Warlock for Hire
Arcane Inc., Book 1
By: Sean Stone
Narrated by: Hannibal Hills
This is the first time I have listened to a book by this author but it will not be the last. I really enjoyed the wit, clever dialogue, plot, characters, and of course the use of magic! Our wizard ends up helping a gal in need against an evil billionaire who also can see the future. The billionaire wants to be invincible because he foresees his death. Great action and excitement to get to there! No romance! Yeah! A urban fantasy without a hook-up!
The narration was spot on too! Going for book two! ( )

My original Warlock for Hire audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

Warlock for Hire by Sean Stone is the first book in a series called Arcane Inc. Eddie Lancaster is a warlock for hire and he is a self-professed and unapologetic rude and annoying guy. Unlike most with magical abilities, he sells his skills as a warlock to anyone willing to pay him. He doesn’t ask questions. However, when an attractive woman, Ashley Sheridan, comes to him with a request, he is intrigued. When she comes back, he clearly sees that she’s in trouble and he loves to solve mysteries. And so, despite her insistence that he not get involved, Eddie falls hard into the dangerous mystery and suddenly his, Ashley’s, and other peoples’ lives are at risk. He must figure out how to protect himself, Ashley and the people they love before his actions lead them to destruction.

This is generally a light and ultimately fun urban fantasy story. The characters are flat and Eddie is an immature guy, who is, as he himself professes, annoying and rude. But despite all of his failings, it is easy to root for his success even while rolling eyes at his behavior. Unfortunately, the main female character is generally a damsel in distress, which is frustrating. However, hints about the next books suggest that there will be other strong female characters as the series continues. The story is generally engaging as Eddie stumbles from one situation to the next and is balanced with action and his absurd inner monologue describing the world around him and explaining things through the fourth wall. Everything ties together neatly at the end of the story and leads into the next novel without a cliffhanger.

The narration by Hannibal Hills might well be why this book is so engaging. Without Hills' characterization of Eddie, Eddie may have easily just been too irritating and immature for me, personally. And so, I highly recommend choosing to listen to the audiobook over reading the written text, unless the reader typically enjoys characters like Eddie. The production quality was good. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a light and fast-paced urban fantasy novels.

Audiobook was provided for review by the narrator. ( )