reading the first three chapters at the authors website
Lisa Shearin

re-read first read in 2009

Character List


Most of the Armed & Magical characters also appear in The Trouble with Demons

Armed & Magical (Raine Benares #2)
Raine Benares elf and a seeker
Phaelan cousin, Captain, pirate
Guardians from the Conclave - Vegard Rolfgar and Riston were both big and human
Loran Abas, professor emeritus of chanting
Archmagus Justinius Valerian - had absolute authority over the Isle of Mid and everyone on it.
Mychael Eiliesor was the paladin and commander of the Guardians
Banan Ryce was commander of the Nightshades (elves—also assassins, kidnappers, blackmailers,)
Eamaliel Anguis - RB's father a Conclave Guardian, trapped in Sagherd
Sarad Nukpana was a goblin and the high priest of the Khrynsani, trapped in Sagherd
Giles Keril - The elven ambassador to Mid
Maestro Ronan Cayle - spellsinging master. The legend who only taught future legends
Piaras Rivalin - elf,landlady’s grandson, and the little brother I’d always wanted
Sedge Rinker - Mid's chief watcher
Janek Tawl - chief watcher of the Sorcerers District back home in Mermeia
Megan Jacobs kidnapped student
Ailia Aurillac kidnapped rich student, mirror magic
Lucan Kalta. The chief librarian
Rudra Muralin’s journal -had been a spellsinger. A young, talented, powerful spellsinger
Nelek - librarian
Carnades Silvanus, senior mage on the Seat of Twelve, Ailia Aurillac’s faculty advisor, elf
Darshan goblin Khrynsani shaman
Tamnais Nathrach (Tam) old title Primaru Nathrach - goblin bar owner
Talon Tandu. He works in Tam’s nightclub as a spellsinger.
Taltek Balmorlan. He’s with elven intelligence
Duke Markus Sevelien, the elven intelligence agency’s chief officer in Mermeia

The Trouble with Demons (Raine Benares #3)
Vegard Rolfgar, Conclave Guardian, my bodyguard
Professor Berel killed by a demon Volghul
Sora Niabi, human,she's professor of demonology.
Reapers - collect the dead
Uncle Ryn - pirate Commodore
Dalis - older woman wearing healer’s robes, Justinius's healer
Katelyn Valerian - Justinius's granddaughter
General Aratus reports to Markus Sevelien


( )

Ouch. Raine keeps adding to her enemy list - or at least, the ones on the list keep getting another angle. Rudra decides to open a Hellgate and threaten the whole island to get hold of Raine and the Saghred, and he bites off rather more than he can chew. Now it's demons directly who want the Saghred - apparently they had it first, and it ate the demon king. They've got plans for the rock that Raine, and Mychael, and Tam are not willing to allow...and things get really interesting really fast. This book ends...not on a cliffhanger, exactly, but even more than the previous book the arc is not complete, there's a lot of action coming down the pike. Next, please! ( )

Listening to the audiobooks of this series - I like them even more than the books! ( )

Another fun outing with Raine. Rudra has opened up a Hellgate and there are demons coming into Mid. Raine of course is the first one to spot them. The demons are in search of a dagger that will allow the Demon Queen to open up the Saghred and let her husband the Demon King out. All the boys are back and Raine gets to meet a woman mage she can relate to Sorba. She wears pants under her robes with split sides - in case she needs to 'run' and also carries her own mug so she is ready for some ale. ( )

This one dragged a little. By the time I finished I was tired of hearing about the Beneras family reputation, the swearing or 'blistering the air blue' as Raine likes thinking and the dearly devoted fans of Raine following or chasing her everywhere like she's the best thing since sliced bread. Ok so most of the people are chasing her because of the Saghred and the guards are following her to stop her falling into the wrong hands but still, can anyone really be that popular?

The three-way bond between Raine, Tam and Michael was very similar to the triumvirate in [a:Laurell K. Hamilton|9550|Laurell K. Hamilton|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1248112044p2/9550.jpg]'s Anita Blake series and reminded me of my review of [b:Armed and Magical|2310956|Armed & Magical (Raine Benares, #2)|Lisa Shearin|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255610130s/2310956.jpg|2317373] - I couldn't decide who Raine should be with so I joked that she should have both men, whoops. Be careful what you wish for. Obviously Raine was Anita with her ever increasing power, Tam was the mysterious Jean-Claude with a dark past who also has fangs being a vampire (vampire, goblin what's the difference really?) and Michael was Richard the strong and pure white knight. When I realised these similarities I was waiting for the orgie to break out so I kept a close eye on what was happening when they activated that bond!

Uncle Ryn, the Archmagus and Vegard are good characters as is Phaelon, I smile when I see his name because he is a felon but these characters have very similar personalities.

For some reason I assumed this would be a trilogy and not a series but with the ending being what it was I guess I was wrong. I am curious as to what Sarad's next move will be and everyone else's but also the bond to the Saghred, will they break it or the triumvirate bond? Guess I'll have to read the next one to find out. ( )