Jocelynn Drake gives us our first look into her new Urban Fantasy world of the Asylum Tales with this engaging novella. Our main character is Gage, a tattoo artist and wielder of magic, who shares his story in the first-person. It all begins as he wakes up on the floor of a nasty bar bathroom, shaking off the effects of a mickey.
He soon discovers he was drugged by his own friend, an incubus named Parker, who dosed him so he could go, er, recharge his energies. A troll named Bronx helps him track down his wayward friend. After too many drinks together, the three of them engineer a misguided plan to give him a magical tat to help him get the energies he needs without having to cheat on his girl. Things only go downhill from there.
I liked the story. The world-building is clear and easy to understand... and incorporated seamlessly into the storytelling. Even in roughly 60 pages, Drake gives us a clear look at her protagonist and the ongoing problems he will face as he struggles to suppress his magical urges and duck the close eye of the Ivory Tower council.
I look forward to getting to know him better and I hope we see more of secondary characters Parker and Bronx. I have a feeling we're in for a fun ride with this series.
*ARC Provided by Harper Voyager