Blood Engines (Marla Mason, Book 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

T.A. Pratt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 25, 2007

Meet Marla Mason–smart, saucy, slightly wicked witch of the East Coast.…

Sorcerer Marla Mason, small-time guardian of the city of Felport, has a big problem. A rival is preparing a powerful spell that could end Marla’s life–and, even worse, wreck her city. Marla’s only chance of survival is to boost her powers with the Cornerstone, a magical artifact hidden somewhere in San Francisco. But when she arrives there, Marla finds that the quest isn’t going to be quite as cut-and-dried as she expected…and that some of the people she needs to talk to are dead. It seems that San Francisco’s top sorcerers are having troubles of their own–a mysterious assailant has the city’s magical community in a panic, and the local talent is being (gruesomely) picked off one by one.

With her partner-in-crime, Rondeau, Marla is soon racing against time through San Francisco’s alien streets, dodging poisonous frogs, murderous hummingbirds, cannibals, and a nasty vibe from the local witchery, who suspect that Marla herself may be behind the recent murders. And if Marla doesn’t figure out who is killing the city’s finest in time, she’ll be in danger of becoming a magical statistic herself.…

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Pratt is a deft storyteller whose blend of suspense, magic, and dry humor kept me entertained and turning pages. Blood Engines is one of the most absorbing reads I've enjoyed in a long time, gluing me to the couch. I adore Marla, her done-at-all-costs character is someone I can relate to and want to cheer for. Best of all, I didn't figure the ending out until I got there. It's a book widower, and I can't wait for the sequel."—Kim Harrison, NYT-bestselling author of For a Few Demons More

"Blood Engines wastes no time: by page three I knew I was reading an urban fantasy unlike any I'd previously encountered. The characters and world are real, immediate, and unapologetically in-your-face, throwing you into a story that trusts you'll keep up with the fast pace without flinching. It charges along with crisp pacing, a fascinating range of secondary characters, and a highly compelling lead in Marla Mason. She may be one of the genre's requisite sharp-tongued females, but her ruthless pragmaticism gives her a completely different feel from her fictional contemporaries. I genuinely look forward to the next book!"—C.E. Murphy, author of Coyote Dreams


"A fast-paced, thoroughly fun, satisfying read."—Kelley Armstrong, author of No Humans Involved

About the Author

T.A. Pratt lives in Oakland, California with partner H.L. Shaw, and works as a senior editor for a trade publishing magazine.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Spectra; Reissue edition (September 25, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553589989
• ISBN-13: 978-0553589986
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #707,575 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

T.A. Pratt is the author of the Marla Mason series of urban fantasy novels.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something new, November 9, 2007

By 

William Hicks "Book addict" (Flagstaff, arizona) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blood Engines (Marla Mason, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

Finally something for those of us who like urban fantasy but are not too fond of romance novels.
A powerful. mostly immoral sorceress, Her possessed sidekick and a former hollywood star are out to save San Francisco, not out of any 'good' motive but because the bad guy has torqued her off and has something she needs to save her own life.
Fans of the Dresden Files and the early Anite blake books should love this, anyone who likes urban fantasy will probably not be disappointed.

49 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good start to a new series...., November 21, 2007

By 

Deborah Wiley (Winter Haven, FL) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blood Engines (Marla Mason, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

Sorcerer Marla Mason has to stop Susan Wellstone from casting her spell. If she doesn't, it will have horrific consequences to both Marla and the city she guards, Felport. To stop Susan, Marla has traveled to San Francisco with her partner, Rondeau. But something is wrong in San Francisco, something seriously wrong that is leaving a trail of dead sorcerers. Marla doesn't want to intervene in the business of another city, but she will have to if she has any hope of saving her own city.

BLOOD ENGINES introduces readers to Marla Mason, a sorcerer who at first glance appears to be rather cold and forbidding. T.A. Pratt shows us the glimpses beneath this façade, glimpses that reveal the caring heart of this woman dedicated to protecting and preserving her city. It took me awhile to warm up to Marla, but as the story progresses I learned to admire her willingness to sacrifice even the people and things she cares about for the greater overall good.

T.A. Pratt creates characters who aren't simply good or evil, but rather have shades of both just like anyone else. Bradley "B" Bowman is the easiest character to like, as he doesn't appear to have any artificial artifices and his motives are much more apparent on the surface. Even Rondeau has his darker moments, as his background history is fascinating and I'm hopeful there is a story forthcoming about that. T.A. Pratt also does a fantastic job at incorporating various mythologies and legends into the motivations and histories of the characters, leaving readers with a fascinating tapestry of tales within tales.

BLOOD ENGINES is the first in what looks to be a promising new series. There are some uneven moments as one would expect in any new series, but these issues pale in comparison to the overall premise of this entertaining and fast paced story. BLOOD ENGINES is easily recommended.

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Read!, October 7, 2007

By 

Kathryn M. VanDusen (Pennsylvania USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blood Engines (Marla Mason, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

When I first heard about Blood Engines, I was actually on the website of the wonderful Kim Harrison, author of the Hollows series (and if you haven't read it yet, go do it!). Mrs. Pratt has made a stunning entry into the world of scifi/fantasy. Her characters are a bit over the top, but they have a real-world feel to them. It's refreshing to find a female lead who is more than willing to mess with other people's idea of morality in order to protect that which is most important to her- the city of Felport. This book is packed with high-energy and powerful characters, each with a distinct agenda and all with their own quirks.

The book uses a stunning array of mythology, theology, practicality, and action to advance the storyline. The characters' motivations are well explained and detailed, there is more than a little use of humor and shock when dealing with the odd phenomena that seems to happen to Marla and her cohorts, and the villains of the piece are suitably nasty. This is one book I didn't want to put down. The only thing that tended to annoy me were the descriptions- we'd start getting a sense of what was going on from them, and then Marla's distaste for anything but information pertaining to her motivation would cut it off abruptly. Other than that, a great book.