Changes

Anne Walker, life mage and former good friend of Camden magic shop owner/future diviner Alex Verus is in trouble. Alex would love to help her but first , he has to find her. Meanwhile , his guilty past as a dark mage apprenticed to the less-than-nice Richard Drakh has come back to haunt him. In fact , there are rumours that Richard himself is coming back to haunt Alex personally as Richard's more than mildly miffed about Alex's betrayal. Hang on Alex – it's going to be a bumpy ride!

British author [[:Category:Benedict Jacka|Benedict Jacka]] may have started writing [[Cursed: An Alex Verus Novel by Benedict Jacka|Alex Verus #1]] in the school library while still a sixth-former but he's grown alongside his hero. Over the novels , he's not only found his stride but a definite style that launches him high into the urban fantasy stratosphere as firmly as his idol, [[:Category:Jim Butcher|Jim Butcher]] who now admires him in return.

Hidden starts a year or so after [[Chosen by Benedict Jacka|Chosen]] ended, bringing Alex back into contact with former friends and enemies. The 'hidden' person , for instance, Anne, is a woman who lived with him platonically for a little while with an unfulfilled frisson of perhaps.

Alex feels a little awkward about the way that their ways parted as Anne (a healer by nature) took exception to Alex's growing body count. He's , therefore , a little reluctant when his apprentice Luna sends him to her flat to offer wise counsel. However, this eventually turns into a rescue attempt forcing him to work with the Council's Keepers (mage police to the rest of us) Caldera and Sonder. (Caldera… remember the [[Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera) by Jim Butcher|Jim Butcher connection]] I mentioned?)

Everything builds to an action -packed crescendo befitting Benedict's talents and the expectations he's cultivated within us. (Talking of which, this is where I insert my usual plea that series like this should be read in order.) ''Hidden'' seems to divide the fans though; some lapping up every word while others feel something may be missing. Me? I can understand both viewpoints but I'm going to stick my neck out with an Alex-type prediction. When we look back at the series in the future I think we'll remember ''Hidden'' for what it revealed and what it began rather than for the comparative lack of set pieces or even for that exciting and hugely satisfying ending. Having been there at the time for it is kind of cool. (What do you mean it's just a story??)