A thoroughly entertaining read, packed with action from start to finish. The most intriguing character is definitely the young woman; I'm really hoping she gets even more development in the upcoming books in the "Hard Magic: A Grimnoir Chronicles Novel" series by Larry Correia. If you're looking for a thrilling fantasy book review, look no further!

Contrary to its title, *Hard Magic: A Grimnoir Chronicles Novel* isn't your typical urban fantasy; it's essentially a superhero novel. Set in an alternate history between the world wars, a mysterious alien "power" arrived on Earth in the mid-19th century, granting a segment of the population magical abilities. Most "Actives" find their powers singular and well-defined: "brutes" boast super strength, "torches" control fire, "mouths" manipulate minds, "heavies" command gravity, and so on. However,...

Excellent Magic Noir - 4 Stars Posted to The Literary Lawyer.ca Being a huge fan of the gun-toting, monster-slaying cowboys in Larry Correia's Monster Hunter International series, trying his other series, Hard Magic: A Grimnoir Chronicles Novel, seemed like a no-brainer. And I'm glad I did! Correia bends the urban fantasy genre once again by melding elements of noir with alternate history sci-fi. The result is a unique reading experience that sets it apart from the Dresden Files clones. If ...

Honestly, the characters in *Hard Magic: A Grimnoir Chronicles Novel* are pretty forgettable (especially the women – some are almost offensively written). The potentially cool setting is totally wasted on airship battles, and there's not nearly enough gritty atmosphere to live up to the "noir" in the title. Plus, the ethnic stereotypes are just… ugh, cringe-worthy. I felt less like I was diving into some awesome fantasy noir and more like I was reading a bland comic book adaptation. Thankfully, ...

I went in with high hopes for *Hard Magic: A Grimnoir Chronicles Novel* by Larry Correia, and let me tell you, I was not let down. Absolutely awesome. Just plain awesome. This book hooks you from the start and doesn't turn loose. And it's got it all – seriously nasty villains, zombies, tough women, magic, the works. Plus, I was really digging the vibe – a mix of steampunk and those wild pulp fiction adventures from the 30s and 40s. A fantastic read!Knocked it down to four stars after thinking ab...

Cool [no, not nearly cool enough]Cooooool [so now we're not even using our words? Nope]Super cool [almost makes it less cool ... no]Very cool [oh, now we're getting so descriptive ... no]Chilly [apparently the thesaurus isn't working, nope]Boss [actually on the way to fitting despite going back a few decades, not quite]Bully [actually getting to the right decade, but still not there]Cawbullboss aka Coolawesomebullyboss [I was right up above, needed a new word to describe this]Yep, *Hard Magic: A...

This alt-history magic noir series, Hard Magic: A Grimnoir Chronicles Novel by Larry Correia, is a total mind-bender. I love Correia's no-holds-barred action writing. The world-building in Hard Magic: A Grimnoir Chronicles Novel is fantastic, and the attention to detail is superb. I'd been told by other Monster Hunter International fans that this was even better, and I think I might agree. If you're looking for a great fantasy book review, look no further. Jake Sullivan is a gravity-manipulating...

This is a big, greasy double cheeseburger of a book... with all the fixings. It's not deep, it's just pure, unadulterated action, featuring a pretty unique magic system. While you've probably seen elements that are similar, I guarantee you haven't seen *this* exactly. It's full of adventure and imagination. I dig it. So far, I've pretty much enjoyed everything Larry Correia has put out there. If we had a ten-star system, I *might* have given "Hard Magic: A Grimnoir Chronicles Novel" a nine, as t...

WINNER:...The BEST, most FUN, and most PAGE-TURNING new hard-boiled, magical, steampunk, noirish, alternate history, gun-toting, action-oriented urban fantasy.Larry Correia's *Monster Hunter International* series has been a guilty pleasure of mine for years. Now, with *Hard Magic: A Grimnoir Chronicles Novel*, the first of a new series called the Grimnoir Chronicles, Correia unloads the guilt and pumps up the pleasure by crafting a smart, authentic, incredibly fun alternate history in which magi...

Unfortunately, Hard Magic: A Grimnoir Chronicles Novel doesn't quite measure up to Correia's first series, Monster Hunters International. One reviewer nailed it when they pointed out the lack of world-building, with tossed-in 1920s vocabulary trying to pass for a setting. There's more detail on guns than there are on the physical characteristics of the setting and mood, which are critical elements of detective noir. There are also some odd ethnic references that make me feel vaguely uncomfortabl...