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Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey

Richard Kadrey has a new book out. Aloha From Hell, the third in the Sandman Slim series hit shelves yesterday -- just in time to make in on your Halloween reading lists (or anytime reading lists -- but it should be on your Must Buy list!).

I realize, though, that not only am I behind on the series, I've never done a Sandman Slim post before now. I think in my efforts to write two reviews (one for BB and a separate one for the blog), I get a bit bogged down. I will admit that EVERYTHING I read gets reviewed for the Bookbitch site. And I don't like to copy those. That way if you read both, you get something a little different on each site.

I'm not through my current read yet, and my Halloween stack is growing everyday! So, Sandman Slim. Can I just say that I was a bit blown away by this book? Because I was. I put Kadrey in the category with Mike Carey in the brilliantly dark urban fantasy series list.

James Stark spent eleven years living in hell. As the only human, he was tortured and enslaved, eventually becoming one of hell's assassins. But when Starks girlfriend is murdered in the land of the living, Stark kills his master and returns, hellbent on revenge. With Vidocq and magic on his side (yes, the French detective, Vidocq), Stark plans to track down those responsible and make them pay.

I love Stark. As a hero/anti-hero, he's really pretty fantastic. I'm also a big fan of Kadrey's use of the heaven/hell/fallen angel plot.

Dark -- dark, dark, dark. And funny. I have to say, if you like black comedy and urban fantasy, this is definitely a series you'll want to check out. And of course I've added Kill the Dead and Aloha From Hell to the top of the TBR stack now as well.

1 comment:

Vickie said...

Just picked this up this week!! I saw a review on the second one, realized I had Kadrey's BUTCHER BIRD on the WWBL and had seen SANDMAN SLIM too. Decided to see if B&N had it...I got the last copy and will read it soon. I think I set it up next on the nightstand.