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Liked It “WonderBunny said: 3.5 stars |
Didn’t Like It “A jumbled mess of concepts with a leading character who could be interesting but falls flat on the page. Del Franco's writing made me cringe in several places, and I never even made it through the entire book.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“WonderBunny said: 3.5 stars
Play Book Tag Shelf wrote this review Monday, November 2 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Connor Gray use to be one of the top up-and-coming investigators for the Guild, until he lost his powers when an spell backfired. Now he is lives a down-and-out neighborhood in Boston, the Weird, and occasionally is asked by the Boston PD to assist with solving an investigation dealing with the non-human members of the Weird. When fairy prostitutes start dying and the Guild is “too busy” to investigate, Connor is asked to assist.
I found this to be a pretty good paranormal mystery. I enjoyed the main character, Connor and found the Weird to be an interesting setting. I did find some of the aspect typically to much of the other paranormal out right now but still enjoyed this novel. I do plan on reading the next in this series so I would still recommend to any other urban fantasy fans.
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“Connor Gray use to be one of the top up-and-coming investigators for the Guild, until he lost his powers when an spell backfired. Now he is lives a down-and-out neighborhood in Boston, the Weird, and occasionally is asked by the Boston PD to assist with solving an investigation dealing with the non-human members of the Weird. When fairy prostitutes start dying and the Guild is “too busy” to investigate, Connor is asked to assist.
WonderBunny wrote this review Sunday, November 1 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
I found this to be a pretty good paranormal mystery. I enjoyed the main character, Connor and found the Weird to be an interesting setting. I did find some of the aspect typically to much of the other paranormal out right now but still enjoyed this novel. I do plan on reading the next in this series so I would still recommend to any other urban fantasy fans.
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“4 out of 5. An introduction to Druid, and former Guild enforcer, Connor Grey, who has lost touch with his abilities and is now blocked from them by some dark mass in his head. Since being put on medical leave by the Guild Connor has joined forces with Detective Leo Murdock of the Boston PD to solve crimes involving the Weird, the section of Boston given over to the fey and the magical. In this case, someone is using ritual to kill folk and capture their Essence, and Connor needs to find out why so he can stop whatever it is they're planning. A very good introduction to a new series.”
la isla d'lisa wrote this review Sunday, September 6 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“What's it about?
Brooke Reviews wrote this review Monday, July 27 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
In The Weird, a neighborhood in Boston, fairy prostitutes are turning up dead. Their hearts have all been taken and left in their place - magical stones. There are two groups that cover crimes in Boston & The Weird: The Guild, who are the fey run law enforcement, and then the human law enforcement. The Guild, uninterested in these murders leaves the solving up to the humans. Working with the humans is Connor Grey, a druid who was left crippled when he lost almost all of his powers in an accident with a radical terrorist elf. He was taken off The Guild, and put on disability. Connors got a lot to deal with while trying to solve this case: Not being respected by the fey community, not being liked by the humans, and not having his full magical abilities to put to use. By trading information with a few of his close allies Connor figures out that these aren't random murders, that the dead prostitutes are a part of a ancient ritual that will open a portal and destroy the world.
My thoughts?
First of all this book was released in 2007, and it has taken me this long to catch up on it! I love getting a taste of a guys perspective in Urban Fantasy, a genre where women reign supreme. Mark Del Franco has something great going on in The Weird, and that's hero Connor Grey. You gotta love him. He's on the outs without his powers, and many times hearing how he acted previously when he had his powers make it nice to see him knocked down a peg. He's surrounded by a great cast of characters. All three ladies he is FRIENDS with are intriguing and strong. Maybe a possible love interest in one? I vote for Meryl. Also, his friend Stinkwort, aka Joe, a Flit, is one of the best characters. What is it with small characters and their fantastic attitudes. Absolutely loved him Joe! His human partner and friend Murdock is straight forward, and is content to put Connor in his place whenever necessary.
The case, hearing the back story on the Fae races, and about Connor's past were all interesting. Although, sometimes the descriptiveness got to be a bit much. I'm on the side where there is such a thing as TOO much detail, and it seemed like since this was the first book in a series Mark wanted to set up The Weird so that he didn't have to do it in future books. At least I hope that's what he did. I'd compare the characterization in this series to the Dresden Files, and the world building to Kim Harrison's Hollows. Both very good series, so Connor Grey is in good company, but maybe not on the same level yet.
Overall this was an enjoyable read for when I found myself in a reading slump. Now I'm back on the reading train and chugging right along!”“A jumbled mess of concepts with a leading character who could be interesting but falls flat on the page. Del Franco's writing made me cringe in several places, and I never even made it through the entire book.”
Amanda wrote this review Monday, June 15 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Connor Grey is a druid who's powers have gotten stolen from him. He helps the Police investigate strange cases in the Weird.
Lesa C wrote this review Tuesday, June 2 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
As Connor gets on a case he realizes that this is no ordinary fairy killing. Fairies are being ritualistcly killed and Connor wants to know why, when the 4th is killed and he and his Flit sidekick Joe are almost killed he starts to realise they are in over their head deep.
As Joe and Connor investigate they find dark secrets in the Druid Guild and ramifications that threaten the world of Fairy, elves and druid.”
“A new dark urban fantasy that begins the tales of The Convergent World where Conner Grey, ex-Guild druid finds himself living in the seedy, run down Boston neighborhood called the Weird. Grey has lost his druidic powers, finding himself ousted from the Guild, a druid policing force over fey activities. He is unemployed and relies on his disability checks and some meager consulting fees from the human police. Just like any person of power who loses their status that defines their lives, Grey has to rethink his worth, his friendships and his abilities while he tries to save the world and stop a serial killer who targets fey prostitutes. The author has created a rich tale involving fairies, elves, trolls, druids, and flits that mingle with human politics and history. If you like the Harry Dresden series (The Dresden Files) and John Taylor series (Nightside), you will welcome the adventures of Conner Grey to this intensely rich dark urban genre.”
Gayle H wrote this review Monday, November 10 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“It’s a gritty murder mystery where the victims happen to be fairies and Connor Grey, the man investigating the crimes, happens to be a druid. It all happens on the streets of Boston but they are inhabited by fey as well as humans. The cross of genres is not unique but it is the kind of thing I tend to like and I think it works well. There is a lot of set up in this book, a lot of explaining about Connor’s past and the fey and how things work. But you are going to get that in any book that is the first in a series. It didn’t bowl me over and make me run out to get the next one but it did interest me enough that I will probably check out more Connor Grey books.”
Becca wrote this review Friday, September 12 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
0 of 1 members found this review helpful“Stacey W's Pick. Perfect for fans of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files.”
Katy Budget Books wrote this review Monday, September 1 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I thought this was a pretty good book. It was a bit hard to get into because I didn't know what was going on and I didn't quite understand the world the story takes place in. About half-way through I started to understand a bit better and I got sucked in. Once I was to this point it was hard to put down the book.
Eric W wrote this review Friday, June 20 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
I think if someone new is reading this they would do best to focus on the characters, instead of trying to understand the world being described. Once you understand the characters, everything else falls in to place. I look forward to Unquiet Dreams.”
