The Asylum Tales #1 Angel's Ink

An urban fantasy and an open world (according to author)....lets see what this is all about. Presenting The Asylum Tales #1 Angel's Ink by Jocelyn Drake.

Here is the summary of the book:

The series is firmly settled in the urban fantasy genre, set in what I like to call an open world (ie, everyone knows about all the other races and has for a really long time, allowing everyone to live side-by-side in a relative, occasionally strained, harmony.) Some of the races that you meet in this series include, but are not limited to: humans, elves, trolls, dwarves, pixies, werewolves, vampires, ogres, minotaurs, incubus, faeries, goblins, and many many more that are fighting to get their time on the page. At the center of this mess is Gage Powell, a tattoo artist who owns a parlor in a sketchy little neighborhood in Low Town called Asylum. In a world that is naturally filled with magic, it only makes sense that many of the non-magic folk (like humans) could use an edge. In this world, tattoo artists aren't just tattoo artists. They are also licensed potion stirrers. For the right price, they can help you get an edge. Need courage, love, or luck? A tattoo artist can stir a potion to be placed in the ink of a tattoo that can help you achieve those things. Unfortunately, Gage has a secret that keeps coming back to haunt him despite his attempts to keep his head down and his nose somewhat clean. Lucky for him, he had a pair of employees that help him out. The first is Bronx -- a patient troll who manages to keep a level head and his sense of humor when things get bad. The second is Trixie -- a elf who is pretending to be a human because she's got her own problems, but she still manages to make time to give Gage a hand when he needs it.

The author describes the book as an urban fantasy and based in an open world.....a world where all sorts of creatures of the paranormal quota roam free and in broad day light. At the center of all this mess is the tattoo artist, Gage Powell. In this open world, tattoos are no longer just a symbol of style but a way to gain a sort of an edge in a world populated by all assortments of creatures. A licensed potion stirrer, Powell is one of the best there is. But the past comes back to haunt and it does in the most disastrous of ways that Powell never thought possible. A small sympathetic mistake proves to be his undoing.....the catalyst of a chain reaction of which the end product is his destruction. And Powell only has a short time on hand to deal with his problem on all the fronts.

Gage Powell plays the protagonist of the tale. A rogue warlock and a quite successful tattoo artist, a potion stirrer, Powell hides some big secrets up his sleeve. He is definitely not your traditional tattooist. He holds a rather good quality of virtue and a rather lack of self-preservation and stirring up trouble for himself. His coworkers though are of varied assortments, troll and a Seelie Elf. Things never stay quiet if he somehow involved.

Then there is the moderately unconvincing romance between his coworker Trixie and him. Although one scene in particular really begs to differ...rather graphic i tell you. A major arc of this book focuses on this romance and the lengths Powell goes to safeguard his relationship.

But putting it aside Angel's Ink is a moderately good book deserving to be read because while the situation is pretty chaotic, she made a clear head and tail of the deal and lays it out for us. Action lovers and preferably magical action lovers will not be disappointed....plenty of magical crossfire in here. I may consider checking book 2 now when that comes out. A good and a very layered read.

"Jocelyn Drake puts forth a smart read - a different world that our own"

Genre :      Urban Fantasy


Publisher: Harper Voyager


My Copy:  Publisher and edelweiss


Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked It)