Bitten by Books
The Cursed, the entertaining first installment in The League of the Black Swan series, opens with wizard Luke Oliver receiving an unwelcome visit from Maestro, an envoy from the League with an assignment for Luke-one he definitely does not wish to undertake. In Bordertown, the area of Manhattan populated by the supernatural as well as humans, bike messenger Rio Jones, a young woman with the ability to read minds, witnesses the kidnapping of a young girl. After calling the police, Rio goes back to her apartment, determined to leave and seek out the assistance of Luke Oliver in tracking down the girl, based upon the dangerous thoughts she picked up from the kidnapper.
Unfortunately, Rio’s planned getaway hits a snag when three large, unusual-looking men show up looking for her, and though she manages to distract them long enough to run several blocks without getting caught, Rio stops at the Roadhouse, hoping for help and a place to hide. Luckily for Rio, she also finds Luke there, and explains to him that she needs to hire him. Rio learns her pursuers are Grendels, one of which manages to scratch Luke with its poisonous claws as they attempt to make their retreat. When Luke recovers, Rio learns that he was sent to find her for the League of the Black Swan (a sort of peace-keeping force for the supernatural community), her twenty-fifth birthday has significance she never suspected, and seeking out Luke Oliver may in fact be the most dangerous undertaking of all.
Day excels at creating distinct characters that serve as representatives of their supernatural groups, an approach which buttresses and demonstrates her world-building. Rio and Luke prove likeable protagonists that the reader finds it easy to root for, despite a couple of missteps each makes during the course of The Cursed. The smooth narrative flow and fluid pacing interspersed with just the right amount of humor result in an easy-to-follow yet intriguing plot that ensures rapid page-turning. This reviewer looks forward to the further adventures of Rio, Luke, and Kit, the magical fox.
Book Stats:
- Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
- Publisher: Berkley (May 7, 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0425255778
- ISBN-13: 978-0425255773
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Books in the League of the Black Swan series in the order they should be read:
The Cursed
The Unforgiven
Review Overview
Overall Rating
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Summary : Day excels at creating distinct characters that serve as representatives of their supernatural groups, an approach which buttresses and demonstrates her world-building. Rio and Luke prove likeable protagonists that the reader finds it easy to root for, despite a couple of missteps each makes during the course of this fun novel. The smooth narrative flow and fluid pacing interspersed with just the right amount of humor result in an easy-to-follow yet intriguing plot that ensures rapid page-turning.
