Now _this_ is the kind of story I’ve been looking for in UF.
Dead of Night is populated by interesting characters with quick, witty, believable dialog. Their relationships and actions are realistic throughout the adventure, as they figure out what’s really going on in the complex Machiavellian ‘game of houses’ they’ve stumbled into.
The world building in Dead of Night is _excellent_, capturing a wide range of society that’s populated by humans and the supernatural, the ranking of the powerful houses, (from the lowest pawns up to the kings and queens) and the black market operatives known as ghosts that do the dirty work. They perform a variety of tasks for the highest bidder. Whether it’s theft, guard duty or assassination there’s a ghost for it.
The MC, Connor, is a ghost. He’s a necromancer. It’s a rare magical aptitude, because you can’t be one unless you’re dying. Necromancers are reviled but also valued, because of their effectiveness. Not wanting to become a slave to a house for the expensive meds keeping him alive, Connor has managed (with his partner) to eek out a living with no one the wiser of his abilities. Till they take a job with a big pay day and get in over their heads.
Jeff Hay’s narration is very enjoyable to listen to. He has a wide range and all the characters are distinct and vivid, stepping off the page. The emoting and attitudes of his voice work is excellent. The only thing that disrupted complete immersion in the story was when JH would laugh or cough according to the dialog’s description. (Wheezy, choked, etc.) Instead of enhancing the story it briefly disrupted the flow. It’s a small blip in an otherwise great listening experience and became less noticeable as the story progressed. If not for that, it would’ve been a 5 star rating.
Weres, vampires, zombies, trolls, elves, magical objects and high tech weaponry are just some of the many, _many_ interesting things in Dead of Night’s rich and colorful world. I’m really glad there’s more books in the Ghosts & Magic series I can listen to immediately.
Well worth the credit.