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Book Review of Killing Pretty (Sandman Slim, Bk 7)

Killing Pretty (Sandman Slim, Bk 7)
reviewed on + 112 more book reviews


I liked this book. it may not be reflected in the 3.5 stars, but there are good reasons for both reactions.

WARNING: There's some mild spoilers below. I'll try to keep the mystery and action out of it.

Jimmy is stuck on Earth. He has trouble adjusting to driving an hour on rush hour LA freeways to go 15 miles - which is hilarious for thise of us who've been there :-). He's trying to look guilty about picking up a "new" girl friend two weeks after his "old" one died. Death showed up at his doorstep (last book) ... and is now clerking at Jimmy's video store. His new boss, Julie, wants him to toe the legal line while figuring out who killed Death, and help her new PI agency start off with a bang. Also, what's with those missing ghosts?

Okay, so illegal fighting pits that make the UFC batches look like tea parties, necromancer lairs, giant magic circles, vampyre night clubs, the Beats Motel (almost psycho with Death hanging around), skinheads with magical artifacts, Piss Alley, soul sucking Hollywood agenciesl, Laurel Valley bees & bugs, and jam packed LA freeways are not QUITE the same as Heaven, Hell, haunted derelict malls, ghoul infested sewers, vengeful Elder/Cthulthu gods and their worshipers, and interdimensional transit rooms. But he's stuck here on Earth, and he's now visiting the terrestrial equvalents. Beside, Jimmy still manages to get himself in and out of universe shaking trouble, and along the way, sees what's behind reality and the power-behind-the-throne. (I wanna know how you can hedge a to-the-Death battle.)

BTW. Vincent, Jimmy got tired of calling him Death, is a great character. A fish (OK, Angel) out of water who's learning what being mortal really means. Too bad Death is NOT taking a Holiday (a great 1930's movie that Kadrey missed inserting into Max Overdreiv stock).

There's a LOT more introspection and only a few spots of mayhem, but that's in keeping with this transitional book. It looks to be a breather before the buildup to the next storm. I
can hardly wait for the next one to come out!

--
Kuzu