Seer in the Dark

This book sets up the elements of an urban fantasy series.

All the usual elements are here: a sullen young person who discovers who discovers that he is the holder of unimaginable raw power; an attractive kick-ass love interest of the opposite sex; a mysterious, complex secret society; and powerful and threatening enemies who are locked in mortal combat with the secret society.

In this world, there are a raft of quasi-natural beings, who approximate things like vampires, zombies and werewolves. The secret society is the Order. The Order is composed of different “conciliums” with odd names that fight the evil beasts. The Order is known to law enforcement but is beyond its jurisdiction.

After he is sent a computer file, Benjamin Lambert's life goes to pieces. He's attacked by quasi-natural zombie dogs, rescued by a kick-ass babe with white hair, chased through the streets by vampires and barely escapes from a wizard. Ben is introduced to the Order and finds that he has some unusual aptitudes.

This story moves along at a rapid clip. The action sequences are good. The writing is solid and engaging.

However, as a whole, the book did not sell itself to me. I found the naming system for the beasts, magic and organizations to be just a bit too contrived. I was also put off by the automatic hostility of Iris, the kick-ass babe, to Ben was, again, a bit too contrived. On the other hand, if you are a reader looking for action-adventure and a fresh series, this might be the book for you.