Black Dog Short Series by Rachel Neumeier

I’m not going to begin with my usual “I don’t like short stories because reasons” disclaimer, because I really don’t think I applies here

This is an excellent short book with three separate stories in it. They’re all very compact, relatively simple stories but, above all to me, every last one of them is really useful and even necessary to the broader plot.

The first story, Christmas Shopping, addresses one of my underlying concerns of the story – the relationship between Keziah and Natividad. These two are the most prominent by far (and, to a degree, the only appreciable) female characters in the series – it is a very male dominated series, especially in major roles even if Natividad is usually the protagonist. Few prominent female characters and those female characters hating each other with the fiery passion of a thousand exploding suns is, alas, a powerful trope

So this story of Keziah and Natividad spending time together is an excellent story. They don’t like each other a great deal, certainly – but this is a rift brought about form vastly different experiences, tastes and lives. Them being together in this story both excellently showcases this while, at the same time, having them build more and more connections, more understanding and approaching, if not friendship, then perhaps mutual respect. It’s all nicely capped with something Keziah taunted Natividad about becoming a joke between them

It also comes with a nice bit of world building shouting back to the major war that defines this series. In all, an excellent story – though I do have a discomfort with how very awed Natividad is of towns and cities. Sometimes her POV gives the impression that Mexico has no great cities and isn’t very sophisticated.

The second Story, Library Work, also brings some really necessary elements to the series. In this case we get to see a lot more of Miguel, Natividad’s human twin brother who is often out on a limb in the world dominated by Black Dogs and magical Pure and vampires. This book helped emphasise his strength – he’s smart, he’s cunning, he’s patient and he is excellently skilled in not only navigating around the dangerous Black Dogs and their uncertain tempers – but also in outright manipulating them for his own well being.

Pure Magic (Black Dog #2) by Rachel Neumeier

While Natividad and her family have found security with Dimilioc and managed to defeat the Black Dog that tore their family apart and killed their parents, they are not safe

The world has changed – in the aftermath of the war with the vampires, Dimilioc is left weakened and surrounded by enemies. Her sanctuary is far from secure and the werewolves are beset on all sides: vampires, rogue Black Dogs and even a suspicious human government all

And it’s into this difficult world that Justin enters – Pure but with no knowledge of the supernatural world he’s part of and he’s not sure what to think of the savage monsters who are “offering” protection… whether he want it or not.

I do love this world setting. The whole concept of the vampires and the war with the werewolves is one that has been done before – but there are many more unique elements to it. The idea that vampires and their mind control managed to hide the supernatural – and with them dead and almost extinct that removes this “Miasma” and exposes all supernatural to humanity. The war against vampires quickly became a war between humans and Black Dogs as the more brutal and savage Black Dog organisations found themselves hunted down as the vampires were

Which leaves the Dimilioc, who value the Pure and try to behave in a civilised fashion without leaving a trail of bodies behind in a difficult position attacked from several sides: the remaining vampires still plot, they’re very understrength after the war, Black Dogs driven out from other countries trying to wipe them out are looking to carve their own territory out of Dimilioc line and, on top of that, the awkward and tentative peace with the human government and a population that is primed to fight after destroying the vampires who are not exactly on the Dimilioc’s side.

This whole, complex world is told excellently through the story. We get to address all of these and make them all work into the story without the story feeling overstuffed or with too many crowded elements which is a challenge in and of itself

At the same time it manages to be a very personal story of Natividad and Justin which is also excellent since both of them shows this world from very different angels. Natividad has always been very much in the supernatural community, even when hiding from it – which gives her a clear view on the world, vampires and Dimilioc. While Justin has lived his entire life as a human so has much less rose-tinted glasses (and much more ignorant view point) to look upon the monstrous Black Dogs. Together they bring a complete picture of the world.

Black Dog by Rachel Neumeier

Natividad and her brothers Miguel and Alejandro are heading to the Dimilioc, the last clan of civilised Black Wolves (werewolves) left in the country after the devastating war against the vampires. The Dimilioc represent their only safety against their parents’ murderers.

But the Dimilioc have no reason to trust and accept them – and the war has hurt them as well. Only Natividad being one of the rare and magical Pure, highly valued among the Black Dogs, gives them a chance to hold on to. But that very value attracts a lot of attention – not least of which from the Dimilioc’s executioner

Even if they are willing to help, will the diminished clan have the power to stand up against the sinister forces that hunt the siblings?

The world presented is fascinating and presented in a way that is almost frustrating at the rate of reveal. This is another author who has learned to include the world building organically throughout the story without relying on too many clumsy info dumps. This means in the beginning it’s actually really frustrating because so much is alluded to: the vampire war, the end of which has exposed the supernatural to humans, the different werewolf clans, the difference between a Black Dog and bitten werewolves, the Pure with magic like Natividad, the history of Dimilioc – there’s so much that it feels a little lost. You have to hang in past these first confusing moments

As the story develops the world all fits together excellently presenting a really rich and broad world with some truly unique elements – both entirely unique and different takes on old concepts. The way werewolves and Pure are related, the nature of their magics and the source of the supernatural is a fascinating background for the world - and there’s also more immediate pressures creating conflict – the decimation of Dimilioc numbers and the decision over whether to recruit to increase those numbers but risk changing the inherent nature of the Dimilioc clan makes for a conflict that isn’t so much a side plot as an element that permeates the whole story

The story itself is an epic one, huge battles, survival and epic upheaval very much in the balance. We have a lot of cunning plans, everything fits well with the world and our characters are involved heavily in it all. We have a mystery that was actually mysterious and completely beyond guessing with an excellent twist ending. If I have one criticism it’s that the fight scenes didn’t flow and participants often felt like observers.

One thing I do like is the way this book managed to present werewolf aggression. The whole dominant/aggressive werewolf is a trope – the werewolf growls and everyone has to cower to appears its beast. So it is with Miguel and Natividad towards their brother, Alejandro and indeed to any of the Dimilioc. But at the same time it is constantly made clear that the submission is a shame, even Alejandro is aware that his siblings aren’t submitting to him, they’re play acting to placate his Black Dog shadow. It’s also very universal – there isn’t one alpha love interest with these instincts everyone has to cower before, every Black Dog has these issues. In fact, the obvious love interest is probably the one with the least dominance issues – so the trope is touched by in an entirely different way

I didn’t always agree with all of Natividad’s decisions. I think she ran off on her own without telling anyone far too often. I think she made decisions she should have really consulted others about. I think, considering the volatile position she was in and how little she was sure she could trust the Dimilioc that she put herself and her brothers at considerable risk making these decisions. I also think that her rash actions bordered on open insult to the Dimilioc which seems beyond ridiculous given the circumstances.

However, I have to hesitate before condemning this as Spunky Agency, though I have to say I’m tempted. Each time Natividad is moved to act, she has a strong motive (helping others) and a determination not to be put up on a shelf to be preserved and protected like a delicate, precious but helpless object. She is a firm believer in her own strength and that she has a duty to use that strength to protect those who do not have her power. It also helps a lot that everything she decides to do is actually possible – she doesn’t set off on epicly impossible quests all on her lonesome, it is reasonable of her to expect success (albeit at some risk) in her endeavours.