Was Nick involved in anyway?
Yes!
Yes, quite a lot of scenes. ?
Kate had to save his chapter from Order managment who thinks he’s inconvenient. She verbally slaps those holier-than-though fanatics sooo good! ?
And Kate and Nick continue to gripe and argue all through the joint preperations for saving Atlanta. He’s a dick, but she lets him hold her kid, so there seem to be an understanding that even thogh he might mention Conlan with Kate and Roland as problems to be eredicated, he must draw the line att the innocent child.
O, and the order is no longer recognized as a law enforcment agency, after a massacer they comitted, I totally enjoyed that carma bitch slap?
“Say bye to Uncle Stupidhead.”
Conlan waved his hand. “Bye-bye.”
“Bye-bye!” Nick waved back.
That scene was hilarious.
Absolutely! ?
And the “Earmuffs Nick” quote!!!! ?
I can just see big, macho Nick holding his hands like little earmufs over Conlan’s ears while he and Conlan’s mother say no-no words ?. And Conlan trying to feed him soggy biscuit!!!
Any man secure enough in his masculinity to act like that in front of people wanting to get rid if him can’t be unsalvageble right?
Possibly my favorite scene as well.
Glad to hear this about Nick. I know he was difficult, but I liked him. I hope he shows up in future stories.
I was surprised at how much Saiman’s death affected me. Don’t get me wrong, other character’s death would have been a lot more painful. But I did like Saiman. He was very interesting. To me Saiman was quite a tragic character and when, to me, he’s starting to see the light, he dies. His character arc was amazing. I’m glad he went out fighting the good fight and not as a coward. Bye, Saiman!
It’s a testament to IA writting that such a side character, and an immoral one at that, can have such a profund impact. Even off page.
Am I the only one that cried over him?
No, I totally agree, and wrote a long musing about it further up…
I too hoped for redemption for Loki’s grandson.
And wondered with Kate why he engaged in the fight, if it was a WHO that inpired him to protect. That almost feels too sad, for if Samain had evolved to care for anyone other than himself to the extent he would wish to protect that person, then his death feels even worse…
That’s a great point, Lina. It’d have been so heartbreaking to see why he died, especially if he was trying to save somebody.
However, I think, for me, it was evev more painful not seeing the why or how exactly he died. That’s the thing about war, people die, sometimes heroically but most of the times not, just senseless death all around.
I don’t see Saiman dying for someone, because I don’t see Saiman caring about anyone besides himself. In my opinion he panicked or more likely just saw that he had to fight because if they lost and Atlanta fell, Roland would use him. Kill him or drain him. I think it was more like he had no choice but to fight.
I also think his death hurt so much because he has been around since the first book. He’s an essential part of Kate’s history to us as fans.
His death had more power off page exactly because we don’t know the exact circumstances of how and why. He’s just a casualty of war. And I’m proud of him for deciding to fight. He finally did the right thing and it cost him his life.
Dammit! I’m crying again.
Norse warriors that die in battle go to Valhalla. Just saying.
Thanks for trying to cheer me up ?
But I don’t see Samain really enjoying the attractions of Valhalla, unfortunately… Kate and High probably would (loads of the worlds best fighters to endlessly brawl with) and Curran would totally apreciate at least Särimner (endless roast pig…), but Samain? Not really his cup of tea, right? ☺
I tried to make it a joke, but now I’m honestly a bit worrid for Samain (I know, silly me)!
He wouldn’t go to Valhalla anyways right, he’s part frost giant… Although Kate thought he probably had two grandmothers who were Asa (aesir) gods. Although if I am to knit-pick, many of the gods were Vaner, like Freja and her brother and father… And technically Oden is a frost giant, by birth so to speak. So maybe?
You put that so well! About how it is unseen death that really brings homey the scale and price of war…
And I too think Samain probably did it for cold, logical reasons. Team Kate was his only bet this time, so best go all in. It was just that throwaway “who” in the end of Kate’s thoughts that got to me… Maybe it is more a reflection of who Kate is, that she hopes for betterment or evolution even from someone like Saiman, even though she sees him clearly for what he is now (or was, now I’m almost crying too!)
Does anyone else think that Saiman’s instructions to be buried in Unicorn Lane where his body can soak up magic and his Frost Giant Heritage have left Ilona & Gordon with the possibility of resurrection if they want to at a later date
I didn’t cry like I did with Aunt B. I almost cried for the loss of Adora’s future. I had a completely different reaction to Saiman’s death.
It felt like I was sucker punched and my breath hitched. I just couldn’t believe it and I wasn’t expecting it. Not only was he just a character that was so ingrained in the series to me, but I thought he was starting to tip the balance of his character to becoming a better person. And I also wasn’t expecting him to participate in the battle. So I was just blindsided to all of a sudden read about his death when he wasn’t anywhere near the battle in my mind. Perhaps it was because he couldn’t stand the thought of being held prisoner again or subjugated to a tyrant or saw someone he wanted revenge on or maybe he really did have a change of heart and sacrifice himself. I want to know but am worried about the “we will never know” part about how he died! Feels like a void in my Kate Daniels heart that will never be filled by a perverted selfish guy.
He wasn’t a really a bad guy so that’s why the death hurts to me. He repaid his deaths and was logical to a fault. He just was an extreme character with no compassion but I don’t think anyone would be apathetic to his death after everything he’s been through with Kate.
Adora died???? NOOO! ?????? After everything she’s been through and was forced to do because of Roland I wanted her to have a chance at a real life.
I wasn’t expecting it at all with the way Adora was talking earlier on. I was hoping to read more about her learning to be a normal person. I was so sad too!! There won’t be an Adora 2.0 character either since I believe all of the Sahanu is dead 🙁
+1 to Joanne
Yay-Spoilers!!!!! I love spoilers!!!!
Is Bucky in Magic Triumphs? (I saw in another post that Elara and Hugh arrive by car/SUV. Does that mean no Bucky?)
Is Bucky a unicorn?
Is Sugar in MT?
Are any of Hugh and Elara’s people in MT?
Bucky is a unicorn (AL confirmed in their Twitch talks)
I guess I meant: Do we see physical proof of his being a unicorn? Do we see his horn? Is he explicitly identified as being a unicorn, with discussion around that? (“Holy shit! Where’d that horn come from?!?! Bucky’s a unicorn?!?! Well, I guess that explains why he glows and can’t be contained. Golly!”)
No written proof of unicorn-ness yet I think, apart from the speculation in Hugh’s book (glowing white, trsnslucent bump on head etc… Maybe Bucky hasen’t finished becoming a unicorn?)
Unfortunately no Bucky in Magic Triumphs. Hugh seems to get round by boring old SUV…
And no Sugar, but we get a cameo from Julies Peanut in the last scene…
No side characters from the Iron and Magic world that I remember. I think he mentioned he has people guarding his home so he could only bring 300 Iron Dogs to help Kate. I assume that it’s all just regular troops.
My one big disappointment in MT was no Conlan/Bucky interaction.
Please tell some spoilers of Ascanio. Or he had left Kate’s story completely?
No Ascanio directly. He is mentioned, like when Raphael goes to Kate and ask her to let him go.
And there’s a fun mention, where Kate remembers Yu Fong coming with Julie and Ascanio to the house to study, only for the two boys to spend the time glaring at eachother! ?
I’m thinking Yu Fong and the next alpha of the Boudha are a liiiitle to strong for eachothers tastes… ?
Hey, if we’re going to talk about Ascanio, did anyone else start speculating after Hugh’s book, when Hugh so clearly sees him as a serious potential threat? And after what Raphael said to Kate, about Ascanio being coolheaded at a time when hormones drive all else, I’m thinking not just Boudha Alpha to be… Maybe replacing Jim one day?
One question: Any mention of conlans power or shifting capabilities. Wondering if what I envision in my head and what’s in the book match up. Oh, what am I imagining you ask. Stranger things seven type power…..okay not really.
His power…I think that remains to be seen, but you definitely get an idea about his shifting abilities! And if you look at how he’s able to shift as a sign of his power, then oh yeah. Look out!
Had you told me last year that one of my top moments of MT would have been the entrance of Hugh (God I love that guy) and the bro/sis type scenes we get with him and Kate, I’d have said you were nuts. But that’s what I love about IA stories, they bring the unexpected and I LOVE IT!
And Conlan – love this little guy. And I love seeing Kate and Curran with him. I have so many passages marked, I’ll try to pull a few favorite quotes (if that’s allowed) and post.
How was Hugh with Conlan? I really liked how in most of Iron & Magic, Hugh refers to Kate as “Daniels,” but there are a couple times when he refers to her as “Kate,” and one of those was near the end, after Landon had captured him and Roland had appeared, and he snarled, “You’ll never get your hands on Kate’s kid. I’ll kill you first.” Do we see any of that protectiveness on Hugh’s part in Magic Triumphs?
Yes we do. There’s a scene when Conlan’s in a bit of danger and Hugh is right there with everyone, ready to fight.
And during a Hugh/Kate moment before the final fight, he’s offering his help and Kate basically says she’d be stupid to turn down Hugh and his Iron Dogs and his reply to her: “Smart girl.” It’s such a simple two words, but that whole scene was a long time coming for them.
Thanks!
I also love Hugh’s protectivness of Conlan even before he was born! It’s one of my favourite parts of his book ☺
I had hoped for a Hugh+Conlan moment, but I guess that might come later, Hugh probably isn’t really a “holding babies” guy. YET!!! Here’s hoping… ?
But his protectivness shone through, in those scenes Jess mentioned, and especially I thought, in the scene where Roland gets to hold Conlan, as his price to help, and he sees “the Wild” as he and Erra calls it, in Conlan, apart from the supernova burning of Conlans Kate-blooline-given powers. Kate notes how both Hugh and Julie recognize that look and become even more worried…
And afterwards Hugh cautons that Roland wants the kid. Which we and they all knew already, even Roland talked about it in Hugh’s book before Conlan was born, but the repeating might be the difference between knowing theoreticly and seeing in reality…
Any comments about Roman? Are there any Baby B and Conlan moments? 😀
Roman is in it quite a bit, he plays an important part in the war.
No Baby B and Conlan interaction, and apart from the mention of Baby B beating a wolf boy for stealing her toy (in the first chapter that was released months ago as a sneak peak), she’s only mentioned twice.
One is Curran just saying she is very cute, but an ordinary shapeshifter child (which is why Kate can’t use her as a measure for what to expect from her own, extra ordinary shaleshifting son…).
And then there’s one really cute story Andrea tells, when trying to impart knowledge of parenting a shapeshifting child. She explains shapeshifting kids don’t always remember what which shape can do, so they might shift to Hyena and still want their sippy cup. And she sais Baby B used to carry her spoon sround in her mouth when shifted, and want Andrea to feed her the chopped up meat (siutable for a baby hyena) with the spoon (like the way she got her human food). SO ADORABLE!!! ?
Love how Hugh has evolved! Is there any Hugh and Erra moments? So curious how he kept his powers and if he is a descendant of someone in Kate’s family? Does the book discuss this? Love your discussion! So excited to get my hands on this book Tuesday!
No Hugh and Erra, but from what Julie says to Erra as they rideoff into the sunset, there probably will be ?
I loved that in this book everyone really acknowledge that Hugh is blood because of the blood bond, and therefore part of the family.
Interesting idea☺, that Hugh might be related and therefore could keep more of Rolands powers, but I haven’t read anything that I think supports that. I think Roland is just too complacent in his own might, he has a hard time accepting other flavours of magic/bloodlines can be just as powerful… My guess is Roland has no more idea than anyone what would happen when he cut away Hugh. He just thought he did, because of Voron. But Hugh was a shining star, magically, with or without Roland, and Voron was just a physicly talented human.
In the book we see almost no interaction between Hugh and anyone except Kate, Curran, Elara and Dali. He and Julie must have talked during the book, since she went and got him, plus gave her a fitted armour breastplate before the battle, but off page.
Thank you so much!! Was wondering if the AL’s were going to send us a curve on Hugh’s bloodline but you are right. He was already magically powerful as a child. That is what caught Roland’s attention. Can’t wait to see Hugh’s acceptance as family from Kate. Thank you again!
**Spoilers**
“God-King.”
“Bright as a supernova.”
“How many gods have you ate?”
“Touch him again tiger and I will eat your soul.”
“I can do the surgery.”
“There are thousands, we don’t stand a chance.”
“Kill yourself?”
“Father I need your help.”
Nice selection!
Love these!!! 🙂 I’ll add a little of my favorite lines. Only little since I’m not sure how much of the book we are allowed to quote:
“What does that look like to you?”
“A bra?”
“Not in my house!”
“The book club,”
“Go Daddy!”
“behold my giant erection” I hope when you read this line you laugh as much as I did.
“Oops.”
Does anyone want to talk about Dali?
I’m quite ambivalent, I didn’t feel much empathy for her, which suprised me, since I feel it for Rowena. I just found her, I don’t know, non-symphatetic. I want to say winy but that is cruel, and unworthy of such a serious topic.
It’s like I understand intelectually why she would be very upset, and that this explains and mitigates her behaviour, but I still didn’t like how she acted. I don’t know what exactly makes me uncomfortable either!?!
Did I not read her as a character who would have this reaction, and am therefore thrown off?
Or is it the delicacy of the subject matter that makes it uncomfortable?
Maybe the later, but like in regards to Rowena, or Robert talking about wanting kids, I never get thrown out of the “flow” of the story like Dali did, even if I have “views” that don’t mesh.
Do you know what I mean? My ideology/morals/beliefs may not be the same as a character’s or even a writers, but usually that is no problem, that is what reading is about, right, sampling other people’s world view and trying it on for size…
Ok, that got a bit ramling, but I hope you guys understood what I meant. That I don’t understand why I found Dali annoying. I suppose I hope someone else did too, so I can feel less weird about it…
So Dali and Jim have both changed. In our eyes for the worse. They mention that she’s been under so much stress and she’s no longer like her old self anymore. The stress of being the Beast Lady and not being able to conceive and I’m sure other issues has changed her. Anyone I think can get to a breaking point and I see this as a Bridezilla thing where they just get overwhelmed and isn’t their normal self. I think the stress alone of not being able to conceive when you really want to be pregnant so bad can change someone to be really crazy. She is normally a easily frazzled woman who a lot of times has tunnel vision. I think she’s just doing her tunnel vision thing again and just can’t think straight.
I’m just hoping things look up for her and she can go back to her old self! Jim on the other hand I don’t think it will ever be going back to his old self and relationships. It may seem to be fine on the outside but he cares literally about no one but Dali. With the death of his sister now I think he’s just going to be socially worse and worse and just go through the motions of his friendships. All he has is Dali and would give up anything and everything just for her to be safe.
Curran already can’t trust him fully and it seems that no one else does really that have been through so much with him. I swear that in the beginning Curran would trust his life with Jim but definitely no longer. They don’t outright reject that Jim would betray them and Barbaras and Desandra, Martha etc also can entertain the notion that he would do that. If the question was raised about Derek they would never have even had a second to deliberate it. I feel bad for Jim.
Oh Joanne, it’s like you read my mind!!! (Even if, like Kate, last time you checked, telepathy wasn’t among your talents…?)
I was really really disapointed in Jim after Magic Binds, which says a lot since I was never that fond of him to begin with after how he treated Kate in their “friendship”. For my money Jim was always a bad friend to Kate. I’ve complained about this before, even before Magic Binds, because come on!!! The crap he’s done to her! Poor Kate didn’t have anyone but him for such a long time, and I suppose his brand of “friendship” (always conditional, always last in consequence) was all she felt she deserved, or dared have herself, back when she still followed Voron’s voice in her head about not getting close to people… But really, when he had her beat up, that should have been it! Sure it was awkward because he was Curran’s best friend, but still…
And I agree with how much worse he might get, I think he might even turn out to be a really bad threat eventually, exactly because everyone ones trusted him…
I’m afraid Hugh’s assesment of him is probably the most correct one, Hugh being as close to impartial as one could be I think… (Bear with me on why; Hugh is intelligent, has experience analyzing people, even if it was in order to manipulate them, and he has no personal relationship to the subject. Hugh has furthermore undergone a massive crisis of ideology and faith since doing the information gathering on the subject, so is in a position to look at the data both from Roland’s point of interest and now from the other side so to speak…)
You make so many good points, especially about Jim’s sister’s death… Even if Dali is the only person he really cares about, his mother and sister being loners like most jaguara and therefore not enough of a support system to keep Jim grounded acclrding to Hugh, I think the LOSS of one of them, like his sister, will do a lot of damage! Like Hugh said, hit him right, and he will lose it, which was good for Roland. And Jim unfortunately proved him right.
I always felt Curran and the rest were a liiiitle to easy on Jim. Sure, he needed to retaliate according to shapeshifter rules, but burning down Roland’s tower gave Roland the exuse to attack as early as he did. Roland would have eventually anyway, but Jim gave him the exuse, sacrifised a lot of people doing it, put a lot of innocent civilians in Atlanta in danger by doing so, and forced Kate and Curran’s hand, since they had to respond. That was just so incredibly stupid and egotistical, and Jim used to be smarter than that. It also showed he has no regard for anyone except “his” people (and even some of their lives he was willing to throw away on an attack which was only a score-card for the attempt on Dali. It didn’t really do anything to Roland, acchieved basicly nothing, cost lives and caused massive problems). It feels like we’re seeing Jim do the opposite of what moat other characters are doing, he’s becoming less. Less people matter, less inteligent…
I really like your thoughts on Dali, it helped me see why I feel like I do. I agree with the tunnel vision, and “bridezilla” thing. I think that was the thing for me, it felt so “me me me”, at a time when she should have been focusing on the people she’s supposed to protect surviving… (Like Kate do, accepting her role as “queen” means sacrifices.) I hope you’re right and Dali finds her way back, but maybe she and Jim aren’t that good for eachother… One would hope love makes you better, but I think you are really right, both Jim and Dali have changed to the worse. And that made me think maybe they are dragging eachother down, or inwards, drowning in their relationship. Jim is getting more and more paranoid and focused on Dali to the deriment of all others, anf Dali doesn’t seem to be able to look up and see big pictures anymore, just her own narrow focused interests, like wanting a biological baby, but there were flavours of it in her focus on Yu Fong too I think… Sometimes people get so caught up in their (usually heteronormative) twosomeness they become isolated, and that can be really dangerous ?
I understand my issues with Jim/Dali perfectly. They represent what I’m afraid I would become when faced with a challenge that was so much greater than I had the capacity to deal with. Kate/Curran grew and became more/better but Jim/Dali seem to have flailed crashed and burned.
I’ve been hoping for a Jim and Dali story arc where they figured it out and improved because that’s what I feel like my life resembles. Oopsy, screwed up, but is fixable.
But given Gordon has said Jim is very difficult for him to write I’m trying to resign myself to them turning into antagonists, sigh. It makes me sad.
Jim I think has crossed a line with Curran where they can just never go back but Dali seems definitely fixable. I’m hoping Dali sets Jim straight but Lina is right. From the very beginning Jim has never been written in as really loveable like Curran and Derek. He has social issues but so intellectual and analytical. It’s written that that’s what makes him a better Beast Lord but I’m not so sure. His people don’t have 100% faith in him or his decisions. I’m sure it’s known to those who know his personality that he would sacrifice everything to save Dali (including the Pack) in a heartbeat so not sure how he’s doing as Beast Lord. He’s also super over reactive and ultra paranoid to threats!
One caveat. Curran did not start out as loveable. He was a total dick in the first book. Remember he accused Kate of making up things because she missed the spotlight.
The characters grow and change. It’s one of my favorite things about the AL’s.
Too true, that’s really one of the best things about her characters! I actually can’t remember Curran as not lovable so I’m going to have to re-read it! I loved Connor from the beginning in Hidden Legacy even though he introduced as a jerk too but that may be my biased love for the alpha male character.
Derek is quite another matter though. He became loveable but man he was was a pure dick in the beginning when Kate met at the Keep. Can’t remember how fast he won my heart but their meeting does stand out in my memory.
Joanne, in Bites, when Kate came home from her “fancy” date with Crest, Curran was waiting for her. She was sitting down resting before she could face the stairs to her apartment and he was giving her sh*t about wanting the spotlight and attention and no longer having it. He thought the case was over and she didn’t. He was a real jerk in this scene.
+1 MichelleD
Lina, you are my soul book sister. We need to be friends to share recommendations and thoughts outside of this thread! Maybe start a book club… of two people. 😀
Definently! ?
I actually really liked how protective Dali was of Yu Fong, and the kinship she had with him after they’d met previously. I feel like we’re seeing a lot of Kate’s vision for what’s happening with Dali, but without Dali’s internal version of what’s going on, it’s harder to see.
Roland gave Dali hope that she could have a child, the one thing she desperately wants and can’t have. It was a cruel, false hope. Jim knew it was and that’s why he offered the alliance. She almost certainly understood it to, but… She was hurting badly. And she couldn’t keep it under control. I hurt for her and understood exactly where she was coming from.
Actually I don’t think it’s a false hope. Hugh thinks Dali’s plumbing can be fixed.
I had to put this in a separate post because I loved that little piece so much. The story between the volhvs, Perun and Chernobog with the “lightning” and Chernobog wanting Roman to kill Peruns followers was so great. What Roman has to deal with is crazy and hilarious and I am really hoping for his series to get off the ground. Cursing family members so they can’t pee straight, rivalries between his cousin because of their Pagan God, the enormous snake that won’t stop licking him… I can’t get enough!
Oh yes, poor Roman!!!
And when he described how he always have to go ” maybe only kill five, or three, or maybe none…”
And I LOVED the image of a shape-shifting Aspid following Roman around, licking him ?
hahahahahhahhaha yes!! I laughed so much at those.
Just have to comment on this. Cursing family members so they can’t pee straight? Bwhahahaha!!!!!
Volhv, witches and warlocks family issues! You can’t live with them or without them!! 😀
I thought the peeing thing was in an earlier book? The one where Kate and Curran go to ask Roman to marry them. I could be wrong but I thought Roman’s mother cursed his father because of some sort of family squabble. Every time his father went to pee it’d stream up and over!
Joanne, yes I remember that. I was thinking in this instance, it was a different projectory!!!
The curse that never ends! A new trajectory for each day so you can’t counter it! hhahah, what an evil idea 🙂
Arrggh! I meant trajectory! I was laughing too much to spell correctly!
Did Yu Fong survive? It’s unclear to me.
Same here! I think not. It seems like he took a mortal blow, but at the same time, he wasn’t listed amongst the deceased when Kate was recounting things for the reader at the end. So I dunno.
It seemed like a mortal blow too! I went NOOOOOO! Yu Fong was just getting so good and complex and I can’t wait to learn more about the Sunnani (cant remember the spelling if that’s right)!
Every time he talks about his brothers it just whets my appetite to read more about his life. Feichang anyone?!?! Btw, how long was Yu Fong captured with his organs being harvested? I think I read in MT it was man years? I thought it was a few years but I think I read in the Feichang snippet it was months.
Forgot to add that maybe Hugh got to him fast enough to heal. Really hoping that since he was left out of the major character death count that he’s still alive. He was so crucial in this book and I loved that. I think there’s more of him than Andrea and Derek scenes put together in this book.
Yeah, I too hope for a Hugh-save…
I go back and forth on if I think he survived, first read I thought he died, since Adora stood over him to protect him once he passed out, and Kate sees Adora being burned.
Then I thought, hmm, he wasn’t mentioned, might he survived? Adora burning was a bit later time-wise, could she’s have moved away? Might he even have woken up?
I don’t know, I know I hope he survived, b/c like Joanne said, his story is facinating. And I think it would be cool to read something with him, maybe expanding on chinese magic in the Kate universe.
That was one of the things I found fascinating about Dali’s stories, that we got glimpses into non-european magical traditons. I know I’m high-handedly clumping in the Roland-lived-in-the-middle-east in with europe here, but in my defence, that’s a quite common bias in the western world umfortunately, I mean, when I studied classical archeology we began with the middle east, and continued over to Egypt and Greece to end up with the romans, so I’m just arguing that it is a traditonal eurocentic way to view the world…?
And that’s why I find it so interesting when authors explore non-european myths for magic, especially when they write in a logically sound “science-of-magic” that takes in the existence of different magics or cultursl expressions of magic… So fingers crossed Yu-Fong survived, so we can get more ecxplanations of how his kind of magic fits in with shapeshifting etc (like if his father is a dragon, what species was his mother? Shapeshifer? Human? Can’t be an animal lion can it?)
Oh, and now that I got talking about Dali’s magic, I’m still flumboxed how the white tiger could be hereditary, when magic hasen’t been in the world for long??? I guess I could by her father being turned into one with the first magic, but that’s hardly a long line of hereditary tigers is it? Also I’m a little stuck on how her magic can be divine-based and still produce the shape-shifting lyc-virus that makes her fall into the shapeshifer camp… If it’s divine, why need a virus? Wouldn’t it be more logical she’d be something else with an animal body, like the half dragons or Kitune?
Suanni!
Thank you for all the spoilers, cannot wait to get my hands on this book!!!
How are Kate and Curran as a couple?! Do either of them cross their “line in the sand” for the other?
Curran invents a new line in the sand, and Kate is not happy about it. As a couple, they are strong and united, as much in love and devoted to one another as ever.
Oh yeah…. that line is moved wayyyyyy back. 🙂
Found it early at a local bookstore. (I will still buy the digital copy on the 28th. I say all the time that Ilona Andrews gets ALL my money. I regularly wind up with audio and digital, and this time I’ll have print as well.)
It was great. The Roland resolution was brilliant.
I am too, too through that I do not have the book in my hot little hands. I cannot bear that other people have read it before me! Thank you for the spoilers. I guess.
The weeks and months between books in a series can pass so quickly…until the very *last* week before release. Then it seems time moves sloooooowly.
Thanks everyone for the spoilers!!!!!!!! I *need* these spoilers so desperately. Nobody in Alberta seems to have the book yet, and I’m wishing Dr. Who was real….
I couldn’t agree with you more. Ever since I found out that the book was released a week earlier in Europe, I have been out of my mind. I’m practically living in this thread right now…
+1
Me too 2 & 3!
So pleased with all the spoilers (which are NOT spoilers!). I don’t know what I’d do without this thread until I get my copy!
Only a couple more days now!!! The countdown never stops though. I’m already counting down to Diamond Fire!!! I loooooove the Hidden Legacy books just as much as Kate Daniels. Gasp, do I dare say it? maybe a bit more~
Joanne: I’m with you. I knew Kate would end eventually, and that was sad, but when Burn for Me came out, I immediately thought, OK, this will take over. I love Hidden Legacy, specifically Nevada and Rogan. I know the next three books will feature other characters, I just hope books featuring N&R will reappear. Sigh.
I love love love Nevada and Connor but I am ridiculously excited about Catalina. I think the next three books are about Catalina after the novella (I hope that’s it’s not broken up into a diff main character each time like the Edge). Her one scene during her testing was SO memorable to me that I wanted more of their interaction. We won’t get it in the novella but hoping they turn into another of my all time favorite pairings!
The novella will have Nevada and Connor in it and Nevada has to be somewhat in the next books since they’re siblings!
But I’m in love with the Kinsmen world and the Hidden Legacy world is like a modern day version of it so I really can’t get enough of it!
Evidently the Novella is all from Catalina’s perspective, too. Back in early July, they posted something that said the wedding is the backdrop and not the focus of the novella. In the novella, Catalina is 18, but in the coming trilogy, she will be older.
https://ilona-andrews.com/diamond-fire-clarification/
Yep! Novella is def Catalina. I’m just wondering about the triology. I assume that the trilogy is all Catalina. There was a mention somewhere that gave me a sliver of doubt and it would be like the Edge series where they focus on three diff main characters. Like Catalina would be #1 Bern # 2 etc. But I’m thinking and hoping it’s Catalina for the whole trilogy.
It’s all Catalina according to their blog post. Or at least, that was my take.
Can it still be called a trilogy with the main character being different in the other two books? Because boy do I sound silly if that’s not even a possibility.
I was looking for what caused my doubt. I think it was this: “Three more novels in Ilona Andrews‘ Hidden Legacy series, focusing on the emerging powers and personalities of previously-introduced House Baylor family members,” so thought maybe it would focus on all of them equally before I realized it was Catalina. Good news! I’m wrong!
I too love Hidden Legacy, and am soooo looking forward to the novella and Catalina’s trilogy. But I was a little sad it wouldn’t be a book each too, because Bern deserves a little fun adventure! And the two youngest might just blow up the world if left to their own devices, so they could need some yang to their ying ?
Let’s not forget Innkeeper. All awesome, and the current one may be my favorite of the series.
I haven’t had a chance to read the book yet but, have read some of the spoilers. Has anyone thought about what Erra said in magic binds about Julie’s people? Horses, wolves and birds of prey are their things.
They don’t go into it in this book but I’m sure they will the Julie books! They said that her people were pretty much all wiped off the planet by Roland so she must descend from something very special. Some sort of natural kinship perhaps? We haven’t yet read of any other natural human m scanner so maybe in her adventures she’ll run across another one of her kind.
I don’t think they were wiped out by Roland? I think they fought against Shinar… in Roland’s grandfather’s time, maybe? But Erra said that Roland had always been fascinated/”wanted one” and tried to negotiate a marriage between Julie’s people, the Koorghan (spelling? sorry!), and his family. They declined this kind offer due to both his reputation and the fear that their sensate magic could be diluted by Roland’s blood, something they found horrifying (i.e., the children of such a union being potentially “blind” to magic).
Erra also explained that when the first Shift occurred, the Koorghan suicided en masse as they lost their ability to see magic during the waves of tech. Erra calls Julie a “throwback” to the pure Koorghan, given her pale hair and complexion, I think, and asks about her affinity to birds and wolves (these are Julie’s “things” and they just “make sense” to her).
I agree that Julie’s sensate gift seems very rare in Kate’s time, especially given Luther’s reaction that Kate “had a sensate” and hadn’t share that info with him.
My memory is pretty faulty! Oddly I remembered Erra saying Roland wiped them out because he feared them but I think that was something else completely as you’re right on all counts!!
Roland didn’t wipe them out. They didn’t survive the shift to magic. “When it was clear that magic would vanish from the world, her people killed themselves by the hundreds because they were going magic-blind.” (Erra, Magic Binds…around page 240)
Erra also said, “Binding a child of the Koorgahn. A dangerous game you’re playing, squirrel.”
But she doesn’t elaborate WHY it’s “dangerous” to bind Julie. Maybe we’ll find out if IA write some Julie & Erra Go Adventuring books. (Which I hope they do!)
Nothing related to Julie’s background/ancestry is explored in Magic Triumphs. But Kate DOES cross a big line with her. Dun-dun-DUNNNNNN!
Ohhh Nifty you must tell now!!! We want spoilers not cliffhangers!!! 🙂 I always assumed that Kate would slip up and give Julie an order of some kind!!!
Your assumption is almost correct! The issue is I wouldn’t agree with the slip up part 🙂
A favorite part of the story: Roman’s reaction when he finds out what Kate is planning.
———————-
Roman thrust himself in front of me. “You’re planning to ________________.”
Crap. Me and my big mouth. “No.”
“Explain.”
{Kate provides an explanation.}
Roman shook his staff at me. “I repeat, this is a stupid plan!” The raven at the top of the staff opened its wooden beak and screeched at me.
“This is idiotic. {Spoilery text I’m omitting.} I forbid it!” –> Roman says this
“Okay, Your Holiness.” –> Kate says this
{More omitted text.}
Roman again: “No. I won’t stand for it.”
I reached out and patted his arm. “Thank you for being my friend.”
{More omitted text.}
“Kate,” he called.
I turned around.
“You’re my friend. I don’t have a lot of friends because of what I do. {omitted text} There has to be another way, you hear me? Find another way.”
Kate: “I’ll try.”
———————
One of my favorite things about this series is the friendships among the characters. And Roman is such a doll.
this is the spoiler thread. I am confused as to why people are not spoiling like the one above. At least I am assuming the omitted text is spoiler stuff. perhaps I am wrong?
I am here because I love being spoiled! 🙂
Spoil please, tell how Roland situation gets resolved.
This thread is both a blessing and a curse. I’m on pins and needles waiting for the release date, and the spoilers are giving me life. Yet at the same time I’m so green with envy at everyone who has read it already, you can call me the Hulk. I would pay double, triple, quadruple, whatever the amount if it means I could read a copy of Magic Triumphs today I’m so desperate. I need this in my life NOW.
Any word of Doolittle? Luther?
Doolittle is in it, and so is Luther. Doolittle’s role is not really significant. Luther’s is a bit more significant. The whole Luther scene was great. (Luther’s a gas. Would like to see more of him, if they continue to write books about the Atlanta set.)
Thank you. I always want more Doolittle, but, if I know he lives, that will be enough.
Ahhh, Luther. Love him. I love how he rags at Kate. Thought it was funny, sweet, and hopefully significant that he was at the wedding. I too hope he will have a future in the Kate Universe.
—————-
He stepped over the magic boundary and froze, his gaze fixed on Conlan. A moment passed. Luther sputtered and pointed.
“Yes, it’s a human infant,” I told him.
“Give!”
“I’ll let you hold him if you swear by Merlin’s beard.” Because it would be funny.
—————-
😀
————–
“You’re slipping, Luther”
“I’m not slipping. He is emitting all sorts of magic, and I don’t sniff or lick other people’s children, even to diagnose their magic. That would be creepy.”
—————
Thank you Nifty! Now I can sleep through the night.
Luther and his co-workers are hilarious to read about every time. I agree! More Luther!
More Biohazard and Luther for the people! They all seem very, erhhm, “quirky”…. ?
Like remember how they reacted to the cure to ghoulism? “Of corse it’s unerthical to go around turning ghouls into ifrits. Of course we’ll do it!” ?
I LOVED the book, particularly that it felt like a proper farewell tour. We got to check in on all the main characters and witness a really fitting resolution to the Roland problem.
The only slightly sour note for me was Dali’s trajectory. I totally get that Jim’s influence/ Beast Lady role/ her desire for a child would have had an impact after two plus years. Yet I grieved the fact that she seems to have lost her endearing and kind Dali-ness. And also that we barely got to see Jim at all, or them interact with each other. I know that Jim has been showing who he really is for a while now. But I cant help but be fond of him. I am sad for him that his actions and behaviour created doubts about his allegiances and motivations.
That being said I completely understand and respect the direction and rationale for why Ilona and Gordon have taken Jim and Dali down this path, and at the end of the day it is the Kate Daniels series not the Dali series.
I just re-read the Jim and Dali stories.. It seems at the end of any series I read many of the supporting characters I really enjoy are sacrificed in some way or other. I expected this outcome but don’t have to like it..?
In fact since the lines in Magic Binds, “But I knew Curran better than Jim did. Curran would never forget this.” The writing was on the wall.. Watching it has been sad and painful??
Totally, Jim might think they were cool again, but he really betrayed his so-called best friend there, and I think Kate is right that Curran won’t forget…
I’ve thought too much on this Jim buisness (as proved by my previous posts, sorry guys), but I think it’s both because I think his behaviour as a “friend” is so subtly damaging, and because it is very relateble, maybe because we all (I think, unfortunately) can relate to being let down by a friend we expected better from. More loyalty. Mord mora, fiber, you know what I mean right?
At first I couldn’t believe Curran stayed friends, pretended like it was ok. And I guess it could reflect badly on Curran (equally manipulative, not “breaking up” but saying they were cool), but after much reflection I think Curran too falls victim to something similar to Kate’s low expectatione of her right to be treeted well ?
I’ve wondered how Jim become Curran’s best friend in the first place? Jim probably had or has good qualities, and he’s stong, so he is someone Curran could treat as an equal and be more himself with (Curran as Beast Lord must be even worse than how Kate felt like everyone except Curran only wanted or saw In-Shinar).
Kate thinks Curran has a need to be loved or liked, which is unlike Jim who only wants Dali’s love, and in that way I think Curran and Kate again are alike, they were deprived as children and have psycological damage because of it, so they accept certain behaviours and breaches of trust that maybe they wouldn’t if they had a more secure emotional base (arguably Curran at least had that unconditional/healthy love his first years which Kate never had…)
It’s sad to think, but maybe Curran felt he would rather keep what he could of his friendship with Jim, who might have been the only one except Kate he felt he could not be JUST or MOSTLY the Beast Lord with, than lose all the history and that type of equality… There are so many varied reasons (most of us can relate right?) to staying in a relationship (friend or lover) too long, because you don’t want to give up too soon, or on that person. So I think I can relate to Curran when I think about it that way…
Lina, I agree with all of your points about Jim. He was never, not ever, a good friend to Kate. He has absolutely no problem turning his back on her and she was always last on his list from the beginning. He might have a smidgen of respect for her power and skills, but not for her at all. He can’t even use the excuse of her not being a shapeshifter, because many of the other shapeshifters are supportive of her (e.g., Desandra, who only met Kate few years earlier). I’m glad that he wasn’t present in this final Kate novel (his name is mentioned a few times, but that’s it).
6 copies of Magic Triumphs currently available instore in London – Waterstones Piccadilly. The perfect Bank Holiday weekend read!
Conlan stole my heart, and many of my bookmarked pages are Conlan related, like this one, when Robert sees him in lion cub form:
Robert’s jaw hung open. He actually did a double take. I didn’t blame him. Conlan made an adorable cub. […]
“Congratulations,” Robert finally managed.
“Thank you,” Curran said, his face nonchalant, as if nothing notable were happening.
My son shrugged the shreds of his clothes off himself and showed Robert his lion fangs. “Rawrrawrrr!”
“Is he challenging me?” Robert’s eyes sparkled.
I put my hand over my face.
“Rawrwrwa!”
“That’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Conlan,” Curran said, putting some growl into his voice. “Come here.”
“Rawr.”
🙂
Adorable. I can’t wait to read this part!
Why do I not live in London?! Time to move! 🙂
Loved that Conlan snippet! Thank you! When does he first transform, does something trigger it? Any funny Desandra moments?
When the story starts he hasn’t shifted at all and they’re wondering if and when he will and YES there is a trigger! Kate gets a delivery and the box “smells wrong” (Andrea’s words: “I can’t explain it. Bad like something really big that could eat you. Like something you should get away from.”)
Are there any cute Curran and Conlan moments?
There are, but Conlan doesn’t talk. He says “Mama” and “Gama” and “Dada” and “Baddadada” and stuff like that. Curran and Conlan interact, of course. Where Kate is sometimes the worrywart mom, Curran is the supremely unworried dad, especially after Conlan shifts (which I think has been disclosed in this thread). But Conlan, who is a blend of BOTH his parents, has skills and powers that are unexpected. He’s precocious. And Kate and Curran don’t really know what he can do, or will do. His abilities are unexpected and there’s never been another child with his combination of parental magics, so…who knows. Maybe we’ll see more of him if IA write more books in the Kateverse, but focused on other characters.
Is it made known if Conlan is a First? Can he be since Kate isn’t?
It’s not that. Erra talks about the “Wild” inside Conlan, although it’s never really explained what that means. But Conlan definitely isn’t a normal shapeshifter.
I think it is implied that he is a First because he can shift as he wants and he can even hold a warrior form. He can even use his blood to make blood claws!
The blood claws part was Epic! A proper fist pumping moment.
And Christopher refers to Conlan as a First when he described why they should consider why Jim might betay them (becauss he,
Christopher, thinks Jim views Conlan as a possible threat):
“If Conlan is allowed to grow up he will be the son of the first Beast Lord, the man who created the pack, the man who knew no equal while he ruled. He will have the physical power and enhanced shapeshifting of a First. He will be a natural leader. If you see a weed in your garden, would you pull it out now, while it is small and weak, or would you wait untill it grows?”
death sentence for jim if he trys it
It also assumes that Jim wants to stay Beast Lord forever. When he first took it on, Curran says ‘you could quit’ and Jim says ‘they’ll just screw it up’. That’s not a man of endless ambition who would harm a child to stay in power. Christopher was that kind of man when he was Legatus. That’s why he put that interpretation on it, but I honestly can’t believe that of Jim.
That’s a good point Sylvia, would Jim really want to stay Beast Lord forever? ?
But in Christopher’s defense, I think he was playing devil’s advocate, exactly because thinking like thst was the kind of man he ones was, so he knows how to do it…
Hopefully Jim would never sink that low and become that cold-hearted. But it does not bode well for him that his friends have to consider what kind of betrayals he could be contemplating, and plan in order to neutralize that threat… ?
You know in book six when we meet the mountain man the “Shepard” and he gives Kate some advice about coming to the mountain with no sword and he will welcome her with open hands? Does he play a role in this book? Do we find out what he meant?
Yes! This part about the Shepherd in the mountains who destroyed Hugh’s castle… It seemed to me then that it’s a doorway/glimpse into a future (related?) storyline.
I would love to read more about his contribution in the future books.
So, if there’s anyone else in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada area who loves these books, just letting you know that a few Chapters stores in Edmonton area has Magic Triumphs. More specifically, the West Edmonton Mall Chapters has 8 copies.
I bought mine, gulped it down, and am now rereading it.
Just one thought for future possibilities in this world: the EPILOGUE. Holy crap, there was a lot to unpack in the epilogue. Oh, the possibilities. I would *love* to see a scene where Hugh, Erra, and Julie meet with Semiramis.
Other than that, I don’t have any new insights or thoughts about the book or series; I’m still processing after my greedy first read. I will slow down and savour on the reread.
Just 2 more days until official release day!!!!!!!
This is probably very trivial but I’m a details person and so I’m wondering about the color of Curran’s animal form or was that a typo? For some reason, I always thought that he is gray but in this book he is black. Is the colour change tied to his new ‘status’? When Conlan first changed, I was surprised by his color because for some unexplainable reason I just thought he would be gray like Curran, assuming that I didn’t remember wrongly that Curran’s animal form started out as gray. But Conlan’s animal’s color makes sense if his dad’s animal is black. And if for some reason Curran’s animal form underwent a color change because of his shift in status, does it mean that Conlan would inherit some erm special traits on top of what he would normally get from Curran’s First genes and Kate’s magic genes? Any thoughts?
I don’t have the book yet, but, Curran was definitely gray. It was mentioned many times throughout the series. Another item to discover and digest!
He’s not necessarily gray all the time in this book.
The black coloring threw me off. Throughout the series, Curran has been gray with darker gray stripes (if I recall correctly). Conlan’s coloring may fade. It may be especially dark because he’s young, and lighten up as he grows.
So, not a spoiler, but in an effort to not nash my teeth I went back and read KD #9. when talking to the witch oracle about how to move Erra and her Grandmother one of the witches talks about asking “the abomination” just now, after the release of Iron Covenant, realize their talking about Hugh’s bride!! I hope this comes up in a future book!
I am now convinced that all of you are laying false spoilers. Yep. I am pretty sure I am going to be devastated by the end of this book. All I can say is Curran, Kate and Conlan better be alive or I am going to need therapy.
Most of them are alive. ?
Now that the many threads up there has dealt with the bigger happenings and spoilers, I thought I’d start one on a small topic in the book, the Order ☺
I was delighted that they had started getting their comupponses (spelling?), and been thrown out of “official” law enforcment circles most everywhere, but Joanne and others brought up a good point: what about Nick!!!
Most of us like Nick right? I got a bit fed up with his bitterness last book but he won me back by being adorable with Conlan. Even his bitching about proof didn’t put me too off him. And his troubld with the Order managment was a good development for him I think.
So do we think the order is salvageble? Headed for total implosion and extinction, or likely to die out while a few worthy sould make it out?
It was too fundamentalist even back in Gregs times, and throwing out Andrea showed their colour. And then the non-magic terrorists cell in its midst, and now those murders…. But Andrea wanted to change it because there were good people there too. And both Nick and Maxine would be wiped out if their ideology was no-magic-users like the light-keepers wanted, so presumably the Order’s flavour of human still allows for magical humans?
I don’t know, I want Nick to survive and be a grouchy side character for a long time, but I question how long he can viably be a knight and still on the side of good? Maybe a supporting story-line could let us see him break away from the Order and start a found a splinter group. Now that I think about it that could be really good, and gloriously funny if IA got in some jokes for those of us having experience from politics with splinter groups (VERY common in leftist-movements, especially in the 70’s, my parents tell me… My family loves that scene in “Life of Brian” when they sit on the steps and try to remember all the different guerills splinter groups, and their various and similar names, and screaming “splitter” ?). Although I suppuse knights would try to ACTUALLY splitter splitters… ? Oh, I just realised those of you in two-party-systems probably don’t see that much splintering? But you’ve seen Life of Brian right? ☺
So I hope I get to hear some thoughts on the Order from all you thoughtful and smart people ?
Yes, some of us have seen Life Of Brian, and we remember the history and sociology upon which that scene was based, which still haunt the world and probably always will. Currently they are common in right wing groups, but the left is doing its level best to catch up.
I’m thinking the Order is due for something along the lines of a Reformation. Greg can be Martin Luther.
As I was finishing the book today, we’re in the final battle, and everything is terrible and awful and people have already died and it seems like the worst has happened…
And then Curran becomes Aslan and I laughed out loud.
I don’t know that that’s how they *meant* it, but it broke the tension for me by both humor and sheer awesomeness, and I love the AL. 🙂
I thought that too!! It litterally went “an there’s Aslan…” LOL!
YAY! I’m so glad it wasn’t just me!
I literary shout “Aslan!” at this point
Rwaarrr!!!! Me too!! :-))))
Loved it . Every damn page of it.
The complete under stated thing between Julie & Derek? What….
And how she tied in so many fringe but interesting characters? Yu, Nick (and managed to make him likeable ) Hugh pulling out all the stops? So. Damn. Good.
Erra being lose in the world again? What a perfect set up. Ahhhhhhhh.
I know right?
I can’t want for the next Hugh book now.
I am dying to know how Julie and Hugh met and how that went down. I am sure there was lots of screaming and dramatic declarations. Maybe hugs and punches too.
When they both claimed one another? (Kate & Hugh) owning and understanding that they are siblings…. so excited to see where this goes….. because we ARE getting at LEAST 2 more Hugh books….
in the epilogue who are Erra and Julie talking about – first i thought it was Conlan but then i thought it must be Hugh?
Pretty sure they were talking about Hugh. 🙂
+1
+1 too (after I thought about it for a while)
If your read I&M, Hugh is surprised to learn he can still make blood weapons after being cut off from Roland. His being a sibling/cousin of some sort would explain why.
I was worried about Dali for nothing. I read the spoilers and thought she betrayed Kate in some way or something. Spoiler Alert: She didn’t. She took the box but didn’t do anything about it until she was sure. Plus she was still good friends with Kate… I honestly don’t see her as being a future problem for Kate and her family. Nor Jim, despite how I think he’s been such a bad friend to Kate and think that all the suspicion was warranted.
Dali’s attitude over Yu Fong is reciprocated? They’re two of the Four Symbols, and that counts for a lot. He stared at her in a way that made Jim possessive. Others just can’t understand that bond, I assumed.
I’m more disappointed in Julie, really. Ascanio I understood, after he explained himself in I&M. But I never saw anything about Julie not liking Hugh for everything he did to Kate? Like, I understand that she felt kinship with him because of their similar circumstances, but I never read anything about her disapproving of any of his actions? He kidnapped Kate and starved her nearly to death, he’s fought Curran with intent to kill a few times, Mauro, etc… Like she never made one comment about those things? In Magic Shifts she namedrop’s Hugh to be allowed to go to Applebee’s, in Magic Stars she’s sympathetic about his purging and it’s like she didn’t even carry a single grudge for a single second about what he did to Kate?
I still LOVE Julie, that’s why I’m disappointed at her just leaving a letter and taking off. Kate would take it hard either way, but she could’ve softened the blow with just talking it out maybe. Sigh.
My favorite parts were Kate’s scenes with the Holy Trinity. I REAAAAAAAAALLY enjoyed it when she finally let her shields go and slaughtered the Sahanu with the Order watching. I kept re-reading that part.
All the Conlan scenes were such a delight to read.
Another favorite were Luthor’s scenes.
And Roland’s Rush Hour moment. I read “DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE WORDS I UTTER?” in Chris Rock’s voice.
I really loved Ghastek’s protectiveness and bodyguarding for Kate and The Heir, too. I enjoyed every single scene with the People.
Oh! And Sunshine Realty was hilarious as well.
I really want to read about Erra and Julie’s adventures. I’d love to find out how they get Semiramis out of Mishmar and bury her in a better place. And like, maybe Kate could eventually read that entire library.
The ending was very satisfying despite all the loose ends. The loose ends made me hunger for more from the Kateverse though.
Anyway, my thoughts are so disjointed and I wanna end this here so I can re-read it again. lol.
I must have missed where Dali and Yu Fong met. Was that a novella?
I think it was a short story in the Hexed anthology. It was when Dali saved Jim from the spider lady. Jim did not like the way Yu kept looking at Dali.
Thank you! I just checked out the e-book from the library.
I just finished the book, and God, I LOVED IT!!! there is just one thing: when Dali first met Hugh and Elara, Hugh talked about a deal about eating a chicken. Does anyone know what that’s about?
No idea. I think it’s something we’ll found out in the next Hugh book.
I certainly hope so.
Elara is vegetarian and Hugh loves eating meat! Think he is trying to convert her… ?
Dali is a vegetarian too!
No clue, but it being Hugh, you can bet my mind went there… until I read that it was a chicken!
Isn’t it about that thing where he jaw unlatched and her moth gets larger when she’s eating souls? Maybe she can do it on command and refused to let Hugh see, and he’s being annoying and made her promise?
That’s what I thought at first too, but then he said that she can eat it slowly throughout the day and now I’m not so sure. Maybe she’s just vegetarian, like M said. But then why a chicken, specifically, and not meat in general? This is driving me crazy, lol!
I think she doesn’t feed the predator inside of her. She starves it, afraid of it. I think thw chicken eating is Hugh’s way of taking care of her,
Or it could have been something that happens in their next 2 books and it’s an ongoing joke between them. I love Elara and Hugh so i am super excited for their next books!
Does it say some where in their book that she doesn’t eat enough so I think it might be him looking after her
My favorite part was them sitting in Kate’s driveway having an argument in the car.
I would love to know how the Julie & Derek storyline will end…
I think Julie leaving is how Derek and Julie will happen. She’ll come back years later and he’ll be hurt and pissed she left and they’ll need to re-build thier relationship and it’ll be more than they were.
+1
I can totally see a spin off couple of books on Julie and her adventures with Erra and Derek isn’t gonna just let her disappearing act ride right??
I know right! Having Julie leave with Erra has to jump start Derek to do somthing. I keep thinking about the proposal between B&C… I don’t expect that Julie leaving will make Derek ask for marriage like the other similar proposal in the fight but at least a reaction to her being gone. I mean it seems like Derek knows he likes her but just doesn’t act on it. A spin off Julie and what happens to her would be great! It can have Erra teach her more magic learn more of Julie ‘s people have a fun time seeing some love interest come up like Yu, Ascanio, and Derek(team Derek all the way!!) * A novella about B&C would also be welcome. ??
Julie’s still awfully young, at least in years. A proposal doesn’t seem appropriate.
Wow, just wow… I’ve read it as soon as I got my hands on it.. Literally just stayed up until 3am to read this. I bloody love it!!!!
I was extremely disappointed with Julie and her decision to leave. Completely agree with Kit in regards to Julie, I feel she was a bit immature with her attitude, but then she is a teenage girl so it makes sense in a way.
Also, I have to say, I was really annoyed that no-one had told Kate about Hugh, not one person.. And then Kate shrugged it off so easily. too easily in my opinion. I would have felt extremely betrayed, and I’m not sure I would have been so quick to forgive.
This book is a roller coaster of emotions, and One minute your laughing at Conlan’s antics and the next your tense because a huge fight is happening. Then there’s the banter, which I absolutely love. It’s brilliant how the story flows and completely conveys how Kate is feeling overwhelmed at the moment.
I can’t even begin to describe how amazing this is… And how perfect the whole series has been. I am definitely intrigued for more.
Kate talks about Hugh when visiting her father in Magic Binds, and explains Hugh’s relationship with Roland in Magic Shifts which did make I&M easier to believe. I think she is quick to forgive unlike her father or Erra because of her upbringing.
Read it. Loved it. Thank you.
Hmmm…. part of the final battle scene triggered a memory for me. Yup: having checked, p.300 of Magic Rises where Suliko shows ‘a’ future for Kate fighting with Hugh, and, p.312 of the Kindle version of Magic Triumphs.
Just one of the many lose ends that the authorlords deftly wrapped up in this book.
Yep. Dead on direct quote from magic slays. So many little moments from the whole series that were brought back. Simply awesome.
I had that same thought, that them fighting back to back is what was shown in the vision in Hugh’s castle.
Also the vision of Kate’s dad holding her kid. There was a vision about that too.
I remember that, but wasn’t that image of Roland holding Conlon in the context of him taking Conlon from Kate & Curran?
yes!!! They stood back to back, and there was an army of shapeshifters around them- i loved that!!!!
I read it and went “hang on” reread it, “yay”!
I noticed that too! These little series Easter eggs are awesome.
Absolutely LOVED it. I just couldn’t wait the extra hours for the US version so I switched my kindle address to the UK temporarily to get it when it hit 12AM in the UK. WORTH IT.
Had a hunch Hugh would be part of the Blood since the blood wards of I&M, and look, we’re right 🙂
Honestly, I can see how Kate/Curran, etc would have a hard time forgiving Hugh… but Christopher’s explanation did resonate with me…. Christopher chose to be that person and they all forgave him. Hugh committed the same crimes while being brainwashed as a child, how is that any worse? Just because he committed the crimes towards Kate et. al, its hypocritical imo to be okay with Christopher and not Hugh.
I’m a little bit confused honestly with the whole resurrection/loss of Curran’s godhood (since when is loss of godhood a thing here lol) and everything tied up in such a big nice red bow…. but it’s also the last book and I just want everyone to be happy, and so in a sense I could care less. And to be fair, things are always whacked up in the KD Universe.
And I am also definitely waiting to see what happens with the whole Julie/Derek thing…. and I would totally read a Julie bildungsroman with Erra…. that sounds right up my alley and I honestly am sooo hoping that it will become a thing. I would settle for even novellas!
And again Julie/Derek….I’m waiting for my ship to sail, please Authorlords 🙂
LOL. ? That’s brilliant! I did not think to change my kindle address to the UK. Will have to remember that for next time. ?.
The book was amazing! ? I’m looking forward to future Erra and Julie stories and can’t wait for Hugh’s books.
As for the losing his godhood, for me that made sense. Curran had taken in the essence of various Gods, but the ‘godhood’ hadn’t anchored in him yet as he wasn’t being actively worshiped. So when he resurrected Kate and Erra, it made sense to me that the godhood essence was discharged because it had not yet anchored in his body.
What’s puzzling me is the acronym GBI. For the life of me I can’t remember what it stands for. ? Could someone enlighten me?
Georgia Bureau of Investigations. I think.
It’s Georgia Bureau of Investigation. 🙂
Basically the Georgia state version of the FBI.
I personally think Julie and Luther would be great together. (Please forgive the heresy!)
Also, it is strongly implied that Derek is happier since he left the pack. That makes me glad. The Mom in me still wants to send him to college part time 🙂
Char, I see what you see. If Luther was younger I think they would make a really interesting and fun couple, but he’s just too old.
WHY DONT I HAVE A COPY YET????? I’m going nuts here. Why didn’t I move to the UK last week? AAARRRGGGHHHB!!!!!
I’m in the UK and my kindle edition was delivered on the 27th. I’ve no idea how people got it early unless it was physical copies?
So I’m in Japan and I have to wait until the 28th in the states. It’s 0200 US time and kindly won’t give me my book!!
It is the 28th of Augustand still my Audible have NOT downloaded ?????
Loved it! Great ending to Kate’s story!
Just one thing…who was Julie talking about in the last sentences of the epilogue?
I thought she was talking about Conlan meeting his grandmother but then Erra said his wife would get mad. Did I miss something while reading so fast?
Hugh Julie was talking about Hugh
Huh…..makes sense.
Hugh is part of the family now.Thanks for clearing that up.
Hugh is like Kate’s brother because not only did they get raised by Voron they have the same blood too thanks to Roland. Also in part of Kate’s life she was raised by Greg who is Nicks dad so they are also some what brother and sister. So Hugh is her half brother and Nick is her… Step brother??? I wonder if Conlan would call them uncle when he grows up a bit more??? The world my never now…??
I’m starting to think (after rereading magic triumphs and then rereading iron and magic… Again) that we’re going to find out in one of Hugh’s books that they’re blood relatives. Hugh can still use blood magic even after his Purge. Roland was shocked but elara showed up before he said anything about it.
In one of the Kate books (not sure which I read them all over the last few days) Roland mentions that Hugh would keep his blood powers even though purged because the only way to remove them is to kill Hugh.
Magic Binds, chapter two 🙂
Tania, there has to be a marriage for there to be “step” family members. There is no parent connection between Greg and Kate. He was her guardian after Voron died.
Whoa #1 Books Action Adventure Romance #1 Kindle ebook #1 Kindle ebook.
That’s fantastic!
This was the bestest birthday present ever
Happy Birthday! ?
Wow
Just wow… What a finish
Most of the book was absolutely delightful. That said, the end included a bit too much power creep. Kate becomes a near-god who can murder an entire building full of elite assassins without blinking, Curran becomes an actual god, and so on. I preferred the “merc with a big mouth” kate to the “heir to roland’s power” kate.
Also, everything got tied off a bit too cleanly. Kate kills herself, but she gets better and dying gets rid of all of the land claiming stuff. Curran becomes a god, but he blows all of his power to save kate and becomes a “normal” person again. All of the lingering issues? Yeah, no, they’re fine, everyone’s going to get their happily ever after.
Don’t get me wrong — I enjoyed the book, and I’m certainly looking forward to more hugh books (and more erra/julie/derek? books if or when they come out). However, I think magic triumphs is probably my least favorite of the series. That’s still very good, obviously, but …
I think Kate would agree with your preference >.< But I think the fact Erra had been teaching Kate how to use her bloodline powers was the key to the sahanu fight. These were all things she'd done before: blood ward, power words, blood armor, Kate's increased strength/skill when she's really pissed off; this was just a polished/practiced Kate. Erra did say that Kate is one of Roland's most powerful children. In the earlier books, Kate had purposefully ignored her magic, in part because she was hiding, part in denial. In Triumphs, she had nothing to hide.
I think the Curran God thing could go either way–in part, I think the authors had to finish the story and get to the HEA. I read the resolution as Curran losing his godhood because it was already tenuous, and he depleted his divinity in one big miracle. But books and the reading experience are purely subjective, so I don't wish to invalidate your feelings! Please don't take my viewpoint as argumentative, I think I'm dealing with the book-high/series-drop dichotomy by cruising through this thread 🙂
Also, they are after her KID. There’s something to be said for taking a level of Mama Bear (combined with all the power-ups you already mentioned).
Alana that is exactly what I was going to say! Kate went apeshit because the Shanu threatened her child! Nothing stops a mother from protecting her child!!
I agree with you! I am not disappointed per se, but it is definitely not the best book in the series. It started slow and clipped at the onset, then picked up pace to the what was too close to a “Deus e Machina” ending.
I am glad they ended the series and all heroes came safely back to harbor. It is what they do so well and makes reading their books so satisfying. I am thrilled that they left enough open at the end so we can continue to read stories from the “Kateverse” one could say this is the end of and era and the beginning of Erra.
Same not my favorite. I thought the book was a bit too much all over the place and trying to cram in too many cameos by all the characters in the series. Saiman dies “offscreen” which I thought was disappointing (though I’ve seen comments theorizing he might be resurrected). I haven’t read Hugh’s book yet (I’ll get around to it but I’m also not dying to read it) but the fact that everyone just seems A-OK with his sudden reappearance when he almost killed Kate just a few books ago doesn’t ring true to me despite his broken blood bond with Roland. A lot of the characters just seemed inconsistent from their usual portrayal. I always thought that Roland and Kate’s love/hate relationship was a bit weak–it’s hard for me to describe, I know ambiguous is hard to write, it’s hard for me to pinpoint.
I also never really cared for Julie as a character–I know people might throw tomatoes at me but I always just found her annoying. I’m more interested in what Erra does now that she’s back and how she’ll mentor Julie than I am invested in Julie’s personal story. Also Kate and Curran keeping secrets from each other–it’s been done before and I was weary from seeing it return.
Overall it was okay. I will have to go back and reread the series as some of my favorite books are earlier on. One of the book’s strong points for me was Kate as a new mom and Curran as a father and Conlan’s presence which I enjoyed. Also Kate dealing with her kid being this new magical creature, a meld of her and Curran and her son’s emerging powers and wanting to protect him at all costs. Kind of reminded me of Charmed when Piper got pregnant with Wyatt, her first kid. I also thought the villain this time around was very interesting and I thought the way they resolved Roland being a menace in Kate’s life a satisfying conclusion. Kate was always going to try to sacrifice herself to get her dad away from the people she loved. Curran as a god storyline–not sure what to make of that to be honest. Happy Kate and Curran got their HEA.
So the book wasn’t exactly a triumph for me like the title implied but I think this was always going to be a tough book to write. I’ll keep reading anything IO writes. 🙂
I see your point about the power creep, but I have to say I’ve been waiting for a scene like the one with the 14 Sahanu for a long time! It’s always irritated me that Kate didn’t seem interested in exercising and practicing her powers. She’s always had a ton of power, but she just avoided it. Even Julie had an easier time using a power word than Kate (Magic Stars). I was going to be so mad if she hadn’t taken the opportunity to learn as much as possible from Erra.
Read it. Loved it. Thank you!
Authorlords have long said they believe in the HEA [Happy Ever After]: I didn’t know how they’d manage it, but I trusted… booyah! I was sad about those who were lost, but blown away by all the wonderful. I’m so glad there will be more Hugh books. I’m far too curious about the chicken… and I would be much more sad about this series ending otherwise!
My favorite bits:
~the quiet scene between Derek & Kate, where he says he’ll always have her back, so lovely.
~Luther marveling at Conlan, and “Not in my house!”
~Rowena & Conlan playing “uh-oh” while Ghastek chews out a subordinate.
~Hugh dramatically busting in on a Conclave meeting, Take 2.
~Barabas & Christopher, any/all. I’m so happy for the pointy-sharp mongoose!
~Daddy killed him dead, all dead!
I have to stop here or I’ll end up just listing out the scenes:)
I just hugged my kindle and am now basking in the bittersweet afterglow of finishing this amazing series. The resolution was pretty much perfect: seeing all the different factions came together to fight with Kate to save Atlanta; her embracing her powers and her responsibilities; outwitting her father…and being allowed her HEA. I was really worried with the introduction of Curran-as-a-God storyline that the book would end on a bittersweet note – her always waiting for him to vanish during the tech, and lose his humanity. But it all worked out and they’re free with all the time in the world to make a whole bunch more amazing, powerful adorable babies.
I love Julie, and her relationship with Kate, and while I’m glad she doesn’t appear to harbour any resentment towards her, I wish she was able to say that in person to Kate, rather than leaving a note. I would love to see more of Erra and Julie (and get some answers about Julie and Derek….), and of course follow up on Hugh. I don’t know how they do it, but Ilona Andrews manages to make you care and love EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER. (even the ones who used to be evil bastards)
I LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH!!!
Julie is a pretty typical 18-19 year old. To young to understand Kate could never allow ANY of her kids to die if she could stop it, no matter the consequences. And wise enough to understand her Mom’s suffering, be uncomfortable with the mom-guilt/suffering and still use it.
She will grow into a great adult with caring and compassion. These events will form that.
Love the book. Gosh I hope the Author Lords get many many professional accolades- – – and that they laugh all the way to the bank:)
A very satisfying finish to my favourite series 🙂
Hahaha, love your take on that scene! Right on key. 🙂
Had to stop reading and write. They are such parents. You can not always get a sitter but they don’t let it stop them. Conlan is so cute. Love the book so far.
I am so loving your filthy filthy mind. Just saying is all.
I’m wondering: now that Kate is no longer In-Shinar, will she still be able to grant Ghastek immortality? That was the deal, right? That seems like the only loose thread from Kate’s story that doesn’t get resolved.
I am also still puzzling over that part, and also about how Conlan and Hugh seem to be able to manipulate the blood without adding vampire blood…
Kate can manipulate small amounts of her blood without vampire blood, too–she made her blood into spikes when the sahanu in Mishmar tried to lick her blood in Magic Binds. I think it’s just the larger things (blood armor requires more blood than you’d want to bleed out, right?) that need the undead blood in the mix.
I think so. Remember she held on to Ghastek in Mismar and Derek when they were dying. He might no longer be her legtas tho.
I think most of Kate’s powers are tied to her blood, but the Shiner came with the claiming. When she died to save the land, it broke the Shinar bond, but didn’t take anything away from her blood. What I wonder is if Conlan will be tempted to bond with or claim anything. He does seem to have a fascination for shiny things, kind of like his grandfather. Hmm.
Damned auto-correct! “SHINAR!!! “
This was my take on it as well.
I can’t help but think of the scene in Magic Breaks where Kate and Jim are talking about Greg. Jim mentions that Greg looked to be in his forties (I think) and Kate replies that Greg seemed to stop ageing when she went to live with him.
Oooo good point!
Yep, it was answered some where by the author lords that people Kate truly cares about are harder to kill & (possibly) are immortal. This was before she claimed any land too.
Kate is no longer Sharratum, but I don’t think that’s the same thing as In-Shinar. My impression (Erra explains the term to Kate in Magic Binds) is that In-Shinar is about Kate’s bloodlines, her birthright. Her magical connection to Atlanta was broken but she is still inherently magical, still a daughter of the Shinar.
Yes, Kate will still be able to prolong the lives of those she cares about. She spoke of being able to do it even before she claimed Atlanta. It’s in her bloodline. In Magic Breaks, she told Ghastek that she was already doing this for him, proven by the fact that she had kept him alive in the water tank in Mishmar.
Ummmm, was anyone else surprised after the battle when they found out that big, blue, and craven decided to fight?
I was, at first, but then realized that his absolute fear that Roland could win would have terrified him enough to help. Self-presevation was always his #1 priority.
I was totally surprised. I had a WTF moment. ?
I was surprised and saddened by his death. I always liked him, he never lied about his intentions or being amoral and he an interesting character.
Frankly, I’m suspicious of that. He decided to fight for no reason, dies bravely? Left special instructions in case of death? Sure…
Saiman asked to be buried in the Unicorn because the magic is always present there. Maybe he’ll resurrect as well.
And it’s done 🙁
I can’t give it rating though. Not yet. On the re-read perhaps. Something that happens to me a lot when I finally get to read a long anticipated book, especially end of series. I rush through the book at top speed and I’m so focused on what will happen on the next page that I can’t really enjoy it. Even when I try to slow down, it doesn’t work.
If someone knows a cure for that, please share.
Conlan was adorable and his first shift was epic.
Kate Lennart, the Dove, muhahahahaha.
Erra loose on the world again, oh yes, but not alone this time which feels crucial.
Of all the dramatic and passionate moments with Kate and Curran, what stuck in my head at the end was their visit at Sunshine Realty, probably because I’m jealous I can’t do a similar thing myself.
We finally saw a dragon, although the best moment of the final battle for me was the fulfilled vision of Kate and Hugh from Magic Rises. And I wanted to see a bit more of Roland in action!
And epic as the final battle was, the impact wasn’t as strong as I felt it when Kate fought the sahanu. Maybe because it was so sudden, rushed explosion of violence from Kate who was so careful with her magic before that.
And I’m ending my chaotic, half-formed, post-reading impressions with: I’ll miss Saiman! Adora too, but Saiman was unique.
Did yu die. Adora as guarding him, but he’s never mentioned again which REALLY bugged me.
I don’t think so. At the signing in Dallas Ilona said anyone not explicitly named as dead (like Uncle Stupidhead) probably lived for further adventures. Besides, as a dragon, could fire really kill Yu?
On first read, I found myself disappointed by the finale. I know it’s an unpopular opinion here, but I’ve always wanted Roland redeemed, mostly because for her ending, I so badly wanted Kate’s childhood scars healed.
Then I re-read Erra’s explanation how she came to understand Kate desperately longed/needed a loving mother-figure, and boy did she step up to the plate. Erra didn’t just train Kate in magic. Erra nurtured Kate, plotted for 2 years to protect her and her son and helped heal Kate’s childhood wounds. In the end Erra did what Roland would never do, sacrificed herself willingly for Kate. Just like Kate’s own real-life mom did. Luckily, unlike Aunt B’s sacrifice, Erra survived her own but it doesn’t make it any less a powerful proof of her love for Kate. In earlier books, Kate sees herself in Erra and in the end that proved very true, both mothers willing to risk and sacrifice everything for love of a child.
On second read, the real magic triumphing is the power of a mother’s love. Kate’s fierce and unselfish love for Conlan is her greatest magic. She’s at her most powerful AND appealing when protecting her cub.
As for Kate/Julie’s mother/daughter relationship, I found it very in character for Julie to keep her Hugh information secret from Kate. This is the same Julie who hid from Kate her own relationship with Roland and knowing the ramifications of the blood bond. Julie didn’t leave angry but staying meant she’d be put in the awkward position of assuaging Kate’s guilt for removing her free will, while still chafing at that. Also, I take comfort Julie was in on Curran’s plotting to save Kate from sacrificing her life for them… Julie still loves Kate very much, she just needs to step out of Kate and Curran’s shadow now. While Julie/Erra’s future adventures sounds like a fun read, I felt bad for Derek. He deserves so much more.
As for Hugh/Elara, I definitely felt like we missed a whole evolution in their relationship. Looking forward to their next book to explain some pretty big holes there.
Finally, to the poster who spoiled Curran channeling Aslan…. OMG, you were spot on! Next to Kate’s powerful love for Conlan, Curran’s true love for Kate was my fave part.
THANK YOU for appreciating the Aslan moment. I was worried no one else felt the same way! 🙂
I wonder if the authorlords read Narnia? lol
It’s one of my favorite books since I took a class on special readings and religious symbolism in fantasy literature.
You aren’t the only one who hoped Roland would get it together. I really wanted redemption for him as well. He would be a great father/grandfather if he wasn’t a megalomaniac! UGH!
I kind of think that the ending as is has greater potential for Roland’s redemption than if he weren’t locked away. Time to think without the ability to conquer has possibilities.
I have this grand fantasy that the Authorlords are letting Julie do a bit of growing up and seeing the world before deciding that home is Derek.
Derek, being the stoic boy wonder, would see a life with Julie as something that is out of his reach. I can envision him trying to do what he thinks is right when it comes to her so maybe he’ll let her go and spend his evenings pining away for her.
I agree on the Derek / Julie thing. Julie going away and doing some growing up will ultimately bring them together… And of course this would mean a Julie led spin off. *Crosses fingers and prays*
I agree with your take on Julie. This was the right thing for her to do under the circumstances. I only wish I would have had an Aunt Erra to go traveling with when I was Julie’s age.
Well, Andrea did say something about loving the Kate and Erra show and that they should take it on the road. It’ll just be Julie and Erra instead of Kate and Erra.
Exellent! A fitting end to the Kate and Curran Arc with enough room
for Novels to follow.
Conlan is indeed a littlke miracle i love him to pieces 🙂
I just ended the book and have not enough words just now
to praise it – but it was wonderful.
I loved it!! Thank you Authorlords )
No ascanio in the entire book! Where’s ascanio?
I missed him
Where were Jim and Dali during the last battle?
+1
First, let me say I loved it.
But I felt like I was missing some characters specifically Ascanio and Jim.
Wow, what an ending. Bummed by those who didn’t make it. Need to re-read because I seemed to have missed what happened with Yu. Lot’s of strings to possibly explore moving forward so glad to know that the Kate Daniel world will still have more to come.
omg. I had the same thought about Erra and Roman. I hope they grt together. I totataly ship them. I can see that happening.
As soon as I read that part I was thinking the same thing. I’ll bet Roman likes older women!
? LOL. I hadn’t considered Erra and Roman, but now that you put the thought in my head I can’t get it out! I’d love to see them together. ?
And the call with Evdokia, priceless!
Erra and Roman. That’s…hmm. Don’t know how I feel about that.
Fascinating conclusion to the Kate Daniel’s series with many possibilities for new and continuing storylines.
I need to read it again to try and fully resolve so many “get out of jail free cards” for mass murderers but hey, it’s fantasy right?
I ADORE Huge’s entrance!!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️???????
Hahahahaha I did too. I also loved when he told Dali off for being rude in his sister’s home
+1 I want like a zillion Hugh and Kate as murderous badass brother and sister scenes lol
+1
Yes! And “I’m eating”, lol! If you’ve read Iron and Magic you know that that’s a Hugh thing, brushing people off. Like, he’s in his room, his lover knocks, he says, “not now”. She comes in anyway. Elara knocks a minute later. He still says, “not now”. Love Hugh. It would be wrong if he wasn’t still an asshole.
Love it so much!!! I’m on s high right now and not very coherent but I’ll probanly re-read the book again soon.
Love seeing “here kitty, kitty” make an appearance again ?
Yep! That made me smile, it was a nod to the beginning.
I’m dying. ? This was gold.
I was at the Dallas signing, and since I’d read the book when they were signing my book I asked if Julie had talked to Derek before leaving, and was told yes.
I wonder if we’ll get that scene.
During the panel they mentioned the Kate editor is @AnneSowards on twitter.
I think we should tweet her asking for more books in the world of Kate. I in particular have a soft spot for Roman. I love any man confident in his eeyore pj’s, I’ll be asking for some more
#HolyRomanVolhv please. 🙂 I wonder if the BDH can make that trend?
“I asked if Julie had talked to Derek before leaving, and was told yes”
THANK YOU, YOU WONDERFUL HUMAN BEING <3 It's silly but seeing that makes me feel so much more positive about their relationship
Erra & Julie would be like a female adventuring odd couple I think. Could be fun.
I’m ok with the story evolution leading to Julie wanting to find her own way… sepaeate from Kate, but she and Derek have been at the very least good friends for a while, and while you may not tell the parental units everything up front, usually your close friends know what’s going on.
And I see I’m not the only D+J shipper!
🙂
I’m okay with Julie running off with Erra, so long as Derek doesn’t wake up one morning and discover her gone without a word. I spent last night worrying about that after I finished the book!
I definitely would love it if they found a life together eventually but they’re both relatively young and they should have a chance to grow into their own identities first.
I really love how Derek and Julie were written in this book – whatever relationship they have right now, it’s understated and it just seems right that they were like partners and there were no overt declarations of adoration – the latter would’ve been way too convenient.
+1 Thanks for asking, KC!
Is Gordon wearing a *tie*?
Yes, Gordon always wears a suit at a signing. What a weird question.
You both look terrific!
So was I interpreting things right: Ghastek & Rowena as a couple?
Yip, they hinted at it a couple of times in other books too. I think Kate asked him why they had never hooked up before ?
Rowena says to Ghastek “let me go”.. There was only one response of course. “Never” ?? So sweet?
I want a Rowena-Ghastek novela.
In Magic Breaks at a Conclave meeting, the question of a relationship between them comes up. I believe Ghastek says that to him marriage means family, and it’s not a good time to have kids (paraphrasing). That’s when Desandra asks him, “Shooting blanks?”, lol. Love her. I would love to find out that Ghastek & Rowena are moving their relationship forward.
Wow that was brilliant. Loved every single word. Every joke and all the banter. The side jokes! The real estate agents calling was hilarious. This was the perfect finish. Thank you both so much for all the blood sweat and tears you’ve put into this series.
I think most of us came to this book expecting the big Roland/Kate showdown.
Once it was clear the boiling people foes wasnt Roland I had a strong feeling for where the story would go. I was expecting him to die on the field of battle, instead of sequestered into a pocket dimension.
To me the climax felt too abrupt, with the summary wrap upand then there was virtually no falling action. Saiman had been so a part of this series for so long, to be told he died in the battle was a bit vexing. And the epilogue was also frustrating: it wasn’t a Kate epilogue, rather it was a Julie prologue. I felt a bit cheated. I needed a bit more time to say goodbye. I needed some fuzzies after that battle.
Conlan was totes adorbs. Roman was great, the taste the undead rainbow comment was wonderful. I liked seeing this evolution of the People. I want more Yu.
So my question is what effect if any did Curran eating the apples of immortality have with all the god meat he consumed?
KC, you’re right in that I was expecting more Roland v. Kate walking into this book–that was part of how I wrote my review for Den of Geek! But I liked that the story surprised me, and the resolution surprised me–I think it ends up working better than the story I expected.
I also expected Roland to possibly make some grand, flawed gesture of dying in battle to save Kate–but the fact that Erra did that instead felt right to me.
I was surprised, too, that it wasn’t a Roland/Kate showdown from the very beginning, but if it had been, I think the conflict would have been so on-the-nose, there wouldn’t have been emotional room for Kate to express how she feels about him, and to commiserate with Hugh.
Also, Roland had just been handed a defeat against the Pack, and he’d fought it without Hugh’s strategy, and I think he had started realizing he couldn’t just (a) overwhelm Kate with Magic (re: Conlan’s birth as one example, because even at her most exhausted, she held him off), and he wasn’t going to be able to just strategically defeat them (re: his fight agains the Pack), but he definitely could betray them, and for him, Nieg was a golden opportunity to let an outsider whittle down Kate’s forces and strength, “teach” her that she needs him and should surrender to him, and he can win-win.
For all Hugh and Kate’s mocking of Roland’s battle strategy, they were also aware that he could and would be duplicitous.
I think the one scene I had such a difficult time with was when they were sitting around the kitchen table almost like family and Kate and Hugh are trying to get Roland to understand their strategy (having to resort to drawing stick figures), and as soon as I saw that, I knew Roland was playing them, planning his own maneuvers). But the… family-like… for lack of a better word… affability (?) there, when Kate *knew* already that he’d let the assassins loose on her and her son… stretched it for me. [His assumption that she would kill them before they hurt Conlan and that that was his plan on how to get rid of them was typical Roland, but also, how do you sit down at a table after that and not seethe with rage? I get that they HAD to get him there to (a) work with him and (b) plan his capture, but I felt like Kate sidestepped that anger way more than I would have expected her to.]
All that said, it’s a brilliant book to have wrapped up so many threads. Obviously, there’s always going to be characters we want more of, which may lead to some spin-off books (fingers crossed).
What I *did* love was Roland stuck in that dimension. It’s such a fitting punishment to make him live and *not* be able to leave the dimension to meddle and rule and ruin lives. He’s alone… for thousands of years, he’s been able to rule and manipulate and now, he’s all alone. I think that’s all kinds of perfect. Maybe he’ll have time to reflect. Maybe he’ll see his grandkids grow up and realize he doesn’t need to be in power. Or maybe he’ll just suffer, and I suspect, plot… but whatever he does, he’s alone.
[I did wish that epilogue had been from Kate, though I enjoyed Erra/Julie’s banter.]
I agree, Roland is right where he should be. Maybe after a few hundred thousand years he will figure a few things out.
Thank you! Loved it all. A good ending that didn’t disappoint.
Hmm… was just contemplating the fact that Saiman had very specific requests about his burial in Unicorn Lane…
His ‘ending’ did feel a bit abrupt so maybe we haven’t seen the last of him? Or maybe just my paranoid nature coming through.
Nope, not you being paranoid (or, if you are, I am, too). I think Saiman’s not entirely done. How he’ll come back, however, is a mystery.
I agree. The only reason I can think of for Saiman to be killed is the authors needed to knock off a few people. I mean, even if he’s never in another book, his dying in battle is weird and unnecessary. It’s not a big deal to me, but it’s odd.
Goodbye Kate,l will miss you.
What is the significance of Roland calling Kate just plain Kate? She was always Daughter, Blossom, or Sharrim before. Why the change? Is it because he was furious? Is it because he’s showing his true colors that he doesn’t care for her after all?
Is their bond broken? Will the other still die if one of them does? Are the writings still on Kate’s skin?
Kate still has powers, but why was Ghastek feeling lost? Kate’s blood is still potent and able to grant immortality, right? Is he not Legatus anymore? Did they run out of vampires? But the Casino is still standing and they’d be able to make some more, right?
Don’t know about the first two, but I think Ghastek was feeling lost because when Kate lost her claim on Atlanta, she lost the In-Sharim abilities and was no longer Godlike. The power is still there, yes, and I’m sure she could probably reclaim it (though she wouldn’t) but that euphoric feeling and glowing presence died when Kate did. So to me it makes sense that Ghastek would feel a bit lost. I’m sure he will recover and like Kate said, they are still friends and he will always see her as the In-Sharim and probably be protective of her, but it will take some time.
Ghastek has always served, now he’s the boss of Atlanta’s People. No more god or goddess like center of his universe to tell him what his purpose is. For someone that is satisfied as a lesser power that is a little scary. He’ll grow into it, but lost now felt right to me. Just wait until Nez shows up to claim them- I expect he’ll change fast.
Kate is still In-Shinar, probably (maybe? There’s Erra now, again…) but definitely she’s a princess of Shinar with the bloodline and whatnot. The book says she kept her power, just not the land claims.
The Goddess routine was all Kate, not the land. It was an affect of a) during tech, burning her own magic, not the land’s; and b) during magic, dropping her cloak and letting her magic out. When she does either, her skin glows and she emanates the “please the goddess/happy-happy/the sun just came out” aura.
When she lost the land claims, she lost the ability to take control of the land’s magic (e.g., raising shields as she did to stop Roland and Neig’s attacks), the preternatural awareness of very magical people entering her territory, and the ability to sink into the land magic to track people (as she did with Conlan and Rowena). She’s no longer Sharratum, queen of her land.
So I agree that Ghastek’s reaction was likely a response to having served powerful people for so long, he’s not sure how to deal with freedom. I hope Rowena can help him with that. 🙂
+1 This is exactly what I was thinking with everyone wondering about Kate’s powers. The immortality she granted Ghastek happened when they were in Mishmar and she had’s claimed anything at that point. He can still be Legatus because that’s a position granted based on Kate’s blood, not on her land claim.
Kit, Wow, it didn’t even register with me that he called her Kate. Good catch. I believe this is the first time Roland has made a deadly serious grab for her and her territory. He’s treating her as an adult and not using patronizing nicknames.
I was so disappointed we didn’t her pregnant Kate, but it makes since to start where they did. Novella maybe?
I left feeling that the story wrapped up too prettily. Maybe if Kate had to give up Atlanta I would feel differently. The only thing Kate “lost” was Julie and she wasn’t really lost. But if she was still In-Shinar she would eventually turn into what she hated. Idk sigh.
I just knew the box from Magic Binds would be significant. The proposal box was a good fake out.
Little Conlan was so cute. Loved all his scenes.
I like how they explained Hugh’s redemption but I think we needed more time to really buy it.
More Erra and Julie. I agree about Erra and Roman (he is already use to a crazy family).
I’m not ready to leave this world! The Andrew’s are really the best at ending that are closed but that keep the reader wanting the new storylines threads.
I’m so excited!!! I got the book Sunday, read it – read 13-month-old Conlan, was disappointed I didn’t get a collectible edition and saw IA in Dallas last night. I’m re-reading now, and right there on page 28 Kate snarls, “There is an eighteen-month-old running around in the woods in half-form.”
Life is good, and the book is great!
Audiobook comment: Did Renee change how she voiced Erra? Did anyone else notice a difference?
Thank you,
for actually finishing
AND
For the finish that was
I have no words
Wow
Oft to New adventures, the only other modern author i know who managed that nalini Singh
I bow before thee oh authorlords
So, during that last big romantic scene, when Kate and Curran get everyone else out of the house, they mentioned that Julie was sleeping at Derek’s.
Anyone making bets about whether she was sleeping AT Derek’s or WITH Derek? 😉
I’m betting Derek was a perfect gent that night. I see him trying hard to be the older brother because he thinks a life with Julie is beyond his reach. In Magic Stars, he thought about how whenever he wanted something and reached for it, life would break him.
In the last few books, Kate mentioned that glimpses of the old Derek could be seen – I reckon his time with Julie may have started healing him but he’s still wary.
My theory is Julie will be back after her adventures with Granny and she’ll be older, wiser and more determined to claim her wolf.
Where please does Erra ever say Hugh is the grandson of SummuRamat (or whatever correct spelling is). I can’t find it anywhere in this book by that name? Also I was under the impression he isn’t of their bloodline, but instead magically very strong but NOT in anyway related to Kate’s family, except because of the circumstances of his being raised by Roland and Voron, like Kate – so he’s called her brother because in everything *except* blood he could be a brother. Did I get this wrong?
This is in the epilogue. I believe it’s a reference to the blood binding between Hugh and Roland and that Roland raised him and screwed with his head.
Yay Kate and Curran!
Biology nitpick: Luther is talking to Kate on page 37, and has a comment that a coronal cutical “typically indicates a rodent, a bat for example..”.
But, bats are not rodents. They are Chiroptera, not Rodentia.
“Erra believes Hugh is SammuRamat’s grandson. ”
that’s how i read that too – but can’t think yet how? He is not Era’s son is he? Or is he Roland’s real son..???
I’m feeling a lot of things.
This has been my favorite book series for years, I’ve read and reread the books many times. Maybe I’m just melancholy because it’s finally over, but I think I’m also unsatisfied with the way things ended, not just because they did.
The entire book felt sort of off to me. These wonderful authors created such a beautiful world and such amazing characters within that world, but in this last book, it seemed like they were destroying the relationships that had made those characters great.
Obviously, Jim had been an ass in previous books, but in Magic Triumphs Dali joined him in his assholery. She tries to dominate Kate, she entertains the idea of siding with Roland, she wails about wanting a baby, and just generally does not act like the Dali that I came to love. All of these actions seem out of character– including the obsession with wanting a baby that was just hers and Jim’s. Just fucking adopt Dali, Jesus Christ.
Doolittle has the same sort of out of character actions. What sort of doctor scares a baby, even if it is for a “good” reason? There are no good reasons to torture a baby! He wasn’t obsessed with Kate not being a shapeshifter, why would it matter if her son was human? And then when Dali busts into Kates house, and Doolittle has the audacity to tell Kate to go easy on her because she has been having a difficult time? Are you fucking kidding me? Like Kate’s entire life hasn’t been a difficult time? I know that finding out you are barren can be heartbreaking, but is that really what’s most important here? And even if that was the most pressing issue at hand Dali, you don’t fucking betray your friends and side with their evil dad. It breaks the bro code.
I feel like a lot of the characters suffered from being OOC. Or maybe not OOC, but it seemed like every action was the worst of what that character would do. Pretty much everyone was lying to each other for no good reason (except maybe Kate) and taking the worst and darkest course of action, and it just didn’t seem necessary. Maybe I’m just nitpicking isolated incidents, but I feel like all those incidents added up into a picture that was much darker and more fractured than usual, and it didn’t need to be that way.
I also feel like, conversely, the characters that we were supposed to think of as “bad” were redeemed in ways that were not totally believable. Like with Hugh and Kate’s relationship. The time frame just didn’t seem right, and neither did Hugh’s shift from “I’m evil and I want to fuck Kate” to “I’m good and super guilty and I see Kate as a sister.” I actually haven’t read Iron and Magic, and maybe if I had that transition would seem smoother, but now it just seems really weird and unrealistic.
Overall, I was expecting a book called Magic Triumphs to end the Kate Daniels series (my favorite of all time) in a triumphant way. Instead, I felt like the beautiful world that the authors had created was beginning to fracture. Friendships were falling apart, nobody was communicating, and a general grimness was present throughout. It just left me sad and empty when I thought that it was going to leave me sighing happily. Maybe this is just because it’s the last book and I’ll miss the series, but I don’t think so.
Why did Andrea need to lie to Kate? Why did Curran need to lie to Kate? Why did Erra need to regain life? Why is Julie being such a little bitch? Why did Asconio not appear at all, even after Kate let him go? Why is THIS the way that they chose to end it?
I love this series and I wanted to love all of this book but I just didn’t. It made me too sad. I’m also only including the things that I had problems with, there were parts that I loved, but I’m just being a downer right now.
Anyway, I guess this book just left me unsatisfied, especially after such a beautiful run, but I’m gonna reread Magic Triumphs and see if I can make peace with it. At least Conlan is adorable and Kate is a beast as always.
You really NEED to read Iron & Magic. It explains much about what which you have expressed dissatisfaction.
I very much agree with you on this.
Absolutely. Nothing about Hugh in this book makes sense without I&M. I never imagined they could pull Hugh’s redemption off, let alone how well they did it.
Maybe it was about balance, some of the bad guys were needed to become good guys so in turn some of the good guys had to become totally self absorbed jerks for a few scenes. But c’mon, Dali and Doolittle? The world is ending but our personal concerns are more important? Didn’t fit or fly with me.
Glad you mentioned it Lizzy, it bugs me too.
All in all everyone just needs to chill in Atlanta without Roland hanging over their heads. Hopefully old friendships will rekindle and past sacrifices and loyalties will be remembered.
PS: your remark about High was right on and appreciated too.
*Hugh
I kinda like High.
I agree with everything you said, Lizzy. I feel the same way.
Kate is the forgiving type so I get how she would get over Hugh’s actions easily, but Curran??? Come on… At least Raphael got to kick his butt in Iron and Magic.
P.S. I dislike Dali, I find her childish and ridiculous so her tantrum seemed in character.
A gentle reminder to this thread: this is a place to discuss spoilers. If you want to complain about the book, there are many other forums available to you.
There were good reasons why the authors said to read Iron and Magic first. Of course you didn’t like MT – you are missing a lot of back story, imo. As to the other differences you notice – we just get glimpses into characters lives. Doolittle did not survive this long by being a pushover, and Kate is not his only responsibility.
Seconded.
Am I misreading the implication in the Epilogue that suggests that Hugh is a member of Roland’s extended family by BLOOD? Julie says to Erra: “she’s his grandmother too. should we tell him? Can we take him with us to Mishmar to visit her?” Erra muses that she doubts his wife would appreciate dragging him off on family business.
So how come Roland didn’t sense this about Hugh?
He is blood via the same magic ritual Julie is. Julie is claiming him, but also verifying her own place. The REAL magic is how Erra’s been transformed back into the “silly girl” Erratim by opening herself to loving Kate and Conlan. She is learning to trust that it is once again safe to love without her brother using it as a weapon against her. In Book 4 Erra defined family by a very narrow genetic definition (and wasn’t sure Kate was good enough even then) but now she is ready to broaden it to include Julie and maybe even Hugh (or at least she isn’t willing to hurt Julie by denying Hugh.)
If Roland gave Hugh is blood then Hugh to Roland is possibly like Julie to Kate. Also – I think in the other sense of Hugh being like a brother to Kate (both trained by Voron and with Hugh effectively being raised by Roland like an adopted son). I don’t think it is meant in the made by sperm from Roland sense.
Terri said it much better 🙂
Sarah K – Kate did to Julie exactly what Roland did to Hugh with their blood. Kate, however, did it to save Julie’s life, not to control it as Roland did to Hugh.
I suspect Roland did know it about Hugh; he just chose not to share. I do believe Hugh is a blood relative, and not only by the blood bond. Think about the amount of magic he had as a child, and what kind of magic it was. We’ve seen with Conlan that children don’t know how to cloak their magic. I think Hugh was spotted and Roland snapped him up.
jewelwing – Anything is possible, but there was never any hint in any book that Hugh was related by blood to Roland. Roland and Erra were the only ones left after the murder of their family thousands of years ago. Both of them kept track of their children, and Roland could control whether he got a woman pregnant or not.
I just wanted to say a big “Thank you” to the readers and commenters here. I have enjoyed everyone’s take on Magic Triumphs and now as I go to read it again more slowly I believe I will have the advantage of many points of view. ☺?
Hi everyone, friendly reminder regarding two things in the comment section. Please refrain from posting profanity or explicit language, it creates an environment that not everyone feels comfortable in. Also, please don’t post fanfiction anywhere on the website,facebook, or Ilona andrews Twitter. Thankyou.
An excellent book and so many opportunities for more books! I have definitely got to re-read Hugh’s book. ☺☺
This has been the greatest series I have ever read and I’m sad it’s over. I was disappointed by some aspects of the book – the web of lies and the Curran-as-a-god part. I expected another ending, to be honest – I expected Elara would “eat” most of the magic Roland has so he will be forced to live as a normal human. From what we were told about her, she should be able to do it. The solution Ilona and Gordon offered is fine also, I just didn’t like how it they ended up there.
Also, Saiman’s death seemed like an afterthought. Considering how many scenes he had, what is the point of killing him off without giving him a scene??
Saiman probably isn’t dead, would be my thought. Good way for him to vanish and reappear somewhere else, as someone else.
Yup, the burial instructions point at something like that.
Yes isn’t that interesting. I wonder if he will show up in Roman’s novel. He was shellfish but I always felt sorry for him and wondered what made him the way he is
Totally agree. They didn’t finish him. That he fought is suspicious. He planned his death. I’m sure he’ll be back.
+1
+1. The Unicorn Lane burial is what made me suspicious. I wonder if he’s in some kind of stasis that magic will heal him from.
Thats what I thought. Unicorn Lane where magic is up even during tech? Come on Saiman!
I’m convinced Saiman is not dead. He came to Kate’s house to get a body, offering to work for free. Um, no. And the way Saiman charged into battle? Um, no. His character is well established, and these are huge breadcrumbs.
Saiman’s terrified of Roland. What better way to throw Roland off the scent than by being publicly, officially, unambigiously dead? Kind of like the black ribbons on Julie’s picture, but on steroids. I have confidence we will see him again.
Finally finished the book. ?
I love Conlan! He is the comic relief in this story. Atlanta can burn to the ground, and Conlan would probably say “Uh-oh!” When Luther held Conlan and said he was like a nuclear bomb, I laughed so hard.
I had a feeling, given the previous Kate book, that the majority of the Pack would not help Kate. As Kate said a 10 year friendship died when Jim found out Curran and Kate were leaving the Pack. I found it interesting that Jim’s sister fought in the final battle. Makes me wonder who else decided to join in with Clan Heavy, Clan Wolf, and Andrea from the Pack.
Hugh and Elara…the entrance to the Conclave was priceless. Christopher nailed it on the head about Hugh. Speaking of Christopher…nice to see the relationship between him and Barabas deepen to the point they’re getting married. Also that Hugh fed Christopher while in the cage…wow. Can’t wait to read the next Hugh and Elara book. ?
I would love to read about Erra going into Mismar to talk with her mother and explain how she got resurrected. I wonder how Erra’s mother would react? ?
Jim has 3 sisters, iirc. I think the only one we’ve seen is Keira on the trip to Europe. No clue as to which sister died.
I thought the lack of Jim onstage in this book was interesting, as in maybe being Beast Lord is nibbling on his lunch. Dali brought in a nice subplot with the barrenness and the accord with Yu Fong. Gordon confirmed Desandra and Nick (*Uncle Stupidhead*) will be a couple and the only thing I found discomforting was Adora’s death. I was pretty happy with whole book.
Desandra and Nick will be a couple?! never thought of that match, but I really like it.
Those two would be a great combo.
Nice, Uncle Stupidhead and Aunty Smartmouth!
Amen! Gordon confirmed it? When did it happen? I wonder if we’ll get a novella or something. Desandra is hilarious.
And I agree about Adora’s death, because I think Saiman will come back. And I wanted her to have a life, she barely had 2 years.
Yep…at the Dallas book signing, Gordon said a resounding “yes” when the Nick and Desandra question was asked. I started to chuckle at the look Ilona gave Gordon when he answered. The look was “no more giving out spoilers!” Yeah, like that will ever stop. 😀
I double agree about Adora 🙁 . With her deciding to have sex, and thinking Yu Fong was pretty, I thought that was a set up for them to get their own Novella, or at least short story.
+1
Desandra and *Nick*? I didn’t see that coming. I was hoping for Desandra snd Derek! (I never invested in Derek and Julie as a romantic couple.)
Desandra’s too old for Derek.
I wouldn’t mind the age difference itself if they were at the same (or at least somewhat similar) ‘stages’ in their lives. But Desandra is a mother with two kids, I don’t think Derek would be ready to deal with something like that.
But I like Desandra and Nick because she’s hilarious and he really needs to lighten up a bit. Ok, a lot.
Didn’t she give a good look over when they first meet.
Desandra gives every well built man a good look.
I had forgotten Jim had 3 sisters. Then it came back to me when I wasn’t thinking about the story. 🙂
Just my opinion about Dali: she’s jealous of everyone around her having kids (Andrea and Kate in particular) and it showed. I also think that she’s realizing that being Beast Lady is not all that great (which is what Kate said when she and Curran were still with the Pack). I have a feeling Dali wanted to help her friends in the final battle, and Jim said “No, look what happened the last time we helped Kate in the battle with her father.”
One other thing: when I read the part about Mahon making honey muffins since Martha was severely injured….don’t let him make them. 😀
WOW! This has been one of my favorite series I have ever read. Thank you Authors!! Conlan was adorable, I loved this kid so much. Curran being a god had me stressed to heck and back the entire book. And I enjoyed that Kate came to love her family. She knows they have problems (what family doesn’t) but she still loves them for who they are, and I enjoyed seeing that through out this book (especially her acknowledgement of Hugh). Also, I stumbled across two songs just as I was reading the final battle and it was so appropriate I wanted share them with everyone, just encase you like music with your reading. They are: (1) Sound off the sirens by Sam Tinnesz and (2) Bury me face down by Grandson
Hey, both those songs work perfectly for me as soundtracks for MT! Thanks for the recommendation.
Great songs, esp the lyrics for Bury Me Face Down! Thanks!
I like the idea of Desandra and Nick. I really would like to see Erra and Roman being a match and of course Julie and Derek. Ghastik and Rowena were very sweet. It’s been hinted at before but it was nice to see it again. My only regret is we didn’t get to see Curran and Erra come to a understanding or find out how Julie met Hugh and his wife. Maybe we can hope for future short stories in these areas. Oh and Conan short stories. I bet. He will keep every one on their toes
Mary
I have a feeling with learn about how Julie met Hugh in the next 2 Hugh books. Since technically those books occurred before Magic Triumphs.
No, they occur after.
I hope Roman gets someone to be light and joy to his life because he gets enough darkness with his job and drama from the family
I agree with that. At the Dallas book signing, I told Ilona and Gordon that if any of their characters wanted to get crazy with math or statistics just let me know since I have a doctorate in Biostatistics. Both their eyebrows went up (Gordon said “wow”), looked at each other with eyes really round, and said at the same time “Luther!” I laughed and said