Customer Reviews

Unleashed (A Dog Days Novel)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
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I am a fan of the series, so when the book came out I purchased it relatively quickly, and was quite happy with it. If you are familiar with this series, you know it's a light but enjoyable romp and this book follows the trend. Many times in series the plot becomes soap opera-ish or the characters loose their feel, and this doesn't happen here. The main characters still feel like themselves and the secondary characters have unique personalities and contributed to the overall storyline. There's a good bit of Eli and Victor in Unleashed, which I was happy about because I enjoy those two.

What's extra great is that the ending was actually a surprise! It's very difficult, especially nowadays to create an ending the reader didn't see coming, but in Unleashed I was unable to predict exactly what would happen.

Sorry about the lack of details, but essentially, if you've enjoyed this series so far you'll appreciate this fascinating sequel that keeps up with Levitt's unique and exciting world.

There is a magic world that the Ordinaries know nothing about even its existence. To keep it that way, certain magical practitioners serve as cops to insure no one deviates from the righteous path. They also cover up when something magical happens so that s mortals do not learn of their existence. One enforcer with medium level strength is Mason, who has an Ifrit Louie, a faithful familiar shaped like a dog.

Mason tries to help some San Francisco homeless practitioners who are gradually losing their humanity and turning into beings from the myths and legend. They accidentally create an anti-Ifrit who killed people. At first Mason thought the anti-Ifrit murdered ordinaries, but he revised his theory. He now thinks a Wendigo came out of the energy field that the anti-Ifrit came out of and is the killer. The pair finally gets it right when they figure out what the real killers are. Mason, Louie, their mentor Eli and Chief Enforcer Victor know it will take team work and a miracle to destroy the killer
.

Magic, mayhem and mystery make up Unleashed, a poignant yet often amusing urban fantasy that is filled with intrigue and a sense of wonder. Mason will do anything for his Louie and likewise the Ifrit canine will sacrifice himself for his partner; as man's best friend is his dog. The danger begins due to out of control practitioners losing their sense of reality and allowing a pseudo Ifrit, a Wendigo and a killer out of the energy pool leading to a wonderful original urban fantasy whodunit.

Harriet Klausner

With this latest addition to the "Dog Days" series, I am officially a fan. "Unleashed" is my favorite so far. Levitt did a great job of building suspense, creating vivid images of the paranormal, and keeping the reader guessing.

The second book in the series, "New Tricks", was fine, but did not grab me as much as the first book, "Dog Days." "Unleashed" just seems more put together as a story and is definitely more creepy. I wish I could comment in more detail, but I don't want to give anything away--however I was glad to see some characters from earlier in the series back and I am interested in seeing what Levitt does with them in future editions.

There is one issue in this novel that the author addresses, but ultimatley leaves unanswered. I suspect it will be part of the next book, and I am looking forward to seeing how it is handled. I can say I was pleased how this story ended.

If you are a fan of Butcher's "Harry Dresden" or Brigg's "Mercy Thompson" series, you will probably enjoy Levitt's stories.

I just finished reading "Unleashed", the third book in the series.
John Levitt ,has done it again.
He has pulled me into the story line but good.
I do believe this book was even better than the first two,in this series.
The characters have been more developed.
The strengths and weaknesses of each character, make this book worth reading.
Mason with his magical powers, and his ifrit, Lou, take us on a wild ride this time.
Trying to find out who is the shape shifter, keeps the group on the run.
Who do you trust? Who do you go to for help?
Your best friend might turn out to be a bad"guy", or maybe not.
Excellent reading. I am now a John Levitt fan.
I look forward to the next installment.

Another great read from John Levitt! Lots of twists along this ride. He just keeps getting better!

After giving away my copy of "Unleashed" to another enthusiastic Mason & Louie fan, I decided to order another so I could re-read it before the next book in the series came out.

It is a pleasant surprise that I enjoy the book thoroughly on the second read. Even knowing the story I am still completely entertained by the characters, the story development, and the overall writing style in "Unleashed". It is a charming book and a splendid series.

Cheers!


Unleashed (A Dog Days Novel)
Play Dead (A Dog Days Novel)

I enjoyed the first two books of this series very much and the last addition is the best of the three. Mason seems to have matured and settled into his role as a practitioner without the angst of previous storylines. This story also keeps surprising you with unexpected twists and turns, even the ending is an unexpected surprise! I highly recommend this book, as well as the previous two, to anyone who enjoys an easy read, interesting characters and storylines with lots of excitement and a touch of humor.

The plot is different, the characters well-developed, and the flow of the story is addictive. I especially enjoy this author's writing style. Very readable. Nice ride!

Mason has got trouble. The fake Ifrit that was let loose in New Tricks from the shadey practicioner is causing alot of problems. People are getting killed and torn apart in the city.
Mason goes to his street friends to get information and finds a vortex of power that had not gone away after the last magic confrontation.
Mason meets a psychic named Morgan, she does a reading for him.. prompted by her parents. She sees a danger in the woods and warns Mason. Of course Mason goes to the woods and finds what is waiting for him. He and Louie discover another menace is in town. It is much worse than they originally thought.

"Unleashed" is the third installment in the "Dog Days" urban fantasy series. At the time of this review, the series consists of four titles (the others being "Dog Days", "New Tricks", and "Play Dead"), and I've read all four. The author has done a really good job making each novel in the series readable as a standalone, always providing adequate background information as needed; so if for any reason you find yourself having only one of them in your hand, don't hesitate to dig in because I think all of them are good reads.

In the last installment, "New Tricks", our hero Mason, a magic practitioner, had unwittingly helped open a magical portal when a flubbed attempt to create an Ifrit, a magical creature like Mason's canine sidekick, Louie, produced instead a monster that quickly leapt away.

Now, in this installment, Mason and his allies find themselves searching frantically for this unleashed monster that has apparently gone on a killing spree in San Francisco, and they also have to figure out how to prevent other creatures from jumping out of the open portal because in following up on a premonition by Morgan, a female psychic that Mason had recently met, Mason has had a run in with an other-worldly Wendigo creature, a cunning one that can cast hypnotic spells and compel a victim to come to it.

As if these problems were not enough to keep Mason and Louie occupied, they get ambushed by a practitioner one night. Lured to a dark place, they get attacked by an entirely different kind of creature. Reading the newspaper the next day about a memorial for a human hiker killed a few days ago, Mason is shocked to learn that the practitioner who ambushed him and Louie the night before looked like the hiker pictured in the newspaper!!

Mason and his allies eventually figure out what seems to be happening. Unfortunately, by the time they do so, a person that Mason cared about has been affected badly.

But this novel is not all grim and darkly. It has Mason's usual brand of wry humor. And though it has supernatural beings who used to be very human but are now more creature than human, it also has a creature that's claiming he's becoming more human and he likes music!! The Wendigo also turns out to be an interesting character, managing to help Mason a couple of times.

So, overall, another good read!