Uncertain Allies [Mass Market Paperback]

I really enjoy this series, but it also frustrates me. I could not put this book down, but still felt like the series hadn't made much progress after finishing it. I did feel that all the chess pieces are finally in position for the end game. Sometimes authors get too caught up in multi-book plot arcs, such as Connor's still mysterious black mass. In this book, Connor does finally get an answer of sorts, but it's wrapped up in existential technobabble. The Wheel of the World turns, but evidently there's a gap. Oh, why didn't you say so!? Connor does undergo a major shake-up regarding the mass after the climactic battle (these books always end with a climactic battle, and it's always the best part of the book); he gets something else in his head. *sigh*

What really kept me turning the pages was how all the political factions resolved into opposing forces, and readers finally see what (and who) all the sides are: Eorla in the Weird, The Elves, Maeve/the Guild, Ceridwen and the Dead. They all want to manipulate Connor to their own ends. Connor also finally dumps the whining "poor me, I lost my abilities" and becomes a contender. The mystery of the disappearing people is intimately tied into the political infighting, and he actually investigates like a real PI. Moreover, Murdock gets involved and the two become true allies and friends. I was also happy to see the return of Shay. I do love these characters.

Overall, this book satisfied enough that I am anxious for the next installment. Once again the ending was action-packed and fantastic, but also left readers hanging. I'd really like to see the black mass be resolved, and move onto some stand alone stories. This is an excellent, gritty urban fantasy, but waiting book after book for resolution is wearing extremely thin. I'm hooked on this series, but with so much always hanging, I'm unwilling to try the spin-off series set in the same world.

The series to date has been good. I would recommend reading at the least the first series book before this one to understand the setting. This book does a good job of updating what happened in the last two books, but not the whole setting.

The book was well written, good characters. It did pull the reader along to the ending, just short of being a page turner.

A weakness in the series is the black mass of magic blocking in the hero's head. It does drive the hero and provide the setting, because it prevented the former highly skilled magic cop from doing magic while still allowing him to sense it, and turned the hero into a 'down on his luck' PI trying to help the little guy. It also started to get boring.

At the end of the last book the author had the mass do some magic on its own, but it was thrown in at the end of the book. I was afraid for the first half of this book the same would happen, but the story here moved along. Not enough to make the hero into a superman, but enough to keep the reader interested.

There was also a weakness where too many highly placed people want to screw over the hero without enough good cause in the setting.

I am a little surprised at the other ratings for this book, I loved it. I thought it was an exciting page turner, and an exciting addition to this great series. I will say if you are reading this review and have not read the other books in the series, you should go back and read this from book one. Each book builds on the one before it so much, you feel as if you know the characters so well. This leads to surprises, which Mr. Del Franco has given in each book by the way. This series is different from so many other urban fantasy series, there is a lot of politics involved, and so many characters, that at first you think you will have a hard time keeping up. I never found this to be the case though. Also this series reads a little slower, since there are so many characters, and the politics of the different factions is so much a part of the story, it reads a little slow. Not uninteresting slow, just that you have to really pay attention to what is going on..you will see it or the character again.
Again, I just loved this latest book in the series, I hate to have to wait too long for the next one!