Review: Magic at the Gate

Devon Monk
Urban Fantasy
346 pages
Allie Beckstrom #5
Excerpt
ROC 


Synopsis:
Allie Beckstrom's lover, Zayvion Jones, is a Guardian of the Gate, imbued with both light and dark magic and responsible for ensuring that those energies don't mix. But Zayvion lies in a coma, his soul trapped in death's realm. And when Allie discovers that the only way to save Zayvion is to sacrifice her very own magical essence, she makes a decision that may have grave consequences for the entire world


Review:
I'm not quite getting all the answers I'd like/need at this point, and it's starting to get slightly frustrating. There are so many questions I still have from the last book that haven't come back to anything yet, and several new events are happening this time, creating a whole new crop of questions.  On the one hand it kept me constantly engaged -running through the different "what ifs" in my head- but on the other hand it's starting to get slightly confusing trying to remember everything I think I know.  No way has this put me off the series, nothing as dire as that, but I'm ready for all the little sub plots to start lining up.  I will say that we do end up with one big answer at the end, and some tiny little tie-in that lets me know that Monk isn't suffering from LOST-itis. I know that everything will come together brilliantly.  


Magic at the Gate picks up exactly where Magic on the Storm stops, with Allie, Stone, and dear old Dad going to find Zayvion.  I can tell you that "Death" was pretty cool, but beyond that I can't really talk about the plot without ruining things for you. I will also add that Shame fans are going to love this book.  We get so much more of his vulnerable personality this time around, your affections will grow.  Shame is a changed person since the battle royale at the end of the last book, and I'm anxious to see where Monk is going with him.  Oh and add Terric into the mix, and readers will love these mystery of these two.  


Now, don't go all thinking that just because I start off the review by mentioning that I'm anxious for some answers, that that means Allie #5 wasn't a vital piece of the overall story.  It was!  And it's going to be important, and there's plenty of great things that happen... I just cant tell you them w/o major spoilers.


Bottom Line: A little more "set-up" than I've come to admire with Monk's work, but a entertaining installment with lots of new series developments.


3.5 stars