Member Reviews
Double Vision has a few things going for it. It is fast...like so fast that sometimes I think the author forgets to mention what kind of time frame things are happening in. But it seemed like the course of the book happened over about 3-4 days. The MC is witty and says a lot of fun or funny things so he is at least entertaining. Many of the characters have some kind super power and it is interesting to learn about them and how they are used in either various job functions or law enforcement. With the easy readability of the story I was able to finish the book relatively easily.
The story itself is entertaining overall if a little quick with not a lot of time to develop the characters. There is a bad guy or group of bad guys trying to take over some artifacts to gain more power and Wyatt is trying to stop them. There are a few times as a reader you just have to go with story and not think about it too much.
The thing that I think readers are going to have an issue with is Wyatt is kinda a creep. I definitely got some You vibes from him in his stalking tendencies. Except in You we know the guy is a creep but in this it was supposed to be endearing somehow? I think that the author could have made Wyatt using his gift to spy on a pretty girl more understandable if it was for a job rather than a statement that "well, yes it is kinda creepy but really I spy on everyone so no big deal". It really puts Wyatt in a hole with this reader right off because with his gift he can see in her house or any other place that she would expect to have privacy.
The other issue I had with this book is that all women in Wyatt's world are absolutely beautiful and add to that they all seem charmed by him, including April the love interest that Wyatt has been watching daily for the better part of a year. Even Wyatt's mother we meet briefly is stunning. I did like April though and her part in the overall arc of the story.
This is a good fast read when you are just looking for some funny lines, cool powers and are able to turn part of your brain off and suspend your disbelief a little and just go with the flow. I didn't like Wyatt enough to continue on with the series though.
This was different. Enjoyable at times but I did not like the main character.
This was an easy fast-paced book. I liked the magic system, it was fresh and different, maybe a little unbelievable though..
TL;DR:
Over all easy to read and fast paced book. The magic concept certainly is new and might be interesting if you're into urban fantasy.
Personally, I found the main character a complete twat and found some of the relationships unlogical and unfounded.
Long version:
My biggest issue with this book is the main character and how the other characters interact with him.
He is a self-centred, egoistic predator. And everyone around him acts as if he is a loveable, funny hero.
He stalked a woman for a while year, believing that he's in love with her based only on seeing her - the book acknowledges that this might be "a bit creepy" and "a little morally sketchy", but to my disappointment never really goes back to this and properly self-analyzes that as incredibly harmful and predatory behaviour.
To my even bigger disappointment, the stalked-upon woman seems to be enamored with him and is jokingly being described as a "jealous vixen" after only knowing him for a day or two.
Most (not all) of the women are described as absolutely gorgeous looking by the (male) main character, who starts to philosophise how a beautiful woman's looks were their own kind of magic upon meeting a woman for the first time (the one that the stalked-upon woman, who met him for the first time one day prior, got jealous about) - wtf is going on??
The plot of the book only spans over few days,but somehow all the strangers he meets immediately bond with him on an absolute trust level. Like this dude is being invited to top-secret police meetings for no reason whatsoever. The police chief even asks him how to run the mission!
My ick is mostly the main character.
Apart from that, I'd say that the language in the book is very colorful and aimed to be casual, funny and lighthearted - once in a while I got a bit annoyed by five metaphors in one paragraph, but overall it was easy to read.
I had the impression the author might have list track over how much time passed in the book, cause things happen fast and the vibe as well.
The magic concept seems ... ambitious. Having a character being able to see all reflections certainly is a niche superpower that is unheard of - and how do you place that in an urban world, which boundaries and physics do you set for your character? In my eyes, the author managed to write that manageable - even though the magic concept seems more unhinged and uncontained with every new information provided.
There seem to be no boundaries for what kinds of magic there are. Sometimes it feels like the author just made them up on the spot with whatever was convenient. And obviously found a fancy-sounding name for them, always followed up by a "also known as [insert a shorter version of the fancy-sounding name]".
I feel like this book might have benefit from a slower pace. Slow the world building, let the characters develop, let relationships form naturally. Don't loredump everything into the main character (and thus us) in the matter of hours and days.
Magic gifts are rare, and they're a closely guarded secret for mystos—the name for those who possess such abilities. Wyatt Glasson's talent is speculomancy—an uncommon type of magic that grants him the ability to see any reflected image. Modern civilization and its reflective surfaces mean people are always in view of Wyatt's magic. And he's used that advantage to create a wealthy, insulated existence for himself, tucked safely away from magical society. After all, being powerful offers little protection when you're part of a tiny minority who would rather cut your throat to protect themselves than back you up and risk their safety. But Wyatt's comfortable life is about to be turned upside down.
When the Arcane building is attacked by a team of rogue mystos, Wyatt is forced to choose between maintaining his anonymity or displaying his unique and powerful ability. Unfortunately for Wyatt, both choices come with grave consequences.
An urban fantasy with a little too much of a focus on romance for my tastes. Fans of Sarah J Maas and other romantasy fans may find more to like here than I did....