{Review} CITY OF DARK MAGIC by Magnus Flyte

ASIN #: B008EXNMSM

File Size: 782 KB

Page Count: 464

Copyright: November 27, 2012

Publisher: Penguin Books

Book Summary:

(Taken from Amazon)

Once a city of enormous wealth and culture, Prague was home to emperors, alchemists, astronomers, and, as it’s whispered, hell portals. When music student Sarah Weston lands a summer job at Prague Castle cataloging Beethoven’s manuscripts, she has no idea how dangerous her life is about to become. Prague is a threshold, Sarah is warned, and it is steeped in blood.

Soon after Sarah arrives, strange things begin to happen. She learns that her mentor, who was working at the castle, may not have committed suicide after all. Could his cryptic notes be warnings? As Sarah parses his clues about Beethoven’s “Immortal Beloved,” she manages to get arrested, to have tantric sex in a public fountain, and to discover a time-warping drug. She also catches the attention of a four-hundred-year-old dwarf, the handsome Prince Max, and a powerful U.S. senator with secrets she will do anything to hide.

And the story continues in City of Lost Dreams, the mesmerizing sequel, which finds Sarah in the heart of Vienna, embroiled in a new web of mystical secrets and treacherous lies.

Mandy's Review:

Reading the summary you would think all of these individual elements wouldn't work together. I mean, Beethoven, a time-warping drug, and a suicide (murder?) ... it does seem a little far-fetched to me. However, after I finished the book, I realized that all of the individual elements intermingled well together.

Sarah has a keen set of senses and she trusts her nose to guide her in different situations. It even helped her to recognize danger when she would've otherwise been oblivious. She also seems to have an overactive libido, which does get her in trouble a time or two ... once with the Prince.

Speaking of the Prince, he seems an odd duck at times. One minute I'd trust him with my life and the next I'm suspicious of his behavior. Perhaps this is only because others have lied about him or what he's done. What if he did say or do what others have indicated? Although I know how the book ends, I still have my eye on him.

I think Nico/Jepp, a 400-year old dwarf, was my favorite character. Despite his stature, the man knows how to handle himself and get things accomplished. He does like to rifle through others' belongings and steal things on occasion, but don't we all? He has a wicked sense of humor that I appreciate. I can't wait to see what situations he's become involved with in the next book.

This book has a sense of fantasy to it as well as the more prevalent mystery of what really happened to Sherbatsky. It was an intriguing read that I think many of you would enjoy.


*An ecopy was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.