Alyc Helms

Missy Masters has the power to control shadows and uses this power to play a role as the vigilante superhero, Mr. Mystic. When a magical barrier suddenly appears around all of China and all of the official China towns of the world, it's up to her to find a way to take down the barrier — a challenge that leads her back into the past she left behind.

The book mixes up superhero novel with martial arts movies and dragon mythology in a fun, action packed urban fantasy. Where it differs from similar action titles is the structure, with each chapter alternating between the past and the present — a structure that was at times frustrating for me because every time I was getting used to a time period (either past or present), it would cut right in the middle of the action to the other period. However, this structure was vital to the heart of the story, unveiling her past and refocusing on a story of love, family bonds, and the way those bonds can be broken apart. It was this connection to Missy's past that made the novel more than just an action-adventure story and it's what makes me want to keep reading more.… (meer)

If you like your urban fantasy mashed up with martial arts and mythology and superheroes, well, this is the series for you!

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series, The Dragons of Heaven, though the back and forth flow of the book threw me off at times. No such issues here. The book zooms along. Missy Masters is a fantastic heroine/hero who has adopted the superhero identity of her long-lost grandfather, Mr Mystic. He trained her how to wield the powers of the shadows. In the last book, a trip to China resulted in some new sorts of family issues, and those consequences carry over to this new volume.

One thing I really loved about this book was how deeply Helms used the setting of San Francisco. Her intimate knowledge of the place makes Mr Mystic's fight to keep the city safe feel all the more visceral and real.… (meer)