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embereye's review against another edition
4.0
Although I've read reviews saying that the characters in the story were just way too cool, I didn't really get that impression. More I got the impression that the two characters were just two very lost people just blindly fighting their way through as best they could in a totally insane situation. This has a lot of good bits in it, really hilariously funny lines and dialogue and some really cool bits and pieces. There are influences from a lot of sources, not least of which are Gaiman and Lovecraft. It's a fairly speedy and entertaining urban fantasy read. Not a change your life kind of book, but a good story pretty decently told. I'm looking forward to more stories from this guy.
amybraunauthor's review against another edition
4.0
This book can be summed up in one word: CRAZY. And I mean that in the best way. I've never read anything quite like this. It is a wild ride from beginning to end, filled with monsters and demons and danger. The characters are so much fun and if you allow yourself to lose yourself in its absurdity, you will have the time of your life.
The book is written in Kadrey's classic, memorable style. Short and whip-quick, jumping to the point and never wasting a word. It was a little disorienting at times, and I wasn't quite sure how characters got to certain places, or how certain things happened. I also was a bit confused about the magic and how Spyder's abilities and ultimate reveal worked.
All that said, as with Kadrey's Sandman Slim series, I loved the characters. Captain Non, Lulu, and Shrike are stellar, fun, and fierce lead characters, and Spyder is just so much fun. He falls into his role and enters the adventure he could never have comprehended. The book is even quite romantic at some points, which is not something I expected from a book like this.
If you're a fan of Richard Kadrey's previous work, you will love this book. It is perfect if you're missing the Sandman Slim series, or if you're looking for a dark urban fantasy where madness and fun reign supreme.
The book is written in Kadrey's classic, memorable style. Short and whip-quick, jumping to the point and never wasting a word. It was a little disorienting at times, and I wasn't quite sure how characters got to certain places, or how certain things happened. I also was a bit confused about the magic and how Spyder's abilities and ultimate reveal worked.
All that said, as with Kadrey's Sandman Slim series, I loved the characters. Captain Non, Lulu, and Shrike are stellar, fun, and fierce lead characters, and Spyder is just so much fun. He falls into his role and enters the adventure he could never have comprehended. The book is even quite romantic at some points, which is not something I expected from a book like this.
If you're a fan of Richard Kadrey's previous work, you will love this book. It is perfect if you're missing the Sandman Slim series, or if you're looking for a dark urban fantasy where madness and fun reign supreme.
bookjerm's review against another edition
5.0
A great read, entertaining, full of angels and demons and wicked creatures and vivid descriptions of hell. Loved it!
ogreart's review against another edition
4.0
Kadrey is an excellent writer. This book was full of surprises and some pretty accurate insights. I deeply enjoyed it.
rkmelcher's review against another edition
3.0
Not written as well as the Slim books, which makes sense given this came first. Kadrey also tries too hard to make Spyder likable, funny, and "cool," as other readers point out. But the allusions to what become mainstays in the Slim series made for a fun read. Certainly not Kadrey's best, but it has its moments.
eacolgan's review against another edition
3.0
if i could give half stars i'd give this one three and a half. it was definitely a solid book, better than a lot of fantasy that's out there right now. there were little things that bugged me; some typos and grammar stuff that i can't help but notice, some of the dialogue fell a little flat, and the characters were engaging but never engrossing. that being said, overall the story was a good one, the plot was interesting and the descriptions of the world were vivid and clear. this guy definitely has a hell of an imagination, and does a great job of putting on paper what he sees in his head. i'd read other stuff by him for sure, i just probably wouldn't buy it.
kilcannon's review against another edition
3.0
It was fun, but boy was it sloppy. I'm pretty sure one minor incident accidentally happened twice at the end. Things happen rapidly and often without logic or transition. A few bits were rote cliches, and occasionally the dialogue was, as well.
But, hey, it was full of neat stuff and amusing characters. Good enough.
But, hey, it was full of neat stuff and amusing characters. Good enough.
leighbrarian's review
5.0
Kadrey does it again! I enjoyed this as much as the Sandman Slim novels, if not more just because it is out of the mold of the Sandman Slim series. Still definitely Kadrey though, lots of wittiness and fantasy and gory fights and a trip to Hell to match wits with demons.
vermidian's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book was a gift from my partner, and while I'm not really a big fan of Kadrey's works, I had to give it a fair shot. I will say that I enjoyed it more than Sandman Slim. As a standalone, I enjoyed getting the narrative really wrapped up by the end of the book, which isn't something you ever really got from Sandman Slim. I also loved the world building that you get in this book. While Sandman Slim is more hell focused, this books goes all over the spheres and introduces you to a whole lot more world mythology in a short span. I love some good world building.
The characters are still not what I would prefer. They were all a little more like an edgy pipe dream of a man writing for men, which I am not so it didn't have the same appeal for me. I had the same issue with Sandman Slim, to be fair. The writer just writes for the male gaze. And that's okay! It's just not for me.
The other thing that I observed is that I think this book shouldn't actually be prose. I think this book should be a graphic novel. The style of the discussion and the way the scenes felt would be perfect for a gritty American comic book style graphic novel series. It's not bad as prose, but I think it would lend itself so well to comic panels.
The characters are still not what I would prefer. They were all a little more like an edgy pipe dream of a man writing for men, which I am not so it didn't have the same appeal for me. I had the same issue with Sandman Slim, to be fair. The writer just writes for the male gaze. And that's okay! It's just not for me.
The other thing that I observed is that I think this book shouldn't actually be prose. I think this book should be a graphic novel. The style of the discussion and the way the scenes felt would be perfect for a gritty American comic book style graphic novel series. It's not bad as prose, but I think it would lend itself so well to comic panels.
htb2050's review against another edition
3.0
It was kind of different. Not as good as Sandman Slim but still holds on its own.