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tbr_the_unconquered's review
4.0
The whole concept of afterlife is one that has enabled most of the major religions of the world to hold people in their thrall. The dichotomy of sin and virtue has proven to be a much more effective manipulative mechanism than war, torture or bribery. Repeatedly tell a large group of people that you will be boiled, tortured and roasted in the netherworld and they start dreaming up a place so horrid that they keep a wide berth from everything that is named as sin in their belief systems. This begs the question, is Hell a static place ? Will the so called nefarious denizens be torturing away souls for all of eternity ? Humanity has worked hard at converting sins to art forms over the centuries and it would only be natural that Hell would keep up with it. Simon Kurt Unsworth thinks so too in his story for he creates a version of Hell which robs a human soul of its last desperate thread : hope.
This is a murder mystery set in Hell ! Now how ironic is that ? In a place which is supposedly ruled by chaos, what difference would one murder make ? It seems that even in the most hopeless of places, there exists a semblance of order and discipline. This is how we get introduced to Thomas Fool who is one of three information men in Hell who are charged with investigating and reporting crimes. Fool has a thankless job for no one really cares whether these are solved or not. Egged on by his superior – the enigmatic elderflower he goes around trying to do the best he can which at most times is next to nothing. Hell is a horrendous place and let me explain why. If you are unlucky, you will forever be one tiny drop in a vast ocean of damned souls which lie beyond the most extreme walls of Hell. Your soul is in limbo and it just floats about without any notion as to why it is there in the first place. A few souls from this sea might get picked and finally given a shape and form and yet much more horrid fates await them in Hell. Such a human being might either be a nameless worker in the giant factories or a sex toy for the perverse demons of the land. In either case, the human being has no knowledge of what it did to have ended up here. This existence lasts for ever and ever with no change in sight but only for one single difference. Once in while across eons come a delegation from Heaven which brings with it a final chance of redemption. A random group of souls might be picked for elevation which stirs up resentment among the others. Amidst all this noise is when a murderer strikes among the human populace gruesomely and it is up to the overworked Thomas Fool to solve these.
As a whodunit the story is pretty average. If you had read a fair share of mysteries, it is quite obvious to you who the murderer is. But the skill of the author is such that he subtly shifts focus to the environment in Hell and how it changes over the course of the story. Thomas Fool is so full of self-loathing that he comes across more as a reluctant observer than a hero. If Fool could talk to you, he might also have told you that he doesn’t want to be a hero ever. Barring a bit of predictability in the climax, this is a fantastic setting for an average story.
Recommended.
This is a murder mystery set in Hell ! Now how ironic is that ? In a place which is supposedly ruled by chaos, what difference would one murder make ? It seems that even in the most hopeless of places, there exists a semblance of order and discipline. This is how we get introduced to Thomas Fool who is one of three information men in Hell who are charged with investigating and reporting crimes. Fool has a thankless job for no one really cares whether these are solved or not. Egged on by his superior – the enigmatic elderflower he goes around trying to do the best he can which at most times is next to nothing. Hell is a horrendous place and let me explain why. If you are unlucky, you will forever be one tiny drop in a vast ocean of damned souls which lie beyond the most extreme walls of Hell. Your soul is in limbo and it just floats about without any notion as to why it is there in the first place. A few souls from this sea might get picked and finally given a shape and form and yet much more horrid fates await them in Hell. Such a human being might either be a nameless worker in the giant factories or a sex toy for the perverse demons of the land. In either case, the human being has no knowledge of what it did to have ended up here. This existence lasts for ever and ever with no change in sight but only for one single difference. Once in while across eons come a delegation from Heaven which brings with it a final chance of redemption. A random group of souls might be picked for elevation which stirs up resentment among the others. Amidst all this noise is when a murderer strikes among the human populace gruesomely and it is up to the overworked Thomas Fool to solve these.
As a whodunit the story is pretty average. If you had read a fair share of mysteries, it is quite obvious to you who the murderer is. But the skill of the author is such that he subtly shifts focus to the environment in Hell and how it changes over the course of the story. Thomas Fool is so full of self-loathing that he comes across more as a reluctant observer than a hero. If Fool could talk to you, he might also have told you that he doesn’t want to be a hero ever. Barring a bit of predictability in the climax, this is a fantastic setting for an average story.
Recommended.
kehei225's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
andyn5's review against another edition
5.0
Definitely a Hell of a different reading but not by all means disappointing. I always thought of Hell as the traditional "place of misery and punishment for your sins" like Dante's Inferno, but in this story, Hell becomes something else entirely. Several brutal murders happen in a place where they're common and everyone is guilty of something? Very well thought, with a great in-depth to the main character and amazing plot twits.
It's impossible not to like Thomas Fool and to really think over if we really are in control of our choices and our path in life. Is it us or someone else? In Fool's case "Is it my choice or Hell just making me think I have a choice? Is it and illusion?" This phrase isn't in the book, it's just one of the many questions Thomas Fool tries to answer and understand while looking for the responsible for all the brutal murders.
Different, macabre, but I loved every page.
It's impossible not to like Thomas Fool and to really think over if we really are in control of our choices and our path in life. Is it us or someone else? In Fool's case "Is it my choice or Hell just making me think I have a choice? Is it and illusion?" This phrase isn't in the book, it's just one of the many questions Thomas Fool tries to answer and understand while looking for the responsible for all the brutal murders.
Different, macabre, but I loved every page.
gatun's review
5.0
The book was stunning in it's originality and descriptions. I was amazed at the Hell the author created. It actually seems more harsher than the hell I was taught about as a child at church. The characters, oh my goodness, the characters were so varied; not just in personalities but in species and purpose. I read the last page this afternoon and my jaw dropped. Talk about not showing all the cards until the end.
When I had the opportunity to review the audiobook for Audiobook Jukebox, I jumped at it. Narrated by David Rintool, a book I loved became even better. Mr. Rintool's clear, smooth voice brings the book to life. He created unique voices for the characters. Imagine having to create voices for humans, demons, angels and "what the heck was that thing?". The narration matched the pace of the action. When voices, or growls, were raised the dialogue was still clear. The production values are excellent.
If you must choose between reading or listening to The Devil's Detective, the audiobook adds a deeper dimension and creates a more enjoyable experience.
When I had the opportunity to review the audiobook for Audiobook Jukebox, I jumped at it. Narrated by David Rintool, a book I loved became even better. Mr. Rintool's clear, smooth voice brings the book to life. He created unique voices for the characters. Imagine having to create voices for humans, demons, angels and "what the heck was that thing?". The narration matched the pace of the action. When voices, or growls, were raised the dialogue was still clear. The production values are excellent.
If you must choose between reading or listening to The Devil's Detective, the audiobook adds a deeper dimension and creates a more enjoyable experience.
whipsmile's review against another edition
4.0
One things for sure, if you are a believer in Hell, this book makes you want to walk the straight and narrow so you don't end up there. It was like a Bosch painting in 300 pages.
I didn't really realize what I was getting into when I started this book. I read the synopsis and thought it sounded extremely interesting.
And I was right. It was interesting. But also gory, disturbing, graphic, appalling, and a horror. I cannot recommend it to a lot of my regular "followers".
However, it is very, very well written and the character of Thomas Fool is as readable, interesting and reluctant as you can get.
I am giving it four stars because I thought it was a very unique, clever, and well executed novel. But I am not giving it 4 stars because I liked it. It was just a little too *much* for me.
I didn't really realize what I was getting into when I started this book. I read the synopsis and thought it sounded extremely interesting.
And I was right. It was interesting. But also gory, disturbing, graphic, appalling, and a horror. I cannot recommend it to a lot of my regular "followers".
However, it is very, very well written and the character of Thomas Fool is as readable, interesting and reluctant as you can get.
I am giving it four stars because I thought it was a very unique, clever, and well executed novel. But I am not giving it 4 stars because I liked it. It was just a little too *much* for me.
andyn5's review
5.0
Definitely a Hell of a different reading but not by all means disappointing. I always thought of Hell as the traditional "place of misery and punishment for your sins" like Dante's Inferno, but in this story, Hell becomes something else entirely. Several brutal murders happen in a place where they're common and everyone is guilty of something? Very well thought, with a great in-depth to the main character and amazing plot twits.
It's impossible not to like Thomas Fool and to really think over if we really are in control of our choices and our path in life. Is it us or someone else? In Fool's case "Is it my choice or Hell just making me think I have a choice? Is it and illusion?" This phrase isn't in the book, it's just one of the many questions Thomas Fool tries to answer and understand while looking for the responsible for all the brutal murders.
Different, macabre, but I loved every page.
It's impossible not to like Thomas Fool and to really think over if we really are in control of our choices and our path in life. Is it us or someone else? In Fool's case "Is it my choice or Hell just making me think I have a choice? Is it and illusion?" This phrase isn't in the book, it's just one of the many questions Thomas Fool tries to answer and understand while looking for the responsible for all the brutal murders.
Different, macabre, but I loved every page.
diamondxdog's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
get_lost_in_a_book_13's review
4.0
I honestly didn’t know anything about this book going in. I didn’t know the story, I just bought the book based off what I’ve heard and a recommendation from one of my book club members.
I was not disappointed. The writing is great, the story is great, the characters are true to their nature. This book was something I’ve never read before and I enjoyed it. It was graphic at times but I loved the detective aspect throughout it as well as the plot being set in Hell. I loved the angels and demons, the souls, and Thomas Fool trying to find out who, or what, is committing these murders.
I was not disappointed. The writing is great, the story is great, the characters are true to their nature. This book was something I’ve never read before and I enjoyed it. It was graphic at times but I loved the detective aspect throughout it as well as the plot being set in Hell. I loved the angels and demons, the souls, and Thomas Fool trying to find out who, or what, is committing these murders.
holly_cap's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5