Magic Triumphs (Kate Daniels) Hardcover – August 28, 2018

NON SPOILER SECTIONMagic Triumphs isn’t a bad book – its actually pretty darn good but its not a five star ending to the series. I would give it 7/10 so it should really be 3 ½ stars only Amazon won’t allow ½ stars and I rounded down rather than up because these authors can do better.Hint: as others have said, read Iron & Magic before reading this book. Not essential but it will all make so much more sense if you do.I’m a fan of Ilona Andrews and the Kate Daniels series and overall this wasn’t a bad end to the series but it felt like there should have been another penultimate book between this one and Magic Binds. MB ends with Kate pregnant, Magic Triumphs prologues with her giving birth and then skips ahead from Chapter 1 onwards to when her son is over a year old. Therefore approx 2 years have passed since MB and yet the world seems to have only sporadically moved on. Some characters (eg: Christopher and Barnabas) are exactly where we left them 2 years ago, almost preserved in amber, while others (eg: Jim & Dali) have had huge behind the scene story arcs which are major motivations for actions in this book and which are simply sketched in with a few lines of conversation. There are also some major character contradictions and plot flaws but more of that later in the spoiler section.Descriptions of Kate & Curran parenting are great – both very much in character and Conlan is an entertaining toddler with delightful powers. The final resolution to Kate’s battle with Roland is nicely done with sufficient ingenuity to feel satisfactory but it unfortunately relies on a character only introduced in this book. Can’t help feeling a ten book story arc could have had more background to this vital component.In short the basic plot and the final story arc for Kate & Curran were good but more back story on some of the other characters and more time spent with them in either in this book or a penultimate one would have fleshed this out and made it a more worthy end to a great series.SPOILER SECTION – WARNING! MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!Things I had issues with:1. While it is in character, I’m over Kate & Curran keeping secrets from each other and each deciding to kill or harm themselves to prevent death or harm to the other. It was a good plot device in Magic Rises but it’s getting tiresome and repetitive as its repeated in almost every book after that. Can’t either of them cope with the idea that the other one doesn’t want an ultimate sacrifice and actually talk to each other and work together on their grand strategies for a change?2. Hugh shows up and everyone is AOK with him almost immediately. It made sense for Kate and Christopher to forgive him but Curran & Barnabas? And what about Nick? He’s still hanging onto the idea that Kate is evil because of her association with Roland but he’s OK with riding into battle on the same side as her and Hugh who he knows did terrible things in Roland’s name for decades. Unlikely.3. The whole subplot with Nick goes nowhere. Started interestingly with the arrival of the Order Knights and then just petered out.4. Julie knows all about Hugh but we never find out how. This may be coming in another book but it feels like it should have happened before this book was published.5. Curran is hunting and eating divine creatures for no reason except to steal their power. That makes him totally despicable. I thought in the previous book that it was a bit tough on the divine tiger he killed and ate but was waiting to see where the authors were taking that as he was described as being compelled to destroy it – he had to “make it not be”. Well apparently he wasn’t actually compelled to kill divine creatures at all - he just decided he would because he wanted their power so he could resurrect his dead wife if need be. Hmmm. So if the dragon kills humans to boil them down and power up his army by feeding them the bones that’s bad, but if Curran kills divine animals to eat them and power up to godhood that’s ok. Sounds morally questionable to me and this is never addressed by anyone at any point in this book. It’s just all OK because it’s Curran doing it and he’s the hero not the villain.POSTSCRIPT 10.09.2018.Apparently I'm not the only one who didn't like Curran turning to the dark side as since I originally wrote this review the authors have posted on their website to explain to outraged fans that Curran isn't killing random divine creatures, he's apparently killing ones that were preying on humans and would have to have been killed anyway and that these are Guild jobs he's been on. I really didn't get that impression from reading the book so I re-read it with this in mind and I think its still not obvious. A Guild-Outreach program is mentioned initially but is never referred to again, the hunts are always described as hunts not gigs and Kate's confusion about Curran's sudden passion for hunting doesn't really work if he's supposed to be fulfilling legit Guild gigs. And this explanation doesn't cover the first divine creature Curran killed as the tiger was a prisoner of Rolands (and therefore not rampaging around the countryside killing people) and Curran had no Guild gig to kill it. However while I feel the explanation has few logic holes in it, its still an explanation so consider my objection here withdrawn.6. Almost everyone (see below) we’ve ever met in the books gets a cameo but that’s all they get. They walk on stage so we can all go “whee – there’s XXX” and then they walk off. No real interaction with the majority of them.7. The whole “we can’t rely on the Pack – we can’t trust Jim” seemed a rather half-baked plot line. Jim sends Robert to say an alliance is on but they find out Jim has also met with Roland’s people so they decide he’s possibly untrustworthy. They decide not to say anything to Jim because it won’t solve anything if he’s turned against them and he will be upset at their mistrust if he hasn’t but then Dali rides into a scene to somewhat abruptly announce she’s barren and now all becomes clear. Really? And give Jim a break FFS – everyone trusts Hugh straight away but Jim gets cut no slack? Again – unlikely. This whole Jim & Dali thing was worthy of a far longer and better treatment – it would have formed a great subplot for a penultimate book for instance.8. Still on Jim & Dali - there was a whole description in Iron & Magic of how Hugh would have destroyed Jim’s leadership of the Pack by attacking Dali. Roland knew all about this strategy but hasn’t done anything about the Pack for two whole years. Why not? He had the Sahanu available not to mention the Golden Legion. Again a good plot/subplot for a penultimate book esp as Raphael & Andrea knew about this plan so presumably filled Jim & Dali in. Would have been nice to see how Jim rose to the occasion and thwarted the plan by not succumbing to his paranoia.9. And still on Jim – where was he? Jim is missing from this book altogether. WTF?! The final battle but no mention of the Beast Lord. I don’t think so. The Beast Lord should have been in this.10. The Sahanu were wasted. All this trouble to set them up as a force to be reckoned with just to get them all killed off in a totally unnecessarily elaborate plot. Why would Roland risk his “shiny” grandson getting injured just to get Kate to kill off the Sahanu? All the Sahunu live to kill or be killed by one of Roland’s blood so why didn’t he just kill them himself – they wouldn’t have objected. They’d have been thrilled to die at his hands.11. Not enough engagement with Adora as an actual person to enable us to be sorry she died. At the end of MB she was only just developing her own character and she didn’t get much play in this one before she died. Again an additional book would have enabled the authors to flesh her out so we would actually care about her death by dragon in this one.12. The dragon. Well actually the dragon is pretty cool but as I said in the non-spoiler section it’s a bit meh to have the dragon show up in the last book just so he can possess a magical McGuffin that can conveniently trap Roland in another reality. More backstory for the dragon would have been nice and there have been nine previous Kate Daniels books to do this with so the first mention shouldn’t have been in a spin off series (Iron Covenant).13. The final battle is meh. The battle in Magic Breaks was excellent. It was built up to, well described and engaging. This seemed flat. Everyone we care about was supposedly taking part but you had no real feel for anyone being in actual danger and no real engagement. Saiman’s death happens off camera and we don’t even get the scene where his body was bought to Kate. (Personally I’m really hoping being buried in a high magic area like Unicorn Lane makes Demigod Frost Giants regenerate). The authors should have spent way more time on this.And really that’s it in a nutshell – the authors should have spent way more time on this. I got the distinct impression they had got bored with Kate & Curran and just wanted the series done. They had a lot of subplots going that ended up leading nowhere and although it is possible there are plans to explore some of these in future novels in the same world those novels should have been published before this one. That way this one could have been the really great end to the series that it almost is but ultimately isn’t. What a shame.

before I get into my actual review of this story I need to explain some things :) I actually already finished the whole series and I may have binge read them, so all of the installments may or may not got blurred together in my mind… ;) but hey, I will do my best to separate them at least a little bit :) it happened, because I read this series during a two month long period of time when I struggled with a lot of changes in my personal and professional life, so I read a lot, cause I needed something to relax, but at the same time I was in no mood to write any reviews… so here we are today, when I am doing my best to catch up on those :)Before we get into my thoughts and feelings about this particular installment, here are a few things that are true about all of them and that you can read without any fear of spoilers :)#1 this series is absolutely phenomenal and you all need to read it if you haven’t yet :) I blew through all of the stories in it in record time, cause I was unable to put them down and read something else :)#2 the whole series follow Kate, the main character, and tells one big story… so even though each installment revolves around a smaller event / issue, I highly encourage you to read them all in order, including the novellas and side books that happen along the way, because they all bring something extra to your overall experience :) the reading order of all those stories can be easily found on Goodreads if you look for the series Kate Daniels :) I read them all in that order, as it was recommended to me by my good friend who already finished it, and I am very happy I did that :) of course I can’t force you to listen to me, I’m no #BookPolice ;) it’s just a friendly suggestion ;)#3 a few more words about the series in general :) it’s a paranormal / urban fantasy story, set in an alternate version of our world… in it, there are magic waves that crash over the world, making basically all technology useless for some time… because it’s impossible to predict when exactly they will come and go, it alters the way people live… of course, with magic came all sort of gifts and talents… not to mention magical creatures :) we definitely have vampires and necromancers of some sort who control them, shapeshifters who can change into all sorts of animals, not to mention the fact that we get to see magical influences and practitioners from very different belief systems… it’s a lot to explain and we don’t have that much time to get into all the details right now :) just know it’s phenomenal :) each book is action packed, fast paced and full of surprising twists and turns… I can’t even begin to count the number of times when I gasped in shock because the plot went in a completely different way than I anticipated :) once you get to know this world and these characters, you will be completely hooked… and speaking of characters… ;)#4 diverse and interesting characters are one of the main reasons why I love this series so much :) not only the main one, Kate, goes through a pretty spectacular character development arch throughout the whole series, but along the way we keep meeting new ones… and before you know what happened, you have a whole bunch of people you love and with each book you are quietly chanting “don’t kill any of them, don’t kill any of them” as if that might change some outcomes :) obviously I won’t name anyone right here, because a lot of them might come as a surprise to you… what I will say is that it will be a pleasure to re-read those books again soon, knowing how certain characters end up… that’s all I’m gonna say ;)#5 DO NOT READ THE REST OF THIS REVIEW if you are not caught up on the previous stories… I will be mentioning people and events from previous books next, because I cannot possibly write more about my feelings without them, and you will be spoiled about some major surprising turns… I won’t spoil anything when it comes to the book I am currently reviewing, but everything that happened before is fair game :) you’ve been warned ;)This is the final installment in Kate Daniels series… this giant conclusion that we were building so long for… and it was absolutely worth it :) to see how much Kate and her life changed throughout all these books… how she started off as this lonely mercenary without friends and ended up this amazing protector of everyone she cares about… how she finds love with Curran and starts a family with him… how many friends she makes along the way… and how hard she will fight for all of them to be safe… I have no words good enough to describe all the feelings I have for this series… the absolutely phenomenal writing style, strong and complex characters, both the main couple and a whole lot of secondary ones as well… a story that kept surprising me along the way, taking turns in directions I sooo did not expect :) truth be told, I read it too quickly to really focus on all the details, but rest assured, soon enough I will re-read all the stories and now that I know where everything is heading, I hope I will be able to do it more slowly and really appreciate all the details… so that I can add more coherent sentences to my reviews :) long story short, this is now one of my all time favourite series ever and if somehow you haven’t read it yet, definitely remedy that situation as soon as possible :)

So this was like having a meal of all your favourite things and finishing with a satisfying sigh of absolute repletion and total pleasure. Why? Because these are characters we have come to know, warts and all, that we cherish, love, hate, admire, and respect. We have followed them on their journeys, plunged through the heights and the depths with them and finally come to a place that says ok now it's time to let go. Kate and Curran deserve the space they have carved out for each other. However, it is clear that there is room now for other character's stories to be told. As always anything these authors put out are automatic buys for me and I look forward to the Iron Covenant books with Hugh's continuing story, and all the other possibilities from Erra and Julie, to the pack (cue Ascanio) to Roman and Derek. This is a book that needs to be read at the end of a wonderful series. To the authors, thank you for 10 amazing books and for the integrity to consistently insist on putting out work they can rightly be enormously proud of to the benefit of this incredibly grateful reader. I am now off to re-read from the beginning - book 1 - 10 and this should hold me till the Hidden Legacy novella and Hugh's next book with a side helping of Innkeeper along the way. If you have not yet tried this author I urge you to do so. For series people like myself you have 10 glorious books with an ending that satisfies for Kate and Curran, yet leaves pathways open for this universe and other characters in it. What are you waiting for - dive in you won't regret it.

This book is the perfect ending to the series. Hilarious one liners and jaw dropping tableaus painted in vivid detail which split to give dramatic descriptions of visceral violence. This is not the finale you expect, not the typical show down or the typical protagonist. It is smart, crafty and subversive. It is the ending fans have wanted, but delivered in an intelligent and entertaining way while still feeling real to the story.I have faithfully followed the Kate Daniels series since stumbling on the first book on the new releases shelf of a by-gone book store many years ago. The writing team of Ilona and Gordan Andrews have crafted a series of such dynamic characters, thrilling action and side cracking humour that it is likely to spoil you for any other series.

I have re read this series at least 20 times, at least every 3 months or so and I can honestly say, hand on heart that this book series? Is all the wonderful words in my title! It’s well written, the characters are what you would imagine if magic & tech clashed and the world changed so phenomenally.I love how many of the characters are seen throughout all 10 books and to see how they change & grow? Amazing. I still read each book as if it’s the first time & that’s after at least 20 times of re reading? That is how amazing this series is.It’s worth those 5* it deserves accolades, trophy’s awards, talk shows, read through etc. I want every person who loves this genre to have a chance to read this series! That is how passionate I am about it! Please, read it and love it and much as I do ♥️Have you noticed how many reviews there are on this series? In the thousands and unlike most reviews that get less & less each new book? This gets more and more! The reviews speaks for them self.

i really enjoyed the flow of this series and how the story ended. i enjoyed the culmination of story, the repaired relationships, the questions being answered. how despite huge issues faced with some characters Kate decided to look past, or beyond really, and make decisions that i dont think many would and perhaps for the betterment for herself and others, it was very grown-up of her. i liked where things went with Roland and mostly with Hugh. Even having a baby didnt change the tone of the story, nor was he (the baby) a hindrance to the story, he was an enjoyable character. i liked that she remained at the core who she was with the baby around. i liked how she finally was able to get the family she always wanted and this series showed along the way how she acquired so many friends and allies. overall i really enjoyed how this story ended up, it was a well rounded end. i can see lots of diff spin-offs to be had.

It’s been a long road ten books in the main series several novellas covering side characters, and two full length spin off novels one of which is the start of a new spin off series, but with this magic triumphs whatever else should come it means that the main arc of Curran and Kate is concluded.Does it deliver? The answer is a resounding yes, while there is the odd anti climatic moment by and large this novel delivers and manages to brings things to a satisfying finish while leaving enough open ended that this doesn’t mean the end of the KD universe.It’s bittersweet while on the one hand I am delighted to say the authors more or less stick the landing a difficult feat for any series let alone that has become such a sprawling endeavor with a passionate fan base.I will not spoil and at this stage anyone coming to book ten will know the stories and background anyway I will say on the bitter end of things that in the genre of urban fantasy only 2 other authors deal with the topic of family at the level of Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs in the mercy Thompson series dealing with themes of pack and of the family you make yourself and ml Brennan who in the generation v series posits what it is to be ( more or less ) a decent normal human in a family of monsters who all nevertheless love each other. Ilona in the KD series does both examining the bonds between outcasts and misfits and of the bonds of family of being a monster in a family of monsters and why that doesn’t stop people from loving each other.When I started reading this series so long ago I didn’t know the journey I would take following one damaged social misfit of a merc on her quest for vengeance and how I would watch that shift and change over time and become a story about friends and family standing up for and against each other I have been thrilled to take this journey and I hope so have you.