Bound (An Alex Verus Novel)

Bound picks up where Burned left off. Alex and Anne are now working for Drakh, which is not what they really wanted, but with the way Burned left off, there weren't many options to work with.

Thi situation makes everything much for difficult for both them. The Light Mages don't trust them, the Dark Mages don't trust them, even the Order doesn't trust them. So what exactly can they do?

I do have sympathy for Anne and Alex since their hands are tied for pretty much the entire book but with the help of Arachnie, they do have a glimmer of hope to help put the odds more in their favor.

Luna on the other hand... Oh Man, did I want to bitch slap her, I mean I understand where she is coming from and her situation, but talk about a pity party for 1. Luckily for her, Alex does offer some insight and advice on what she can do. There was one part that made me laugh since it does tie into the Alex Verus website, and how Luna has been put to use.

I will say that the ending of the book threw me off, and I was not expecting it, and clearly neither did Alex. I don't think even he with his Fateweaving ability could have predicted that outcome.

Oh, poor Alex Verus life just keeps getting worse for him.

As the book opens Alex and Anne have been blackmailed into working for Dark Mage Richard Drakh and his right hand, the first Dark Mage representative on the Council, Morden. The gang of four: Alex, Anne, Lunar and Variam are broken and isolated, forced to align with the Dark Mages against their wishes and villified by the Light Mages they walk a deadly line. Even Drakh and Morden's Chosen and other cohorts loath and detest Alex. His home and livelihood have been razed to the ground. Can you understand why I pre-ordered this book and then didn't have the heart to read it? Yep, every book Alex's life gets worse and he gets boxed into helping the Dark Mages with their evil plots.

I wouldn't imagine anyone would start reading this series at book eight, but if you did, imagine Harry Potter being forced to work for Voldemort and you get the picture.

This is a pivotal book for Alex, he learns a lot about his magic, his weaknesses, magic in general and the motivations of Drakh and Morden. He also comes to some depressing conclusions about the efficacy and motivations of the Council and the Light Mages. It seems sometimes the only people he can trust are the Dark Mages - if only most of them weren't also murderous psychopaths who believe they are entitled to do whatsoever they please!

This is Alex Verus at his best, fighting shoulder to shoulder with his friends, never sure of the right course of action, never able to trust any but a small handful of people. Ever fearful for his life and the lives of those that he cares about.

And that ending! Wow! I only saw it coming a few pages before it happened but what a game-changer!

CAN NOT wait for the next one.

Eighth in the Alex Verus urban fantasy series based in London and revolving around a mage who wants to be left alone.

My Take
Jesus. Talk about a rock and a hard place. Jacka yanks us in from the first page with Alex's inner thoughts hook that combines with an emotional hook…Drakh is such a horrible man. He's so horrible that he could be a Light mage. Yep, that's right. Y'all think the Light is the side of good? Nope, it's merely the side of behind-the-scene machinations, vicious power struggles, and back-stabbing politics. As Alex notes, at least you always know where you stand with a Dark mage.

While I loved how Alex handled that ill-mannered Jarnaff, it's also one of the reasons Alex has so few friends on the Council. Part of that "had-I-known" plot device…yeah, but I doubt it would have changed Alex's behavior. Of course, few of those Light mages appear capable of being actual friends. And, yes, I suspect that taunting Alex indulges in doesn't help either. We'll have to hope his going after Rachel can help, as she does seem to need it pointed out to her — and they are good points.

I also loved Arachne's advice to Alex, and she makes an excellent point — an epiphany moment for Alex that gets further enlightenment later on.

We do get insight into how the Council operates, mostly through Alex's perspective with that first-person protagonist point-of-view. Makes ya wonder if this is how Congress acts. What's worse is all the overt corruption with those people! The crap they do to people. Crap that's supposedly against the rules, and yet they get away with it. The message it sends to anyone who isn't on the Council isn't good, and I think Alex is right, that this is what will bring them down. You know it's bad when the Dark side is lookin' good…!

It's but one example of Jacka's brilliant use of incluing — a plot device he uses throughout the stories to bring us into Alex's world.

There is an odd balance of backstory and mere hints of past events — it definitely helps to have read the previous seven stories.

That bit of analepsis in Richard's speech is a bit of a shocker, especially to Alex's ego, lol.

It's a game of cat-and-mouse, with Alex the mouse — and Jacka leaves us hanging with the foreboding cliffhanger of a surprising plot twist at the end.

The Story
It's been fourteen years since Alex was last in Richard Drakh's house. And being back here is too soon to Alex's mind.

Worse, Alex is now being coerced from two different mages to help Deleo, if he wants to live. Still, it's not as bad as the treatment he and Anne are getting from the Keepers. Or the Council.

The Characters
Alex Verus, a diviner who sees the probabilities of action in the future, used to have a cozy magical shop until it was destroyed. Now he's assigned as a liaison for Morden with the Keepers. Anne Walker is a Life mage, capable of healing or killing. She's been assigned to the medical corps. Variam "Vari", a fire mage, is apprenticed with Landis and based in Scotland. Luna Mancuso had been Alex's apprentice who graduated from her journeyman status. Only now she's depressed and hiding out. Arachne is a magical creature, a gigantic spider with a clothing design business, with no Council protection; she's also Alex's best and oldest friend. Hermes is the blink-fox who came through in Hidden , 5.

The Hollow is…
…a shadow realm created by Karyos, a hamadryad who's gone nuts. It would make an excellent safe base.

Morden, one of the top ten Dark mages and Richard's oldest ally, is now a councilor on the Light Council, and in return for staying their execution, is forcing Alex and Anne to work for Richard. Onyx, a violent sociopath with poor impulse control, is his Chosen, a battle mage who uses force magic.

Rachel is known as Deleo, disintegration a specialty. She's now reporting to Morden, even though she's supposed to be Richard's Chosen. Cinder is her partner, a Fire mage, who has bonded Kyle.

The average-looking Richard Drakh is a Dark mage with dark plans who draws all attention when he speaks. Alex had been his apprentice fourteen years before. The Archon negotiates and runs errands for Richard. Vihaela was Marannis' second-in-command (he owned the White Rose). She's a really nasty, torture-loving bitch who is a death/life hybrid mage, using it for very dark purposes. Luke is one of her abused children. God, the scene she describes about the child who tried to escape…

Chalice is a Dark mage who has been teaching Luna how to deal with her curse. Blackout is a Dark mage who wanted the Hollow. Lord Jagadev, a quite influential rakshasa, had been Anne's and Vari's previous master. Sagash had been Anne's first master.

The Light Council is…
…the ruling body for Light mages and is divided into the Senior and Junior Councils. The War Rooms are the nerve centre of the Council and the heart of Light power in Britain. The Vault is a high security location. Council members include the fickle Undaaris with Lyle as his personal aide; Vaal Levistus (will do anything to see Alex dead) whose principal agent, Barrayar, was responsible for blowing up Luna's apartment; Nirvathis is Levistus' stooge; Sal Sarque (also the head of the Crusaders) with that jerk Jarnaff as his aide; Alma's aide is Julia; Belthas; Bahamus; and, Druss. Other aides include Ictis and Tarantis. Mage Hieronymous is in charge of the medical corps.

The Keepers of the Flame are…
…made up of three Orders: The Order of the Star, an everyday policing force for the Council; the Order of the Cloak who preserve the magical world's secrecy; and, the Order of the Shield who are a military reserve of battle mages.

Alex is assigned to the Order of the Star where Captain Rain is Caldera's boss; he had liked Alex. Caldera is a Keeper with Earth power and hates Alex ever since Burned , 7. Coatl is her new partner, a cheerful mind mage who has liked Alex in the past. Lightbringer and Zilean are Keeper auxiliaries who also work for the Crusaders' black ops as assassins going after Alex. And they report to Jarnaff. Reyes is a heat mage with a bad rep. Maraxus is a Fire mage.

Alex believes Talisid is part of the Order of the Cloak; he has been hiring Alex as a spy.

David Sonder is a Time mage, who likes Luna, who rejected him. Suminai is the mage the Isolationists want appointed ambassador to Shanghai. Lucian is an adept who had wandered into Alex's shop some time ago. Daniel Goldman has become a symbol of the oppressive Council.

The Nightstalkers were…
…a group of adept vigilantes looking for vengeance against Dark mages in Chosen , 4. Kyle is a weapons and explosive expert. Lee is a seeker adept.

Damas are constructs and nearly mindless with no long-term memory. Articles of power may be imbued (they do what they want) or focuses. Mages are the top of the heap; adepts are less powerful and essentially ignored. A grey keeps the type of magic they can do hidden. Of the jinn who use true wish magic, the marid is the strongest followed by the ifrit, the shaitan, the jinn, and the jann who are the weakest.

Elsewhere is an alternate plane one can connect to, if they're dreaming. A dreamstone enables one to connect to it while awake. A shadow realm is formed by taking a reflection of a location in the world. Deep shadow realms are a reflection of another shadow realm and more weird and fluid. A regeneration seed is a rare item needed by a hamadryad whose tree has died.

The Cover and Title
The cover is a gorgeous grayed-down turquoise in a swirl of tracks sweeping through the city skyline. The same blue is used in the title at the top of the cover against a ragged black band while the author's name is in white at the bottom.

The title is Alex and Anne's state, for they're Bound to a Dark mage, to keep themselves and their friends alive.

Bound by Benedict Jacka
Fantasy - April 4th, 2017
4 1/2 stars

Poor Alex Verus just wants to live his life quietly with his friends. But his power to see multiple futures make him too valuable for the Dark and Light Mages. When he was younger he apprenticed with the Dark Mage Richard Drakh. However, this has put a taint on him. The White Mages do not fully trust him and his allies grow thin. When he is forced to work with the Dark Mages to save his and the life of his friend, Anne -Alex knows his chances of survival are slim. When he and Anne are given assignments that seem insignificant he soon realizes that both of them are part of some deeper, darker plot. But what? And can he use what he does know for leverage with the White Mages to save himself and Anne during the fall out? For his old Master is powerful and any mistake would mean the end of them both.

Bound picks up right after the last book and starts at a break neck pace. In this book I believe it is more important to have read the prior books as the backstabbing and intrigue will get a bit confusing if the reader doesn't know some of the main players. This reader felt the constant stress Anne and Alex are under to make their dark Masters happy but also knowing they are will be betrayed by the same men. Their desperate search to stay alive and work undercover for the other side as insurance make this book a high stakes game of life or death. I enjoyed that Anne takes a larger role in the story and sometimes I wished I knew what she was thinking. (Maybe a novella with Anne?!) But what I particularly liked is how the author didn’t shy away from the double dealing politics. He spends time explaining the fascinating Light Council and the big players. I have a feeling that many of those players will be returning and I can’t wait! However, as what seems to be happening in a lot of books today there is also a big surprise at the end and Alex and the reader don’t really know what it means- except it can’t be good. It isn’t exactly a cliffhanger (which I feel cheats the reader) but a portent of more dealings with the deadly Dark Mages which I really don’t know how Alex will maneuver himself out of -but it will definitely be bringing me back for the next installment.

A tense, high adrenaline rush -this story can’t be beat.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Clu

When I first started reading Bendict Jacka’s Alex Verus series I thought it was a pleasant surprise, it was raw, full of energy and had a likeable protagonist in Alex. All in all, it was something to pass the time between Jim Butcher books.

Then after about the third book in the series Jacka’s writing began to get more advanced and the plot more intricate. Suddenly Jacka’s series didn’t feel like a collection of one off urban fantasy books collected into a series, instead like Butcher, Hearne and the other New York Times bestselling fantasy authors, this series began to really build upon itself. Decisions from previous books led to ramifications in later books, friends of Alex (the protagonist) didn’t just turn a blind eye to questionable actions he made, and most importantly Alex and his group of friends have evolved, some became stronger and more confident, some more fragile and withdrawn, and a few others have just plain quit and given up. This may sound silly, but I love these adaptations, these changes in the characters’ behavior and attitudes make for more realistic stories and overall better characters. Don’t get me wrong, just because a series doesn’t have these characteristics and adaptations in their characters doesn’t make their characters bad or undeveloped, but in my opinion these changes are some of the attributes that make the difference between A-/B+ characters and A characters. Other examples of these kinds of fuller character development can be seen in Kevin Hearn’s Iron Druid series, Jim Butcher’s Dresdan Files series and Seanan McGuire’s October Daye series.

Of course, you didn’t come here to read about my enjoyment of the series as a whole, you came to read about Bound. Well, not surprising after reading my soliloquy about the series as a whole and the way in which each book builds off each other, my first bit of advice is to not read Bound unless you’ve read the other seven books in the series. However, please note I very much do recommend that you read the first seven books in the series, if you enjoy action, mystery, urban fantasy in the vein of Jim Butcher or Kevin Hearne then you will thoroughly enjoy this series.

As mentioned above, Bound has incredibly strong characters that have adapted through each book. In Bound, the ramifications of Alex and Anne’s emergency flight and the proceeding on the run exploit has come back to haunt them. We see the ramifications it had on Alex’s friends and companions. Luna in particular was shaken by the events. Jacka uses his exceptional pacing in Bound to emphasize these points. What I mean by this is that Bound both had a realistic period of time elapse to make the learning and adjustments from the terrors seem realistic as well as made this period of time flow naturally with the book without slowing down the plot or action, thus allowing readers to appreciate the time that was occurring as well as not be bogged down by small nuances. This is particularly important since the events of Burned left many of the characters (such as Luna, as mentioned above) in hysterics and a deep depression, which cannot be solved with a wave of the hand. Further, it’s theses nuances such as the slow and gradual healing, or re-learning to trust one another, or even the acceptance and adaptation to a darker thought pattern, that help truly define each character. Speaking of such changes to characters, I was particularly impressed with Alex’s evolution in Bound. Not only does Alex begin to get in touch with some of his softer emotions, but he also embraces some of his dark mage attributes as well, in an effort to finally try to combat the evils that have been complicating his life over the last eight books.

All in all, Bound is a great novel. The characters adapt and evolve, there is more action than you can shake a stick at, and the story just moves in a very engaging fashion that is sure to catch and sweep any reader of the series up off their feet. On top of that, Bound ends in a truly shocking way. I can’t say more without ruining it, but just know readers will be left dying for more and that Jacka is truly gifted in his ability to craft a well written and surprising ending. Bound is a great book, and as a fan of great books, please read it so we can all read more in this amazing series.

http://whatchamacallitreviews.blogspot.com/2017/04/bound-by-bendict-jacka.html

This is the eighth book in the Alex Verus series, and I'm glad to find that Alex is finally realising that he has to do something other than just deal with today's problem then sit back and wait for tomorrow's. He's starting to think ahead, and this gives the potential for more interesting developments in the future.

Although the action takes place over several months - rather than the more typical several days - it moves quickly enough that this book felt shorter than the 416 pages the store says it is; I read it over the course of a single day. Alex is now working - against his will - for Morden the Dark Mage. Personally, I would have liked more on-page time for Morden: he's intelligent and sneaky, and it's nice to get hints of humanity rather than him simply being yet another interchangeable baddie. Of course, the Light Mages, who are supposed to be the goodies, are pretty interchangeable with the baddies too, so it's particularly satisfying to see Morden (reportedly, at least) being pretty decent to work for - which gives Alex something to think about. It does make me wonder where Jacka is going with that.

Most of the action centres on Alex (obviously), but Luna is also developing and starting to think of her future; this rounds her out more as a character as it means she's starting to become more of her own person rather than just someone who is connected to Alex. We also learn a little more about Richard Drakh, and it's particularly good have him move into the ranks of actual characters rather than off-stage bogeymen. He's interesting, and I hope he gets more page-time in future.

Plot-wise, Bound definitely moves things along: not only is Alex being more proactive, but we get unmistakable signs that there is something in the works, and future books are (hopefully) less likely to be simply more people trying to kill Alex for stuff that happened ages ago/stuff they think he's going to do/just stuff. There are certainly enough changes in characters' attitudes, abilities, and situations that book 9 should be very interesting indeed - and I'm looking forward to reading it. :-)

This book picks up right where the previous volume left off.Alex and Anne get to meet Richard and the meeting turns out not to be as traumatic as Alex had feared.Richard is remarkably patient with Alex and does not compel him to do anything particularly nasty.Since it takes place over months we(and Alex) are lulled into a case of false comfort.But ultimately Richard turns out to be every bit as devious and dangerous as his grand plan is revealed at the end.However with this book onward, Alex starts making plans of his own and recruiting allies instead of reacting and scrambling at the last minute.Ariadne proves to be a valuable ally once more.

Since Alex has been appointed as Morden's aide, he gets an insider's view of the political maneuverings at the Council.And the Dark Mages (particularly Morden for whom Alex is developing a reluctant respect) are beginning to look better and better.Especially when compared to the harassment and injustice he gets to deal with from the Light Mages.Though, the Dark Mages also have their own psychopaths too in the form of Vihaela. Characters start developing into their full potential as the story evolves.Something unpleasant happens to one of our favorite characters.Events which took place in previous books now turn out to be something else altogether.The book comes with two major twists.I can't wait to read about how Alex will deal with the last surprise.

I really like the Alex Verus books finding them all fascinating, but this one was the best to date. The situations involving Alex and his cadre were complex, emotionally charged and really believable. I actually had disturbing dreams while listening to this book. Plus, Alex's descriptions of London make me want to visit this city, which I intend to do next year.

I was a bit underwhelmed by it's predecessor, but this episode from the world of Alex Verus is spot on. I read it in one long sitting, and I am of course left wanting more, but this novel significantly advances the story arc. It sets up a range of really interesting questions and answers a number of the ones left open by previous novels, specifically "what on earth do the dark mages want from Alex?"

This series introduced a great magic system in modern London setting. Light mages, Dark mages, other supernatural stuff. Political stuff as to how mages and other lesser talents are forced to align with one of the other. Though neither group seems better than the other. The protagonist is interesting, and a seer of future possibilities as his mage gift. Very good series, and I highly recommend them.

These books are one of the best series currently written today. Better than 99% of the material out there. A Combination of great characters, unique and well thought out system of magic and uncanny ability to shift the plot in unexpected ways. Like most readers, I can't wait for the next book.