I’m always on the lookout for new stuff to read, especially new urban fantasy stuff. I don’t have as much time to read as I used to (too many other things going on) so I tend to be a very picky reader. If something doesn’t grab my attention in the first fifty pages or so, I usually just put it aside (with all good intention of getting back to it someday) and move on to something else.

So the other day while poking around the Absolute Write forums’ Urban Fantasy section, I noticed some discussion of a series called the “Alex Verus series” by Benedict Jacka, who happens to be a forum member. They sounded intriguing to me: British protag who’s a mage (he’s a diviner), lives in London where he runs a magic shop–that was pretty much enough to hook me right there into giving it a try, and after reading the sample chapter of the first book on Amazon I took the plunge and bought the series (4 paperbacks, with one more on the way in September). They’re nice short reads, around 300 pages each, so it shouldn’t take me too long to get through them.

I haven’t started yet–I’ve got two books of new Sherlock Holmes short stories that I want to finish at least one of before I do, along with my own writing project and a few paying things that will take top priority–but I’m looking forward to diving in during breaks.