Wilks, MORTAL SINS
I read the new Eileen Wilks novel, Mortal Sins (World of the Lupi, Book 5)
over the weekend, and really enjoyed it. I think it's one of the best in the series so far.
For those coming in late, her series has a species of werewolves, all male, called Lupi. The first book introduces detective Lily Yu, who ends up psychically mate-bonded to a Lupi. And for once, I didn't mind a psychic mate bond! The books are set in a roughly contemporary US where magic works, and lately has begun to work much better, with accompanying problems. Lily can detect magical gifts in humans, and goes to work for the FBI in a special unit that deals with magical and related issues. There's also been some travel to other dimensions, but I like the "magic is awake right here!" plots best.
Mortal Sins has a number of conflicts going. First, Lily's Lupus mate Rule is dealing with being temporarily appointed as heir to a Lupus clan other than his own, which has a psychic component, at the same time as he has to go to court with an estranged partner to gain custody of his son. (As all Lupi are male, they breed with regular humans. They breed true, if I remember right, always having male children who are Lupi.) There's the relationship with his son's grandmother, who's raised the child, as well. Then he finds murdered bodies.
Wilks continues to address issues of race, sometimes explicitly. A local cop is black, and is angry when Lily calls him on prejudice against Lupi; in another scene, Lily reminds someone that she is not white. There are several places where racial prejudice is mentioned in conjunction with prejudice against people who have magic. When Lily speaks of going public with her magical ability, however, she likens it to a gay person coming out.
I am really interested in seeing where Wilks goes with this next.
over the weekend, and really enjoyed it. I think it's one of the best in the series so far.
For those coming in late, her series has a species of werewolves, all male, called Lupi. The first book introduces detective Lily Yu, who ends up psychically mate-bonded to a Lupi. And for once, I didn't mind a psychic mate bond! The books are set in a roughly contemporary US where magic works, and lately has begun to work much better, with accompanying problems. Lily can detect magical gifts in humans, and goes to work for the FBI in a special unit that deals with magical and related issues. There's also been some travel to other dimensions, but I like the "magic is awake right here!" plots best.
Mortal Sins has a number of conflicts going. First, Lily's Lupus mate Rule is dealing with being temporarily appointed as heir to a Lupus clan other than his own, which has a psychic component, at the same time as he has to go to court with an estranged partner to gain custody of his son. (As all Lupi are male, they breed with regular humans. They breed true, if I remember right, always having male children who are Lupi.) There's the relationship with his son's grandmother, who's raised the child, as well. Then he finds murdered bodies.
Wilks continues to address issues of race, sometimes explicitly. A local cop is black, and is angry when Lily calls him on prejudice against Lupi; in another scene, Lily reminds someone that she is not white. There are several places where racial prejudice is mentioned in conjunction with prejudice against people who have magic. When Lily speaks of going public with her magical ability, however, she likens it to a gay person coming out.
I am really interested in seeing where Wilks goes with this next.