Three Kinds of Lucky

The Shadow Age, Book 1

By: Kim Harrison

Narrated by: Marguerite Gavin

Length: 15 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Luck is its own kind of magic, in this first book in an electrifying new contemporary fantasy series from the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Hollows novels.

Petra Grady has known since adolescence that she has no talent for magic—and that’s never going to change. But as a sweeper first-class, she’s parlayed her rare ability to handle dross—the damaging, magical waste generated by her more talented kin’s spellwork—into a decent life working at the mages’ university.

Except Grady’s relatively predictable life is about to be upended. When the oblivious, sexy, and oh-so-out-of-reach Benedict Strom needs someone with her abilities for a research project studying dross and how to render it harmless, she’s stuck working on his team—whether she wants to or not.

Only Benedict doesn’t understand the characteristics of dross like Grady does. After an unthinkable accident, she and Benedict are forced to go on the run to seek out the one person who might be able to help: an outcast exiled ten years ago for the crime of using dross to cast spells. Now Grady must decide whether to stick with the magical status quo or embrace her own hidden talents . . . and risk shattering their entire world.

©2023 Kim Harrison (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"So much fun! A 'stay up all night reading and call in sick to work the next morning' kind of book. Harrison bats another one out of the park. Loved it, just loved it."—Patricia Briggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mercy Thompson series

“New world, new hero—nothing less than spectacular. Kim Harrison takes it to the next level with her best yet!"—Faith Hunter, New York Times bestselling author of the Jane Yellowrock series

“Harrison’s new series has the same delightfully wry heroine her fans expect to see, along with an intriguing new magic system.”—Library Journal

It had the flavor of the Hollows Series

I really liked the use of magic, the need for a magical way to clean up after magic users and the storyline for the ghosts and shadows. I will listen to this series when more is written.

Another Awesome Series!

New story, new characters, new magic! Kim Harrison never disappoints! Loving this new series! Marguerite Gavin is again an easy to listen to narrator!

Obsessed

I wasn't sure if I would like this series but it surprised me. I was staying up listening. I lay in bed listening, bookmarking and listening. I would doze off and wake up to go back to the last bookmark.
Petra is a little bit of an idiot but she gets the job done. I couldn't stop listening.
This series is a little darker than the Hollows. If the next book is as good as this then Kim will need to stop eating and sleeping to keep up with the demands for more.
Marguerite Gavin is a superstar as usual. IYKYK.

Amazing

I expected nothing else from Kim Harrison! This is such a wonderful start to what I hope is a long series! Absolutely unique and just absolute perfection. The narrator was awesome and I hope she keeps narrating the series!

New take on an old idea

Really liked the fact that this out a new doing on a lot of ideas about magic.

Slow start to a great end and hopefully more books in this series

Looking forward to the next one! Took a while to get going, but is looking to become another great series (we hope)

Cool... But

This story has a lot of promise. Super interesting framework for magic and a story that's very engaging and seems to be going interesting places. This would be a solid five stars in a vacuum.

However, I'm having a bit of trouble not seeing flashing-bright similarities to Rachel. Some of that is surely due to Marguerite Gavin's excellent performance having defined Rachel Morgan for 17+ books. As talented as Margeurite is, and as perfect for this series as she would otherwise be, I feel that another performer would have provided some much needed separation.

That separation feels necessary because lots of story elements and broad themes feel pretty similar to Harrison's famous, older series. I'm not going to list them because I didn't like criticizing one of my favorite authors, but I noticed quite a few parallels.

That said, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anybody. It's just that those if uswho have spent a lot of time in Harrison's Cincinnati are going to recognize a few things. That may be a comfort for some or a detriment to others.

Petra Grady is only second to Rachael Mariana Morgan

Petra's story is quieter but no less compelling. I will always love Rachael's splat guns and bombastic ways but Three Kinds of Lucky felt very personal to me. As always, the needle drops enhance rather than distract. Thank you Kim Harrison... I needed this.

when do we get a sequel?

I loved this book and I'm eager for more. in my head I could picture the things going on almost like watching a movie. I love not just the story, I also love the inflections and tone of the reader, she made people come to life without artificially aging the main character 60 years (unlike the reader of Green Gryphon). Now there is only one question...where can I get a follow up or sequel?

Kim Harrison does not disappoint!

I love all of her books! I can't wait for the next one. Kim creates amazing but believable worlds. I tried to listen to this one slowly to let the experience last. It still went by too fast. I also love the narrator, she is amazing.