Once they were considered creatures of fairy tale and myth, then the barriers between our world and the Otherworld were ripped open, and with that tear came magic and beasts of nightmare. Joyeaux Charmand is a Hunter, gifted with magic and a bonding with Otherworld Hounds that allow her to fight back against the Otherworld forces threatening the remnants of human civilization. She's called to Apex City, to join the Hunter forces protecting this center of civilization, only once there she is pulled into the game of politics, where Hunters are celebrities keeping the masses entertained, without any true understanding by the civilians of the dangers of Otherworld incursions.
I adore Mercedes Lackey, whether it be her short fiction, urban fantasy, fairy tale retellings, or her Valdemar books, but as of late the books have felt too simple and pat. I still enjoy them, but I've felt they've lacked the richness that I came to love about Lackey's writing. Hunter restored my eagerness to read more by Lackey. The story has good pacing and build up. Joyeaux is incredibly talented, but it's not a gift out of nowhere, rather something that she spent years of her life developing paired with a strong set of ethics. An excellent start to a new series set in a magic fueled future.
Advanced Reader Copy copy courtesy of Netgalley; differences may exist between uncorrected galley text and the final edition.
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