Bound: Alex Caine Book 1
by Baxter
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Pub Date Jun 23 2014 | Archive Date Jan 31 2015
HarperCollins Publishers Australia | Voyager - AU
Description
Alex Caine, a fighter by trade, is drawn into a world he never knew existed - a world he wishes he'd never found.
Alex Caine is a martial artist fighting in illegal cage matches. His powerful secret weapon is an unnatural vision that allows him to see his opponents' moves before they know their intentions themselves.
An enigmatic Englishman, Patrick Welby, approaches Alex after a fight and reveals, 'I know your secret.' Welby shows Alex how to unleash a breathtaking realm of magic and power, drawing him into a mind-bending adventure beyond his control. And control is something Alex values above all else.
A cursed grimoire binds Alex to Uthentia, a chaotic Fey godling, who leads him towards chaos and murder, an urge Alex finds harder and harder to resist. Befriended by Silhouette, a monstrous Kin beauty, Alex sets out to recover the only things that will free him - the shards of the Darak. But that powerful stone also has the potential to unleash a catastrophe which could mean the end of the world as we know it.
Shortlisted for the 2015 Ditmar awards - Best Novel
Advance Praise
"I was completely blown away when I read this. A classic hero's journey with a cast of real three-dimensional and really interesting characters. The world he's built rivals anything by Jim Butcher - actually I think he's a better writer than Butcher: his prose is fluid and engrossing, and he balances action with pace and at the same time provides wonderful vignettes of really quality descriptive prose. I'm reminded of Benedict Jacka and Kevin Hearne when I read this - the pace and the terrific page-turning attributes. He has the bonus of being a true practitioner of Martial Arts and his action scenes are solid and authentic.” --Kylie Chan is the bestselling author of Dark Heavens and Journey to Wudang trilogies
"Bound brings together some of the finest elements of speculative fiction and whips them up into a gritty, fast-paced, urban fantasy thriller that will appeal to a wide audience. Alan’s work is reminiscent of that of Clive Barker and Jim C. Hines, but with a unique flavour all of its own. Alex Caine is an engaging hero, a kind of modern knight errant, finding his way through a world with new powers, new possibilities and new dangers."
-- Angela Slatter is the first Australian to win a British Fantasy Award, an Aurealis Award winner and a World Fantasy Award finalist
"Bound is a great read, full of action and magic. I loved the characters, from Alex who is genuinely likeable to Hood who is deliciously evil. Alan Baxter sets up a vivid world on the boundaries of our own -- playing with recognisable creatures like werewolves and fey but doing something really different and original with them."
-- Joanne Anderton is an award-winning author of science fiction, fantasy and horror. Her debut novel, Debris was published by Angry Robot Books in 2011 and followed by Suited in 2012.
"The start to this series has given me faith that the Urban Fantasy scene is not just the same story with different characters" -- Collins Bookstore Edwardstown
"This is a page turning dark fantasy that doesn't shy away from sex and violence and the the underbelly of society." -- Mark Timmony, Booktopia
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Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9780732299101 |
| PRICE | A$24.99 (AUD) |
Average rating from 5 members
Featured Reviews
Tsana D, Reviewer
Bound by Alan Baxter is the first novel I've read by the author, although I have read short stories in the (recent) past. I have to admit I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this book (aside from accurate fight scenes) and I don't think I could've predicted what I did get.
Alex Caine is a martial artist fighting in illegal cage matches. His powerful secret weapon is an unnatural vision that allows him to see his opponents’ moves before they know their intentions themselves.
An enigmatic Englishman, Patrick Welby, approaches Alex after a fight and reveals, ‘I know your secret.’ Welby shows Alex how to unleash a breathtaking realm of magic and power, drawing him into a mind-bending adventure beyond his control. And control is something Alex values above all else…
A cursed grimoire binds Alex to Uthentia, a chaotic Fey godling, who leads him towards chaos and murder, an urge Alex finds harder and harder to resist. Befriended by Silhouette, a monstrous Kin beauty, Alex sets out to recover the only things that will free him - the shards of the Darak. But that powerful stone also has the potential to unleash a catastrophe which could mean the end of the world as we know it.
Probably the simplest way to describe Bound is as an origin story for Alex. At least, that's how it felt when I got to the end. I'm probably getting ahead of myself saying that, though. Let me go back to the beginning.
Alex has a small talent for magic and is discovered by a more experienced magic user after using his magical intuition to win a cage match. After that, he picks up magic pretty quickly. Too quickly I thought, until the main thrust of the novel revealed itself. There were two really interesting aspects to the story, I thought. First, there's the effect the cursed grimoire has on him. Being cursed, it is inherently evil and its magic insinuates its way into Alex's mind. It doesn't exactly control him, but it has a negative influence. I found Alex's struggle with what's inside of him fascinating. He wonders, during the book, whether he is becoming evil himself and I found myself asking the same questions. I really wasn't sure how it was going to go, which made it a more exciting read.
I can't not mention the main antagonists (aside from the cursed grimoire, that is). We are exposed to the magic relic dealer, Hood, through the eyes of his PA, Sparks. Hood has no scruples and spends the book trying to get his hands on whatever it is that Alex and Silhouette have (he doesn't actually know). Sparks is a more difficult and interesting character. At first, I thought she was another of Hood's victims under some sort of spell. That may have been just misinterpretation on my part because later on it becomes clear that she does actually care about him and stays with him by choice. On the one hand, this did make the character feel a bit inconsistent, but on the other hand I quite liked reading about her (I won't go so far as to say I liked her as a person...). It's unclear whether she will appear in the next book (my guess is not, but who knows), but I certainly wouldn't object if she did make an appearance.
Until the end, I was expecting Hood and Sparks to be the antagonists in subsequent books, but it looks like their storyline has been resolved. That's part of what makes me say that I see Bound as an origin story for Alex. The other things is... I feel silly for not noticing until the very end that Hood and Sparks were named for certain friends of the author's. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or headdesk (or headiPad, as the case may have been), when I realised.
Bound was an action-packed and fast-paced read with elements of moral ambiguity and horror. You could also call it a dark urban fantasy, if you were so inclined. If you are looking for a darkish and violent read, then Bound is the book for you. It's also self-contained if sequels aren't your thing. Mind you, I think I remember reading that books 2 and 3 will be out soon (like months, rather than years, apart), so there won't be a long wait until we get more of Alex and Silhouette's story, if long waits aren't your thing. I have no idea where the story might go next, but I want to find out.
3.5 / 5 stars
First published: July 2014, Voyager AU
Series: Alex Cain book 1 of 3
Format read: eARC
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Challenges: Australian Horror Reading Challenge
