A Calculated Magic

This is a really annoying book. There's an interesting story going on, with Jack managing to deal with a whole new set of foes with very different angles - but for me, the preponderance of male gaze and straight-out sex blocked the story from sight. Males are very lightly described - size, maybe hair color. Every woman is either described in detail, lingering on her curves, or is designated "ugly". And nearly every woman is obsessed with having sex, with Jack or anyone else available. One of the exceptions, Cassandra, is deliberately (by Jack's plan/author's fiat) dressed in extremely sexy outfits...each of which is also lovingly described. Honestly, it gets really boring. Jack's clever machinations (both of which I figured out before show more he told his allies what they were - but they are clever) are completely overshadowed by the focus on sexy women. A Logical Magician was bad enough, this one is worse. I won't be reading any other books by him. show less

Great conclusion to the modern magician duo. Continues the story of Jack Collins and his quest to save the world from the supernatural forces of evil using nothing but his mathematical prowess. Much like the first book, it was an excellent read.

A fairly ordinary fantasy, but the fun part is the urban setting of Las Vegas, and the shenanigans that happen around there.

You have Merlin, mobsters, demons, and a young mathematical type
that is needed to save everyone from very, very bad things. That, and a
hardnosed woman to keep him in line, and to annoy him.

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