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The Blurb On The Back:

The probability mage Alex Verus has gone from a Camden shopkeeper to one of the most powerful magic users in Britain. Now his last and most dangerous battle lies before him.

Alex’s girlfriend, the life mage Anne, has fallen fully under the control of the deadly djinn she made a bargain with, and it is preparing to create an army of mages subject to its every whim. Can Alex figure out a way to free her from possession and stop her before time runs out for the people he loves?

You can order Risen by Benedict Jacka from Amazon USA, Amazon UK, Waterstone’s or Bookshop.org UK.  I earn commission on any purchases made through these links.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The 12th and final book in the ALEX VERUS SERIES packs in a lot of action, ties up loose ends, and sees some long-standing characters die (sob) and while I had some nitpicks about the closure re Richard and Anne and Alex’s relationship never convinced me, the book finishes on a bittersweet note that’s a fitting end to one of my favourite fantasy series and leaves open the possibility for Jacka to revisit this world should he want.

The Blurb On The Back:

Everything is on the line for probability mage Alex Verus …

Once Alex was a diviner trying to live under the radar. Now he’s a member of the Light Council who’s found success, friends … and love. But it’s come with a price - the Council is investigating him, and if they found out the truth, he’ll lose it all.

Meanwhile, Alex’s old master, Richard Drakh, is waging a war against the Light mages. To protect those he cared for, Alex will have to become something different. Something darker …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The 10th in Benedict Jacka’s ALEX VERUS urban fantasy series overcomes a clunky and repetitive first half to really take off once Verus makes a momentous decision that provides a real game changer and I’m looking forward to seeing how it plays out in the last 2 books. The action scenes are fast-paced and exciting, I enjoyed an old character’s return, mourned another’s inevitable departure and still care what happens to Verus and his friends.

The Blurb On The Back:

Alex Verus can see the future. But he never thought he’d see this day.

Manoeuvred by forces beyond his control, the probability mage has made a terrible choice: he’s agreed to work for his old master once more.

Richard Drakh, the sadistic dark mage Alex escaped as an apprentice, has him in his clutches again. And this time, Richard won’t let go so easily.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The 8th in Benedict Jacka’s ALEX VERUS SERIES is an engrossing, action-packed read where the overall series storylines really come together in a satisfying way and although the fast pace comes at the expense of some character development on Alex’s part (whose emotional constipation when it comes to Anne is irritating) there are so many twists and a killer cliff hanger that I am already desperate for book 9. The series is at the point where you need to read the preceding books to follow this one but I loved the way the various plot points from earlier on feed into this and especially the clever twist at the end. The pace is unrelenting and I think at times it’s too fast as I’d have liked a bit more emotional development between Alex and Anne (the lack of a conversation after a significant event didn’t ring true for me) while Alex’s refusal to confront his feelings for her is getting old and the reset on his relationship with the Keepers felt like a step back. That said there’s so much that’s good here – the character relationships work well (notably Alex and Luna) and have grown organically, the political shades of grey are convincing and varied and Richard is a genuinely interesting antagonist (I have my suspicions about his magic) while the ending promises a really excellent book 9, which I will definitely buy.

The Blurb On The Back:

Rebel no more.

Alex Verus is a mage who can see the future, but even he didn’t see this day coming. He’s agreed to join the Keepers, the magical police force, to protect his friends from his old master.

Going legit was always going to be difficult for an outcast like Alex, and there are some Keepers who will do anything to see an ex-Dark mage fail. He finally has the law on his side – but trapped between Light and Dark politics, investigating a seedy underworld with ties to the highest of powers, will a badge be enough to save him?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The sixth in Benedict Jacka’s ALEX VERUS SERIES has a filler feel as Jacka concentrates on setting up the political battles going on between Light mages as they respond to the threat from the Dark mage factions, which I enjoyed because it fleshes out Verus’s world. There’s also a degree of set-up in the relationship between Luna and Alex as he realises that he’s reaching his limits as her master but I found the introduction of Dark chance mage Chalice fascinating and I’m really looking forward to seeing the effect she has on their relationship. For all this filler though, there’s still plenty of action and I enjoyed – as ever – the fight scenes and how Alex navigates his way through them. I also welcomed the bigger role for Caldera, a journeyman police officer who does the job the best she can despite internal corruption. I found the introduction of the White Rose group a bit jarring – mainly because there’s been no real mention of it in the previous books and so it took me a while to believe in their power and influence – but also because the sex slavery angle seemed a bit too stereotypical for me and lacked a human angle to give it the punch it needed. Ultimately, there was a lot here for fans of the series and I’m really looking forward to the next book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Alex Verus is having an unusually peaceful summer.

Things used to be different. Back when Alex was a Dark mage’s apprentice, he did what he had to do to survive, though he isn’t proud of the memories. Still, he’s made a new life and new friends since then, and he’s put the old days behind him.

Or has he?

When someone from his past comes looking for revenge, Alex must face his demons – and decide how far he will go to protect his future.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The fourth in Benedict Jacka’s ALEX VERUS SERIES is the darkest one yet as we finally get details on what drove Alex’s escape from Richard Drakh and how Rachel became Deleo. The best part of the book involves running into the limits of Alex’s powers as a probability mage, which gives him much needed vulnerability and adds a real sense of danger as he finally faces a threat that he can’t easily negotiate with or run away from. I wished that Will (the leader of the Nightstalkers) had been slightly less two-dimensional, but I could forgive that given that the focus of the story is on Alex and the decisions that he’s willing to make. Given the ending, I’m interested in seeing where Jacka moves now with the overall arc and will definitely check out the next book when it’s released.

The Blurb On The Back:

A day in the life of Alex Verus:
Run shop in Camden.
Train apprentice.
Avoid Council.
Dodge assassins.

A spate of mysterious attacks calls for Alex’s expertise – someone is dabbling with the forbidden. Fine, until Alex’s friends are threatened. That makes it personal.

It’s still damn inconvenient though – especially when seductive distractions are thrown into the mix. But is walking away really an option? And just how dangerous is the curse of the monkey’s paw?

Sure, it pays to be able to see the future. Literally. But some days are just better spent in bed.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

The second in Benedict Jacka’s ALEX VERUS SERIES is another fast-paced, entertaining read with a twisting plot that kept me turning the pages. There’s more development here of the relationship between Luna and Alex and I enjoyed the tension injected by the introduction of Martin as a new love interest for Luna. Similarly, Verus’s friendship with Arachne comes more to the fore and I was surprised (and happy) to see Jacka resolve a story element that could easily have become a ‘get out of jail’ card. There are plenty of twists and turns, most of which kept me guessing and there’s a sense of an overall arc as Verus’s past continues to haunt him. All in all, it’s an entertaining, well written book with likeable characters and as such I will definitely be reading on.