2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #1 discussion

The world building is original in many ways. What did you think of the numerous character types (vampires, shapeshifters, necromancers, mercenaries etc.) in the book?

On the one hand, the various magical species are very familiar (vampires, shapeshifters etc) but on the other, Andrews has added a twist to everything, like the vampires being controlled by necromancers and some weres originating as animals rather than humans. It is very cool.
I also enjoyed the structure of the Order - the different types of Knights adds an almost medieval flavor to the world building.

I was hooked from the beginning of A Questionable Client. I enjoyed that the vampires weren't all beautiful and compelling (twilight etc).

The shape shifters too were different to other popular authors. This was really refreshing.

Yeah, Andrews' vampires definitely do not sparkle!

I am a bit of a novice to this genre so don't have much to compare to but I liked all the different character types. Like you Loriidae I was hooked from the beginning of A Questionable Client.

I really liked the urban fantasy world. The vampires were very interesting, along with the shapeshifters , necromancers and mercenaries. This was my first month that I have ever read Ilona Andrews and thought she was a very good writer. I love her descriptions of the world.

I read this book twice and it wasn't really until the second time that I really got it. I think I read it way too fast the first time around because it was for a challenge the second time I really got to focus more on the World building and I thought it was amazing. I love that her vampires are not sparkly. As a matter of fact they're pretty grotesque which I really believe vampires should be. I agree with Lauren that the creatures in this book are familiar but I like Andrew's way of twisting them.

Christina T wrote: "I read this book twice and it wasn't really until the second time that I really got it. ."

I'm not surprised. When I first read the book, I felt that I had been thrown into the middle of a series rather than the first installment. Andrews' style is to build the world as they go along.