Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Despite being a "Thriller", I wasn't too thrilled with this one. I see it's book one in an eight book series, so either it got better, or Nate doesn't rub other people the wrong way. Nate Temple is a wizard in a setting where magic isn't quite acknowledged, but a lot of people are starting to notice there is strange stuff going on. In general he himself keeps a low profile magically, though not in any other way. The heir to Temple Industries, Nate has cultivated a reputation as an oddball, declining to be involved in the company at all and running his own eclectic book shop instead. Sub-rosa, he also does jobs as a magical finder and is currently on contract to deliver a rare magical book to a mysterious client. Unfortunately, his very satisfactory life is about to be upended as his parents are murdered, forcing him to become involved with the company he spurned, the book he is looking for may bring the apocalypse, and dragons are converging on his town... Actually said that way, it sounds like a pretty promising book, but unfortunately the execution is not as good as the premise. The writing is amateurish, sometimes very much so, and Nate often comes across as a jerk, insisting on being called "Master Temple" and jerking around normals for no good reason. (Yes, I used "jerk" & "jerking", I couldn't see a way out of it). He also seems incapable of reasoning out that if he is a suspect in his parents' murders, he probably shouldn't gift his FBI werewolf friend, who is involved in the case, with a new car. (Setting aside the fact that in real life the friend probably woluldn't be allowed to accept). There's also a bit of "my life is too dangerous, you would be better off without me" to the woman he may love -- I *hate* that one. Anyway, if this is a first book I'm prepared to believe Silvers got better, but not willing to follow him and Nate there.