The Charmed: Book One of a Trilogy
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About this ebook
In The Charmed—Book One of The Charmed Trilogy—Olivia Ann Greyson sees only one future for herself—to compose and perform the music she has loved since she was a child. But that future changes in an instant when a commuter train taking her to the city crashes and is attacked by, unbelievably, a coven of vampires! As the rabid creatures feed their thirst on the surviving passengers, Olivia is spared from an unthinkable fate because of the intervention of another vampire—Caleb Wolfe, a figure from her past who, for reasons he doesn’t understand himself, would do anything to protect her.
After one familiar touch, Olivia recognizes the man behind the vampire. Soon love, and a powerful supernatural connection, begins to grow between them. But with that connection Olivia starts to notice starling changes happening within herself, and violent events make it clear that the vampire coven which wanted her the night of the train crash won’t stop until they have her.
Time is running out for Olivia and Caleb to discover why all this is happening. And the answers they find may painfully tear their new love apart.
Christine Wenrick
"The Charmed" is Christine's debut novel and every page is a true labor of love, reflecting the literary daydreamer she has become. She lives in the scenic Pacific Northwest where she enjoys hiking, camping and photographing many of the wonderful places that served as inspiration for her Charmed Trilogy ... especially on a cold rainy day.
Read more from Christine Wenrick
The Charmed Souls: Book Two of a Trilogy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Charmed Fates: Book Three of a Trilogy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Leaving Lily Behind: Men of Brahm Hill, BookThree Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
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Reviews for The Charmed
196 ratings32 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Reviewed by: Rabid ReadsI loved Elliott James’ PAX ARCANA universe, his first person POV writing style, and John, the male protagonist, but I had some major issues with the love triangle, info dumps, and the fact that the female lead was a Valkyrie. However, the former appears to have been resolved, and even though I have reached my limit on books that feature this type of lore, the Norse mythology was light enough to be tolerable. And, because of this, I will not hesitate to one-click DARING in September. CHARMING was made for audio, as soon as I heard Roger Wayne’s voice I knew that this series was meant for my ears and not my eyes.A number of reviewers mentioned that having the narrator speak directly to the reader was a little weird; I on the other hand did not have this problem thanks to the audiobook. From the prelude onward I felt like I was part of the story, and I really enjoyed that aspect of James’ style. The world-building was rich albeit a little too much at times, and I especially liked the idea behind the PAX ARCANA. Many authors struggle with whether supes are ‘out’ or not, so I loved the idea behind a world-wide spell. The Knights Templar oath also added an interesting twist on what John can and cannot do, plus he’s learned how to brew the perfect cup of coffee—a man after my own heart!I’m not sure why the love triangle surprised me, but I honestly just didn’t expect one from a male Urban Fantasy author which is probably why it annoyed me way more than it should have. Dvornik and Charming are two bad ass characters, so the fact that they are fighting over Sig like a couple of school boys struck me as ridiculous. And, at times I found that the vampire hunt became secondary to the romantic drama which caused me to lose interest in the story. But, the wonderful secondary characters helped to reel me back in, and John’s wit & snark reminded me of Atticus O’Sullivan (Kevin Hearne), another protagonist whom I adore.Roger Wayne was an instant hit with this listener; I loved everything about his delivery and tone, and how I felt like he was talking to ME because of the first person POV. His narration flowed well, and I liked all of his character voices. I sometimes had difficulty telling when an explanation wasn’t part of John’s storytelling, but otherwise this audiobook was a near perfect listen. I finally have another male narrator to add to my favourites list—I’m now at two in case you’re wondering.CHARMING brought a lot to the table with great writing, lovable characters, and the geeky humour that I love. It wasn’t perfect, but Elliott James hasn’t really even gotten to the best part yet… the werewolves!
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5So once again I choose a book based on the cover alone. Then had to suffer my way through a book I was not enjoying. With a title of "Charming," and a good looking guy with a sword on the cover I assumed it was a fairy tale twist story. Which, yes in a sense it was because the main character was a Charming, John Charming. He was no Cinderella prince in shinning armor thought. I also don't remember their being vampire colonies in the classics.A "Charming" in this story is a member of an old templar/group who under the Pax Arcana guard the human race against the supernatural world. The Pax Arcana is the veil of magic in the world that doesn't allow humans to see supernatural activity going on around them.I also felt there were to many different elements blended together. So you have John, who is a Charming and part werewolf. Sig who is a Valkyrie vampire hunter. Vampires. A power crazy physic, his two crazy nephews, a police detective, a bug exterminator, and a few more odd characters.There's a crazy love triangle that goes on, and a massive vampire hunt that is the main focus of the book. But I wish the story had moved quicker and didn't have so many little side bits, and elements.Plus it had vampires, and I am not a huge fan of vampire stories. I myself was not a fan of Elliot James story "Charming", but I can see fans of this genre enjoying the story.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Not sure how this ended up on my Kindle app but I gave it a try when I was stuck somewhere with nothing to entertain me.On the good side: it's fast-paced and occasionally funny. The premise of the world-as-we-don't-know-it is interesting. In fact, I thought it was really interesting.On the not-so-good side: waaayy too many "As You Know, Bob" moments. The author clearly never heard the admonishment, "Show, don't tell." The result is a set of characters that, while superficially likeable, are just that...superficial and one-dimensional.As for the constant comparisons to Harry Dresden: I'm sorry, but no. Yes, we have a wise-cracking, cynical lead. However, in contrast to Harry, John is an idiot saved only by the fact that he's powerful enough to be Teflon. The entire book seems to be him acting like a bad boy/prima donna and surviving because he heals like a son of a bitch. Pun intended.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wow! This is not my childhood's Prince Charming, but then I'm not a child anymore, either. We quickly find out that "The truth is that the world is under a spell called the Pax Arcana, a compulsion that makes people unable to see, believe, or even seriously consider any evidence of the supernatural that is not an immediate threat to their survival."Our Prince John Charming's mother was bitten by a werewolf while she was pregnant with him. He is/was also a member of the Knights Templar who are supposed to hunt down the supernatural beings who threaten the Pax Arcana, mostly be being too obvious in their slaughter of humans. The one thing he isn't is a prince. Add in a Valkyrie named Sig who is quite capable in battle. This makes for a great story. John is telling the story, so he includes lots of tips for us normal people to use against some of the big baddie types encountered here.I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. I think my favorite line out of the books was "Popular young adult novels notwithstanding, vampires only sparkle when they burn." I read it pretty quickly and wanted the next book immediately. (You are warned this is a four-book, soon to be five-book series as of the writing of this review.)Who will like it? Fans of Harry Dresden, almost certainly. If you like urban fantasy, you'll probably enjoy this.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fun urban fantasy, reasonable well executed, but nothing particularly special. The setting is a normal world, with the addition of a Pax Arcana spell, created by the Fae in the middle ages. It prevents 'normal' humans from noticing supernatural goings on, provided they aren't too explicit. At the same time they established groups of Knights to enforce the 'explicit' rule among the supernbatural community - vampires werewolves ghosts and the rest - by a geas and whatever force is necessary. John Charming is an ex-Knight, and half werewolf, and hence somewhat mentally unhappy. The Knights didn't take well to his werewolf side (quite fast and strong and regenerates, but he doesn't get furry), and so he fled. Currently he's working in a bar, and used to seeing the odd supernatural creature, providing they behave themselves. But he's never seen anything like the tall blond Valkyrie before, however he's seen plenty of vampires that she's apparently here to meet. Sig the Valkerie apparently has a motley crew of humans who've managed to breach the Pax, and become aware of supernaturals, and so they go around investigating and dealing with those they come across. Some remain as allies, and some are dealt with. Vampires seem to exclusively fall in the latter category, which is never explained. There's also quite a lot of mixing of mythos, under the assumption that if it's true somewhere else it' s also true in the US, whilst simultaneously neglecting to worry about how such beings might cope with airports etc. Fairly fast paced with some detailed action sequences, that work quite well - I'm not sure about all of the author's physics of bodies and momentum but it seemed allright. There is also quite a bit of soul searching as Sig and John come to terms with their respective pasts, and how perhaps they don't quite have everything under control that they thought they did. I'm less convinced by the throwing themselves at each other though.Fun, worthy contribution to the genre, and I'll probably chance the sequels to see if any kind of coherent backstory can be established, or more likely and disappointingly whether it remains John in different locations facing ever bigger baddies but still getting away to fight another day.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I picked this book up because the tag line on the cover hooked me -- Not All Princes are Charming. I read the book because one of my favorite authors, Seanan McGuire, was quoted on the back cover as liking it. Now, I know authors who are friends probably do that for each other, and maybe if they are from the same publisher there is some pressure to give a positive statement, but let me keep my fantasy that they really mean what they say! In end it's a good thing I was a believer because I really loved this book.John Charming comes from a long line of knights who hunt a variety of magical beings who threaten the Pax Arcana, a veil of sorts that keeps the normal world from learning about the magical. Unfortunately John is part werewolf, and as soon as those tendencies start to show he becomes hunted himself. He tries to keep under the knights' radar, but just can't help himself when a vampire shows up and is killing people near where John has been hiding out. An interesting cast of characters, a lot of action, a little romance, and you've got the makings of a great story.I really enjoyed reading a book told entirely from the male's point of view. It reminds me of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files (of which I am a huge fan) so I'm very excited about this new series. There is good bit of humor interspersed within the action, making it that much more enjoyable. I'm very much looking forward t the next installment, Daring, coming September 2014.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5My thanks to Netgalley and Orbit Books for providing me with an e-ARC of Charming in exchange for an honest review. My first impression of this book -- and keep in mind this was before I knew anything at all about it -- was that it was going to be an urban fantasy targeted more towards female readers. I suppose it was the reference to "Prince Charming" that did it. And the cover image featured a tall dark and handsome young man wielding a shiny silver sword emerging from a background of predominantly light pastel teals and purples, the title rendered in pretty loopy scrollwork classical font. Turns out, I was a little off-base. In actuality, found that Charming read more like an urban fantasy novel in the same vein as those in series starring male protagonists like The Dresden Files or the The Iron Druid Chronicles. More recently, I read Jim C. Hine's Libriomancer which also came to mind when I read this. And what do all the leading men in these series have in common? They all have these kick-ass supernatural powers, possess a sense of humor that falls slightly on the geek-side, are all great at battling vampires and other forces of darkness that threaten the human populace, and always come to fights armed with plenty of witty pop culture references. Which is just a rambling, roundabout way of me trying to point out that readers who enjoy the genre should also feel right at home with this book and its main character John Charming. Trained by the modern day version of the Knights Templar, John comes from a long line of monster hunters and was one of their best fighters. But a werewolf attack on his mother right before he was born had resulted in John becoming a new type of strange hybrid, and the day he manifested his symptoms was the day his own people turned on him, labeling him an abomination that must be destroyed.Now John is on the run, hiding in rural Virginia with a new identity. He's rented a home near the woods and has taken up a bartending job in a college town, hoping to stay under the radar. Everything's copacetic, until two mysterious newcomers show up one night at the pub where John works, threatening the peaceful and quiet undercover life he has worked so long and so hard to maintain.Like I said, if you love urban fantasy and especially the series I mentioned above, there's a really good chance you'll like this too. I think that's one of the reasons I took so quickly to Charming and its characters, because reading it was like returning to a place that feels comfortable and familiar. The problem with this, however, is that it can always act as a double-edged sword. While on a certain level a lot of the urban fantasy series I read may share a lot of similar traits and elements, my favorites are always those that stand out amidst the rest somehow, very often setting themselves apart through a unique idea or memorable features, say, like an alternate history or an interesting magic system. As such, one issue I have with Charming is that I don't feel like it adds much to the genre. Many of the ideas I read here felt like the retreading old ground or that I've seen them elsewhere before. Somewhat related to this is also the sheer amount of info-dumping I noticed spread all throughout the novel. I usually give first-in-a-series books like this a pass on this since world-building from scratch is a tough but necessary evil, but I've seen other authors pull this off much more subtly. Of course, this also just might be an indication of me having read too damn much UF; I'm sure someone just diving into the genre reading this book through fresh eyes might have a totally different experience and opinion on this than me.Anyway, every hero needs a team, and John Charming's no different. As expected, we have the supporting cast here including a couple of your instantly recognizable archetypes ("the hot leader chick that everybody has a crush on", "the genius techie guy with all the cool gadgets", "the smarter-than-he-looks cop", etc.) but on the whole I liked the diversity of characters. The ones that stood out for me are Parth the naga scientist that brings with him a refreshing take on South Asian mythology, and Dvornik the jealous boyfriend who despite his hideous personality has a pretty interesting dynamic with Sig, the aforementioned hot girl. I have to say this made the resulting Sig-Dvornik-John love triangle pretty interesting to read about, and this is coming from someone not usually keen on romantic drama bogging down my action in UF. Character-wise, I think my one disappointment was actually with John himself, and more specifically, it was his "Prince Charming" background and angle of the book that I wish had been more overt or explored further. After all, Prince Charming is a prominent but often underdeveloped figure in many classic and beloved fairy tales, and he rarely gets top billing like this. The blurb for this book and some of the other publicity materials for it appear to play up this point, which is why I was surprised there was not more of a link between John Charming (and his ancestors) and the Prince Charming of legend and fable. It it weren't for the family name, there wouldn't have been much of a connection.All in all, a fun read. I had some mild issues with the main character and wished that the plot, lore and world were a bit more inventive and unique, but on the whole I enjoyed this and would be interested in reading more of the series.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5While I was lucky enough to receive a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review, that fact in no way influenced the content of my review.John Charming comes from a long line of Charmings, all champions dedicated to protecting the innocent & helpless, in other words protecting humans from the dangerous creatures that populate the supernatural world. John is a member of the Brotherhood of Knights, an order of men and their descendants that were compelled to protect the Pax Arcana from discovery by being placed under a geas. The Pax Arcana is a spell over the planet - a compulsion that keeps people from seeing, believing, or even imaging that the supernatural is any threat to them. Consider it to be like an invisible wall that separates the world we live in from the supernatural world. The edge of that 'wall' is where the modern-day Knights patrol to ensure that nothing leaks through into our world.However John is unique amongst the Knights, as he was infected by one of the monsters he is trained to slay and he didn't die. Once word was out on John he became the ultimate pariah to the Knights - the only family he has ever known. He is actually more than a pariah, he's actively being hunted by the Knights who consider him to be an unnatural abomination. Subsequently he moves around a fair amount trying to stay several steps ahead of them.One night while at work, bar-tending in a small-town bar, a six-foot tall stunning blond walks in. They talk briefly, and she alludes to the fact that she may know who he really is. After deliberately hindering her attempt to kill a vampire in the bar and thereby earning her ire, John is pleasantly surprised when Sig and her crew show up in & step in to assist him in his battle against a small hive of vamps. Her crew is motley in their makeup; a cop, a priest, some supernatural beings (the lineup almost sounds like the standard beginning of the traditional poor-taste joke).He ends up working with her group in an effort to take out a psychotic, yet brilliant, young vampire who has nefarious plans no other vampire has ever come up with before - all of which spell danger and doom to humans if she's not taken out if the picture, and fast.During John's short time working with Sig and her group he has numerous adventures, all on the decidedly dangerous side. In addition to attempts on his life, he is also actively resisting the coming change into a full werewolf (something he has avoided for decades). The fact that everyone can clearly see the attraction between Sig & John only adds to his troubles, as Sig is involved with a psychopath with immense power. While she is emotionally done with the relationship, she feels guilt over the thought of leaving her partner even though part of her knows just how evil he truly is.As the plan to take out this vampire leader take shape, the characters come to life in a way that makes you invested in what happens to them; regardless of if it be wanting a 'happily ever after' ending for them, or wanting them to die slow, tortured death for eternity. The story moves smoothly from laying the basic groundwork to shifting into action and emotional development, and Mr. James' twist on traditional fairy tales and monsters is creative, cunning, and believable. I look forward to the sequel and finding out if love will win the day, or guilt will rule in its place - assuming all the right parties survive the coming challenges.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fun science fiction/fantasy adventure, with plenty of snark. Adored this and would read several more just like it.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Never had that moment where I was craving more, interesting enough to finish and look out for book 2.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Charming is a fun, fast-paced urban fantasy novel, set in a world where the supernatural exists but is hidden to the average person by ancient magic. John Charming was once a Knight sworn to protect humans from supernatural beasties, but now he's on the run, because he's got a bit of supernatural beastie in him that the Knights don't like. Living under an assumed name with a bit of a tragic past, John is trying to lie low and just be normal, but trouble finds him.
John's voice as narrator is witty, self-deprecating, sassy, and full of backstory trivia. The backstory that he explains to the reader in his narration comes in handy for more fully understanding the world that the book takes place in. It can sometimes feel a bit info-dump-ish, but John's voice is such a treat to read sometimes that it wasn't bothersome. (Besides, there's a hook at the end of the book that makes the narrative choice of talking directly at the reader make much more sense.) I liked the fact that, despite being a leading man in an urban fantasy novel, John is a complex character and not just your typical alpha male. He's a total badass when it comes to fighting, and is super snarky, but he's also got a very strong sense of chivalry, and he also can occasionally talk about feelings. It would have been easy to make him into just a stone-cold killing machine of a dude, but he's more multi-dimensional than that, which was cool.
The supporting cast are all interesting, albeit with a hint of genre stereotype thrown in. There are the grumpy Eastern Europeans, the pot-smoking strong-but-mostly-silent African American, the slightly spacy woman, the bitter boyfriend, and Sig, the hardened warrior at the heart of the book's love triangle. Despite being familiar tropes, they were all characters I wanted to get to know more about, especially Molly (spacy) and Choo (strong-but-mostly-silent). We get to know enough of the broad strokes of their backgrounds that you care about what happens to them, and I hope to see more of them in the future.
The romance between John and Sig is slow burning, and while there's definitely an initial attraction between them, there are tons of reasons why they don't immediately act on it. The sorting out of one of those complications created one of the most moving, emotional scenes I've read in an urban fantasy novel in a long time -- it's a genre I associate more with action and sass rather than giving me feels.
There's a ton of violence, especially in the vampire slaying department, and it's sometimes gorily described, so this book may not be for the faint of heart. The author writes really excellent fight sequences. I always felt like it was very easy to keep track of the action, and you could tell a lot of thought had been put into these scenes so that they were realistic (as realistic as fighting supernatural beings can get) and made sense from a physical standpoint.
Overall, Charming was a great start to what will hopefully be an ongoing series. The book wraps up well enough that it could stand on its own, but there are enough plot threads weaved in to be able to sustain several more books. There are several short stories currently available as prequels, which I hope to check out, and I will definitely be on the lookout for a sequel someday! - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5John Charming was trained to be a Knight who hunts all sorts of supernatural creatures. He is also part werewolf. When the knights found out about his furry side, they started hunting him, because, you know, evil werewolf genes. So he is in hiding but still will fight the occasional evil monster. When a strikingly beautiful womanish thing comes into the bar where he works it raises his attention. When a vampire appears shortly after, John goes into full slayer mode. Anyway, this is just the tip of the bloody iceberg that has come to his town. He will join forces with the lovey whatever she is, to bring the evil down.This book is a hoot. Think Stephanie Plum, vampire hunter. Or maybe Stephen Plum since he is a guy. Anyway, the snark is flying along with the knives, swords, machetes, well you get this picture. The world that is created is pretty interesting and the concept of the Pax Arcana is great. There are some crazy monsters in the book, some good, some bad, some knda good. Anyway, if you like your urban fantasy on the lighter side, but still full of action, try Charming.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I really, really enjoyed this book.
The writing was hilarious, the voice was spot on. Loved the character of Charming. In fact, loved ALL the characters, even the baddies. James really gets character writing. Charmin's internal dialog was hilarious.
Good action, good relationship development, interesting plot, cool baddies.
All in all, I am waiting for the sequel with bated breath.
Also, the author's bio and picture were rather amazing. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Charming captured my attention with its idea of John Charming being of a line of Charmings who are members of the Knights that slay supernatural beings. James does a great job at taking this new look at Charming and building his own supernatural world that is governed by the Pax Arcana. James has an easy to read writing style that puts the reader directly in the action with its first person narrative. I really enjoyed James' combination of humor, action, mystery, and a hint of romance, and I think his use of first person really added to the story. As a reader, I really enjoyed getting inside's John's head, and his use of humor to try and deal with things made more of an impact. It kind of reminded me of Kevin Hearne's The Iron Druid Chronicles which I have also enjoyed. John is well developed as a character, and as the book progresses he is challenged not just physically but mentally and emotionally as well. The reader still doesn't know all about his past, but the book does get the reader's attention so that they would want to follow John on his next adventure. I also really enjoyed the book's secondary characters especially Sig and Molly and felt these characters really added to the story. Overall this book proved to be an exciting read that I would most definitely recommend if you love action, adventure, and humor with your paranormal. I am really looking forward to seeing where James takes us next with this series.Received a copy of Charming through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5When I hear the name Charming I always think about the prince in Disney version of Snow White or recently a character from tv show Once Upon a Time. But Elliott James pleasantly surprised me with his interpretation of the name and family legacy. And John, although not a prince, charmed his way into my heart as soon as he said:"Popular young adult novels notwithstanding, vampires only sparkle when they burn."Do not expect this novel to be overwhelmed with puns (after all there is only one Charley Davidson) but with his dry wit and sarcastic comments John Charming makes an excellent narrator. He does not make excuses or make you feel sorry for him. In a straightforward way John talks about his past and his current hunt for vampires. John's story may start with 'Once upon a time', but there is nothing fairy-tale-ish about it.Although Charming is book with a male narrator and targeted for male urban fantasy fans, that does not mean that female readers will not enjoy it. There's even love story in the background if you can't live without a little bit of romance in your books.As for me, for some unknown reason Charming didn't manage to pull me in. I enjoyed reading - it it was fun, sometimes intense and always interesting, but that connection that you make with your all-time-favorite reads didn't happen. Still, I am looking forward to the sequel and I hope Elliott James won't make us wait too long...IN THE END...If you are fan of urban fantasy and bored waiting for next The Dresden Files book, check out Charming by Elliott James. It has the same type of humor, a lot of action and paranormal creatures.Disclaimer: I was given a free eBook by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5John Charming comes from a long line of Knights, an order dedicated to fighting supernatural monsters if and only if they threaten the Pax Arcana, the force that keeps ordinary humans from noticing the magic world around them. But Charming was kicked out of the order and hunted by them when they discovered that he is a sort of half-werewolf as a result of his mother having been bitten while she was pregnant. (He has some werewolf traits but does not transform.) Now he's hiding out in Virginia working in a bar, when one evening a Valkyrie named Sig comes in, hunting a vampire who killed several young women in town. But the vampire Sig was following turns out to be the least dangerous of them, Charming joins Sig's eclectic band of hunters (including among others her aging psychic lover, a cop, and an ex priest) in tracking down the rest of the hive.Elliott James's Pax Aracana world is steeped in folklore, grounding it in the details and giving it the sort of substance that's all the more necessary when you're dealing with fantasy. Charming and Sig are both strong, complicated leads. Sig's determination that she has to break things off with Stanislav before becoming involved with Charming- or even if she doesn't become involved with Charming- is a welcome change from the too often seen trope that it's ok for one of the leads to cheat on the lover they started with when they meet the other lead. That Sig and Stanislav's relationship is treated as a real thing with a history that grew and is now dying on its own rather than just an impediment for Charming also goes towards making her a sympathetic person in her own right rather than just Charming's prize.I am eager to read more in this series.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5So the first book in a new series and our hero is on the run from a group that raised him but made him an outcast once his unasked for werewolf tenancies started developing. Since he was born to be a knight that protects humans from knowing about magical and magical creatures thanks to a spell by the Fey as they left the human world, John Charming has been lying low under an alias pouring beer for a living and planning for the next time he has to leave town. All of this goes out the window thanks to a Valkyrie trying to kill a vampire serial killer. John works well with most of her group with the exception of her boyfriend, a member of different order of humans that also fight the magic. Good world building and it didn't really have too many infodumps. I'll be keeping my eye out for the next book in the series.
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss - Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I genuinely did like the idea of a family line of supernatural hunters called The Charmings and the story of one John Charming who was an ex-knight of a secret hunter society and was living in secrecy until a Valkyrie found out the truth about him and bribe for his help to hunt a vampire nest. But the story was lesser about Charming but more about trying to kill a future threat in future in a form of a teenage vampiress. But I also read enough Norse legend that I anticipate a romance the moment I read the name "Sieg" and Valkyrie together.
Despite the similarities between Harry Dresden series, I do like John Charming better than Harry Dresden. The writing is fast paced, some was witty while others was repetitive even with info-dumps. However, I didn't feel that the book work for me. Its too much like Harry Dresden entering Buffy's Scooby Gang. I guess, because some of the things didn't work right like the sudden romance angle, triangle love, John being an anti-hero of some sort and there's some angst throughout the storytelling that made it somewhat a predictable story. I wished I would love Sieg but she's too much a faux action girl character to me. I am still undecided if I'd pick up the next book but its definitely better than Jim Butcher.
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The premise and worldbuilding sound pretty run-of-the-mill, but the fun and witty writing makes this book stand out from the glut of urban fantasy.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5After reading some not very favorable reviews I was thinking I was not going to like this book, but actually it was a very nice surprise. I really liked it.
Review to come. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ah, Charming. You know, I was looking for something fun and light when I picked this up. Color me surprised at how much magical lore, relationships, and actual emotions are packed into this book. It's still a seriously fun read. Is it perfect? No. However I can say that the entire time I was listening to this on audio, there was something that kept me going. Either some snarky banter, an interesting female lead, or John Charming without his shirt... erm... I mean emotional depth. Yup. Emotional depth.
I think Urban Fantasy is my new go-to for books that are easy to get lost in. While there's definitely a fair bit of explanation into certain mythical creatures, their habits, and their communities, it doesn't feel heavy handed here in Charming. It blends in nicely with everything else going on. Actually, it kind of balances out the action scenes. Add in a bit of awkward but adorable relationship building between John and our female lead, and you have a book that held my attention.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/54.5Book source ~ PurchasedJohn Charming is an unassuming bartender in Virginia trying to lead a quiet life and stay under the supernatural radar. Because he’s something special in their world, but liked by none. Hunted by the Knights Templar (or current version thereof) and disliked by the typical supes (maybe because he kills them - who knows?), he’s just trying to live his life. But then a super hot blonde (Sig) walks into his bar with a vampire soon following. John figures it’s time to move on. Again. Except this time, he’s pulled into Sig’s world and has to decide - stay or go?The fast pace, mystery to solve, danger, sarcastic humor, and supernatural all put me in mind of Harry Dresden (The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher). If you like your stories to have those ingredients then dig in. It’s a tasty treat. It’s different enough to be fresh, too. The world building is great, the characters are terrific, the mystery satisfying, and the villain makes me want to chop a body into a million tiny pieces. Probably with a wood chipper. There’s plenty of plot here and no boredom in sight. I finally had a chance to listen to this on my drive home to North Carolina from my mom’s farm in Ohio. Listening at 1.5x was just about perfect. I finished right before I pulled into my driveway. I’m looking forward to picking up book 2 because it was so easy to fall into this world and let the hours fly by.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5At first, I wasn't sure if I would like this but I did by the end of the book. In a lot of ways, it feels like a prologue to me. You barely get to meet some of the most interesting characters and you end up thinking there are more exciting adventures to come. But if there are more books in the series, I will check them out.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Brings to mind Jim C Hines' Libriomancer or Kevin Herne's Iron Druid series.... Jim Butcher too. Less jocular though.
Enjoyable - I'll read more.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5One of the better urban fantasies I have read. Better than Dresden, somewhere near Kate Daniels.
I would like to congratulate the author on the character of Sig, one of the better female characters I have read in urban fantasy.
The worldbuilding is interesting, the writing and the wry humour excellent, the action scenes are gripping. Character development for the protagonist is something that is done slowly but surely. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5CharmingElliott JamesOrbitSeptember 24, 20133.5 starsJohn Charming is an outcast. He was raised as a knight Templar but he found himself hunted by them when it was discovered that he was part werewolf. After the knights killed Allison, his fiancée, he became a lower, always fighting the wolf inside. He never expected that his life would be turned upside down when Sig, a Valkyrie vampire hunter, walked into the bar he managed.Sig is in a bad relationship but doesn’t have the heart to leave him as he is part of her team that hunts monsters. When she returns to the bar and finds John under attack from vampires, she steps in to save him and he ends up working with her team.I really liked John and Sig. Their conflicts were realistic and worked within the perimeters of the story. Charming is the first in what I hope is a long series, and I do hope Sig returns to work with John. They really make a great team. There is no romanticizing the vampire element in this book, and the villains are written chillingly.ARC provided by Netgalley for review.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5John Charming is a former modern-day Knights Templar; a group dedicated to keeping the supernatural community in line. The problem is he is also an abomination. His mother was bitten by a werewolf when she was pregnant with him. Years later he began showing signs of becoming a werewolf but never actually shifting and needed to run from those who trained him. However, his oath magically obligates him to continue to keep the monsters in line. Now he finds himself helping the beautiful vampire huntress and her friends in preventing a vampire hive killing spree, while not drawing the attention of the Knights Templar. I really enjoyed Charming. It has an interesting plot and wonderful characters. Elliott James does an outstanding job at keeping you guessing about what’s going to happen next as well as who can be trusted. I especially like John’s personality. His comments are priceless. He makes an exceptional main character who I look forward to reading more about in future Pax Arcana novels. This was the first book I read by Elliott James. He is a gifted writer. I love his humor. He kept me entertained through the entire book. Charming would make a great movie. It has lots of actions and mystery. I look forward to the next book in the series, Darling. ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.Quick & Dirty: Vampires are making their presence known in a rural town but don’t expect to run into a Charming/Werewolf and a Valkyrie but this leads to more questions than answers for them both.Opening Sentence: There is a reason that we refer to being in love as being enchanted.The Review:This story relies heavily on mythology, fairy tales and medieval tales of wonder and I adore them all. There is just something about a tale of a knight and his struggle that reminds me of childhood and stories that were read to me as I was drifting off to sleep, or when I had snared a flashlight and was sneaking in one more chapter when I had been sent to bed an hour ago. This story brought that to the table and I wasn’t prepared for it.Another unique part of this story is it is told entirely in John Charming’s point of view. I can’t remember the last time I read a romance where the entire story was male and I found this a breath of fresh air. Often times we will get a male point of view put there are portions where we either see the female lead’s point of view or we get a narrator. Not this story, no way. The entire story and narration is from John and I’m thankful of this because I really got to understand his motivations because he told me about them and there is something poignant about getting into the male psyche that continues to baffle and bewilder me and I’m sure some of you readers as well.John Charming is part of an ancient order of knights that were given the role protecting humanity and the Pax Arcana, which is the layer that protects humans from seeing monsters such as vampires, werewolves and all sort of other magical beings that are really living in the world. However, John has become one of the hunted by the knights because he is part werewolf, and therefore, seen as an abomination of the knighthood code.Thankfully for us John has thwarted the knights that have sought to kill him to tell his story, which is the book Charming. John’s voice is strong and I really enjoyed where he explained history and scenarios but never in a condescending way, but because he was seeking to record the story for posterity and we are the lucky recipients of this record keeping.All good fairy tale stories with a prince require a princess and John sure does get one in Sig like the side arm. I adore the fact that she is such a strong woman and more often than not is pictured in such a strong way but there is a definitive feminine side to her that makes my heart glad. She isn’t one to take a back seat but isn’t afraid to look to others for moral support and help. She is a well rounded female and I approve of her.The story has many plot twists and a red herring or two but is well crafted, and I will definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for other books by Elliott James. Hopefully, we get more of John and Sig’s story in a second book of this series.So my final thoughts are this, if you are interested in a good story, twist on a fairy tale or want to read a book from a male point of view then pick up this book and read as soon as you can. If you are looking for action and a little romance then this book also fits that bill. Lastly, if you are looking for a world that is familiar and lets you fall gracefully into it then this book is also for you. Read this book!On a side note, this book is perfect for a guy to read and I think that they would enjoy it not just for the story but for the amazing swords that John uses through out the book.Notable Scene:“You. Vampire Hunter Barbie. Hold it.” I pitched my voice so that she could hear me even with normal human hearing but nobody else could.Sig adjusted her path and stalked towards the bar, moving at an angle that put me between her and the direction the vampire was moving in. When she spoke, her voice was low and strained. “You still have a chance to avoid getting tangled up in this. I suggest you take it.”“I don’t care what you do,” I assured her. “Just do it away from my bar.”Sig gave me her full attention. I didn’t know it then but she always became calmest at the prospect of imminent violence, a kind of awful and solemn calm that didn’t fool anyone. Her eyes became large and serious, her voice soft. “And how are you going to stop me?”“You just have normal human hearing, don’t you?” I asked.“Why?” she asked suspiciously.“Because,” I said, “I’ve already stopped you.”The bathrooms had windows facing out on a side alley, and vampires move fast.With a curse, the blonde rushed toward the restrooms, shooting me a look that left blister marks. I raised my hand and sarcastically waggled my fingers at her. Goodbye, whatever you are. Forget to write. Nice ass.FTC Advisory: Orbit provided me with a copy of Charming. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Charming is a cleverly written Urban Fantasy following John Charming as he meets a not quite (or at all, really, since I’m pretty sure she could bench press him without breaking a sweat) damsel in distress and reluctantly joins her ragtag group of monster hunters to take out a hive of vampires.
The main character, John, is quite the badass when he wants to be. He has some serious fighting moves and supernatural strengths that make him a fierce warrior, but ultimately it’s his vulnerabilities and heart of gold that make him sexy. He’s been hunted his whole adult life by those he used to consider family and he struggles daily with the animal side of himself, but he still manages to be a good guy with a strong moral compass. Sig, the female leader of the hunters and the love interest of John, is a triple threat of beauty, brains, and brawn with her own dark past to overcome. The rest of the cast includes fascinating supernatural beings and humans with a bone to pick, my favorite by far being Molly, a female priest packing her own kind of punch, whom I found quirky and delightful (anyone who responds to fear by putting on a reindeer sweater and listening to Christmas carols in April gets my vote for best female supporting character).
Witty writing and cinematic action make this a page-turner that’s hard to put down. Working against this is the large amounts of info dumping and explanation asides that tended to disrupt the flow of the story, but were at least interesting (at the end we learn they serve a purpose, a fact to keep in mind if they start to become a distraction).
All in all, this was a highly enjoyable read full of action, intriguing characters, and a different spin on our own world that really pulls you in (and explains itself to you in detail along the way so there’s no fear of getting lost ;)). I highly recommend this book to Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance lovers alike (although it is more the former than the latter) and will definitely be on the lookout for the next book in this series.
I received a free ARC of this book to review.
You can find this review and others like it at BookAndCoffeeAddict.com, along with recommendations for a fantastic cup of coffee. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5John Charming comes from a long line of Charmings (yes, the many fabled Prince Charmings) who are actually knights with a geas on them, forcing them to hunt supernaturals whose actions would let us mundane humans aware that they exist. It’s not John’s fault that his mother was attacked by a werewolf just before she gave birth to him. He doesn’t shift but has many of the enhanced attributes of the species and the knights are now hunting him because he’s considered an abomination.But John is still a knight and the geas forces him to hunt the troublemakers while he himself is being hunted and always on the run. His life is drastically changed when he’s forced to join an eclectic group of hunters going after a hive of vampires; too many humans in the area have gone missing. The group includes a Valkyrie, another kind of knight, a naga, a priest, a cop and an exterminator.The story is set in our world with a great deal of mythology and world building for the many supernaturals living invisibly alongside of us. There’s also a great deal of play-by-play action, humor, interpersonal growth, a romance and a whole lot of information. The author does a great job of combining the world building fiction with a great deal of facts about a large range of things that are real; he’s apparently done quite a bit of research. The info sharing, which I admit can get heavy in places, reminds me somewhat of the writings of Kevin Hearne and Jim Butcher.My friend called and told me I just had to read this book and to see if I could still snag an ARC from Netgalley, which I was lucky enough to do. This debut novel is a wonderful addition to the Urban Fantasy genre. I enjoyed most of the characters (you can’t help but dislike one from the start), the situations they found themselves in and the interactions with each other. I will definitely be reading the next book.
Book preview
The Charmed - Christine Wenrick
The CHARMED
by
Christine Wenrick
The CHARMED
Copyright 2012, Red Tree House Publishing. All rights reserved.
ISBN 13: 978-0-9882069-0-8
Electronic Edition – Smashwords Edition
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic of mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system—except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine, newspaper, or on the Worldwide Web—without permission in writing from the publisher—Red Tree House Publishing—or the publisher’s representative.
Licensing Statement
This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Amazon.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.
For information, please e-mail Red Tree House Publishing, Seattle, Washington
at: [email protected].
Cover design by Samantha T. Davis, Mill Creek, Washington
Contact e-mail: [email protected]
Editorial and interior design by OPA Author Services, Scottsdale, Arizona
Contact e-mail: [email protected]
Dedication
To my favorite wannabe Dhampirs: Rachel, Felice, Susan, Toni and Becky. Thanks for supporting me, challenging me, and pushing me every step of the way. I couldn’t have done this without you.
Acknowledgments
A huge, heartfelt thanks to my editor, Paul, who slipped into my second voice so effortlessly and guided me through every step of the process.
And for Samantha, who designed a cover that matched the vision that inspired the book.
Prologue
Ouch!
Too late! The palm of my left hand was erupting blood. I jerked it back from Sarah’s tight grasp as the Swiss Army knife that had done the damage fell from her other hand to the forest floor. Sarah’s eyes—which had been transfixed momentarily on the bloodletting—met mine. They were filled with the utter panic of someone who realized that at the tender age of fourteen she was going to be grounded for the rest of her life.
I told you this was a bad idea!
she screeched before her whole expression scrunched in displeasure. Ewe, gross. Look at all that blood.
Blood was right.
I curled my fingers tight over my palm to try and slow it, but the bright, scarlet liquid continued to seep through the cracks of my fingers and onto Sarah’s as she tried to help me.
You were supposed to cut my thumb, not my palm,
I complained. That’s how a BFF blood pact works. Everybody knows that.
"Well, I’m sorry! Her voice was ratcheting higher with every word.
It’s not like I’ve done this before." She reached into her pocket and brought out one of the two little adhesive bandages we had brought with us to cover our blood-pact wounds, but we both realized that the narrow, plastic strip would do little—if anything—to stop this bleeding. Worse yet, the empty campsite clearing in which we were standing offered even fewer options in terms of first aid, and we had only ourselves to blame.
We had hiked up here this morning so we wouldn’t be seen, especially by my way over-protective parents. They would absolutely freak out if they saw all this blood, which, at the moment, had me a little freaked myself. And the more the fresh air hit the wound, the more the pain of the rather deep cut began to burn like fire over my skin. I’m going to clean my hand in the water,
I called back over my shoulder as I turned to rush off toward the nearby lake, but after I had gone only about twenty feet some sort of shiny reflection in the tall grass ahead caught my attention.
As I stepped closer I figured it was the sun reflecting off something shiny—like glass or metal. A few more steps and the source became clear—a man’s silver watch. The dial cover was cracked—and the watch was wrapped around a plump wrist . . . the wrist of a very dead man’s body.
I choked back a scream, managing only to sputter bits of sound as my mind pleaded for my eyes to close, but I just couldn’t blink away from the awful sight. I had never seen a dead body before. The man’s large, beefy frame seemed unnaturally twisted—maybe even posed—and his brown eyes were frozen in terror. Horse flies clustered around his open mouth. His skin was very white, almost chalky, the exposed area above his collar covered with bluish bruising. And the showy gold rings and three-piece gray suit were definitely all wrong for a man camping in the woods.
I thought you were going to wash your hand,
Sarah said just behind me, but I couldn’t speak, couldn’t utter a single word of warning in reply.
Then it was too late.
Sarah’s ear-piercing scream cut through the forest with the intensity of a hungry newborn, her hard gasps scraping against the back of her throat as she stumbled away from the body. In sharp contrast, I felt chained to that very spot. It was as though my legs were tied to cement blocks, too heavy to let me take even one step back.
Soon, time became lost to me until I heard a voice call out something in the distance. It was the deep voice of a man, not a boy, and as he spoke to Sarah his words were focused and calm.
Stay right here,
he said to her, then I heard his footsteps coming toward me.
Moments later, a long shadow rolled over the corpse in front of me, followed by large shoulders suddenly blocking the hot sun. He knelt before me and I realized how truly tall he was, because my chin was barely tilted downward, but I was staring right into his eyes, though mine were unfocused and blurred.
I’m not going to hurt you, Olivia,
he said gently, and it struck me in my dazed state that Sarah must have told him my name. I just want to have a look at your hand.
My hand? I had forgotten all about it. The pain wasn’t there like before, but I could still feel the warm blood rolling down my palm and trickling to the grass below. When I didn’t respond, his much larger hand encircled the uninjured one at my side and squeezed, increasing the pressure steadily until I could no longer ignore it. My mind felt it, and I blinked back hard as my eyes re-adjusted to see clearly for the first time in a long while.
There you go,
he murmured. Now you’re with me.
Just that fast, I went from being focused on nothing to becoming acutely aware of his eyes, a color of gray I had seen before in this world but given little notice to it. On him, however, the color was wondrously unique. A little voice inside my head urged me to explore the other details of his face, but I was locked into the gray, as if it were some sort of vital lifeline at that moment.
Let’s take a look,
he said, tilting my palm up towards the sun, and it was strange how I could no longer feel any warmth from it. This is fairly deep. But if we can slow the bleeding and get you back to your parents and to a doctor, I think you’re gonna be OK.
Pulling his shirt tail out of his waistband, he tore a strip of cotton fabric from it and tightly wrapped my palm, applying sharp pressure that sent a shooting wave of pain through the cut and had me yelping twice in one afternoon.
I’m sorry,
he said, now gently easing my hand back towards him. Sometimes I forget my own strength.
How ridiculous I must have looked, blinking back at him in such wide-eyed amazement. But for the first time in my life I understood what all the fuss was about when it came to a man, and it hit with the subtlety of Timmy Fredricks whacking me in the face with the soccer ball in fourth grade.
You’re a quiet one, aren’t you?
I didn’t answer, because every reply that came into my head only made me sound like a dork.
When he squeezed my hand a second time, he paused and a strange expression crossed his face—as if he were trying to understand something. It was gone just as quickly as he said, Come. Let’s get you back.
Sarah, seemingly recovered from the terrifying episode, blathered on endlessly, while I remained at a loss for words as he walked us back to camp. Later, I would live to regret my silence. I couldn’t have known it then, but death would touch my life for a second time that day. The lifeless body of the kind man who had helped us was found that night by park rangers in the tall grass . . . near the man in the three-piece suit.
Chapter One
Among the many meaningless decisions we humans make every day, fate likes to step in and wickedly remind us that a single, harmless choice can completely alter the direction of our lives. For me, a train ride to Portland seemed one of those small, insignificant choices.
***
Thump-thump! Thump-thump! Thump-thump!
The thunderous sound stormed into my consciousness, launching me out of my floaty little dream world and into this one. With the blare of a horn and the rhythmic clicks of steel rolling over rails, it took me less than a moment to remember that I was on a train—the 5:45 express to Portland, to be exact.
Tonight’s trip, however, should have been called the midnight line to Portland, because the train had been delayed for hours on the southbound leg from Vancouver, British Columbia; it was nearly three hours behind schedule when it finally left the King Street Station platform just south of downtown Seattle.
Of course, no one offered any kind of sensible explanation for what was wrong or why it had been delayed. They just smiled in that polite way people do—when they’re trying to conceal the fact that you’re annoying them—and pointed to the station’s reader board, which said ‘DELAYED’ in giant, red capital letters.
That wasn’t very helpful, but at least it might explain the unease I had been feeling about this trip.
I had felt it all night, and now there was this strange pressure over my heart, as though someone was holding it in their hands and threatening to squeeze it until the very last beat had been crushed out of it. This had happened a few times over the last couple of weeks, and seemed to be getting stronger, which was slightly terrifying. I knew something was wrong, but it seemed illogical for an active, twenty-six-year-old grad student to keel over and die without any warning, so I convinced myself it was just over-exertion.
Yep, that was it.
You’re awake,
my best friend, Sarah Terry, commented from beside me. She was the girl with two generic first names, yet she embodied enough fire and sass to make her icon—and self-proclaimed ‘sista’ in another life—Tyra Banks, proud. I was beginning to think you were dead.
I blinked at her in surprise, even though nothing she said should surprise me anymore. Sarah Terry was never boring, and most men saw her as a ball-breaker, which she didn’t mind one bit. Tough was just how she rolled. Nice.
Hey, I’m just sayin’.
She glanced down at the folder and several roughly scribbled pages of sheet music that had scattered at my feet as I was jolted awake. She bent to retrieve them, shaking her head as she piled them on my lap. I swear, Olivia Ann Greyson, when you’re sleepin’ it takes trumpets to wake you.
Or really loud thumping noises. I thought I heard something.
Heard what?
I don’t know—a loud pounding sound of some sort.
Are you sure you’re just not hearing noises in your head?
she replied with a snort, reaching into her carry-on pack for her music player.
Very funny. You didn’t hear it?
Casting a sarcastic facial expression in my direction, she scanned the rows of passengers around us, most of whom had been at the Mariners’ baseball game hours earlier and were experiencing the misfortune of sobering up during the long delay. They appeared perfectly busy doing nothing, so she turned back to me, her eyebrows arched in a quirky way. Yeah, and it looks like I’m not the only one. Girl, you’re trippin’—I told you, you should’ve grabbed a sandwich there at the station.
I wasn’t hungry.
So you said. But obviously your brain is screaming with hunger now.
You’re implying,
I began dully, that a loud, thumping noise is just my brain’s way of telling me that I’m hungry?
She shrugged her shoulders. I’m sayin’ that if there had been such a loud noise, then at least one other passenger would have heard it.
She was right, of course, though I hated to admit it. The noise had disappeared, and for a moment I was even questioning myself whether I had maybe just dreamed it.
Sarah’s gaze slid over to me as her hands worked to untangle her iPod cords. She had always had beautiful hands; long, with slender fingers always neatly polished. Today’s choice was a lilac color that worked surprisingly well with her darker skin. You aren’t havin’ that strange pulling in your chest thing again, are you?
I’m fine,
I replied, with more irritation than I should have. Just a little tired, that’s all.
Hmm,
Sarah sounded. Maybe if you’d stop refusing to see the doctor . . .
Don’t start, Sarah.
Whatever,
she said, flashing a partially amused smile as she slipped her earbuds in and snuggled deeper into her seat. Get some rest. You’re drivin’ once we get to Portland.
Oh, thanks.
Sarah’s breathing soon slowed, and she was asleep.
I lay my head back and closed my eyes, even though sleeping was the last thing on my mind. I couldn’t really explain why. I was tired. Classes were ending next week for summer break, and though Sarah was nearly two years younger than me, she was graduating, while I had to go back for another quarter to complete my double master’s degree.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
My eyes popped right back open and I swung forward in my seat. There it was again—only this time it was louder! It seemed impossible to me that no one else had heard it. I turned to Sarah, who was still sleeping peacefully with her player going, as if she hadn’t heard a thing. Maybe the music concealed the noise.
Then, again, more unsettling noises hammered, clear as day, right above us, its echoed reverberations sounding like someone running across a brittle surface.
My fingers curled around the edges of the chair arms in an effort to stop myself from reaching over and shaking Sarah awake. Instead, I surveyed the faces of the other passengers, but, like Sarah, they were going about their business as if they hadn’t heard a thing.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Several even louder strikes pounded against the car’s ceiling, right above us. Hearing them so close had my heart beating at a pace I didn’t think was possible.
Did you hear that?
I asked the man sitting across the aisle from us.
Pulled up short in his reading by the loudness of my voice, his brows creased in annoyance. Hear what?
That banging sound coming from the roof.
The man’s expression turned into a dismissive frown. No, I didn’t hear banging on the roof of a moving train.
His tone was thick with sarcasm. You were just asleep. I think you might still be waking up.
He was obviously trying to offer a reasonable explanation, even though I knew I had been awake for a while. I did rub the tiredness from my eyes behind my small, wire-framed glasses, and just when I started to convince myself that he might be right, the sounds thundered away again.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Bang! Bang! Bang!
It was plain as day. Why didn’t these people hear it?
An older woman with platinum-blond hair pinned in a high up-do peeked at me over her chair back. She had obviously heard my conversation with the other passenger and needed to get a good look at the woman in the seat behind her, the one who sounded crazy.
Bang! Thump! Thump!
There,
I said, pointing my finger towards the ceiling. Can’t you hear that?
She continued to stare at me for a moment as if I were daft, then turned to her male companion in whispered panic. Honey?
Calm down,
he replied reassuringly. There’s nothing on the roof of this train.
She must be crazy. We’re sitting next to a crazy person on a train,
she continued, whispering low—but still easy to hear.
I took offense. I had clearly heard the noises and had never been one inclined to create unnecessary drama. In fact, as a general rule, I always tried to avoid it, preferring not to be the center of attention. But I didn’t remember that when I replied in a high-pitched squeak, I’m not crazy!
Which waked a dazed Sarah out of sound sleep.
What’s goin’ on?
she asked in a groggy voice.
The woman turned to her with a disapproving glower. Your friend here thinks she hears something on the roof of this train. She’s getting everyone all worked up.
Actually, it appeared I was only getting her worked up.
Sarah squeezed my shoulder with gentle concern. What is it, Livy?
A true friend, she never doubted for a second that I was telling the truth . . . or at least what I believed was the truth. Tell me.
All of a sudden I realized that everyone’s attention was focused on me. The older attendant, who had taken my ticket when I boarded the train, scurried down the aisle to see what all the commotion was about. Is everything OK here?
The agitated woman didn’t even hesitate for a breath before declaring, This girl thinks she’s hearing noises on the roof.
Is there someone on top of the train?
another voice rang out in alarm.
What?
another voice added.
All right, so maybe I was getting people a little worked up.
The attendant raised his arms over his head in an effort to calm things down before they got out of control. I assure you,
he began, there’s no one on the roof of this train. We’re outside of Tacoma and traveling at nearly eighty miles per hour.
How had this happened? How had I become the crazy woman hearing noises on the train while Sarah and a whole car full of passengers stared at me? Sensing the frantic whispers rolling through the car, I just wanted all this embarrassing attention to stop. I’m fine!
I blurted. I didn’t hear anything. I must’ve been asleep.
With that admission and one last scolding glare from the attendant that said ‘no more trouble,’ things began to settle down. The onlookers went back about their business, and for that I was grateful. Sarah, however, still looked unconvinced. She had known me practically all my life and knew it was not like me to hear things that weren’t there. What’s going on, Livy?
I don’t know.
I whispered so the other passengers wouldn’t hear. It just feels like something’s wrong. I’ve felt it since we left the train station. I can’t explain it.
She reached for my hand and squeezed. I believe you,
she said, with absolutely no hesitation in her voice. But we can’t make them stop the train, so just try to relax, OK? We’ll deal with it when we get into Portland. I think I should take you to see a doctor in the mornin.’
I started to object, but she covered my mouth with her hand. And I don’t want to hear any more of your excuses about how you never go to the doctor. You’re going to this one.
Frustrated, I dropped my head back against the seat. I knew what I had heard, and I knew it was not my imagination. Staring quietly out the window at the trees racing by under the moonlight, I noticed a flicker of something moving at the edge of my vision. Just before the train was about to arc around a wide bend, about a hundred yards ahead, shadowy objects moved at inhuman speed back and forth across the tracks.
Coyotes or something? But they were too large.
I watched as several shadows gathered in one area just below the next signal light, and a wave of panic flooded me as the sound of another train’s horns blared in the distance ahead.
A bright light was barreling towards us.
I knew then what was about to happen.
In those few seconds just before this already rough ride was about to explode, time—instead of ticking forward—seemed almost to float. All my senses heightened as the sounds that previously filled the train vanished.
I turned to Sarah and her now-terrified expression confirmed my fear—that I was incapable of hiding what was about to happen. The blood seemed to freeze in my veins as I threw my arms around her, shielding us both for impact.
In that moment, I didn’t remember ever having lived in the world around me with such clarity, such lucidness.
Then the moment was gone.
And the pain hit.
Chapter Two
As I returned to consciousness, my head was pounding and it seemed impossible to open my eyes. I let out a small moan against the pains I was feeling in several places along my body. After a moment, I remembered the crash, but I had no idea how much time had passed. There was a mix of sounds around me, but I didn’t seem to hear human screams of suffering, as I expected, just other vivid, terrible sounds, like the screeching of metal before it’s about to give-way under a heavy weight, or the high-pitched ping of glass shards crashing against a brittle surface. And even the low, whipping sound heat makes as a flame grows more intense. These were the sounds seared into my mind.
I wished that all of these sounds would disappear. But when it became clear that my wish would go unanswered, I finally opened my eyes.
The world around me seemed upside down and out of focus, then I realized—it literally was. The train car had been flipped onto its side, and I was staring upward at the seat I had been in, but the scene was distorted by my cracked and crooked glasses, which were now dangling at the tip of my nose. Smoke permeated the car as flames coming from somewhere nearby billowed up toward the oxygen provided by the shattered windows on the other side of the car. Aside from the hot glow of the fire and a few emergency lights at each end of the car, everything was as dark as the night surrounding us.
Carefully sliding my fingertips over the surfaces beneath me, I realized I was sprawled across two chair arms that were still bolted to the floor. My feet were apparently resting against an unbroken window or one of the pillars between windows. I tried to move just a fraction of an inch, but a white-hot pain shot through my left side like a bullet. With a groan I couldn’t contain, I slid my fingers between the summer cardigan and white tee shirt I was wearing. Just below my left breast I could feel the distorted shape and the dull pain of a cracked rib.
We’ve got to get out of here,
I thought.
We?
I blinked. Oh, God—Sarah!
Sarah!
No answer. In fact, the entire car was too quiet, as if I were the only person on it, which I confirmed was definitely not the case as my eyes adjusted to the darkness and I saw all the unmoving bodies around me. Then a small window opened through the smoke, and I recognized the familiar beige top and razor-cut brown hair several rows ahead of me. Panic seemed to set in as I made out the crimson stain seeping through her white pant leg—then my adrenaline began to flow.
Sarah!
I scrambled over the seat arms, snagging my leggings on several sharp edges as I went, able to ignore the throbbing in my ribs as I imagined the physical force it must have taken to throw Sarah’s body nearly the length of the car.
When I reached her, I turned her a bit and put my ear to her heart.
Thank God, it was still beating.
Then I noticed the unnatural direction of her leg and swallowed thickly. There was no question. The leg was broken. It was just a matter of how many times.
I scanned her quickly for any other obvious signs of injury, then took her face in my hands and patted her cheek, absolutely terrified she wouldn’t wake up. Sarah, can you hear me? Sarah!
A low groan rumbled from her lips as her eyes fluttered open. Livy, what . . . ?
she began, but then the signs of agony hit her face and she reached for her leg. Oh, shit, that hurts!
I know, I know . . . But I need to get you out of here.
I glanced back at the fire that was now steadily moving towards us. Now.
I don’t think I can walk,
she said with a shake of her head. You’ll have to leave me to go get help.
No way,
I replied sternly, and it surprised me that I was the one taking charge between the two of us. That was normally her role. This car’s going to be nothing but fire and smoke in about five minutes. You’re coming with me.
Giving her no time to debate the situation, I shifted her body over mine, finding unexpected strength in my muscles even though her weight and my own breaths felt like a meat presser against my ribs. It had to be the adrenaline that kept me going, but as soon as she felt the movement she screeched out in pain just before falling unconscious again.
That would make things more difficult in getting her out of the car, but at least I wouldn’t have to bear her cry every time I was hurting her.
The exit vestibule was just ahead of us as smoke and flames continued to billow forward. I bit back screams at seeing so many lifeless bodies crumpled along the way, their eyes wide in shock as if they died at the moment of impact.
Help us!
I called through the open doorway above me. There was no response, but I soon heard the frantic cries of the other passengers who had made it out of the cars, and it caused an irrational moment of frustration. What’re they screaming about? At least they’re out of the damn train!
My limbs were trembling from either fear or weakness, I couldn’t be sure which, and I doubted that I had the strength to lift us both through the opening several feet above me. But there was little choice, the fire was rolling at us more like a wave than a wandering flame, the heat so close that my skin itched.
We were out of time.
Swinging my arms up to the handrails, I held Sarah’s body to mine by curling my legs around her. My left side shook violently against the pain, and it was almost impossible to breathe, but hand over hand I climbed, using the first stair riser to support our weight, while the flames reached for Sarah’s feet.
Here—grab hold of this,
a man ordered from above me. I glanced up and was never so glad to see someone, even though his face was covered in blood from a deep gash to his forehead. He lowered a piece of metal debris through the threshold. It was hot, but not so hot that you couldn’t hold onto it—if the alternative was burning to death.
My friend,
I pleaded. I need help to get her out.
Hold my legs,
he instructed to someone out of view. Reaching down through the opening, he grabbed onto Sarah. It took all the strength I had to slide her up my body until he was able to lift her out of the car. I then swung my arms to the bar a second time and pulled my legs up toward my bottom to escape the flames that were attempting to melt the rubber soles of my tennis shoes.
My arms began to shake and I could no longer get my muscles to cooperate. Please,
I begged, realizing what an awful way this would be to die.
Here! Quickly,
the man said as he extended a hand through the opening.
As flames literally licked at my heels, the injured man somehow found enough strength to pull me up through the opening and into the crisp night air. At that moment I was so grateful to be alive that words seemed to be stuck in my throat behind a very real need to cry—or laugh—or both.
The man who pulled me free handed me down to another in a Mariners baseball cap. The scent of beer was still on his breath as he moved me away from the wreckage toward Sarah’s unconscious body lying in the grass ahead. As he sat me down the contact jarred my left side, renewing the intense pain I felt when trying to hold on to the railing.
Are you injured?
he asked.
Mostly coughing my reply, I blinked up at him, I can wait.
God, it hurt to cough. Thank you for helping us.
He nodded, and I had my first chance to scan the destruction around us. The train had crashed in a rural area near the edges of farmland, a ways from the Interstate 5. Train cars were tossed around like match sticks, and the sky was lit up with powerfully toxic flames, black smoke, and the horrid scent of burning flesh swirling from every car. There was a sickening atmosphere of destruction and death for as far as the eye could see . . . but there were no more screams.
The few survivors there were managed to take refuge under a large cluster of pine trees about a hundred yards away, but there was almost no one at the end cars with us, which was odd considering the front cars appeared as if they had pancaked into the side of a mountain. Where is everyone?
I asked. . . . the passengers? I heard them screaming just before your friend pulled me from the car.
The man turned his attention, as if just then realizing the chaotic cries and screams that had been there only moments ago had suddenly stopped. I don’t know. Most of them must be still trapped inside the cars.
Looking back to the car we were just pulled from, it was completely engulfed in flames, and I swallowed hard. All those people . . .
Livy?
Sarah murmured, weakly.
Here,
the man said, offering a small water bottle from his pocket. Stay here with your friend. The rescue teams should be here soon.
Then he bravely ran back towards the burning cars.
I turned my attention to Sarah, instructing her to take a small sip of water. Thank you,
she whispered, taking my hand in hers as those big brown eyes of hers stared up at me; close to tears she almost never shed. I wouldn’t have made it if—
Don’t say it,
I interjected, not wanting to think about what could have happened. It doesn’t matter now. We’re both gonna be fine. How’s your leg?
She groaned. It feels like it was run over by a fuckin’ car.
"That’s probably not too far from the truth. Just hang in there. The ambulances should