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Webmage #2
Cybermancy
Hades has a hell of a firewall in this WebMage novel from Kelly McCullough.
Not just any computer geek can hack into Hades. But Ravirn, a direct descendant of one of the three Fates, is no ordinary hacker. Magic has gone digital in the twenty-first century, and Ravirn is a sorcerer with a laptop—otherwise known as his shape-changing best friend.
These days, Ravirn’s crashing at his girlfriend's place while she works on her doctorate in computer science. Only one all of her research is in her webgoblin's memory, which is now in Hades along with its soul. To save Cerice's webgoblin (and her PhD), Ravirn must brave Hell itself. But can he do it without corrupting the mweb—the magical internet—and without facing down the Lord of the Dead himself?
Not just any computer geek can hack into Hades. But Ravirn, a direct descendant of one of the three Fates, is no ordinary hacker. Magic has gone digital in the twenty-first century, and Ravirn is a sorcerer with a laptop—otherwise known as his shape-changing best friend.
These days, Ravirn’s crashing at his girlfriend's place while she works on her doctorate in computer science. Only one all of her research is in her webgoblin's memory, which is now in Hades along with its soul. To save Cerice's webgoblin (and her PhD), Ravirn must brave Hell itself. But can he do it without corrupting the mweb—the magical internet—and without facing down the Lord of the Dead himself?
278 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
11 people are currently reading
420 people want to read
About the author
Kelly McCullough
41 books369 followersKelly McCullough was raised and educated by free-range hippies. Later he received a degree in theater and worked in improv. That combination was the perfect preparation for his current career as author and cat herder. He lives and writes in the Midwest with his physics-professor wife, Laura. He enjoys hiking and biking and his role as self-heating cat furniture. He is the author of the WebMage and Fallen Blade series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
October 11, 2008
This is crap. There's no real point to the story, it doesn't delve into deeper issues, and who cares about combining mythology with hackers?
Apparently my little brother read it on the plane on the way up here and decided it was crap. Then it was at my house, so my dad read it and decided it was crap. Then it was in my bookshelf, so I started to read it. 2 hours later I was half way through and decided it was crap. To the used book store with you so you can torment another helpless victim!
Apparently my little brother read it on the plane on the way up here and decided it was crap. Then it was at my house, so my dad read it and decided it was crap. Then it was in my bookshelf, so I started to read it. 2 hours later I was half way through and decided it was crap. To the used book store with you so you can torment another helpless victim!
January 11, 2009
Very good. Lots of action and very original concepts. I'm very into mythology being brought into modern stories right now, à la Percy Jackson, so the timing was just right for me. If you like cyberpunk with adventure and humor, this is for you. It probably really deserves 4 stars, but I'm just not as much in the mood for action right now. Not that character development was neglected, just a tiny off of my mood is all. Hasn't stopped me from starting book 3!
November 4, 2011
I enjoyed Webmage, so I picked up Cybermancy, and it didn't disappoint. What can I say? I'm a complete sucker for a universe where laptops are also goblins and Cerberus needs a fourth for bridge. A fun read.
December 10, 2015
Kat Mandu says...
Ravirn is in trouble again – imagine that! Feeling badly for leaving Cerice’s AI familiar in Hell, Ravirn and Melchior, his own AI, plan a trip to Hell to get her back. Bad trouble follows.
Fantastic setup. I found I could understand some of the things I’d misunderstood in the first one better once they were summarized in this book. The same with the third one. I like the idea that Ravirn’s a bit shy of his new identity.
Cerberus is introduced in this book! I love it. I love that the author portrays the three-headed dog as three different species of dogs when it comes to their heads. Three different personalities as well, driven towards one ultimate goal. One of my favorite new characters. The take McCullough has on Persephone and Hades was neat too, giving Hades a very bad mojo and Persephone a very sympathetic vibe.
Although the computer lingo was a bit better in this one, I still had some difficulty understanding some of the things. I do love the virtual bit where he stabs himself in the hand to become virtually part of the environment. I think that’s such a cool thing to do. If not a little gruesome.
Ravirn is learning stubbornly what it means to be the Raven and interacting with the Furies and other gods on a whole new level. I love it that he’s growing even though he doesn’t want to.
Oh, and of course, the innuendo and teasings. You can always tell a person loves you when they tease you like that and poke fun at your faults without doing it in a mean way. Poor Ravirn. The goddess of chaos gets him every time. And the relationship with Cerice became interesting, especially after the tidbit with Tisiphone in the elevator.
I love this series. Four hearts overall.
Ravirn is in trouble again – imagine that! Feeling badly for leaving Cerice’s AI familiar in Hell, Ravirn and Melchior, his own AI, plan a trip to Hell to get her back. Bad trouble follows.
Fantastic setup. I found I could understand some of the things I’d misunderstood in the first one better once they were summarized in this book. The same with the third one. I like the idea that Ravirn’s a bit shy of his new identity.
Cerberus is introduced in this book! I love it. I love that the author portrays the three-headed dog as three different species of dogs when it comes to their heads. Three different personalities as well, driven towards one ultimate goal. One of my favorite new characters. The take McCullough has on Persephone and Hades was neat too, giving Hades a very bad mojo and Persephone a very sympathetic vibe.
Although the computer lingo was a bit better in this one, I still had some difficulty understanding some of the things. I do love the virtual bit where he stabs himself in the hand to become virtually part of the environment. I think that’s such a cool thing to do. If not a little gruesome.
Ravirn is learning stubbornly what it means to be the Raven and interacting with the Furies and other gods on a whole new level. I love it that he’s growing even though he doesn’t want to.
Oh, and of course, the innuendo and teasings. You can always tell a person loves you when they tease you like that and poke fun at your faults without doing it in a mean way. Poor Ravirn. The goddess of chaos gets him every time. And the relationship with Cerice became interesting, especially after the tidbit with Tisiphone in the elevator.
I love this series. Four hearts overall.
May 4, 2017
Fantastic setup. I found I could understand some of the things I'd misunderstood in the first one better once they were summarized in this book. The same with the third one. I like the idea that Ravirn's a bit shy of his new identity.
Cerberus! I love it. I love that the author portrays the three-headed dog as three different species of dogs when it comes to their heads. Three different personalities as well, driven towards one ultimate goal. One of my favorite new characters. The take on Persephone and Hades was neat too, giving Hades a very bad mojo and Persephone a very sympathetic vibe.
Although the computer lingo was a bit better in this one, I still had some difficulty understanding some of the things. I do love the virtual bit where he stabs himself in the hand to become virtually part of the environment. I think that's such a cool thing to do.
Oh, and of course, the innuendo and teasings. You can always tell a person loves you when they tease you like that and poke fun at your faults. Poor Ravirn. And the relationship with Cerice became interesting, especially after the tidbit with Tisiphone in the elevator.
Again, great, original plot line. I'm eager to read more.
Cerberus! I love it. I love that the author portrays the three-headed dog as three different species of dogs when it comes to their heads. Three different personalities as well, driven towards one ultimate goal. One of my favorite new characters. The take on Persephone and Hades was neat too, giving Hades a very bad mojo and Persephone a very sympathetic vibe.
Although the computer lingo was a bit better in this one, I still had some difficulty understanding some of the things. I do love the virtual bit where he stabs himself in the hand to become virtually part of the environment. I think that's such a cool thing to do.
Oh, and of course, the innuendo and teasings. You can always tell a person loves you when they tease you like that and poke fun at your faults. Poor Ravirn. And the relationship with Cerice became interesting, especially after the tidbit with Tisiphone in the elevator.
Again, great, original plot line. I'm eager to read more.
January 3, 2011
It's always good when the second book in a series isn't a tired re-hash of the first book. Mr. McCullough avoids this "sophomore slump" though I feared for a little while in the beginning that he wouldn't.
The world is still interesting and full of intrigue and has a feel that I would almost call "fantastical mob" with all the strife between different houses of the big mythological family. Ravirn is gaining even more depth as he deals with the internal conflict being forced upon him by the people within his family as well as the external troubles he gets into both unwittingly and knowing full well it'll bring the wrath of the Fury "death squad."
All in all, an enjoyable read that I would recommend to anyone interested in cyberpunk-type stuff and/or alternative mythologies.
The world is still interesting and full of intrigue and has a feel that I would almost call "fantastical mob" with all the strife between different houses of the big mythological family. Ravirn is gaining even more depth as he deals with the internal conflict being forced upon him by the people within his family as well as the external troubles he gets into both unwittingly and knowing full well it'll bring the wrath of the Fury "death squad."
All in all, an enjoyable read that I would recommend to anyone interested in cyberpunk-type stuff and/or alternative mythologies.
October 11, 2012
The plot stands up better in this second installment of the WebMage series. Also the main character takes a stand on his place in the plot, rather than just being jerked around by the power-that-be. This time around there is far less purple prose of exposition to bog things down, allowing the fast pacing to drive the plot along rather than dragging the reader along for the ride. Overall more control overall equals are far easier read. Why still only three stars, then? It's not a new story (boy-gets-girl, boy-changes-self), only a more solid example of standard ones.
April 26, 2015
Now that we're kind of familiar with the world, things make more sense, more often. Honestly I prefer this kind of organic world understand, rather than having the author stop every paragraph and try to work "how the world work 1.0" into the story. Here we get more character grown with Ravirn, a deeper look at how things work (things are very strange and amazing) and an interesting story. It's still pretty great.
February 7, 2009
Fun, fascinating and well written. There were some minor details I didn't like, but all in all, I'm happy with this book.
April 29, 2025
Orpheus’ Eleven possibly? Honestly, I hope someone eventually shouts on the coms ‘Raven, she’s in the basket, do not click BACK!’ Alas, I won’t get that far into this novel, for the first chapter doesnt hook me. I did not finish this book. Why keep editor's margin notes like ‘Thoughts for another time’ in the text on page one at all?.
I read chapter one only. The protagonist plays at cards with Cerberus as a vehicle for by-the-waying about a previous book that I havent found yet. I immediately didnt know what the ‘trick’ was. A magic card trick? Oh, next page I see its from some niche card game that I’d bet almost no one alive plays.
In my opinion much of the Cerberus scene did not convince as the thoughts of a mortal faced with the immediacy of Death. I’ve not been to Hell, but I expect flitty souls, wailing and teeth gnashing. If its a walk-through before a Hell-Heist I suppose I might be inside a well air-conditioned van nearby, in a cocoon of cables and glowing screens, and hearing the wired observer’s feed about how this might go down on the day. So, from the the start, I believe the Raven should practice good coms discipline and keep the channel on topic as much as he can. His long ‘for another time’ spiel of what his name used to be, his family problems and why characters do what they do, will likely not get him through those gates any sooner. I struggle to grasp the world and its rules though the idea is cool.
Found in a used book store. This MythOS series is elusive. It is all for the joy of the hunt though.
I read chapter one only. The protagonist plays at cards with Cerberus as a vehicle for by-the-waying about a previous book that I havent found yet. I immediately didnt know what the ‘trick’ was. A magic card trick? Oh, next page I see its from some niche card game that I’d bet almost no one alive plays.
In my opinion much of the Cerberus scene did not convince as the thoughts of a mortal faced with the immediacy of Death. I’ve not been to Hell, but I expect flitty souls, wailing and teeth gnashing. If its a walk-through before a Hell-Heist I suppose I might be inside a well air-conditioned van nearby, in a cocoon of cables and glowing screens, and hearing the wired observer’s feed about how this might go down on the day. So, from the the start, I believe the Raven should practice good coms discipline and keep the channel on topic as much as he can. His long ‘for another time’ spiel of what his name used to be, his family problems and why characters do what they do, will likely not get him through those gates any sooner. I struggle to grasp the world and its rules though the idea is cool.
Found in a used book store. This MythOS series is elusive. It is all for the joy of the hunt though.
March 2, 2020
Cybermancy is the second book in the WebMage series written by Kelly McCullough. It centers on a hacker and junior at university who just happens to be a sorcerer and the grandson of Lachesis – one of the three Fates of Greco-Roman mythology.
Ravirn had defied his powerful ancestors, the Fates, who had in return cast him out from their family and given him a new name, Raven. However, while Ravirn thinks little difference of this, most of his friends seem to attach a greater significance to it.
Ravirn has a problem, Cerice, his girlfriend is stressed about finishing her dissertation in computer science without Shara, her webgoblin/laptop, who was sadly killed in the previous book. However, Ravirn and Cerice live in a modern world built on the underpinnings of the Greek mythos. So, Ravirn would just go to Hades and get Shara back.
Cybermancy is written rather well. The narrative is action packed and rarely stops and when it does it is usually exploring the relationship between Ravirn and Cerice. McCullough fills his book with distinctive, likable characters and expertly blends mythology and cyberpunk.
All in all, Cybermancy is written rather well and is a wonderful continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series, which I plan to continue in the very near future.
Ravirn had defied his powerful ancestors, the Fates, who had in return cast him out from their family and given him a new name, Raven. However, while Ravirn thinks little difference of this, most of his friends seem to attach a greater significance to it.
Ravirn has a problem, Cerice, his girlfriend is stressed about finishing her dissertation in computer science without Shara, her webgoblin/laptop, who was sadly killed in the previous book. However, Ravirn and Cerice live in a modern world built on the underpinnings of the Greek mythos. So, Ravirn would just go to Hades and get Shara back.
Cybermancy is written rather well. The narrative is action packed and rarely stops and when it does it is usually exploring the relationship between Ravirn and Cerice. McCullough fills his book with distinctive, likable characters and expertly blends mythology and cyberpunk.
All in all, Cybermancy is written rather well and is a wonderful continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series, which I plan to continue in the very near future.
July 5, 2017
This is a fun series, light and fast moving. I love the main character, who seems to constantly stumble into life-threatening trouble while he tries very hard to do the right thing. Plus mythology tied up with magic tied up with internet plus a little romance. My favorite characters are not actually human but are magic/web constructs that become the "familiars" of the two main characters who ultimately figure out that they are more human than they thought, including free will and an awesome sense of humor.
March 18, 2019
It’s a fun read. I love the characters, even when they’re being g unreasonable. I love the personalities of the Greek gods and goddesses. No, it’s not brilliant fiction, but the story is strong. I can’t wait to continue!
July 6, 2019
Entertaining
Entertaining, writing was chaotic like the main character. The ending wasn't really an end. First person made the viewpoint 2 dimensional at times.
Entertaining, writing was chaotic like the main character. The ending wasn't really an end. First person made the viewpoint 2 dimensional at times.
June 1, 2011
Well that was disappointing. After a fair-to-middling performance in his debut novel WebMage, I was really hoping Kelly McCullough would improve for his second outing. And he did, to some extent. Cybermancy is plagued by many of the same problems that made WebMage tedious and repetitive. They’re toned down a bit, and by the end of the book McCullough seems to have been able to rid his writing of word count boosting repetitive sentences. Unfortunately, he’s substituted bad writing for bad storytelling.
Cybermancy picks up a little after WebMage leaves off and starts like a heist novel/movie. Ravirn has been busy prepping the rescue of Shara from Hades. His trump card is his friendship with Cerberus, the three-headed guardian of the Underworld. Fun and mayhem ensue. The first part of the book is by far the most enjoyable. The charm of the first novel’s hacker/rebel/rogue hero is present here, and the story flows better than WebMage because a lot of the repetitive spellcasting language and internal monologue moments have been scaled back. He only whines about his new command prompts a few times and doesn’t mention Melchior’s impish nature more than twice. He has started bitching about his new name, Raven, which takes up the page space McCullough needed to break 250.
Then things go, predictably, horribly wrong. Busting Shara out did something horrible to the rest of creation and now it is up to Ravirn to troubleshoot reality and its computer operating system.
The basic premise of the story is pretty much okay. It’s almost painfully obvious who is behind everything from the start, but the players go through the motions, have a few exciting confrontations and end up back where they started, at the gates of Hades. Then McCullough tosses out everything he’d been working with for the better part of two books and ::spoilers deleted for security reasons::. It’s awful. Like the worst possible Deus ex Machnia ever. Times ten.
You know why the first book was good? Because even though there was a Deus ex Machina moment (with a real Goddess), it wasn’t Raivrn doing it. He needed help. From Discord herself and the atavistic persona of the entire universe. Raven does it all himself this time around and invalidates his entire rogue image by doing so. McCullough gives his protagonist the ability to make his own “get out of jail free” cards and expects the audience to just go along with it.
There are three more books in Ravirn’s little series but they might as well have ended here. There cannot be a story if the main character can’t be challenged. This is storytelling one-oh-one. I’m sure McCullough figured this out when he got started on book three and he probably ret-conned it or reset Ravirn somehow, but that doesn’t excuse the atrocious ending he’s written now. It’s a damn shame too, because this is still a really interesting concept that hasn’t been explored by a lot of authors.
Cybermancy picks up a little after WebMage leaves off and starts like a heist novel/movie. Ravirn has been busy prepping the rescue of Shara from Hades. His trump card is his friendship with Cerberus, the three-headed guardian of the Underworld. Fun and mayhem ensue. The first part of the book is by far the most enjoyable. The charm of the first novel’s hacker/rebel/rogue hero is present here, and the story flows better than WebMage because a lot of the repetitive spellcasting language and internal monologue moments have been scaled back. He only whines about his new command prompts a few times and doesn’t mention Melchior’s impish nature more than twice. He has started bitching about his new name, Raven, which takes up the page space McCullough needed to break 250.
Then things go, predictably, horribly wrong. Busting Shara out did something horrible to the rest of creation and now it is up to Ravirn to troubleshoot reality and its computer operating system.
The basic premise of the story is pretty much okay. It’s almost painfully obvious who is behind everything from the start, but the players go through the motions, have a few exciting confrontations and end up back where they started, at the gates of Hades. Then McCullough tosses out everything he’d been working with for the better part of two books and ::spoilers deleted for security reasons::. It’s awful. Like the worst possible Deus ex Machnia ever. Times ten.
You know why the first book was good? Because even though there was a Deus ex Machina moment (with a real Goddess), it wasn’t Raivrn doing it. He needed help. From Discord herself and the atavistic persona of the entire universe. Raven does it all himself this time around and invalidates his entire rogue image by doing so. McCullough gives his protagonist the ability to make his own “get out of jail free” cards and expects the audience to just go along with it.
There are three more books in Ravirn’s little series but they might as well have ended here. There cannot be a story if the main character can’t be challenged. This is storytelling one-oh-one. I’m sure McCullough figured this out when he got started on book three and he probably ret-conned it or reset Ravirn somehow, but that doesn’t excuse the atrocious ending he’s written now. It’s a damn shame too, because this is still a really interesting concept that hasn’t been explored by a lot of authors.
February 20, 2017
Unfortunately it is the same as the first book.
Technobabble and a plot that only works because the characters are morons. Whenever there was a decision to be made they seem to ask themselves “What is the worst decision I can make here?” and then take it. The whole story would be resolved much quicker if everyone acted like the grown-up they should be, but that is beyond them.
The ending is just as disappointing as the first one and that made me feel really bad. I hoped for some signs of improvement, but in the end the interesting ideas turn out to be generic multiple-world concepts with a new coat of paint. Shame, really.
Technobabble and a plot that only works because the characters are morons. Whenever there was a decision to be made they seem to ask themselves “What is the worst decision I can make here?” and then take it. The whole story would be resolved much quicker if everyone acted like the grown-up they should be, but that is beyond them.
The ending is just as disappointing as the first one and that made me feel really bad. I hoped for some signs of improvement, but in the end the interesting ideas turn out to be generic multiple-world concepts with a new coat of paint. Shame, really.
October 12, 2020
"Cybermancy is book 2 of the WebMage series. It is generally silly and fun. I really enjoyed it.
The story: Ravirn (or Raven) must come to grips with the idea that he has fundamentally changed. He was born a demigod of order and he is now a demigod of chaos. His girlfriend has a problem. Her doctoral thesis is almost due and she needs the help of her webgoblin to finish it. Unfortunately, her webgoblin is sitting in Hades and when Ravirn tries to bust the webgoblin out, all Hell breaks loose.
Any problems with the novel? A few but the author manages to handle them. His first book tied up the story too neatly so he had to create additional drama. That included some distance between Ravirn and his girlfriend. He did that expertly without making me hate the girlfriend or Ravirn.
There is sexual innuendo involved.... mostly teenage stuff.. like looking down a woman's cleavage. It is played for laughs. Most of this book is played for laughs and that fits in with the characters and the story. It is generally juvenile humor.
Sex is mentioned. It is not described in detail and thus not prurient. It is simply part of the story.
The characters do use the F-word as I recall. It is in context and quite natural.
In a religious context, this book pokes fun at Greek mythology, Olympus, Zeus and the general mythological structure of the ancient gods. It places them within an internet-like framework called the mweb or magic web and make references as if a magical version of the Internet is available to the gods. I found it reasonably entertaining.
I don't recall the book mentioning any mainstream religion at all.
The book had a satisfying ending that cleared up the most immediate problem (which I won't mention since that would be a partial spoiler) but the book did not resolve all the issues. Clearly these will be resolved in the next book which is CodeSpell. I'm reading it right now.
Would I read this book again? Yes. I have before and I will again.
Would I recommend it for teenagers? Well... it's not going to kill them, but it's not exactly Lord of the Rings either.
The story: Ravirn (or Raven) must come to grips with the idea that he has fundamentally changed. He was born a demigod of order and he is now a demigod of chaos. His girlfriend has a problem. Her doctoral thesis is almost due and she needs the help of her webgoblin to finish it. Unfortunately, her webgoblin is sitting in Hades and when Ravirn tries to bust the webgoblin out, all Hell breaks loose.
Any problems with the novel? A few but the author manages to handle them. His first book tied up the story too neatly so he had to create additional drama. That included some distance between Ravirn and his girlfriend. He did that expertly without making me hate the girlfriend or Ravirn.
There is sexual innuendo involved.... mostly teenage stuff.. like looking down a woman's cleavage. It is played for laughs. Most of this book is played for laughs and that fits in with the characters and the story. It is generally juvenile humor.
Sex is mentioned. It is not described in detail and thus not prurient. It is simply part of the story.
The characters do use the F-word as I recall. It is in context and quite natural.
In a religious context, this book pokes fun at Greek mythology, Olympus, Zeus and the general mythological structure of the ancient gods. It places them within an internet-like framework called the mweb or magic web and make references as if a magical version of the Internet is available to the gods. I found it reasonably entertaining.
I don't recall the book mentioning any mainstream religion at all.
The book had a satisfying ending that cleared up the most immediate problem (which I won't mention since that would be a partial spoiler) but the book did not resolve all the issues. Clearly these will be resolved in the next book which is CodeSpell. I'm reading it right now.
Would I read this book again? Yes. I have before and I will again.
Would I recommend it for teenagers? Well... it's not going to kill them, but it's not exactly Lord of the Rings either.
July 18, 2008
The second book in a series that is a mixture of cyberpunk and myth. The first book is Webmage. If you haven't read Webmage, you might skip this review as I have spoilers for that book in it.
The concept is simple, Ravirn (don't call him Raven) has been kicked out of the House of Fate and decides to go to Hades to rescue his girlfriend's webgoblin (an combo faerie servant/laptop that has skillz with a computer) who died saving his life. Hijinks ensue.
I enjoyed the book very much. Ravirn is a good-hearted bad boy. Part of the fun is the flirting that Discord (Eris) and Tisiphone (one of the Furies) do with him not to mention his girlfriend Cerice's (Clotho's granddaughter) anger at the situation.
He must deal with his new name Raven and what it means. Plus all the problems that ensue from his adventures in Hell (well Hades). All the while he must figure out what is going on with the M-web (the Greek pantheon's version of the Internet, but only even more complex complete with parallel worlds that one can travel through it).
McCullough shows definite promise with his second book, which is an improvement over a good first novel. I look forward to seeing more of his books especially about the Ravirn and the Greek gods.
The concept is simple, Ravirn (don't call him Raven) has been kicked out of the House of Fate and decides to go to Hades to rescue his girlfriend's webgoblin (an combo faerie servant/laptop that has skillz with a computer) who died saving his life. Hijinks ensue.
I enjoyed the book very much. Ravirn is a good-hearted bad boy. Part of the fun is the flirting that Discord (Eris) and Tisiphone (one of the Furies) do with him not to mention his girlfriend Cerice's (Clotho's granddaughter) anger at the situation.
He must deal with his new name Raven and what it means. Plus all the problems that ensue from his adventures in Hell (well Hades). All the while he must figure out what is going on with the M-web (the Greek pantheon's version of the Internet, but only even more complex complete with parallel worlds that one can travel through it).
McCullough shows definite promise with his second book, which is an improvement over a good first novel. I look forward to seeing more of his books especially about the Ravirn and the Greek gods.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2007
This review contains slight spoilers.
This is a great sequel to WebMage. I continue to love the unique world that McCullough has created. I always wish I were more of a programmer because I have a feeling that would make the books even more cool.
I do wonder a little about other theologies. What about the ancient Egyptian pantheon?
I really liked his take on the Persephone myth. I'd thought of Hades as her husband but hadn't really thought about the fact that Persephone had to live with her rapist for three months a year. It was interesting that he described Persephone as being forced to eat the pomegranate seeds. It certainly fits with his view of the myth, but it's not a version I've heard before.
I loved Bob, Mort and Dave and by the end I really liked Tisiphone (more than Cerise).
I think exploring Raven House would be fascinating. I'm not sure if I'd want to have my own House or not. That might be more insight into myself than I really want.
This is a great sequel to WebMage. I continue to love the unique world that McCullough has created. I always wish I were more of a programmer because I have a feeling that would make the books even more cool.
I do wonder a little about other theologies. What about the ancient Egyptian pantheon?
I really liked his take on the Persephone myth. I'd thought of Hades as her husband but hadn't really thought about the fact that Persephone had to live with her rapist for three months a year. It was interesting that he described Persephone as being forced to eat the pomegranate seeds. It certainly fits with his view of the myth, but it's not a version I've heard before.
I loved Bob, Mort and Dave and by the end I really liked Tisiphone (more than Cerise).
I think exploring Raven House would be fascinating. I'm not sure if I'd want to have my own House or not. That might be more insight into myself than I really want.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2008
I have to say that I like this one a bit more than the first of the series "Webmage". I'm not sure if it is because I am used to the writing style at this point, or that the rules surrounding the techno-babble/magic system seems to be slightly more explained. Either way, I enjoyed myself a bit more this go around.
The story picks right where the last left off and Ravirn and his supporting characters move along through the story at an enjoyable pace. It is a light and fun story that continues to be steeped in greek mythology. I am beginning to really like the world setup more and more. I will definitley be reading the next novel when it comes out later this month.
My recommendation/warning for anyone considering reading it is that this novel, like the first, is a light and airy read. There is nothing wrong with that, however I think one should be warned. One should also, however, probably read the first novel to catch up on the lives of the characters. If that doesn't turn you off to the series, you should be able to sit back and enjoy this sequel for what it is.
Cheers!
The story picks right where the last left off and Ravirn and his supporting characters move along through the story at an enjoyable pace. It is a light and fun story that continues to be steeped in greek mythology. I am beginning to really like the world setup more and more. I will definitley be reading the next novel when it comes out later this month.
My recommendation/warning for anyone considering reading it is that this novel, like the first, is a light and airy read. There is nothing wrong with that, however I think one should be warned. One should also, however, probably read the first novel to catch up on the lives of the characters. If that doesn't turn you off to the series, you should be able to sit back and enjoy this sequel for what it is.
Cheers!
February 7, 2018
The second installment of the Webmage series picks up about a year or so after the first book. While it is definitely better to read them in order, the book does a decent job summarizing what happened previously without being a dull info-dump. Ravirn is outcast from his place in the House of Fate and has been renamed "Raven"... which brings a whole host of new powers and problems. The biggest problem is rescuing a webgoblin's soul from Hades. Piece of cake, right? Not when Persephone enters the picture. (And this book follows the darker version of the relationship between Persephone and Hades... There is no love between them. At all. And for good reason.) Like the first book, it is a fast-paced romp through magical cyberspace that delves deeper into the underpinnings of Ravirn's world. Fans of Harry Dresden, Percy Jackson, and computer hacking (or any other fans of urban fantasy and unique world-building) will probably enjoy this book. And Cerberus is great, just FYI.
April 4, 2008
Shades of the Orpheus myth (pun intended) abound in this second book of the Ravirn series by Kelly McCullough. I found the technospeak easier to comprehend in Cybermancy than in Webmage, which probably just means that I got used to it, but in neither book was it a deterrent for this technophobe, and computer geeks will probably love it. For me, the Ravirn books appeal more to my "mythology" geek side: how could I keep from laughing at the thought of Zeus downloading porn? Ravirn is an appealing character, a fly-by-the-seat-of-his pants kind of guy, with a healthy dose of trickster to boot. The series is amusing, yet the characters' actions have serious consequences, and Ravirn's adventures are interwoven with a serious quest to find out what he has become. Another winning entry in this entertaining and original series.
May 31, 2015
There's a couple really weak points to this book.
The premise is weak as it's basically Ravirn is in trouble for something he didn't do only because he is him despite all the lack of evidence he did the thing.
Second, power creep. Ravirn is changed quite dramatically and his powers ramp up in a ridiculous fashion. The is either something that will be ignored, become a crutch or become something that needlessly increases the complexity/difficulty of the problems to solve in the next books.
Other than that, this is more of the same. If you enjoyed the first book, this is an ok follow up but not spectacular. The plot points above have pushed this series down my reading list, though. I'll check out the third book but I'm in no hurry to do so.
The premise is weak as it's basically Ravirn is in trouble for something he didn't do only because he is him despite all the lack of evidence he did the thing.
Second, power creep. Ravirn is changed quite dramatically and his powers ramp up in a ridiculous fashion. The is either something that will be ignored, become a crutch or become something that needlessly increases the complexity/difficulty of the problems to solve in the next books.
Other than that, this is more of the same. If you enjoyed the first book, this is an ok follow up but not spectacular. The plot points above have pushed this series down my reading list, though. I'll check out the third book but I'm in no hurry to do so.
May 12, 2011
Ravirn/Raven is a magic user / computer hacker with some skills at both, who has to stretch to his limits to save a webgoblin friend. The problem is that everything he does seems to drive a shaft deeper between him and his lady love.
Ravirn's major skill appears to be the ability to win enemies. He is a bumbler in the hacking, depending heavily on the skills of his AI friend. He states that he is a good hacker and able to find and fix problems, but most of that skills set rests in the memory cells of his AI. This book should have been tightened up and the anti-hero written as a little less whiny.
Ravirn's major skill appears to be the ability to win enemies. He is a bumbler in the hacking, depending heavily on the skills of his AI friend. He states that he is a good hacker and able to find and fix problems, but most of that skills set rests in the memory cells of his AI. This book should have been tightened up and the anti-hero written as a little less whiny.
December 5, 2011
While not as fantastic as Webmage, the first in the series, this is an enjoyable read. The interweaving of technology, magic, and the Greek Gods is a delight.
I got lost in the plot in the middle third for a little while, but the title character Raven/Ravirn, and his pal Melchior, made up for it by being fascinating characters. The ending is great, tying together very nicely.
There was a yellow brick that I noticed with Persephone, and I kept expecting it to come back into play but it never did. So I was dissapointed there, but overall I enjoyed this book. I want to see how this series continues and will be buying the next in the series soon.
I got lost in the plot in the middle third for a little while, but the title character Raven/Ravirn, and his pal Melchior, made up for it by being fascinating characters. The ending is great, tying together very nicely.
There was a yellow brick that I noticed with Persephone, and I kept expecting it to come back into play but it never did. So I was dissapointed there, but overall I enjoyed this book. I want to see how this series continues and will be buying the next in the series soon.
December 24, 2014
This book is particularly bad. I do not know if it gets a little better but it is the first book I abandon half read after a lot of years. Where the first book had a fair share of good points that the author could have expanded to improve his interesting universe, the second book continues following all the bad points left from Webpage: No real plot, we just see the characters tossed around by higher powers. Characters that are shallow and act with almost no rationality at all. Add the badly laid romance with the protagonist and his girl act like emotionally unstable teens and that was about enough for me.
April 7, 2015
This is book we picked at a convention because the blurb looked interesting but as I read through it was clear it was not a story that particularly interesting to me. The idea of a hacker using his skills to get in and out of Hades and getting involved with mythical gods and the like just didn't work for me.
The writing is fine although the characters were hard to get into which also made the story very dull for me. Since this is the second book in the series enough readers must have enjoyed the first book. If hacking and mythology are in your wheel house then pick it up and enjoy but for a classic scifi fan like me the book just failed.
The writing is fine although the characters were hard to get into which also made the story very dull for me. Since this is the second book in the series enough readers must have enjoyed the first book. If hacking and mythology are in your wheel house then pick it up and enjoy but for a classic scifi fan like me the book just failed.
July 2, 2015
Better than the average sequel. The author doesn't just mirror the storyline of the first book with a different adventure, but has the characters change and grow emotionally too. In addition to an engaging story, we're treated to much more intellectual ideas about the nature of, well, everything. Consider how a creature like Cerberus (reflecting the average human) can consist of three distinct entities (in this case, Mort, Dave, and Bob) but also be this separate force that is Cerberus. Oh, and this novel will dispel any romanticized notions anyone has about the Persephone myth.
December 16, 2017
As if taking on Fate wasn't daring enough, Ravirn takes on Death in the second book of the series. This story explores a darker side of mythology and righting wrongs, the relationships are complex and increase in their depth, not always with positive consequences. As always I'm a huge fan of the technomancy magic interwoven with greek mythology, with a great deal of flare for fun and creative license.
January 4, 2008
Very interesting continuation of this web/magic mix theme.
The characters go through very interesting transformation. The trip was kind of... a mixed bag. There are some good funny stuff, and there are some kind of "contribed" stuff.
I think it's a good light read. I wished I had a bit more Greek mythology knowledge. I think if I did, I would have enjoyed it more.
The characters go through very interesting transformation. The trip was kind of... a mixed bag. There are some good funny stuff, and there are some kind of "contribed" stuff.
I think it's a good light read. I wished I had a bit more Greek mythology knowledge. I think if I did, I would have enjoyed it more.
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