Trick Of The Light [Mass Market Paperback]

 

 

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Some authors can write characters of both genders. Some can only convincingly write characters of their own gender. And some can only write the opposite one.

Unfortunately Rob Thurman seems to be one of those women who can only write convincing male protagonists, because her first attempt at a female protagonist falls as flat as a dehydrated jellyfish. The first Trickster book "Trick of the Light" has a promising premise and some fascinating supporting characters, but it's riddled with confusing action scenes and a snotty Mary Sue of a heroine.

Trixa Iktomi (wow, a Lakota trickster as a surname... subtle) runs a bar during the day, and hunts demons every night -- one of them murdered her brother, and so she's obviously hunting for the guy whodunnit. What's more, she's searching for the Light of Life which she can trade to Hell for her brother's killer. So when she isn't running her business, she firebombs demon hideouts with her pals Griffin and Zeke.

However, agents of both Heaven and Hell want the Light of Life, and Eden House (a sort of organization run by angels... its influence is never very well defined) is out for it -- as is Solomon, a sexy bad-boy demon who wants in Trixa's pants (of course).

"Trick of the Light" = awesome demon-hunters + typical Snappy Sue heroine + half-baked plot + Judeo-Christian mythos without any belief or pesky God involvement. Honestly, it feels like Rob Thurman had a well-thought-out cast of male characters and a half-formed urban fantasy mythos... and then for some reason, she jammed a Mary-Sueish protagonist firmly in the middle of it all.

The biggest problem is, of course, Trixa -- she's an Action Mary Sue. She's gorgeous, tough, has tri-colored hair (black, bronze AND red), a bunch of phallic weapons, rebellious, has an idiotically inappropriate wardrobe (she boasts about going demon-killing in high heels and a brocaded silk blouse), and she's basically a huge pain-in-the-butt poser. Oh, and she loves blowing things up, presumably because it makes her look cool.

Worst of all, she has a case of "Anita Blake Angst," in which a person who has suffered a single personal tragedy claims to have become Dark, Tough and Oh-So-Cynical because of it -- while surrounded by characters who have had it worse. The worst part is, the supporting cast is actually fascinating -- characters like Zeke, Griffin and Solomon are far more fascinating, tragic and layered than Trixa, but they're all sort of half-fleshed-out.

And since the book is in first-person, we're pretty much stuck with Trixa's inner self-indulgent sarcasm and leaden witticisms ("Who knew laziness would trigger the Apocalypse?"). Thurman's plot is also pretty thin -- we get long stretches of Trixa not doing much at all, punctuated by confusing action scenes, whining about how much Trixa hates Above and everyone connected to it, and long rambling conversations.

"Trick of the Light" has some flickers of promise and some fascinating supporting cast, but the underbaked plot and detestable Mary Sue just tear the bottom out of it.

Rob Thurman does not disappoint in her latest novel, Trick of the Light. With twists and turns that had me staying up way past my usual bedtime, her witty writing and complex characters never fail to amuse and surprise. This is one book that I would highly recommend not peeking in the back before you read it because it will truly ruin the plot for yourself! Savor the vibrant banter and exiting action with a novel I can't wait to reread. If I only gave the book 4 stars, it's because I expect even better things in the following books. :) Read It!

I had a lot of expectations for Trick of the Light after Rob Thurman's Cal Leandros series, and I'm pleased to say I was far from disappointed. A whole new cast of complex, original (and let's admit it, somewhat psychotic, but we love that) characters is introduced through a story that never falls flat. Forget the usual urban fantasy tropes, you won't find them in this book. Instead you get an intense storyline and characters that evolve in a world that's perfectly described. Everything you need to know is said, but there's not a word wasted on superfluous scenery description. You live the story in the main character's head, through her eyes, instead of feeling like a third party observer. The emotional connection with the characters and what's happening is strong, so brace yourself for the ending; Rob Thurman never takes the easy way out and every twist and turn is a complete surprise, the ending even more so. It's sarcastic, funny, dark, smartass, intricate and leaves you aching for more. A must-read!

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