Book Review - Magic at the Gate by Devon Monk

Devon Monk is an amazing writer. Nothing flashy, and she'll never win the Pullitzer Prize or anything (not that she should even care about that anyway), but her ability to entertain is way up at the top of the author chain.

You probably got that impression from my last Devon Monk post, but now another of my reviews has been posted on Curled Up With a Good Book.

This one is for Magic at the Gate, the latest novel in the Allie Beckstrom series, and it's probably her best, at least of the ones I've read.

Once again, Monk's mastery of character and plot are showcased, but for once she doesn't have the really slow beginning. It helps that the last book ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, so she has to hit the ground running this time. The book is all the better for it.

Not that I need action all of the time. It's just that the non-action she usually starts with isn't as interesting as it could be. Here, she doesn't have the opportunity to lull the reader into a sleepy state.

From my review:

"Allie’s lover and fellow magic-user, Zayvion Jones, lies soulless after a battle with a rival faction of wizards that has sundered the Authority (a group of wizards who govern how magic is used). Allie has gone through the gate that Zayvion's soul was banished to, a realm of death and darkness. In order to save Zayvion's life and soul, she may have to give up something else of great importance to her. When she gets back, she discovers that evil hasn't taken a break. Dead souls walk the earth again, hungry for magical energy."

The series is definitely moving somewhere, making some progress in this entry. I have no idea how long Monk plans on going, though.

Until she reaches the end, though, she's got me along for the ride.

Check out the review and let me know what you think!