Reviews

Undeath and Taxes by Drew Hayes

booksnorkel's review against another edition

4.0

An interesting series I do enjoy them they read more like short stories rather than a novel which isn't a bad thing when you are looking for something to pass the time.

I am going to roll my eyes at the 'just testing you bro' thing. I HATE that in real life, like legit think that it's the shittiest thing you can do to someone. It's bullshit drama that just feeds into someone's narcissism. I'm too busy of a person to actually talk to you and learn about you- It enraged me how passive he was about this test.

I did love the hose story so that was nice. Just a light fun read.

amyteurhour's review

4.0

Once I found out that there were more adventures of Fred & Friends, I binged everything that was available while recovering from Covid, so things might start blending in from book to book. I really enjoyed how there are other opportunities for Fred to develop professionally even after death. I do find the relationship between Gideon and Sally to be a bit off-putting, but all of the characters are so compelling that I can suspend my disbelief enough to not think about it too much.

cdbaker's review against another edition

4.0

I find these characters to be adorable and charming.

sashalei's review

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

tms98's review against another edition

5.0

Het tweede deel van de Fred, the Vampire Accountant serie is weer een geniaal deel waarbij de laatste twee verhalen de allerbeste tot nu toe zijn. Fred komt weer in veel situaties terecht die totaal niets voor hem zijn, maar zijn character arch is enorm leuk om te volgen en gebeurt ook zeer organisch.

cedardleland's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

thebookedunicorn's review

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.25

poseidon9697's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

emilysunflowers's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

vagaybond's review

3.0

There's so much about this that I love. I was braced for the collection of self contained short stories and this time there really was some small overarching plot. There's something relaxing about knowing the plot is not going to be so complicated that it's hard to explain to my partner what I've been reading today. It's a studious vampire accountant who loves his buddies! Who are also a lil unconventional!

I've recently joined a Monster Of The Week role playing group and this is a similar vibe.

Some things I do dislike (which have extreme weight to them)

(spoilers ahead, not censored because they warrant warning)


1. the thing between Sally and Gideon. I get that there's... More To It but... I find what it is extremely repellant and unnecessary. It's essentially grooming only Gideon is in child form too. If Sally were a whole adult in the start, who wasn't growing up beside him that would be one thing. I feel like if a 22-year-old were into some ancient dragon that would be one thing. It's different and unsettling to have Sally grow up beside someone who is always more powerful and has more authority than her. Maybe if Sally were a reincarnation or something even? Or temporarily a young person, who used to be an adult who already made the decisions for this.

I just feel like there's so many ways this could have been written (Sally being

Spoiler

some big prophecy being

, Gideon being her ~betrothed~) that weren't unbelievably off-putting to survivors and the author really just... Had no regard.

Especially that gross title that essentially meant Sally is supposed to be

Spoiler

pregnant with full-blooded dragons eventually??? WHAT THE FUCK

!?!? And like... YOU COULD HAVE EVEN AVOIDED DOING THAT. Even with the same plot point thing! Like you could have

Spoiler

made dragons like amphibians who scatter eggs and others fertilize them without actually fucking

.

You didn't need to do it like this Drew Hayes!!

2. Copaganda with the agency. ACAB.

Yeah, it does follow that there'd be some way for supernatural beings to have something like an agency but like... In the form of something like a government or council where people sort through shit. Like a town hall that helps people sort out conflict and find housing or whatever social support. Something that serves, not something like a paramilitary group that in actually canon words benefits from fear.


Each of those things brings it down a full star. If it were not for either of those, this would be five stars. I cannot morally reconcile giving it that many stars.