Oh, I like Marla. Practical, realist heroines are always going to be my favorite. Marla is also an older woman, already experienced in her own powers. This is something new too; usually they are young and green.

A snippet of my favorite scene:

[Marla is infiltrating a sex party in search of the ~pornomancer~. She is followed.]

"My name’s Jared,” he said. “I want you to whip me.”

“As much as I’d like to see you whipped,” Marla said, “I’m busy.”

[after she is unsuccessful at getting rid of him]

She took the bullwhip to the far end of the room. Marla cracked her knuckles.

"It’s been a long time,” she said, “but let’s see if I can still write my name in somebody’s ass.” She let the whip fly.

Aw, shit. Goodbye

Ted.

We barely knew you.

In my mind, Nicolette looks a lot like Gotham City!Harley Quinn with more hair accouterments. The fact that she's a chaos sorcerer didn't help dislodge the image!

Marla is showing a somewhat shaky moral code in this book (versus the one woman show she was running in the first novel). Of course, due to Joshua's influence, nearly everything she felt the whole novel is suspect. Only time will tell.

This was a wild ride from start to finish.

Pratt created a neat way of getting Pelham out of the next few novels. I'll miss him - I always did enjoy the indispensable manservant trope (see: Alfred Pennyworth).

B is coming to Felport!

It requires a little suspension of belief that our main character is a brilliant chemist AND an ultramarathoner, but I can deal. Emma is Rambo in this book and it is awesome.

The maggots were particularly inspired.

MHI is the book equivalent of a big blockbuster action film - there's a ton of guns, explosions and a little bit of romance. Throw in some orcs, transdimensional demons and stripper with a fondness for RPGS and you've got yourself a real good time.

I know a lot of people get annoyed that The Chosen One trope, but it's probably one of my favorite things when done correctly. There's nothing more exciting than seeing someone work their way up into badass - especially when they get beat down by the antagonist in the beginning and then completely waste them afterwards. It's a good ol' violent feeling.