The Rise of the Hotel Dumort (The Bane Chronicles #5)

The fifth entry in the series, which has been kind of hit and miss, is a pretty strong entry in the series. I would probably place it as my second favorite short story of the ones released so far, with the third short story still being my favorite.

The latest entry finds Magnus Bane running a speakeasy at the end of the Roaring Twenties. Magnus is very much enjoying the period of illegal booze, free flowing money, and extravagance. He’s content to spend his days drinking, partying and taking various lovers until a strange rumor from the underworld is brought to his attention. At first, Magnus simply ignores the rumor, but has a change of heart when someone challenges him about his easy lifestyle. The result of his involvement brings him a couple of surprises near the end of the story.

For the people who have said that they really didn’t like the campy feel of some of the other entries, they’ll be pleased to read this story. There’s no campiness in it and the pacing is good in this story. I enjoyed seeing Magnus take some initiative in this story, even if it was motivated by his perception that other people expected him to sit back and do nothing. The part with the Shadowhunters was good, although I wish they had spent a bit more time developing this at the end. I also liked seeing the old warlock character who was briefly mentioned in the TMI series.

The only real drawbacks I had were with the wrap-up and ending. I wish the ending had gotten a few more pages to flesh it out. For example, I wanted to know if the Shadowhunters did anything to make up for their previous behavior at the end of if it or if it was the same old elitist thing. I also wish that the Shadowhunters involved at the end were given names, particularly the one with the bow and arrow. In addition, the very last reveal, while not really surprising, left me feeling a little miffed because the motivation for what occurred during the story was puzzling to me.

That being said, these problems are not really a big deal at all. I enjoyed reading this short story and I would recommend this one to other fans of the series. I would give it 4.5 stars.

Oh Magnus, you never cease to amaze me! Why I never thought Magnus Bane would own a speakeasy in the Roarin’ 20s is beyond me, because obviously he is the epitome of someone that would own one. However, this novella just didn’t measure up to the last two. While it was better than What Really Happened in Peru, The Rise of Hotel Dumort just wasn’t that exciting. Nothing was really added to the story except for the reinforcement that Magnus is definitely not a normal warlock. In TMI and TID, we know that Magnus’ father is a very powerful demon, but BY GOD!! I just want to know everything surrounding this little tidbit right now! I’ve had enough of the suspense already, and think it’s time that Ms. Clare just comes out with it. Maybe she’s saving it for the last TMI book, or even just later in the Bane Chronicles, but I just want to know. Honestly, the only other interesting thing in this novel was the revelation that Pandemonium isn’t just a night club where Downworlders and demons go to party and get crazy. No sirree! It’s another dimension that leads to the Demon Realm, or the Void.

Overall, I wasn’t completely satisfied with this book. It still would be 3.5 stars, but I expected a lot more (especially since this is set in the 20s and it’s Magnus Bane we’re talking about here). There was some new information that we discover, and Magnus definitely had some witty moments that had me laughing, but I definitely hope the next one is more on par with Vampires, Scones, and Edmund Herondale and The Midnight Heir.

Will Cassie and Maureen ever fail to give us perfection?

As per their usual this next story about our favorite warlock was spot on!! Rife with great sarcasm and good humor Magnus is his usual brilliant self!!

As for this great albeit brief look inside the NY Institute I am happy to see that it hasn’t change from what is was in 1929 to the institute we know and love in 2007!!

And meeting yet another new warlock and seeing that some of them can be rather creepy instead of beautiful peapods of love, well that’s another fun and interesting thing to be given by a brilliant author and her equally brilliant co- conspirator!!

Love love loved it and cannot wait to see what happens in the next Bane Chronical!! Bring us more Bane Cassie!! We fans eagerly await to read it!!

For those of us who adore the Warlock Magnus Bane (and who would that not be?) this short, staged at the beginning of the 1929 stock market crash, gives us another peek into his joy in and care for mundanes as he provides a guarded speakeasy with plenty of safe getaways and allows all and sundry to repeatedly crash at his apartment. Aldous Nix has caused a Portal filled with death and debris at the previously elegant Hotel Dumont attempting to return to his “home”–Pandemonium or the Void. Magnus himself feels the call, hears the voice calling him into the Void, but manages to close the portal averting even greater disaster. A young vampire, Dolly, has been warning Magnus that terrible things were coming, and now they have. Dolly was sent by Camille, a very ancient and powerful vampire and former lover of Magnus. Alas, I wanted more! Why did Camille show up now to warn Magnus? Why did the vampires decide Hotel Dumort (formerly Hotel Dumont) was THE place for their hive? More…more…more.

2.5 stars

This was slow and boring until the last 10-15 minutes when we *finally* get some clues about what is going to happen in City of Heavenly Fire.

The only reason it gets 2.5 stars instead of 2 is because of those last few minutes — I actually was interested.

I don’t know what it is, but this novella series just does not do Magnus or the TMI/ID series any justice.

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