3.5 stars. Not at all what I was expecting, but that's not a bad thing. The story is set in Northern Ireland, during the time of the Troubles, and this book covers the years 1972 to 78. In 72, Liam, the protagonist, is falsely accused of being a rioter and at age 16 gets thrown into the jail The Kesh where he finds out the hard way that he is a puca, a shapeshifter. Struggling with this knowledge, he eventually ends up in Belfast with his young wife Mary Kate, as taxi driver by day, and member of the Provisional IRA at night. Something's not quite right with his life, with the beast inside him always threatening to overwhelm him. Little does he know that he is half human, half fey, son of a prince of the Fianna, drawn into a conflict between the Fey and the Fallen Angels. And then there's the militant arm of the Catholic Church, hunting both Fey and Fallen alike as demons.

This description might make it seem as if you actually learn more about the fantasy part of the story, but you don't really. The angle is always Liam's, who knows how to deal with the IRA and the various groups in Northern Ireland that I couldn't keep straight whatsoever. RUC, UDF, Operational IRA, Provos, Peelers, what have you. It left me rather confused. There's a big supernatural showdown at the end which only leaves me thirsting for more info on the Fianna, but this first book is mostly the story of Liam, struggling with what he doesn't know is his heritage. It's historical fiction, with only little sprinkles of urban fantasy thrown in. Despite wanting to strangle Liam at times, I am definitely invested in reading more.