This was good. Our main character is looking death in the eye, afflicted with diabetes before insulin is discovered, but answers when called on to come to his workplace in the Toronto museum to investigate a mysterious large box covered in runes. Accidentally, he opens the box, and out comes magic sealed away for many centuries. Everyone present is affected, random disasters happen, but also, magic twists people already bent on owning it, and sick as he is, our hero cannot let that go unchallenged.

The worldbuilding is good, intriguingly confusing. The cast of characters are also good, including the monsters, some of whom are human. I enjoyed the ending. I recommend this if it appeals at all to you.

Others have gone on to read and review the next three books, but I am done now. While this was entertaining, there was just enough of the 'historical' tedium (my own issue, not the author's) that I must move on. ( )

3.5 stars

( )

Michael, thank you SO. VERY. MUCH for choosing this book for me. I am absolutely in love with the boys and the world Scott Thrower created!


(I swore several times not to write reviews on anything but my laptop. Yet here I am, editing, cause phone is complicated like that, ha-ha.)
----

One of the very few books (even those by A. Voinov & Josh Lanyon) placed in the 20th century, that didn't bother me. The time period was obviously not the safest for those being anything but white, straight and wealthy so I usually try to avoid it.

Charlie, a 27 year old, who is barely hanging onto his life, is an expert in all things arcane, as well as ancient history and quite an impressive handful of living and dead languages. Called to a museum one night for a consultation, he awakens magic in our plain old world by accidentally opening an enchanted box, which was supplied by an American villain (thank the author, it wasn't a Russian goon for a change).

All kind of magical chaos ensues. The villain becomes more villainous, Charlie gets more stamina and a reprieve from a deadly disease, people transform all around as the raw magic seeps into the city grounds. Not a dull moment!

Would absolutely love to see Simon Pestle again. His history with Henry and profession aside, the man is quite a conundrum.

At the same time, the book was somewhat spoiled for me (not really, no ;)), cause - questions about the mundane:
- Where did Charlie get all that energy from, after the raw magic had left his system?
Even I got tired from all the running around the boy did. I kept expecting him to crash any second;
- Did the boys ever clean themselves? Or changed clothes? Especially Charlie? I am no expert on early 20th century hygiene, but it's no middle ages either.

Moving onto book 2.

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