Flight of Magpies (A Charm of Magpies #3) by K.J. Charles
- Elizabeth Slaughter
- Jan 8, 2016
- 3 min read
Flight of Magpies (A Charm of Magpies #3)
by K.J. Charles
Introduction
In A Flight of Magpies, we return to the fantasy Victorian world K.J. Charles introduced in The Magpie Lord. I enjoyed this third installment most of all.
Genre
Historical Fantasy Romance
Narration
Third person limited POV, usually Lucien’s POV, but occasionally Stephen’s.
Characters
Lucien Vaudrey - Lord Crane of Lychdale and Viscount Fortunegate
Stephen Day - Practitioner (witch) and justiciar (in charge of bringing rogue magic users to justice)
Merrick - Lucien’s manservant
Esther Gold - Justiciar, Stephen’s partner
Leonora Hart - a widow with a checkered past, a friend of Lucien
Jenny Saint - Stephen’s apprentice, a wind walker (she walks on air)
Inspector Rickaby - a Police officer liaison to the magical council
Jonah Pastern - a young wind walker who escaped from custody of the Hertfordshire justiciary
Lady Bruton - a warlock who escaped with Stephen in The Magpie Lord
George Fairley - council member
Setting
Victorian England, mostly London
Themes
Trust, and duty vs personal happiness
Intended audience
M/M romance readers. For mature audiences; contains explicit sex.
Plot
Busier than ever, Stephen juggles his duties for the understaffed magical justiciary, his apprentice Jenny, and his relationship with Lord Crane. Lucien feels neglected and complains about his lover’s constant acquiescence to the council’s ever increasing demands. The two have their first fights as a fully committed couple. That includes a conflict over Merrick, Lord Crane’s oldest, dearest friend and manservant.
About the Author
KJ Charles writes fantasy and historical romance. Find out more on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/KJCharles or the author’s website http://kjcharleswriter.com/.
My Opinion
I enjoyed this third (maybe last) outing of Lord Crane and Stephen Day. Perhaps the best yet, the story spends more time fleshing out secondary characters who now appear in spin off books. I enjoyed getting to know Jenny and seeing Merrick take a more significant role. There’s a lot going on as KJ Charles deftly entwines mysteries (murders and burglaries) with personal relationships.
As a reader, I shared Lucian’s frustrations with Stephen as he constantly makes excuses for his work. He insists that he’s needed and can’t abandon his job as justiciar, or all sorts of disasters would overrun England. In truth, the council is taking advantage of his earnest nature. The more he does, the more they expect.
Stephen and Lucian’s bonds are tested, given that their relationship is still in its infancy compared to Lucian and Merrick’s twenty year history. The couple’s first major fight is emotionally devastating as the two air every barely suppressed resentment and previously unspoken grievance. The author manages to bring the romantic conflict to a conclusion that leaves the lovers in a place that should satisfy their fans, but still leaves plenty of room for them to appear in short stories and as minor characters in spin offs. The climatic conclusion gives Lucien a chance to shine with wit, humor, and general bad-assery. Stephen gets his moment in the spotlight as well, as he confronts the council in a hilarious scene that had me laughing.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars and recommend the entire series to fans of M/M romance.
Favorite quotes:
“I’m the eighth Earl Crane and the twelfth Viscount Fortunate. I don’t have to work the stove.” (Lucien)
“Two extra names, and you can’t lift your arms anymore. Bloody lucky they didn’t make you a duke too, or you’d forget how to brush your own teeth.” (Merrick)
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