Audiobook Review – Fated (Alex Verus, Book 1) by Benedict Jacka (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Length: 10 hours and 33 minutes (304 pages)
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Release Date: December 24, 2013
ASIN: B00HET8ZSY
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Alex Versus series
Source: Audiobook from Audible.com
Rating: 4/5 stars

I have had this urban fantasy series on my “to read” list for quite a while. This ended up being a well done and entertaining urban fantasy. Right now there are four books in this series with the fifth book, Veiled, scheduled for an August 2015 release.

I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook was very well done. The narrator sounds exactly like I imagine Verus would sound and does other character voices well too.

Alex Verus runs a magic shop in London and is a mage himself. However, being a Diviner, his powers are somewhat limited..mainly he can see the future. Things start to get interesting when a friend of his, Luna, finds a strange magic artifact. Shortly after this Alex is approached by multiple organizations that want to hire him to open up an ancient magic artifact. Alex is trying to stay alive and keep all the factions happy, however he is also desperate to know why everyone wants this artifact so badly.

The story reminds a bit of a cross between The Dresden Files and The Iron Druid Chronicles. I love that the story focuses on magicians and magic but is also a kind of a mystery. The whole thing takes place in London, which is always a fun setting…especially for urban fantasies.

I enjoyed the characters and the magic; Alex is a snarky lead and fun to read about. He’s mostly about surviving, but also has a bit of a noble streak that makes him err on the side of good. He apparently has a sordid past and I am curious to learn more about his past in future books.

I also enjoyed Luna. She has an interesting curse on her and is eager to learn about magic. She is basically in here as Alex’s side kick, but seems to be tending toward becoming his apprentice. She reminds me a bit of Granuaile in the Iron Druid Chronicles.

The story is tied up very well in this book. However, there are some things/hints left in motion and I am very curious to see where these go in future books.

Overall I really enjoyed the snarky tone and magic in this book. I will most likely continue reading this series. I would definitely recommend to urban fantasy fans who enjoy mages and magic; especially to those who are fans of the Dreseden Files or the Iron Druid Chronicles.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge
– Mount TBR Reading Challenge
– 2015 Audiobook Challenge