Dark Alchemy

I am a big fan of urban fantasy, but not so much westerns, so I was a little ambivalent about reading Dark Alchemy by Laura Bickle, which would be classified more as contemporary fantasy than urban. It ended up being so good that I immediately ordered the second book in the series, as Dark Alchemy ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger. Lauded as a cross between “Breaking Bad” and Stephen King’s Gunslinger (haven’t watched the former or read the latter), Dark Alchemy seems to fall into a genre all its own, with hints of native American mythology and medieval alchemy running through the book.
Petra Dee, a geologist, travels to Temperance, Wyoming, to try to find information about her father who has been missing for many years. She is show more escaping memories of a deadly oil rig explosion which cost her a job and the life of her lover. What she finds in Temperance is a run-down trailer, a strange magical artifact, a drunken native American seer, a coyote familiar and a whole lot of trouble brewing between the local drug dealer/alchemist and a brutal rancher with a strange control over what she comes to find out are called The Hanged Men. Petra has a lot of courage and is headstrong in ways that sometimes seem foolish, but her desire to find answers to her father’s disappearance drives her to dive head first into danger without thinking of the consequences. The ending, as I said, is somewhat of a cliff-hanger, and pretty dark at that. But I was so excited to see that there is a sequel, and am looking forward to diving into it soon to learn more about Petra’s adventures with The Hanged Men and her coyote sidekick, Sig. show less

While I enjoy even the stereotypical Urban Fantasy, Dark Alchemy is refreshingly unique read in the genre. It gives the study of alchemy – something I associate with medieval Europe, though it is much older than that – a distinctly Native American feel and places it in Midwest America ranching territory.

Petra Dee comes to the small town of Temperance, Wyoming, to both heal from a recent tragedy and search for her missing father. Temperance is an odd place, the way many small rural towns are, and she finds much more than she bargains for.

I was able to connect with Petra right away. She’s hurting emotionally and blaming herself for the death of her boyfriend; but, she’s also stubbornly independent and determined to pursue a goal show more so she feels productive. Petra unknowingly acquires a familiar, the coyote Sig, who completely steals the show. I found myself wanting to know where Sig was in every scene. The author seems to have a talent for creating beloved animal companions, having created the character of Sparky the salamander in her Anya Kalinczyk series. In fact, a couple of Sparky-like characters appear in Dark Alchemy, presumably as a nod to her character and her fans. :)

In Temperance, three characters seem to be on Petra’s side: Mike Hollinder, the local forest ranger; Maria Yellowrose, a local healer; and her usually drunk and somewhat psychic uncle, Frankie. Frankie is an interesting character with a huge back story; I can’t wait to hear more about it.

The town “baddies” appear to be Sal Rutherford, a ranch-owner with a selfish and sadistic personality, and “The Alchemist,” Stroud, who surrounds himself with young, strung-out meth-heads. Stroud is searching for immortality through the study of alchemy, counting on the town’s history to provide him answers. He comes off as a dangerous but ridiculous thug and easy to despise.

Sal Rutherford is a bastard, but not an alchemist. The ranch hands, Gabriel and his brethren, are one of the most interesting mysteries of the book. I absolutely love their story (I won’t give it away here) and am so very eager to learn more about them.

Though Petra seems to accomplish her goal at the end of the book, there are still too many unanswered questions, which makes me believe this is the start of a series, though there is yet no mention of Book 2. I will certainly be on the lookout for it, though, as I thoroughly enjoyed Dark Alchemy and am eager for more of Petra’s story.

I give this novel a solid 4. However, depending on how this series goes, I can see it becoming one of my favorites.

Purchased. Review courtesy of onebooktwo.com | one book, two reviews. show less

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A woman comes to a small town looking for her father but ends up finding much more than she bargained for in this enthralling first book in Laura Bickle’s new series.

Opening Sentence: The raven saw it first.

The Review:

After experiencing a trauma on her last job, geologist Petra has come to the town of Temperance to search for her missing father. Little does she know this trip will open her eyes to the supernatural. Shortly after arriving in town, Petra saves a man, Gabe, from a vicious beating, only to discover the next day that he looks as if nothing had happened. She’s also come under the scrutiny of the local drug lord, known as the Alchemist. He believes she has something that show more belongs to him, and he won’t rest until it’s in his possession. Has Petra escaped one trauma only to become the victim of another? Will she find her father? Only time will tell . . .

I had read a book by Laura Bickle a long time ago and remember enjoying it, but for one reason or another, I never picked up the second book. So I was hesitantly positive about the prospect of reading this book. Can I just tell you, from the moment the book started, I was completely hooked! It starts off with some very creepy goings-on, and that just immediately caught my attention, and I wanted to know more about what was going on in this town. The pace of the book was really good, and my interest never really waned.

While I wouldn’t necessarily classify this book as horror, the creep factor is certainly high, as is the gore factor at times. If you’re a little faint of heart, this might not be the right book for you. As someone who loves Stephen King though, this was right up my alley! Laura Bickle definitely knows how to ratchet tension up and leave you on the edge of your seat.

As for our main character, I absolutely loved Petra. She’s strong, smart, and doesn’t need a man to get her out of tough situations. She doesn’t do stupid things, which is one of my biggest pet peeves about some heroines. In a word, Petra’s awesome. Plus she has a coyote sidekick named Sig. What’s not to love?

The one problem with the book though hinges on the romance. It kind of feels shoehorned in and isn’t necessary to the plot at all. Part of the problem is while we get to see some events from Gabe’s point of view, we don’t see enough to really give a good feel for his character, which makes it hard to connect to him. I liked the guy fine, but I really wasn’t invested in him as a character. Plus, the romance seemed to just pop up out of nowhere, and it left me feeling like I’d missed an important chapter where more development was given to their feelings for each other.

All in all though, I think this was a great first book in a series, full of creepiness, tension, and well-paced action. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will definitely be checking out the next book!

Notable Scene:

She paused in climbing to her feet, squinting at something pale and splintered below the pines. Her GPR cart had rolled away into the soft bed of pine needles. The shape beyond it looked like a piece of the petrified forest. Had the ridge eroded on this slope enough to reveal another, older incarnation of the forest?

Her curiosity piqued, Petra crawled forward on her hands and knees. Pinesap stuck dried needles to her palms.

Sig growled. Petra looked back at him. His fur bristled, and he crouched close to the ground.

“You need to get over the squirrels. Really.”

But Sig wasn’t looking up. He was looking past her, at the petrified specimens. His nose flared and shivered.

Petra reached into her pack for a pick. Was Sig sensing a snake . . . or . . . God forbid, a larger predator? A bear?

A thin, reedy moan echoed from the foot of the pine.

Petra scrambled back, heart hammering. She dropped the pick and reached for the bear spray.

The moan sounded again. It didn’t sound like a bear. It sounded . . . human.

Petra crept toward the sound, expecting to find an injured hiker. The pine needles were soft underfoot, muffling her steps. Sig slunk before her. But he didn’t go beyond the tree. He stopped at the jagged piece of petrified wood, whimpered, circled it.

Petra peered at what she’d assumed to be a centuries-old tree. Something dead and silent. She pressed her hand to her mouth. “Oh, my God . . .”

It wasn’t a tree. This thing was horribly, horribly alive. Bones were warped and twisted, calcified around what was unmistakably a human face. She saw no evidence of eyes in the sockets, but she did see teeth in a jagged, frozen jaw. A thin, wordless keening flexed the ribs.

Her hands scrabbled in the pine needles for her pick. “Hang on. I’ll get you out of there.” She swung awkwardly with the pick, splintering away pieces of petrified material and summoning blood in the jagged surface. The thing shrieked.

Petra recoiled. This wasn’t someone encased in a prison of petrified wood – the prison was the person.

A prison of bone.

FTC Advisory: Harper Voyager Impulse/HarperCollins provided me with a copy of Dark Alchemy. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. show less

This was one wild, weird experience. With a little imagination, it was more like I was watching this then reading it. I drew my visuals from the many science fiction, fantasy, and horror movies I’ve watched. All of those genres rolled up into one fantastic book was such a treat.

Petra came to Temperance to find her missing father. It’s also far away from the sea and a tragedy she can’t bear. Her training as a geologist is put to the test with the strange bodies, the otherworldly Gabriel, and the power that seems to live beneath the surface of the town.

There’s one heck of a mystery. Why are the bodies calcified? Who is behind it? What is Gabe and his Hanged Men? And what’s with the ravens?

Next is the originality. This story show more reeks of the old west but takes place in the present. I kept thinking of the movie Wild, Wild West with Will Smith. It’s not so much steam punk as magic, with weird devices and rituals. It feels hot, dusty, and otherworldly.

There’s also a bit of Native American lore laced into the story. I think that added to the western atmosphere and made it strange and creepy.

Now we come to the characters.

Petra is a mix of Annie Oakley and a female Clint Eastwood. She has this really cool leather duster and slings a pair of antique pearl handled .44s. She’s weighted down with some guilty baggage, yet she’s tough as a cactus and just as prickly. She’ll ‘make your day’.

With so many characters I can’t break each one down for you. There are the meth heads, in a delusional thrall to Stroud. There’s Sal and his insatiable desire for eternal life. All of these characters are dangerous. All of them want something Petra has discovered. All of them are gunning for her.

Then there’s the non human characters. Gabriel and his group of Hanged Men. They might once have been human, but not anymore. I don’t want to say they are evil so much as they ‘do’ evil. And there’s a weird connection between them and the ravens.

My favorite of all the non human characters was Sig, Petra’s coyote. He attached himself to Petra and became her companion, protector, and early warning system. Kind of like a familiar. He was my hero.

As for romance, there’s none. Well, there’s a spark but I don’t see where it could work.

Last but not least is the horror. It’s subtle, quiet, then it strikes. So unusual, steeped in magic and something ancient. How do you fight it? How can you stand against it?

I loved Laura’s The Hallowed Ones Series and her Anya Kalinczyk Series so there was no question about reading Dark Alchemy. It’s listed as a stand alone but the ending could lead to more adventures with Petra and her side kick, Sig. It would be great to meet these guys again. show less

This was one wild, weird experience. With a little imagination, it was more like I was watching this then reading it. I drew my visuals from the many science fiction, fantasy, and horror movies I’ve watched. All of those genres rolled up into one fantastic book was such a treat.

Petra came to Temperance to find her missing father. It’s also far away from the sea and a tragedy she can’t bear. Her training as a geologist is put to the test with the strange bodies, the otherworldly Gabriel, and the power that seems to live beneath the surface of the town.

There’s one heck of a mystery. Why are the bodies calcified? Who is behind it? What is Gabe and his Hanged Men? And what’s with the ravens?

Next is the originality. This story show more reeks of the old west but takes place in the present. I kept thinking of the movie Wild, Wild West with Will Smith. It’s not so much steam punk as magic, with weird devices and rituals. It feels hot, dusty, and otherworldly.

There’s also a bit of Native American lore laced into the story. I think that added to the western atmosphere and made it strange and creepy.

Now we come to the characters.

Petra is a mix of Annie Oakley and a female Clint Eastwood. She has this really cool leather duster and slings a pair of antique pearl handled .44s. She’s weighted down with some guilty baggage, yet she’s tough as a cactus and just as prickly. She’ll ‘make your day’.

With so many characters I can’t break each one down for you. There are the meth heads, in a delusional thrall to Stroud. There’s Sal and his insatiable desire for eternal life. All of these characters are dangerous. All of them want something Petra has discovered. All of them are gunning for her.

Then there’s the non human characters. Gabriel and his group of Hanged Men. They might once have been human, but not anymore. I don’t want to say they are evil so much as they ‘do’ evil. And there’s a weird connection between them and the ravens.

My favorite of all the non human characters was Sig, Petra’s coyote. He attached himself to Petra and became her companion, protector, and early warning system. Kind of like a familiar. He was my hero.

As for romance, there’s none. Well, there’s a spark but I don’t see where it could work.

Last but not least is the horror. It’s subtle, quiet, then it strikes. So unusual, steeped in magic and something ancient. How do you fight it? How can you stand against it?

I loved Laura’s The Hallowed Ones Series and her Anya Kalinczyk Series so there was no question about reading Dark Alchemy. It’s listed as a stand alone but the ending could lead to more adventures with Petra and her side kick, Sig. It would be great to meet these guys again. show less

This book was kind of a slog. Interesting in theory -- kind of a modern-day western, kind of steampunky in the use of alchemy, kind of a romance. And after that many kind ofs, I stopped caring. The magic's a little too dark for me. The people are a little too horrible to each other. The mysteries just never really resolve. And while Sig, the coyote sidekick, is cool, Petra just isn't enough of a badass to sell the adventure. Interesting, but not delightful.

Although I did end up enjoying DARK ALCHEMY for the most part, it wasn't exactly what I was expecting it to be. I found some things in the story just plain odd and I had a hard time connecting to the main secondary character, Gabriel, who's story had a lot to do with the book as a whole.

Petra was easier to connect to and understand. Her reasons for being in Temperance and her past struggles were well explained. She knows what she needs and she fights to get it. The surprising addition of Sig, her familiar was fun. He was a crafty little coyote and I found myself looking forward to hearing what he was doing. I do wish we would have gotten more scenes with Petra doing her geology thing. There was plenty of action and danger involved show more which helped the story move along.

DARK ALCHEMY had a very unique storyline with a nice pace with a slightly hard to understand world if you're not paying total attention to the story. If you're looking for a bit of a different Urban Fantasy, it might be for you.

* This book was provided free of charge from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. show less