City of Dark Magic: A Novel

4.5 Stars 'City of Dark Magic' is a unique and mysterious thril

4.5 Stars

'City of Dark Magic' is a unique and mysterious thrill ride of a novel - unlike anything I've read before. The plot surrounds the Prague Castle and the army of academics who have taken over for the summer in order to restore the Lubkowicz Palace to its former glory and turn it into a museum filled with centuries old treasures. The story focuses on Sarah Weston, a music expert from Boston who is invited to help with the museum - specifically with the artifacts concerning Beethoven. Sarah can't ignore all the strange happenings that begin soon after her arrival and then people start dying. Who can Sarah trust? Who is the person behind all this chaos? And what is this mind altering drug that the Prince and her mentor were taking? Will Sarah be able to get to the bottom of everything before it's too late?

This novel was an enchanting and exciting blend of genres that I immediately fell in love with. There is so much going on during the book - murders, intrigue, mayhem, sex, drugs, time travel, alchemy and espionage to name a few - that it sucks you in and doesn't let go until the final word is read. The characters are all very interesting and distinct. I felt like they were a great cast of personalities for the book and all played their parts to perfection. I really liked the character of Sarah. She was brilliant and intuitive, but she definitely had flaws and character traits that made her feel very real. There is sex, swearing, and drugs in the novel, but this didn't bother me because it didn't detract from the main story. (Well, the drug in question may have actually enhanced the plot.)

Speaking of the plot - I barely have words to explain it. The authors paint such a vivid and beautiful depiction of both Prague and the Palace - it was easy to insert myself into the setting and the story. There are several story lines that happen at once in the book, all of which are some sort of mystery waiting to be untangled, and all seem to fit together in some way that doesn't show itself to the reader until the end. The main thread of the story is magical and breathtaking in it's entirety and I was enchanted by the way the story was told, the story itself, and the subject matter that was talked about. All of it wound together to make an unbelievably compelling novel that will resonate with me for a long time to come. It's one of those books that you feel you must re-read over and over in order to pick up on small details you missed before and also just to lose yourself in its pages again. In summary, this is one of the most imaginative and fascinating books I've ever read. It breaks genre boundaries and opens the reader up to endless possibilities. Highly recommended!

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Just okay for me

Based on the synopsis and the lack of "YA" in the description, I thought this book was for adults, but it was obviously aimed at a different audience. The main character was under-developed. For someone supposedly quite highly educated she certainly lacked "street smarts". I wish someone would write more "magic" books for adults.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

First of all, I have to honestly say that the cover is too prett

First of all, I have to honestly say that the cover is too pretty to pass up and the title is a little bit misleading. At first glance, I thought that this book would be predominantly paranormal-romance since the title has the word magic in it, but I was wrong on so many levels. 

The Good.

The mystery bit was really engaging. I love Sarah Weston’s back story, and how ordinary she was up until she received an invitation to work closely on a private collection in Prague. And I love how the lives of so many individuals were tied up because of a series of events in Prague throughout history.

I also appreciate how they incorporated Beethoven’s life and music into the whole thing. It made the story a lot more colorful, in my opinion. 

I also love Poli because she’s one very amazing child prodigy. Although sometimes, I do hate the fact that Poli sounds so mature for her age; too mature, in fact.

Nico/Jepp is also memorable. He is one of the characters bringing about the fantasy bit in this story and I love how he’s portrayed as someone very capable regardless of his size.

The Bad.

This story has too many things going on in it, it’s crazy!

First off, the writing is inconsistent all throughout. While I love some parts of the story, there are those parts that seem totally irrelevant at all. For example, the sex-scenes were incorporated into the story just because it can be. No other reason. Sure, Sarah and Max has to be portrayed as having developed feelings of love for each other, but to start things off in a quickie in a very dark comfort room was NOT the way to do it. In fact, all the sex scenes in this story only made Sarah look like a cheap skank who loves too much sex. 

Second, like I said, too many things going on. While I do love me some really engaging mystery, the combination of Beethoven, a former CIA operative turned Senator, a quest for the Golden Fleece, a mysterious sensory-enhancing drug, alchemy and that good old family squabble for fortune is just too overwhelming. Oh, and did I mention that hell-holes or magical portals are also included, plus immortal dwarfs and dead bodies dropping everywhere? Yes. Like I said, too much of too many things all at once.

Third, the romance between Sarah and Max felt forced. While I do concede that no two people can go through so much without developing a bond with each other, I just felt that Max and Sarah should have been given more time to sort out what they actually feel for each other, rather than to throw them into various mysterious situations.

My Rating.

I give this story three stars because it was engaging. It’s overwhelming, but otherwise, it was really engaging.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A Waste Of Money

Unfortuately far too many female authors, of a certain age, seem to have studied plot development under the direction of the late Helen Gurley Brown. It is difficult to stay sufficiently interested in the protagonist long enough to determine if there is a plot, although one does have some curiosity as to whether her education in music stunted the side of her brain having to do with reasonable precautions against acquiring various and sundrey transmittable diseases.

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

A nice enough read--it did make me want to visit Prague

This is a light, fairly enjoyable read. The writing is above average, but the plot's predictable and it got a little to romance-y for me. Not itching to read anything else by this offer unless, as this time, I'm stuck waiting for something meatier to come along....

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

It's Got It All

This book has it all. Mystery, adventure, humor, romance, history and a little paranormal for good measure. Sarah Weston, musicologist sent to Prague to assist in the set up of a royal family museum, is smart and quick-witted. The other characters are just as rich and diverse. The story moves at a pretty quick pace and from a few different perspectives which are well timed. I loved this book. Almost enough to read again which I don’t ever do.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book has a little bit of everything. It has romance, murder

This book has a little bit of everything. It has romance, murder, mystery and some time travel involved. For anyone who enjoyed "A Discovery of Witches" this book is similar but is executed much better. There is not an overwhelming history or music theory lesson, what is included is relevant to the story and much easier to follow. Plot twists are done very well and keep you guessing as to who all is involved and what all the motives are of those involved. I am glad to see it is going to be continued in another book and can't wait to see how the second one is done. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fast paced read with a little mix of the paranormal.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

One of my favorite haunts is my local library. As soon as you wa

One of my favorite haunts is my local library. As soon as you walk in the door, they have a display system for new books.
Which is how I found City of Dark Magic, a humorous and lovely paranormal romance.


When Sarah Weston’s university mentor dies, she’s asked to finish his catalogue of Beethoven’s works at Prague Castle. A well-paid position in an exotic location while studying her favorite musician? Sarah doesn’t hesitate at the opportunity.
She quickly realizes her mentor did not commit suicide. And what are Prince Max, the museum’s owner, his mysterious friend, Nico, and a U.S. senator hiding? When the secrets of the past and present collide, it’s a magically explosive combination

Needs better editing

Too much filler, too many characters, too little plot. I'm on page 83 and the book has not engaged me at all. I will probably stop here.

Wow - What a disappointment

I bought the book based on reviews from here and Amazon and was incredibly disappointed with the end result. I never felt drawn into the story or the characters and what few mysteries there were to solve were incredibly scarce and surprisingly uninteresting. The story is very convoluted and some of the pieces that end of becoming the "center" mysteries of the book are left with scant details and last minute inclusions. Then there is the politics angle from the main antagonist. The chapters dedicated to the villain, we are privy to the inner monologues of a mustache-twirling female Republican senator. And of course, the villian is a Republican... because duh. I was really looking forward to a fantasy set in a beautiful foreign city with great characters, an interesting historical perspective and a mystery down every cobblestone street. Disappointing.

Fun and entertaining read!

This book is an easy read and a funny story. I wish there was more time spent on character development and there were WAY too many plots to do any of them justice. I think it would have been better to expand on just one or two plots and the story would have been a lot better, but overall I enjoyed reading this story.

Good Idea

City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte - intriguing title, mysteriously intriguing nom de plume! After that, it became a roller coaster ride for me.

The plot idea is fabulous...mystery, history, and the music of Beethoven, with a little murder, mayhem and dark secret societies. Add a 400 year old dwarf, a reasonably intelligent expert of music, an unusual group of museum intellectuals/academics and a mysterious drug that allows the user to time travel...pretty cool! Our heroine is a 'grown up' Nancy Drew in many ways!

The execution, here is where the roller coaster comes in, that slow pull to the top that sucks you in, the fast plummet that leaves you dizzy.

High points: People are dying, there is a mysterious symbol showing up, secret rooms showing up, traveling through time and seeing Beethoven when he was alive.

Low points: The heroine sits down to her first dinner with a group of museum experts/academics and someone has their hand going up her skirt, she heads for the powder room, the guy comes in, its dark, could have been anybody, they have sex, they go back and finish the evening. Don't get me wrong, I like sex, but, it seemed that this was just tossed in.

Bodily functions-was it necessary to announce repeatedly that Beethoven farted, ate like a pig and burped often? Eating his toenail was kind of gross, too, but, gutsy!

I think I was disappointed that the fabulous plot, settings and subplots couldn't have carried the book along on their own merits! The story itself was great and seems to belong to more than one genre.

This copy was provided by NetGalley and Penguin Books in exchange for my honest review.

Mesmerizing Read

This is one of the few books that left me wanting to read a sequel immediately after I finished it. The characters were engrossing and the story was full of fast-paced adventure. It was hard to put this one down. I'm looking forward to the next book.

I thought I was going to like this book and the main character..

I thought I was going to like this book and the main character...until the author decided to become a pervert and turn a dinner eating scene into a cheap pornagraphic event...this could have been a good book if the auhtor focused on the story and did not throw in cheap sex scenes for no good reason...would not recommend

City of Dark Magic is a rare thing: a whimsical, magical, dark,

City of Dark Magic is a rare thing: a whimsical, magical, dark, sexy, and page-turning read that will keep you up until the wee hours of the night.

Sarah Weston finds herself invited to Prague to catalog historical Beethoven documents and lands herself in Prague and in the middle of a mystery that involves an insane cast of characters including a prince, a dwarf, a Senator and several shadowy figures from the past.

The pace of City of Dark Magic is frenetic and although some of the mysteries were easily solved, some were not and kept me guessing until the end. I loved Sarah's sassy attitude and her tenaciousness in getting to the bottom of her mentor's death. The descriptions of Prague were fabulous and between this novel and the great Daughter of Smoke and Bone series, I want to go to Prague, stat!

City of Dark Magic is a little more hot tamale than I thought it would be going in, but not stretching to 50 Shades of Grey heights by any means. (Think more Sookie Stackhouse in True Blood series and less any YA novel.) If you know that going in, you will not find the sexy time offensive, but it is worth noting.

Overall, the pace was great, the descriptions of Prague were outstanding and I loved the sassy heroine and all of her well-fleshed out companions. Flyte (AKA Lynch and Howrey) have created a fun take on an international mystery and I hope the hits keep on coming!

I couln't put it down!

I couln't put it down!

I really enjoyed this book.  It was well written and kept a smoo

I really enjoyed this book.  It was well written and kept a smooth story flow.  I enjoyed the characters and was pleased with the ending.
I would recommend this book as a pleasant break from the ordinary.

The book is amazing. 'S The book is amazing. S'all I hav to say.

This book is amazing.

More Please

Very enjoyable. I would like to see more of this writers work.

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