Book launch day for Patrick Weekes

Now for the big news I promised Sunday. I have taken the plunge. I have left the shackles of an 8-5 desk job to be with my beloved books. I am now a low-paid bookseller with varying hours, but I am loving every minute of it. The day is full of the excitement of books. Recommendations, news on the latest authors, what is publishing next spring, etc. It really is special to be working with something you enjoy so much on an internal level. I am very glad I took the plunge to switch career fields (despite the jitters that came from jumping out of my comfort zone, which is not a forte of mine). And I owe it all to my amazing husband for allowing me this opportunity. He is the best.

Now for the reviews for today. In honor of The Paladin Caper launching today, I bring you two reviews! From an author who largely writes video game action scenes or companion novels to the latest titles in the Bioware suite, we have a series of books that really managed to surprise me. I was really feeling the need for a Discworld level book. I found an entire series available on Netgalley to gear up for the launch today. Sold!

The Palace Job by Patrick Weekes

The first in the wacky of adventures of Loch and her crew. I am unclear if this is supposed to stop with the release of The Paladin Caper today or continue forth into an unknown length series in true Terry Pratchett style. Either way, I am satisfied with where it is going so far. 

We have a wizard, an alchemist, an acrobat, a thief (and one time scout in the military), an unicorn, a virgin for said unicorn, and a death priestess. What can't that group accomplish?

The adventure has whimsy that comes from the story not taking itself too seriously. There is plenty of action and movement through the characters, but the prose never gets bogged down in the monotonous. Most people know what a con is and how it functions. Especially with Ocean's 11-50 in the last decade breaking down the "plan" for us. Most people also know that nothing goes to plan in a good con comedy. The botches are what make the characters react so we can laugh. The Palace Job did just that for me. It lifted my spirits. Four stars only because it was not ground breaking in any sense (not every good book needs to be).

The Prophecy Con by Patrick Weekes

I shall now admit something utterly ridiculous. I could not keep these two titles straight on my Kindle!! The first novel deals largely with a prophecy and this novel starts focusing immediately on the book the crew stole in the first novel-not a prophecy. I really kept thinking my copies had gotten switched somehow. Maybe that tainted my reading experience a little. Or maybe it was trying to read three con capers in three days (I failed and have only completed the first two).

Whatever it was, I really lost touch with this story a couple of times. The bright (and redeeming) side is it always managed to pull me back in to read more.

No surprises, no plot twists. All very formulaic and wonderful for its continuity. Not something I will often say about the books I read (actually it is a key reason for my disdain of the mystery genre). Discworld doesn't really have much difference in its storylines, but they are brilliant. It is the characters and the comedic relief they bring to our lives that make them worth reading. This series is shaping up to be exactly that same way. Their blunders and consistent inability to have a plan go off without a hitch just make the "real" world suck just a little bit less. 3 1/2 stars for this follow up Rogues of the Republic novel.