Isela Vogel has the power to attract the favor of the gods for anyone who can pay her fee but struggles to hide the degenerative hip condition that will end her career. Then she’s offered a job that will set her and her family up for life. Though her prospective patron is a formidable necromancer with a heated and infuriating gaze, she can hardly refuse the payday. The Allegiance of Necromancers … Necromancers is powerful but not omnipotent, and when someone starts murdering his kind, Azrael must enlist a human godsdancer in order to track down the killer. But why does she have to be so frustratingly stubborn—and intriguing? Azrael can make the dead walk, but he can’t make the very much alive Isela toe any line.
Isela is thrown into a world of supernatural creatures—demons after dark, witches in the shadows, shifters running wild in city parks—where the grace of gods can truly infuse the blood of the most mortal-seeming dancer. As the danger increases with each thrilling discovery, trusting Azrael may be the only way to survive a conspiracy to destroy the fragile peace of a broken world.
But the greatest threat is their growing attraction. Dancers and necromancers don’t mix for a reason—it turns out there are fates worse than death.
Journey to the magical streets of Prague in this supernatural thriller for lovers of stories that blur the line between urban fantasy and paranormal romance.
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What a marvelous ride! Not normally a fantasy fan, I devoured this alternative-present tale set in Prague. Nearly wiped out by a war between gods and humans, fearsome Necromancers protect the fragile peace with the help of Godsdancers like our heroine whose dancing connects them to the power of the gods. I love the way Silvera renders such a diverse cast–magical dancers, sorcerers, witches, werewolves, gods–believable. She wove the plot threads so tightly that never once did I feel lost. Lots of suspense, but the tension is relieved by humor in just the right spots. Great banter, multi-layered characters, lush descriptions, ripping action scenes, and those love scenes—mighty tasty. I will definitely read more by this author!
I loved this unexpected pairing between a dancer who charms the power of the gods and a necromancer who needs her to maintain his power. Eagerly awaiting the rest of this series.
This isn’t your typical fantasy novel. It has elements of a typical fantasy novel, but it turns many of those elements on their heads. It’s also intense, funny, and sexy. Isela as a character is strong and stubborn and incredibly likeable. Azrael starts off pretty rough around the edges, not as immediately likable as Isela, but their relationship makes him more accessible, and therefor more likeable, as the book goes on. Death’s Dancer is the first in a series of books set in this world and I am anxious to read the next one and continue with these characters and their lives.
Here are just a few of the things I enjoyed about this book:
Isela and her family. I can’t tell you everything, but they aren’t typical. And yet they are typical in many ways, including how they treat each other with love, loyalty, and humor.
The secondary characters around Azrael. They are odd, but also intriguing, and I’m interested to learn more as the series goes on.
Basically I loved the relationships. The relationship between Azrael and Isela is central, of course, and it’s intense and romantic, but the rest of the characters and their relationships with Isela and Azrael really bring the story to life. They also help to shine light on the types of characters that Isela and Azrael are and become, which is a great technique in story-telling.
Isela is a godsdancer on her last legs, but one last job promises to set her up for life. Her new patron Azrael is necromancer trying to track down the killer of fellow necromancers. It’s a story of love and danger set in a world of in-betweens: Isela is a bridge between human and divine. Azrael is a bridge between life and death. Even Prague, Silvera’s setting is a bridge between East and West Europe. It is ripe with the magic of interstices.
Great characters, world building, and plot. Made me wish I knew more about some of the supporting characters, hoping maybe even for them to get their own books. The premise is a bit different from the usual in this genre.