Book Review: Three Kinds of Lucky by Kim Harrison

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Three Kinds Lucky by Kim Harrison

Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Book 1 of The Shadow Age

Publisher: Ace (March 5, 2024)

Length: 464 pages

Author Information: Website

Though she is the author of much beloved and celebrated The Hollows series, the books of Kim Harrison have always eluded me…until now. I fell into a bit of a reading funk this winter, but thankfully, her new novel Three Kinds of Lucky was the ideal pick-me-up to break me out of it.

As the story begins, we meet Petra Grady, a sweeper extraordinaire. What is a sweeper, you ask? They have the unglamorous yet essential task of cleaning up the messes caused by doing magic, which leaves behind a hazardous byproduct known as dross. Of course, the cruel reality is that Petra possesses no magic of her own, so she has resolved to become the best at what she does.

But then along comes the magical prodigy and her childhood acquaintance, Benedict, who has stormed back into her life with new breakthrough research that can make her entire existence obsolete. He’s about to perfect a process that would neutralize dross, essentially putting all sweepers out of a job, and unfortunately, he needs Petra’s expertise to complete his work and her participation isn’t exactly optional.

However, Benedict, for all his genius, lacks Petra’s insight and deep understanding of dross. When an unexpected and tragic accident throws the world into chaos, the two of them are forced to go on the run. Now their only hope rests on another fugitive who may or may not be a reliable ally, and Petra must face a difficult choice: cling to the established but comfortable order of her past, or face an uncertain future where she can use her hidden powers to change the magical landscape.

This opening installment of The Shadow Age series was as fun and fluffy as I expected. That said, there were a few hiccups. For one, I found the initial set up to be incredibly drawn out—not surprising given the amount of world-building and new terminology this first installment had to cover, but I thought the information could have been a less dumpy and more integrated into the introduction. And second…oof. No spoilers from me, but I will say that, speaking as a dog lover and owner, there was a certain part that was incredibly difficult for me to read. So yeah, not exactly all sunshine and pixie dust.

Once the story gets going though, things do get better. Harrison masterfully weaves a world where magic is both commonplace and perilous, which should make fans of the supernatural genre feel right at home. The concept of dross and the requirement of a specialized clean-up crew to handle it is an interesting one, leaving readers excited to learn more. Petra, an unconventional but resourceful main character, also holds lots of promise. Granted, it typically takes more than one book for me to feel fully invested in an urban fantasy protagonist, but this first book has established a good foundation for her personality and magical powers, making me curious to see where future installments will take her.

In sum, it’s the dawn of The Shadow Age, and while the intro of Three Kinds of Lucky was a bit of a slow-burn, overall things are off to a great start. Like me, some readers may find the pacing uneven at times, but the book ultimately delivers an engaging and entertaining plot featuring well-drawn characters. A mix of adventure, romance, and self-discovery, I believe it will appeal to urban fantasy and paranormal fiction fans alike.