*I received a free copy of this book, with thanks to the author and Kelly Lacey of Love Books Tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Blurb: An immersive urban fantasy with a fun twist on legendary and mythological creatures
Drew Macleod is caught in a turf-war between Archer, the last remaining daemon and the incompetent angelii. Both seek to save humans from threats they don’t know exist, but Drew needs to find out who is hunting him personally through the dark closes and alleys of Edinburgh and why. He and Archer are helped by a feisty herbalist and a brilliant old clock-maker, but the dangers keep piling up.
This original and imaginative story lets a quirky cast characters lead us into a hidden and dangerous world. The contemporary setting and the richness of the characters holds our attention in a fast-paced and at times humorous read, full of plot twists and quirky details.
I jumped on the opportunity to read this book, based on the blurb, as I love a bit of paranormal urban fantasy, Rivers of London style, and I was not disappointed!
Touchpaper does for Scotland generally and Edinburgh specifically, what Ben Aaronovitch and many others have done for London, mixing the rich culture and history of the real-world setting with a parallel realm of magic and mythological beings.
Interestingly, David Dodds has given familiar mythology his own unique spin, with galdr in place of magic, and very different versions of daemons, angelii, fae, dwarfs and spirits than you may have seen elsewhere. This worldbuilding was one of my favourite parts of the story, with new and interesting mythological lore revealed at every turn in the plot.
That said, there wasn’t any part of the story I didn’t enjoy! The characters are engaging and main character Drew gives us a nice, innocent, everyman perspective on the new world opening up before us (and him!). You can expect a feisty herbalist, ineffective angels, lots of gadgets and a talking dog, among many many other quirky allies and enemies.
The plot is easy to follow, but not easy to predict, and there is plenty of action and excitement in the forms of spirit attacks and fae incursions to intersperse with the scene- and character-setting introductory information.
Touchpaper is a fantastic series starter for anyone desperate for a fresh, new urban fantasy fix and I will definitely be following to find out what happens next!
The massive, dark shape turned its burning eyes back towards me and I gasped and scrabbled backwards as another burst of nausea hit me. The horrible sensations grew in intensity. Panicking, I staggered further back, losing my footing as I collided with a small gravestone. I scrambled sideways around the stone as those dark tendrils of shadow stretched and flicked towards me. I had no time to understand what was happening: the sound and nausea had me in its grip and I couldn’t think.
A sharp thrust thumped into the small of my back, driving the air from my lungs and propelling me face down onto the damp grass. The turf filled my mouth and, as I choked and gasped for breath, a boot pressed roughly on my back, holding me down. A harsh voice said, ‘Stay down, you fool.’
As I fought for breath and struggled to free myself, I felt my body weakening. Consciousness slipped away, though I heard the same voice say authoritatively, ‘I don’t think so. Not this time. Unless you want to start a war, you won’t win.’– David Dodds, Touchpaper
Purchase Link: Touchpaper on Amazon
Don’t forget to check out the other blog stops on the tour for more great reviews and content (see the poster below for details)!
