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kumquat9's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
willrefuge's review
4.0
Ummm how have I not reviewed this yet? I got it from the stupid kickstarter after all.
4 / 5 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2019/12/24/blood-tally-by-brian-mcclellan-review/
The fictitious Cleveland Brian McClellan has painted has not grown much more realistic, but that’s okay. The story of Blood Tally—like that of Uncanny Collateral—is quick, clever, and entertaining; the real clincher. While I didn’t enjoy all the time I spent in the OtherOps arena, I loved far more than I loathed, which is well worth it in my book.
Blood Tally is a little longer than Uncanny Collateral’s 151 pages, though with the ebook it’s kinda hard to tell how much. I’d guesstimate it at around 200 pages or so.
Alex Fitz is a reaper, a soul collection agent for the Valkyrie Corporation. He is also a slave—illegally bought and sold to the company owner back when he was a child. For years, Alex has been searching for his birth parents, the contract they signed, and some, any way to get free. While little has changed in that arena, Blood Tally opens with an unusual case—one that hits way too close to home. A vampire has come to Valkyrie in search of his runaway thrall. While technically a would-be vampire, Alek knows thralls are little more than slaves to their lord before their conversion to full-on vampirehood. While he would normally opt out of a case like this one, this time Alek has little choice. His master has her own deal in place, to betray their original client, Boris Novak, to one of the vampire lords, a guy named Ruthven.
While Alek has little choice but to go along with the scheme, it seems that more than just Boris has been holding out on him. Indeed, soon it seems to him that Lord Ruthven and Alek’s boss, Ada, have their own agendas. Agendas that have little room for a certain reaper.
Thus Alek must uncover their secrets while trying to conceal his own—in the form of the mysterious jinn, Maggie. He might still win the day, but to do so he must live long enough to determine just what a “Blood Tally” is, why both his employers are willing to kill for it, and what to do with the information even if he manages to find it. It’s hard to tell friend from foe in the latest Valkyrie Collections entry, which features a lot of vampires, a sphinx, a rogue witch, and a whole mess of secrets worth killing over. Oh, and the fate of the world itself might be at stake.
With the first book, I noted that while I had no problem reading it, McClellan didn’t exactly go out of his way to try to make the “real world” very realistic. That holds true for Blood Tally—where the supernatural is again commonplace, while at the same time a (maybe?) secret from the rest of the world. I mean, I was assuming it was, but this really hasn’t been touched through the first two books. I can’t tell if it’s a “don’t ask, don’t tell” kinda story, or if the author just hasn’t addressed it because he hasn’t wanted to get into it. Either way, there was an awkward kind of uncertainty to everything, at least for me.
While Uncanny Collateral centered heavily on Alek—a lone reaper with no backup and few friends—Blood Tally instead tells Alek’s story, a reaper amidst a small cast of friends and allies. I mean, it’s still 1st PPOV, but instead of Alek and Maggie alone, we are treated to a few other recurring, non-hostile characters. Nick, the hired gun (necromancer) from the first book is back, albeit in an uncertain role. There’re a few other supernatural creatures who may turn into allies or friends, if they can go the whole story without trying to kill Alek. Maggie is still around, though their banter wasn’t as central as it was in Uncanny Collateral.
TL;DR
The second Valkyrie Collections delivers right where the first left off. If you liked the first, you’ll love the second, and vice-versa. While a bit fast-and-loose with the state of affairs of muggles and Cleveland and the world itself, Blood Tally does an adequate job of world-building through a basic framework of pictures and lines and color thrown in. Though it’s not the vibrant, vivid, description-heavy fantasy I may be used to, Blood Tally is an exciting, interesting adventure that I never had any trouble reading. If you didn’t back the Kickstarter—which, I mean, right?—then you’ll have to wait until February 11, 2020 to read it. Good luck!
4 / 5 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2019/12/24/blood-tally-by-brian-mcclellan-review/
The fictitious Cleveland Brian McClellan has painted has not grown much more realistic, but that’s okay. The story of Blood Tally—like that of Uncanny Collateral—is quick, clever, and entertaining; the real clincher. While I didn’t enjoy all the time I spent in the OtherOps arena, I loved far more than I loathed, which is well worth it in my book.
Blood Tally is a little longer than Uncanny Collateral’s 151 pages, though with the ebook it’s kinda hard to tell how much. I’d guesstimate it at around 200 pages or so.
Alex Fitz is a reaper, a soul collection agent for the Valkyrie Corporation. He is also a slave—illegally bought and sold to the company owner back when he was a child. For years, Alex has been searching for his birth parents, the contract they signed, and some, any way to get free. While little has changed in that arena, Blood Tally opens with an unusual case—one that hits way too close to home. A vampire has come to Valkyrie in search of his runaway thrall. While technically a would-be vampire, Alek knows thralls are little more than slaves to their lord before their conversion to full-on vampirehood. While he would normally opt out of a case like this one, this time Alek has little choice. His master has her own deal in place, to betray their original client, Boris Novak, to one of the vampire lords, a guy named Ruthven.
While Alek has little choice but to go along with the scheme, it seems that more than just Boris has been holding out on him. Indeed, soon it seems to him that Lord Ruthven and Alek’s boss, Ada, have their own agendas. Agendas that have little room for a certain reaper.
Thus Alek must uncover their secrets while trying to conceal his own—in the form of the mysterious jinn, Maggie. He might still win the day, but to do so he must live long enough to determine just what a “Blood Tally” is, why both his employers are willing to kill for it, and what to do with the information even if he manages to find it. It’s hard to tell friend from foe in the latest Valkyrie Collections entry, which features a lot of vampires, a sphinx, a rogue witch, and a whole mess of secrets worth killing over. Oh, and the fate of the world itself might be at stake.
With the first book, I noted that while I had no problem reading it, McClellan didn’t exactly go out of his way to try to make the “real world” very realistic. That holds true for Blood Tally—where the supernatural is again commonplace, while at the same time a (maybe?) secret from the rest of the world. I mean, I was assuming it was, but this really hasn’t been touched through the first two books. I can’t tell if it’s a “don’t ask, don’t tell” kinda story, or if the author just hasn’t addressed it because he hasn’t wanted to get into it. Either way, there was an awkward kind of uncertainty to everything, at least for me.
While Uncanny Collateral centered heavily on Alek—a lone reaper with no backup and few friends—Blood Tally instead tells Alek’s story, a reaper amidst a small cast of friends and allies. I mean, it’s still 1st PPOV, but instead of Alek and Maggie alone, we are treated to a few other recurring, non-hostile characters. Nick, the hired gun (necromancer) from the first book is back, albeit in an uncertain role. There’re a few other supernatural creatures who may turn into allies or friends, if they can go the whole story without trying to kill Alek. Maggie is still around, though their banter wasn’t as central as it was in Uncanny Collateral.
TL;DR
The second Valkyrie Collections delivers right where the first left off. If you liked the first, you’ll love the second, and vice-versa. While a bit fast-and-loose with the state of affairs of muggles and Cleveland and the world itself, Blood Tally does an adequate job of world-building through a basic framework of pictures and lines and color thrown in. Though it’s not the vibrant, vivid, description-heavy fantasy I may be used to, Blood Tally is an exciting, interesting adventure that I never had any trouble reading. If you didn’t back the Kickstarter—which, I mean, right?—then you’ll have to wait until February 11, 2020 to read it. Good luck!
peterkeep's review
5.0
Brian McClellan's urban fantasy follow-up is super solid.
It's got a good main story line that stays a step ahead of you as you read, good action/fight scenes, and interesting new characters. Olivia and Eddie are nice additions to round out the little group, and I hope we see a bit more of both.
I'm really enjoying the world and stories Brian has created here. I'm not super well-read for other urban fantasy series (I've read some Dresden, and one or two Iron Druid books), but I think the "Repo-man" angle is a fun way of approaching mysteries and cases from an angle that isn't super normal. The host of necromancers, witches, vampires, and other supernatural creatures is big enough to be interesting, but detailed enough to be seem realistic. There's a good backdrop of lawyers and accountants and cops and business deals that are intertwined into this fake-version of Cleveland...I think it's not really the same as what Max Gladstone does in the Craft Sequence, since it's not as much magical-realism as it is realism with some magic.
Alek's backstory is more and more interesting: as he's contracted to search for a runaway thrall (i.e. slave), he's forced to continue to confront and dig into his own slavery background. His relationship with Maggie and her own history flirt at the edges of the main conflict of the book. Alek's work-life balance is a mess, but it's fun to watch.
Anyways, all of this to say that if you want to watch a punchy collections agent try to maneuver his way through vampire politics and missing-persons cases, this is the one for you!
It's got a good main story line that stays a step ahead of you as you read, good action/fight scenes, and interesting new characters. Olivia and Eddie are nice additions to round out the little group, and I hope we see a bit more of both.
I'm really enjoying the world and stories Brian has created here. I'm not super well-read for other urban fantasy series (I've read some Dresden, and one or two Iron Druid books), but I think the "Repo-man" angle is a fun way of approaching mysteries and cases from an angle that isn't super normal. The host of necromancers, witches, vampires, and other supernatural creatures is big enough to be interesting, but detailed enough to be seem realistic. There's a good backdrop of lawyers and accountants and cops and business deals that are intertwined into this fake-version of Cleveland...I think it's not really the same as what Max Gladstone does in the Craft Sequence, since it's not as much magical-realism as it is realism with some magic.
Alek's backstory is more and more interesting: as he's contracted to search for a runaway thrall (i.e. slave), he's forced to continue to confront and dig into his own slavery background. His relationship with Maggie and her own history flirt at the edges of the main conflict of the book. Alek's work-life balance is a mess, but it's fun to watch.
Anyways, all of this to say that if you want to watch a punchy collections agent try to maneuver his way through vampire politics and missing-persons cases, this is the one for you!
buckeyeordie's review
3.0
This was another fun quick read. It was a little less enjoyable than the first one. I want to get more info on the overarching conflict so I will pick up the next one when it comes out.
jaredwsaltz's review
4.0
"Hey, look, the supernatural community needs debt collectors, too" is the premise of Brian McClellan's Valkyrie Collections series, for which this is the second novella. Here, we find Alek Fitz--an enslaved debt collector with a bit of troll and a whole lotta gusto--running around to collect various debts that (inevitably) end up tied together: witches and vampires and necromancers, oh my!
McClellan, who I know best from his excellent flintlock fantasy series, writes these short novellas (each coming in around 200 pages) as a short, fun, urban fantasy romp. Nothing too serious is going on here, but there's exactly what you'd want and expect from something this short--a fun story, tightly written, great pacing, and good reveals. Given the lack of space, don't expect a ton of character development or the like except as is provided through reveals, but that's ok.
These are a lot of fun and if you like quick reads, urban fantasy, or fun mysteries, these will tickle your fancy.
(I read this entire thing on a plane ride.)
McClellan, who I know best from his excellent flintlock fantasy series, writes these short novellas (each coming in around 200 pages) as a short, fun, urban fantasy romp. Nothing too serious is going on here, but there's exactly what you'd want and expect from something this short--a fun story, tightly written, great pacing, and good reveals. Given the lack of space, don't expect a ton of character development or the like except as is provided through reveals, but that's ok.
These are a lot of fun and if you like quick reads, urban fantasy, or fun mysteries, these will tickle your fancy.
(I read this entire thing on a plane ride.)
kevinscorner's review
5.0
Blood Tally was truly fantastic. It was thrilling and suspenseful and had me at the edge of my seat during the third act. The case took center stage in this second installment with interjections of Alek’s personality and ethics. I really enjoyed this short but engrossing book, and I am loving the addition of new characters in Olivia and Eddie. I would definitely read any further installments in the Valkyrie Collections series.
particularnorth's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
goblinsstolemybrain's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
abrahamismail's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
renpuspita's review
4.0
4 stars
Much better than its predecessor, Uncanny Collateral. Although, there are some glaring typos and I mean, really, really GLARING. Not just one, but 2-3 or maybe more. I hope the next book will be typos free (and yes, I know this is self publish).
I already familiarize myself with Alek and his world, that in my opinion the world building is not that hard to understand. If you read plenty UF and PNR like me, the supernatural creatures are what you already read, such as vampires, shapeshifters, witches, etc. Alek himself is part troll, like 1/8 troll from Norwegia. So he has this "Viking" vibe and I can't help imagine himself look like Travis Fimmell :P. Alek is still a debt collector work for Valkyrie Collections, still a slave for his employer, Ada. Still have this brother-sister relationship with his djinn-in-the-ring, Maggie (whom in her older days, dating Vlad the Impaler before her imprisonment). But there's some development , in which from his latest case, Alek finally got a lead to his parents that sold him to the slavery at the first place.
The stake (pun intended) is higher now, since Alek not only just have one client (a nasty vampire that want his thrall to come back), but two (also a vampire, but a Vampire Lord. More powerful than the former) and seems like he must double-crossed them both, threatened his moral and ethical dilemma. Although Alek have it's full in his hands, with his search for his parents that actually not that easy, his client double-crossing, no lead whatsoever while searching his target, and a malicious magician try to harm Maggie, things get better in romantic department. Alex has a new love interest, a witch name Olivia and I like her already. Alek also get a new pet, Eddie, a cute sphinx cat. Not that hybrid cat. This cat is an actual sphinx that demand he get a new temple (in the form of Alek's home), four can of albacore tuna, and constantly remind Alek (and Maggie) that he's a Prince of the Nile and herald of Goddess Sekhmet (and getting rebuffed by Alek since Sekhmet was already dead a long time ago). Cute didn't enough to describe Eddie the sphinx, but despite his cute appearance, ofc Eddie is not what it seems. Eddie might be the highlight of this novella for me <3.
Blood Tally is dark and gritty with so much violence but interesting plot and characters. I wonder if Alek will finally find his parents, release himself from his enslavement to Ada (although it seems that Ada actually care to Alek like her own son. But, you know...), save Maggie from her pursuer and maybe freed her too, his romantic relationship with Olivia, and yes, moarrr Eddie! The ending is open-ended and there's no sign of third book, but I really hope McClellan will write it in the future.
Much better than its predecessor, Uncanny Collateral. Although, there are some glaring typos and I mean, really, really GLARING. Not just one, but 2-3 or maybe more. I hope the next book will be typos free (and yes, I know this is self publish).
I already familiarize myself with Alek and his world, that in my opinion the world building is not that hard to understand. If you read plenty UF and PNR like me, the supernatural creatures are what you already read, such as vampires, shapeshifters, witches, etc. Alek himself is part troll, like 1/8 troll from Norwegia. So he has this "Viking" vibe and I can't help imagine himself look like Travis Fimmell :P. Alek is still a debt collector work for Valkyrie Collections, still a slave for his employer, Ada. Still have this brother-sister relationship with his djinn-in-the-ring, Maggie (whom in her older days, dating Vlad the Impaler before her imprisonment). But there's some development , in which from his latest case, Alek finally got a lead to his parents that sold him to the slavery at the first place.
The stake (pun intended) is higher now, since Alek not only just have one client (a nasty vampire that want his thrall to come back), but two (also a vampire, but a Vampire Lord. More powerful than the former) and seems like he must double-crossed them both, threatened his moral and ethical dilemma. Although Alek have it's full in his hands, with his search for his parents that actually not that easy, his client double-crossing, no lead whatsoever while searching his target, and a malicious magician try to harm Maggie, things get better in romantic department. Alex has a new love interest, a witch name Olivia and I like her already. Alek also get a new pet, Eddie, a cute sphinx cat. Not that hybrid cat. This cat is an actual sphinx that demand he get a new temple (in the form of Alek's home), four can of albacore tuna, and constantly remind Alek (and Maggie) that he's a Prince of the Nile and herald of Goddess Sekhmet (and getting rebuffed by Alek since Sekhmet was already dead a long time ago). Cute didn't enough to describe Eddie the sphinx, but despite his cute appearance, ofc Eddie is not what it seems. Eddie might be the highlight of this novella for me <3.
Blood Tally is dark and gritty with so much violence but interesting plot and characters. I wonder if Alek will finally find his parents, release himself from his enslavement to Ada (although it seems that Ada actually care to Alek like her own son. But, you know...), save Maggie from her pursuer and maybe freed her too, his romantic relationship with Olivia, and yes, moarrr Eddie! The ending is open-ended and there's no sign of third book, but I really hope McClellan will write it in the future.