Ever since picking up my first Jennifer Cody novel, I haven’t been able to get enough of what she writes. Every time she brings out a new release my expectations are high, Sledge and Claw did not let me down. The first in a new series, with a spin-off series already on the way to being published, this was once again a highly original story. An MM Urban fantasy with a romantic subplot, this took me on a ride that there is just no way of guessing where you are going to go. Jennifer’s world-building is second to none and I am amazed by the way her mind works, I’m also amazed after watching an interview with her (watch here) that she is a pantser, not a plotter and her books are so intricately woven together, I have no idea how she does that.
Based around the main character Lex who is an investigator for IDIA – the Inter-dimensional Immigration Agency. There are beings of all different types that come from numerous planets and dimensions, if it can be imagined, Jennifer will imagine it. Lex is the best at what he does, other than his mentor, and that is debatable depending on who you speak to. Lex has a problem, someone is setting him up and one of the office agents, Gillian Roberts decides she doesn’t trust him and she’s going to start her own investigation into him. Lex has plenty of need-to-know secrets and he is also cursed in some awful ways. What starts as a pain-in-the-ass agent following him where she shouldn’t be turns into a new team when Lex decides he’s going to take Gillian on as his trainee, unheard of since she is human. I didn’t like Gillian much when I first met her, but she grew on me as the story developed and I’m really looking forward to seeing how she goes with her training.
This book sets up a lot of the world-building and background for future books in the series and I loved it from start to finish. I don’t want to say much because I don’t want to give anything away that would ruin the trip you are going to take. There is violence, sex, murder, death, aliens, demons and every other being you can imagine and some you can’t, humour and so much more in this novel.
I can’t wait for book #2 Brick & Brass and also for the spin-off novel Inferno (Hammer & Fist: Geminatus #1).
* Authors note: Sledge and Claw is an MM Urban Fantasy with triggers for the horrors of slave trafficking, & consent issues.
Blurb
Lex: I work, I sleep, I fuck. That’s what I do.
My alphabet soup agency recruited me because of my unique blend of magic and innate talent, but those come with a steep price and it’s getting harder to pay with every investigation.
I never thought Knoxville would be the place that kills me, but between someone targeting me to get me fired (or start a war; could go either way), taking on a naive new trainee, and investigating a non-human trafficking ring, it looks like I’m about to bite off more than I can chew.
The question is, can I figure out what’s going on before it all blows up in my face?
Sledge and Claw is a 65k MM Urban Fantasy that’s going to hit your dark trope buttons without causing too much emotional angst. Come along for an adventure with *Found Family *Dark Hero *Badass Heroine *Interesting Pets *Aliens *Weird Aliens *So Many Aliens *Magic! *Cursed Magic *Mayhem! *So Much Chaos *Secret Government Agencies *Lil’ Bit O’ Voyeurism *Lil’ Bit O’ Exhibitionism
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