Jordan D. (jddennis) - reviewed on 4/12/2009 + 12 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 3

SNAKE AGENT is set in the near future and introduces us to Detective Inspector Chen. He is a police officer in Singapore Three, heading up the supernatural crimes division. The story begins when the daughter of a wealthy family shows up at the gates of Hell, the victim of a murder. Chen begins to investigate, and discovers that it's more than a simple crime. A conspiracy is fomenting in Hell, and it reaches into the highest echelons of the government. With the help of a demon liaison from Hell's Ministry of Vice, Chen races against time to stop what could lead to the death of untold numbers of humans.

One thing I enjoyed about SNAKE AGENT is that Williams isn't abashed about abusing her characters. Chen's goal in the story is complicated by the fact that he's married to a demon named Inari who fled from an arranged marriage in Hell. A government-sanctioned ghost hunter believes that Chen is being stalked and takes it upon himself to kill Chen's wife. Inari leaves Chen and goes back to Hell, believing he'll be safer without her. So, while Chen's trying to save the world, he's also trying to convince his wife to return home. Also, Chen is a devotee of the goddess Kuan Yin. His marriage to a demon has put him on bad terms with his patron, and his increased activities during his mission only further strain the relationship.

I loved the use of Asian mythology as a building block. Williams does a great job making the different conception of Hell fascinating. Also, there are a lot of great little world-building moments. For example, demons regard blood in the same way that people like chocolate. Additionally, Inari is accompanied by a familiar that can shape shift to be either a tea kettle or a badger. This reminded me a lot of the Japanese folklore about the tanuki.

One interesting aspect of this book is that it's set in the near future. There are several technological advances in the area of biotechnology. Also, there's an interesting political twist. It seems that in Inspector Chen's future, China has either come to govern over a large part of southern Asia or has a lot of pull. Today, Singapore is an independent republic, and one would infer that any future colonies would be a part of that republic. However, the ghost hunter is from Beijing and an ardent member of the Communist party.

In closing, I'd recommend SNAKE AGENT to readers interested in urban fantasy who also like a good detective yarn. It's an exciting melange that will keep you entertained.

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