Book Review: Ill Wind by Rachel Caine

Every Monday, I'll be doing spoiler-free book reviews.
Ill Wind is the first book in the urban fantasy series Weather Warden. Now I know what you're thinking: oh no, another fantasy series! That's what I thought as well when I first saw the book but after reaching the end, it was a relief to find out that the book stood well on its own and didn't have any of those nasty cliffhangers (but still keeps you interested in what happens in the next book). Anyway, Ill Wind starts in the middle of the action and I was impressed with the first chapter because Caine seamlessly juxtaposes the present with flashbacks and keeps readers on the edge of their seat. The magic concept of the world is also original and thankfully, Caine manages to narrate an exciting tale to accompany it. Ill Wind has a lot of elements that identify it as an urban fantasy but without overdoing it. There's romance in the book (albeit a predictable one) but unlike, say, Laurell K. Hamilton, the indulgent sex scenes are kept to a minimum. One element Caine manages to capture well is dialogue. Her characters have a distinctive speech pattern and you feel they're people with personality rather than simple plot devices. As far as language goes, they're easy to get into and pretty much appeals to anyone. The Weather Warden series may not be brain-food reading material but if the rest of the books are as enjoyable as this first book, they could easily be my guilty pleasure reading books for the year.

Rating: 3/5.

Rating System:

1 - There are better ways to spend your time.
2 - Ho hum books, usually typical of its genre. Probably only recommendable to die-hard fans.
3 - A cut above the rest, usually with one or more elements that sets it apart from the norm.
4 - Highly recommended and is easily a pioneer of the genre.
5 - A classic or it will be.