Dead Witch Walking

3.4 / 5

While there are several parts in the story that are interesting or thrilling, there were a few parts that (in my opinion) were just meandering along without significant narrative impact or evoking any emotional response.

While I like the author's approach of explaining why the world is as it is, I felt that the immersion was broken at several points as some of the characters' actions felt forced (as opposed to organic) and the worldbuilding felt somewhat patchy / incoherent (this might be remedied in further books of the series, but it bothered me having only read the first installment of the series). I also felt like the author introduced certain characters that they didn't really know what to do with midway through the story. So they are just sort of left idle at the sidelines, which is a pity since most of the characters are genuinely interesting and intriguing.

Other than that the author has a very pleasant style that is easy and comfortable to read. Definitely worth checking out if you are into Urban Fantasy and want to explore a slightly different spin on it.

I'm a little nonplussed by this book because I have taken a sort of mild dislike to the main character. She's sort of... ethically gormless?

So, Rachel Morgan: wants to quit her law enforcement job because she keeps getting shit work, despite the fact that everyone tells her you don't quit this job, because they will hunt you down and kill you. Convinces herself that this is just a silly rumour. Two co-workers, a pixie and a vampire, quit with her, both seemingly just to support her. It turns out, that the price on your head thing was not just a silly rumour, and although her co-workers' circumstances are different enough that they escape having a contract put out on them, they both defend her, and are to some degree endangered. Her vampire also sublets her place to Rachel.

And Rachel seems to feel that this is... lucky? Like, for her? She never really seems to feel indebted? Which, I dunno, maybe one is not actually indebted to people who are just doing the right thing, but it's weird to me.

So she decides, with not a great deal of evidence, powered mostly by the need to keep the book moving, that the way to get the price off her head is to defeat some other villain, which will make her old boss so pleased with her they will have to let her go? This seems a pretty slim chance to hang your survival on, but okay. She gets captured by this other villain, who tries to force her to kill rats, and she takes a moral stand on this: "I'd rather die than compromise my ethics!" which, what? I mean, it's not like she's a vegetarian.

But maybe her ethical position is just that she hates taking orders, which is pretty clearly the case, but does not seem like an ethical position, as such.

Also, the book does the thing where the protagonist, from the 'default' class unthinkingly treats a minor character from the less-than-human class (her pixie co-worker) as a person, one time, and the pixie is so grateful. Think Harry Potter and Dobby the house elf. Rachel's act, in this instance, is subletting her garden to the pixie. Oh my god, no pixie has ever been rented land, ever! This act of kindness will be remembered forever!

No pixie has ever been rented land? Seriously? Because they appear to be able to work for money, so I don't see why they wouldn't be able to be rented land. And apparently land is really important to them, I can't imagine someone wouldn't use that as an incentive. I mean, if you're willing to pay them in money.

And it's not like Rachel shows a great deal of interest in the pixie's welfare otherwise. She moves him and his family into her back garden, and doesn't bother to learn his wife's name.

It's not like Rachel is a terrible person. If she was, though, she might be a little more interesting. It's just that she's kind of self-centred and only medium competent, but everyone around her treats her like she's something special, and it annoyed me.

Also, the vampire co-worker has sexy vampire powers, and Rachel keeps on being mad at her for using them. "Dammit, Ivy, stop being sexy! I'm straight! Your sexy vampire powers don't work on me! Stop making me want to lick you!" Your protests are a bit lacking in credibility, there.

I picked up this book because it kept showing up in Best Fantasy Series lists around the net. I think I have a much different idea of what "best" means than these list-makers.

The book is supposed to be one of those plot-driven action-packed paranormal urban fantasies with a kickass female lead. Sadly, although it has plot, that plot is muddled and slow. The female lead is supposed to be really awesome, but is actually annoying, and boring, and dumb. There are vampires. Its urban is Cincinnati, although there is no sense of place at all here.

On the other hand some of the minor characters were reasonably well drawn, and it does pick up both in writing quality and pacing toward the end. I've heard the later books get much, much better, so, I dunno.

I am OK with bad fantasy series as long as the books suck me in and keep me reading. This one was just dull and more of the same.

White witch Rachel Morgan is a runner for Inderland Security, a supernatural law enforcement agency, but she’s starting to tire of all the poor assignments she’s been getting. When she finally quits her job, two of her colleagues decide to follow suit; Ivy the vampire and Jenks the pixy. However leaving I.S. is not that easy and Rachel’s ex-boss is unhappy about losing Ivy so he takes a contract out on Rachel.

Dead Witch Walking is set in an alternative present where a large portion of the human population was wiped out by a virus caused by genetic engineering. During the outbreak, the supernatural beings of the world, witches, warlocks, vampires, weres, fairies and pixies, came out into the open to help but relations are still shaky. Biodrugs are now illegal and medicine restricted and because the virus was spread by tomatoes, humans are scared of them. I liked the concept and really wanted to enjoy the story but found it lacking.

The pacing is a bit off. Takes a while to get going which is fair enough, but it keeps stopping and starting. The section where Rachel turns into a mink is the best part and felt like a properly structured story but the padding around it seemed to go on and on. I didn’t really connect with the characters either, apart from maybe Trent who’s supposed to be the bad guy. The relationships were all a bit bland…I thought something interesting was going to happen with Ivy but she ends up taking the back seat.

There are a few loose threads that would make me consider reading more. I was recommended this series by a few people so it could be that it improves with further reading but it’s not one I wanted to leap onto the next book with.