Urban Shaman (Walker Papers, book 1) by C.E. Murphy
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Edition Reviewed: Paperback
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: Urban Shaman
Joanne Walker has three days to learn to use her shamanic powers and save the world from the unleashed Wild Hunt.
No worries. No pressure. Nevermind the lack of sleep, the perplexing new talent for healing from fatal wounds, or the cryptic, talking coyote who appears in her dreams.
And if all that's not bad enough, in the three years Joanne's been a cop, she's never seen a dead body -- but she's just come across her second in three days.
It's been a bitch of a week. And it isn't over yet.
Review:
Urban Shaman is what I like to call an “original” in the Urban Fantasy genre. One of the series that was out before the big boom. The blend of Native American lore and Celtic mythology is still something that is rarely found in the genre even after all of these years. The true testament is that 8 years after I originally read Urban Shaman I still enjoy it, and find to to be a unique story and concept.
Sure it starts of rocky with the main character Jo flying high in the sky about to land from a red eye flight back home. When she sees a crime taking place! It's brought up many times by other characters as to how she could have seen it, but never really explained. (I believe readers are to just assume it part of Jo's magic powers.) Soon Jo is dying, coming back to life with super-amazing abilities in the magical, being fired as a mechanic for the police department, and turned into a police officer. This book never lets up! In some cases that can be tiring, because it all happens unbelievably fast. For the most part, Murphy makes it work.
With that crazy pacing it seems like the story jumps around a lot and readers never quite know where the story will take them next. Jo is an interesting enough character. She's scared and it’s wonderful having a real character like that. She's been in denial about her Native American gifts and any ties to any funny business with magic. Overall her snark and caring nature is what really endeared her to me.
What I liked more was how interesting all of the characters are. Sure it was . . . unrealistic how the majority of the people Jo meets are willing to believe in the supernatural, or simply go along with it. The villains make up for that. Because in the end they're not really evil they're just Gods. Immortal beings who are doing what they are made for. It's beautiful to see Jo as a shaman heal someone who's done so many wrongs.
Urban Fantasy doesn't just blend different kind of mythologies well, the characters all interact splendidly and I loved the exchanges with Jo and her boss. There's plenty of room for Jo to get a love interest, with a diverse enough group of men! (Later of course, world building first.) Even better is how Jo is going to sink into her new job as a police officer of the law and a Shaman—or healer. Looking forward to more laughs, mystery, and simply more time in the Walker Papers series.
Sexual Content: Some frisky business, but really clean.
3/5- Adored it, just a few minor details held it back.
| Previous book(s) in series: | ||
| Reviewed on BW: | Amazon: | Goodreads: |
| Urban Shaman (1) Thunderbird Falls (2) Coyote Dreams (3) Walking Dead (4) Demon Hunts (5) Spirit Dances (6) Raven Calls (7) Mountain Echoes (8) Shaman Rises (9) | Urban Shaman (1) Thunderbird Falls (2) Coyote Dreams (3) Walking Dead (4) Demon Hunts (5) Spirit Dances (6) Raven Calls (7) Mountain Echoes (8) Shaman Rises (9) | Urban Shaman (1) Thunderbird Falls (2) Coyote Dreams (3) Walking Dead (4) Demon Hunts (5) Spirit Dances (6) Raven Calls (7) Mountain Echoes (8) Shaman Rises (9) |
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