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timinbc's review against another edition
2.0
Well, OK, it was written in 2009, and a lot of urban fantasy has passed by since then.
And maybe I'd have taken more from the book if I had read the Nightside books.
But this sure feels like one of those series written by a guy who thinks writing is easy and can bang out a book in a few weeks.
This may be true if your hero has an invulnerable suit that can do, well, anything really - the only limit seems to be that it can't do things Eddie hasn't thought of yet. There goes any dramatic tension. OK, not that we thought Eddie would ever be at risk, any more than James Bond ever was.
Each scene was describe-foe, make a speech, armour up and blast the baddie. No outsmarting (except in a couple of minor scenes), just straight-on BashBash. It's like reading an Asterix comic and waiting for Obélix to PAF! the Romans.
There's even a nod to this from the author when he notes that none of his Q-analog's fancy weapons ever got used.
Even the foes were mostly generic, lightly described and given to Flemingesque speeches of the "you see, Mr. Bond, bwah-ha, my plan is ..."
And yes, I award no marks for wholesale theft of concept, plot and more from the Bond series. There comes a point where it passes tribute or pastiche and just becomes lazy.
Beach read at best, maybe not even that.
And maybe I'd have taken more from the book if I had read the Nightside books.
But this sure feels like one of those series written by a guy who thinks writing is easy and can bang out a book in a few weeks.
This may be true if your hero has an invulnerable suit that can do, well, anything really - the only limit seems to be that it can't do things Eddie hasn't thought of yet. There goes any dramatic tension. OK, not that we thought Eddie would ever be at risk, any more than James Bond ever was.
Each scene was describe-foe, make a speech, armour up and blast the baddie. No outsmarting (except in a couple of minor scenes), just straight-on BashBash. It's like reading an Asterix comic and waiting for Obélix to PAF! the Romans.
There's even a nod to this from the author when he notes that none of his Q-analog's fancy weapons ever got used.
Even the foes were mostly generic, lightly described and given to Flemingesque speeches of the "you see, Mr. Bond, bwah-ha, my plan is ..."
And yes, I award no marks for wholesale theft of concept, plot and more from the Bond series. There comes a point where it passes tribute or pastiche and just becomes lazy.
Beach read at best, maybe not even that.
kathydavie's review against another edition
4.0
Third in the Secret Histories urban fantasy series about the Drood family who are the hidden protectors of the world.
My Take
Well, this was interesting. It was a lot of short stories woven into a larger tale of six of the world's greatest secret agents invited to play a game with the winner to gain all of Alexander King's, the Independent Agent's, secrets. And Green has brought Walker from the Nightside in as one of the participants.
I love it! The Hiring Hall is incorporated as Pound of Flesh, Inc. with a tagline of We always take our cut. How very Shakespearean, LOL. Oh, then there's the Druid Nation with Let's put the fear back into Halloween!
It's funny, it's outrageous, it's full of snark as the agents all take jabs at each other. It makes fun of, well, you name it. And this time around, Green brings in a bit of the Nightside with Walker as one of the gamesters. It was rather odd reading a story in which Walker is not treated as scarier than God.
In between it all, there's Eddie trying to make peace with everyone, to foster a sense of teamwork.
There's an attempt to bring sex into this, but it falls flat. Then there's Walker using his Voice. Once. After that he supposedly doesn't have it. Huh??
Oooh, a Drood at Strangefellows in the Nightside. I suspect Eddie will be quite happy never to return!
The Story
Another upheaval in who rules the Drood family and Eddie can't decide if he's happy or not about it. All of which becomes moot when he's invited to participate in King's game to discover which of six of the world's most promising agents will survive a game he has devised.
They are to go out into the world and solve five mysteries, starting with the Loch Ness monster. Each agent brings their strengths and contacts---where communications are possible---to solve each mystery. Most of the mysteries require intuition and knowledge to even figure out what the mystery is!
It's a deadly game with helpful results. Well, helpful to the inhabitants anyway. And threats from some very capable enemies.
The Characters
Eddie Drood, a.k.a., Shaman Bond, ruled his family---the one that rules the Universe---for a short time, but he's back in London as a field agent. Molly Metcalf has moved back to the wild woods and Eddie spends as much time as he can with her although it's not much in this story.
Martha Drood is the Matriarch of the Droods, Eddie's grandmother. William is the whacko Librarian with Rafe as his assistant (and nanny); Uncle Jack is the Armourer who has way too much fun in his workshop (think of James Bond's Q); Cousin Harry is still around with his partner, Roger, the half-demon, his half-brother, AND his lover; there's still a Cedric as Sergeant-at-Arms, but he's sneakier than his predecessor; Ethel is still happily involved; and, Callan has recovered...mostly.
The other agents include the Blue Fairy with his stolen torc; Honey Lake is CIA; Walker is...well, he's Walker from the Nightside, a force to be reckoned with; Peter King is the Independent Agent's grandson who specializes in industrial espionage; and, Lethal Harmony of Kathmandu uses her sex to sway those around her.
Queen Mab has re-taken her throne from Oberon and Titania and has designs upon our world.
Big Aus is part of an Australian gang interested in embarrassing the Queen. He's already hired on Coffin Jobe who has a tendency to fall down dead; the Dancing Fool who is the fastest fighter in the world with his déjà fu; and, Strange Chloe, the Goth's Goth, who can crumble the world with her gaze.
Philip MacAlpine is paying for the mistakes of Daemons are Forever. Silly bugger, he should have known better!
The Cover
The cover is quite a colorful collage of events in its bright lime green electrifying the U.S.S. Eldridge with a beautiful royal blue sky behind and a decrepit pier before it. One of his fellow spies and Eddie are in silhouette in the foreground.
I'm not really sure where the title came from. There are several possibilities from Eddie feeling the losses, the Independent Agent's history, and/or the mysterious person who keeps following them. Any of these could be The Spy Who Haunted Me.
My Take
Well, this was interesting. It was a lot of short stories woven into a larger tale of six of the world's greatest secret agents invited to play a game with the winner to gain all of Alexander King's, the Independent Agent's, secrets. And Green has brought Walker from the Nightside in as one of the participants.
I love it! The Hiring Hall is incorporated as Pound of Flesh, Inc. with a tagline of We always take our cut. How very Shakespearean, LOL. Oh, then there's the Druid Nation with Let's put the fear back into Halloween!
It's funny, it's outrageous, it's full of snark as the agents all take jabs at each other. It makes fun of, well, you name it. And this time around, Green brings in a bit of the Nightside with Walker as one of the gamesters. It was rather odd reading a story in which Walker is not treated as scarier than God.
In between it all, there's Eddie trying to make peace with everyone, to foster a sense of teamwork.
There's an attempt to bring sex into this, but it falls flat. Then there's Walker using his Voice. Once. After that he supposedly doesn't have it. Huh??
Oooh, a Drood at Strangefellows in the Nightside. I suspect Eddie will be quite happy never to return!
The Story
Another upheaval in who rules the Drood family and Eddie can't decide if he's happy or not about it. All of which becomes moot when he's invited to participate in King's game to discover which of six of the world's most promising agents will survive a game he has devised.
They are to go out into the world and solve five mysteries, starting with the Loch Ness monster. Each agent brings their strengths and contacts---where communications are possible---to solve each mystery. Most of the mysteries require intuition and knowledge to even figure out what the mystery is!
It's a deadly game with helpful results. Well, helpful to the inhabitants anyway. And threats from some very capable enemies.
The Characters
Eddie Drood, a.k.a., Shaman Bond, ruled his family---the one that rules the Universe---for a short time, but he's back in London as a field agent. Molly Metcalf has moved back to the wild woods and Eddie spends as much time as he can with her although it's not much in this story.
Martha Drood is the Matriarch of the Droods, Eddie's grandmother. William is the whacko Librarian with Rafe as his assistant (and nanny); Uncle Jack is the Armourer who has way too much fun in his workshop (think of James Bond's Q); Cousin Harry is still around with his partner, Roger, the half-demon, his half-brother, AND his lover; there's still a Cedric as Sergeant-at-Arms, but he's sneakier than his predecessor; Ethel is still happily involved; and, Callan has recovered...mostly.
The other agents include the Blue Fairy with his stolen torc; Honey Lake is CIA; Walker is...well, he's Walker from the Nightside, a force to be reckoned with; Peter King is the Independent Agent's grandson who specializes in industrial espionage; and, Lethal Harmony of Kathmandu uses her sex to sway those around her.
Queen Mab has re-taken her throne from Oberon and Titania and has designs upon our world.
Big Aus is part of an Australian gang interested in embarrassing the Queen. He's already hired on Coffin Jobe who has a tendency to fall down dead; the Dancing Fool who is the fastest fighter in the world with his déjà fu; and, Strange Chloe, the Goth's Goth, who can crumble the world with her gaze.
Philip MacAlpine is paying for the mistakes of Daemons are Forever. Silly bugger, he should have known better!
The Cover
The cover is quite a colorful collage of events in its bright lime green electrifying the U.S.S. Eldridge with a beautiful royal blue sky behind and a decrepit pier before it. One of his fellow spies and Eddie are in silhouette in the foreground.
I'm not really sure where the title came from. There are several possibilities from Eddie feeling the losses, the Independent Agent's history, and/or the mysterious person who keeps following them. Any of these could be The Spy Who Haunted Me.
ogreart's review against another edition
5.0
This is a fun series. There is also a crossover with his Nightside series in this. Very interesting.
Listened to it as an unabridged MP3.
Listened to it as an unabridged MP3.
ogreart's review against another edition
5.0
This is a fun series. There is also a crossover with his Nightside series in this. Very interesting.
Listened to it as an unabridged MP3.
Listened to it as an unabridged MP3.
nattyg's review against another edition
3.0
I figured out The Who Done It - didn’t detract from the story or the plot, waited til it came along. Enjoyed this romp.
aknas22's review against another edition
4.0
The only problem with this book is that there is so much death, so many characters created so they can die. Other than that it was a really good book...I really like Eddie, and I'm glad Walker turned out to be a good guy.
linbee83's review against another edition
5.0
I always enjoy Simon Green books. This one was great because it not only had Eddie Drood, but another of my favorite of his characters, Walker from the Nightside. This book was none stop adventure, and we go along for the ride, and get to solve some of histories greatest mysteries.
hbaier94's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
sgilbert3114's review against another edition
5.0
The competition for King's secrets was a lot of fun, and it was neat to see the group of competitors somewhat working together to solve some of the world's greatest mysteries, with Green's own twist to them. Really enjoying reading this series and the Nightside series together, something I definitely recommend. To read my full review, please visit my blog: https://allyouneedarebooksandcats.wordpress.com/2021/12/15/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead/
rogal's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75