I always loved the Dungeons and Dragons alignment tables. The world has always felt too big to just slip everything into a good versus evil fight. It lacks nuance. But the addition of neutral adds a third option and instant complexity. Neutrality incites questions. If the character doesn’t choose evil, why wouldn’t the character choose good? This question hovers over the entire Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka. Over the course of nine books, Verus worked hard to maintain neutrality between the Light and Dark mages that inhabit his world. He really wants no part in the power struggle in which other mages engage. If Alex had his way, he’d avoid all that nonsense and spend time with his friends and his magic shop. But, as in all good fiction, the main character rarely gets what he wants. In the latest novel – Fallen – Verus’s past actions start to catch up with him. As a result, his world changes irrevocably, and it feels as if the series has entered a new phase of overarching plot development. In the end, Fallen has risen to be my favorite book of the series thus far.
TL;DR
In Fallen, Verus’s past catches up with him, and to move forward, he must revisit certain decisions he’s made. As enemies mount, he races to just survive. Highly Recommended.
*** Series Spoilers Below ***
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From the Publisher
For Mage Alex Verus, everything is on the line in the tenth urban fantasy novel from the national bestselling author of Marked.
Once Alex Verus was a diviner trying to live quietly under the radar. Now he’s a member of the Light Council who’s found success, friends…and love. But it’s come with a price—the Council is investigating him, and if they find out the truth, he’ll lose everything.
Meanwhile, Alex’s old master, Richard Drakh, is waging a war against the Council, and he’s preparing a move that will bring Alex and the life mage, Anne, under his control. Caught between Richard and the Council, Alex’s time is running out. To protect those he cares for, Alex will have to become something different. Something darker…
Review: Fallen (Alex Verus #10)
Fallen by Benedict Jacka starts off with Alex meeting the family that raised Anne before her kidnapping. It’s a sweet moment that soon and inevitably ends. While at the dinner, Alex remembers a raid he conducted with the Light Council’s paramilitary arm. Soon, he’s on trial with the Light Council for his involvement in the Dark mage raid to free a prisoner of the Council. Got it? There’s a lot going on in this book, and it’s definitely not the place to jump into the series. But for fans of the series, it’s the usual pace that we’ve grown accustomed too.
All the things that fans love about the Alex Verus series suffuses Fallen. There’s politics, cool magic, interesting creatures, and yet more politics. Jacka’s ability to force Verus into no-win situations is why I love this series. Alex rarely gets an easy choice, and his ethics keep him from giving up or turning to the Dark Side. Though he remains neutral, Verus indulges quite a bit in his darker nature here. He’s more at ease with violence and death in this novel than I’m used to. But in a way, this makes him much more normal as a mage.
Book 10 and Still Here
The series has run a long time, and it’s building to Alex confronting his old tormentor, Richard Drahk. Book 10 feels like a significant step towards that final goal. The status quo hasn’t subtly shifted; it’s been shaken, stirred, and poured through a strainer. Familiar characters don’t make it to the end, and alliances are tested, probably broken. Alex is forced into a proactive role, and I like it. It doesn’t suit him; so, he’ll be forced to grow in the upcoming books.
Magic in Verus's World
Magic in the Verus series does not conform to a system similar to Dungeons and Dragons. Instead, the mages are close to superheroes. They tend to focus on a particular aspect of magic. For example, Alex is a diviner. His friend and ally, Variam, is an elemental fire mage. There are life and death mages, mind mages, illusionists, and even luck mages. I like this system of magic because Jacka finds the right balance between magic and superpowers. The world, the creatures, and imbued items around the characters give a significant magical feel to the setting.
Alex’s power grew on me. In the first couple of books, I thought it could be really powerful, but Jacka has done a great job showing its limitations. I’m not sure the balance is maintained in this book, but the cost for Alex’s magic has grown. Based on previous books, I’m willing to give the series the benefit of the doubt. But I’m wondering if the characters are becoming too powerful.
Conclusion
Benedict Jacka’s Fallen is the best Alex Verus book to date. The series has entered a new phase, and fans will love the twists and turns Fallen takes. This book sees the emergence of a more proactive Alex Verus, and the mage world is shaken by the changes here. The series continues to be one of my favorite Urban Fantasies.