This is going to be an easy review.

I loved it.

Unfortunately for most of you out there, the book hasn't been released yet and I'd be spoiling most of the greatest shit ever if I started blabbing too soon, so The first rule: You don't talk about FLUX. The second rule: You DO NOT talk about FLUX. Third rule: If someone says "stop" or goes limp, taps out the FLUX is over.

If you don't like that, then tough-titties.

Is it as good as Flex? Pretty damn close, and perhaps the last minute fixes before publication will wrap that up. Is the magic system still rocking? OH. HELL. YES.

Is it still serious, with real ups and real downs, with great and flexible characters learning and growing as their lives take new twists? Very much so.

Did we move away from Breaking Bad into some new territory? Is it just as good, with all the love and admiration we as readers can kindle and fan into another's life-blood of writing? I do believe so!

Did we get a painful and disturbing roller-coaster of falls and rises and falls before getting one absolutely fantastic payoff at the end? Without a doubt in the whole damn world, Yes.

I'm loving that little girl more and more and more, and Paul's no slouch. And let's face it, Valentine finally got her boy, and I can't be anything but happy for her. (Even if the property damage ranks an ES of at least 5.)

I don't care what the author says in his afterward. He's no Daffy Duck, filling himself with explosives to please his fans one last time before going boom. I think he's a freaking Keeper, and if us fans aren't able to keep him up with our own instant HP bars for the duration, then we're seriously piss-poor 'mancers, ourselves.

I AM A NEW FANBOY. I thought I was with the first, but this second proves that he's no fluke, and seriously no joke.

I'm tempted to say he's the new Authoromancer of urban fantasy, but it'd be wise to hold off on any pronouncement of kingship until at least his third novel, no?


(I am saying all this in full knowledge and respect for all of the fantastic UF authors I have already read. Do not take these statements lightly. These books are seriously awesome shit. (These books are single-sit reading sessions, with all the problems concomitant with such, including much angry barkings at friends and families who might have intimated a whispered desire to disturb my frantic reading. (For those who worry about their safety, I'm letting you know now that They Survived, but it was a close thing.)))

I'm so happy to have read these books!

( )

I love these characters so much and I buy their weaknesses without feeling like they are shit. That is 5 stars for me. ( )

Such a fun concept "What would happen if you're love/addiction/obsession became powered by magic that you control?"

Even Tyler Durden's appearance couldn't rescue this plot. Of all the paths to create for books containing magic, it's hard to believe the author took such a boring one. It's like standing in front of the arsenal of the US, Russia, and Britain's military and then choosing to fight with a butterknife. ( )

Full Review at Tenacious Reader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2015/11/16/audiobook-review-the-flux-by-ferrett-s...

The Flux was definitely an enjoyable read, I still love the concept of magic that spawns from people’s obsessions, and we get to see more of that in this book. I also really enjoyed finding out what has become of Paul, Aliyah and Valentine since the last book. There’s definitely some adjustments being made! Especially in terms of Aliyah. It is definitely fun seeing how she is growing up and handling the world around her (as well as how the world around her responds to her as well).

But unfortunately I can’t say The Flux worked on the same level for me as Flex. Perhaps it is just more of a second book thing, where the novelty of the magic and world are already established so I miss that initial excitement I had from the introduction to it in book 1. Maybe it is because I listened to this one as an audiobook rather than reading it. Don’t take that as a negative towards the audiobook, I actually felt like the narration was well done. The problem for me, I think, is that the narrator’s choice of emphasis and level of drama associated with Valentine did not mesh with how I read her in the first book.

I also felt like the ending came on a bit strong. Suddenly too many things were wrapped up in pretty little bows. Don’t get me wrong, not everything is happy, happy, perfect, perfect. And it’s not like I want everything to be all dismal, but for me, this ending just felt like the author tried to give all the characters their own personal happy endings. At least to some degree. And while we all know Valentine and her eager and vigorous sexual exploits is going to be all for happy endings, it just felt a bit forced.

Despite all of my negativity, I do think this is still a good book and I suspect other readers will respond more positively to it than I did myself. I think the odds are very good I will still read book 3, I will just make sure to return to the print version for it. ( )

I liked it. A little darker than I like these days. There's another one coming, and I'll definitely read it. ( )