WEST OF JAWS

An adult fantasy novel stars an unlikely duo.

Capes introduces readers to Helisent West of Jaws. Some say Helisent is the most powerful witch in Mieira. Despite such a lofty reputation, Helisent often uses her magic for menial tasks and basic bartering. She can, for instance, clean the laundry at a tavern in exchange for drinks. Helisent has been searching for a witch named Oko for four years. Her reasons for seeking Oko are personal. Samson 714 Afador is also looking for Oko. Samson is a high-ranking wolf known as the “imminent Male Alpha of Velm,” meaning he will one day be the leader of his pack. In his position, he hears “unsolicited opinions and advice almost daily.” Samson searches for Oko, as she is likely the only one who knows the whereabouts of his mother (or her remains). As Helisent and Samson hunt Oko together, questions arise, namely: Can the two trust each other? The history between wolves and wielders (witches like Helisent) is a long and bloody one. As the relationship between the two protagonists deepens, things only become more complicated. Capes’ series opener often puts a playful twist on the fantasy genre. Helisent certainly likes cutting loose with substances like pear wine and a drug called dextro. Who knew witches liked to party? And though witches have their own guidelines to live by, Helisent’s hedonistic inclinations are in contrast to someone like Samson (“Wolves have a thousand rules for everything”). But explaining the intricacies of witches and wolves requires long stretches of exposition. Helisent, for instance, lived in a group called a warren. Everyone in a warren “has a specific responsibility, and every warren has slightly different rules.” Warren duties do not make for the most spellbinding reading. Yet as things turn ever more ribald (as when one character’s “cock twitches at the ready” in anticipation of a sexual encounter), there is much in this novel to keep readers intrigued.

A free-wheeling, if sometimes meandering fantasy with two captivating heroes.