kgbooklog

C.E. Murphy, House of Cards
Luna (2008) ISBN: 0-373-80263-3
Score: -1

Second book of the Negotiator trilogy, in which things get messy. The heroine does stupid things (like telling Old Boyfriend she wants to get back together while constantly daydreaming about New Boyfriend) and a lot of the plot twists didn't add up (especially the genealogies).

Next Book: Alaya Dawn Johnson, Racing the Dark

C.E. Murphy, Heart of Stone
Luna (2007) ISBN: 0-373-80292-7
Score: 2

Start of the Negotiator trilogy, an urban fantasy set in modern NYC about a lawyer who gets mixed up with the Old Races (dragons, djinn, gargoyles, selkies, and vampires). The setting and premise were good, but the plotting and characterization were weak, partly because none of the antagonists were human and the villain was completely insane. Also, the heroine jumped to a conclusion that wasn't ever confirmed, and didn't fit what she had insisted was the key point (though this wasn't critical to the plot of this book).

Next Book: Kay Kenyon, Bright of the Sky

C.E. Murphy, Coyote Dreams
Luna (2007) ISBN: 0-373-80272-2
Score: 2

Fourth story (third novel) of the Walker Papers series, in which Joanne once again has to overcome her reluctance to use her shamanic powers to save the world from something that's her fault (this time it's a sleeping sickness). There are enough flashbacks in this book to make it nearly a prequel, including a couple conversations between her and her younger self (causality is preserved by her younger self never remembering her dreams). At the end she once again decides to accept what she is (this time it looks like it'll stick) and also makes a somewhat abrupt decision that seems to go against her character and genre conventions; it'll be interesting to see if she sticks to it.

C.E. Murphy, Thunderbird Falls
Luna (2006) ISBN: 0-373-80235-8
Score: 1.5

The third Walker Papers story (second was the novella "Banshee Cries" from Winter Moon), in which she decides to stop pretending she isn't a shaman. The characterization is still decent, while the worldbuilding and plot are still pretty weak; but the snarky narration keeps me reading the series.

Next Book: Kelley Armstrong, Haunted

C.E. Murphy, "Banshee Cries"
Luna (2005) ISBN: 0373802390
Score: 1

The second story of the Walker Papers, which is only available as part of the anthology Winter Moon (luckily, a local library had a copy). We learn a lot about Jo's mother as she deals with a banshee loose in Seattle.

Next Book: Joel Shepherd, Crossover

C.E. Murphy, Urban Shaman
Luna (2005) ISBN: 0-373-80223-4
Score: 2.5

Start of an urban fantasy series about an auto mechanic cop. She starts the book rescuing a banshee which leads to the discovery that she's also a shaman just in time to save Seattle from an out of control Wild Hunt. Good characters (her primary love interest is a 70-year-old cabbie who knows exactly how old people are) and several interesting twists, but there were also a few warning signs of sloppy writing and poorly thought out worldbuilding.

Next Book: Lawrence Watt-Evans, The Wizard Lord