Gigi's Company discussion

Please post comments and discussion here for the October'10 Book of the Month:

Unshapely Things (Connor Grey, Book 1) by Mark Del Franco

Read it and liked it very much. Great dark urban-fantasy murder mystery. Reminded me very much of The Dresden Files, in the sci-fi/dark urban fantasy setting, but that's where the similarities stop. I haven't written my review yet. As soon as I do, I'll be back.

I liked it even more the second time through.

I read it last April and just started it again lastnight. I had picked up the rest of the series as a group buy on Ebay so wanted a refresher. Below is my brief review from when I orginally read it.

april 2010 -Connor Grey is a politically fast climbing Druid in the Guild who the year before had a run in with a bad guy, almost died and ended up loosing a majority of his powers, he is forced into disability by the Guild because of this. He now works as a consulant for the police in the area of Boston called "Weird" on what is looking like ritualistic deaths of prostitute male fairies.

In this UF, the main character is male and there is no romance. Different from what I usually read in this fare. I liked it but did find the pacing a bit off at times and I struggled a few times to get through some part but over all this was a decent read and looking to more in this series.

Connor Grey, hero of Unshapely Things (Connor Grey, Book 1) by Mark Del Franco and a Druid, is a human member of the fey, the magical creatures who share the earth with normal humans. Grey was injured in a recent accident and is now considered magically disabled. To supplement his disability check from the Fey Guild, for whom he worked before his accident, he assists with police investigations in the Weird, the area of Boston where mostly fey reside. In this police case, fairies are being killed with their hearts being cut out and replaced with a selenite stone.

I enjoyed the world that Del Franco has created and the characters that occupy that world. The mystery was riveting with a satisfying conclusion. The pacing was terrific with moments of tension perfectly balanced with story development. I definitely plan to continue with this series. I am giving this book five stars with a strong recommendation to fantasy fans.

My compliments to Enjee for this great recommendation!!!

Thanks Kathleen. The rest of the books in the series are equally good, and he has a second series out with a female lead.
and the Laura Blackstone books:

Enjee wrote: "Thanks Kathleen. The rest of the books in the series are equally good, and he has a second series out with a female lead..."

According to Del Franco's web site, the Laura Blackstone book is set between books three and four in the Connor Grey series. Since both series are in the same universe, I wonder if we will see any crossover. I have already picked up the second and third Connor Grey books. Next I plan to track down Skin Deep, Laura Blackstone, Book 1.

Awesome to know! Thanks Enjee and Kathleen!

Unquiet Dreams is the second book in the Connor Grey urban fantasy series. Connor, who lost his abilities after a run in with a terrorist elf, is a Druid investigator in the fey world of the Weird created by Mark Del Franco. Connor freelances consulting on homicide cases involving supernatural elements for the Boston PD. In this case a teenager has been found murdered in the Tangle, the worst area of the Weird.

Great mystery with a touch of the paranormal. The Weird is a fascinating, imaginative world with multiple magic using races. Connor is an enigma with a dark spot on part of his brain that doctors and healers cannot explain. It blocks his abilities, but enhances some of magical senses. Enjoyed the development in Connor's character. Can't wait to read book three.

More emphasis on the paranormal than previous books, yet Unfallen Dead (Connor Grey, Book 3) is a great mystery as well. The veil between the realms is thinning with the approach of Samhain. Connor Grey finds himself in the midst of a faerie investigation about events at the Forest Hills cemetery, bonding with the spear of a faerie underQueen, and as usually is assisting Murdock look into a series of murders that seem to involve the supernatural. Connor's relationship with Meryl continues to progress and we meet his former partner from the New York City Guild, Dylan macBain. Great back story with Dylan, who is also a former student of Briallen.

Lots of action, shifting between realms, and a wide range of supernatural creatures. Rich, fascinating detailed world. Great characters, likeable hero and sidekicks. The World of the Weird just keeps getting better and better.

******* Skin Deep (Laura Blackstone, Book 1) by Mark Del Franco is a nominee as one of January 2011 Books of the Month. In the event that it wins, I will transfer this review to Skin Deep's discussion thread.*******

For readers not familiar with the fantasy world of Mark Del Franco, the Seelie Court established the Fey Guild to represent Fairy High Queen Maeve of Tara, diplomatically, and to work as a police force to investigate local magic-related crimes committed by fey. Laura Blackstone is an undercover agent for the International Global Security Agency, or InterSec, which investigates magic-related international criminal activity. Laura, whose cover job is public relations director for the Fey Guild, can use her Druidic abilities to assume glamours, or magical disguises, for various personas including Janice Crawford, fey backup for the Washington, D.C., police SWAT team, and Mariel Tate, representative of fey intelligence to various D.C. human agencies.

Skin Deep is a well-written story that flows smoothly and without confusion as Laura switches back and forth between her multiple personas. Imaginative world rich with diverse characters. Mystery involving an international conspiracy and threat to the stability of the Seelie Court as well as operations within the D.C. SWAT team. Will keep you guessing until the very end. Looking forward to Face Off, Laura Blackstone, Book 2. Five stars and a recommendation to urban fantasy fans.

Unperfect Souls (Connor Grey, Book 4) is absolutely awesome!!! Each book in this series starts off immediately after the last book stopped and draws heavily on events in previous books. I would strongly recommend that the books be read in order. Additionaly I would recommend that Skin Deep, Laura Blackstone, Book 1, be read between Unfallen Dead Connor Grey, Book 3, and Unperfect Souls, Connor Grey, Book 4. The first Laura Blackstone book introduces a jotunn, a merrow, and most importantly, a leanansidhe. A member of each of these magical species makes an appearance in Unperfect Souls.

In Unperfect Souls there are major revelations about several key characters. We finally learn why Scott Murdock, Police Commissioner and father of Detective Lieutenant Leonard Murdock, hates Connor so much. Connor finds an unlikely mentor and learns a lot more about the dark mass in his head. Shay returns and we catch up on his life after losing his partner, Robyn. The taint is still creating havoc in the Weird, and since the end of Samhein, the fey of the Weird have to deal with the Dead trapped on this side of the veil. In fact, this volume in the Connor Grey series starts with the discovery of torso of a dead Dead guy and Connor being called to consult for the Boston P.D. Developments include the death of one recurring character, another regular character slips into a coma, and a third familiar character seems to be in a detached state in which that person no longer appears to occupy their body. This book is a turning point in the series and nothing will be the same in the future. Five stars and eagerly awaiting book five.

Face Off (Laura Blackstone, Book 2) by Mark Del Franco picks up immediately following events at the National Archives. Laura again is balancing two personas, Mariel Tate--fey representative to human intelligence agencies and Fallon Moor--terrorist brownie, plus her own responsibilities as public relations director for the Washington, D.C., Guildhouse. The plot of this volume centers around an official visit to Washington, D.C., by Draigen macCullen, Terryn macCullen's sister and regent for the Inverni faerie clan. We also meet Terryn's brothers Brinen and Aran, Lord Guardians for the Regent. Complex political machinations and deceptions abound. Laura gradually unweaves the conflicting threads and uncovers several surprising connections. Laura continues to grow close to Jono, former SWAT team member and InterSec trainee, and she is again aided by her always efficient brownie assistant, Safi. Resha Dunne, the merrow, is back and proves a source of support for a solitary besieged by fey politics. In the conclusion of the book, Terryn is left with difficult decisions that will leave you anxiously looking for the next installment of this series. Five stars for another great urban fantasy by Mark Del Franco.