hymns of hallownest

Salem witch taxi In the late 17th century, the town of Salem, Massachusetts, became infamous for the Salem witch trials. During this time, numerous people were accused of practicing witchcraft and were subjected to harsh trials and in some cases, execution. The events in Salem have been studied and analyzed for centuries, with many theories and explanations put forth to understand what truly happened during this dark period in American history. One particularly interesting theory that emerged is the notion of the "Salem witch taxi." According to this theory, it is believed that witches in Salem had the ability to summon demonic transportation in the form of a taxi. This taxi would allegedly transport the accused witches to secret gatherings and meetings with other witches, as well as to perform evil rituals.

This is a pretty good book to get into the series with but I don’t necessarily think that you need to read it first. Personally, I like reading a book series in order as it tends to make things easier but not always. It introduces you to the main players in this series well enough and gives you a good mystery to boot. The one thing I couldn’t really wrap my head around at this point in the whole series is the Kate/Curran relationship.

The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings and the death of Kate s guardian may be part of the same mystery. The book starts with her fresh off a case covered in nasty goo and sewage is not fresh by any means when she gets word that her old guardian has died.

This taxi would allegedly transport the accused witches to secret gatherings and meetings with other witches, as well as to perform evil rituals. Supporters of this theory argue that the quick and nearly simultaneous spread of accusations and trials throughout the town indicates a form of quick transportation, such as a taxi. They believe that the accused witches weren't able to physically travel around the town so quickly, thus suggesting the existence of a supernatural means of transportation.

Review: Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews

Is it just me, or are a lot of urban fantasy heroes more or less the same? They can kick serious ass, they have mysterious and as-yet-untapped powers, their parentage is often a question mark, they’re loners, and they’re also smart-asses with short fuses who can’t choke back an insult to save their lives. Meet Kate Daniels, the latest urban fantasy protagonist to check off all those boxes.

At the beginning of Magic Bites, mercenary Kate is passing a usual lonely night in her apartment and nursing an injury from her latest job when a vampire, “piloted” by an undead Master named Ghastek, interrupts her evening with a question: “When was the last time you saw your guardian?” Soon, Kate finds herself on special assignment for the powerful Order of Knights of Merciful Aid as she tries to figure out exactly what happened to her guardian, Greg Feldman — the only person her father trusted with the truth of Kate’s parentage.

I ended up liking Magic Bites, but I have to admit that I came close to putting it down early in the book because Kate felt so cookie-cutter. She’s a mercenary with a magic sword and a mysterious past who refuses help from anyone, including Greg. In a situation where diplomacy would help Kate keep her mysterious powers under wraps–which we are told, over and over again, is a must for her safety–Kate flings insults and starts a fight instead. I wanted to sympathize with Kate’s occasional loss of temper, but mostly I found myself annoyed by her apparent lack of smarts.

I was also annoyed by the book’s mysterious treatment of Kate’s powers and parentage. Kate herself knows who her parents are and what she’s capable of, but she avoids revealing this crucial information to the reader, even though the book is written in first-person narrative. I love mysteries, but I find it kind of obnoxious if the main character knows the answer and is just refusing to share. It also makes for some awkward writing, as Kate’s narration does cartwheels in order to avoid revealing facts that the authors* want to hold out on us.

Finally, the book’s pacing is jumpy. The authors occasionally skip a scene or two and let the reader know about crucial events or conversations after the fact. Sometimes this works, but at other times, I really felt like the skipped scene would have added important character development.

So why did I stick with it? First, the worldbuilding in Magic Bites really intrigued me. A resurgence of magic brought about a quasi-apocalypse, and now the world is divided into “tech time,” when technology works normally and magic is unreliable, and times when “the magic is up,” when magic flares and most tech doesn’t work. The authors have a lot of fun imagining what life would be like in this world. (For example, what happens if you drive a magic-fueled car when the magic is up, but then have to return when the magic is down?) Kate’s world also won major points with me for bringing back gross and scary vampires. No emo Edward Cullens in sight here.

Second, Kate herself started to grow on me. Her actions became more cautious and her investigation became more interesting, she developed something resembling a sense of humor, and her mistakes made me wince in sympathy instead of roll my eyes. I also liked that she has to put work into being an ass-kicking mercenary. We see her lifting weights and training, which is a nice change of pace.

I’d recommend Magic Bites as beach or airplane reading for urban fantasy fans. It’s a debut with some flaws, but overall I enjoyed it. I’ll be intrigued to see if the sequel, Magic Burns, makes me want to keep reading.

Rating: Library Loan

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* The books are written by a husband-and-wife team, Ilona and Andrew Gordon.

There was a ton of great action, mystery, and magic throughout this novel. The pacing was fast and relentless, and that part of things kept me glued to my seat most of the time. I think if the other elements were improved this definitely could’ve been a five star for me, but for now I’m giving it a 3.5.

However, it is important to note that the theory of the Salem witch taxi remains highly speculative and lacks substantial evidence. Many historians and scholars dismiss this theory as unfounded and lacking in credibility. They argue that the accusations and trials can be better explained through factors such as social tensions, religious fervor, and psychological factors. The Salem witch trials were a tragic and dark chapter in American history, causing the deaths of innocent individuals and leaving a lasting impact on the region. While the theory of the Salem witch taxi may seem intriguing, it is crucial to approach such claims with skepticism and rely on evidence-based analysis to truly understand the events that unfolded during that period..

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hymns of hallownest