Dead Man's Deal: The Asylum Tales (The Asylum Tales, 2)
Dead Man's Deal by Jocelynn Drake continues the dark and dangerous adventures of a magical tattoo artist begun in Angel's Ink.
In a gritty urban fantasy world where elves, faeries, trolls, werewolves, and vampires swim free in a sea of humanity, sometimes you need an edge. Looking for a little love? Need some luck? Desperate for revenge? Gage can give you what you need. The most talented tattoo artist in town, he knows the right symbol and the right mix of ingredients and ink to achieve your heart's desire. One tattoo is all it takes. But remember, everything has its price.
The wizards know Gage is using forbidden magic, and they intend to punish him for his transgressions. Too bad if innocent humans and monsters—entire cities—get in the way. They will quell a nascent magical uprising and Gage will be the sacrifice they need. First, though, they have to find him.
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Community Reviews
Dead Man's Deal (The Asylum Tales, #2) by Drake, Jocelynn
The second novel in the Asylum Tales series is better that the first. The story is tighter, the stakes are higher, and the action is more compelling. By the time I finished it I was ready for book 3! Over all a really fun read and well done.
Racap
Lotâs of spoilers!
The story opens a few months after the first book. Gage is on a job for the local dark elf mafia boss who blackmailed him in book one. This brings up a major problem that keeps recurring; Gage is forbidden any magic expect to protect himself but he not only does magic all the time, but is actually employed specifically to work spells for the mafia.
Unfortunately, for Gage, he just canât put aside his ethics even to save his own skin. When he is sent to put a protective spell on a drug house he has the take matters into his own hands. The drug in question is Fix and it is produced by murdering pixies. Gage cleverly uses the fact that he has been told to cast a protection spell on the house to do just that. The spell has the side effect of freeing the pixies, which of course was his main intention though he pleads ignorance and sticks to the story that he was just doing as he was ordered.
His warden Gideon, of course, shows up and berates Gage for being unable to keep his head down. Gage explains his current situations and Gideon gives him a warning. Gideon might be removed as Gageâs warden and any replacement was unlikely to be as lenient. The Towers are in chaos, and while they canât prove it, it appears Gageâs killing of his old mentor Simon has become known.
Worse, Gageâs defection has inspired other apprentices to run away. Gideon warns him that he absolutely cannot be seen as helping or encouraging the apprentices. In addition to the dire warnings, Gideon has a favor to ask of Gage. Gideonâs secret daughter is showing signs of magic and she needs a mentor. He hopes Sophie will take the task and asks Gage to secure the witchâs help.
Gageâs boss Reave is none too pleased with Gageâs little pixie freeing escapade. He threatens Gageâs friends including Bronx and Trixie if Gage gets out of line again. Reave gives Gage another job that leads into the main plot of the book.
Gage is supposed to tattoo a man with secret information and the man turns out to be Gageâs very own brother. The information is the location of the Towers (at least some of them) that Reave plans to use to spur a rebellion against the witches. Gage of course of no fan of the Towers but he recognizes that out right rebellion is suicide.
The main conflict is set in motion. Gage must protect his brother, his friends, save his own skin, and somehow take down a dark elf mafia boss all against chaotic backdrop witches vying for power and a simmering rebellion. Once started, the action never lets up. Various warlocks and witches show up randomly to duel with Gage to the death. He defeats each one (killing some at great price).
Once the Towers get word that someone has leaked the location of the Towers, they naturally blame Gage. The witches and warlocks destroy the entire city of Indianapolis because of the rumor of the leak of information revealing just how ruthless they are. His only hope, slim as it is, is to find a way to turn Reave to the towers. Along the way we get to know Gage a little better as some of his brutal time as an apprentice is revealed.
In addition to the main story thread of saving the world (as if that wasn't enough), Gage also works on the promise he made to Trixie to restore the elf Queenâs fertility in order to divert the elf Kingâs attention away from Trixie. As interesting as that story was, at times it seemed that Gage really didn't have time for it and didn't always have his priorities straight! It does end up tying into the Towers story line in a surprising way.
Gage gets captured, tortured, and finally rescued by the five runaways he had been warned about. Though he had been doing pretty well in his own. The last part of the book has some nail biting action as Gage finally manages to capture the dark elf and deliver him to the council. It always seemed like and iffy plan and sure enough, he needed an insurance plan and he was smart enough to have one.
A few nit picking points nag at me:
If you âsaveâ someone by erasing their entire memory and giving them a new identity, how have you saved them? Isnât that the same a death?
Not enough Trixie. In this book she feels like just something valuable to Gage to be a bargaining chip and motivation for Gage. I wish we could see her be her own agent.
Finally, only someone who knows nothing about cats would think it was a great idea to scoop up and hug a strange cat! Even the most docile of cats is likely to shred you! Luckily Sophia wasnât actually a cat.
The second novel in the Asylum Tales series is better that the first. The story is tighter, the stakes are higher, and the action is more compelling. By the time I finished it I was ready for book 3! Over all a really fun read and well done.
Racap
Lotâs of spoilers!
The story opens a few months after the first book. Gage is on a job for the local dark elf mafia boss who blackmailed him in book one. This brings up a major problem that keeps recurring; Gage is forbidden any magic expect to protect himself but he not only does magic all the time, but is actually employed specifically to work spells for the mafia.
Unfortunately, for Gage, he just canât put aside his ethics even to save his own skin. When he is sent to put a protective spell on a drug house he has the take matters into his own hands. The drug in question is Fix and it is produced by murdering pixies. Gage cleverly uses the fact that he has been told to cast a protection spell on the house to do just that. The spell has the side effect of freeing the pixies, which of course was his main intention though he pleads ignorance and sticks to the story that he was just doing as he was ordered.
His warden Gideon, of course, shows up and berates Gage for being unable to keep his head down. Gage explains his current situations and Gideon gives him a warning. Gideon might be removed as Gageâs warden and any replacement was unlikely to be as lenient. The Towers are in chaos, and while they canât prove it, it appears Gageâs killing of his old mentor Simon has become known.
Worse, Gageâs defection has inspired other apprentices to run away. Gideon warns him that he absolutely cannot be seen as helping or encouraging the apprentices. In addition to the dire warnings, Gideon has a favor to ask of Gage. Gideonâs secret daughter is showing signs of magic and she needs a mentor. He hopes Sophie will take the task and asks Gage to secure the witchâs help.
Gageâs boss Reave is none too pleased with Gageâs little pixie freeing escapade. He threatens Gageâs friends including Bronx and Trixie if Gage gets out of line again. Reave gives Gage another job that leads into the main plot of the book.
Gage is supposed to tattoo a man with secret information and the man turns out to be Gageâs very own brother. The information is the location of the Towers (at least some of them) that Reave plans to use to spur a rebellion against the witches. Gage of course of no fan of the Towers but he recognizes that out right rebellion is suicide.
The main conflict is set in motion. Gage must protect his brother, his friends, save his own skin, and somehow take down a dark elf mafia boss all against chaotic backdrop witches vying for power and a simmering rebellion. Once started, the action never lets up. Various warlocks and witches show up randomly to duel with Gage to the death. He defeats each one (killing some at great price).
Once the Towers get word that someone has leaked the location of the Towers, they naturally blame Gage. The witches and warlocks destroy the entire city of Indianapolis because of the rumor of the leak of information revealing just how ruthless they are. His only hope, slim as it is, is to find a way to turn Reave to the towers. Along the way we get to know Gage a little better as some of his brutal time as an apprentice is revealed.
In addition to the main story thread of saving the world (as if that wasn't enough), Gage also works on the promise he made to Trixie to restore the elf Queenâs fertility in order to divert the elf Kingâs attention away from Trixie. As interesting as that story was, at times it seemed that Gage really didn't have time for it and didn't always have his priorities straight! It does end up tying into the Towers story line in a surprising way.
Gage gets captured, tortured, and finally rescued by the five runaways he had been warned about. Though he had been doing pretty well in his own. The last part of the book has some nail biting action as Gage finally manages to capture the dark elf and deliver him to the council. It always seemed like and iffy plan and sure enough, he needed an insurance plan and he was smart enough to have one.
A few nit picking points nag at me:
If you âsaveâ someone by erasing their entire memory and giving them a new identity, how have you saved them? Isnât that the same a death?
Not enough Trixie. In this book she feels like just something valuable to Gage to be a bargaining chip and motivation for Gage. I wish we could see her be her own agent.
Finally, only someone who knows nothing about cats would think it was a great idea to scoop up and hug a strange cat! Even the most docile of cats is likely to shred you! Luckily Sophia wasnât actually a cat.
Dead Man's Deal (The Asylum Tales, #2) by Drake, Jocelynn
The second novel in the Asylum Tales series is better that the first. The story is tighter, the stakes are higher, and the action is more compelling. By the time I finished it I was ready for book 3! Over all a really fun read and well done.
Racap
Lotâs of spoilers!
The story opens a few months after the first book. Gage is on a job for the local dark elf mafia boss who blackmailed him in book one. This brings up a major problem that keeps recurring; Gage is forbidden any magic expect to protect himself but he not only does magic all the time, but is actually employed specifically to work spells for the mafia.
Unfortunately, for Gage, he just canât put aside his ethics even to save his own skin. When he is sent to put a protective spell on a drug house he has the take matters into his own hands. The drug in question is Fix and it is produced by murdering pixies. Gage cleverly uses the fact that he has been told to cast a protection spell on the house to do just that. The spell has the side effect of freeing the pixies, which of course was his main intention though he pleads ignorance and sticks to the story that he was just doing as he was ordered.
His warden Gideon, of course, shows up and berates Gage for being unable to keep his head down. Gage explains his current situations and Gideon gives him a warning. Gideon might be removed as Gageâs warden and any replacement was unlikely to be as lenient. The Towers are in chaos, and while they canât prove it, it appears Gageâs killing of his old mentor Simon has become known.
Worse, Gageâs defection has inspired other apprentices to run away. Gideon warns him that he absolutely cannot be seen as helping or encouraging the apprentices. In addition to the dire warnings, Gideon has a favor to ask of Gage. Gideonâs secret daughter is showing signs of magic and she needs a mentor. He hopes Sophie will take the task and asks Gage to secure the witchâs help.
Gageâs boss Reave is none too pleased with Gageâs little pixie freeing escapade. He threatens Gageâs friends including Bronx and Trixie if Gage gets out of line again. Reave gives Gage another job that leads into the main plot of the book.
Gage is supposed to tattoo a man with secret information and the man turns out to be Gageâs very own brother. The information is the location of the Towers (at least some of them) that Reave plans to use to spur a rebellion against the witches. Gage of course of no fan of the Towers but he recognizes that out right rebellion is suicide.
The main conflict is set in motion. Gage must protect his brother, his friends, save his own skin, and somehow take down a dark elf mafia boss all against chaotic backdrop witches vying for power and a simmering rebellion. Once started, the action never lets up. Various warlocks and witches show up randomly to duel with Gage to the death. He defeats each one (killing some at great price).
Once the Towers get word that someone has leaked the location of the Towers, they naturally blame Gage. The witches and warlocks destroy the entire city of Indianapolis because of the rumor of the leak of information revealing just how ruthless they are. His only hope, slim as it is, is to find a way to turn Reave to the towers. Along the way we get to know Gage a little better as some of his brutal time as an apprentice is revealed.
In addition to the main story thread of saving the world (as if that wasn't enough), Gage also works on the promise he made to Trixie to restore the elf Queenâs fertility in order to divert the elf Kingâs attention away from Trixie. As interesting as that story was, at times it seemed that Gage really didn't have time for it and didn't always have his priorities straight! It does end up tying into the Towers story line in a surprising way.
Gage gets captured, tortured, and finally rescued by the five runaways he had been warned about. Though he had been doing pretty well in his own. The last part of the book has some nail biting action as Gage finally manages to capture the dark elf and deliver him to the council. It always seemed like and iffy plan and sure enough, he needed an insurance plan and he was smart enough to have one.
A few nit picking points nag at me:
If you âsaveâ someone by erasing their entire memory and giving them a new identity, how have you saved them? Isnât that the same a death?
Not enough Trixie. In this book she feels like just something valuable to Gage to be a bargaining chip and motivation for Gage. I wish we could see her be her own agent.
Finally, only someone who knows nothing about cats would think it was a great idea to scoop up and hug a strange cat! Even the most docile of cats is likely to shred you! Luckily Sophia wasnât actually a cat.
The second novel in the Asylum Tales series is better that the first. The story is tighter, the stakes are higher, and the action is more compelling. By the time I finished it I was ready for book 3! Over all a really fun read and well done.
Racap
Lotâs of spoilers!
The story opens a few months after the first book. Gage is on a job for the local dark elf mafia boss who blackmailed him in book one. This brings up a major problem that keeps recurring; Gage is forbidden any magic expect to protect himself but he not only does magic all the time, but is actually employed specifically to work spells for the mafia.
Unfortunately, for Gage, he just canât put aside his ethics even to save his own skin. When he is sent to put a protective spell on a drug house he has the take matters into his own hands. The drug in question is Fix and it is produced by murdering pixies. Gage cleverly uses the fact that he has been told to cast a protection spell on the house to do just that. The spell has the side effect of freeing the pixies, which of course was his main intention though he pleads ignorance and sticks to the story that he was just doing as he was ordered.
His warden Gideon, of course, shows up and berates Gage for being unable to keep his head down. Gage explains his current situations and Gideon gives him a warning. Gideon might be removed as Gageâs warden and any replacement was unlikely to be as lenient. The Towers are in chaos, and while they canât prove it, it appears Gageâs killing of his old mentor Simon has become known.
Worse, Gageâs defection has inspired other apprentices to run away. Gideon warns him that he absolutely cannot be seen as helping or encouraging the apprentices. In addition to the dire warnings, Gideon has a favor to ask of Gage. Gideonâs secret daughter is showing signs of magic and she needs a mentor. He hopes Sophie will take the task and asks Gage to secure the witchâs help.
Gageâs boss Reave is none too pleased with Gageâs little pixie freeing escapade. He threatens Gageâs friends including Bronx and Trixie if Gage gets out of line again. Reave gives Gage another job that leads into the main plot of the book.
Gage is supposed to tattoo a man with secret information and the man turns out to be Gageâs very own brother. The information is the location of the Towers (at least some of them) that Reave plans to use to spur a rebellion against the witches. Gage of course of no fan of the Towers but he recognizes that out right rebellion is suicide.
The main conflict is set in motion. Gage must protect his brother, his friends, save his own skin, and somehow take down a dark elf mafia boss all against chaotic backdrop witches vying for power and a simmering rebellion. Once started, the action never lets up. Various warlocks and witches show up randomly to duel with Gage to the death. He defeats each one (killing some at great price).
Once the Towers get word that someone has leaked the location of the Towers, they naturally blame Gage. The witches and warlocks destroy the entire city of Indianapolis because of the rumor of the leak of information revealing just how ruthless they are. His only hope, slim as it is, is to find a way to turn Reave to the towers. Along the way we get to know Gage a little better as some of his brutal time as an apprentice is revealed.
In addition to the main story thread of saving the world (as if that wasn't enough), Gage also works on the promise he made to Trixie to restore the elf Queenâs fertility in order to divert the elf Kingâs attention away from Trixie. As interesting as that story was, at times it seemed that Gage really didn't have time for it and didn't always have his priorities straight! It does end up tying into the Towers story line in a surprising way.
Gage gets captured, tortured, and finally rescued by the five runaways he had been warned about. Though he had been doing pretty well in his own. The last part of the book has some nail biting action as Gage finally manages to capture the dark elf and deliver him to the council. It always seemed like and iffy plan and sure enough, he needed an insurance plan and he was smart enough to have one.
A few nit picking points nag at me:
If you âsaveâ someone by erasing their entire memory and giving them a new identity, how have you saved them? Isnât that the same a death?
Not enough Trixie. In this book she feels like just something valuable to Gage to be a bargaining chip and motivation for Gage. I wish we could see her be her own agent.
Finally, only someone who knows nothing about cats would think it was a great idea to scoop up and hug a strange cat! Even the most docile of cats is likely to shred you! Luckily Sophia wasnât actually a cat.
Dead Man's Deal (The Asylum Tales, #2) by Drake, Jocelynn
The second novel in the Asylum Tales series is better that the first. The story is tighter, the stakes are higher, and the action is more compelling. By the time I finished it I was ready for book 3! Over all a really fun read and well done.
Racap
Lotâs of spoilers!
The story opens a few months after the first book. Gage is on a job for the local dark elf mafia boss who blackmailed him in book one. This brings up a major problem that keeps recurring; Gage is forbidden any magic expect to protect himself but he not only does magic all the time, but is actually employed specifically to work spells for the mafia.
Unfortunately, for Gage, he just canât put aside his ethics even to save his own skin. When he is sent to put a protective spell on a drug house he has the take matters into his own hands. The drug in question is Fix and it is produced by murdering pixies. Gage cleverly uses the fact that he has been told to cast a protection spell on the house to do just that. The spell has the side effect of freeing the pixies, which of course was his main intention though he pleads ignorance and sticks to the story that he was just doing as he was ordered.
His warden Gideon, of course, shows up and berates Gage for being unable to keep his head down. Gage explains his current situations and Gideon gives him a warning. Gideon might be removed as Gageâs warden and any replacement was unlikely to be as lenient. The Towers are in chaos, and while they canât prove it, it appears Gageâs killing of his old mentor Simon has become known.
Worse, Gageâs defection has inspired other apprentices to run away. Gideon warns him that he absolutely cannot be seen as helping or encouraging the apprentices. In addition to the dire warnings, Gideon has a favor to ask of Gage. Gideonâs secret daughter is showing signs of magic and she needs a mentor. He hopes Sophie will take the task and asks Gage to secure the witchâs help.
Gageâs boss Reave is none too pleased with Gageâs little pixie freeing escapade. He threatens Gageâs friends including Bronx and Trixie if Gage gets out of line again. Reave gives Gage another job that leads into the main plot of the book.
Gage is supposed to tattoo a man with secret information and the man turns out to be Gageâs very own brother. The information is the location of the Towers (at least some of them) that Reave plans to use to spur a rebellion against the witches. Gage of course of no fan of the Towers but he recognizes that out right rebellion is suicide.
The main conflict is set in motion. Gage must protect his brother, his friends, save his own skin, and somehow take down a dark elf mafia boss all against chaotic backdrop witches vying for power and a simmering rebellion. Once started, the action never lets up. Various warlocks and witches show up randomly to duel with Gage to the death. He defeats each one (killing some at great price).
Once the Towers get word that someone has leaked the location of the Towers, they naturally blame Gage. The witches and warlocks destroy the entire city of Indianapolis because of the rumor of the leak of information revealing just how ruthless they are. His only hope, slim as it is, is to find a way to turn Reave to the towers. Along the way we get to know Gage a little better as some of his brutal time as an apprentice is revealed.
In addition to the main story thread of saving the world (as if that wasn't enough), Gage also works on the promise he made to Trixie to restore the elf Queenâs fertility in order to divert the elf Kingâs attention away from Trixie. As interesting as that story was, at times it seemed that Gage really didn't have time for it and didn't always have his priorities straight! It does end up tying into the Towers story line in a surprising way.
Gage gets captured, tortured, and finally rescued by the five runaways he had been warned about. Though he had been doing pretty well in his own. The last part of the book has some nail biting action as Gage finally manages to capture the dark elf and deliver him to the council. It always seemed like and iffy plan and sure enough, he needed an insurance plan and he was smart enough to have one.
A few nit picking points nag at me:
If you âsaveâ someone by erasing their entire memory and giving them a new identity, how have you saved them? Isnât that the same a death?
Not enough Trixie. In this book she feels like just something valuable to Gage to be a bargaining chip and motivation for Gage. I wish we could see her be her own agent.
Finally, only someone who knows nothing about cats would think it was a great idea to scoop up and hug a strange cat! Even the most docile of cats is likely to shred you! Luckily Sophia wasnât actually a cat.
The second novel in the Asylum Tales series is better that the first. The story is tighter, the stakes are higher, and the action is more compelling. By the time I finished it I was ready for book 3! Over all a really fun read and well done.
Racap
Lotâs of spoilers!
The story opens a few months after the first book. Gage is on a job for the local dark elf mafia boss who blackmailed him in book one. This brings up a major problem that keeps recurring; Gage is forbidden any magic expect to protect himself but he not only does magic all the time, but is actually employed specifically to work spells for the mafia.
Unfortunately, for Gage, he just canât put aside his ethics even to save his own skin. When he is sent to put a protective spell on a drug house he has the take matters into his own hands. The drug in question is Fix and it is produced by murdering pixies. Gage cleverly uses the fact that he has been told to cast a protection spell on the house to do just that. The spell has the side effect of freeing the pixies, which of course was his main intention though he pleads ignorance and sticks to the story that he was just doing as he was ordered.
His warden Gideon, of course, shows up and berates Gage for being unable to keep his head down. Gage explains his current situations and Gideon gives him a warning. Gideon might be removed as Gageâs warden and any replacement was unlikely to be as lenient. The Towers are in chaos, and while they canât prove it, it appears Gageâs killing of his old mentor Simon has become known.
Worse, Gageâs defection has inspired other apprentices to run away. Gideon warns him that he absolutely cannot be seen as helping or encouraging the apprentices. In addition to the dire warnings, Gideon has a favor to ask of Gage. Gideonâs secret daughter is showing signs of magic and she needs a mentor. He hopes Sophie will take the task and asks Gage to secure the witchâs help.
Gageâs boss Reave is none too pleased with Gageâs little pixie freeing escapade. He threatens Gageâs friends including Bronx and Trixie if Gage gets out of line again. Reave gives Gage another job that leads into the main plot of the book.
Gage is supposed to tattoo a man with secret information and the man turns out to be Gageâs very own brother. The information is the location of the Towers (at least some of them) that Reave plans to use to spur a rebellion against the witches. Gage of course of no fan of the Towers but he recognizes that out right rebellion is suicide.
The main conflict is set in motion. Gage must protect his brother, his friends, save his own skin, and somehow take down a dark elf mafia boss all against chaotic backdrop witches vying for power and a simmering rebellion. Once started, the action never lets up. Various warlocks and witches show up randomly to duel with Gage to the death. He defeats each one (killing some at great price).
Once the Towers get word that someone has leaked the location of the Towers, they naturally blame Gage. The witches and warlocks destroy the entire city of Indianapolis because of the rumor of the leak of information revealing just how ruthless they are. His only hope, slim as it is, is to find a way to turn Reave to the towers. Along the way we get to know Gage a little better as some of his brutal time as an apprentice is revealed.
In addition to the main story thread of saving the world (as if that wasn't enough), Gage also works on the promise he made to Trixie to restore the elf Queenâs fertility in order to divert the elf Kingâs attention away from Trixie. As interesting as that story was, at times it seemed that Gage really didn't have time for it and didn't always have his priorities straight! It does end up tying into the Towers story line in a surprising way.
Gage gets captured, tortured, and finally rescued by the five runaways he had been warned about. Though he had been doing pretty well in his own. The last part of the book has some nail biting action as Gage finally manages to capture the dark elf and deliver him to the council. It always seemed like and iffy plan and sure enough, he needed an insurance plan and he was smart enough to have one.
A few nit picking points nag at me:
If you âsaveâ someone by erasing their entire memory and giving them a new identity, how have you saved them? Isnât that the same a death?
Not enough Trixie. In this book she feels like just something valuable to Gage to be a bargaining chip and motivation for Gage. I wish we could see her be her own agent.
Finally, only someone who knows nothing about cats would think it was a great idea to scoop up and hug a strange cat! Even the most docile of cats is likely to shred you! Luckily Sophia wasnât actually a cat.
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