Helpful Score: 3
Third book in the Greywalker paranormal fantasy series set in Seattle, WA. Featuring Harper Blaine, a woman who becomes a Greywalker after having died for two minutes. She is able to go into the Greythe murky area between life and death, seeing ghosts other spirit-folk.
This story features a series of grisly killings of Seattles homeless community, where folks are showing up dead with body parts missing and having been quite literally chewed up. The murders, while being investigated, are not a high priority given the victims status, and are being written off as attacked by dogs and such. Harper gets involved with the case when Quinton, her friend who does her tech work, designed her security system, etc. asks her to investigate as he knew some of the people who have diedand others who have simply disappeared recently. He knows about Harpers abilities and thinks shes the perfect person to look into things, and as she has no pressing cases, she does. Plunging to the world of the homeless, the Seattle Underground, and learning much about a local Native American myth, Harper and Quinton make some startling discoveries.
This is the book where I think the author finally comes into her stride. Dont get me wrongI liked the first two books just fine, but I didnt really feel connected to Harper and there was an elusive something missing from them. Whatever that was, its now been found! This story sucked me in right away and I literally read this book in two sittings. I felt as though I finally got to really get into Harpers head, and the story wasnt just about her, it *was* her. Excellent!
This story features a series of grisly killings of Seattles homeless community, where folks are showing up dead with body parts missing and having been quite literally chewed up. The murders, while being investigated, are not a high priority given the victims status, and are being written off as attacked by dogs and such. Harper gets involved with the case when Quinton, her friend who does her tech work, designed her security system, etc. asks her to investigate as he knew some of the people who have diedand others who have simply disappeared recently. He knows about Harpers abilities and thinks shes the perfect person to look into things, and as she has no pressing cases, she does. Plunging to the world of the homeless, the Seattle Underground, and learning much about a local Native American myth, Harper and Quinton make some startling discoveries.
This is the book where I think the author finally comes into her stride. Dont get me wrongI liked the first two books just fine, but I didnt really feel connected to Harper and there was an elusive something missing from them. Whatever that was, its now been found! This story sucked me in right away and I literally read this book in two sittings. I felt as though I finally got to really get into Harpers head, and the story wasnt just about her, it *was* her. Excellent!
Helpful Score: 1
Harper Blaine is back in an unusual and compelling mystery Underground, that takes Harper on a new case for an old friend that runs a gauntlet of action and circumstances usually seen on The X-Files. Between pagan gods, Prohibition and government conspiracies, the adventure in this installment is well conceived and delivered with Kat Richardson's trademark âtelling detailsâ that get a reaction from the reader every time. An aspect of Richardson's writing that I enjoy is her love for Seattle, and in Underground, she takes us through a historic lens of Seattle that touches on less known history as well as a nod to the more modern grunge era and in so doing, provides the reader with a tangible contextual feeling for the area. In Underground, we also see a welcome return to the development of the series as a whole as we revisit supporting characters and their lives as they become further entwined with Harper's adventures and we start to see the effects of earlier events on Harper and her friends in unexpected ways.
I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading the next installment in the series.
I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading the next installment in the series.
Helpful Score: 1
Sorry I'm writing this review bass ackward:
Bottom line; Well written; good world building; slow paced. If you are not in a hurry, Greywalker is worth investing in, but not for those of us who like quick moving action.
Heres why
While Richardson is very skilled at her craft, it is taking her forever to establish this series. I really like the way she puts words together. I like everything about her books except the pacing.
Greywalker is a series I really wanted to like. I loved the debut! Richardson brought me right into her world and told me a fabulous story. Her platform is unique, and interesting. The characters well defined, and believable. The story interesting and fun and suprisingly well paced for a series debut.
I skipped #2 because a friend I trust said it got bogged down in the setting and extraneous details and took forever to get going. And started Underground with High Expectations. Thinking she would certainly have the buggs worked out and be ready to rock.
She was still slogging her way through atmosphere and juxtuposition for Underground about 1/3 of the way through the story. That was where I bailed because as far as I was concerned the story still hadn't started.
Bottom line; Well written; good world building; slow paced. If you are not in a hurry, Greywalker is worth investing in, but not for those of us who like quick moving action.
Heres why
While Richardson is very skilled at her craft, it is taking her forever to establish this series. I really like the way she puts words together. I like everything about her books except the pacing.
Greywalker is a series I really wanted to like. I loved the debut! Richardson brought me right into her world and told me a fabulous story. Her platform is unique, and interesting. The characters well defined, and believable. The story interesting and fun and suprisingly well paced for a series debut.
I skipped #2 because a friend I trust said it got bogged down in the setting and extraneous details and took forever to get going. And started Underground with High Expectations. Thinking she would certainly have the buggs worked out and be ready to rock.
She was still slogging her way through atmosphere and juxtuposition for Underground about 1/3 of the way through the story. That was where I bailed because as far as I was concerned the story still hadn't started.
I liked this book better than the first 2. This is turning into a great Urban fantasy series.
Interesting, and it moves Harper forward a little bit in terms of her abilities. The Seattle underground was fascinating and I really wish we had seen more of the past through Harper's eyes. Although, not being a resident of Seattle, I do find the volume of location info to be a bit much. They're under this building at the corner of that street which used to be called something else until it burned, and then they turn north so they are now in yadda yadda yadda. Richardson did a ton of research for this book and I think she put most of it in there. But anyway - i liked the Native mythos, I like Quinton although not sure we needed the NSA angle. Can't forget Albert too, wonder what will come of that? Good pacing, some fun dialogue, I'm glad Will is gone, and as mentioned already a good sense of place.
It's an interesting idea, that she can see and go into the 'Grey'. I don't much like the world in this book. I've never really hankered for a zombie boyfriend who might show up with someone elses arm and can shed pieces of flesh behind him as he goes. I liked her portrayal of the homeless community, she really made them interesting. However, it seemed to me that she had her heroine and her entourage going into a lot of places just to go into dark creepy places. A lot like the girl in 'Birds' who goes up the stairs, opens the door, sees birds filling the room, then goes inside the room and shuts the door behind her! They are looking for a monster with no idea how they will survive if they find it. This was the 3rd in the series and the first one I've read, but I doubt I will look for others.
