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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
I love this author's sense of humour, even though much of the story was odd fight scenes, and the real plot could have filled a much shorter book, the author is still just enjoyable to read for his little quips and side notes. It's not for everyone, and I think Howard may be running out of steam a little for this series. I think there is only so long dry witty retorts from a crochety and arrogant necromancer will remain fresh.
Ooh, liked it a lot. nice to have Horst back, and the brothers working together.
That ending tho oO a bit nervous about the next book now.
That ending tho oO a bit nervous about the next book now.
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Horst is a treasure. Read this for him, and you will be grinning all night.
I feel a kinship with Howard and his sense of humor, a frequently subtle type of reference-filled playfulness that works best if one is paying attention or shares some of the same cultural references. I'm thinking of this particularly as my review for [b:John Dies at the End|1857440|John Dies at the End (John Dies at the End, #1)|David Wong|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1189289716s/1857440.jpg|1858059] has been popping up in my feed, a book that was more slapstick-gross than implied humor, and contrasting it with this one which has a cute Princess Bride reference hidden in the text. One of my favorite things about the Cabal series is the way the text is studded with allusions, word-play and imagery that is meant to make one giggle.
"If they had delved beneath the 'poor little rich girl' patina... they would have appreciated that the only way that she could have been more dangerous would have been to have had nitroglycerine for blood, had sticks of dynamite for bones, and been fond of hopscotch.
Perhaps one of the challenges of the series is that Johannes Cabal, the central character of the earlier three books, is not a particularly likeable person (nor does he care whether or not you like him). Personally, I identify with his misanthropy, so I'm generally amused. Howard rectifies this with The Brothers Cabal by centering primarily on the charming Horst, Johannes' older brother and vampire. We had left book three in a frightening state, Johannes nearly dead. Horst immolated himself in book one, [b:Johannes Cabal the Necromancer|5750628|Johannes Cabal the Necromancer (Johannes Cabal, #1)|Jonathan L. Howard|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1442673488s/5750628.jpg|3565583], so it's a bit of a surprise for them both when Horst turns up to rescue Johannes.
"Horst shrugged. 'Perhaps it's a cyclic thing.' It was calculated to irritate, calculated with the finesse that only brothers can attain, and it succeeded like pepper under an eyelid."
Horst was resurrected as part of a nefarious plan (of course), but being the affable, peaceful fellow he is, he soon found himself on the side of the resistance. When they find themselves in deep trouble, it's clear who they need to call.
"Seriously?' said Johannes. Being irked was doing wonders for returning some small hints of color to his face. "You seriously posited me as some sort of weapon too dreadful to use? I don't know whether to be flattered or not. Ah, a resolution is coming to me. No. I'm not flattered."
Largely told as an extended flashback from Horst's point of view until the second half, the pacing works very well. The action in his tale contrasts well with the more intimate sickroom banter between the two brothers. I consistently found myself wanting to read faster to relieve the tension of all the dreadful events (although as Johannes points out, we are, after all, here listening to Horst), and read slower so that I could savor the humor. A couple of running gags had me chuckling, especially Howard's interpretation of zombies, which bear a strong resemblance to Marvin the android from Hitchhikers' Guide:
"Becky watched as a zombie that had been trying to board the rearmost car fell on its face between the rails. It did not attempt to rise, but lay there facedown, gloomily aware that the Afterlife was proving just as frustrating as Life."
The setting is roughly early 1900s with trains, guns, and flying machines lending it a Victorian feel. There are various monsters, drawing on the Dracula and Lovecraft tradition. What particularly elevated this was the nicely developed relationship between the two brothers, both in retrospect as Horst discovers Johannes isn't quite as ethically challenged as he thought, and Johannes in demonstrating his particular brand of affection for Horst. This story won't work for everyone, but I must say it was pretty close to perfect for me.
"Good Lord," said the major as he jumped down from the driver's position to land with a crunch on the gravel track. "Ladies in trousers!"
"If they had delved beneath the 'poor little rich girl' patina... they would have appreciated that the only way that she could have been more dangerous would have been to have had nitroglycerine for blood, had sticks of dynamite for bones, and been fond of hopscotch.
Perhaps one of the challenges of the series is that Johannes Cabal, the central character of the earlier three books, is not a particularly likeable person (nor does he care whether or not you like him). Personally, I identify with his misanthropy, so I'm generally amused. Howard rectifies this with The Brothers Cabal by centering primarily on the charming Horst, Johannes' older brother and vampire. We had left book three in a frightening state, Johannes nearly dead. Horst immolated himself in book one, [b:Johannes Cabal the Necromancer|5750628|Johannes Cabal the Necromancer (Johannes Cabal, #1)|Jonathan L. Howard|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1442673488s/5750628.jpg|3565583], so it's a bit of a surprise for them both when Horst turns up to rescue Johannes.
"Horst shrugged. 'Perhaps it's a cyclic thing.' It was calculated to irritate, calculated with the finesse that only brothers can attain, and it succeeded like pepper under an eyelid."
Horst was resurrected as part of a nefarious plan (of course), but being the affable, peaceful fellow he is, he soon found himself on the side of the resistance. When they find themselves in deep trouble, it's clear who they need to call.
"Seriously?' said Johannes. Being irked was doing wonders for returning some small hints of color to his face. "You seriously posited me as some sort of weapon too dreadful to use? I don't know whether to be flattered or not. Ah, a resolution is coming to me. No. I'm not flattered."
Largely told as an extended flashback from Horst's point of view until the second half, the pacing works very well. The action in his tale contrasts well with the more intimate sickroom banter between the two brothers. I consistently found myself wanting to read faster to relieve the tension of all the dreadful events (although as Johannes points out, we are, after all, here listening to Horst), and read slower so that I could savor the humor. A couple of running gags had me chuckling, especially Howard's interpretation of zombies, which bear a strong resemblance to Marvin the android from Hitchhikers' Guide:
"Becky watched as a zombie that had been trying to board the rearmost car fell on its face between the rails. It did not attempt to rise, but lay there facedown, gloomily aware that the Afterlife was proving just as frustrating as Life."
The setting is roughly early 1900s with trains, guns, and flying machines lending it a Victorian feel. There are various monsters, drawing on the Dracula and Lovecraft tradition. What particularly elevated this was the nicely developed relationship between the two brothers, both in retrospect as Horst discovers Johannes isn't quite as ethically challenged as he thought, and Johannes in demonstrating his particular brand of affection for Horst. This story won't work for everyone, but I must say it was pretty close to perfect for me.
"Good Lord," said the major as he jumped down from the driver's position to land with a crunch on the gravel track. "Ladies in trousers!"
I loved this one. It continues precisely whre the previous one ended - with Johannes being rescued by Horst and then backtracks a bit to tell us how exactly Horst came to be resurected.
The story is funny and sarcastic as ever (thans Johannes), but also a bit naive and flirtatious (thanks Horst) and I loved to read more about Horst (although, I still can´t read his name with a straight face).
The end though (or rather the last epilogue) turnes everything upside down that has happend and that made me cheer and smile and instead left me staring at the pages wishing the next book to materialise right then and there!
The story is funny and sarcastic as ever (thans Johannes), but also a bit naive and flirtatious (thanks Horst) and I loved to read more about Horst (although, I still can´t read his name with a straight face).
The end though (or rather the last epilogue) turnes everything upside down that has happend and that made me cheer and smile and instead left me staring at the pages wishing the next book to materialise right then and there!
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'd been wondering since the first book when we'd see Horst Cabal again (I knew that he'd return, despite his complete immolation). Well, that day has finally arrived and let me tell you it does not disappoint. Horst Cabal is in a few ways the complete opposite of his younger brother. A bit of a fop, funnily enough despite being a vampire possessor of a much finer moral compass that Johannes.
Although I really enjoyed this book, it is not my favorite of the series. I felt like the beginning, telling the back story of how Horst came to be back on this Earth and care-taking Johannes although amusing in itself, did make me a little anxious for the amount of pages left for Johannes to take part in the adventure at all.
In the end, however, Howard's wit, turn of phrase, and his storytelling leave me smiling, nodding and just about blazing through those pages.
In the Brothers Cabal we are introduced to a new set of fun characters to love (and love to hate) from a Prussian "ex-"spy, to a smarmy lycanthrope to a band of amazing (and trouser wearing) women trick flyers (who also seem to carry an amazing array of weaponry).
The undead in this book were especially amusing. One doesn't have to begin at the beginning, jumping in to read this book wouldn't be difficult, but I would recommend starting with the first and trying to make them last until the next book is released if you haven't read them yet.
Although I really enjoyed this book, it is not my favorite of the series. I felt like the beginning, telling the back story of how Horst came to be back on this Earth and care-taking Johannes although amusing in itself, did make me a little anxious for the amount of pages left for Johannes to take part in the adventure at all.
In the end, however, Howard's wit, turn of phrase, and his storytelling leave me smiling, nodding and just about blazing through those pages.
In the Brothers Cabal we are introduced to a new set of fun characters to love (and love to hate) from a Prussian "ex-"spy, to a smarmy lycanthrope to a band of amazing (and trouser wearing) women trick flyers (who also seem to carry an amazing array of weaponry).
The undead in this book were especially amusing. One doesn't have to begin at the beginning, jumping in to read this book wouldn't be difficult, but I would recommend starting with the first and trying to make them last until the next book is released if you haven't read them yet.
I’d like to start this one out with an apology. I’m four books into this five book series and I have officially run out of ways to make the “Cabal [method of transportation]” joke. I’ve spent kind of an embarrassing amount of time trying to come up with a way to make it work and I just can’t. I’m sure this is a personal failing on my part, and a better (funnier actually funny) writer could do it. I bet you’d still be actually laughing out loud at it. For that, I apologize. I’m the worst and I’m sorry. (Hey, side note, there’s gonna be mild spoilers. Please see the title for an example.)
Moving on to the actual meat and potatoes, we’re reviewing The Brothers Cabal by Jonathan L. Howard, the 4th book out of 5 in the Johannes Cabal series. You can find my reviews of the previous three books here, here, and here. I’m guessing if you’re reading a review of a book this far into a series you’re either already reading it yourself or are still somehow trying to convince yourself to buy the first one by seeing if the series is worth it overall. Well it is. The first two books are fun, the third book is where the series really hits its stride, and this book is a culmination of all of the best elements of the series. I cannot recommend reading the exploits of Johannes Cabal enough.
On the topic of Johannes Cabal, well at least relating to him, is the matter of the title. Readers of the first book will be very familiar with Horst Cabal, Johannes’ brother. Through a set of circumstances that were entirely the fault of Johannes, Horst became a vampire prior to the events of the first book. He was an absolute highlight of the first novel and was immediately elevated to one of my favorite characters in general.
SPOILER ALERT
He also died at the climax of the first book. Believing himself to have condemned Johannes to death and eternal damnation for the sins and general atrocities he’d committed throughout the book, he watched the sun rise and turned to ash, dying permanently.
Or so we thought! I was toying with the idea of just not talking about the title and playing this close to the chest, but the book has been out for four years at this point and I didn’t think being coy was worth it when the first chapter is literally Horst waking up from being resurrected. He obviously plays a huge part in the novel and is as good a POV character as he was a side character in the first book. He is the perfect foil to Johannes and the scenes where they verbally spar are beyond excellent. It’s too bad the series has to end, as I would devour a smaller episodic series featuring the brothers Cabal having misadventures until the end of my days.
SPOILERS DONE
I hope you read that regardless of spoilers because otherwise this next paragraph isn’t going to flow at all. The humor that has been prevalent throughout the series is at its peak in this book. Johannes continues to be drier than the Gobi, the supporting characters are shocked and amused by him in turns, and Howard continues to make almost Pratchett-like commentary on the ways of the world. I could gush for pages on how funny and amusing the book is, but I think this snippet sums up the moment to moment voice and almost insouciant humor in every page:
One of the women was watching the engagement through her own pair of binoculars. She looked up towards the castle, and their gaze met through several sets of lenses and prisms. The sergeant had a faint premonition that this meeting did not bode well. The woman lowered her glasses and looked directly at him. She had a very intense look about her, and she seemed to be mouthing something.
The sergeant was just noting that she was a very handsome woman, from somewhere in the eastern Mediterranean he would guess, when his eyes unexpectedly burst into flames. This distressed him, and he staggered around, blood-red fire erupting from the sockets, while he explained the degree of agony he was enduring and how much he would appreciate assistance of an unspecified form from those present. Then his head caught fire and his conversation became very scream orientated.
I don’t really know how else to exhort you to read this series if you aren’t currently. The plot is tight and fun, and the ending of this book sets up the fifth and final book perfectly. The series has grown into itself and Johannes Cabal himself has had an incredibly enjoyable character arc from cold, uncaring, soulless necromancer to...well, cold, mostly uncaring, soul-possessing necromancer with a soft spot for ghouls.
I just really like the series. I really like this book. I’ve never read something that felt so much like it was written for me and my personal taste, but this series really just nails it. If you have a dry, morbid sense of humor and enjoy a good action tale that features a morally dubious but good-hearted-in-the-end character, you’re doing yourself a disservice by not reading the Johannes Cabal series and The Brothers Cabal.
Rating: The Brothers Cabal - 10/10
-Will
Moving on to the actual meat and potatoes, we’re reviewing The Brothers Cabal by Jonathan L. Howard, the 4th book out of 5 in the Johannes Cabal series. You can find my reviews of the previous three books here, here, and here. I’m guessing if you’re reading a review of a book this far into a series you’re either already reading it yourself or are still somehow trying to convince yourself to buy the first one by seeing if the series is worth it overall. Well it is. The first two books are fun, the third book is where the series really hits its stride, and this book is a culmination of all of the best elements of the series. I cannot recommend reading the exploits of Johannes Cabal enough.
On the topic of Johannes Cabal, well at least relating to him, is the matter of the title. Readers of the first book will be very familiar with Horst Cabal, Johannes’ brother. Through a set of circumstances that were entirely the fault of Johannes, Horst became a vampire prior to the events of the first book. He was an absolute highlight of the first novel and was immediately elevated to one of my favorite characters in general.
SPOILER ALERT
He also died at the climax of the first book. Believing himself to have condemned Johannes to death and eternal damnation for the sins and general atrocities he’d committed throughout the book, he watched the sun rise and turned to ash, dying permanently.
Or so we thought! I was toying with the idea of just not talking about the title and playing this close to the chest, but the book has been out for four years at this point and I didn’t think being coy was worth it when the first chapter is literally Horst waking up from being resurrected. He obviously plays a huge part in the novel and is as good a POV character as he was a side character in the first book. He is the perfect foil to Johannes and the scenes where they verbally spar are beyond excellent. It’s too bad the series has to end, as I would devour a smaller episodic series featuring the brothers Cabal having misadventures until the end of my days.
SPOILERS DONE
I hope you read that regardless of spoilers because otherwise this next paragraph isn’t going to flow at all. The humor that has been prevalent throughout the series is at its peak in this book. Johannes continues to be drier than the Gobi, the supporting characters are shocked and amused by him in turns, and Howard continues to make almost Pratchett-like commentary on the ways of the world. I could gush for pages on how funny and amusing the book is, but I think this snippet sums up the moment to moment voice and almost insouciant humor in every page:
One of the women was watching the engagement through her own pair of binoculars. She looked up towards the castle, and their gaze met through several sets of lenses and prisms. The sergeant had a faint premonition that this meeting did not bode well. The woman lowered her glasses and looked directly at him. She had a very intense look about her, and she seemed to be mouthing something.
The sergeant was just noting that she was a very handsome woman, from somewhere in the eastern Mediterranean he would guess, when his eyes unexpectedly burst into flames. This distressed him, and he staggered around, blood-red fire erupting from the sockets, while he explained the degree of agony he was enduring and how much he would appreciate assistance of an unspecified form from those present. Then his head caught fire and his conversation became very scream orientated.
I don’t really know how else to exhort you to read this series if you aren’t currently. The plot is tight and fun, and the ending of this book sets up the fifth and final book perfectly. The series has grown into itself and Johannes Cabal himself has had an incredibly enjoyable character arc from cold, uncaring, soulless necromancer to...well, cold, mostly uncaring, soul-possessing necromancer with a soft spot for ghouls.
I just really like the series. I really like this book. I’ve never read something that felt so much like it was written for me and my personal taste, but this series really just nails it. If you have a dry, morbid sense of humor and enjoy a good action tale that features a morally dubious but good-hearted-in-the-end character, you’re doing yourself a disservice by not reading the Johannes Cabal series and The Brothers Cabal.
Rating: The Brothers Cabal - 10/10
-Will
For some reason, I managed to only read this book a few days before the next one comes out. I'm glad because I wouldn't want to wait so long to see the next installment, and I'm pretty excited to read about Johannes and Horst, together. Don't get me wrong, this book had plenty of them bickering and bantering back and forth at each other, but not nearly enough to satisfy me.
I must shamefully admit, I have not yet read the two books that come before this one. I read the first, and, honestly, I was more entranced with Horst, the charismatic, moral, and entirely polite vampire, than Johannes himself. So, I had to skip a few books to get to his resurrection, but can you blame me? His character is so refreshing against the self-loathing, emo vamps (we all know who I mean), and I wanted more. I had to read a few scenes to my coworkers because I found Horst entirely delightful, and I needed to share his dialogue with someone.
Here's a part that I read to my coworker. She laughed, and then she said, "Aw he's so cute."
But I do understand that "cute" is not the reason why vampires are popular. I always love reading about more than human creatures of the night struggling to deal with their vampiric tendencies. What happens when they eventually, inevitably, give in? It would definitely be a double whammy for Horst, who had never killed, and never intended to, when he does eventually kill an innocent. I would have loved to see how Horst dealt with that on his conscience. Unfortunately, this book was a bit anticlimactic on that front. It had built tension up for Horst, allowing the reader to see his violent thoughts, and then, without ever really really giving in, it somehow manages to be nothing more than a small annoyance for him. Kind of disappointing, if you ask me. I was hoping for more, and I still am with the next book to be released.
So, I plan on eventually reading books two and three, and then I will have more to say about Johannes Cabal as a character, and his growth. For those more interested in his character, he only gets some good action in the last third of the novel, but some chapters are precluded with interruptions from Johannes as Horst recalls his epic tale leading up until he arrives on Johannes door step, and they are entirely delightful. Honestly, I have to say, I don't love Johannes as much as I love Johannes and Horst together. The dialogue between them is more than enough reason for someone to pick up this book. It's everything, including brotherly love.
I must shamefully admit, I have not yet read the two books that come before this one. I read the first, and, honestly, I was more entranced with Horst, the charismatic, moral, and entirely polite vampire, than Johannes himself. So, I had to skip a few books to get to his resurrection, but can you blame me? His character is so refreshing against the self-loathing, emo vamps (we all know who I mean), and I wanted more. I had to read a few scenes to my coworkers because I found Horst entirely delightful, and I needed to share his dialogue with someone.
Here's a part that I read to my coworker. She laughed, and then she said, "Aw he's so cute."
Then the Lord of the Dead spoke.
And he said, "I won't say I'm not a bit peckish. Famished, in fact. But not nearly as much as I'm surprised. And naked. I don't suppose anyone thought to bring along a spare pair of trousers, did they? There are ladies present, and I was raised to believe that being naked in front of strange ladies is reserved for special occasions."
But I do understand that "cute" is not the reason why vampires are popular. I always love reading about more than human creatures of the night struggling to deal with their vampiric tendencies. What happens when they eventually, inevitably, give in? It would definitely be a double whammy for Horst, who had never killed, and never intended to, when he does eventually kill an innocent. I would have loved to see how Horst dealt with that on his conscience. Unfortunately, this book was a bit anticlimactic on that front. It had built tension up for Horst, allowing the reader to see his violent thoughts, and then, without ever really really giving in, it somehow manages to be nothing more than a small annoyance for him. Kind of disappointing, if you ask me. I was hoping for more, and I still am with the next book to be released.
So, I plan on eventually reading books two and three, and then I will have more to say about Johannes Cabal as a character, and his growth. For those more interested in his character, he only gets some good action in the last third of the novel, but some chapters are precluded with interruptions from Johannes as Horst recalls his epic tale leading up until he arrives on Johannes door step, and they are entirely delightful. Honestly, I have to say, I don't love Johannes as much as I love Johannes and Horst together. The dialogue between them is more than enough reason for someone to pick up this book. It's everything, including brotherly love.
Horst suddenly sat upright. "My God. Johannes, are you saying that you're accepting this task because I asked you to?"
Cabal did not reply. Instead he found a loose thread on the eiderdown and fiddled distractedly with it. Horst sat on the side of the bed, embraced his brother around the shoulders with one arm, and rubbed the top of his head with the knuckles of the other.
"Horst!" snapped Cabal. "I am no longer eight years old!"
"You'll always be my little brother, Johannes, even if you look older than me now."