Review: Death & Resurrection by R.A. MacAvoy

The second biggest problem with R.A. MacAvoy's Death and Resurrection is the less-than-original title.

The biggest is that it isn't a novel - it's a very short trilogy. Which is by no means a bad thing, but it's being formatted and marketed as a novel and might give some readers a nasty surprise.

The best thing about this book? Everything else. It's a great urban fantasy romp with a hint of the Asian - kung fu and Buddhism are both important to it (in ways that lead me to suspect MacAvoy is, himself, a Buddhist). So are Native American beliefs - and I can't vouch for his accuracy, but he does make a lot of sense.

It's almost closer to magic realism than mainstream urban fantasy, with elements of the thriller. I enjoyed this book a lot and highly recommend it - with the caveat mentioned above, that its three parts are separate enough to make it a little disjointed. If you like the kind of urban fantasy that brings in elements of mythology and a touch of the exotic - you will love this book.

I did.

Four and a half stars.

(Book picked up free at Balticon).