A place to discuss Magic Triumphs for those who have read it.
Magic Triumphs: Spoiler Thread
ILONA ANDREWS
#1 New York Times Bestselling Author
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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.