Helpful Score: 5
Well, that was interesting – three stars, easy.
After working on Shadow of the Torturer and Claw of the Conciliator, I needed a break and something easy. Sandman Slim came up as that break.
James “Jimmy” Stark, aka Wild Bill, aka Sandman Slim is a murderous soul (dont call him Jimmy, he doesnt like it and you wouldnt either). But wouldn’t you be after 11 years in Hell as the only living human down there? When we meet him he’s only just escaped and literally jumped right into the fire. All he has is Abaddon’s dagger, the Key to the Room With 13 Doors and a Veritas coin with an attitude. And he’s dead set on avenging himself against those that sent him to Hell and murdered the only person he ever loved.
So, did I like it? Enough to give it three stars and write a review, but not enough to be singing its praises to the rafters. Its not bad, and as urban fantasy noir, its excellent. Jimmy has a good voice, with a quick wit, ready with a quip and a nasty black sense of humor. But I dont really like him. He doesnt even begin to move to redeemable until near the end of the book, and at several points he ponders going back to Hell.
Stark is supposed to be cool – and myself from my teens and twenties probably would have thought him intensely cool. At forty, he doesnt look all that sympathetic. Hes all but invulnerable (personifying the phrase That which does not kill me makes me stronger), has the Key, a powerful magician, a fighter, an assassin and can shoot with the best of them. The problem is, hes not exactly likable. Hes very violent, impulsive, destructive, self centered and on and on. Outside his love of Alice, hes not all that human. Still, that rapier quick wit offers something… And he does decide there are better things than returning to pit fights in Hell.
Despite Starks flaws as a character, Richard Kadrey has a great ear for dialogue and came up with those quips Jimmy drops left, right and center. For the dialogue and using Vidocq as a character Ill forgive him for Starks failings.
Likes: Starks big mouth overloading his small behind; Eugene Vidocq; Use of traditional and non-traditional Christian mythos, no Lovecraftian monstrosities here; Dialogue.
Dislikes: Im supposed to like Stark? In addition to all his flaws I mentioned above, hes angsty.
Verdict: «««A fun, fast read. Not the deepest thing, but fun.
Suggested for: Urban Fantasy fans, fans of Dashiell Hammett (particularly The Continental Op), Andrew Vachss‘ Burke books
After working on Shadow of the Torturer and Claw of the Conciliator, I needed a break and something easy. Sandman Slim came up as that break.
James “Jimmy” Stark, aka Wild Bill, aka Sandman Slim is a murderous soul (dont call him Jimmy, he doesnt like it and you wouldnt either). But wouldn’t you be after 11 years in Hell as the only living human down there? When we meet him he’s only just escaped and literally jumped right into the fire. All he has is Abaddon’s dagger, the Key to the Room With 13 Doors and a Veritas coin with an attitude. And he’s dead set on avenging himself against those that sent him to Hell and murdered the only person he ever loved.
So, did I like it? Enough to give it three stars and write a review, but not enough to be singing its praises to the rafters. Its not bad, and as urban fantasy noir, its excellent. Jimmy has a good voice, with a quick wit, ready with a quip and a nasty black sense of humor. But I dont really like him. He doesnt even begin to move to redeemable until near the end of the book, and at several points he ponders going back to Hell.
Stark is supposed to be cool – and myself from my teens and twenties probably would have thought him intensely cool. At forty, he doesnt look all that sympathetic. Hes all but invulnerable (personifying the phrase That which does not kill me makes me stronger), has the Key, a powerful magician, a fighter, an assassin and can shoot with the best of them. The problem is, hes not exactly likable. Hes very violent, impulsive, destructive, self centered and on and on. Outside his love of Alice, hes not all that human. Still, that rapier quick wit offers something… And he does decide there are better things than returning to pit fights in Hell.
Despite Starks flaws as a character, Richard Kadrey has a great ear for dialogue and came up with those quips Jimmy drops left, right and center. For the dialogue and using Vidocq as a character Ill forgive him for Starks failings.
Likes: Starks big mouth overloading his small behind; Eugene Vidocq; Use of traditional and non-traditional Christian mythos, no Lovecraftian monstrosities here; Dialogue.
Dislikes: Im supposed to like Stark? In addition to all his flaws I mentioned above, hes angsty.
Verdict: «««A fun, fast read. Not the deepest thing, but fun.
Suggested for: Urban Fantasy fans, fans of Dashiell Hammett (particularly The Continental Op), Andrew Vachss‘ Burke books
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