Mark Henwick

When I first read Sleight of Hand: Bite Back Book 1 (Volume 1), the first book by Mark Henwick, I was, in a word, thrilled. Yes, there are a lot of unknown authors out there, many self published, and many very good. Mark, however, knocked the ball out of the park in his freshman entry into the crowded field of urban fantasy.

Mark's exceptional grasp of character development is the first thing that gripped my attention. His main character, Amber, is a fully three-dimensional character, with a show more strong back story. She felt, in SoH, like someone I could see myself knowing and liking. She wasn't an overblown character by any means, but she was tough, centered, and above all she feels 'real' in an unreal situation. I was very, very excited, and could hardly wait to read the next in Mark's series. Thank goodness I read it 'late' i.e., not long before the next book was due to be released. It would have been a killer to have to wait a whole year for the next! (OF course, now I have to wait for the next, siiiiiggggghhhhh)

The very first day Hidden Trump became available, I sat down and started to read - and didn't put it down until 5:47 the next morning . . .(*yawn*) I kept meaning to put it down, really I did - I did manage to feed the pups, but not to feed myself! Go to bed? Nah, just one more page. . . one more . . . one more. . .

"Hidden Trump" picks up the same day as the ending of SoH, and the excitement doesn't stop. There is plenty of action to Mark's books, both SoH and HT, and it keeps you riveted to the page. However, unlike other books of the genre the action is, even though it includes werewolves, Athanate and Adepts (oh, my!) amazingly believable. While she is 'becoming' (and that, in itself, is absolutely fascinating - one of the most creative bits of character development/mythos building I have run across in a very, very long time) and she is both strong and fast, she still takes her share of hits both emotional and physical.

There are a couple of what some would call 'oddball' things about Mark's work that left me more than a little impressed. You may laugh at what it is - military and political knowledge. I have quite a bit of it myself, and Mark's knowledge is almost scarily correct, for a 'Brit' - LOL. Secret military groups, political machinations, the fleecing of the American public by the rich, drugs and guns and bad guys (oh, my!) Oh, yea, Mark knows his stuff! Sound boring? Believe me, it is anything but. Amber's interactions with the military that turned their backs on her after ten years of totally dedicated service touched me on a deep level. Her dedication, repaid by betrayal, is the story of the American military/political system. I know, I know, lay off it, this is an urban fantasy, right? Yes, but what I just spoke of is paramount to who Amber is, her motivations, and her deep commitment to helping others.

Mark's character development is still spot-on, his world is continuously building throughout both books (and I am sure it will be in the next installments also) and is all the more outstanding for it. Mark doesn't fall into the 'pure style' trap that so many other writers seem to fall into. There are background characters in Amber's life, most especially Top (whose story was learned in SoH) whose history is integral to Amber's and requires full development as character, even if they sometimes lead away from what is going on at the moment. It all fits together. Mark doesn't disappoint.

The 'Athanate' are, in common vernacular, what most would recognize as 'vampires'. Mark has developed a complete political and governmental system for the Athanate, while also developing a most fascinating personal interaction system, based on the concept of 'kin.' Athanate and their chosen 'family' members, who, yes, provide blood and sex (what "Vampire" book doesn't?), also provide warmth, love, closeness and all those other things that define deep, true love.

Though some seem to be disturbed by it, so what if an Athanate requires more than one 'kin' to survive? Love is not something that should be limiting. Every one of their kin give to the Athanate in question, and to one another, what each member needs from the relationship. It is, in my estimation, beautiful beyond words. Some, I know, don't find the concept of what you might call an extended family, which includes physical closeness, to be appropriate. Get over it! I would give a lot, a LOT to have that kind of closeness. The kind of closeness that allows you to feel not only loved, but protected and protecting, where a touch, a thought, can heal the heart and soul. The 'kin' that Amber is gathering around her are riveting in their own right, and help to develop a rich and, I would say 'soulful' storyline. One of many extended story lines layered within Mark's writing. One place Mark doesn't go, which I admire him for, is sticking the Lead Female Character with the strongest 'leader/alpha/bossman' and calling it good. His story is deeper than that. Hooray. (Besides, can you imagine living through centuries with the same person? One more instance of "Honey, you left your dirty underwear on the floor again!" after the first fifty years or so? Without some backup, who wouldn't pull out the sword and start hacking??)

There are stories within stories, mystery, suspense, conspiracy, back-stabbing and secrets, enigmas hidden inside conundrums, flowing throughout both books. I fully expect these to be realized further within the series. If you haven't read Sleight of Hand I would highly recommend you do so. You could start with Hidden Trump, but you will get a much better grasp of who the characters are and what their motivations are if you start with SoH. Besides, this series is exceptional. I would hate for you to miss the first book, it is absolutely awesome! Amber is amazingly multilayered. A "retired" (in this case, a fancy word for 'you are our prisoner forever, and if you cross your eyes the wrong way we are going to throw you in an isolation cell and run experiments on you for the rest of your life but you get to run around and work for us for free') Army specialist who is not only becoming Athanate, but also has hidden within her secrets upon secrets - some of which you learn more of in this book, some of which you will be dieing to learn in the next books.

All in all, this is a series in which the sophomore entry more than met the promise of the freshman. Buy it, read it, review it for others and share it with your friends. If you are a lover of fantasy, mystery, suspense, horror, or even a good, though not over-the-top romance with a lot more love than sex, this is your book. Don't miss a true treat! show less

I rarely do this - but I am actually willing to compare this new author to my favorites. The team of Ilona Andrews and their "Kate Daniels" series and Patricia Briggs and her "Mercy Thompson" novels, as well as Faith Hunter's "Jane Yellowrock" are a hard act to follow. Intense storylines, fully developed realistic characters, exceptional world building, the list goes on and on. And, so far, the author of "Sleight of Hand" fits right in there with my favorites.

There are a lot of things to show more talk about, but first, a guilty admission. When I came across this book while looking at the "customers also bought" on my Kindle, I didn't look at who wrote it. I clicked on it, saw the premise and the five star reviews, wanted a new author to read and snapped it up. While I am incredibly glad I did, I have to admit I was absolutely shocked when I went to do my own review and saw that the author was actually a male. I know,I know, it is prejudiced, but after reading the book, I was embarrassingly shocked that I was dealing with a "Mark" who could write a female character so exceptionally well. I really believed that I was reading a woman author. Guess that shows me, huh? Yes, Gordon writes exceptionally well, but I always figured that Ilona wrote Kate and Gordon wrote Curran, right? Well, that shows ME!

Henwick has written an exceptional urban fantasy. I would call it Urban Fantasy rather than "paranormal" for a few different reasons. First and foremost, the action is set in modern-day Denver. This is not 'alternate' Denver, but rather, a Denver as I know it myself. The story encompasses 'paranormal' beings, but in a fresh new way that was both believable in a scientific manner and highly interesting. There is action, suspense, a very likeable main character going through an incredibly tough time, and some exceptional additional characters. There are a couple of love interests (and one of them wedgies the shorts of some readers, but that is their problem) but the book doesn't disintegrate into a 'wham-bam-thank-you-mame' as so many other fantasy books do. And come on, who falls in love and gets married in a week? Instead, Henwick focuses on the character development, the world building, the science and military/police procedure, all to the good of his story. Everything about the story is well developed and leaves plenty of room for exceptional follow-up novels. One of which I am very much hoping to read quite soon!

Amber is much more interesting than many (most?) of the other female characters out there today. Well, other than Kate, Mercy, and Jane, of course! She is ex-military and as such, is highly trained. However, she is also damaged, highly mature in some ways, immature in others. Strong enough to protect others, but in terrible pain herself. There isn't the kind of instant sex you find in many books, but she is going through a vital change, which causes her to suffer from a heart-rending difficulties, both emotionally and physically. The creature she is changing into is 'highly charged' - much more so than she is comfortable with. Dealing with these changes will be interesting to watch, given the whole dynamic of the community she is moving into. It will be fascinating to see her grow and mature, hopefully without her falling into the whole "Anita Blake" sleaze fest. I like very much that there is a mixed dynamic in her love interests, to be honest - it is more realistic within the context of this bright new world that Henwick is developing. I look forward to a brilliant future with Amber and her friends and enemies, and hope very much that I can continue to be so wonderfully positive about this series. show less

When I first read Sleight of Hand: Bite Back Book 1 (Volume 1), the first book by Mark Henwick, I was, in a word, thrilled. Yes, there are a lot of unknown authors out there, many self published, and many very good. Mark, however, knocked the ball out of the park in his freshman entry into the crowded field of urban fantasy.

Mark's exceptional grasp of character development is the first thing that gripped my attention. His main character, Amber, is a fully three-dimensional character, with a show more strong back story. She felt, in SoH, like someone I could see myself knowing and liking. She wasn't an overblown character by any means, but she was tough, centered, and above all she feels 'real' in an unreal situation. I was very, very excited, and could hardly wait to read the next in Mark's series. Thank goodness I read it 'late' i.e., not long before the next book was due to be released. It would have been a killer to have to wait a whole year for the next! (OF course, now I have to wait for the next, siiiiiggggghhhhh)

The very first day Hidden Trump became available, I sat down and started to read - and didn't put it down until 5:47 the next morning . . .(*yawn*) I kept meaning to put it down, really I did - I did manage to feed the pups, but not to feed myself! Go to bed? Nah, just one more page. . . one more . . . one more. . .

"Hidden Trump" picks up the same day as the ending of SoH, and the excitement doesn't stop. There is plenty of action to Mark's books, both SoH and HT, and it keeps you riveted to the page. However, unlike other books of the genre the action is, even though it includes werewolves, Athanate and Adepts (oh, my!) amazingly believable. While she is 'becoming' (and that, in itself, is absolutely fascinating - one of the most creative bits of character development/mythos building I have run across in a very, very long time) and she is both strong and fast, she still takes her share of hits both emotional and physical.

There are a couple of what some would call 'oddball' things about Mark's work that left me more than a little impressed. You may laugh at what it is - military and political knowledge. I have quite a bit of it myself, and Mark's knowledge is almost scarily correct, for a 'Brit' - LOL. Secret military groups, political machinations, the fleecing of the American public by the rich, drugs and guns and bad guys (oh, my!) Oh, yea, Mark knows his stuff! Sound boring? Believe me, it is anything but. Amber's interactions with the military that turned their backs on her after ten years of totally dedicated service touched me on a deep level. Her dedication, repaid by betrayal, is the story of the American military/political system. I know, I know, lay off it, this is an urban fantasy, right? Yes, but what I just spoke of is paramount to who Amber is, her motivations, and her deep commitment to helping others.

Mark's character development is still spot-on, his world is continuously building throughout both books (and I am sure it will be in the next installments also) and is all the more outstanding for it. Mark doesn't fall into the 'pure style' trap that so many other writers seem to fall into. There are background characters in Amber's life, most especially Top (whose story was learned in SoH) whose history is integral to Amber's and requires full development as character, even if they sometimes lead away from what is going on at the moment. It all fits together. Mark doesn't disappoint.

The 'Athanate' are, in common vernacular, what most would recognize as 'vampires'. Mark has developed a complete political and governmental system for the Athanate, while also developing a most fascinating personal interaction system, based on the concept of 'kin.' Athanate and their chosen 'family' members, who, yes, provide blood and sex (what "Vampire" book doesn't?), also provide warmth, love, closeness and all those other things that define deep, true love.

Though some seem to be disturbed by it, so what if an Athanate requires more than one 'kin' to survive? Love is not something that should be limiting. Every one of their kin give to the Athanate in question, and to one another, what each member needs from the relationship. It is, in my estimation, beautiful beyond words. Some, I know, don't find the concept of what you might call an extended family, which includes physical closeness, to be appropriate. Get over it! I would give a lot, a LOT to have that kind of closeness. The kind of closeness that allows you to feel not only loved, but protected and protecting, where a touch, a thought, can heal the heart and soul. The 'kin' that Amber is gathering around her are riveting in their own right, and help to develop a rich and, I would say 'soulful' storyline. One of many extended story lines layered within Mark's writing. One place Mark doesn't go, which I admire him for, is sticking the Lead Female Character with the strongest 'leader/alpha/bossman' and calling it good. His story is deeper than that. Hooray. (Besides, can you imagine living through centuries with the same person? One more instance of "Honey, you left your dirty underwear on the floor again!" after the first fifty years or so? Without some backup, who wouldn't pull out the sword and start hacking??)

There are stories within stories, mystery, suspense, conspiracy, back-stabbing and secrets, enigmas hidden inside conundrums, flowing throughout both books. I fully expect these to be realized further within the series. If you haven't read Sleight of Hand I would highly recommend you do so. You could start with Hidden Trump, but you will get a much better grasp of who the characters are and what their motivations are if you start with SoH. Besides, this series is exceptional. I would hate for you to miss the first book, it is absolutely awesome! Amber is amazingly multilayered. A "retired" (in this case, a fancy word for 'you are our prisoner forever, and if you cross your eyes the wrong way we are going to throw you in an isolation cell and run experiments on you for the rest of your life but you get to run around and work for us for free') Army specialist who is not only becoming Athanate, but also has hidden within her secrets upon secrets - some of which you learn more of in this book, some of which you will be dieing to learn in the next books.

All in all, this is a series in which the sophomore entry more than met the promise of the freshman. Buy it, read it, review it for others and share it with your friends. If you are a lover of fantasy, mystery, suspense, horror, or even a good, though not over-the-top romance with a lot more love than sex, this is your book. Don't miss a true treat! show less

I rarely do this - but I am actually willing to compare this new author to my favorites. The team of Ilona Andrews and their "Kate Daniels" series and Patricia Briggs and her "Mercy Thompson" novels, as well as Faith Hunter's "Jane Yellowrock" are a hard act to follow. Intense storylines, fully developed realistic characters, exceptional world building, the list goes on and on. And, so far, the author of "Sleight of Hand" fits right in there with my favorites.

There are a lot of things to show more talk about, but first, a guilty admission. When I came across this book while looking at the "customers also bought" on my Kindle, I didn't look at who wrote it. I clicked on it, saw the premise and the five star reviews, wanted a new author to read and snapped it up. While I am incredibly glad I did, I have to admit I was absolutely shocked when I went to do my own review and saw that the author was actually a male. I know,I know, it is prejudiced, but after reading the book, I was embarrassingly shocked that I was dealing with a "Mark" who could write a female character so exceptionally well. I really believed that I was reading a woman author. Guess that shows me, huh? Yes, Gordon writes exceptionally well, but I always figured that Ilona wrote Kate and Gordon wrote Curran, right? Well, that shows ME!

Henwick has written an exceptional urban fantasy. I would call it Urban Fantasy rather than "paranormal" for a few different reasons. First and foremost, the action is set in modern-day Denver. This is not 'alternate' Denver, but rather, a Denver as I know it myself. The story encompasses 'paranormal' beings, but in a fresh new way that was both believable in a scientific manner and highly interesting. There is action, suspense, a very likeable main character going through an incredibly tough time, and some exceptional additional characters. There are a couple of love interests (and one of them wedgies the shorts of some readers, but that is their problem) but the book doesn't disintegrate into a 'wham-bam-thank-you-mame' as so many other fantasy books do. And come on, who falls in love and gets married in a week? Instead, Henwick focuses on the character development, the world building, the science and military/police procedure, all to the good of his story. Everything about the story is well developed and leaves plenty of room for exceptional follow-up novels. One of which I am very much hoping to read quite soon!

Amber is much more interesting than many (most?) of the other female characters out there today. Well, other than Kate, Mercy, and Jane, of course! She is ex-military and as such, is highly trained. However, she is also damaged, highly mature in some ways, immature in others. Strong enough to protect others, but in terrible pain herself. There isn't the kind of instant sex you find in many books, but she is going through a vital change, which causes her to suffer from a heart-rending difficulties, both emotionally and physically. The creature she is changing into is 'highly charged' - much more so than she is comfortable with. Dealing with these changes will be interesting to watch, given the whole dynamic of the community she is moving into. It will be fascinating to see her grow and mature, hopefully without her falling into the whole "Anita Blake" sleaze fest. I like very much that there is a mixed dynamic in her love interests, to be honest - it is more realistic within the context of this bright new world that Henwick is developing. I look forward to a brilliant future with Amber and her friends and enemies, and hope very much that I can continue to be so wonderfully positive about this series. show less