Nocturnal Book Reviews: Urban Fantasy Review: Geekomancy by Michael R. Underwood

Urban Fantasy Review: Geekomancy by Michael R. Underwood

Tuesday, December 04, 2012 | Posted by kara-karina@Nocturnal Book Reviews

Geekomancy by Michael R. Underwood (Ree Reyes #1)

bought

Synopsis from Goodreads
Clerks meets Buffy the Vampire the Slayer in this original urban fantasy eBook about Geekomancers—humans that derive supernatural powers from pop culture. Ree Reyes’s life was easier when all she had to worry about was scraping together tips from her gig as a barista and comicshop slave to pursue her ambitions as a screenwriter.

When a scruffy-looking guy storms into the shop looking for a comic like his life depends on it, Ree writes it off as just another day in the land of the geeks. Until a gigantic “BOOM!” echoes from the alley a minute later, and Ree follows the rabbit hole down into her town’s magical flip-side. Here, astral cowboy hackers fight trolls, rubber-suited werewolves, and elegant Gothic Lolita witches while wielding nostalgia-powered props.

Ree joins Eastwood (aka Scruffy Guy), investigating a mysterious string of teen suicides as she tries to recover from her own drag-your-heart-through-jagged-glass breakup. But as she digs deeper, Ree discovers Eastwood may not be the knight-in-cardboard armor she thought. Will Ree be able to stop the suicides, save Eastwood from himself, and somehow keep her job?

Amazon kindle US($5.99)/UK(£3.99)

8/10

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It was a little bit difficult to get into the writing style in the beginning, but ultimately I really enjoyed Geekomancy.

It's quirky, fun and nothing like I've read before. A lot of gaming references, movies and comics, - I consider myself a little bit geeky but I had trouble with a lot of them. However it didn't distract me from the overall plot.

Ree is a lovely character, she is a crazy screenwriter with a lovely hairdresser dad, she loves all the things geek and has friends who understand her and have their own little quirks and follow their dreams.

Life is alright if a little bit tight until she sees something she's not supposed to see and find a whole new world of magical underground shaped by our beliefs and fandom. Here everything goes. Convention t-shirts, action power figures, Wonder woman suits... they all have power. So as Ree. She can borrow powers from the characters in the movies, just for a bit though.

Eastwood, a well respected geekomancer who saved her life and took her as his apprentice teaches her the ropes and at the same time she assists him in an investigation into a series of teenage suicides in town.

Much craziness, magical fights and travel into astral ensues. You acquire friends and enemies, enemies that you thought were friends and a lot of fodder for your future screenplays. Once in this world Ree is desperate to stay even if it means figuring out who she is and how she can pay her bills from now on.

Lovely book, refreshing, interesting, and I'm really looking forward to the next instalment in this series. Bravo, Michael!

Recommended for fans of Fangirl!

* * *

Хаотичная, сумасшедшая книга с освежающе оригинальным сюжетом в стиле комедийного городского фэнтэзи.

Ри работает барристой в местном кафе и мечтает стать знаменитым сценаристом, даже её друзья варятся в тоже немного безумном и невероятно творческом котле и вполне понимают друг друга.

Ри - типичный гик, выросшая на компьютерных играх, комиксах, фэнтэзийных книгах и множестве фильмах. Однако когда случай открывает для неё мир гикоманства, магического андерграунда где каждая игрушка, комикс, фильм и даже футболка с Комик-Кона несут в себе магию магических артефактов, построенную на вере и любви фанатов... она начинает чувствувать себя как дома.

Взятая под крыло в качестве ассистентки гикомансером Иствудом, Ри помогает в расследовании тинэйджеровских самоубийств в её городе, наживает новых врагов и друзей, друзей, превращающихся во врагов, и даже знакомится со злыми ведьмами и астральными демонами.

Несмотря на интенсивное расследование и шаткие таланты, позволяющие ей занимать талант героя фильма, который она просмотрела (ненадолго), Ри быстренько оказывается оставлена разбираться во всём самой, и несмотря на поджидающие её опасности, не сдаётся, пытаясь в разобраться в таком знакомом и в то же время чуждом мире и найти в нём работу, чтобы остаться.

Интересно, свежо и весело, хотя временами чересчур много информации и многие культурные ссылки пролетают мимо ушей из-за недостатка знаний. Однако, рекомендую.