Name: James: Witch-Hunter
ISBN: 9781370689828

K.S. Marsden

~Prequel to the Witch-Hunter trilogy~ James Bennett is a Yorkshire lad, making the big move to Oxford to start university. His ambitions involve getting a good education; impressing the Rugby Club; and not throttling his roommate. All perfectly normal drama, until Hallowe'en. A girl's murder throws James into the dangerous world of witches, and those that hunt them. After playing a sidekick in the Witch-Hunter trilogy, it's only fair that James gets to be centre stage in his own prequel. This can be read as a stand-alone, and does not contain any spoilers. It may contain witches, bad jokes and cringe-worthy scenes; but definitely no spoilers.

James: Witch-Hunter

K. Marsden

~Prequel to the Witch-Hunter trilogy~James Bennett is a Yorkshire lad, making the big move to Oxford to start university.His ambitions involve getting a good education; impressing the Rugby Club; and not throttling his roommate. All perfectly normal drama, until Hallowe'en.A girl's murder throws James into the dangerous world of witches, and those that hunt them.

Witch-hunter Prequel

James: Witch-hunter

Sheila Goicea

This full review can be viewed along with others on my blog at: shesgoingbookcrazy.com

I received this copy from the author, K.S. Marsden, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

#4 for the #MonthofMonstrosities tag!

There is a darker side of Oxford than meets the eye, one where covens of powerful witches practice inhumane rituals in order to grow their power. Emotionless, self-centered beings, they are a danger to all of society--in particular, anyone that's human. 

James knew nothing of the witches' existence. At least, not until he witnessed an acquaintance being ritualistically sacrificed by a couple of the hooded figures. Stunned by the event, James discovers that his unpleasant college roommate happens to be a part of a witch-hunting ring of families that can be traced back for generations. Thrust into a world of the magic-wielding enemies, James must choose if he will fight against these evil-doers, or run.

 James: Witch-Hunter is the prequel story to the Witch Hunter series.


  Things that I liked:


#1 This may sound but I tend to dislike male characters written by female writers. This is only because they end up sounding more feminine than masculine, and it messes up my mental depiction of the character. I'm glad to say that this is not the case with Marsden's male characters. Even though we never get extremely in-depth with the characters due to the length of the book, the picture the reader is privy to is accurate, effective, and appropriate for the story being told. 

#2 The book retains a sense of fluidity throughout its events. Everything stays focused on the issue of the story, and makes for an easy read.


  Things that I didn't like:


#1 Even though I thought the depiction of the characters was done appropriately, I still lacked a sense of connection to them. Perhaps it was simply due to the fact that I'm not used to reading books with male protagonists (at least lately) and that I feel less of that. It wasn't a point that really got under my skin, but I felt that it was worth mentioning because it made me feel more indifferent to the characters and their stories.

#2 The overwhelming presence of alcohol simply became annoying. Yeah, I get it. These are college kids who want to "take the edge off of their days," but it became monotonous to read about every time the characters must have a drink in their hands to enjoy themselves. 

#3 I would have liked a little more time with the witches themselves. Many times the reader is told just how terrible these people are. But, I think some further demonstrations and peaks into their daily lives would have helped to reveal their cruelty further. 

Overall, this was a good read. It didn't overwhelm, or underwhelm me as a reader. It read smoothly, and indeed had some interesting points. I'm just looking for more connection to the characters in future books of this series. 

Vulgarity: Quite a bit.
Sexual content: A lot of the plot lighted on Hunter's many sexual exploits, but nothing was ever in detail.
Violence: Moderate, including human sacrifice.

3 stars.

James: Witch-Hunter

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