I read the short story in Wild Thing story and liked it. To be honest, it reminded me a lot of a comic I used to read called The Darkness. The premise of the character is very similar. His power only worked at night and little demons who were the source of his power would come out and help and protect him. The Darkness power was passed from father to son. Once the demons left the father for the kid the father usually died. There were a lot of differences, the main character in The Darkness was a mafia hitman and the story was much darker but I won’t lie I kept thinking that Maxine is Jackie except a woman.

Wow, I just bought my husband a PS3 game called Darkness. The set-up is very similar to how you described. Who knew it was based off a comic? Learn something interesting every day.

Start from the very beginning, Tiger Eye, the first of the Dirk and Steele series, and perhaps her most romance-y book. I love Marjorie’s writing voice and enjoyed the D and S series as well as her new urban fantasy.

My reader baggage comes from comic books.

It’s stuff like that which distracted me the most because I spent more time wondering if I seeing things that weren’t there than enjoying the actual story. My reader baggage, let me show you it.

Jia: See . . . that’s the difference between being a professional reader like you and being an amateur like me. [grin] I just read for the hell of it. If it isn’t working for me, I skip ahead, put it down or give it away. Guilt-free reading!

These days, I save my reader baggage for non-fiction and contracts. Oh, and cookbooks. You should see me trying to decipher recipes. Arghhhhh!

I enjoyed seeing another take on The Iron Hunt. Thanks!

I found Tracker far more interesting than Grant and thought there was some promising sexual tension between Maxine and Tracker:

I talked about this with Jane and we came to the conclusion that, unless all the conventions are going to be flaunted, there will be something developing between Maxine and Tracker. I agree that he’s a more interesting character than Grant.

The only part I really didn’t care for was Chapter 15, that period when Maxine was in the Labyrinth. I found it draggy and pointless.

With the prior reference to Enkidu, I actually wondered if Maxine’s time in the Labyrinth was actually a reference to the descent of Inanna? It was obviously a chthonic ritual of remaking and rebirth regardless but still, I wasn’t entirely sure. It’s stuff like that which distracted me the most because I spent more time wondering if I seeing things that weren’t there than enjoying the actual story. My reader baggage, let me show you it.

I’ve never read Liu before, but I received an ARC for The Iron Hunt from a good friend.

I enjoyed the book. I’m wondering if it was because I’d never read Liu before and because I was expecting an urban fantasy, not a romance.

I agree there was no sexual tension between Maxine and Grant, but since I wasn’t expecting a romance, I wasn’t disappointed. I found Tracker far more interesting than Grant and thought there was some promising sexual tension between Maxine and Tracker:

I careened down the stairs into the apartment–but halfway there, a strong arm reached out of thin air and grabbed me.

Tracker. He melted close, pinning me to the wall, and pressed his mouth against my ear . . . [He] smelled like the desert at sunset, hot and full of shadows . . .

I tried to push myself past Tracker. He refused to budge. I peered into his eyes. His breath was warm on my face. I shoved him again, but he was immovable.

“What?” I asked him–but all I received was a contemplative stare that felt, unnervingly, like an attempt to memorize my face. As though a goodbye was coming soon. As though he might not see me again.

The only part I really didn’t care for was Chapter 15, that period when Maxine was in the Labyrinth. I found it draggy and pointless.

I thought the book’s premise was imaginative and Liu’s language frequently lyrical. I’m looking forward to the book’s sequel.