Fated

This is the first book in an urban fantasy series very much in the mold of Jim Butcher (in fact this young author has the cheek to write "I've heard of a guy in Chicago who advertises in the phone book under "Wizard", though that's probably a urban legend.")

We have a disillusioned mage, at outs with the mages Council of course, who has retired to run a magic shop (er, shades of dear Atticus O'Sullivan in Kevin Hearne's Hounded?), a disparate selection of friends,London almost a character in its own write in typical British UF style (Ben Aaronovich, Kate Griffin, Mike Carey etc etc. The Brits are obsessed with a magical London), a search for dangerous magical objects that can save or ruin the world, and so on. Nothing really original, though the hero does have the limited ability to see the future. As always with the first book in a UF series much time has to be spent in setting up the book's world, which slows down the narrative, but all in all it is engaging enough, a pleasanttread to relax with though not outstanding.