TAKEN is the third book in Benedict Jacka's amazing series about Alex Verus, a mage with a gift for divination and a willingness to kick a bad guy in the crotch to save a life. He may not be able to throw down with the biggest and baddest in terms of sheer strength but he's still the one I'd bet on in a fight since he's cunning, practical, and ruthless when necessary, even though he's a good guy through and through. How can you not love a hero like that?
In TAKEN, Alex is recruited to investigate missing Light apprentices. They've disappeared without a single clue and so Talisid calls on Alex to look into the matter, after his men have no luck finding the perpetrator(s). From the outset, you know it's going to be a doozy of a case; Jacka excels at writing mysteries and TAKEN is quite strong on this front. Alex has a complex and dangerous mission and the outcome is not something you can predict but makes complete sense. The journey to the answer is filled with twists, turns, and scary encounters with powerful bad guys and you'll love every minute of it. TAKEN is loaded with suspenseful moments and thrilling action sequences, including a fantastic car chase that's so well described I could picture every step in my mind.
There is also some nice development in terms of Luna's apprenticeship. She's not a typical apprentice since she's an adept -- basically a one-trick pony -- thanks to her curse. But Luna's curse is so weird that it makes sense on some levels. And I found it gratifying to watch her start to come into her own, her confidence growing and her control over her curse improving significantly. Luna is such a unique character and I'm quite curious to see what will become of her as the series progresses, especially since sucks seems to be steering clear of a romance between Alex and Luna, at least while they have this official relationship.
Alex Verus has often been compared with Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden, which was what initially caught my eye. And while there are some similarities, be assured that Alex Verus is his own man and he lives in a most interesting world. Jacka has done a marvellous job of creating a dangerously magical London, filled with politics, wonder, and death. If you're looking for a series with a reluctant hero surrounded by a great supporting cast, you should definitely be reading the Alex Verus books.
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