Calbana Files Books In Order

Publication Order of Colbana Files Books

Chronological Order of Colbana Files Books

Calbana Files is a series of urban fantasy novels by J.C. Daniels, which is the pseudonym for fantasy and science fiction author Shiloh Walker. Daniels, who has asserted that she always had a love for vampires and the paranormal, published the first novel in the series “Blade Song” in 2012. With the first novel fast achieving commercial and critical success the author went on to publish several more titles in the series including three prequels. The series of novels has three basic groups of the paranormal that include witches, vampires, and shape shifters. The Aneiris, which is a forgotten and nearly extinct race of human assassins, is also prominent in the series, particularly given that the lead protagonist is half human and half Aneiris. The lead character works as a private investigator, given that she would not fit among the Aneiris. Her right hand is Damon Lee, a snarly and surly cat shifter who ensures that the heroine is alive to fulfill her destiny. The novels in the Calbana Files series are not pure romance though they have a bit of the romance element. For any paranormal fan used to erotica or romantic, this may not be the book for you as even as they have some little of romance, they combine action and romance making them paranormal romances. They are more of paranormal romances in the mold of the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs, given that at their core they are focused on the action with the romantic aspect being a subplot of the main story.

The lead character in the series is Kit Colbana, who is a combination of vulnerability and strength. She is one of the most relatable and realistic of heroines who uses her courage to mask a lifetime of pain. She is an old-fashioned private investigator struggling to make a living but refusing to take work from some dark clients such as vampires, as she believes they would be more trouble than they are worth. For the headstrong Kit Colbana, her problems finding work stem from the fact that she is half Aneira and half-human, in a world where there is much bad blood between vampires, witches, were wolves, humans and the Aneira. Given she is half human and half Aneira, she finds it hard to survive since she has very little support from her Aneira relatives that are intolerant of half-bloods such as her, whom they call mongrels. She also generally avoids were cats and hence when we are first introduced to the character, she is in a dilemma when Damon a handsome shape shifter asks for her help with a sixteen-year old in the throes of his first change. As a child, she was brought up by her grandmother, who being an unusual grandmother made her even more damaged. Kit Colbana’s experiences are portrayed in a wrenching and realistic manner, displaying her determination to survive. Nonetheless, she does not choose to dwell or share what she has survived, and the little that we know of her hard life typically comes out in bits and pieces over the course of the series.

Set in East Orlando Florida, J.C. Daniels makes a good job at world building in the Calpana Files series of novels. The series is set about half a century from now in a world similar to the current one, but full of magic. The heroine has a problem as the dominant species are vampires, witches, and shape shifters, of which she is none. As well as the paranormal beings in her world, there are other aspects of the supernatural that include rat shifter, ancient relics, magic swords, were wolves, cat shifters, and a warrior race of assassins known as the Aneiris. The Aneiris are an Amazon like race of superhuman assassins even though they are crueler than any Amazon you could find. In a city full of magic, drugs are surprisingly one of the biggest problems with humans becoming horrible persons when they got their hands on Torque, a shape shifter made drug. Unlike in many paranormal novels, the supernatural of the world are not hiding in the shadows and have been living with and ruling humans for over 50 years. In addition to all these, a very dangerous lycanthropy-causing virus is very similar to AIDS lurks in the Calpana Files world. Transmitted just like AIDS through sex and contaminated blood, the disease is not a sure killer. A few that contract it survive to shape shift into a creature with enhanced strength, speed, and healing powers.

“Blade Song”, the first novel in the series is a delightful fantasy novel that introduces Kit Calbana, a half-human half-Aneiris woman. While she is not nearly as strong as most of the supernatural entities in her world, she makes it up with grit and determination to survive and thrive. Having gone through a terrible childhood that was full of bloodshed and training, she has become a private investigator carrying a magical sword. In a Kate Daniel type of scenario, her life changes when Damon a powerful and gorgeous shape shifter arrives on the scene and is immediately drawn to her spirit and strength. Her agency is in trouble, and she does not have time for the attentions of the sexy vampire Damon, until he throws her a curve ball. The nephew of one of his gang has gone missing, and the pack believes Kit is best placed to find the missing child and resolve the mystery of his disappearance. Despite the shape shifter’s crazy reputation, takes the case and unbeknownst to her, her life will now depend on the successful resolution of the case.

“Night Blade”, the second novel in the Calpana Files series of novels opens to Damon and Kit going strong with their respective professional lives. Damon is banishing some crazy wolves that had become very powerful under the former pack leader, while Kit is expanding her firm by taking on more cases. Things look fine until Kit gets a distressing call from Justin her ex-boyfriend, who tells her that a powerful intelligence branch is investigating Damon. Damon is the main suspect in some brutal kills in the city, and if she cannot prove that he is innocent, he will be sentenced to death. She now has to work against the clock to try to clear her boyfriend’s name even as she has to deal with a spell put on her by Justin, which makes it impossible for her to discuss the case with anyone. With the stakes so high, Kit may just have to pay the ultimate price in the quest to save Damon. She may have to put everything she loves and destroy herself in the endeavor to save her boyfriend’s life.