Sworn to the Night

I straight up didn’t like this read. I can see where others may but it wasn’t for me.

The genre is an action packed paranormal read (witches, demons, gods, whoknowswhat) with mystery and some violence. We get a number of POVs in this read but the two main leads are Marie, a police officer, and Vanessa Roth, a professor/witch. ::sigh::

First off, to like a story I need to respect the leads. And here, I didn’t. Both Marie and Nessa are supposed to be rogue in their own ways but I found neither to be particularly intelligent or talented and *both* seemed mentally unstable. I could see where Schaefer tried to make these two characters more nuanced by basically having them flip their scripts playing with their meek and strong sides but, eh…I wasn’t convinced and I didn’t care.

Now, I’ve done mentally unstable before and still loved the characters. Ayla Darkleaf from S. D. Simper’s “Fallen Gods” series is a complete sadist and Nico from Elizabeth Watasin’s “Monster Stalker” series is teetering on her sanity but the authors injected them with some kind of charm, sense of justice, intelligence or humor that earned my respect and my affection. I just didn’t get that with Marie and Nessa.

This story has a lot going on and so much so that I started getting bored and skimmed some parts. There are also quite a few characters. Unfortunately, most are two dimensional or too shallow to invest in, while others are your basic mustache twirling villains.

I haven’t read Schaefer’s other books and this one has POVs and chapters dedicated to characters from those other reads. Perhaps I would’ve benefited from their backstories. Instead, I just found the extra chapters needless and detracting.

As for romance or love story, both Nessa and Marie are seemingly heterosexual but do become an f/f couple so it falls in the “gay for you” or bisexual category. I wouldn’t call this a romance though and definitely label it as instalove/soulmate. They also have a domme/sub dynamic. I generally give paranormal reads more of a pass if there’s instalove but I still needed more than what this author gave.

If a reader is more into plot points and action, this might be a good read. If a reader is more into nuanced character driven stories, skip this. I didn’t find it a satisfying read so I can’t recommend. 2.5 stars.

I am halfway convinced that Craig Schaefer is not human, but is instead a rogue AI that has dedicated itself to doing amazing world building. Sworn to the Night is a high-wire act, managing amazing feats of balance throughout. It’s a story that works as a standalone tale, but also deftly weaves plot threads from the rest of Schaefer’s body of work together. It’s a story that’s both tense and intense, moving from Machiavellian maneuvering in the halls of power, to visceral action scenes, and finally a bizarrely touching love story. I don’t want to give too much away, but when there is a love story where one of the lovebirds is probably the most terrifyingly sadistic psychopath ever to inhabit a page, and I’m rooting for them anyway, we’re into ‘lightning in a bottle’ territory. Sworn to the Night is an absolute page turner, and a strong start to a new entry into Schaefer’s amazing universe(s).

Sworn to the Night works well enough as a standalone, but to get full enjoyment out of it you really want to be familiar with his other work, particularly the Revanche Cycle.

If you havent read all of the rest of the books that Mr. Schaefer has written first; dont be put off. Like many great authors, you can enjoy this book for what it is, the opening act of a fantastic journey through a world somewhat like ours. That being said, if youve read all of his other work you can admire the craftsmanship of a novel put together like an ornate puzzle box without glue or nails.
I cant wait to keep reading!

NYPD detective Marie Reinhart and her partner believe they are on the trail of a serial killer but the answer just might be more deadly. A Most Dangerous Game cult, a Presidential candidate, a coven of witches, and a new drug called Ink all combine to cut across the layers of power in New York City and beyond.

The novel starts with the search for a missing escort. The clues take them to a shootout, a drug stash, and a gutted body at an abandoned house in New Jersey which is owned by the son of Alan Roth, current candidate for the presidential nomination. Marie and Tony (her partner) go to interview Richard Roth. He gives them a line about the property being lost in the paperwork and tries to send them on their way but in the course of the visit to Roths upscale townhouse, Marie fixes a connection to his wife, Nessa Roth, anthropology professor, witchcraft enthusiast, and liability to the Roth family. This connection with serve as a prime focal point for the bulk of the novel. A look into the dark magic that is running through the Ink and the politics of crime.

*Minor Spoilers*

Sworn to the Night is indeed a page-turner. A thriller that has so many good threads laced together. There are times when they get a little loose and we dont pick them back up for many chapters, but overall the core of the plot hustles along well. The pieces of the mystery fit together with a realistic imbalance of moral disparities. The dual partnerships (Marie/ Tony, Marie/ Ness) juxtapose each other well, and makes for a good pool of resources for the protagonist. I think Ill pick up the second book to see were the story goes next.

Recommended for someone looking for an urban fantasy that provides gore, humor, and a well-developed witchery/ conspiracy plot.

This is dark urban fantasy at its best, For fans of craig Schaefer other series daniel Faust and harmony black there’s lots here to love and plenty of Easter eggs to spy, For those new to the author this series more then stands on its own and previous knowledge isn’t needed to enjoy.
As to what it’s about superficial that’s easy it’s a love story by way of horror, it’s a fairy tale before disney got their hands on them, it’s lgbt focused except it’s not, it’s about two heroes except it’s most definitely isnt. It’s very different while being familiar at the same time, it’s about story it’s about tropes and the power of narrative and Destiny versus free will.
Most of all this is the story of Nessa and Mari and above all it should be read without me spoiling it, treat yourself i sincerely doubt you will regret it.