The Necromancer's Dance

4.5 Because you have to hold back a bit. ;) I'm shallow. It's no secret. I got this book solely for the cover and I read it now because it's Halloween. I'm not mad. This was mostly an audio and it was fantastically performed by the inimitable [a:Joel Leslie 13846511 Joel Leslie https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. JL does great voices and accents for every character, which is why this is a performance and not just a reading. Paranormal is not a genre that I've read lots of but I thought this was really well done. The explanation of vampire society and witches/sorcerers is done just right without overwhelming the reader with tedious detail but setting you firmly in the world of everyday magic and some bloodsucking. Save for being undead and a killing spell here and there, you would expect to encounter some of these people in any of our cosmopolitan cities. I loved Angel. HIs name is no accident, the writer seems to like this idea of an angelic MC, see [b:Saving Silas 28490253 Saving Silas S.J. Himes https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1452295868s/28490253.jpg 48638619], but nonetheless I loved Angel's strength, his inherent goodness, and most particularly his cantankerousness. It's a facet of his always simmering anger which saves him on more than one occasion. Angel has lost everything so it's a good thing that life chooses to reward him with Simeon. True there is the minor inconvenience of Simeon being a vampire, but that's a minor stumble on the road to HEA, the major obstacle is a killer hunting Angel with spells, poison, and demons. All in a day's work for our favorite necromancer.I enjoyed this book immensely. I loved how Simeon, who is an old and powerful vampire, is all but enslaved by his love for Angel. Angel, who is slight, prickly, and so-alone-in-the-world wields enormous power but does it with love and care for all living things and even for the undead. I'll definitely will be moving on to the next book and am wondering where can I get my own Eroch?