She wanted purpose. She got dark magic and war.
Claire Emerson is adrift. After a lifetime as a wife, mother, and grandma, she never saw divorce or loneliness coming and is desperate for some sense of purpose. But when her sixtieth birthday brings a snarky gargoyle, an annoyingly sexy wolf shifter, and an unknown magical calling, she thinks she's losing the only thing she has left: her sanity.
Refusing to believe she's the powerful defender of humankind her so-called protectors claim, Claire attempts a return to her safe life... only to have her powers ignite when she's attacked by dark supernatural creatures. And without the training she was supposed to have received, she has no idea how she'll defeat sinister mages plotting her demise.
Can Claire overcome creaky joints and major hot flashes in time to save the world - and her own life?
Semi Finalist
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Becoming Crone delivers a familiar, but solidly-delivered narrative that is sure to entice and entertain longtime genre fans and newcomers alike.
Prose: Hawke writes with an efficient sense of prose, neither flowery nor mechanical, ebbing and flowing with a comfort that can be hard to manage, and should have readers floating through the story effortlessly.
Originality: While Hawke's urban fantasy story brings along all the usual trappings of the genre, and a familiar writing style to boot, it injects a shot of life into it with a delightful choice of protagonist that adds a fresh perspective to a well-traveled road.
Character Development/Execution: The main character brings a delightful and refreshing perspective to the usual pantheon of urban fantasy characters, and even the more familiar side characters scattered throughout are brought together with a deft and efficient hand, that will surely delight fans of the genre and newcomers alike.
Date Submitted: June 06, 2022
