Let the madness begin!

[fembuck]

So the first chapter of Black Magic Sanction, the newest release in the Rachel Morgan Series has been released.


Read Here

I can already tell that I am going to be ranting and raving like a crazy person once I start to read the novel.  I'm both excited and terrified for its release now.  That 24 hours of Hollows happiness I had after finishing Ravy fluff ?  Gone now.  But heck it was nice while it lasted.  Now?  Now, it's time to bring on the pain! *sob*

So, I wasn't too disappointed by the first chapter, but I didn't love it either.

What I liked:

I was happy to have a mention of Ivy's soul in this, and Rachel being willing to do whatever it takes to help Ivy.

But, I've just been burned so many times by this series that I figure the Ivy's soul thing will be an E plot that will get about three more sentences of development throughout the rest of the book because Rachel's man-angst always trumps her trying to save her best friends soul!  I mean, shiiiiit.  It's not like Ivy has a desk job.  That woman could get killed at any time and lose her soul, but Rachel's always got something more pressing to take care of.  Honestly, I expect next to no development on the 'soul plot', just enough mention of it that we can't claim Kim's forgotten about it.

And that's pretty much it for the what I (kinda) liked section, lol.

What I didn't Like (or at least what I think will irritate me in the coming chapters):

TOO MUCH PIERCE!!!  FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!  I HATE THIS GUY!  I find him completely insufferable and I fear that him being in the first chapter means there'll be a lot of him in the book.

I was relieved to see that Rachel was completely irritated by him here (and her line about him speaking in regular English got an 'amen' from me), but the problem is I just don't really trust Rachel's thoughts any more.  She's acting irritated with Pierce, but I'm fully expecting her to have one of her, "this is such a bad idea, why am I doing this?" moments and hook-up with him at some point in this book.

I think this is the main problem for me right now. I just don't like Rachel Morgan. And so, even when she's not being stupid, I'm still irritated by her because I KNOW she's going to do something stupid any minute.

Misc. thoughts:

I've heard that Nick is going to make an appearance in this book.  Honestly I don't mind.  I've always kind of been more amused by Nick than any of Rachel's other love interest.  Even when he was a douche he provided for some funny moments, and Ravy development as well - without the angst and cock-blocking that Kisten brought along with his tight ass.

Plus, the possibility of Nick and Ivy interacting fills me with glee.

Truthfully Nick will probably be one of the things that bothers me the LEAST in this novel.

Overall:

Like I said above, I'm excited and scared for the release of the rest of the book.  I started out so excited by this series, but now I'm like a junkie craving a fix.  I know it's bad for me, but I just can't help it. I don't want to read more ... but I still do it and I hate myself for it when it drives me insane. It is a chore now, but I'm guess I'm not as much of a cynic as I thought I was because the hope of Ravy keeps me coming back.

Comments

[jaina47.livejournal.com]

So apparently by some weird freak accident I read the whole first chapter of BMS in the back of the paperback version of WWBC. I don't know how this happened. I haven't found anyone else who has read it, but besides being irritated by the whole Pierce thing I actually thought this one was going to be pretty awesome.

There's a couple of spoilers that they only touched upon here, but where included in what I read that kind of leave me in hope for wacky high jinks of the cracktastic kind that we leave me furious by the end of the book.

[allaine77.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I don't get it, I read this chapter several weeks ago in the paperback too. In fact, Jaina can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the chapter I read was actually longer than this.

Sincerely, Allaine

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

They're probably releasing it now online for people who got the hardcover. They released the first two chapters of WWBC last year too this way. The whole chapter you read will probably be online soon, they just tend to release a few pages at once instead of doing it all together.

I guess it's a marketing ploy (and a good one) to renew interest before the book is released.

[jaina47.livejournal.com]

Finally someone else who read it! It was weird. I'm never the first one to find spoilers. :p

It was longer and it included some stuff that made for a much better cliffhangar.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

There's a couple of spoilers that they only touched upon here, but where included in what I read that kind of leave me in hope for wacky high jinks

Oooh, not fair! Now I'm curious! I think they're probably going to release a little more of the chapter later though. With WWBC they released the first couple chapters in small chunks.

I hope there's wacky high jinks though. Honestly, I would love it if this book was more plot than relationship melodrama. I really long for a return to the form of the first book, where Rachel's romantic woes were secondary. Probably won't happen, but the thought of it is nice. *sigh*

that we leave me furious by the end of the book.

lol! I love that we're all anticipating being furious by the end of the book. Precedent I guess. *sigh*

[jaina47.livejournal.com]

Okay so...SPOILERS!!! Rachel gets possessed by a demon and I'm pretty sure that annoying!Pierce has no clue. I'm holding out for "The Demon Made Me Do It" type hijinks. Which is why I'm thinking I might be furious. Though KH does tend to surprise me.

Well, if KH isn't going to come through for Ravy, which I don't believe she will until the very last book, if she ever does, I really, really would not mind her ratcheting the angst down a notch or twenty. I actually like Rachel and Ivy when they're just being friends, if Rachel wouldn't treat Ivy kinda crappy the whole time.

[ic1pher.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's pretty much how it is. Crack-addicts. The whole Ivy/Rachel relationship still seems to be going somewhere. There have been new developments, like the whole aura merging thing. Now that Rachel is playing with souls there might be more yet.

I don't think Kim truly knows where it's going but she certainly is trying to give the relationship fertile ground to grow on.

It's going to be a burden to read through the next book, truly, but still for the Ravy bits, I possibly find it worth doing.

In paper their relationship doesn't look stagnant, but why it feels that way?

Ahh, my head is frozen need caffeine...

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's pretty much how it is. Crack-addicts.

Definitely. I need like an intervention, but just like a crack-addict I'd fight it so hard, cause I wants moar even though I know it's bad for me.

The whole Ivy/Rachel relationship still seems to be going somewhere. There have been new developments, like the whole aura merging thing. Now that Rachel is playing with souls there might be more yet.

Yeah, it does seem to be going somewhere. And she has been throwing more bones our way with every book. It's just that there is so much cock-blocking and bullshit between the bones being thrown. I don't know, I think with most series, readers kind of KNOW that the characters they want to hook-up eventually WILL so they can deal with the bullshit before that happens. What makes me so mad/anxious is that I'm not sure Ravy WILL ever happen, so it makes the waiting so much worse.

It's going to be a burden to read through the next book, truly, but still for the Ravy bits, I possibly find it worth doing.

My feelings exactly! Ravy is the only thing keeping me with these books.

In paper their relationship doesn't look stagnant, but why it feels that way?

Good question. I feel like it's always a one step forward, two steps back thing with them. They get closer for a time and then an obstacle is thrown in their way that holds them apart. Like Rachel FINALLY agrees to blood balance, awesome. But then she's all like "Don't touch me!", Ivy loses control, and then they are more emotionally strained and physically distant from each other. So, what should have been this amazing step forward actually just keeps them further apart.

UGH!

[karatam.livejournal.com]

I've never read this series, is it worth looking into?
(also, what is it about, generally?)

[ic1pher.livejournal.com]

It's about this witch, Rachel, who's not gay. Especially for her vampire partner, Ivy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollows_(series)
If you want to maintain your sanity, it perhaps would be best not to read the books. But still, the books are quite unique, as in there's nothing quite like it... anywhere.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

It's a good series, but it's also really frustrating. If you like the Urban Fantasy genre I would say give it a go, and if you have the patience to read a like 12 book series then give it a go.

It's about a witch named Rachel Morgan, a living-vampire named Ivy Tamwood, and their pixie friend Jenks. Rachel's the main character, but the three of them operate a runner business together. Basically they are hired to investigate supernatural crimes. But of course, they end up getting themselves (well, mostly Rachel) into tight spots as well.

(That's a pretty rough description though. The books are the Rachel Morgan Series, by Kim Harrison. The first book is called "Dead Witch Walking" if you want to read a synopsis of it).

I'd say at least read the first book and see what you think. It's a really quick read and quite fun.

[amikana.livejournal.com]

I also read the first chapter of BMS in the paperback of WWBC and since I was kinda bored by the end of WWBC (not. enough. Ivy.), the demon-centric storyline introduced for BMS seemed intriguing.

I think that Pierce needs to be red-shirted...or at least sent to piss off someone else 'cause I'm not sure I can handle a whole book of his nonsense. He just has "BAD IDEA" written all over him, which is a clear indicator that Kim thinks Rachel "needs" a piece of that. [sigh]

I think this is the main problem for me right now. I just don't like Rachel Morgan.

Word. But I've already taken the time to become invested in the world as a whole, so I pretty much have to keep reading.

So we'll see. Here's hoping I don't want to tear my eyes out - though I guess if I feel that way I'll just go back to reading the West novels, 'cause they're better other things. :)

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

(not. enough. Ivy.

My complaint about the series as a whole! Seriously though, I'd really actually love to see Ivy actually appear in the first chapter of one of these books. It feels like she's always an afterthought that shows up three chapters in.

I think that Pierce needs to be red-shirted...or at least sent to piss off someone else 'cause I'm not sure I can handle a whole book of his nonsense.

Oh, I know. I was SICK of this character two sentences after his introduction. This character is just awful. Honestly, Kim usually creates so interesting characters, but Pierce is such a Gary Stu. Everything about him is contrived and awful. And the way he speaks is just rage inducing.

But I've already taken the time to become invested in the world as a whole, so I pretty much have to keep reading.

Word. Well, I'm interested in Ivy enough to keep on reading. I just wanna know how her story ends.

I'll just go back to reading the West novels,

What are the West novels? *curious poster is curious*

[amikana.livejournal.com]

What are the West novels? *curious poster is curious*

I meant the novels written by Michelle West, i.e. The Sun Sword series (6 books) and The House War series, the second book of which comes out next month. It's a completely different ball of wax from Harrison, really, though still fantasty literature. No vamps or weres, though there are demons; magic is present in a mage/wizard/sorceror/elemental kind of way. The books are long and involved and the detail is just ridiculous. I imagine they're not for everyone, some reviewers think the books are too dense but I personally love all the detail she puts into building the world.

I've been hooked since day one though, so I'm naturally a bit biased. :)

[trancer21.livejournal.com]

I can already tell that I am going to be ranting and raving like a crazy person once I start to read the novel.

Lol, yes, and I'll be right there with you. Despite all the ranting and raving I've done, I still consider The Hollows one of the better series in the genre.

Having seen True Blood but not read the books, I think I'd like Pierce more if I thought he was an actual caricature/parody of Bill. Sadly, I think Harrison is serious when it comes to Pierce.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Despite all the ranting and raving I've done, I still consider The Hollows one of the better series in the genre.

Word. I've given up on the genre really except for this series. I complain about the cock-blocking, but Kim's a pretty good writer (she's just also really evil, lol).

I think I'd like Pierce more if I thought he was an actual caricature/parody of Bill. Sadly, I think Harrison is serious when it comes to Pierce.

Heh. Unlike Pierce, tv!Bill has actually grown on me quite a bit.

I'm hoping that Kim isn't really serious when it comes to Pierce. I'm hoping that Rachel complaining about him, and the way he talks and stuff in the first chapter indicates that a lot of what we see from Pierce is artifice and that he'll end up being less annoying when he's called on being a fake-ass ho.

Knowing my luck though, Kim will be serious about Pierce and he'll stay the same annoy dickweed that's he's been so far for the whole book.

[lostingeekdom.livejournal.com]

Damn. I tried so hard to forget all about Ravy, exactly because it is cracktastic, and it was hard waiting for the next fix, even knowing the potential for tremendous disappointment. I guess I need a refresher course all over again. So .. a month of extended torture now, huh, waiting for it to come out.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

So .. a month of extended torture now, huh, waiting for it to come out.

lol, yep! And then days of torture as you try and wade your way from Rachel and Pierce scenes to get to Ivy, and the sprinklings of Ravy throughout. *sigh*

even knowing the potential for tremendous disappointment.

Have alcohol at the ready. I think we're all going to need it by the end of the book.

[orange-creative.livejournal.com]

TOO MUCH PIERCE!!!

I think I had to force my eyes to read that chapter because every single time I started to proces P-I-E-R... my start skimming automatically. Not that I mind since I think it saves me wasted time.

I'll still read it. <3